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So far... On his seventh birthday, Harry Potter was inspired to never stop asking for help. He learned about magic early and, adopted by Mercy Fuller, launched a junior academy, mainly for Muggle-raised children aged seven to ten. Strong bonds of friendship were formed, but, on starting Hogwarts, they soon faced separation and expulsion, with Neville alone in Gryffindor and accused of theft, and the others having walked away from Snape's Potions lesson. Read on...

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Chapter 6

The Boy Who Gived


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Bad Riddance

"So it's true – Dumbledore's kicked him out!"

A host of chattering Ravenclaw students, among them, Harry Potter, gazed from Ravenclaw Tower as Neville Longbottom trudged out of the castle and began the long walk to the great gate. Through the distant bars of wrought iron, Harry could just about discern the formidable figure of Madam Longbottom waiting for her grandson. The afternoon was bright and clear, but her expression was... harder to distinguish.

"He's in for it now," said Hermione, pressing forward at Harry's side to see better.

"No," said Luna, appearing from nowhere at Harry's other elbow.

He twisted around to peruse the airy blue chamber behind him, and listen to the hubbub of chatter. Every window on their side of the circular room was crowded with students watching the drama unfold, expecting to see at least a severe scolding, or perhaps even an ear-boxing. It wasn't every day one got to witness firsthand an expulsion from Hogwarts.

"Why not, Luna?" said Harry, swivelling back to gesture out the window. "Madam Longbottom can be quite severe – look, she's folding her arms."

"That's pride. After all he's achieved at the Academy, his gran trusts him as much as we do," she said. "Madam Longbottom knows he wouldn't steal on purpose. Either he found the lost diadem of Rowena Ravenclaw – or a Wrackspurt found him."

"The what?" said Hermione, craning over Harry's shoulder to gauge Luna's expression.

"A Wrackspurt. They float in through your ears and make your brain go fuzzy."

"No, the diadem," pouted Hermione, annoyed that Luna might know something about one of the Founders that she herself didn't. "I don't recall reading about it in Hogwarts: A Hist–"

"–Rowena Ravenclaw's statue over there, remember?" said Luna, gesturing to the white marble figure in a niche opposite the entrance to their common room. "See the little coronet on her head? The real one gives wisdom to the wearer. Perhaps Neville hoped to use it to get into Ravenclaw. Yes, that must be it! Professor McGonagall said it was a valuable artifact. Neville was trying to borrow it from Ron's travel trunk!"

Harry snorted disdainfully. "From what I've seen of him, Ron Weasley doesn't strike me as having gained much wisdom from a magic crown, Luna. Look where he ended up – in ruddy Gryffindor!"

Their attention reverted to Neville as he neared the gate, and Luna nodded sadly. "Perhaps you're right. I was hoping he'd–"

–They couldn't hear from that distance, but each imagined the sound of the heavy gates creaking as they slowly swung open...

Gasps! Cries! The Common Room came alive with noise.

"She's... hugging him?" croaked Harry. "Neville's grandmother has her arms round him?"

"Told you she'd be proud!" smiled Luna. "She must know, you see."

"Know what...?" Hermione struggled to puzzle it out. Yet there was another surprise...

"Is that your...!" she gasped, as two other figures Apparated soundlessly into view beside Madam Longbottom – a moment later the distant snap of sound reached their ears. "Harry, it's your mother!"

"Mum? Here?" His wand whipped up to cast a cleansing charm on his spectacles, and he pushed them further up his nose to focus hard.

Yet something even more astounding happened...

"I don't believe it!" Hermione squeaked.

"The Longbottoms are coming back to the castle with them!" cried many.

Harry's eyes widened along with everyone else's. "Luna, how did you... did you know? Do you know what's happening?"

"I know that Neville received a message from his gran early this morning."

"What! You mean before... before..."

"Before breakfast."

"How? Why didn't you say?"

"He asked me not to."

Harry and Hermione stared dumbfounded at each other then at Luna.

"He planned this?" said Harry, keeping his voice low, as glances and mutters from other students came buzzing their way. 'What's he say?' ... 'what's going on?' ... 'why'd they...?'

"I think so. I went to owl Daddy to remind him not to forget the blue sky-rose for Mummy's grave now I'm at Hogwarts. Neville was coming down from the owlery reading a–"

"–But Madam Pince said he was in the library before breakfast" hissed Harry. "She said he'd been reading Hogwarts rules."

"This was earlier. Perhaps his gran had advised him to see if there was–"

"–Why didn't you let us know when–!"

"–He said not to mention anyth–"

"–But..."

Hermione was leaning dangerously out of the open window now, looking downwards. "They're coming inside. I can't believe even Madam Longbottom will be able to change Professor Dumbledore's mind."

Despite the grim situation, Hermione giggled as Harry anxiously grabbed her round the waist for fear she'd topple out. She squirmed sideways, stumbling back into his arms, then pushed him away laughing nervously. "That tickles!"

"Sorry ... you were... I was scared you'd..."

She turned away, pink-faced, and became very interested suddenly in shuffling papers on the table next to the window.

"I'm really sorry, Hermione," said Harry.

"s'alright..." Her voice was almost inaudible.

Harry gnawed worriedly at his lower lip. His early life and Mercy's gentle guidance had made him sensitive to others' feelings even when he wasn't always sure of the reasons for them. He opened his mouth to say, "I'll try to–"

"–Harry!" piped up a young, dark-complexioned girl who had just entered the room, and was holding the door open. "Headmaster wants to see you. All three of you actually!"

"Right now?" Harry dragged himself reluctantly over, followed by Luna. He looked closely at the messenger's expression. "You're Parvati, yeah? Did he say–?"

"–Padma. I'm Padma. My sister's Parvati – but she's in Gryffindor."

"Padma – right. Did uumm... did Dumbl–?"

"–He only told me he wanted to see you three immediately."

"Mercy's owl flew past, Harry!" cried Hermione, flinging an arm back to point at the window behind her as she ran after her two friends. "She must have Apparated it along with her for quickness!"

Harry's eyes widened. "You two go to the Head's office – I'll run to the owlery then catch up with you."

"You can't! The Headmaster'll–"

"–I'm not going without seeing what Mum's got to say!" Harry's shout echoed back from halfway down the steps, over which he was recklessly leaping two at a time.

As Luna and Hermione scurried out after him, someone back in the common room shouted, "Windows, everyone! We might see a dozen expulsions in one day if we're lucky!"

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The Irreversible Expulsion

Neville Longbottom wasn't trudging anymore – he was stepping out briskly. Accompanied by his Grandmother, by Mercy, and by a man from Harry's lawyers to support him, he was greatly encouraged that his plan would work. Nevertheless, he was slightly nervous as they ascended the marble staircase, heading towards the Headmaster's office.

"Excuse me a moment only," said Mercy, as she turned off their intended route, with Harry's legal adviser following her.

The Longbottoms paused. Neville's mouth firmed as he watched Mercy and the lawyer become engrossed in conversation with her son, Harry – the boy's chest was heaving as if he'd been running. Beyond them he could see Hannah, Justin, and Dean heading to join them. From another direction, the distant and slower figures of... "Luna! Hermione!" Neville waved excitedly.

"Come along, Neville, none of our business," said his grandmother. "We'll walk slowly and Professor Fuller might catch us up."

Without the additional support, Neville's confidence faltered, but the journey to the Headmaster's office could not be delayed forever...

The moment came.

"Enter."

"YOU!" Ron Weasley was standing near Dumbledore's desk. "You should be gone, you thievin' scum!"

"Relax, Mr Weasley; Madam Longbottom has requested an audience, which is why, as the injured party, I felt you had the right to be here too. ... Madam, perhaps you would be good enough to explain your visit? However, I must caution you that nothing you can say will change anything: your grandson has already been expelled and that cannot be undone even if I wished it."

"Thank you, Headmaster, and yes, both my grandson and I accept the expulsion," said Augusta Longbottom. She paused for a few moments to increase anticipation, then her chest swelled with dignity. "I'm here to enrol the son of my son, Neville Longbottom, at Hogwarts, in accordance with Founders Article 1!"

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The Compromise

Paul Dither perused his notes one last time before stuffing them away in his briefcase. "Children, you are now at an important turning point in your lives from which there may be no return. Can you confirm once more that you and your parents are all agreed to persist until the end no matter what?"

"WE ARE!" chorused seven children in unison, their voices echoing down the stone corridors of Hogwarts castle.

"And if you reach that end without success?"

"WE WALK AWAY!"

Dither nodded at Mercy Fuller. "Then let us begin..."

Their ascension up the spiral steps to the Headmaster's office was resolute. Their footsteps faltered only when Ron Weasley, dashing down from above, passed them, his excited face pink and jubilant, hurriedly followed by a frowning Professor McGonagall. Neville also emerged through the open doorway above, but his face was grey with bitter disappointment.

Harry's spirits sank as low as any of them. He was no longer able to marshal his thoughts together on the coming encounter with Dumbledore. He watched in silence as Neville passed them with his grandmother. Hannah opened her mouth as if to speak, but Justin nudged her, and she slumped in resignation. It was Luna who finally voiced positive thoughts:

"We're not giving in, Neville, and neither should you!"

She'd meant it kindly, but Neville's footsteps barely slowed, and his reply had faded away down and around the spiral stairs. "Too late. ... I'm still in Gryff...."

"What's he say?" Dean muttered in confusion to the others.

In vain, Hermione called down the stairs after the receding figure of their friend. "What's happened, Neville? Aren't you expelled?"

Luna sighed. "Whatever he'd planned, it must have failed."

"Will you children please enter?" called Dumbledore from above.

Mercy said, "Come along, Harry ... everyone, or we'll–"

"–What's going on, Luna?" cried Harry. "Is he–"

"–can't you see? He must have hoped to get reSorted but–"

"–Hurry please, children!" called the Headmaster, a little more impatiently.

Harry, Hermione, and Luna hissed back and forth under their breaths as they continued up the last few steps. "you mean he deliberately–?" – "must have somehow proved he–" – "–can't believe that Neville–" – "–told you he'd done nothing wrong!"

The buzzing exchanges ceased the moment they passed the threshold into the Headmaster's office – for there stood Professor Snape, arms folded and a confident smirk on his ungenerous lips.

If others quailed, Harry Potter did not. "Headmaster, is Neville still at Hogwarts?"

Snape glared. "None of your–"

"–Your friend is exonerated," smiled Dumbledore, cutting Snape off with a wave. "Mr Longbottom had simply pushed a precious possession – a Chudley Cannons badge of rare material, I believe – to the bottom of Mr Weasley's travel chest where it would be safer. Mr Weasley hadn't been aware that it was far more valuable than he knew."

"But why didn't Neville say before!" cried Hannah and Hermione, practically together.

"Ah, the poor boy was under the false impression that, because the Hogwarts Rulebook states that all new students must be Sorted, he would be Sorted again if he re-enrolled."

"Wit beyond measure!" cried Luna. "He's shown the Hat that he deserves to be in Ravenclaw!"

"Alas! I cannot change the rules, Miss Lovegood. A student can only be Sorted once, so young master Longbottom will forever be a Gryffindor." Dumbledore's blue eyes twinkled as if he was enjoying some kind of game. "Now to more important matt–"

–Harry raised his voice above Dumbledore's."Rules can be changed, Headmaster."

"Stop this please, Harry. What's done is done."

Mercy cut in, "He'll never stop, Albus. Believe me, I know."

"Then let him continue on his own time; I have much–"

"–Sorry, Professor, but this IS my time," said Harry, "as much as anyone else's. How can we help Neville? How can he be reSorted? If your life depended upon it then you'd find a way."

"Harry, listen to me," Dumbledore said gravely, "some things in life we can never have, no matter how much we wish it. It does not do to dwell on–"

"–True, but Neville DESERVES to be Sorted correctly. MAGIC itself is outraged – can't you feel it?"

The other children uttered their agreement, with Luna piping up loudest.

"You children feel magic? At your age? Remarkable. However..." Dumbledore sighed. "We must discuss Mr Longbottom at some future time if you all wish to use the remaining minutes of this meeting to put your case on the matter of your own expulsions."

Mercy nodded her agreement to Harry, and he fell silent. Hermione put a comforting hand on his shoulder.

"Now," continued Dumbledore in a tone of relief, "your mother and I have met before, but–"

"–Job application – rejected as I recall," yawned Snape.

Ignoring the slight, Mercy introduced Paul Dither as the senior partner of the law firm commissioned by Harry.

"Let's get right to it, Dumbledore," snapped Dither. "Either Snape apologises to my client AND his mother AND drastically improves his teaching method and attitude, or we shall apply for–"

"–NEVER!" cried Snape.

"You refuse to improve your low teaching standards?"

"Don't twist my words around Dither – you're not in court now," snarled the professor.

"Not yet..." Dither's tone was as menacing as Snape's. "Without your compliance to our terms, we shall apply in the first instance for a hearing before the School Board. If we are not satisfied with the result of their judgement, we shall appeal to the Wizengamot and even to the International Confederation of Wizards to decide the matter. The news media will be kept fully informed as to what is happening here at Hogwarts. At the very least, a very bright wandlight will be shone on the quality of some of the teaching staff."

"You'd go that far?" frowned Dumbledore.

Mercy said, "Harry will find a way to go further, if I know my son. He'll never stop asking for help. A scoundrel abandoned him to great danger and abuse when quite young, and his determination is a result of that injustice he was denied so utterly."

Dumbledore averted his gaze. Does she know...? "You put me in an impossible position," he said. "I cannot–"

"–Why do you cling to this miserable excuse for a teacher, Dumbledore?" said Dither. "What reason have you for employing a failure?"

Snape gnashed his growing frustration but Dumbledore cut him off. "Qualified staff are hard to find. Professor Snape is a master potioneer who–"

"–who cannot teach effectively, fairly, or even courteously," cried Mercy.

"And you think you could do better?" sneered the man in question.

"Certainly – but I have an academy with over forty students to manage. I do have an assistant now, but she cannot run the school full time. Otherwise, I'd easily exceed your wasted hours in a few minutes of quality teaching."

"Then may I suggest a compromise, Madam Fuller?" said Dumbledore, relieved to find a possible way out. "I will offer you the position of Hogwarts Potions Professor in respect of your son's class only – just two lessons a week that–"

"–throw in the apology, and we have a deal," cut in Dither.

Dumbledore's eyes widened. "Do you not wish to discuss the offer with your client?"

Paul Dither and Mercy exchanged smiles before he replied, "No need. We anticipated every possibility."

The Headmaster stared. Not since he'd been pranked as a first-year had he been played like a fish so skilfully. Grudgingly, he growled, "Very well. ... Severus...?"

Snape glared. "You expect me to–"

"–It would be gracious of you, yes."

"And I'd be rid of Potter for good? No more disruptions?"

Harry flared up. "You're the one who caused the–"

"–Harry, Please!" cried his mother.

"Sorry, Mum."

"Oh, very well," glowered Snape, then turned to mumble at the wall, "I apologise to Potter and Madam Fuller."

"Is that all?" said Dither, blinking in astonishment.

"Will that suffice?" Dumbledore said hopefully.

"We accept," said Mercy, "but we'll be monitoring the situation very closely to see if–"

–The door burst open and McGonagall rushed in. "Albus! There's no – oh, sorry. Can I have a quick word, Headmaster?"

"Yes, of course, what is it?" Dumbledore was rising out of his seat in alarm.

The Headmaster and his deputy whispered together for a few moments. Harry gaped. Hermione clutched his arm. Luna had scurried to the door where Neville stood nervously biting his lip. They exchanged quizzical gestures and shrugs, then–

"–PERRICK!" barked Dumbledore – rather gruffly, Harry thought.

An elderly house-elf appeared trembling to see his master's dark expression. "Sir, Master Dumbledore, sir?"

"Where is Neville Longbottom's bed?" demanded the Headmaster.

"Is furnishings of Hogwarts castle, Master Dumbledore, sir. Hogwarts magic is always placing students beds after Sorting, sir."

"Then where is it now?"

"Is not, sir. Hogwarts removed bed when master Neville was expelled. Master Neville is not being a Hogwarts student now."

"Then what is...?" Dumbledore sighed. He knew when he was beaten. "Minerva, we have a new student. If you'd be so kind," he said, gesturing back over his shoulder.

Harry looked at the walls behind the desk. A glass case held a magnificent silver sword, with large rubies set into the hilt, and Harry wondered whose it was. Next to it, the patched and ragged Sorting Hat was standing on a shelf with McGonagall approaching. Light dawned!

"GO, Neville! NEVER STOP believing!"

Once placed on Neville's head, it was but a matter of seconds before the Sorting Hat grudgingly but firmly declared, "RAVENCLAW!"

Only Harry was applauding. He turned excitedly to the others, clapping and pointing again and again to Neville who was grinning from ear to ear. The entire gathering was staring as if transfixed, but it was several moments before he realised they were not looking at Neville; they were gazing in awe at Harry Potter, the boy who lived, the boy who would never stop. Ever.

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—oOo—

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Author's Notes

Some interesting comments from SomeGuyFawkes in a Ch.1 review: (A) Dumbledore would not let Harry get away from the Dursleys – likely he didn't know until it was too late. Once Harry no longer called 4 Privet Drive his home, the blood protection was broken, and even Dumbledore couldn't find him behind the Fidelius for quite a while.

(B) Dumbledore's kept Harry safe from the ministry. Mercy would lose custody – in this fic the adoption department never leaked the confidential info so nobody knew. Even if realised, laws (in this fic) are quite strict about separating a child from its mother, adopted or otherwise.

(C+D) Prophecy – Scar – Horcruxes – Voldemort's success or failure – all irrelevant to Harry, as they were in the original Walk Away. Not his problem. He'll hide behind the unbreakable Fidelius if need be - and offer that same protection to his friends. Or find some other way to avoid Voldemort. And he'll NEVER stop walking away. He simply will not play Dumbledore's game. Let Dumbledore find another hero if he can't be bothered to sort out the mess himself.

Many thanks for all comments and reviews. These are most welcome and very encouraging. Let me know of any weaknesses or faults – I'm always trying to improve my writing so feedback is really useful. :)

– Hippothestrowl

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