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

Chapter Seventeen. A Second Pact and a Story

Leonis carefully opened his chamber door and slank in. He was half afraid that his father had already heard of his 'disagreement' with the other Gryffindor apprentices. Casting a quick glance around the room he let out a sigh of relief to find that Godric was not in the room waiting to pounce on him. Only Uncle Euan was at his desk working away, his quill scratching the surface of the parchment lightly.

"I met Masters Covington and Forbes in the halls…"

Scratch. Scratch.

The quill flew furiously over the parchment leaving ink stained letters in its wake. Euan had not lifted his head from his work. His quill did not pause for a brief moment.

Leonis however froze in horror, his heart thumped in slow motion in his chest cavity and a horrid tasting lump formed in the back of this throat.

"Tell me Leonis, why would Master Covington be sporting a lovely bruise and a bloody nose."

Leonis wove his fingers together and choked on the lump, in his throat, with had instantly tripled in size. He could feel the cold sweat dripping down the back of his neck.

"And why would he claim you hit him?"

Leonis felt his cheeks redden until the skin indeed felt like it was on fire.

"Because I did hit him, sir," Leonis admitted shamefully.

The quill finally paused its scratching Euan held it aboved the parchment. Drip. A tiny droplet of ink fell down and splattered the parchment. Euan made an annoyed noise in the back of his throat and pushed the parchment away. He sighed heavily, squared his shoulders and twisted his body to glare at Leonis who had hung his head in shame.

"And pray tell me why you did this gross misdeed, Leonis Gryffindor?"

Leonis let his eyes wander back to his uncle's face pleading silently for him to understand his predicament.

"I – I – I…" Leonis stuttered. Normally he wasn't fazed by retribution; being a thief he had his fair share of 'punishments.' But now his stomach had turned itself inside out into a great knotting mess and he could hardly breathe. He gave up his stuttered protests and hung his head further.

Suddenly the door flung open violently revealing a livid Godric Gryffindor in the wake. Leonis subconsciously stepped back into the room as if this would help him retreat from his father's ire. No such luck.

"Leonis Godric De Saville Gryffindor! What in Merlin's name possessed you to maim the Duke of Normandy's son?"

"Father, I…"

"Don't you dear try and weasel your way out of trouble, boy," Godric roared flashing his white teeth in a snarl. "I am not hearing your excuses."

Leonis glanced up into his father's furious face wondering if the contradiction was deliberate or not. What was he suppose to do? Explain or remain silent and passive?

"The Duke of Normandy's son! Merlin, Leonis! Can you even begin to comprehend the repercussions of your ill actions?"

Leonis shook his head miserably. No he had no idea. Apparently Godric cared about Covington's rank – he didn't care at all about Adonis' lineage. Why should that bother him? It would only serve as a purpose to remind him what he was.

"Well done, Gryffindor," a dry voice drawled from the entry.

The three Gryffindors turned to see Isah Slytherin lazily leaning on the door frame looking quite serene despite Godric's great anger.

"Although I lost my bet, I had you down for slugging Mortimor Bedivere on the first or second day… what do they call you again." Isah's eyes swept the room. "The accident lion cub, Gryffindor's bane, the get of the sow that downed…."

Leonis glared daggers at Isah not caring that he was the son of another founder; a founder that clearly did not like him.

"Although I didn't bet that you would go for the nose. Gowan of Ravenclaw was hoping you would go for the groin." Isah didn't seem to be perturbed by the angry expression on Leonis' face. "Brilliant way to stop Mortimor from drowning you in the lake, punch his buddy on the nose. Beautiful punch by the way."

"Yes, Isah," Godric sighed tiredly. "What is it you really want?"

Isah smiled and waggled his eyebrows at the older wizard. "Didn't want you to get the wrong impression, now would I?" Isah turned to Leonis who looked like he wish the floor would open up and swallow him whole. "Trust me, Leonis Gryffindor. Only use your animagus to escape if you must. It's an advantage you can exploit without advertising it to Bedivere and his Gryffindor Goons, no insult implied Uncle Godric."

Godric shook his head as if to clear it. "Thankyou, Isah," he finally said clearing his throat as a way of dismal.

Unperturbed and confident Isah strode away whistling no tune in particular.

Leonis sat glumly on his bed his shoulders slumped forwards. He refused to glance up at his father or his uncle, too embarrassed for words. He felt slightly dizzy and could feel the sweat cooling his skin.

"I want to leave," Leonis whispered finally to no one in particular. "I don't want to stay here."

Godric sighed and crossed the room. He wrapped strong arms about Leonis and held him tightly. "We both knew this would not be easy for us," Godric stated gently. Leonis merely nodded and squeezed his eyes shut; his brow was now resting against the hollow of Godric's neck.

"Hush now. Things will quieten down soon enough…" Godric glanced up at Euan who was inconspicuously leaving the room.

"I'm afraid of them," Leonis confessed tearfully. "I'm afraid what they might do to me."

Godric wrapped his long arms around Leonis comfortingly and slowly lay down with Leonis clutching his robes tightly. "Hush," Godric whispered running his hand through Leonis' hair. "They won't do anything to you. It's all talk."

"It's doesn't feel like it," Leonis muttered burying his face further into his father's robes. "I feel like running away."

Godric ran his fingers through Leonis' locks again and unclasped the tie that held his hair back from his face. Thin silk strands spilled over Leonis' shoulders. Godric smiled remembering how Aimee always found his fingers running through her hair comforting. He felt Leonis shiver against him despite the room being a reasonable temperature.

"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 send 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!"

Godric laughed and ruffled Leonis' hair again just to annoy him. "Tell me if anything else happens." Leonis nodded. "And you will have a detention as Covington and company would expect you to be in trouble." Leonis nodded shamefaced. "I'll sort out the Duke of Normandy don't worry."

Godric rolled up into a seated position and strode across the floor. Leonis hid a grin at his father's hair sticking up at odd angles.

"I believe Luther has a few tales to tell his great big older brother. You know how much he enjoys your attention," Godric sighed turning around and stepping forward to grab Leonis' shoulders gently. "And you do know how much…"

'Yes…' Leonis thought as Godric seemed to be pausing a little too long.

"How much I do…"

'Yes…?'

"How much I do care for you. I love you Leo and I only want to see you happy."

Leonis' opened his mouth half way to say something but found there were no words in his mind to utter. Working his jaw open and shut a few times Leonis finally scrambled to find some words. "That is the first time someone ever… said that… since mother…"

Godric smiled gently and rubbed his thumb across Leonis cheek. "What? I love you…" Godric seemed amused as Leonis almost reeled at hearing those words. He chuckled and planted a fatherly kiss on Leonis' forehead before going to the door. "Detention my study; tonight after dinner."

Leonis still numb only nodded in acquiescence.

'

'

'

Leonis wolfed down dinner as quickly as he could. One normally wouldn't be eager to go to a detention but Leonis could barely wait to leave the Gryffindor table. Unfortunately it wasn't how quick one was finishing the meal that mattered; he now had to wait to be dismissed. Currently his eyes were glued to the head table waiting impatiently for the signal.

"May I take a seat here?" a timid voice asked.

Leonis turned around and came face to face with a slim girl in Gryffindor robes. She had long black hair that ended in curls, bright grey eyes and soft red lips. Leonis nodded and turned his eyes back to the head table as the girl took a seat beside him.

"I'm Carlotta Snape."

Leonis turned back to the girl he was about to snap an ungentle manly reply when he thought better of it.

"I noticed that potions isn't your favourite subject," Carlotta added her grey eyes glinting at him as if waiting for a reply. "And I'm awful at history…"

"I hate potions…" Leonis murmured.

"Yes," Carlotta sighed knowingly glancing up where Leonis was staring at the head table. "I thought we could help each other out."

"Why?"

"Why? What?"

"Would you want to help the likes of me?"

Carlotta stared at Leonis for a moment some strange emotion passing through her grey eyes. "Isah Slytherin told me you were desperately lonely and was willing to give help to those who could give you companionship in return."

"Isah?"

"Yes, Isah. He's a second cousin of sorts. Look I'm good at potion making, almost as good as Lord Slytherin himself and you're very good at learning and note taking in history… I thought it was a fair exchange… but if you don't…"

"Iwouldlovetohelp."

Carlotta smiled. "I thought you would see it that way. Isah hates history too… would

you mind if he joined us."

Leonis glanced over the hall to the Slytherin table where Isah was staring beadly at both of them and their conversation. It seemed that Isah was behind everything that happened to him at Hogwarts. Unnoticed Salazar Slytherin was watching the exchange at the Gryffindor table and scowled.

"I don't mind… I've got some extra texts that could help us… one of the perks of being a bastard son of a founder."

Carlotta smiled wanly. "I'll see both you gentleman after you finish whatever Isah has in stall for you tomorrow."

"Sure." Leonis stood as he saw Lady Ravenclaw dismissing students. He looked down at Carlotta. "Thankyou…"

The witch glanced up at him through her eyelashes and smiled thinly. "Bring your extra texts…"

'

'

'

Leonis reached his father's study before Godric. He waited outside leaning on the wall smiling slightly. He had no idea what 'detention' exactly entailed as he had never heard of the word before and much less knew the meaning of it!

A few minutes passed before Godric arrived with Salazar Slytherin. The snake founder seemed to be talking quickly in rapid tones. Godric pulled his face into a frown when he saw Leonis waiting for him. "In with ye," Godric muttered indicating to his office with a flick of his head.

Leonis obeyed finding the office door was unlocked.

"You had to be the center of trouble didn't you?" Salazar sneered at Leonis. Leonis turned to stare at his father's friend wide eyed and merely nodded. Salazar's eyes narrowed slightly.

"You won't always run into a snake willing to hide you from trouble," Salazar cautioned. "Personally I would have let your betters teach you a lesson for your insolence…"

"Salazar…" Godric moaned warningly. "He was more than provoked and we both know this."

"Ah yes and how do you know? You seem a little inattentive to his situation."

Leonis was backing into the office. He didn't hear his father's reply as he closed the door and sat down in a chair opposite his father's desk.

Godric finished his argument with Salazar quickly and soon appeared at the door. He strode the length of his office and took his seat behind the desk and started shifting papers.

Twiddling his thumbs Leonis watched for a moment. "Father?"

"Hmmm." Godric murmured not looking up from his parchment.

"What am I suppose to do?"

Godric looked up from his pile his eyes glinting mischievously. "Let's skip the punishment and enjoy each other's company for tonight."

"Erm… is that what a detention is… company?"

"No, my son. Detentions are much less enjoyable than company," Godric explained with a flourish of his hands. He thought for a moment then ameneded his statement by saying, "Unless you count Salazar's company when he is in a foul mood."

"He doesn't like me," Leonis stated.

"Bah!" Godric humphed. "Salazar doesn't like anyone."

Leonis looked sheepish for a moment and then glanced at his boots.

"What shall we do tonight while we are graced by each other's presence, eh?" Godric asked shoving the parchments away. "Enough of work…"

"Well…"

"Well yes?"

"Could you tell me of my mother and how… erm you know…"

"How you were created?" Godric supplied grinning naughtily.

Leonis paled. "Oh no!" he said taking Godric's suggestion seriously and looked horrified at the thought. "I don't need to know that…"

"Peace," Godirc held his hand in the air lightly and was chuckling. "I know what you clearly meant boy… You want to know how we met?"

Leonis nodded.

"Very well. I was a young man when I first met your mother. I was living for a while with the muggle family that fostered me during my squire years as a boy. I was close to the Sedgwick's despite being born a pure blooded wizard but of course they never knew…

The Sedgwick's lived in a smalling country area near Cornwall… It's a lovely place I should take you there sometime…

I was enjoying my time free from the constraints of my father under the care of my second family when I first met her under frightening circumstances.

Rumours soon started after I arrived at the Sedgwick estate about wizards and witches in the area. I'm sure you are aware of the ill feelings muggles have of our kind. I was torn and terrified I can tell you when priests and members of the church started to turn up. I was torn because if I fled it would look suspicious and if I stayed I could possibly be interrogated. And interrogations are very rarely fair…

Your mother Aimee Jocelyn De Saville was the only daughter of one of the priests. He was an underling very minor sort of chap…

The Sedgwicks were determined to show compliance to the church and assisted with there hunt, which put me in great danger and turmoil.

However dear father had heard all about the exciting trials near Cornwall and sent some of my brothers Maverick, Euan and Hamish to keep me company (and out of harms way).

The first time I saw your mother was at a social function, held by poor old feeble Lord Seeley who was great friends with the Sedgwicks… I danced with your mother most of the night and well… it all happened from there.

Father came down to supervise his rascally sons, that is how he recognised your mother in you, I was a little obsessed with your mother.

Our liaison continued until… until your mother left for Wales…"

"Obviously pregnant with me?" Leonis stared into his father's face.

"Yes and I never saw or heard from her again."

"Did she know you were a wizard?"

"Yes, after a few weeks of our… relationship… she figured it out."

"Why did she run away? Why didn't she stay with you?"

Godric peered at Leonis with pentrating dark eyes. "I don't know, Leo. I just don't know," Godric lied.

'

'

'