Disclaimer: I don't own JK Rowlings world, otherwise this would not be a fanfiction.

Summary: Leonis steps over the line and Godric becomes enraged.

Chapter Seven. You Little Devil…

It had been two days since Godric and Leonis had set off from the inn. Leonis in one word was sick and tired of following Godric across the country.

He was sore in every conceivable muscle, he was tired from the continuos journey and although he hated to admit it he was afraid. Leonis had no desire to go to Hogwarts, well except for seeing the food in real life, and so he started searching for a way to escape the elder wizard.

Godric on the other hand thought things were running along smoothly. He had given Leonis the dirk to hide in his boot in case they had to fight off any bandits. Yes Godric was well aware he could simply blast any trouble makers with his magic with a simple spell. But he wanted to press onto Leonis the importance of being prepared for anything.

Leonis was presently lying close to the campfire, his eyes were half lidded watching and waiting for Godric to fall asleep. It seemed the wizard barely slept. He seemed on alert most of the night. Leonis had learnt this from careful 'resource.' He would shift uneasily in his 'sleep' or moan or mumble something. Every time Leonis did Godric's head would snap up very much like a hunter's dogs. There would be a pause and when Godric was content danger was not near his head would slowly sink back onto his pack which he had been using as a pillow.

However last time Leonis did this Godric did not move. With very careful movements Leonis lifted his head and peered through the darkness.

Godric's chest was softly rising and falling in a constant rhythm. Up and down. Up and down. Up and down…

Leonis waited for another few minutes to pass and made another small noise.

Up and down. Up and down…

Godric's breathing didn't change pattern. It remained with its closely rhythmic beat.

Leonis grinned. Godric was fast asleep. He knew it. Just knew it. Even a wizard had to sleep sometime.

With movements born of his thieving career, Leonis got to his feet without a sound. He backed away from the fire slowly and deliberately marking all his movements. And yet Godric slumbered peacefully on.

The ground was littered with leaves and sticks. It was difficult for Leonis to navigate around the potential traps and keep an eye on Godric while he snuck away.

Leonis had nearly reached the edge of the camp where he thought he should be able to turn tail and run without disturbing Godric from his slumber. Unfortunately in his haste to escape he snapped a twig.

Leonis froze in fright, the simple snapping of the twig sounded extroridinarily loud to his ears. Godric head snapped up immediately. Leonis could see his eyes reflecting the fire light he looked decidedly evil.

"Leonis?" Godric croaked. Sleep had obviously clouded his mind. "What are you doing?"

Leonis' heart beat widely in his chest. He eyed Godric and swallowed the lump that had lodged into this throat. Then wordlessly glanced behind him.

"Leonis," Godric growled getting up on his elbows. "Go back to sleep."

Leonis checked over his shoulder again. Godric was getting to his feet. Immediately Leonis decided he could not afford to loose his advantage and pelted in the other direction.

Leonis ran faster than he had ever done in his life. The wind whistled in his ears deafening him to Godric's frantic calls behind him. He continued on as if it was a mugger than threatened him…

Leonis checked over his shoulder and gasped as a looming shadow followed him with a speed he had not thought possible.

"Leonis! Come back here!" Godric bellowed gnashing his teeth together. He should have expected this. The new ones always attempt to run. But this time he thought it would be different.

Godric lowered his head and pressed on. He knew it was only a matter of time before he caught the boy.

Sure enough Leonis was tiring. Godric saw the lad turned his head from side to side as if looking for a place to hide or escape. Godric grunted as Leonis choose a tree. The thief climbed the tree like a little monkey and by the time he reached the base Leonis was perched uncomfortably in the topmost branches.

"Come down here, Leonis," Godric commanded.

Leonis shook his head. "NO!"

"Shall I climb up and pull you down?" Godric asked taking a firm grip of the lower branches and heaving himself up.

"You'll fall," Leonis pointed out his voice wavering as he lost confidence. "You'll fall and brake you neck."

"And whose fault would that be, hmmm?" Godric asked.

Leonis didn't reply he scrambled a little higher into the canopy. Godric had to admire his skill of movement…

"Come down like a good laddie and we can forget this little tantrum," Godric coaxed.

Leonis pursed his lips and shook his head.

"Very well," Godric conceded pulling out his wand. "You bring this upon yourself."

"Accio, Leonis…"

Leonis gripped determinedly at the branches of the tree. But the magical pull was too strong for him. Once more he found himself ripped from his position and forced through the air.

Godric however was ready this time and stopped Leonis in mid air and positioned him on the ground. Unfortunately that meant Godric had to momentarily release Leonis from his magical grasp to turn around and jump from the low branches.

But the chasing after many a young determined muggle born had given Godric the edge and ability to foresee Leonis' next move. He jumped from the branches and caught Leonis' retreating waist.

They went crashing down. Tumbling and rolling down an embankment that neither had seen. The fall seemed to last an eternity.

They rolled: they cursed and suddenly came to a halt…

Gryffindor swore viciously; enough to make his wife back home to blush. Leonis however was already scrambling to his feet, despite being battered and bruised. Godric reached over latched onto the boy's ankle forcing him to come crashing down.

"Are you ready to come back quietly?" Godric asked pulling the boy closer.

Leonis blinked wildly and swallowed the bile that was floating around in his mouth. Godric's face floated menacingly above him.

Leonis let out a strangled sob and with one swift movement pulled the dirk from his boot and slashed and Godric's stomach. 'Oh God I'm a murderer,' Leonis thought with horror. 'A murderer.'

Godric let out a startled yell and reeled backwards as the blade bit into his vulnerable flesh. Leonis' eyes widened and he froze. The dirk fell listlessly to his side as he watched in trepidation as Godric glared up at him with furious eyes.

Before Leonis could step away, Godric grabbed his wrists and flung him back to the ground. Leonis yelped and fell onto his side. Godric turned him over his hand raised.

SMACK!

Godric's hand descended swiftly and landed deftly across Leonis' cheek. Involuntary tears of pain pricked Leonis' eyes as the hand slapped his flesh again.

Choking back a sob as Godric hurled him back to his feet, Leonis blinked away the tears to clear his vision. Godric was still standing over him and he was extremely furious. Godric's shirt had been ripped by the blade a slash of red caught Leonis' eye.

Ashamed, confused and very frightened Leonis glanced away. His chin was caught however by the angry wizard.

"Don't you ever, ever pull a blade on me again, boy." Godric shook Leonis slightly as if to get the message across. Leonis teeth chattered and he nodded dumbly his eyes now staring at horror at the small red stream.

Leonis had been lucky. Although his cheeks burned like hell fire, he was aware Godric had not put his full force into the blows. 'I would be senseless otherwise,' he thought ruefully.

Without hesitation Godric gripped Leonis around his waist and threw him ungracefully in the air and over his shoulder like he was a sack of potatoes.

Leonis hung there limply as Godric began the walk back to the came; it was as if the fire to fight had been burned out of him.

The walk back to the camp was arduous one. But finally Godric reach camped. With Leonis still slumped over his broad shoulder. He grabbed Tiny's halter and transfigured it into a long chain.

Then setting Leonis firmly on the blankets he had been using as a bed, Godric grabbed the boy's ankle and fitted the chain securely. Paling considerably Leonis watched feeling even more wretched than he had ever felt in his life. Godric conjured a stake and thrust it into the ground refusing to meet Leonis' eyes. The chain was fitted a moment later and he stood stretching.

"Sleep," Godric barked.

Leonis lay on his back his large eyes staring unblinkingly at the starry night. He had not meant to harm Godric… he didn't know what came over him to slash wildly at him like that.

Movement alerted Leonis that Godric had moved away. He watched through the still burning flames as the wizard tended to his wounds; hissing angrily the whole time. He felt utterly miserable…

'

'

'

Leonis woke to someone tapping his cheeks. He blinked his eyes open and groaned aloud. Someone helped him sit and pressed a water skin to his parched lips. Blinking again Godric's face swam into focus.

"Are you hurt anywhere?" Godric asked in what Leonis suspected should have been a low kindly voice.

Leonis shook his head and wince as a jolt of pain shot through his spine to his skull. "My head…"

Godric's finger pried through Leonis ginger blonde hair. "Hmm… seems you struck it last night."

Leonis blinked and turned to the sun. By his calculation it was nearly midday they should have moved on earlier.

"Do you feel dizzy?"

"No."

"Nauseous…"

"I suspect not from my head…Just headache… pain…"

"I'll get you a potion." Godric lowered Leonis' head to the ground and rummaged around in the small pack beside him. Pulling out a murky mustard potion he carefully lifted Leonis' head and poured the potion through his lips. Taken by surprise at the foul concoction Leonis could only gulp and splatter.

Godric smiled gently and took Leonis in his arms. "We'll take today slowly, shall we?"

Leonis only groaned.