A/N: Sorry about the really, really late chapter. I was stuck at a roadblock with what to do with the next few chapters until I discussed it with TheFairPhantom. SO, I have it planned out right now that there will be about three chapters after this that deals with what's discussed in this chapter, then, after that, 10-15 more until Harry's fate is decided with the potion (I'm separating these because since last chapter, there's been a transition and the transition will need to last for longer than one chapter). So, here is chapter 14. Again, sorry for the long wait!

Chapter 14: Where To Go

Harry Potter stared straight at Merrythought, not believing what he was hearing.

"Sorry?" he asked, surprised. Harry had not been expecting this.

He knew that the whole deal with Aberforth Dumbledore had been some intense moments, intense enough for Albus to completely leave behind any sort of calm demeanor and go off in a rage toward Aberforth, where Albus very nearly tried to rip his younger brother to pieces.

Not literally, of course, but close to it. There had been a very short lived wandfight where Albus managed to get Aberforth's wand away, but that only made Aberforth angry. The next second, as Harry rushed forward with the other teachers Aberforth pinned Albus down on the ground. He hit him over and over again, and yelled out, "You're nothing, you great ugly prune! You're the one who's been putting his nose in other people's business, thinking you're all important and-"

At this point, Black and Garside stood there, watching with shocked expressions. Merrythought seemed less shocked, though, but Harry flicked his wand and Aberforth soured off into the air, and stopped, hanging upside down two feet over his brother's chest. At least he was wearing pants, Harry noticed when his heavy cloak fell over his head, rather than what Snape had been wearing in that one memory Harry'd seen.

Albus looked up at Aberforth, shocked, then up at Harry, even more surprised. He didn't seem too damaged at all, just a little roughed up.

Aberforth flailed his arms around. "Put me down!" he demanded.

Albus pushed himself out of the way, not standing up, but giving enough room for Harry to lower Aberforth down on his feet.

"Why are you keeping what Potter is?" Aberforth yelled at him as Merrythought grabbed his arm and put a silencing charm over him as Harry tried to help Albus up, but he just waved Harry off. "Don't worry about me," he told him quietly, standing on his own.

"You just said-" said Black, but Merrythought started to drag Aberforth off. "Now see here, Galatea!"

"He's got nothing to say," she said. "Trust me. I wouldn't keep information from you, now would I? Aberforth's obviously just trying to avenge his brother. I've talked with Harry and there's nothing to worry about with him. He's a very competent wizard. I don't know what Aberforth's been going on about."

Phineas Nigellus' eyes narrowed as if she didn't trust her, but Harry was sure he did trust her well enough. She was Head of Gryffindor after all.

"I know both these boys," she continued when she saw the skepticism in Phineas's black eyes. "Aberforth has some behavioral problems, but he's very concerned about his family. Albus happens to be very protective of Aberforth, too. As for Harry, he does his job as you hired him to do. There's nothing at all to worry about and honestly, I can't think of anything to accuse Harry of. Right now, I believe the boys just need to be separated so they can calm down. Harry, please come to my office soon so we can discuss tomorrow's classes."

Before Black could say anything else, Merrythought started to drag Aberforth up the stairs again. Black and Garside stood there, looking up at them, and when they disappeared, the two black-haired men turned to Harry and Dumbledore.

"Come on, Dumbledore," Harry said, standing up a little straighter. He felt he needed to be the teacher here, conducting him. "Do you need the Hospital Wing?"

"No, I'm fine, sir," Albus said, straightening his robes and his Head Boy badge on his robes. "Sorry about that, Professor Black. My brother's a little, or well, stark raving mad, if I should be perfectly honest. I apologize on his behalf the disturbance from tonight's festivities. May I return to Gryffindor Tower?"

Black surveyed him for a long moment, then sighed, as if deciding there wasn't much else he could do. "Yes, yes. Go on, Dumbledore."

Albus gave him a smile, his eyes twinkling. "Thank you, sir."

Harry followed Dumbledore up the stairs and then, thirty minutes later, he found himself sitting on the sofa in Merrythought's cluttered office, which had even more papers and stacks of books than it had when Harry first arrived there.

"Sorry?" Harry asked again.

"You heard me," Merrythought said, pacing around a clear space in the center of her office. "You have to leave Hogwarts."

"Why? Phineas Nigellus doesn't know-"

"He does," Merrythought said abruptly, but she paused, softening her voice. "At least, he will know soon. I've taught Aberforth for three years. He's not at all like Albus. If he gets upset, he'll rave. It's very dangerous for you to be here with him knowing what he knows. If Black ever found out, you would definitely be sent to Azkaban. Albus could be prosecuted as well for keeping information."

"And you?" Harry asked.

"The same," she said, running a hand over her long braided hair. "It's very dangerous for you to be here."

"But won't leaving raise his suspicions?" Harry asked.

"He's already got his hackles raised, Harry. He's already alerted the Ministry, I know he has. I'm very sure the Head of Magical Law Enforcement is already looking for your files. It's a good thing Flamel made those for you, but they could easily find those are fake, if they trace them correctly. It would be nearly impossible, but seeing as there's possible in the word impossible… I can assure you, Harry, that there's going to be an investigation very soon and you do not want to be caught in the middle of it. It's best if you leave now."

Harry had been on the run from the Ministry before, but that had been much, much of a bigger deal to him than running from the Ministry before they could figure out who exactly he was. But, logically, he felt safer at Hogwarts, with Dumbledore nearby, even if Dumbledore was only 17.

He didn't want to raise an alert to Black or the Ministry, either. It seemed too risky to leave now, right when Phineas's suspicions were high on him, according to Merrythought.

He didn't want to seem a coward, either, running when he had the chance. He was stronger than that.

But if it did come to a point where the Ministry did find out that he was from the future, what would he do? Running then would probably be even worse then. He'd be a wanted fugitive. He'd been that, too, once, but the consequences for him a hundred years in the past were not as clear. In his own time, the threat was Voldemort. Here, it was not getting back to his true time like he needed to. He couldn't risk that.

"Can't I stay here a couple more days, at least so it doesn't seem as abrupt."

Merrythought seemed to think through that, pacing still. Harry waited, watching her. He wished that Hermione and Ron were there. He missed them so much and he was sure Hermione would know what to do. She usually did.

"Okay, that will give us time to think of what you can do until Flamel gets the potion ready. Also, we can make up an excuse of some kind, for why you're leaving. Have your things packed, though. Don't answer your door if someone knocks. We can charm it-"

"I have my map," Harry said, reminding her. He'd told her about it when she'd caught him looking at it about a week before.

"That's right. Just be careful until we figure out what to do."

Harry nodded, standing.

As Merrythought escorted Harry to his rooms down the hall, Harry felt as if he was being pushed out of Hogwarts again. But to be pushed out into a world he should have found out more about before this happened scared him, not as much facing Voldemort, but more nearly like facing Snape before he found out about his past.

He wasn't exactly sacred, he considered. He just didn't have an awareness of the unknown, like the ambiguity of Snape's true loyalty.

"Get packed," Merrythought whispered, glancing around the room. She seemed to determine it was safe. "Oh, and come to class tomorrow."

Harry nodded. "Thanks."

Harry stared around his office. It didn't feel at all like home, more like a place to go to when he had no where else to go. Really, he felt trapped there and had the distinct feeling that it felt like the tent he and Hermione and Ron shared during the approximately eight months he'd run from the Ministry. Hogwarts felt like his home in his past, the type of home that Snape and Voldemort had made for themselves when they attended Hogwarts.

In his world, Harry still lived at The Burrow. Mrs. Weasley, after the countless times Harry tried to leave and make his home elsewhere, convinced him to stay a few more days.

"Oh, Harry, no you don't have to. Please stay," Mrs. Weasley said the first time he suggested it. "You have plenty of time to decide that. I know you're not going back to school in September, but have a rest for a while."

So, he stayed. Even when he'd gotten a job in the Auror department, Mrs. Weasley asked him to stay a while longer, until he got his bearings. After his eighteenth birthday, he brought it up again and got shot down again.

But Harry had another reason to stay (besides Ron there. Hermione had gone back to live with her parents before she went back to Hogwarts). Ginny seemed to be a major reason why he continued to stay at the Burrow for so long, but as soon as she left for school again with Hermione, the Burrow became less and less like home. In the seven days he stayed there between when she left and when he found himself in the past, he thought seriously about moving back into Grimmauld Place so he'd be closer to work, but the prospect of living there again didn't appeal to him. He'd been fine when he was there with Ron and Hermione the year before, but living there by himself didn't really seem like the smartest thing to do.

Andromeda Tonks had even shot him down when he brought it up during one of the many Saturday teas they had together for Harry to see Teddy and for Andromeda to get to know Harry better.

"I know Sirius left it to you," she said as Harry sat on the floor with Teddy, handing him toys to grab onto. He was strong enough to hold his head up and sit up and liked to bang stuff around. His hair continued to change color every few minutes, whenever a different color caught his eye. "But that place is scary. I know my aunt and uncle did all sorts of things to that house, and who knows what's been growing there since they passed. Nymphadora told me all these things about it when she was pregnant with Teddy. I know you're strong wizard, but living there by yourself is not a very good option after hearing what Dora saw there."

After that conversation, he realized he still couldn't live with the thought of Sirius being stuck there like Harry was stuck here, in the past, waiting and waiting until Flamel got the potion finished.

Leaving Hogwarts might have been a good idea, but having the same dilemma about where to go in his real time and in the past didn't seem like a very promising time for him. He shouldn't have been so hesitant; he'd rarely been before.

At least at Hogwarts in this time, he had Dumbledore, even though he still reminded very persistent, trying to get as much information out of Harry as he could, but Harry kept his mouth tightly shut. Of course, he wanted to blurt it all out to give him a head start for the future, but he had no idea if the future would change or if his being there was already laid out and meant to be. He wondered if Professor Dumbledore had known he'd been there.

It wasn't much different from the last time he let Hogwarts, but still different. When Harry had left to search for Horcruxes, Dumbledore, of course, hadn't been there. There was an unknown both times, though. The last time, he only really knew two things of what would happen in the future then- he would either live or die. Now, he could either return home or not.

He could remember the moments after Dumbledore's funeral, after he'd broken up with Ginny, after Scrimgeour approached him, and after Ron and Hermione told him they would be there for him.

He'd been the last one left in the boys' dormitory, left to pack his things. The fake necklace dangled from his neck very much the same way the mokeskin pouch did as he packed much fewer things into a shoulder bag instead of a trunk, 99 years in the past.

He mostly packed haphazardly, thinking too much about Dumbledore's funeral and repeating over and over again in his head: locket, snake, cup, something of Ravenclaw's. Locket, snake, cup, something of Ravenclaw's.

He'd been so intent on that that he hadn't even noticed Neville come in behind him.

"All right, Harry?" he asked. Harry turned his head as Neville grabbed a book off his nightstand and opened his trunk. He was ready to go. Harry was the only one not ready.

"'Lo, Neville," he said, stuffing a cloak and a book into his trunk.

There were a few minutes in between. Neville seemed to be organizing his things even though he'd already packed his trunk, but Harry, once he tried to shut his trunk, it only latched on barely from the disorganized chaos.

"Harry?" Neville said.

"Yeah?"

"Does the castle… I mean, does it feel different to you?"

Harry turned, neither indifferent nor confused about it. Actually, when he thought about it, the castle did feel… colder, even during late June.

"Different how?" Harry asked anyway.

"Just… forget it," Neville shook his head, his face blushing slightly as he stood and almost left the room.

"Do you mean colder?" Harry asked before he could leave.

Neville sighed and turned again, walking passed Harry to a window that looked out to the grounds, toward Hagrid's cabin. He stared out. Harry could see from where he stood that his eyes went unfocused. "Yeah. It's colder," he said finally. "It's feels emptier. Do you think, Professor Dumbledore's magic?"

"I-I guess," Harry said sadly. The loss of Dumbledore's magic, with him being such a strong wizard, might have caused the castle to feel strange. He hadn't really noticed it until Neville mentioned it. If they could both feel it now, then there was no doubt that Dumbledore had been a very strong wizard, probably even stronger than Harry could even imagine. "He was powerful enough."

"It scares me, Harry," Neville said, looking down toward his feet. "Do you think the war will ever end? If Dumbledore couldn't make it… and he was the greatest wizard in the world! But, I-I think…" He paused, leaning in closer to the window, craning his neck as if he saw something on the grounds.

Harry thought about what Professor Dumbledore said, how Neville could have been the Chosen One. Harry had the sudden urge to tell him, but he didn't think that would be very helpful to Neville.

"I think it will end," Neville said when Harry didn't answer. That caused Harry to feel taken aback. When Neville first brought it up, he seems so hopeless about it, but now his voice was confident and strong. "I think we'll win because of you."

"I think we'll win, too, but it won't be me alone that wins it," said Harry.

Neville sent him a small smile. "Are you coming back to Hogwarts next year?"

"No."

Neville nodded. Even though he didn't know what Harry had to do, he still seemed understanding. "Where are you going?"

"I'm not sure yet."

"I believe in you, always have," Neville said, smiling a little wider, but still sadly. He stepped away from the window and grabbed onto the handle of his trunk. "The train's leaving soon. Professor McGonagall said ten minutes ago that she's coming up to lead everyone down soon."

"Thanks, Neville," Harry said. The door closed behind him.

Harry glanced around his dormitory. That had been his real room for six years and now, since he wasn't coming back to Hogwarts, it wasn't going to be his room anymore. He took a long look around it, as if memorizing everything. He was going to miss it. He knew that. But, really, he needed to leave. He needed to destroy Voldemort.

And now, Harry was back at Hogwarts, Voldemort defeated, albeit one hundred years in the past. He was going to leave again, for the better of his safety.

He stuffed the robes he'd purchased in Hogsmeade into a bookbag he'd gotten, and then a bag of gold he'd collected from working at Hogwarts for two months. It wasn't much, but Harry doubted he'd need much wherever he was going. It probably wasn't wise to carry too much.

Once Harry was done, he sat down in a chair and pulled out The Marauder's Map. Black was in his office, stationary at his desk, while Merrythought paced around her own. Harry turned to the Gryffindor Common Room. Aberforth's dot was moving around sporadically in his room, by himself while Albus and Elphias' dots were close together, obviously discussing something in their own dormitory.

He didn't really blame Aberforth for what he almost did, how he almost told everyone that Harry from the future. From the time that Harry had spent with Aberforth at the Hog's Head, the man was much les forgiving of people that his older brother had been. As he watched his dot move around, he seemed incredibly restless. Harry had no idea what for.

He'd just wished Albus told him something. Or at least Merrythought because she seemed to know Aberforth knew he was from the future. But Harry also knew that Dumbledore was one to leave information out. That seemed to be a habit he'd had all his life.

He didn't want to get mad at Dumbledore. It would have been more helpful if he'd just said something to him instead of letting Aberforth go on. Harry thought Aberforth had proved that he wouldn't say anything, though, when he refused to tell Phineas Nigellus about Harry.

That was something good, at least.

Harry sighed, clearing the map and setting it aside.

At least he had a couple more days at Hogwarts until he was meant to leave.

Harry went to all the classes for the next two days. He refused to go down to the Great Hall for meals, though, and reverted back to what he did before. An old House Elf brought meals to him, but not on his call. The Elf just seemed to know.

Aberforth didn't come to Defense on Monday. Tuesday, Albus came, but said nothing to Harry.

But it was later that day when Harry was clearing his office that there was a knock on the door.

Harry checked his map and saw that it was Albus.

"You're leaving?" Albus said immediately when the door opened. Harry blinked, surprised that he hadn't even said 'Hello.'

"I am," Harry said, stepping away from the door to let him in. He shut it and then turned to Albus. He didn't waste anytime getting to the point at all.

"Why didn't you tell me! Professor Merrythought mentioned it just now! You can't leave."

"Why can't I?" Harry asked, clearing the map again and sticking it in his mokeskin pouch.

"It would ruin everything!" he said, exasperated.

"Everything?" Harry asked with no hint of anger or accusation in his voice. "I know you're trying to figure me out. Believe me, if I could tell you, I would, but… I can't. We know each other in the future, and I can't say anything else."

Albus stared at his, his blue eyes lost of a twinkle. He seemed so young to Harry just then. Normally, he seemed older than 17, much older, but suddenly he looked as if he was just a normal teenager. It was an odd concept for Harry.

"I don't want to leave Hogwarts," Harry continued. "I wish I could stay, but Merrythought's sure Black's onto me right now. Normally, Hogwarts has been the safest place for me, but right now it's not. It's not even about me, not really. If the Ministry put me under Veritaserum, I could ruin the future."

"Where are you going?" Albus said.

"I'm not sure yet."

Albus tried to catch Harry's eye, but Harry turned away, picking up his bag. Merrythought told him he would be leaving by portkey at eight. She didn't tell him to where, though.

"Will… will I see you again?"

Harry glanced back up at him. Honestly, he hoped he would. He learned some things about Dumbledore, but not much at all. Not as much as he hoped he'd learn. Dumbledore often came to Harry's office, normally with homework.

He'd often times get excited about an essay he was working on, particularly for Transfiguration. Harry could remember him saying once, "Everything about Transfiguration is logic," he said as he looked through a book for his next article in Transfiguration Today, one that he seemed very eager to talk about. "The basic definition of Transfiguration is the act of changing one object into another. When you take a living thing and transfigure it into an inanimate object, the property is changed. If a rat, for instance, is a rat, then magically changed into a goblet, is it still a rat? If and only if the person doing the act decides to view the rat as a goblet, then the goblet is, in fact, a goblet because the person chose to perceive the rat as a goblet. Does that make sense?"

Otherwise, Harry learned Albus had a remarkable memory for people he'd met. Harry learned a lot about his apprenticeship with Flamel, how Merrythought had introduced them and how excited Flamel had been when Dumbledore figured out three more uses for dragon's blood when he was with him.

Albus, though, he'd try to pry Harry into saying something, anything about his life. He'd only gotten out that Harry had Ron and Hermione as best friends and that he usually stayed at the Burrow when he could. Dumbledore knew his parents had died, but Harry didn't dare say how or when.

"I don't know if we will see each other again," Harry told Albus.

Albus nodded slowly, looking down at his feet.

"Well, then," he muttered, taking a couple steps back. "See you in 82 years if we don't."

Albus didn't seem all that sad, but his voice seemed to give it away. He smiled kindly at Harry, then turned.

"See you," Harry said, but that wasn't completely true. If Harry didn't see him before Flamel finished the potion, then… he would never see him again.

He glanced back at the door. Harry caught Dumbledore's blue eyes once more. They twinkled for an instant.

He hoped that wouldn't be the last time he'd see Dumbledore alive.

For some reason, as he waited for Merrythought to come to his office, the memories of Dumbledore's death came back to him. He didn't want that to be his last good-bye. At least he'd gotten to say a proper good-bye this time, if the limbo he'd experienced after Voldemort hit him with the Avada Kedavra in the forest hadn't been a proper one.

Harry wished he had had the chance to say bye last time. He wished he'd ask Dumbledore more things, just like the last time. Harry wondered if that was meant to be like that, like he'd was only meant to know a very, very small amount of information about him.

Harry took in a deep breath.

There was a knock on the door.

Harry opened the Marauder's map one more time and saw that it was Merrythought this time. He opened the door to let her in.

"I just saw Dumbledore," she said after a quick greeting. "He looked pretty upset."

"He did?" Harry asked, surprised.

She nodded sadly, but seemed to know what had just happened. "Well, anyway… I have what will be the portkey here," she said, holding out a wrench.

Harry nodded and she set it on his desk, muttering, "Portus." It glowed blue for a second before looking like a normal wrench again.

"You're going to the Flamel's," she said to him, sadly. Harry didn't know why she seemed so sad. There was a moment's pause.

Then, suddenly, she wrapped her arms around his neck. Harry jumped, surprised.

"I'll come see you every few weeks," she said, taking in a breath. "To make sure you're getting along okay. Thank you so much for assisting me in my classes."

She finally let go of him. He hadn't realized she liked him so much.

"You're welcome," Harry said.

She smiled, near tears. "You've been nice to have around, but I really hope you'll get home again. I can tell you want to."

"Thanks," Harry said.

She patted his shoulder. Harry grabbed his bag, glancing around to make sure he hadn't forgotten anything. Then, he reached out to touch the portkey. She waved to him.

And then, he felt the whirling winds and he was gone from Hogwarts. Again.

A/N: Expect much more updates this month! I'm doing this month's NaNoWriMo for July and I'm using this as my 50,000 word story.

Thanks for reading! How was this chapter?