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

Summary: Word has got out to Godric's family out the little secret. The old man is about to butt in.

Chapter Nine. Ancestral Home

"Godric." Godric turned to were Leonis was standing watching him with innocent eyes. He slowly raised his elegant eyes brows and let his fists rest on his hips. For a moment Leonis had no idea what Godric was waiting for then he flushed bright red.

"I mean…" Godric didn't catch the rest of the sentence for Leonis had dropped off and mumbled the words, obviously embarrassed by them.

"Pardon?" Godric asked bemused as Leonis squirmed under his gaze.

"Where are we?" Leonis replied looking anywhere at Godric. Godric on the other hand was silent determined he was going to make Leonis say that word which seemed so difficult for him to say.

Leonis sighed in frustrated; hopped from one foot to the other and waved his hands uselessly around in the air. "Father, where are we?"

Godric refrained from commenting on the difficulties he had in getting the boy to utter the words, instead he smiled genially. "In England somewhere I assume…"

Leonis face fell. "Brilliant," he muttered and kicked the ground.

"If you don't know you probably have less of a chance of running away again," Godric explained he turned to Tiny and grabbed his reins. "Mount the horse."

"I won't run away….what do you mean mount the horse?"

Godric indicated with his head to the waiting horse. "I'm teaching you how to ride."

Leonis gazed at Godric will badly disguised horror. He shook his head and backed away.

"Shall I assist you?" Godric asked smirking and taking a step forward. "I know you're only a mite of a laddie."

Leonis opened his mouth to make a sarcastic reply. A moment later however he stopped hearing a strange popping noise. Godric heard it too and whipped around to face two smiling men.

"Goddy dear little brother," the nearest one cried opening his arms and enveloping Godric enthusiastically.

Leonis surveyed the newcomers from under his eye lashes. He didn't want to be seen staring for they obviously were wizards also from their appearing trick.

The first which was now thumping Godric on the back had dark blonde hair that hung to his shoulders and thin beard and goatee. He had hazel eyes, a straight nose and was wearing long red and gold robes. The second stood away aloof from the situation, his thick arms were crossed against his chest and his expression was dark. He had dark brown hair and seemed rather plain in comparison to the blonde.

"Maverick," Godric gasped looking to the blonde then to the other. "Rourke… what are you doing here."

"Is that him?" the dark one, Rourke nodded in Leonis direction.

Godric froze he had a terrible feeling for these two suddenly showing up. He schooled his expression to look blank.

But Rourke would have none of it. "Your bastard Salazar told us about?"

Godric bit down his anger and gazed sympathetically at Leonis whose chin had dropped further onto his chest. "Yes this is my son," Godric replied.

Rourke scoffed earning himself a glare from Maverick.

"Come here, Leonis," Godric ordered gently. Leonis stepped forward to stand hesitatingly beside Godric.

Maverick smiled jovially at Leonis. "You're on the short side of little aren't you?"

Leonis blinked slowly and remained silent but glanced up at Godric questioningly. He was never good at social introductions.

"He's a little shy of company," Godric supplied. "And I don't think he knows what you meant, Maverick."

Maverick laughed genially and bent down to look at Leonis more carefully. Leonis stared back determined not to shy away from the stranger.

"Been an interesting few days, Godric?" Maverick asked knowingly.

Godric smiled in response and nodded. "Nothing too dangerous."

Maverick laughed at Leonis' expression which clearly communicated that he did not agree with Godric's assessment. Godric smiled thinly and shrugged. "His a little trouble magnet."

Maverick laughed again and slapped his knee; Godric was also smiling foolishly sharing some private joke. "A second generation then?"

Godric could only chuckle in reply.

"I would hate to stop this… this lovely reunion," Rourke interjected sourly.

Godric turned to him his eyebrows raised, Rourke no longer scared him.

"…but we have a mission to finish," Rourke concluded.

"A mission?" Godric inquired suspiciously. "What sort of mission?"

Rourke unfolded his arms Leonis assumed that he could strangle him easily with muscles like that. He stepped back biting down on his tongue to stop a yelp of surprise as Rourke's bony finger pointed him out. "Father would like to see that scruffy hooligan of yours."

Godric smiled pleasantly his eyes glinted with a flinty edge. "Scruffy?" he repeated almost passively glancing down at Leonis who obliged and looked up at him. "What a delightful nickname, what do you think Leonis."

Leonis who did not at all like Rourke thought it would annoy him if he agreed. So he blinked innocently, smiled and nodded curtly. Godric's grin widened recognising, perhaps his own spirited antics in Leonis.

Rourke however was far from please. He scoffed loudly and turned away. "Father is expecting you Godric with that… thing." Then with suddenly pop the bad tempered wizard was gone.

Leonis jumped back staring at the place where Rourke was a moment a go. "Brilliant," Leonis commented forgetting Maverick was still there. "I've been promoted from hooligan to thing."

Maverick laughed upon hearing Leonis' response. He clapped his hand over his mouth until tears of laughter pricked his eyes. Leonis turned red all at once and shifted from side to side.

"You have a mouth of trouble, Scruffy my son," Godric commented dryly when Maverick finally calmed himself down.

"Sorry," Leonis muttered staring at his feet. He felt Godric's arm snake about his waist and squeeze.

"Steel yourself. We'll be apparating again to my father's house," Godric murmured. "The old lion wants to see you. Mind your manners."

Leonis nodded his eyes flickered to Maverick's face a moment before he felt that

horrible sensation of appartation.

Leonis managed to stay on his own two feet this time around. He blinked his eyes to see before him a long hall draped in many tapestries.

"Who were those men?" Leonis asked.

Godric decided to wait a heart beat to see if Leonis would correct himself and use that dreaded word again. Now they were back in his ancestral home he knew his father would expect Leonis to use it when addressing him. He was aware of the vital need for Leonis to impress his grandfather on some level.

"Who were those men, father?" Leonis repeated faltering a little on the 'f' word.

"Maverick and Rourke two of my brothers."

Leonis nodded.

"And remember all the manners I've tried to teach you."

"Yes, father," Leonis nodded seeing out of the corner of his eyes some men led by Rourke and followed by Maverick enter the long corridor.

Godric smile and restrained himself from ruffling Leonis' hair; something he was sure Rourke would report him to their father on.

"Godric you apparated into the wrong corridor," one man called.

"Did I?" Godric turned and surveyed his surroundings. "So I have."

With a quick motion Godric pushed Leonis in front of him. "I'll introduce you all at once. Gentlemen, Leonis… Leonis, you've already met Rourke and Maverick. These are my other brothers Euan, Hamish, Tristrum and Reginald."

All Godric's brothers nodded one by one, with the exception for Rourke, as Godric introduced them. Leonis looked from one to the other concern growing that he could not possibly remember all his uncle's names.

"Now if you do excuse me, I have Scruffy here to introduce to father."

Godric steered Leonis through the large stony walls while his brothers watched in silence. Well almost silence, for Leonis could hear the murmur of whispers following him as he strode after his father down the corridor. It sounded distinctly of a hive of angry bees humming insistently.

"No matter what be polite," Godric murmured. "No matter how he provokes you or me keep your temper in check."

Leonis nodded.

"Take everything he says meekly and you'll do well," Godric continued.

Leonis nodded again.

"And above all always address me using 'father'."

Leonis nodded again feeling a strange sensation in his stomach. Nerves knotted and twisted in his guts. He breathed in sharply and held his breath. His heart he could feel was floundering on his ribs. He was nervous and it didn't help when he realised with a jolt he was just plain scared.

Godric wrapped his arm around Leonis' shoulder. "You'll be fine. There's nothing to be afraid of."

Leonis didn't look too sure. Godric had given him warnings on how he was to act for a reason and he wasn't sure he wanted to know why he had done so.

All too soon they had stopped by a large wooden door. Godric hesitated and knelt beside Leonis who had no choice but to look into his eyes. Godric held Leonis at arms length for a moment then he spoke in a deep comforting voice, "Be brave, my son, and it will soon be over."

Leonis forced the corners of his mouth to twitch upwards. Godric returned the wry smile and Leonis was not sure why his father seemed very pleased. His heart was still flailing in his chest…