The Stubborn Old Headmaster

40

'I just hope that wasn't poison,' Harry mused tiredly as he hurried to the nearest washing room to carefully wash the potion from his face. A glance on his wrist watch showed him that he didn't have time for breakfast anymore, so he rushed to the Potions classroom, where his friends worriedly greeted him.

"Why did you miss breakfast?" Hermione asked reproachfully, causing Draco to nod eagerly.

"Dumbledore attacked me," Harry replied in a small voice and just finished his explanation when they were allowed into the classroom.

Fortunately, the theoretical Potions test was fairly easy for Harry, considering that he often helped his father in his potions lab and had knowledge which by far exceeded the one necessary for the Potions NEWT. The practical exam took place in the afternoon, and Harry sighed in relief as he read the name of the potion he was supposed to brew. It was a fifth-year potion, the remedy for the Grindylow pox, which was a rare magical disease. Just by chance, Harry had assisted Severus brew this particular potion a week earlier, when Hagrid had caught the Grindylow pox.

"Thank Merlin that's over," Harry sighed in relief, when the seventh-years headed out to the lake together following their test.

"Yeah, and only History of Magic and Divination left for tomorrow, oh joy," Draco added, groaning theatrically.

"Well, let's meet in the study room to review a bit, at least for History of Magic. I still have my Arithmancy test this afternoon," Hermione added, yawning.

"I won't study anymore today. Both of the tests are unimportant to me, and I'm too tired. I'm going to spend the evening with Felix," Harry said tiredly, feeling even more exhausted than he had been feeling over the last few weeks. Deciding to skip dinner in spite of his friends' protests, he flashed himself back to his own room and stretched out on his bed, leaving his door wide open, so that his brother would find him if he returned from dinner and wanted to play.

However, by the time his parents and Felix came home, Harry was already fast asleep.

"Harry!" Felix shouted happily, running into his adored brother's room, before Severus pulled him back.

"Shh, Felix, leave Harry alone to rest. I think he's very tired from his exams," Severus explained in his soft, silky voice.

"Severus, are you sure that Harry is all right? He is always tired; that's not normal behaviour for a sixteen-year-old," Minerva spoke up in concern.

Severus sighed. "Actually, I didn't get a chance to tell you yet, but a few days ago, I had a discussion with Poppy about Harry. I was worried too, especially since I couldn't find anything wrong with him when running my diagnostic spells. She told me that she assumes that all the attacks on his health, including the torture last year, have probably damaged his immune system, and that's the reason why he's always tired. He even might get sick easier than other wizards, although he fortunately hasn't had too many problems with that so far. I've already begun to invent a potion for him that'll hopefully get rid of his problems, and it should be completed by tomorrow or the day after."

ハリーと頑固な校長先生

However, when Felix woke Harry up early in the morning, Harry felt outright sick. He soon noticed that he might as well have skipped the History of Magic test, since he could not concentrate on it at all. His head, throat and chest felt incredibly sore. 'All the spots are where the strange potion hit me yesterday,' he realised. He wrote a small essay about the Founders of Hogwarts, recalling some information which Godric and his friends in the Founders Lair had provided him with. 'The Founders Lair,' he mused. 'I should go and visit the Founders.' Realising that he couldn't focus on the exam anyway, he finished his test early and dragged himself into an empty corridor, where he called Kori and asked her to flash him into the Founders Lair.