Disclaimer:

I don't own any of the stories referenced in this story.

There will be a full list of all the stories referenced In this one to give credit where credit is due i.e. Not me.

But at that precise moment a screech owl swooped in through the kitchen window.

Narrowly missing the top of Uncle Vernon's head, it soared across the kitchen, dropped

the large parchment envelope it was carrying in its beak at Harry's feet, turned gracefully,

the tips of its wings just brushing the top of the fridge, then zoomed outside again and off

across the garden.

'OWLS!' bellowed Uncle Vernon, the well-worn vein in his temple pulsing angrily as he

slammed the kitchen window shut. 'OWLS AGAIN! I WILL NOT HAVE ANY MORE

OWLS IN MY HOUSE!'

But Harry was already ripping open the envelope and pulling out the letter inside, his

heart pounding somewhere in the region of his Adam's apple.

Dear Mr Potter,

We have received intelligence that you performed the Patronus Charm at twenty-three

minutes past nine this evening in a Muggle-inhabited area and in the presence of a

Muggle.

The severity of this breach of the Decree for the Reasonable Restriction of Underage

Sorcery has resulted in your expulsion

from Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Ministry representatives will be

calling at your place of residence shortly to destroy your wand.

As you have already received an official warning for a previous offence under Section 13

of the International Confederation of Warlocks' Statute of Secrecy, we regret to inform

you that your presence is required at a disciplinary hearing at the Ministry of Magic at 9

a.m. on the twelfth of August.

Hoping you are well,

Yours sincerely,

Mafalda Hopkirk Improper Use of Magic Office

Ministry of Magic

Harry read the letter through twice. He was only vaguely aware of Uncle Vernon and

Aunt Petunia talking. Inside his head, all was icy and numb. One fact had penetrated his

consciousness like a paralysing dart. He was expelled from Hogwarts. It was all over. He

was never going back.

He looked up at the Dursleys. Uncle Vernon was purple-faced, shouting, his fists still

raised; Aunt Petunia had her arms around Dudley, who was retching again.

Harry's temporarily stupefied brain seemed to re-awaken. Ministry representatives will be

calling at your place of residence shortly to destroy your wand. There was only one thing

for it. He would have to run - now. Where he was going to go, Harry didn't know, but he

was certain of one thing: at Hogwarts or outside it, he needed his wand. In an almost

dreamlike state, he pulled his wand out and turned to leave the kitchen.

'Where d'you think you're going?' yelled Uncle Vernon. When Harry didn't reply, he

pounded across the kitchen to block the doorway into the hall. 'I haven't finished with

you, boy!'

'Get out of the way,' said Harry quietly.

'You're going to stay here and explain how my son —'

'If you don't get out of the way I'm going to jinx you,' said Harry, raising the wand.

'You can't pull that one on me!' snarled Uncle Vernon. 'I know you're not allowed to use

it outside that madhouse you call a school!'

The madhouse has chucked me out,' said Harry. 'So I can do whatever I like. You've got

three seconds. One - two – Three, Stupefy!

Vernon slumped to the floor unconscious.

Without a backward glance Harry ran up the stairs and into his room.

With a flick of his wand all of his possessions arranged neatly, his books stacked by size, his clothes neatly folded besides his broom and his cloak in four atop it all.

Harry incanted the weightless spell on the trunk before tucking his wand behind his ear.

A shrill scream came from the door as The boy-who-had-had-enough tugged on the gently levitating trunk like a slightly flattened balloon.

As he stepped on the landing the screeching resolved into words.

'Vernon, oh Vernon. Wake up!' As Harry continued down the stairs his prone uncle came into view and the form of his aunt kneeling beside him explained the screaming.

'You! You did this! Wake him up! Right now!' As she stood to intercept him the young man deliberately raised his hand to his ear, grabbed his wand and when Petunia was fully erect cast the silencing charm on her.

'Good bye Aunt' As she stepped back in horror at his willingness to cast a spell on her he made his way around Vernon and out the door.

The hot outdoor air sharpened the urgency of his thoughts. The important thing was to get away, away from his relatives house for now but he knew that away from Mafalda Hopkirk's jurisdiction was the ultimate goal.

Harry ran.

He kept to the small side alleys, making sure to stay away from street lamps.

The dark haired boy kept this up for 15 minutes, constantly looking over his shoulder for any signs of pursuit. Down one of the little side alleys going to Kingsway road Harry stopped at the darkest spot.

Now was the time to stop, not only because the stitch in his side demanded it but because there was no point in running without a clear goal in mind.

Pulling his trunk in front of him he sat down on an upturned crate.

England was no longer an option, ironically that did not narrow the possibilities that much, even without the lack of a proper geography course at Hogwarts he had an idea of the vastness of the planet earth and the multitude of governments on it.

America, the USA in particular sprung to mind first both for their size and coverage but besides what he had seen on TV Harry had no idea how things were like there or even how he would make a living.

Did they even use galleons?

In the end the choice was simply too vast. There was an easy answer, go to the airport, he had to use a plane anyway, there was no possibility of getting on a broomstick, even one as good as his firebolt, and once there take the first flight out, he could plan a better course of action once he was out of legal reach of the ministry.

Harry realized that a great weight had just lifted off. He had a plan. He had a way forward, away from the crazies in charge. Whistling unconsciously he opened his trunk. Once his cloak was in his hand he took out the firebolt and set it hovering by his side. The cloak was donned and once the trunk was secured to his broomstick the-boy-who-was-not-going-to-take-it-anymore launched heavenward into the first night of the rest of his life.

There was a problem with his plan. The flaw had only become apparent to him once he landed at the airport, a nearly 15 year old with no passport or monies, at least of any currency that the nice looking booking agent would accept. The fact that was he was carrying a large trunk and was dressed in obvious hand-me-downs did not help. Harry sat on a bench across from the booking desk pondering this.

First, Money. He had a few notes and coins gathered through the years but not enough for an international trip. His trunk was in front of him as he sat with his elbows on his knees. His head hanging down, he saw movement to the side. Turning his head he saw that a young man had just set his pack down and was turning away to speak in a cell phone. A bluish booklet caught Harry's eye. The passport was sticking out of the partially open pocket of his backpack. Harry wanted to reach into the pocket and grab both the document and the wad of bills so bad he could taste it. With his will focused solely on the blue corner he could see he barely noticed the flash coming from his school bag.

His breath caught in his throat.

With trembling fingers he reached down.

The flash lasted just an instant, like a spell.

The zipper felt cold under his trembling fingers.

A passport and wad of bills, even the bill clip looked the same. As a matter of fact the picture looked exactly like that guy.

That was going to be a problem.

Wishing with all his might Harry stared at the passport willing the picture to change, to look more like him until a wave passed through him and he found himself staring at himself. Well, that was easy. The young boy wished he had learned this in class, it was certainly more useful then how to make a pincushion out of a hedgehog, especially when you didn't have a hedgehog handy.

'Good evening, what can I do for you?' The redhead behind the counter smiled as he stepped up to the counter.

'Uh, yes, where is the next flight going?' Harry stammered a little.

'Let me check,' She typed away at her terminal, 'I have one for Glasgow in 20 min,'

'Oh sorry I meant international.' Harry's heart started racing.

'No problem dear, let me see, …, I have Toulouse in an hour.' She smiled gently.

'Huh France right? How much is it?' Harry pulled the stack of bills.

'First class or economy?'

'First class please,' Harry decided he might as well enjoy his new found freedom.

'₤96.55 all included.' Harry passed over 5 ₤20 notes.

'I am also going to need to see your passport sir.'

Hands sweating he handed over the fruit of his accidental magic.

'First flight?' She smiled at him as she typed.

'H-How did you know?' His nervousness only increased at her question.

'You look nervous, but it's ok really, you were in more danger on the way over then you could ever be on a flight.' She handed him his passport back as she looked at his blank face.

'On the car ride here.' A light bulb went off in Harry's head.

'Oh right! Got it. Yes, so I've heard. I just can't help still being a little nervous.' He tried to smile ruefully as he realized that he was an hour away from freedom and who knew he might even like Toulouse.

As Harry checked his trunk and went through security he started again on plans once he arrived.

Somewhere to sleep was paramount - all in all he appeared to have conjured ₤600, enough to spend a few weeks in most cities, but he would need more if he wanted to establish a base. Food would be easy he could live on conjured food and water for a time at least.

His musings carried him until buckling in he thought that if he had to start over, Nicolas Knight was a fine name to start with.