"It doesn't really matter though, Harry. Because she lost far more than I think she realizes she did in making that agreement with the Ministry. She still has her wand rights though she doesn't, and never will, have a place in the British magical world. She had to agree to never again enter magical Britain in exchange for that concession. She is also magically bound to that agreement. Given her tendency to lie and cheat, no one was willing to simply accept her word to stay out of our territory. Considering her other option was to be prosecuted for the wrongs she did you where her sentence would most likely have been a one way trip through the Veil of Death, I don't blame her parents for taking the deal on her behalf and making her swear the oath."
Harry thought about it and decided Severus was right. Hermione had lost far more than she'd gained with that deal. "Agreed."
Harry shook his head and dismissed the hard luck of his former friend from his mind as he ate his dinner. Over the next two weeks Severus took Harry by apparition each day to the Ministry so he could sit for another Owl on the esoteric subjects he had been studying while still a Hogwarts student. He also took the Owls for Muggle Studies, Arithemancy and Ancient Runes which were offered at Hogwarts though he wasn't eligible to take them there since he wasn't in those classes. His results came in the middle of July.
On July thirty-first, Harry, with Severus' help, filled out and filed his emancipation papers for the magical world and his withdrawal notice for Hogwarts while the two elves were packing up and shutting down the house for another long absence. With all his Owls in hand, he was no longer required by law to return to Hogwarts or any other recognized school. He was already an emancipated minor in the muggle world having filed that while in his final year at Hogwarts with the help of Dobby and the goblins. So all he needed to do was send both these to the appropriate location and he was free and clear of Britain and it's people. Much to Hedwig's disgust they weren't using her to deliver them. Rather Dobby would pop each form as well as Severus' resignation to the appropriate location for them.
That evening, they paid Steve a visit to inform him they would be leaving the next morning before the neighborhood woke up and Severus handed him a large amount of cash. "In case anything goes wrong at the house and needs to be fixed. That girl you saw before shouldn't be coming around any more but if she does, make sure you don't tell her anything about us and do call the coppers on her because, no matter what she says, she isn't welcome here. But she is a very good liar if she thinks lying will get her what she wants." Steve nodded. He knew the type and would be on his guard against her if she showed up again.
"We'll be going on several safaris and staying in places well off the beaten trail. So we won't be easy to reach. If you need more funds, contact this person and he will set you up. He will also be able to get a message to us if you need us. It may be a few days or even a week or two before we can call you back, but we will get in touch as soon as we can." He handed him a creamy white pasteboard business card embossed with golden writing. The card was for Ragnok who was handling Harry's Estates for them as well as Severus' own banking interests. Steve checked to make sure Harry had his number and asked what to do if the Dursley family should show up.
"Remind them they signed the place over to me and it isn't theirs anymore. In exchange for them abandoning me and me not saying anything about it or calling the authorities on them, they agree to give me the house and the property it stands on," Harry said bluntly. "You might also remind them it was their idea to abandon a still fourteen year old boy who had no other living relatives anywhere in the country. I didn't suggest it to them. But I honestly don't think they will return. If they haven't done so by now, they're settled wherever they went."
Steve nodded and assured Harry he could handle them if they did return and tried to lay claim to the house and property again. He had his own plans for what to do to the couple for the way they'd abandoned Harry last summer. Though he was glad Harry had seemed to land on his feet and found a good protector in Severus. He knew the man was a teacher but he'd also seen the way the man watched over Harry and so he saw him as Harry's protector rather than his teacher.