Disclaimer is in chapter 1.

The portkey released Xander with all the normal grace he was able to muster, that was none at all, and he slammed into the grounds outside Salem.

"Did that hurt, man? That looked like it hurt."

Xander groaned, pushing himself over, and looked up to see a boy about his age looking down at him.

"You ok?" The boy asked, extending a hand. "I'm Mike."

"Xander." He replied, taking the hand and letting the boy help him to his feet.

"Good, the right guy came falling out of the sky."

Xander curled his lip up in a sarcastic expression, but didn't reply.

"The Headmaster wanted me to meet you, I'll take you to his office."

"Thanks."

The meeting with the headmaster was really just a formality, and Xander breezed through it in a few minutes. His marks, both from the Hogwarts professors and Professor Hardy were adequate to keep pretty much everyone off his case, so really all he was doing was confirming what he already knew.

When released, Xander headed back for the main gates. He'd agreed to meet Wednesday here, as they'd be going on the England together, and despite the fact that they had gotten together a lot over the summer it felt like a reunion of sorts.

"Alexander."

Xander turned and recognized The Lavelle Matriarch, Jessica, as she approached. "Ma'am."

"How was your summer?"

"Fine." Xander said, his tone a little uncertain. He wasn't sure what this woman, or anyone else in the family for that matter, wanted with him. But everyone he knew was warning him to tread softly.

"I understand that you are doing well in your classes."

"I guess so."

"Excellent. A Hogwarts education carries a great deal of esteem in certain circles, young man. See that you take it seriously."

Xander nodded automatically, "I do."

"Have you chosen your courses for the next year?"

Xander nodded, "I'm taking the normal load, plus Runes and Arithmancy."

"Good choices," The Lavelle Matriarch nodded approvingly. "Those will open the widest career path in the future. Have you thought that far ahead?"

Xander shook his head, "Not really, Ma'am. Over there it's easy to get caught up in what's happening, but when I come home everything is different."

She raised one eyebrow, "indeed. I can see how, if you were from England, one might seriously plan on joining The Proud."

Xander blinked, "The Proud?"

"Sorry," She smiled slightly, "What do they call it over there? Oh yes, The Aurors. The Proud are the American Ministry's Law Enforcement Branch, well... they're our Federal level group, at least. Unlike the Europeans, we Americans don't centralize law enforcement to the same degree. Wizarding Constables enforce the laws in their own communities, The Proud exist to handle issues beyond their ability, generally Dark Lord types and Dark Bands."

Xander couldn't help but smirk, "I didn't know Metallica was a threat."

Apparently purebloods in the States' weren't quite as separated from normal culture as in England, because that comment earned him a dark scowl from the old lady. "A Dark Band is akin to what you might know as an Outlaw Gang. A group of wizards and witches, and occasionally other creatures, that while individually are not particularly powerful, operate as a group to terrorize communities."

That brought Xander up short, as he considered it, "Wow. I've never heard of the like."

"Well, it's not a strictly American invention by a long shot, young man, however our extremely large expanse of territory, compared to population, makes it a viable alternative for outlaws of all stripes. When you combine it with American laws against using military force on our own citizens, you can see how these groups survive."

Xander nodded, filing the information away. "Why do they call the cops, The Proud?"

She smiled, "Because' they're LEOs, and Lions always travel in a Pride."

Xander blinked, but was obviously confused.

"LEO, Law Enforcement Officer." She explained, "The Proud, or Pride, is America's Federal Response Organization. We mandate them to less than one hundred members, but they're the most powerful and well trained Wizards and Witches in the country, some say the world."

Xander smirked, "Most of those live in the States, I'll bet."

"Or Canada, Mexico, Cuba, and the like," She nodded with a smile.

"Wha? Wait, why?"

"Why what?" Jessica seemed as confused as Xander suddenly felt.

"Why would Cuba or Mexico say that our guys are the best?"

"Our...?" Her face suddenly cleared, "Oh, wait, I see. You were muggle raised, of course. I apologize, I can see that there are several things you don't know. For one, there is no Magical Ministry of the 'United States'. The American Ministry of Magic actually represents Wizards and Witches from Canada, The United States, Mexico... Basically down as far as Panama, and yes Cuba is under the same government on our side of things. Basically all of North and Central America, aside from Alaska."

Xander blinked, "Why not Alaska?"

"The Russian Magical Federation controls that," She said with a shrug, "Always has."

Xander slumped, trying to wrap his mind around it, and failing almost totally. "Whoa."

"Most political lines in our world doesn't quite match up with the corresponding lines in the non-magical world, child," She said matter of factly. "In Europe, particularly, things are a horrid mess. All the Muggle wars have shifted the lines around massively from where they originally were, yet few of those wars affected Magical lines of authority. I don't suppose that's really much of a concern to the schooling in Hogwarts, however, since Magically the British Isles falls entirely under one government."

"Oh man," Xander moaned, "You mean I have to learn a whole new set of countries?"

The Lavelle Matriarch suppressed a smile with thin compressed lips, but nodded, "Yes, though most of the countries are more or less the same, just their boundaries have a margin for error."

"No wonder the world seems to be in such a mess," Xander muttered.

"I rather think that there other reasons for that, young man," She told him sternly, "At any rate, in North America at least, it's part of normal life."

"Why's that?"

"Because our ministry is more of a loosely allied group of independent states," She explained, "So the idea of flexible boundaries of jurisdiction is something you should get used to. There are different laws in different areas of the country, even in different towns in some cases."

"That sounds... complicated."

"Wizards and Witches came to America to get away from the iron hands of European rulers, and the ministries they were backing." She told him, "Central government is anathema to most first Generation Americans, and we're not yet so far removed from those men and women that we've forgotten. In fact, it's entirely possible that there are a couple of them left, Franklin knows that we've misplaced one or two of the Founding Families, and their Founders."

"Misplaced?" Xander asked, amused.

"In the Magical world, anything is possible, Alexander." She told him calmly. "Including some truly spectacular ages. At any rate, this is getting beyond the original topic, which I believe was what you intend to do when you graduate?"

Xander shifted uncomfortable, "I don't really know yet. I've been playing with a lot of things, and there are some that interest me, but I don't know enough about anything yet."

"Hmmm..." She nodded, accepting that. "I've heard about your patent, so perhaps you have a future in potions research."

"THAT was an accident!" Xander protested, flushing hotly. "I was trying to make a joke potion to turn back on some pranksters at school! I swear!"

She chuckled dryly, practically a cackle, "No need to swear in my direction, Alexander. I believe you, but still many great discoveries are made by accident. That doesn't mean that the people who made them were worth any less in their fields."

She rose up just as an ancient Rolls steamed onto the school grounds.

"Remember, Alexander," She said, sparing him a glance before turning away. "The Families are watching you now. We can aid your greatly in whatever you choose to do... or not."

Xander watched the old woman walk away, his expression darkening at her parting words as he wondered if it was more of an offer... or a threat?

The Rolls Royce came to a smooth halt in front of him, breaking him of those thoughts as the doors opened and the Addams stepped out. He smiled genuinely, and rose to greet them.