Another independent prompt: Harry's hearing before his fifth year goes bad and he is expelled from Hogwarts and his wand is snapped/confiscated.
Almost immediately he is offered a place at other schools (since he is a TWT winner, maybe Fleur and Victor vouched for him). Thus Harry goes to Beauxbatons/Durmstrang/Other, maybe an original school. Mostly it would expose Harry to a new culture, to a school with much less intrique/murder attempts. Could turn into Flowerpot, but just as well into camaraderie/friendship.