Past Present

"Last day before you're a free man. Got any plans once you get out of the infirmary?" Harry asked.

"Start studying. N.E.W.T.s," Viktor replied after a little thought.

"Oh no, now we've got two of 'em, Harry," Ron said.

"I think I will just skip the tutoring in History of Magic. I should be able to do that without help. I haff an old research paper that I can rework that should suffice for the N.E.W.T. on that one. That leaves one to really study for," Viktor continued, ignoring Ron's pained expression.

"Which one?" Hermione asked.

"You will laugh," Viktor said quietly.

"Never," Hermione replied.

"Dark Arts. Defense Against, I mean," Viktor tacked on hastily.

Ron's mouth went slack. "You have to study for that?" he asked.

"What could you possibly not know? I mean, anything you think you would have trouble with? We could practice. A corporeal patronus isn't necessary, most people never learn them, but it would be impressive, and you can talk about defensive charms in your sleep and they would never hit you with those awful skrewts again on the practical exam, because Hagrid's just invented them last year. They just do basic dueling technique and throw a few simple things in like boggarts and grindylows and maybe a manticore, usually theory about werewolves, rarely do you see dementors or lethifolds or anything really horrendously dangerous on the practical exam..." Hermione began.

"You will laugh," Viktor said again, flatly.

"Will not," Hermione said stubbornly.

"Boggarts."

There was a long, stunned silence before Hermione could force out, "Boggarts? You'll have trouble with ... boggarts?" Harry could tell she was straining not to sound too surprised.

Viktor raised an eyebrow. "Let us just say I would tend to clear the examiners off if they choose to put me in the same room with a boggart. They would not stick around to score me," he said. It seemed to be a forced attempt at humor, but even Viktor didn't smile.

"Boggarts," Hermione repeated hollowly. "Well, you'll just have to practice them then."

"You make that sound like it is easy," Viktor said uneasily.

"It's the only way you'll get better at them. What...what do they turn into, for you?" Hermione asked uneasily.

"Not usually the same thing twice. That seems to be part of the problem, I freeze," Viktor shrugged. "You mind working with me on a corporeal patronus, Harry?"

Harry blushed at the unexpected compliment, although he suspected Viktor had asked the question as much to change the subject as to get an answer. "Sure. Lupin taught me. Pity you couldn't have been here when Lupin was teaching. Best DADA teacher we've ever had. Fleur, well, she's better than I would have expected, given how pitiful she was in the tournament against grindylows, but I admit, she's a lot easier on the eyes than Mad-Eye Moody, or, um, Crouch as Moody, was," Harry laughed.

"Not a big accomplishment. Even Snape fills that description," Viktor said with a weak smile.

"It's late, lady and gentlemen. He gets out tomorrow. He can ruin his health on his own time, then. Now get yourselves up to Gryffindor tower," Madame Pomfrey called across the room.

"What you reckon?" Ron asked in a low voice, after they had started up the staircase to the tower.

"What?" Harry asked.

"What you reckon he sees that is so awful it clears rooms? Hermione?" Ron looked over the top of Harry's head, to Hermione on his opposite side.

"First I've heard him mention boggarts. Mind you, he said Karkaroff was pretty heavy on the Dark Arts, light on the defense, but boggarts? I guess we'll find out, though," Hermione mused.

"We? What do you mean we?" Ron asked.

"Not going to let him practice by himself, are you? Harry's helping, isn't he?" Hermione asked.

"No. No. I suppose not," Ron replied glumly.