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

Chapter Sixteen. The Fox and the Snake

It was a break day. A day off from the constant studying of magic. Unlike the other apprentices however, Leonis was not outside enjoying his free time. He was sitting at his desk revising once more the history of the druids (and sitting on his left hand so he would not be tempted). His Uncle Euan was not in the room; he would be back later to ready himself for the next week's lessons. Sharing a room with his uncle wasn't so bad; Euan was hardly around and often got to bed once he was already asleep – and he was a very handy wake up call.

Leonis sighed and blew on the parchment to dry the wet ink. He smiled in satisfaction at his handy work before rolling up the scroll and tying it up with a piece of spare twine. He leaned back and stretched and glanced at his potion books with a groan. He didn't like the smelly potion class. (Neither did Godric for that matter.)

"Are you finished?"

Leonis grinned down at little Luther who had been playing with a rubber ball Godric had conjured for him this morning. Elizabeth had been very accepting of Leonis and allowed him to watch over his younger siblings.

"Yes I'm finished, somewhat," Leonis answered.

Luther grinned up at him with a toothy grin. "Then you can play with me!"

Leonis schooled his face to look neutral. "Who says I've the time for that?"

Luther grinned impishly up at him. "I do."

"Hmm…" Leonis rubbed his chin thoughtfully and slid from his chair to a plush rug, the same which his brother was playing on. "It seems I don't have much choice in the matter."

"Nope you have no choice," Luther chirruped jumping lightly into Leonis' lap. "Play with me!"

"And what shall we play?" Leonis managed to say as his brother almost trampled him.

"Oh Leo, don't you know how to use your imagination?"

"No. I don't believe I was born with one," Leonis answered coolly.

"Now you are just being plain silly," Luther admonished waving his chubby finger under Leonis' nose.

"Fine!" Leonis cried. "Catch me!" With a same pop he turned into his fox form, grinned and snatched the rubber ball.

Luther clapped his chubby hands in excitement before diving at the fox. "That's more like it!" The fox bounded away easily his large dark eyes dancing in mirth. He frolicked to one side and lost his balance and fell sideways onto his ear, much to Luther's delight.

The red rubber ball rolled away and Luther picked it up smiling. "Now you catch me!"

Leonis, the fox, scrambled to all fours and with a comical yip took a diving lunge… and landed on his nose again. Luther was giggly frantically so that Leonis was able to tug lightly on the edge of his robes…

"Hey that's cheating…"

Luther rolled the ball underneath Leonis' bed. The fox that was Leonis glared at his giggly brother. "Fetch!"

Leonis wiggle underneath the bed frame and found it oddly comforting in the dark. He assumed it might have something to do with foxes living under ground. Maybe he should wait and see what Luther does if he didn't return from under the bed. So he did just that. He curled up and waited.

Luther only being a child was rather impatient. It was only a matter of minutes before he started calling Leonis' name. And a moment of seconds after that Leonis heard his little brother trying to wriggle into his lair.

Smiling toothily Leonis slipped from under the bed planning to take his little brother by surprise. He was so caught up in being quiet as possible he didn't hear the door creak open.

"Llllleeeeooooo…. I know you're under here somewhere…." Luther was calling under the bed. "Come out! Come out! Wherever you are!"

"Ha-hem." Someone coughed behind Leonis. Leonis jumped a mile into the air before he was unmistakably picked up by the scruff of his neck.

"Ouch!" There was a soft thump where Luther had hit his head on the top of the bed. After only a short delay he started to wiggle his way out.

Leonis grinned toothily at the face of his father who seemed slightly amused by his son's antics. And with a pop, and a little bit of concentration, Leonis returned to his human form. (Godric had insisted that he learn to change himself back…)

"Well he asked me to fetch," Leonis supplied at Godric's raised eyebrows.

"He nicked the ball off me in the first place, papa," Luther said pointing his fingers in Leonis' direction.

"I'm sure he did," Godric supplied with a small grin. "And I'm sure you goaded him, Luther."

"Well…"

Godric wandered towards Leonis' desk which made the later squirm. What if his work was not good enough?

Godric paid neither son any attention as he riffled through Leonis' various scrolls. Leonis slowly stood shifting in embarrassment wondering what his father wanted.

"It seems I have a young Ravenclaw on my hands," Godric finally said.

"Oh, no sir," Leonis replied hastily, thinking of her ladyship who was too dignified to pay him any mind. She had not even acknowledged Leonis' presence since the first time he had meet her. Salazar Slytherin at least had the grace to sneer at him every time their paths crossed.

"Quite the contrary, Scruffy my son. Your work is of sound quality, fluent and above average for a student who has been here for a short time."

"Scruffy?" Luther asked excited bouncing up and down. Leonis groaned.

"Yes, it's your brother's pet name given to him by Uncle Roarke."

"Scruffles!" Luther cried. "Scruffles the fox!"

Leonis groaned loudly. "Did you have to tell him that?"

Godric glanced over Leonis coolly. "We're family. Well back to business. Luther your mother wants you."

Luther opened his mouth to argue. "I'm playing with Leo!"

"No buts, go."

Luther hung his head and scampered from the room. Leonis watched his younger brother leave wishing above all else he wasn't left alone with his father.

"Leonis," Godric said sitting down on Euan's bed. "You're spending a little too much time cooped up in this room. You do know you can talk to me?"

"Yes, I know, father," Leonis murmured only because he felt he was obligated to reply.

"Then do you want to tell me?"

"No father, I'm fine."

Godric looked like he didn't believe a word that Leonis was saying.

"Leo. I know this new life his difficult…"

"I'm fine father," Leonis replied quickly trying to mask his annoyance.

"You are deliberately lying to me Leonis," Godric growled. "Do you think I have not noticed?"

Leonis wasn't quite sure what Godric was referring to and decided quickly the best way to answer was not to answer at all.

"Fine, keep your silence," Godric continued looking a little hurt. He grabbed Leonis' sleeve and pulled him towards the door. "Now you are going to leave this room for a little while; get some fresh air and talk to the other apprentices."

"But my History of Magic assignment."

"You've finished it," Godric stated dryly. "Now get outside and relax for a little while."

'

'

'

Leonis walked slowly around the lake and wrapped his cloak tightly about his scrawny shoulders. Ironically he had chosen this site to gain his exercise outdoors because the Hufflepuffs seemed to be in greater numbers on that part of the castle grounds. They at least were friendly…

He had been aware of a few Gryffindors watching him. They were mostly the younger students those that Leonis knew that wouldn't bother him. He slowly sat down near the bank choosing a spot that wouldn't wet his clock and curled his legs up to his chest.

"Look who it is," a voice drawled nearby.

"Leo has come out to play," rejoined another.

Leonis winced and scrambling to his feet he came face to face with MacKinley, Bedivere, Covington and Forbes. Inwardly he gulped as his foes slowly moved towards him. However he only raised his chin.

"Hello," Leonis calmly replied although his heart was beating so violently he thought it was going to burst through his chest.

"Good afternoon," Hannibal Forbes sneered. "We've been waiting to have fun with you, my friend."

"I do believe we aren't friends," Leonis snapped irritably. "Far from it in fact."

Mortimor Bedivere snorted almost gleefully. "You've got no where to run to this time. You'll have to stand up and face us like a man, coward."

Leonis fought back the snarl in the back of this throat. He didn't like being called a coward. That was hurting his pride a little too much.

"Poor ickle bastard- wastard," Adonis Covington murmured in mock concern. "Daddy's not here to save your hide…"

Leonis pulled back his fist and connected it with a crack to Adonis' nose. Blood spurted down the front of the other boy's robes as he snorted and glared dangerously at Leonis.

Everyone seemed to have frozen including Leonis, who was horrified by his reaction. He glanced down at his fists as if they belonged to someone else. What on earth had possessed him to punch someone bigger and more powerful than himself?

Leonis however was the first to recover. He dashed between Malcom and Mortimor who both dived for him and missed. He was running for his life sobs of fear rose to his chest. He was worried about more than being beaten by the bullies now. What would his father do to him if he found out?

He dashed around one side of the building and turned into a fox when he thought no one was around to see.

There were already signs of a chase behind him as he galloped down the Entrance Hall and up the stairs. He was puffed by the time he reached the top and wheezing he set himself down beside a statue.

PLOP!

Leonis yipped in surprise at something large and material being dropped lightly onto his head.

"Stay there don't move," a voice said above him.

Seconds later Leonis heard Adonis and Hannibal pounding down the hall.

"Do you mind?" an irritated voice asked. "I'm trying to read."

"My apologies, milord," Hannibal said in a dignified tone. "But we are looking for someone."

"Indeed." There was the sound of a book snapping shut. Leonis held his breath. "Who is your unfortunate victim this time Forbes?"

"We're not looking for a victim," Adonis said lightly.

There was a loud snort of disbelief. "Don't play your games of false honour with me, Gryffindor. I have half the mind to whisper in Uncle Godric's ears about your misdeeds."

"Like you of all people are innocent," Hannibal hissed loudly.

There was a sarcastic laugh. "Yes, but dear Gryffindor, you have yet to catch me."

"Fine we're looking for Godric's bastard."

"Oh him. He went that way!"

Leonis could not believe his little foxie ears. Footsteps pounded away and his heart started to settle down.

Then the heavy material tent was removed and Leonis was staring into large dark sad eyes. With a jolt he recognised the face of the Slytherin he had seen the first night at Hogwarts. The face he wanted the name of…

For a moment Leonis wondered how on earth he had not seen the Slytherin sitting reading on the statue. Then realised it was because when he stopped he hadn't necessarily been there.

The Slytherin's lips twitched. "They're gone you can turn back."

With a pop Leonis was standing beside the Slytherin. They both eyed each other wearily before the Slytherin apprentice took Leonis' arm and dragged him into an unused classroom.

Leonis watched in trepidation as the Slytherin cast a locking and silencing charm over the room.

"Well sit down," the Slytherin said dryly.

With no other option Leonis sat down glancing at the door.

"I've been watching you," the Slytherin stated sitting atop a desk.

"Why would you be watching one such as I?" Leonis inquired trying, and failing, to remain distant.

"You interest me." Cold eyes bore into Leonis. "Being our father's sons is not easy."

Leonis cocked an eyebrow at this statement.

"I've a proposition for you to consider."

'Oh yes and I bet it is not pleasant,' Leonis thought cynically.

"I'll teach you more about the wizarding world so that you can hold your head up high with at least some pureblood pride. And you teach me to move like a thief."

"What?"

"I've watched you pick locks, scale down the walls, walking in shadows in silence… teach me..." The Slytherin leaned forward somewhat in earnest. "Teach me…"

Leonis felt a shock of excitement shiver up his spine. To teach this Slytherin meant he would have company someone else to talk to.

"I would – erm – be delighted to help…"

The Slytherin smirked at him. "So we have a pact?"

Leonis nodded his head. "It's a deal."

"Fine. Meet me here this time tomorrow…" The Slytherin turned to saunter away.

"Wait!" Leonis cried.

The other boy stopped by the door his hands softly touching the handle. He raised an eye brow clearly waiting.

"I don't even know your name…"

"Slytherin," the boy said. "Isah Slytherin."

"Slytherin," Leonis repeated dumbly.

"Well that is what I said," Isah snapped dryly.

Leonis was a little embarrassed. "I'm Leonis… de Saville."

Slytherin turned around his hand abandoning the handle. Leonis immediately noticed the strange expression on his face.

"Look lesson number one," Isah said slowly. "No offence but never use your mother's surname as your own."

"Why not?" Leonis demanded. "It is my name."

Isah sighed impatiently. "Leonis, you are a wizard your mother was a muggle. Never mention that name in implication to your own. Besides you are in your father's custody so you are Leonis Gryffindor. Lesson two: never hesitate to use your Gryffindor name. Hesitation indicates weakness. If you use your name people will respect you… Don't be insulted but you could be a very powerful bastard if you use your name correctly."

With that Isah was gone. Leonis stared at the door for a long while his mouth forming a silent 'o'.

'

'

'

Preview Chapter Seventeen. A Second Pact and a Story

"Do not run away from your fear, Leo," Godric sighed. "You'll only overcome fear when you face it… Besides if you run away I'll come for you and set Grandpappa onto you…"

Godric's half serious threat had the desired effect. Leonis chuckled despite himself and hiccupped. "I should look at my potions work," Leonis murmured. "I've been avoiding it like the plague."

Godric ruffled Leonis' hair. "That's my Scruffy."

Leonis sniffed and sat up groggily frowning at his hair. "Look what've done to my hair. I look like I've been trampled by Luther!"