Disclaimer: All previous disclaimers apply.

A/N: This is the next to the last chapter of this story as I never intended it to be as long as some of my other stories.

A/N: I had to do some rewriting on this chapter after posting it. Thanks to Kazetoame for pointing out that the events in this chapter didn't match up with what had already happened in my last chapter.

Chapter 21 (Nothing)

Severus and Lily sat at their dining room table with school catalogues spread out across the table. Lily sighed. "Maybe we should let Harry have some input on this decision Sev," she suggested.

"Well, he probably won't want to go to a school Dudley and their other his friends won't be attending. You know Petunia and Vernon are planning on sending Dudley to Hogwarts and so are Arthur and Molly with Ron."

"But Alice and Frank agree with us and want to send Neville to another school."

"The Malfoy's also. They don't want Draco to go to Hogwarts because of the way Dumbledore treats the Slytherins."

"I really like the curriculum at Salem Academy of Magic in the United States," Lily said picking up the brochure they'd just received. "Even though Hogwarts is going to be updating their curriculum I really don't want Harry going there."

They heard the floo sound and then Harry walked into the room, carrying a rucksack. He had just turned 10 a week ago and had stayed overnight with Dudley the previous night.

"Hi Mum and Da," he said.

"Hi Harry," Severus said and gave him a hug. Lily also gave him a hug too still feeling at times that she could never hug him enough.

"Did you have a good time with Dudley?" Lily asked.

Harry pulled out a chair and sat down, letting his rucksack drop to the floor. "Yeah, we stayed up late playing his new computer game, Monsters of the Deep, until Aunt Petunia came in and yelled at us for making too much noise. What are you doing?"

"Looking over different schools for you to attend next year," Severus replied.

"I'd really like to stay with all my friends, but I guess some of them are going to Hogwarts," Harry said. "I don't want to go there because Dumbledore, Sirius Black, and James Potter will feel free to bug me."

"And that's why we won't send you there either," Severus said.

"We know for sure Dudley and Ron are going and probably Luna, but Frank and Alice and the Malfoy's want to send Neville and Draco somewhere else," Lily said.

"We thought you should have some input on the schools," Severus added.

Harry eyed the catalogues lying on the table. "Wow! I didn't know there were this many magical schools. Which ones are you thinking about?"

Severus picked up the catalogue from Salem Academy of Magic and gave it to Harry. "We're really impressed with their curriculum. Right now it's much more advanced than Hogwarts. Lucius has said the Board of Governors has voted to update the curriculum, but we don't know how long it will take."

Harry riffled through the catalogue, stopping to read a page in more detail. "Merlin's hat! It says they start off first year teaching non-verbal spells. I wouldn't learn that until sixth year if I went to Hogwarts."

"Sixth year is pretty late in the game to be learning it," Severus said.

"Some students never could learn them either," Lily added. "And that worked to their disadvantage during the war."

"Wicked! They teach wand lore and wand crafting, alchemy, and warding. It looks as if Arithmancy and Ancient Ruins are a regular part of the classes rather than just electives like at Hogwarts," Harry said.

"We'll ask Remus his opinion of the curriculum too," Lily said.

"Remus is really smart so he should know if there is good," Harry replied. "Can I take this and some of the other catalogues upstairs and look at them?"

"Sure, go ahead," Severus said.

Harry chose the catalogues that looked the most interesting, picked up his rucksack, and left the room.

~*~* Page Break ~*~*

Albus sat behind his desk thinking about Harry Potter problem as he sucked on a lemon drop. Harry would be coming to Hogwarts a year from now and he had to think of a way to get back into his good graces before then. He could do nothing if the child refused to have anything to do with him.

He frowned. James and Sirius had been next to useless in influencing Harry. He recalled that Minerva and Lily were still close as were Lily and Filius. Possibly he could use either of them to help grease his way back to Harry.

He got up and left his office and went down to the seventh floor. Minerva's office was just around the corner from Gryffindor House. He knocked on the door and heard an abrupt "Yes?" in reply to his knock.

He opened the door and peered inside. Minerva was seated behind her desk with stacks of mail sitting on it. She looked up and frowned as she saw him. "What is it, Albus? As you can see I'm very busy at the moment with all the replies to the letters. I have several refusals too that I'm going to have to schedule someone to visit with them. Thankfully Filius, Pomona, and Charity have volunteered to do follow-ups."

"I hope you remember to remind Pomona to clean up a bit before she goes visiting," Albus remarked sitting down in front of Minerva's desk.

Minerva frowned at him. "Pomona's always willing to help me this time of the year."

"Of course, Minerva, but let's be honest. She isn't going to impress any Muggle parents if she goes visiting looking as she usually does."

"Pomona has more sense in looking like a Muggle than you do Albus with that crimson velvet suit you wear to visit. It's so out-of-date, Muggles can't help but stare," Minerva scoffed. "I'm assuming you didn't come to bother me about the aesthetics of Pomona's dress?"

"No. Do you still see Lily?"

Minerva's eyes narrowed. "Occasionally. Why?"

"Well, as you know Harry, the Boy-Who-Lived, will be attending Hogwarts next year. We'll need special wards and other precautions to keep him safe. Perhaps you can find out from Lily how he will arrive so we can be prepared."

"I wouldn't get my hopes up, Albus since I doubt Mr. Potter will be attending Hogwarts thanks to you, James, and Sirius," she replied shortly.

Albus looked shocked. "Where else would he go?"

Minerva rolled her eyes. "In case it slipped your mind, Albus; Hogwarts is not the only magical school in the world."

"But we're the best!" Albus argued. "Although Snape would send Harry to a dark school such as Durmstrang just to spite me."

"Durmstrang is not dark and Hogwarts is no longer the best," Minerva stated pointing at the letters on her desk. "Many parents have declined our invitation." She pointed at the stack of letters to her left. "Others have decided to send their children to Beauxbatons, Durmstrang, or Salem Academy in America. I can't help but notice how much the enrollment has dropped over the last few years. Filius remarked on the same thing recently."

"That's just twaddle," Albus said getting up. "And you need to make sure Harry is going to be attending Hogwarts by convincing Lily that Snape does not have Harry's best interests at heart."

After he left, Minerva sent her Patronus to Filius, Pomona, and a couple of other professors she knew who were fed up with Albus' dragon dung and then floo called Lily.

~*~* Page Break ~*~*

Lily met Minerva at Diagon Alley for lunch. They ate at one of the colorful sidewalk cafes. They ordered and then Lily asked, "Okay Minerva, what's this about?"

Minerva sighed. "It's about Albus. He is still obsessed with Harry defeating You-Know-Who. I suspect he's planning to try and turn Harry against Severus while he's at Hogwarts."

"We know that and so does Harry. He doesn't want to attend Hogwarts because he knows Dumbledore, Potter, and Black will have ready access to him."

"I'm disappointed that he won't be a student, but I can't say it isn't a good thing either. As Filius, Pomona, Professors Burbage and Sinistra and I were discussing; Hogwarts enrollment has been declining for several years now because our curriculum has not kept up. Augusta told me that the governors have voted to add many of the subjects that Albus has dropped over the years, but of course he is resisting any change and being very difficult about it."

"That's the main reason Harry chose another school because of the curriculum," Lily replied. "Lucius also told us the governors voted to update the curriculum and that's great, but there's still that 'Boy-Who-Lived' crap and Dumbledore, Potter, and Black."

Minerva sighed again as she ate her sandwich. "That's another subject we discussed. Albus' obsession with Harry. The only way we see that we can put an end to it is if he retires."

"I'm sure that won't happen anytime soon," Lily said dryly.

"Madam Pomfrey has said that she may be able to force the headmaster to retire if we report to Minister Bagnold that he has an unhealthy obsession with the Harry."

"Do whatever you can to stop him, Minerva. Sev, Harry, and I will be most grateful."

~*~* Page Break ~*~*

Lily and Severus invited Petunia, Vernon and Dudley over for Sunday dinner. They sat down with glasses of red wine and the canapés that Tita had prepared. Harry and Dudley had gone upstairs to Harry's room to play his new computer game that he'd just bought with his birthday money.

"Dudders is so looking forward to going to Hogwarts next year," Petunia said.

"He done so well at Mr. Lupin's academy," Vernon added.

"Is Harry looking forward to Hogwarts?" Petunia asked.

"Harry has decided he wants to go to Salem Academy of Magic in Salem Massachusetts," Severus said. "Right now they have a much more advanced curriculum than Hogwarts."

"He's really excited about Salem," Lily added. "Once he receives his final grades from Remus at the end of the upcoming school year; we'll send them to Salem and based on those; they'll send him his acceptance letter."

"I'm surprised you're not sending Harry to Hogwarts," Vernon remarked.

"It's because of our experiences there and Dumbledore wanting to get his mitts on Harry for his personal sacrificial goat that Harry doesn't want to go there," Severus replied.

"Not to mention Dumbledore won't have a problem letting Potter and Black bother him whenever they want," Lily said.

"Hmm …do you think Dumbledore might try to use Dudders to get to Harry?" Vernon asked.

"I wouldn't put anything past that old fart!" Lily snapped. "I had lunch with Professor McGonagall, the deputy headmistress, last week and she warned me Dumbledore still has plans for Harry."

Petunia looked at Vernon. "Perhaps we should reexamine our decision to send Dudders to Hogwarts, Vernon."

"I know the Malfoys and Longbottoms aren't planning to send Draco or Neville to Hogwarts," Severus said. "I don't know about the Weasley's but I suspect since they've already sent the rest of their children to Hogwarts; Ron will be going too."

Tita came into the living room to announce that dinner was ready. Severus got up and went over to the staircase and called up, "Harry, Dudley? Dinner's ready."

Lily helped Tib sit in his chair than used her wand to lengthen the chair's legs until he was even with the table.

"Okay Da," Harry called back. In a few minutes he and Dudley came downstairs. Harry ruffled Tib's hair as he walked past. Tib smiled and giggled. His older brother could do no wrong as far as he was concerned.

Dudley was clutching something in his hand. "Mum, Dad, this is the school where Harry's going," he said as he sat down at the table. He handed the catalogue to his father. "They have a lot more courses than Hogwarts offers."

"In fairness, Lucius told us that the governors have voted to update Hogwarts curriculum, but it might take years because Dumbledore is fighting it every inch of the way," Lily said.

Vernon laid it on the table beside his plate. "Your mum and I will look it over and decide."

"You want me to get the best magical education possible, don't you?" Dudley asked.

"Of course Popkin," Petunia assured him.

"Well, I think going to Salem Academy would give me a wider range of career choices," Dudley, sounding mature, pointed out.

"We'll look into it as soon as we return home," Petunia promised. "You still have another year at Mr. Lupin's academy so we have plenty of time yet."

Dudley nodded. "Okay, Mum."

Lily got up early the next morning even before Severus. Hearing someone was awake, Tita came out of the kitchen. "Would Mrs. Lily like Tita to serve breakfast now?"

Lily shook her head. "No. I'll wait for Mr. Severus, Harry and Tib to wake up, but you can bring me a pot of Jasmine Tea, Tita."

"Tita will be right back with Mrs. Lily's tea."

"Has the Prophet been delivered yet?

"Tita will check for Mrs. Lily."

In a few minutes she was back carrying a tray with a teapot, cup and saucer, and the Prophet on it. "That mean, nasty owl just delivered it," she complained.

"I'll have to write them a letter and make them aware that their delivery owls need better training," Lily said in answer to Tita's complaint. She poured herself a cup of tea and unfolded the Prophet and was pleased to see the headline read: Dumbledore Warned by Minister Bagnold to Leave Harry Potter Alone!

Lily smiled as she read the story. It was about time Dumbledore's behavior was put under a microscope! She skimmed the rest of the paper, glancing at the birth announcements when a familiar name caught her eyes. It was a birth announcement for Abigail Mavis Potter born on August 8th. Lily laughed aloud.

"What's so funny?" Severus asked, coming into the dining room, yawning and scratching his head.

Lily handed him the paper. "Check out the births."

Severus grinned. "Sirius has a new goddaughter."

~*~* Page Break ~*~*

James stood in the living room of Potter Manor with his hand over his ears while Sirius dangled Jamesina, two, on his lap. "Merlin's beard!" James exclaimed. "All she's done is cry from the minute we bought her in the door!"

"Maybe you should take her to a healer," Sirius suggested. "Maybe something's wrong with her."

"Maybe I should give that nanny elf clothes and get another one," James grumbled.

Jamesina heard what he said and jumped down from Sirius' lap. "No, Daddy! Jaime likes Bariel!"

Fiona came into the living room looking exhausted and slumped down into a chair.

"Can't you quiet her down?" James complained. "My nerves are shot and that's not good for an Auror."

Fiona glared at him and called, "Bariel?"

The nanny elf popped into the room. "Yes, Mistress Potter?"

"Please take Jamesina upstairs and entertain her."

"Come, Miss Jamesina," Bariel said holding out her hand.

Jamesina took it and they left the room.

"Sirius, will you please excuse us?" Fiona asked politely.

"Siri doesn't have to leave," James objected.

"Uh …that okay, Prongs. I'll be in the training room if you need me." Sirius quickly left the room.

"It was you who decided we should have another child and now you dare complain she's crying too much!" Fiona hissed.

"Yeah, because I thought sure I'd have a son this time!"

James barely managed to make it out into the entryway and close the double doors before the vase Fiona had thrown at him crashed into the doors, exploding into fragments. He shook his head and went downstairs to the training room where Sirius was practicing defensive spells. "Merlin's hat! I swear she has a worst temper than Lily had!"

"You saw that article in the Prophet about the Ministry warning Albus to stay away from Harry?"

James nodded. "Pure garbage! It was probably Snivellus who filed the complaint with the Ministry so they wouldn't be looking at him and he could feed Harry any dark potions he wants."

"Albus is going to have to watch his step or he might find himself without a job if the Board thinks he's some kind of weirdo and it will leave us without a means to Harry next year."

~*~* Page Break ~*~*

The professors were meeting in Minerva's quarters. She had shut off the floo and long ago replaced all the portraits in her quarters realizing that they spied for Albus.

Filius, Pomona, Charity, Aurora, and Poppy sat with their teacups in hand. Minerva related the talk she'd had with Lily and the fact that Harry would not be coming to Hogwarts next year. "They feel our curriculum is lacking compared to Salem Academy's, but mainly it's because they don't want Albus or Potter and Black to have free access to Harry," she explained.

Filius shook his head. "They're right about the curriculum. Albus has been most damaging to it over the years; dropping courses that You-Know-Who showed any interest in as if they were the cause of his turning evil and would cause anybody else to turn evil. I'm glad the board has decided to make changes."

"I know," Minerva replied. "Pure foolishness and paranoia on Albus' part!"

"The thing is what are we going to do about it?" Charity asked. How are we going to get things moving forward?"

"Maybe we can talk to the Board of Governors," Aurora suggested. "They would want to know if Dumbledore is blocking their changes."

"I think Albus is just getting too old to run this school," Pomona said. "Instead of trying to make Hogwarts the best it can be; he's let it go downhill!"

"Isn't it at least part of the headmaster job to keep the school curriculum up-to-date?" Charity asked then sniffed. "That textbook I have to teach from hasn't been updated since probably 1920."

Minerva nodded. "Yes. He's supposed to keep track of what classes the other magical schools are offering. I doubt if Albus has looked at another school's catalogue in years."

"He's also supposed to regularly review the textbooks we're using to make sure they've got the most up-to-date version possible," Aurora said. "All he cares about is You-Know-Who and that the main reason Hogwarts is sinking."

"I think Aurora's idea of talking to the Board of Governor's has some merit," Filius said. "We have Augusta and Lucius on our side now and possibly they can order Albus to appear before the board and tell him if he stop blocking the new curriculum choices he can resign or be dismissed."

Minerva nodded. "We don't have anything to lose. If enrollment keeps falling; we'll all be out of jobs anyway."

~*~* Page Break ~*~*

After studying the catalogue from Salem Academy of Magic closely, Petunia and Vernon agreed it was a better school and decided to send Dudders there. Besides they didn't want to take the chance that Dumbledore would use Dudders to try and get to Harry.

Harry was happy that he and Dudley would be attending classes together. He was also happy that Neville and Draco would be classmates also. Susan, Hannah, and Ron would all be attending Hogwarts as probably would Luna.

Lily reported what Minerva had told her of their plans to speak with the Augusta and Lucius about the Dumbledore's continuing efforts to block the curriculum updates and the possibility of the board dismissing him.

Severus sighed. "That won't get them anywhere. Most of the governors have been in that position for years and Dumbledore has had plenty of time to cultivate them."

"Even the Slytherin Governors?" Lily asked.

"No, but they've been pretty ineffectual anyway. The Slytherin Governors never once stepped in to admonish Slughorn when he constantly sides with Dumbledore against his house and treats it like rubbish!" Severus complained.

"I would have thought with Lucius and Augusta on the board; it would improve," Lily replied.

"Lucius and Augusta are only two governors out of twelve; they can't compete against ten others who are bent on kissing Dumbledore's robe. I mean I know all but one voted for the new changes, but firing Dumbledore is a whole different ball of wax."

That weekend Severus, Lily and their two children along with Remus flooed to Manchester to attend a United Manchester home game at Old Trafford Stadium. Remus proudly wore his United Manchester T-Shirt that Toby had given him. Harry and Tib yelled United Manchester on to victory with Toby, Severus, and Remus occasionally joining in. Lily and Eileen smiled, but found themselves shouting when the referee made what they considered a bad call.

~*~* Page Break ~*~*

James came home after a frustrating day at the Auror office. Mad-Eye and Scrimgeour continued to keep him and Padfoot on a short lease and wouldn't allow them to do anything, but interview people that claimed to have seen Death Eaters.

"Fiona?" He called while looking over the mail they'd received. There was a pop and Dazzy appeared. "I is sorry, Master Potter, but Mistress said she and the young misses went to her father's house."

"Well, at least Pads and I will have peace and quiet for awhile," James muttered. He tossed down the mail and went upstairs to change out of his Auror uniform. After changing into a casual robe it was then he noticed the envelope addressed to him sitting on the dresser in Fiona's writing.

James,

Since you're disappointed with your daughters, I will be staying at my father's manor for the time being. If you decide you love your daughters and me; I will be waiting for your apology.

Fiona

"I'm not the one who needs to apologize!" James shouted dropping the note.

He heard the front door slam and then Sirius called, "Anybody home?"

James came thumping down the staircase, red in the face. "Can you believe it, Padfoot?" He yelled.

"Believe what, Prongs?"

"Fiona left me and went back to her father. She said I need to apologize for being disappointed that she's given me daughters instead of sons!"

"Well, you need to go to Edinburgh and apologize then," Sirius pointed out. "There's always the possibility that your next kid could be a boy and even if it's not; you still have Harry."

"It's not me who needs to apologize," James stubbornly insisted.

"Well, if you don't apologize, they'll be no more kids and the Potter fortune will pass out of the Potter family unless you leave it to Harry."

"If I leave it to Harry then Snivellus will get control of it."

"Not if you make it so Harry can't take control of it until you pass through the Veil."

James' face brightened. "That's a good idea, Pads! I'll go to Gringotts tomorrow and change my will and then I'll go to Edinburgh and persuade Fiona to come back."

~*~* Page Break ~*~*

Harry started back to Remus' school in September. He continued to get top grades as did Dudley, Draco, and Neville.

At the end of the year, Severus and Lily sent off his final grades to Salem Academy of Magic and now the tough part would be waiting for their reply. Like Hogwarts they would send him an acceptance letter and a list of the items and books he needed for classes.

Lily had heard from Minerva that theirs, Lucius', and Augusta's attempt to oust Dumbledore had failed because Albus over the years had developed numerous cronies on the board and in the Ministry and was well protected from any threat of dismissal.

Severus shook his head. "Figures," he snorted. "Good thing Harry's going to another school."

Two weeks before Harry's eleventh birthday, he opened up the Prophet and almost dropped the paper in shock. The headline read: Dumbledore Dead! Chokes to Death on Lemon Drop!

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