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

Summary: Leonis' new form is revealed and Godric announces who will be his much needed assistant.

Chapter Twelve. Four Legs and a Preposition

Leonis desperately didn't want his grandfather, the great and noble lord, to see him in his new form, whatever it was. He wasn't even one hundred percent sure how his father would react to his new found ability. The prospect of being about to 'transfigure' into another being had fascinated and excited Leonis but now he felt vulnerable.

"Come now, lad," Uncle Euan soothed as he picked Leonis up by his scruff. "Grandpappa won't eat you." Leonis was bundled up tightly in his uncle's cloak and soon he could feel the rocking of Euan's lurching gait.

Leonis was greeted by a growling hunting dog as they entered the dining hall. "Down Bane," Maverick snapped aiming a kick for the unfortunate hound's rear. "He's not for eating."

Leonis tensed as large manic eyes were trained on him. He could have sworn the dog was planning on how to catch and eat him. "Be calm," Euan murmured running his hand along the top of Leonis' animal head and down his slender back. "He can't get you while you're in my arms." Leonis wasn't too sure about that for the dog had continued to snarl and bark at him.

"Oh get rid of that dog for Merlin's sake," a lordly voice boomed. Leonis' ear perked up comically and he swivelled his head to stare at his grandfather, Laird Gryffindor on the other side of the room.

Godric was sitting to his left looking somewhat glum. He was busy fiddling with the goblet and cutlery in front of him and so he did not take not of his two bothers and Leonis.

And the dog was in the process of being dragged out of the chamber; three pages had grabbed a leash and were tugging it through the doorway. The dog had taken a seat and stubbornly glared at the young servants. That was until Maverick kicked it again up its rear.

"Were is Leonis, Maverick? The servants said he was with you," Godric demanded a little harshly. He had fallen into a depressed state of mind and was frightened stiff that the boy may have done a runner while under Laird Gryffindor's roof.

"He's right here, dear bother 'o mine," Maverick replied nodding his head to the small bundle in Euan's arms. He's eyes were shining with pride.

Godric's eyes stared in wonderment at the small creature with its shiny black eyes and twitching button nose. "Leo?" Godric was thunderstruck. "A fox cub? You turned my son into a fox?"

Maverick laughed. "Good gracious beard of Merlin no! Leonis managed that himself."

Laird Gryffindor then did something that surprised everyone: he laughed. Slapping the old oaken table and pushing away the silver platter he was apparently eating from he stood halfway and cried, "Put him here then. Let's see his magic handiwork."

Grinning like a fool Maverick took a very confused Leonis from Euan and brought him around to Laird Gryffindor. "On the table. On the table where I can see him good and proper like."

Leonis was dump unceremoniously before his grandfather blinking in wide eyed surprise. Laird Gryffindor seemed so much large and intimidating. A glove hand ran firmly down his back. It wasn't like Uncle Euan's touch. This touch was appraising and judgemental. "Managed good bone structure. His right ear well…" His grandfather opened Leonis thin jaw. "And he's remembered the teeth. Lovely healthy white pin pricks…"

"What about his fur quality, father? If my Maurice sees him he'll be in danger of becoming a ruff on a fur coat," Maverick excitedly interjected.

"Yes, he's still lovely and silky nice and clean," Laird Gryffindor said rubbing his chin. Laird Gryffindor suddenly picked him up and pressed his nose to Leonis' fur which made him squirm ticklish of the breath on his back. "No smell either…"

Godric let his eyes wonder over his son's form hardly able to believe what he was seeing. The fox cub that he knew was Leonis turned to glance at him with his large black eyes searching for something. His right ear flopped over while his left stood straight. His form was remarkably slender. Leonis however was sitting on his long tufted tail, which Godric had noticed had a noticeably ginger cream tip. All four of Leonis' paws were sooty black, and black lines ran down the side of his long twitchy nose.

Laird Gryffindor had obviously finished with Leonis and stole a glance over to Godric who merely nodded. "Over to Pappa, I'm sure he's eager to have a look at you." The old laird pushed Leonis' rump in Godric direction.

For a moment Leonis stared at his paws wondering what to do with them. Then he put his best paw forward and… started to step forward only his back right paw took over his front paws and his front left paw ended up crossed over. THUMP! He landed nose first into a wooden bowl. If at all possible Leonis would have blushed in embarrassment wit the laughter that surrounded him.

Euan, who had taken a seat to the right of his father opposite Godric, leant over to pick Leonis up. "No," Godric commanded impassively watching Leonis. "He must learn to use his new body by learning from his mistakes." Leonis would have loved to growl at him and snapped at his fingers in those moments.

Subconscious that the whole table was watching him to try again, Leonis scrambled to his four feet and tried again. He made it to Godric without falling face first albeit a bit wobbly.

"Well done," Godric murmured but his tone seemed stern. Leonis' ears lowered not sure if Godric was mad at him or was upset. With stunning speed Godric snapped around at Maverick who was taking seat beside him. "I can't believe you took it upon yourself to…" Godric waved his hand frantically about in the air, narrowly missing Leonis.

Maverick grinned faded but he held his head up high. "I wanted to know if I could teach a child to become an animagus before they entered the magical world. Leonis was an excellent opportunity, an apt pupil and… and…" Maverick started to quail underneath Godric's stare. "And Leonis was willing enough."

Godric's gaze returned to Leonis who crouched down as low as he could manage and dropped both his ears as if to say please-don't-blame-this-on-me.

"I say it was a stunning success," Laird Gryffindor said smirking into his goblet earning himself a reproachful stare from Godric. "Who else would be able to pull a stunt like this but the bastard son of the great bald lion?"

Godric audibly groaned which held Leonis' interest. A bald lion? Could it possibly be true?

Godric sighed heavily and rubbed his hand over his face. "He's barely eleven… a child what if Bane or Thorne ate him?"

"He's a fox cub, Godric, not a chicken or a duck." Euan supplied gently. He was known to be the peacemaker of the clan. "Besides even Maverick was smart enough to carry him through the castle in case the dogs thought dear Leonis would make them a lovely snack."

"Besides he's mostly baby fluff," Maverick interjected.

Euan rolled his eyes. "Leonis, you have my permission to bit him later if you wish."

Leonis waggled his tail and titled his head glancing meaningfully at Maverick to show he understood.

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Godric tramped upstairs with Leonis bounding slowly up behind him. Godric had insisted that Leonis use his own four legs since the dogs had been taken outside. Leonis was tired and panting before he got half way. He sat down and whined a little to let Godric know he had given up on moving another inch.

"Oh, come on, Leo." Godric slapped his thigh. Leonis would have dearly liked to have rolled his eyes at him but instead he settled for laying his nose on the next stepped and curling up.

"Oh no you don't. You're not sleeping here."

Leonis didn't raise his head. He knew it wouldn't take much time until his father lost his patience and either carried him up or changed him back to a human.

Godric waited with his hands on his hips. And waited. Leonis lazily closed one eye then slowly the other.

"Oh fine, have it your way, boy." Godric tramped over and picked Leonis up. Leonis curled up and blissfully closed his eyes.

Godric mumbled under his breath the whole way up the stairs. He pushed the door to his chamber open with his wide shoulders and dumped the little fox onto their shared bed.

Godric whipped out his wand. "Now hold still this shouldn't hurt a bit…"

Leonis looked incredulous his eyes were cross eyed glaring hatefully at the wand in Godric's hand. He gave a yelp jumped from the bed, landing on his nose, and scampered to hide under the bed.

Godric gave an exasperated sigh. "No look here, Leonis. I'm sure Maverick forgot to tell you how to undo your animagus form so you'll just have to trust me."

A little nose twitched from under the covers.

"I'm sure you want to be human again…" A small head popped out from under the covers.

"…and it wouldn't be comfortable for you to be changed back into a boy if you are under the bed."

The little fox, that was Leonis squirmed out crouching low to the ground, which had the unfortunate effect of Leonis standing and tripping over his tail.

Godric shook his head and pointed to the corner of the room. "Stand there."

Leonis followed the instructions.

"Very good. On the count of three. One. Two….THREE…"

It took all of Leonis' self control not to jump out of the way of blinding blue-white light. It engulfed him and soon enough he felt the strange tingling sensation through his body.

Next moment Leonis was on his backside looking up at Godric who was looking quite pleased with himself.

"You must be tired," Godric said finally nodding at the bed.

Leonis nodded but made no move towards the bed. Instead he started to touch his skin and face staring at himself in wonder.

"Maverick discovered the animagus party trick," Godric continued lightly as he slipped out from his cloak and hung it up on the wall. "It was he who taught me."

"Your animagus is a lion?"

Godric's lips twitched before he replied. "Yes of course."

"What is Maverick's?"

Godric smiled. "You'll have to ask your dear uncle yourself."

Leonis yawned, stopped and flopped on top of the bed. "Goodnight…" he mumbled into the pillows.

"Goodnight, my son, rest well." But Leonis didn't hear him. He was already fast asleep.

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"And why not?" Godric demanded loudly.

Leonis blinked and sat up in bed glancing about. His eyes widened in surprise to see that his grandfather, Laird Gryffindor and Uncle Euan was standing by the doorway. It looked like they were arguing.

"Father, I cannot manage my own founded house alone. I need assistance, surely you can see that Euan could be a great help," Godric was saying.

Leonis fell back into the pillows preferring to have the adults think that he remained unconscious to their discussion.

"I won't make a good teacher," Euan argued.

"You'll be fine. Defence against the dark arts and charms only if you are up to it is all you need to do," Godric reasoned.

"I don't know Godric. I could use Euan here with me," Laird Gryffindor huffed. "He's a brilliant tactician."

"But father we are not at war. And he's perfect for the job he's been in the field he's seen and practiced active defence magic and he's a Gryffindor."

"Godric. I. Am. Lame."

"O for Merlin's sake you not an invalid."

Euan blinked in shock. "I beg your pardon."

"You heard me perfectly fine. Look if you don't want the job I'll give it to Jerome Bedivere…"

That was the final straw for Euan. He couldn't bear to see Jerome in a place beside his little brother. 'The little upstart!' Euan thought frankly, 'Godric knows I can't refuse now.'

"Why Jerome?" Euan demanded. "He's knows no honour. Do you forget the hurt he did to me? And he is definitely no Gryffindor."

Godric was grinning at his brother and father. Laird Gryffindor seeing that he had been out smarted muttered to himself and left in a flurry of cloak.

"Great," Euan muttered miserably. "When do I start?"

"Tomorrow, we apparate for Hogwarts today."

Leonis' ears perked up and he darted from the bed ungracefully. He'll be going to Hogwarts today? By apparition? He groaned aloud cursing his luck… he wasn't ready for the wizard school.

Nor was Hogwarts ready for him…

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Preview!

I thought I would give a little preview to the next chapter in a form of a quote. Here his a Hufflepuff quote in regards to everyone's least favourite female founder (well in this story.)

"Oh don't mind her," Hufflepuff sighed playfully waving a hand about in dismal. "Miss high-and-mighty will come back down to earth." Leonis rather thought Hufflepuff looked somewhat uncertain. "Or at least I think she will…"