I'm back! I'm still not completely ok, but I can't stop writing for some reason. Some sort of therapy I guess. Plus problems with insomnia.

There have been some questions concerning the last comment Voldemort gave Severus, but all I can say without revealing too much of the plot, is that this story will portray a different Voldemort than the one you normally see.

Well, here's the chapter, and I hope you'll enjoy it.


Chapter Nine

Harry sat in the common room of the Sun and Moon groups and wrote in his journal. It was the last day of the term, and in another hour, the students were to be shipped off to their families with the exception of those who had chosen to stay.

Harry and Viktor were going home to Bulgaria with their family over Christmas, inviting Severus, Evelina and Raphael with them. The boy really looked forward to it and had already bought the Christmas gifts he was going to give away. But until then, he spent his time by writing in his journal about the discussion he'd had with Geir about the connections he had to Voldemort the other day.

"I'm sorry you were called to this talk so late in the term," Geir began as they both had made themselves comfortable in their respective chosen chairs in the history professor's office. "There are a lot of students in this school, and we needed to send a few letters to your parents for further information."

Harry inclined his head and smiled uncomfortably. He hated these teacher-student talks; they felt so tense and forced.

"It's nothing," he replied. "I had almost forgotten it."

Geir grinned.

"I can see that," he commented. "It was a while since I asked those questions. Shall we begin then?"

Harry nodded.

"Yes, Geir," he obediently said.

"Good," Geir said and glanced a last time on his papers. "As I understand, you have no memory of your biological parents' deaths?"

Harry shook his head.

"Not really," he answered. "There are occasional and rather cloudy nightmares, but nothing serious."

Geir nodded understandingly.

"Can you describe them for me?" he questioned. "Only if you're comfortable about it of course."

The eleven year old shrugged.

"There's much to tell," he said. "A dark shadow with bright, red eyes with other dark shadows behind him. And…"

Harry faltered. It was harder to speak about it than he thought it would be. Mainly because as he spoke, the memories floated to the surface within, making him relieve the nightmares.

"I can hear them scream," he silently continued. "My father shouting to my mother to run. My mother pleading for my life. Her dying scream and the green light of the Avada Kedavra. It's really awful."

To his surprise, tears were in his eyes and hi heart ached inside.

"It hurts, doesn't it?" Geir gently said, placing his hand upon Harry's. "Even though you cannot remember them."

Harry nodded empathically even as a tear escaped his eye.

"Yes," he admitted. "It's more than I can stand. I can't even remember how many times I've woken up screaming from them."

Geir nodded and scooted closer to look into Harry's eyes.

"We don't have to continue now if you don't want to," he offered. "Or we can send for your parents or Viktor. Even you mentor if you want to, they say you're very close to him."

He considered it but shook his head. There was no use in shooting on it. Geir removed his hand and nodded.

"Well then," he said. "Your mentor mentioned that you had some sort of flashback concerning Voldemort when you first met. He also mentioned that you lashed out with some rather destructive magic during it. Is this something we should be cautious of? That talking about Voldemort can cause a spontaneous reaction?"

Frowning, Harry opened his mouth.

"I don't think so," he responded. "That's the only time it has happened as far as I can remember. I would suggest that you ask my family though. It's possible that I've done something I'm not aware of."

Geir inclined his head and scribbled something on a paper. Then he smiled at Harry.

"That's all I can think of," he said. "You're free to go.

But instead of rising, Harry looked questioningly at him.

"Shouldn't you ask me about Severus?" he asked. "As he is an ex-death eater I mean?"

"No," Geir replied smilingly. "I've already talked to Severus Snape, his brother and his superior. So far as the rest of the faculty and I can see, there's no problem with your mentor. If you haven't something to add of course?"

Harry shook his head and rose.

"Goodbye, Geir," he politely said.

The Norwegian professor smiled.

"Goodbye, Harry," he replied. "Sleep well."

The discussion had not gone as Harry thought it would, but he guessed it was nothing to worry about. He looked up as Viktor entered the room.

"Harry!" he exclaimed. "Come on, we have to boards the ship. Do you have your stuff?"

Harry flew to his feet and waved his hand in the general direction of his trunk, which stood by the door, shrinking it to be easily grabbed.

"Now I have," he grinned.

Viktor seemed to be staring at the door, trying to stop his impending laughter.

"Not if you don't intend to bring an 8 inches tall professor Geir to Bulgaria," Viktor sniggered.

Eyes wide, Harry whipped around to see an adorable 8 inch Geir stand by the door tapping his foot irritated while having an amused look on his face.

***

It was Christmas Day and they had all gathered in the living room of the house they kept in Bulgaria, using whenever they were down there, mainly in the summers and during Christmas. Harry loved the place, as it was where he had grown up, the place he had his first memories from. It had a 'homey' feeling that not even his second home in Stocka could reach.

They had all drifted down the stairs, one by one, between eight and nine to suit down in the living room where the Christmas gifts had been placed around a small Christmas tree. Viktor and Harry sat on the floor, in front of the sofa where their parents and Severus sat. Evelina and Raphael shared a large armchair to the right with the Christmas tree in front of them.

"So," Alexei smiled. "Who will start giving out their presents?"

Viktor and Harry both jumped up and down, wanting to be the first. All the adults smiled indulgingly at this, and Alexei shook his head.

"I think we'll let Harry give away his first," he decided. "He's the youngest after all."

Harry beamed and went over to the gifts, picking up the ones he had bought, all of them wrapped in green paper with red bows. Then he carefully walked around, giving each a gift.

Viktor opened his first, revealing a small gift set of potions. He grinned madly and gave Harry a shrew look.

"Is it what I think it is?" he eagerly asked.

His brother laughed and nodded.

"Yes!" Viktor exclaimed and struck his fist into the air.

Their mother looked suspiciously at the potion, suspecting them to be what they were – potions suited for playing pranks. But there was not much she could do about it.

At the same time, Severus unwrapped his gift and found a simple wooden box inside. Curious, he opened the box and found a simple, but well made figurine of himself in smooth rock. Awed, he lifted it up and ran his fingers over it.

"Do you like it?" Harry shyly asked. "I learned how to manipulate stone this year in Elementals."

Viktor stared at the figurine himself.

"So that's why professor Cecilie moved you from Elemental Studies to Elemental Advanced," he exclaimed. "You lucky dog, she's gorgeous!"

Harry blushed crimson and Severus gave Viktor a stern glare.

"It's beautiful, Harry," he softly told the other child. "I'm proud."

Harry Krum found a new career as an overripe tomato at that instant.

***

When the gift giving was over, Harry was sitting with a huge pile of presents in his knee. He had moved from the floor to another couch at the other side of the room as his parents had started talking to aunt Evvie and uncle Rafe. Viktor had disappeared to parts unknown, probably rigging pranks across the house, and Severus was reading in a potions book he had received from his brother.

Looking at his presents, Harry decided that he liked Severus' the most. It was a cloak, made in a beautiful grey material that shimmered as it moved. Severus had told him it was an invisibility cloak and that it concealed its wearer when worn.

As a hand was laid on his shoulder, Harry looked up and met the black eyes of Severus Snape.

"Hello Harry," his mentor softly said. "May I sit down?"

The boy nodded and scooted over, making place for him. The for once not black clad man sat down, placing his hands in his dark green lap.

"So, how was your first term at Durmstrang?" the English man asked. "Did you like it?"

Harry smiled brightly.

"Oh yes!" he grinned. "I love Durmstrang. I've met so many new people and learned so much I can fly now, did you know that, Sev?"

The older man chuckled.

"Indeed," he replied. "I wouldn't have expected less of you."

He paused.

"Nataniel Aino sent me a letter concerning you," he carefully said. "He wondered if I had given you lessons in Martial Arts, saying that you learned things remarkably fast."

Harry bowed his head, nodding.

"I know," he said. "It's weird. It's like I know how to do things, like I've done all those things before. Nataniel's instructions just trigger something inside me, and I just know. I have absolutely no idea why, and it scares me. It's not normal, Sev."

Looking concerned, Severus hugged the boy.

"Don't worry," he gently said. "The answer will probably show up in time. Maybe you just have a talent for Martial Arts."

Harry shuddered and nodded.

"Maybe you're right," he hesitantly said and hugged his mentor. "Thank you, Sev. You're great."

Severus smiled and hugged the boy back.

"As are you," he replied. "As are you."

***

The Christmas leave was over and Harry together with Viktor was on the ship back to Durmstrang. Wiser than the last time he went to Durmstrang, he had stuffed his mouth with an incredibly icky potion Severus had made for him. It tasted awfully, but it sure helped. This time, Harry could even get some pleasure out of the trip, walking the deck.

"Enjoying not having to puke your guts out, huh?" Viktor's voice teasingly said from his side.

Harry nodded and took a deep breath. Now when he didn't feel ill, it was actually wonderful to be at sea, to feel the ocean move beneath his feet. He'd been a little wobbly in the beginning, but as he found his sea legs, he could run around the ship if he wanted to. Which he didn't, as he didn't want to be thrown off the ship.

Now as Durmstrang neared, he and Viktor had taken to occupying the bow, looking out for the fortress like mansion. And as the mist cleared in the horizon, they saw the dark silhouette of the school.

"Back to Durmstrang," Harry sighed.

"And a new term," Viktor reminded him.

"And a new term," Harry agreed. "May it be as fun as the last."

And deep in his heart, he knew it would.

TBC

***

Well, that was the latest chapter of this story. For those of you interested, I plan on having the next chapter out the sixteenth as it's already written. I only have to type it up also. Don't forget to review!