Awkward didn't even begin to describe the situation that Harry was faced with; gathering all his courage he stuck out his hand and thankfully Mr Granger shook it. Mrs Granger was a different matter as he discovered where Hermione had learned her hug technique, "Pleased to finally meet the boy who saved my daughter's life though the location could have been a bit more romantic."
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"Mrs Granger by the time that Troll had finished you could hardly tell what the room had once been; I still find it hard to believe we walked away from that uninjured."
A certain snowy owl was suddenly on his shoulder and almost butting heads with the boy, "Hello girl, did you miss me? We should be together soon."
Hermione returned and had her arm around Harry with her head placed on his free shoulder, it was a pretty powerful image and Dan knew they were in trouble.
He now understood Hermione's comment about their magic giving them a push as his bookworm daughter was never this demonstrative with emotions yet looked so at home with her boyfriend's arm around her. The sight of the witch, wizard and his familiar was so potent that even the non-magical Grangers could see the bonds between the three and their daughter's unknowing declaration of love suddenly didn't seem so ludicrous.
Discover moreFan fiction communityTV fanfiction storiesMovies fanfiction storiesPlays fanfiction storiesFanfiction writing tools"Harry you've grown and put on some weight, no glasses?" asked Hermione, still holding Harry.
"The goblins have been an immense help, they were so peeved at what Dumbledore had done they're helping me for cost. I have no idea what that means but it seemed like a great honour so I graciously accepted; do you know what that means?"
It was Emma who answered, "It means basically that they're charging you their lowest price Harry, that's only usually done for special customers."
"Well apparently Dumbledore repeatedly tried to gain access to the Potter vaults but was denied, the vaults let him buy the house and business because I was living with the Dursleys but wouldn't allow him to get his mitts on the deeds."
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Their assigned butler appeared, "My Lord, tea is served in the sitting room."
Discover moreFan merchandiseMoviesComicsWriter collaboration platformComics fanfiction storiesThey made their way into another part of the suite to find tea, sandwiches and cakes waiting for them, Hermione was trying not to laugh at her boyfriend's reaction to being addressed as 'my Lord' though Harry got some payback when he held his girlfriend's chair for her to be seated and said 'my Lady'.
None of this byplay was missed by Dan who was looking at Hermione as if she was a different girl to the one he'd known all her life. "Can you tell us some of what you found out at the bank?" he asked.
"There were letters from my parents that answered some of my questions, they had been in hiding from Voldemort and were betrayed but not by the man in prison for the crime. Our friend Neville's parents were also some of the people Hermione and I saw in an album but the goblins told me they were attacked and lost their minds, they've been in hospital for as long as I was at the Dursleys. The same photo was in the vault and anyone else in the picture can go to hell as far as I'm concerned, we're trying to get my godfather a trial but the rest of them have no excuse for abandoning me to my relatives. We have to do it quietly though or Griphook reckons my godfather will be used as a bargaining chip to force me back into Hogwarts."
Discover moreFamily & RelationshipsChildren's BooksDownload FanFiction appAnime fanfiction storiesMobile app developmentA thoughtful Dan asked the question both of them had been dreading, "Would Hermione be a bargaining chip?"
He could see the look of fear in Hermione's eyes as Harry shook his head, "I will not lie Hermione, we discussed this on our mirrors last night and will just have to take our chances. Mr and Mrs Granger, your daughter is terrified that once you know the truth then you will take her away and we won't see each other again until she's seventeen."
"Why seventeen?" asked Emma.
"Seventeen is the age she becomes an adult in the magical world, Hermione would never run away from you and I wouldn't let her damage what I've wanted my whole life. Hermione is the first person ever to give me a hug, she was my first kiss and her admission earlier is the only time someone has said they love me. Hermione is the most important thing in the world to me and should anyone get their hands on her they would have my complete an undivided attention, Hermione isn't a chip she's the entire game."
Discover moreCartoons fanfiction storiesCartoonsCrossover fiction guidesFan fiction mobileAnime & MangaHarry had to stop and take a few deep breaths before he could continue, Hermione holding his hand was a great comfort. "Voldemort is not dead, he's gone for the moment but we're sure he will return and I'll be his main target again. Most of the stuff said or written about me is rubbish but everyone knows the name of my best friend, the person I would do anything for which paints a rather large target on her back. This was not a situation either of us had any control over and I'm afraid I can't apologise for knowing Hermione."
This earned Harry a kiss on the cheek from his nervous girlfriend, both were dreading what the Granger parents were going to say.
It was Dan who broke the silence, "We will not be rushing into any decisions here so you can both relax for now, we all seem to have the safety of a certain young lady at the top of our agenda. Ok Harry, you've had time to mull this over so I would like to hear your thoughts, dreams and plans."
"I plan to live sir, my parents hid themselves away and died so I could live, I owe it to them to live my life to the fullest and intend on doing that. My plan is to learn and train so that when I'm old enough I will have a chance to end it once and for all. People in the magical world are terrified of Voldemort and won't even say his name so it will come down to me or him though hopefully not for many years."
Emma was happy to let her husband handle the questioning though she did smile at the kids, trying to disperse the atmosphere of interrogation rather than chat.
"What can we do about Hermione being a target?"
"Sir I don't want her on the same continent as that monster, if he finds us my number one priority will be getting her to safety. Once she reaches seventeen I don't think any of us are going to have a say in what she does."
Discover moreMobile app marketingFiction writing resourcesAnimeFan fiction booksChildren's BooksHermione smiled at her boyfriend and tried to allay her parent's fears, "I want to train with Harry and be the best that I can, when the time comes that he has to face that monster I would like to be at his side but only if I was good enough and over seventeen."
"You don't intend to go looking for him Harry?"
"No sir, if I never saw him again it would be too soon. He'll come for me or send people after me then, depending whether I'm ready or not, I'll either fight or try and escape to train some more. I'm only twelve on my birthday and probably wouldn't survive a fight with an adult wizard never mind Voldemort in a new body, it's going to take a good few years before that changes. Knowing that I didn't think it would be practical to hide away in some cabin in the wilderness, shutting myself off from the world. My plan is to do the exact opposite and enjoy everything that life has to offer. I want to attend concerts, visit museums and art galleries, spend Saturday afternoon's browsing through bookstores and picnicking in the park on Sundays. All those things would be so much better with Hermione by my side but I would completely understand if you didn't think it was safe enough."
Emma took pity on the boy who was almost pleading with them now, "Harry I'm assuming that these picnics will not be taking place in Britain? Can you give us any details?"
"I'm sorry Mrs Granger but I really don't want to say anything at all about the location but I would be happy to take you there after dinner tonight."
Emma got a slight nod from her husband before answering, "That sounds like a plan to us but I'd like to ask a small favour, since I was a little girl I've dreamt of flying on a broom – could I fly with you sometime?"
Harry didn't need to answer, his smile lit up the room.
-oOoOo-
Albus was eating lunch and contemplating his woes when inspiration struck, he was being lambasted for his choice of defence professor last year and needed to divert attention away so he could concentrate on the more important issue, the hunt for Potter. He had been thinking that Hogwarts needed a high profile name that was beyond reproach, someone who could change these howlers into letters of congratulations, a wizard who has an adoring public and lots of books to sell to impressionable children with compulsory book lists.
This Eureka moment was a great relief to the old wizard who had almost begun to question himself after Potter running away and Minerva's refusal to even speak with him but his idea of having a world famous wizard teaching the students of Hogwarts confirmed once again his brilliance.
An invitation signed by Albus Dumbledore and delivered by Fawkes should be enough for the vain wizard to be interested, subtly pointing out that each professor gets to set their own required book list should seal the deal and he would even get paid into the bargain.
Albus wouldn't be surprised if fights broke out when the announcement was made as all the mothers currently sending him howlers diverted that energy into trying to get closer to Hogwarts newest professor.
-oOoOo-
The Grangers had returned from dinner to find Harry had returned and was once more waiting in their suite; he'd politely declined their offer of eating in the suite because they didn't want to arouse suspicion in case they were being watched. It was only with great reluctance that Hermione had agreed and Harry had left to get some business dealt with.
After receiving his now customary greeting from his girlfriend Harry spoke to her parents, "Mr and Mrs Granger, I have a gift here for Hermione but I wanted to explain it to you both first. It's a gift that provides protection from curses and a means of magically escaping from any situation."
All three Grangers had the breath taken from them as Harry took out a diamond pendant and placed it around Hermione's neck, "Take your wand and touch the jewel then say a password that will transport you to safety. Make it something that you won't use by mistake or it could be rather embarrassing if you just disappeared in the middle of a conversation."
"Harry is that real?" asked Emma.
"I know nothing of jewellery Ma'am and the pendant came from my family vault but Griphook assures me this provides the wearer with the strongest protections available which is all that matters."
Dan was positive that was a genuine diamond and though their income was nearer the top end of the scale there was no way in hell he could have afforded something like that for his wife far less twelve-year-old Hermione.
She placed the tip of her wand against the diamond and said, "Thunderbirds are go!" which got a chuckle out of Harry. "Where will this take me?"
"You will be portkeyed instantly into Gringotts and the office of my accounts manager, trust Griphook with your life because he can make any arrangements needed for your safety."
Dan was mesmerized as the light played off the jewel but the sparkle in his daughter's eyes easily outshone the mere diamond, her boyfriend had truly pushed the boundaries of the perfect gift. It was already said that diamonds were a girl's best friend but this one actually surpassed that as it kept Hermione safe and gave a means of escape that greatly improved her father's peace of mind.
Harry put his arms around Hermione, "You have to promise me that you'll never take it off, the portkey will only work if it's touching your skin."
Hermione just nodded, who could say no to those green eyes.
Harry eventually remembered her parents were standing watching them and reluctantly let Hermione go, he reached into his pocket when Emma interrupted him.
"You pull another diamond out of there and my mind is already made up," she joked but could see instantly that it had backfired.
It was a red faced Harry who answered her, "It was my intention to provide you both with means of protection and emergency escape, I didn't want to do it straight away in case you thought I was trying to buy my way to your decision."
Emma could see that she'd really embarrassed the boy who had no frame of reference for being teased, she gave the lad a reassuring hug. "Harry I was just teasing, Dan and I will both sleep better at night knowing Hermione now has her own personal escape diamond that looks at least three or four carats."
"Griphook said it was seven but I was reaching for the portkey to take us to our hideout." Harry didn't notice how both Granger parents reacted to the news of the diamond, he just assumed it was fear of portkeys and proceeded to explain how they worked. Harry was using one to get from here to Griphook's office and thought it was great.
Everyone held on to the piece of rope and Harry touched it with his wand resulting in four people sitting on a floor while looking through a massive window at one of the most recognisable icons in the world.
"Harry if this was supposed to be a secret then I'm afraid I know where we are," her tone was half joking but laced with undeniable awe for the fact that they'd just travelled across the Atlantic Ocean in practically no time at all. She couldn't help but ponder on the thought that they certainly wouldn't be the first people to flee their country in the face of evil to gaze upon 'Lady Liberty', there might be a more powerful symbol of freedom in the world but she couldn't think of one at the moment.
-oOoOo-
Minerva McGonagall was at a crossroads in her life, she'd blindly trusted a wizard who'd allowed a young child to be abused. Her life at the moment was filled with what if's as she tried to steer it back onto a course where she could look at herself in the mirror without wanting to be sick.
She'd remained friendly with Lily and James after they'd graduated and remembered Harry as a bright, bubbly baby. The young man who appeared at Hogwarts last September bore none of those characteristics and if it wasn't for the fact his parentage could be determined by a mere glance she would have wondered if this really was their son.
Harry was so shy to the point of being introverted but his friendship with Hermione seemed to be solving that problem at an amazing pace. Their other friend Ronald appeared quite happy to be anchored into his childhood by an overbearing mother who was determined not to let her children grow up. This more than anything had led to the inevitable split as the maturing pair simply outgrew the red head that was holding them back.
Minerva loved teaching and didn't think she was being boastful when she said she was good at it but Hogwarts had ceased to be a school and become almost a social experiment for Dumbledore to amuse himself with. There was Severus whose bias was encouraged rather than reprimanded while Sybil's tea leaves predicted enough disasters to have the school closed down annually. Now he was employing a wizard who spent more money on beauty products than all the witches teaching in the castle combined. Once again her inner self was telling her this wouldn't end well.
It had taken two twelve-year-olds to point out the error of her ways, Miss Granger that night in the dorm and Mr Potter by running away, leaving Minerva facing some hard questions and difficult decisions.
Dumbledore's inability to even consider he might not know what's best for everyone was at the very centre of the problem, he seemed to have some master plan where people were moulded into the part he wanted them to play. Minerva was sure that if her father was still alive he would have been extremely disappointed in the way she'd become the headmaster's lapdog, blindly carrying out his orders even when she knew them to be wrong.
Quite simply she couldn't be that witch any more and be able to live with herself, Hogwarts had been her home but now felt like her prison and fully understood Mr Potter's actions. She just hoped he managed to stay out of Dumbledore's clutches long enough to have some life, tears were falling onto the parchment as she penned her resignation to the board of governors. After all her years teaching she had a bit of gold saved so could afford to take some time figuring out which direction her life was now going to take, her only set criteria was that it be opposite to the path chosen by Albus Dumbledore.
-oOoOo-
Dan Granger sat on a terrace drinking a glass of fantastic wine as the sun set over the harbour and the lights of New York provided one of the most recognisable skylines on the planet, there couldn't be many people who wouldn't recognise the Statue of Liberty. Dan was trying not to chuckle at the audacity of the plan Harry and the goblins had devised as well as being slightly overwhelmed at the thought that magic could hide an entire floor of a five star hotel so that it couldn't even be seen from the outside.
Apparently they would not be able to remember it when they left unless told the address by Harry, now that was powerful magic.
"Harry did you have this done especially for your needs or was there always a magically hidden floor in this hotel?" asked Emma
"My family did a lot of business in the muggle world and, unlike other purebloods who want nothing to do with it, were very comfortable using the best that both had to offer. The hidden floor has been here since the hotel was built though I had it adapted to include a gym, training room and potions lab."
"One of our biggest worries has been that we would lose Hermione to a world we know nothing about but you appear determined to stay rooted in our world, was that a conscious decision or is it just a case of hiding in a place they wouldn't think to search for you."
"Mrs Granger the magical world is steeped in pureblood traditions that do nothing but hold it back, quills and parchment, owl post, candles and betrothal contracts."
"Betrothal?" squeaked Hermione.
"Yes, there are currently nine contracts with my name on them at Gringotts, offering all sorts of enticements to marry certain witches that are going to be disappointed."
Dan couldn't help but laugh at the lad's predicament, "Do I need to get pen and paper out Harry?"
"No sir, I'm pretty sure that your daughter feels the same way I do, when we choose to get married it will be because we've found the person that we want to spend the rest of our lives with, not some business arrangement. I'm also pretty sure that Mrs and Miss Granger would throw you over the balcony if you even attempted such a thing."
"Oh I don't know Harry I might even thank him if he picked the right wizard." Hermione kissed his cheek while her mother couldn't contain her laughter as her husbands joke had rebounded on him and left the poor man gulping down his wine.
"To answer your question Mrs Granger I have known about magic for less than a year and tend to consider myself a muggle who can perform magic rather than a wizard. My intention is to follow my family's tradition of taking the best that both worlds have to offer, both Hermione and I know people who would be terrified if placed in a big city so that was also behind my thinking for coming here."
"I must admit it would be a relief to be able to pick up the phone and talk to her not to mention being able to come here for a few days now and then, we really missed Hermione last year."
Harry could see Mrs Granger liked the idea of Hermione being here so decided now might be the right time to push a little in his attempt at a yes, "I would be delighted if you wished to join us here, as you can see accommodation isn't a problem and I'll bet New York needs dentists just as much as Crawley."
Emma couldn't help but smile at the sweet boy, "Harry there are all sorts of regulations to be sorted through and setting up a practice here would cost a fortune, it's a nice idea but just not practical at the moment."
Harry handed her a couple of documents that rendered her speechless while peaking Dan's interest, he took them out of his wives trebling hand and couldn't believe what he was looking at, "Where the hell did you get these? How is this even possible?"
Harry was tempted to say 'magic' but wisely decided now was not the time for flippancy, "Those are genuine green cards allowing you to work here and I have a list of property that would be available for you to set up a practice. I would quite happily give you the money needed to start the business or we could do it as a loan - but at cost of course."
Emma was hugging the life out of Harry before he even realised she'd moved, "Hermione, anyone who'd do that for his girlfriend is a very serious boyfriend and a definite keeper!"
Dan was still trying to wrap his head around the whole thing, "Harry how do you know all these things? How is this possible?"
"Sir I know nothing of business but that's why I have Griphook, the goblins are geniuses at business stuff and nothing is impossible for the right price. I can set up a meeting where he can go over the many options available to you. That's what he does with me, I tell him what I want or what the problem is and he provides options for me to choose from. He's one of the few people in my life that I know I can trust, yes I pay for the advice but that's just the goblin's way of life. He also invests my fortune wisely ensuring I have more than enough money to pay for that advice and since he also receives a percentage of the profits he makes me then everyone is happy."
"It's just a pity we have that flight to France tomorrow, I would really like to meet this Griphook as soon as possible." Dan's words received an enthusiastic nod from his wife and enthusiastic didn't come close to describing Hermione's reaction to her parent's unspoken consent.
Harry found himself with his second Granger girl wrapped around him in as many minutes though this one was trying to kiss him senseless at the same time, when she came up for air her reaction was pure Hermione and helped with her parent's unease at the sight of their daughter kissing, there would be some talks taking place before they moved in here.
"Oh Harry have you any idea how many bookstores there are in New York? When will we start our tuition and meet the professors?"
Harry held up his hand to prevent the thousand more questions he knew she was desperate to ask, "Jake!"
The butler from earlier appeared, "Yes my Lord?"
"The Grangers are going to be staying with us so can we lose the disguise?"
The butler morphed into a house elf wearing a robe with the Potter crest prominently displayed, "Jake is a house elf, he and his wife Sophie will be taking care of us while we live here. What's with the 'my lord' I thought we had agreed that it was to be just Harry?"
"No my Lord, you agreed while I pointed out that it wouldn't be proper behaviour for a house elf. Am I to assume that we require three replacement Grangers for tomorrow?"
"Yes please and tell Griphook that we will meet tomorrow afternoon to sort out a lot of the details." Jake gave a formal bow before disappearing right in front of their eyes.
Hermione's eyebrows were raised so high with unanswered questions that they almost melted into her bushy hair, "Replacement Grangers?"
"There will be three people who will appear identical to you that will board a plane tomorrow, once they're in France they will simply transform back to their normal selves and the Grangers will have disappeared. Anyone watching will see you boarding and leaving the plane placing you three firmly in Europe. We can use the same method to provide sightings where and when it suits us keeping all their attention focused on Europe and away from here."
Dan shook his head in admiration, "I'm looking forward to meeting this Griphook even more now and thanking him for helping keep my family safe."
"What about all our stuff in London?" his girlfriend asked.
"As soon as you decided to stay here Jake and Sophie placed all your stuff in your new rooms, anything you need from home can also be fetched, house elves are at their happiest when they're helping people and these two have been desperately waiting to work for years."
"Don't they have any children?" Emma couldn't believe the boys face could go that shade of red; he'd kissed their daughter right in front of them but looked mortified at her simple question.
"Their law dictates that they must gain the head of their house's permission to have children, it was the first thing they asked me. I said yes and have already got Griphook looking for a way to throw that law out."
"Are they slaves Harry?" he could see the horror in Hermione's eyes at the very thought.
"No Hermione they get paid though Dumbledore blocked it, both have just received their back money and a raise."
Dan couldn't help it, he was howling with laughter at Harry's discomfort. This was the fist time he'd seen him acting like a kid, "If they've got eleven years back money and permission to start a family then it's a good job your mother can cook as I don't think we'll be seeing them anytime soon."
Emma joined her husband's laughter, not because she thought the joke was funny but at the kids' reaction to it as Hermione's face now matched Harry's for colour.
-oOoOo-
Hermione felt like a princess as she looked around the room she'd woken in and almost had to pinch herself for assurance that it was real. Room really didn't do this justice as her four poster bed appeared small in relation to the rest of the space; she had a dressing room and a bathroom to die for while the large glass doors opened onto her own private balcony with a telescope for looking over the harbour.
There was also her own sitting room complete with hi-fi and TV with another section set up for studying that had a computer with attached printer, no more parchment and quills for her.
When she glanced at her sitting room she was reminded of being sat down there last night by her mother for a woman to woman chat.
"Hermione from what your father and I have seen of Harry he seems a very nice boy but we're worried about your level of intimacy and think you're too involved for your age."
"Mum even you have to admit that the last few days have been pretty dramatic, our need for contact would appear to increase with the situation, we were both worried that you and dad would keep us apart for whatever reason and this has turned out better than we could have dreamed. I get my parents, my boyfriend and lessons in magic while staying in a five star hotel in New York. Harry and I hug a lot because he's never had that in his life and its my way of letting him know that I'm there for him, once things settle down to our new normal so will our relationship."
"We're just worried dear that you're moving to fast, there are all different stages of a relationship and to be honest my concern is that anything Harry asked you to do would receive an automatic yes, I've never seen you behave like this before."
Hermione could see where her mother's concern was coming from so decided to be brutally honest, "Mum you're right, if Harry asked me I probably would say yes but what you have to understand is Harry would never ask, I'm dating a boy who gives me a fabulous diamond to keep me safe and then makes arrangements so I won't have to worry about my parents and he still thinks he's the lucky one. When our relationship moves to the next level it will be because I think it's time and Harry will probably have to be talked into it for fear of upsetting me but that won't be for a while yet. When Harry's hands eventually make it up my jumper I want him to find something there that makes the journey worthwhile, not the couple of beestings I have at the moment. I hope to be pure on my wedding night and pray that it's Harry there with me but if things with Voldemort turn bad then I would go to Harry and offer whatever I am to help him."
Hermione had verbalised thoughts that had been lurking in the deepest recesses of her mind and felt both drained yet cleansed by speaking them out loud.
Emma held her daughter in a hug while her brain tried to edit that last statement into a format she could tell Dan that wouldn't result in Harry's body being found on the sidewalk in the morning. "You were serious when you said that you loved him?"
"It's hard to describe mum, it's like Harry owns a piece of me and I'm only complete when he's near. The wonderful thing is Harry feels the exact same way but doesn't know how to put it into words, he tells me though every time he hugs or kisses me in a way that no words ever could. Had we been separated our mirrors may have kept us sane but the pain would have been there, you said I would do anything Harry asked and if he'd wanted me to run away with him I'm not sure I could have said no. With this set-up we would never have been found but Harry wouldn't even consider it, all his life he's dreamed of having a family and wouldn't take me away from mine for his benefit. That's Harry James Potter, my boyfriend and those other witches can take their betrothal contracts and use them for toilet paper because he's mine."
Emma detected the first hint of doubt from her daughter and held her tighter, "Anyone can see he's yours honey which is what's got your father all riled up, he wanted to go and have a talk with Harry but I don't think that would be appropriate since we've only just met. You might want to have a word with Harry though as delaying tactics is all I've got at the moment, some boy is trying to steal his little princess's heart and he doesn't care if the boy's a Lord, he's still not good enough as far as your father is concerned."
Hermione was drawn from her musing by Sophie popping into her room and laying out her clothes for today, "Would my Lady prefer a bath or shower before breakfast?"
"I usually have a shower Sophie and why the 'my Lady'?"
Sophie's tone was that of a mother answering a child's stupid question, "Are you not Lord Potter's Lady? Breakfast will be served in thirty minutes." She popped out the room leaving a very thoughtful Hermione Granger behind; she just hoped hr father accepted the elves explanation without an explosion.
-oOoOo-
Dumbledore watched on as his former friend of many years left Hogwarts for the last time, she still refused to speak with him but at the moment Filius and Pomona were making up for the deficit by berating Albus at every opportunity. Both were positive that the headmaster was directly responsible for their friend's resignation with subsequent departure and Albus was at least grateful Minerva had kept her reasons private.
In the meantime it had taken all of his considerable persuasive powers to stop Filius also resigning with Pomona's reaction not far behind him; Albus was beginning to wonder if there was a conspiracy in place to prevent him searching for the Potter boy as all he had managed to accomplish so far was to have the Grangers followed.
He now needed to find a new transfiguration professor as well as head of Gryffindor; the other vacant position was settled by the actions of Filius and Pomona. Albus needed someone he could trust implicitly and not have them ask too many questions so Severus Snape was the new Depute of Hogwarts.
A/N Thanks for reading.
in Scotland the second-in-command of an educational establishment is called the Depute, since Hogwarts is supposed to be a Scottish school this is the model I'm using. Jo Rowling's schooling was in England which has a totally different educational system.