Disclaimer: Anything you recognise from JK Rowling's works are hers…

Summary: Uncle Maverick takes it upon himself to teach a little magic to our favourite thief.

Chapter Eleven. Uncle Maverick

Leonis let his eyes wander around the room that was to be his shared chambers with his father while they were staying under Laird Gryffindor's roof. It was not as richly decorated as the room in which Leonis had met his grandfather but it was still very interesting.

Leonis sighed heavily as he stomach slushed from side to side. Laird Gryffindor and insisted that he eat everything that he was given and Leonis dared not refuse the old man. He felt bloated and tired.

Stretching with a large yawn Leonis curled himself on a large over stuffed chair.

On the bed Godric opened one eye. "Come join me on the bed."

It was the first thing Leonis had noticed. There was only one bed. Where was he suppose to sleep? On the floor?

"I'm not tired," Leonis yawned.

"Hmm. That may be. But Scruffy I don't believe you." Godric closed his one eye again. "Come the bed is much more comfortable than that old chair."

Leonis huffed and a moment later Godric felt Leonis weight add to the mattress. "Are we… are we sharing the bed?"

Godric's eyes clicked back open. "Well I don't want to sleep on the floor…"

"Er – well neither do I, particularly." Leonis eyed the cold stone floor in distaste.

"Well I think we've just agreed we are sharing this most comfortable bed." Godric wrapped his arms around Leonis shoulder for which Leonis was grateful for. Like most old lovely castles it was chilly inside this room. Godric was warm, somewhat safe – well at least Leonis knew where he stood with him.

"You can call me Leo if you like," Leonis murmured sleepily.

"Mmmm… does everyone call you Leo?"

"Only people I like can call me Leo."

Godric chuckled and squeezed Leonis playfully. "Then I am honoured, Leo."

A moment later Godric had drifted off to sleep his chest rising and falling in a soft pattern. Leonis used his stomach for a pillow imagining that he was a sailor on the high seas… Up and down… and soon the hypnotic rhythm put him to sleep.

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Leonis woke with jolt wondering what had woken him from his sleep. He glanced around dazedly and noticed Godric had already risen. He sighed and fell back into the pillows. Although he was an adventurous lad he wasn't game to explore his father's ancestral home. This type of place was mostly likely full of ghost and ghouls. Instead he decided he would sleep.

But there it was again the noise that had awoken him. An insisting knocking at the door… Grumbling Leonis got up to answer it, he didn't think he could ignore it and get away with pretending he wasn't there.

Very slowly he padded towards the chamber entrance and touched the cold metal handle. The door opened with a creak and Leonis jumped behind the door to half hide himself from whoever was there…

It was one of his uncles. The blonde one that he had first met in the field, the one he thought he could possibly like.

"Hello, is your father in?"

Leonis shook his head. "He's disappeared."

"Hmmm." The uncle's whose name he could not quite grasp stroked his chin thoughtfully. "Yes he does that now and then."

Leonis stared back at him silently not knowing what he should say or do next. His uncle winked mischievously and took Leonis' hand and drew him from the room. "Well I suppose it is up to ol' Uncle Maverick to show you the splendour of the humble Gryffindor estate."

"But…" Leonis started dumbly.

Maverick leant over and shut the chamber door. "No buts. You shouldn't spend the day lounging in bed like a lazy, spoiled princling."

"But… but where are you taking me?" Leonis asked with a hint of concern.

"How about the wide open spaces of the grounds?" Maverick replied blithely. Leonis dumbly nodded… at least there should be less people around.

Maverick was leading him further through the halls of the castle, or rather Leonis would have called it a palace, talking adamantly all the way. Leonis had no choice but to follow, for Maverick had his wrist and was walking quite quickly.

At first Leonis did not understand Maverick's need to race through the halls. Then he realised that his uncle was just as keen not stop the stares of the servants.

There were millions of the servants, well an estimated guess on Leonis' behalf, and they all started gossiping as soon as Leonis and Maverick went past. Maverick seemed a little annoyed by the comments but his face was a picture of stone. Leonis called hear segments.

"The bastid…"

"Godric sired 'im…"

"Muggle bred…"

"Your mother was a lovely woman," Maverick interjected cutting through Leonis hearing of the gossip. "I can understand why Godric loved her."

"You knew her?" Leonis asked.

"For a short time, Leonis only for a short time."

"But how?" Leonis demanded. "How did you know her?"

"That is a story for Godric to tell," Maverick replied almost sadly, "Now I will show you the grounds where we can breath easily away from the eyes and ears of the servants."

Maverick had lead Leonis to the entrance. They left strolling across a draw bridge and Leonis stared into the water in confusion. The mote was unlike any he had ever seen in his life. The water was not full of human waste and rubbish but was crystal clear. He sniffed the air and found it pleasant… and the fish in the water were darting about with shining scales of silvers, greens, blues, purples and pinks.

"Beautiful isn't it?" Maverick said proudly. "Your magic heritage can give you many blessings."

"Like what?" Leonis said still staring in disbelief at the fish zooming past him.

"A longer life expectancy."

"Pardon?"

"You most probably will live longer, well that is if you can escape becoming a warrior."

"Why would I live longer? Are not wizards human also?"

Maverick laughed. "Of course we are human. Our world is much cleaner, further away from germs and disease. And we have cures for miladies."

"Really? If you have cures then why don't you share with people who don't know?"

"And burn at the stake little one, I think not."

Maverick had kept walking leaving Leonis well behind. Leonis sighed and jogged to keep up. Neither said anything until Maverick chose a small green hill away from prying eyes.

Maverick sat down in the long wavy grass and indicated Leonis to sit beside him. "How about I teach you something you wouldn't learn under your father?"

Leonis stared at his uncle blankly.

"I'll show you how to become an animagus."

"An ani-me- what?"

"Animagus. A wizard that can turn into an animal…"

"Like a lion?" Leonis asked remembering the lion that had saved him from the wild pig. Maverick glanced at Leonis quizzically through narrow eyes. "You've seen your father change."

Leonis glanced away blushing furiously. "Well – no – I – not exactly…"

Maverick rose an elegant eyebrow as if he didn't believe him. "Well I'll teach you then we can see how dear papa lion reacts."

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'This it?' Leonis wanted to ask only to find his voice had been replaced by a small yip. His eyes snapped open in surprise his body didn't feel right. And he was standing a little closer to the ground that he normally was.

"Bravo!" Maverick cried clapping his hands. "It only took you an hour or two…okay the whole day."

Leonis stared at his feet in shook only to find his feet weren't his feet. They were small, black and furry. He almost reeled in horror. What had happened to him?

Maverick was laughing and clapping excitedly. "Now stay like that. We have to show Godric just how clever you are…"

Leonis tried to looked pleadingly at his uncle he wasn't sure he liked being so small to the world.

"Now come here." Maverick lifted Leonis up by his shirt, wait scruff of the neck and cradled him in his arms. "We can't have the laird's hounds chasing you."

Maverick walked back with Leonis safely tucked in his arms. They walked through the halls. Instead this time no one was staring at them.

"It must be nice that no one is concerned about you and staring," Maverick was saying. Leonis wasn't listening he was started to feel a little motion sick. "Hmm and after we have shocked dear Godric, we'll get you something to eat. You must be hungry after that effort."

"Talking to yourself, Mav?" a deep voice asked coming from the side corridor. Maverick turned a little too fast for Leonis' liking. It was another of Leonis' uncles.

Leonis remembered thinking this uncle seemed pleasant enough. He had dark curly hair and a limp. Upon seeing Leonis in Maverick's arms the man laughed. "Ho, you didn't Maverick?"

Maverick held Leonis up so that his arms that weren't his arms were sticking out. Leonis glanced down at the floor dizzily and noticed he had a tail! "Leonis meet your Uncle Euan champion of the wild boar."

Euan shook his head and took Leonis to look at his new form critically.

"He would say hello, I'm sure. But you know very well he can't speak. So. What do you think?" Maverick asked almost like a child in a candy store.

Euan raised his eyebrows at his brother then turned them back to Leonis. "He looks a little miserable if you ask me."

Maverick rolled his eyes. "But it's his first change. His first change! What do you think of his form?"

Euan didn't reply at first but placed Leonis on the floor. Half expecting to stand on two legs Leonis found his long pointy nose kissing the ground when he was unbalanced. Euan laughed kindly and crouched beside him and set him on four legs. "Remarkable for his first time, I would agree. But remember who is Pappa is." Euan rubbed long silky ears and too Leonis disconcertment he actually like it!

"I was going to show Godric. That's why I told him to stay that way…Hmm he does look a little peaky."

"Motion sickness," Euan said, "He's not used to being carried by another being that is much larger than him."

"I didn't want the dogs to get him," Maverick replied sheepishly. "I don't think I could explain that to Godric."

Euan laughed and shook his head. "No I don't think you could either. Godric is in the dining hall with…" Euan dropped his voice… "the great clan laird…"

Maverick grinned down on Leonis who was finally recovering from the motion sickness. "Oh look an opportunity to impress Grandpappa."

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A/N: Can any guess what for Leonis has taken. I believe I have given some clues that do give the answer away. I'm just curious if any can guess.