Harry sat in the common room doing some reading for the quickly approaching finals. Not that he really needed it – he knew what he needed to know to pass. But it wouldn't be wrong to be even more prepared. So, he actually looked forwards to the exams.
The only cloud on his clear sky was the weird memories that popped up at any time and the splitting migraines he'd learned to associate with Voldemort. Funny enough, they often came at the same time. Often, the pain was enough for him to zone out and go into convulsions. It was horrible.
The headaches had become his eternal companions and he had taken to carrying around a potion that could numb them at least – even if it wasn't possible to stop them. And they had become much more frequent too. It was like Voldemort had decided to send him splitting headaches twice a day out of pure spite. And there was nothing he could do.
Harry and Severus was in constant contact with each other now, Severus justifying it by saying that he wanted to know about everything he did. Viktor was rather pissed though, mostly because it meant that Severus sent them more work to do.
A tapping sound on a window caught Harry's attention and as he looked up to see what it was all about, he saw Severus decidedly red owl Nathara waiting patiently to be let in. There was a small pouch attached to her leg, so Harry gathered that Severus had sent them some homework besides his usual letter.
Getting up, Harry opened the window, letting Nathara land on his arm.
"Let's see what you have brought us today," he mumbled as he took the pouch and settled the red owl on a perch intended for Viktor's owl Kara.
He sat back down in the armchair he previously occupied and emptied the pouch in his knee. It had held two copies of a book, a bunch of papers that had been corrected and a letter. Swiftly returning the things to their previous state, Harry gripped the letter and picked the red wax seal with Severus' crest on (a H and a R entwined over what looked to be reed) off. Then he carefully opened the sheet of paper and started reading Severus' neat, small handwriting.
"Harry!
I do not know where to begin this letter. You've stated that you've been plagued by painful headaches lately, both Voldemort induced and memory related. Well, I have the answer to the former now. Voldemort has somehow learned that the Philosopher's stone are being kept here at Hogwarts. You do remember that I told you that he has found a human host, right? Anyway, naturally he tried to acquire it to gain immortality. It was his plotting to do so which triggered your scar. There have been several incidents that should have caused such a reaction. Thank lord it's over now at least Dumbledore cornered Voldemort and caused his spirit to flee. We can only hope that he will not return for a while.
On a happier note: I've found a potion, which will help against your headaches. It was originally meant to block the pain of the dark mark. Voldemort had me develop it during the years before your birth. He claimed that he had no use of death eaters if they collapsed each time he summoned them. The version he finally gave them only blocked out part of the pain though.
Sadly enough, we need a magical mushroom from the forest in Albania for it – and it have to be fresh when added to the potion. So, we will not be able to make the potion until this summer. I've already cleared the detour with your parents though; we'll get the mushrooms on our way to Bulgaria.
As I'm sure you noticed, I sent two copies of a book with this letter. It's a potions text and I want you to read it until the end of the term. Also write an outline of the book to familiarize yourself with it.
With affection, Severus."
Harry chuckled slightly and put away the letter. It was so like Severus to make them write an outline of the book. In his time as Severus' pupil, he had to have written at least a thousand outlines. Even if it was very difficult considering that they could only be nine feet long, no matter that the book could be on over a thousand pages. It was very educating though. And when you finally had stopped biting your nails over trying to fit the text into manageable pieces, it was actually funny.
He thought about Viktor. It would be truly interesting to see Viktor's reaction to the assignment though, considering that his brother didn't have finals this year, but tests to take his basic degrees in 'witchcraft and wizardry'. He could almost hear the screams already.
***
Waiting patiently outside Viktor's examination classroom, Harry fiddled with his results. He had passed his subjects easily as awaited, and had been promoted from basic to advanced in a number of classes. Harry only hoped that Viktor would do as well on his tests.
Feeling someone tap his shoulder, he turned around to face a smiling Mira.
"Hi, Harry!" she greeted him. "Are you waiting for Viktor?"
Harry nodded.
"Yes," he replied. "I know how important this is for him, I want to be with him when he gets his results."
Smiling at that, Mira held out her own letter with exam results.
"Look!" she grinned. "I passed everything, even Flying!"
Knowing that Mira had huge problems with Flying (she was afraid of heights) Harry hugged her excitedly.
"That's great!" he exclaimed. "You must be overjoyed."
"Believe me, I am," Mira laughed. "I never thought I'd pass that one."
She glanced at the doors, and right then they slammed open, letting out all fifth years. Viktor pushed his way through the mass to his brother, almost choking him with his bear hug.
"I got degrees in eleven subjects!" he shouted. "I made it!"
Caught up in his brother's happiness, Harry hugged him fiercely.
"You really made it!" he happily shrieked. "You rock! Mum and dad will be so proud."
"Yes," Viktor agreed, "and now school's over. We're going to Bulgaria!"
Suddenly, two hands fell upon their shoulders and turned them around so they could see their father's smiling face behind them.
"There you are!" he exclaimed. "I've searched all over for you! Didn't you get Severus' message? You were supposed to meet us outside as soon as you had gotten your results!"
Harry blushed furiously.
"It arrived an hour ago, dad," he answered. "I immediately took our stuff and went down here to grab Vik as he got out. But I kind of got lost in the moment…"
He looked down, ashamed, but then looked up to beam at his father.
"Viktor got eleven degrees!" he grinned happily. "Isn't that just great? And headmistress Kyra said that we're the best pranksters Durmstrang has ever had. She told us that she'd never had a student shrink a teacher before…"
Viktor elbowed Harry, trying to look innocent and throw angry glares at his brother at the same time. Their father looked rather peeved though. It didn't take long for Harry to realize this.
"I shouldn't have said that?" Harry hesitantly asked.
"Viktor would agree," their father answered neutrally. "But I don't. For once, I'm glad you don't lie much, Harry. Because when you do, no one notices. But we really should be going now."
Alexei started walking, his two sons following behind him. He heard Viktor release his breath, muttering a silent 'pure luck' under his breath.
"Oh, and Viktor? You won't be following Harry and Severus to Albania."
"Dad!"