Chapter Text
"I don’t want to fight a war."
Harry, Ron, and Hermione are curled up in the furthermost corner of the library, in a nook usually reserved for amorous couples and overworked Ravenclaws. But exams are over and it’s the last Hogsmeade weekend, so for once, the corner is left empty.
"I don’t want to fight a war," Harry repeats. "Even if the Minister believed me, I don’t want to die. I’m only fourteen."
"He’s got complete control of the papers," Hermione murmurs quietly. "If you keep pushing the issue, he’s going to play dirty."
"How are you going to keep out of it?" Ron asks. "There’s no way— even if the Ministry doesn’t believe you, Dumbledore’ll expect you to help, at least."
"I know." Harry pulls out a small Muggle notebook, spiral-bound and battered from being carried in his pocket. "That’s why I’ve got a plan."
Hermione frowns.
"What sort of plan?"
"Well, since the end of the Tournament, I’ve been doing some research." He flips open the notebook. "I’ve been talking to a solicitor, and apparently, I’ve officially been an emancipated minor since I competed in the First Task."
"How?"
"Well, according to Mr. Greengrass— he’s my solicitor— Dumbledore didn’t exercise his right as my Magical Guardian to pull me out, recognizing me as an adult." Harry flaps a hand. "All the ins and outs don’t really matter. The point is, I’m the legal Lord of the Potter House."
"…" Hermione’s mouth opens, then closes, then opens again. "What does that mean, exactly?"
"It means a lot of things," Harry says. "For one, the Trace is off my wand. For another, I have control of all the Potter assets— money, property, businesses— the lot of it."
"That’s wicked, Harry," Ron says. "But what’s that mean?"
"It means, they’ve got a house in America." Harry leans forward. "And I’m going."
"But Harry, they’ll just go after you—"
"I’ll be outside Ministry control," Harry says. "And anyway, I’m a legal adult who hasn’t done anything illegal. Mr. Greengrass looked it up— my being in the Tournament and subsequent survival —" Harry makes a face as he speaks. "Can be accepted in place of OWLs. It’s an old rule, but it’s still on the books. They can’t take my wand, even if they wanted to."
"Okay, but— Harry, you realize you’re not going alone." Hermione’s frowning, "We wouldn’t let you go alone."
"They’ll take our wands if we don’t wake our exams," Ron says. "We need another year— or I do, anyway. Hermione could pass if she took them tomorrow."
"I figured you might insist— I have that worked out, too." Harry flips a page. "In Section 243 of the Ministerial Education Decree, paragraph twelve, it says— 'In the case of home or overseas education, a Magical Guardian or formal tutor may extend the education of their ward or wards until deemed fit for formal examinations to be taken'. You know what that means?"
"No," Ron says flatly.
"It means that we can keep our wands as long as we’re still technically getting an education," Hermione explains. "But that doesn’t mean anything, Harry, because my parents are Muggles, and even if they weren’t, I highly doubt Mrs. Weasley would allow Ron to just plead sick and bugger off to America— even if it is to make sure you don’t get into trouble."
Harry smiles.
"I’m Lord of a Noble House," he says, hands sliding across the table. "I can declare you my wards, if I wanted."
"Harry— you remember I’m a Pureblood, right?" Ron asks. "I mean, my Dad and my brothers and Ginny aside, people used to consider us Weasleys very respectable— maybe not the noblest house, but we were very traditional. Never did anything too unexpected— never mixed our blood or anything."
Hermione snorts quietly, shaking her head when Ron looks at her.
"It’s a book thing," she murmurs. "I’ll tell you later."
The redhead rolls his eyes.
"Anyway, Harry, you’d need Dad’s permission."
"I know, but— and I don’t mean this in a bad way, but— socially, my family’s…" Harry hesitates. "Technically, my family name’s got more authority than yours. If— if you wanted, I could do it and he couldn’t stop me."
"… Bloody hell, Harry," Ron says quietly. "You’ve thought this through."
"My solicitor did," Harry corrects. "I told him what I wanted to do. He just figured out a way to do it without getting into trouble."
Hermione chews her lip thoughtfully.
"What about the Trace?"
"It’s negated by the fact that you’ll be homeschooled," Harry says. "Once you’re technically under my care, the Trace is removed. It’s part of some complicated subparagraph— I can find it for you later, if you want."
"We wouldn’t be able to come back."
"It’s not like your families couldn’t visit us," Harry points out. "Or come live in America. They might need to, if Voldemort does what I think he’s going to do."
Hermione hums.
"Do you know how we’d get there?"
"Plane— it’ll be harder to track."
"Then you two will need passports."
"I know. Gringotts handles those sorts of things. I can have my solicitor write up all the paperwork about you two—" Harry nods at them. "And get the proper Muggle paperwork for Ron and me from the goblins. I think we’ll be fine if we leave… my birthday week, maybe?"
"Well, my parents and I are going to France this summer," Hermione says. "The first week of holiday. Could you and Ron have everything sorted by the time I get back?"
"I can take the Night Bus," Ron offers, looking at Harry. "I can meet you in London and we can sort everything out then."
"Sounds like a plan— we can spend the night at the Leaky Cauldron and we can meet Mr. Greengrass in the morning to handle the paperwork." Harry shoves his notebook back in his pocket. "We’ll figure out a date we won’t be missed and handle it then."
"Do you know what the house looks like? What condition it’s in?" Hermione asks as they move to get up.
"It’s been taken care of," Harry says. "It might need furniture or something, but the house itself should be alright."
Hermione nods to herself.
"Alright," she says simply. "Figure it out, and we’ll follow you."