Disclaimer: I don't own the characters; I just like to make them suffer.
Havelock stepped out of the carriage and cast a wary eye over the groups of boys gathered in the courtyard in front of the Assassin's Guild building. It had been a long four years in Genua, and he had often wondered what had happened to the city while he was gone. Nothing good, apparently. Although Lord Smince had eventually been gotten rid of, he'd soon been replaced by someone just as bad - Lord Winder.
Just another stupid choice in a long line of stupid choices, Havelock thought. But at least this one shouldn't remember the name Vetinari too clearly.
That at least was a blessing. As his father's trial and execution had been held in secret, he'd simply been noted as missing, although there were rumours. There were /always/ rumours. But rumours weren't proof, and without proof there was little chance that he should have any real problems, at least with the Patrician and his lot. The nobility was another matter, though. Any /hint/ of scandal could mean social suicide in the higher echelons of Ankh-Morpork society and the small trace that could still be attached to Havelock meant he was probably going to be in for something of a rough time.
Just remember you're here to learn, he reminded himself. This is not about socialising and making friends. Friends mean nothing, just remember how they deserted Father when he needed them. He felt the old anger start to rise again, as it always did when he remembered the circumstances of his father's death, but he took a deep breath and choked it down. Control is the key, he thought, control your emotions, don't stand out, watch /everything/, and they can't touch you.
"Vetinari?" The voice broke him out of his reverie, and Havelock snapped back to attention. "Is there a Vetinari here?"
He held up a hand. "Here, sir."
The teacher looked the small boy up and down. "Are you Vetinari/Havelock/ Vetinari?" The teacher smirked as he stressed Havelock's first name, and there were a few sniggers from the crowd of boys.
"Yes, sir." He kept his expression blank but sighed inside. He'd been teased about the name for years, it wasn't anything new. If they weren't going to try anything inventive...
"Viper House, boy. Get in line."
Havelock walked over to the line of boys standing in front of the doors to the main building. There were several boys standing there already and one of them, a big lad with light brown hair and a malevolent air about him, looked at Havelock in a calculating manner. Havelock returned the look in kind, a slight smile on his face.
There was a lot to take in that first day in the Guild. There was a long and tedious tour of the building, interspersed with dull speeches about the history of the Guild. The House Master seemed to be rather bored of the whole thing, and Havelock wondered how many times he'd had to give the same speeches. After seeing the classrooms, the gym and what felt like a review of every single corner of the blasted place, they finally reached the dormitories and the boys scrambled to lay claim to the best beds. Havelock stood off the side and waited until there was only one left, a sad-looking affair stuck right by an open window that, Havelock noted, didn't look like it could be closed. He didn't mind though, he'd never needed much sleep and the cold didn't bother him.
The House Master, whose name was the Hon. Anthony Westbury, made a note of their choices and quickly withdrew to the relative safe and quiet of the staff room for a drink and a well-earned cigar. Havelock began to unpack his things, and as he did so he began to make mental notes about the other occupants of the large, cold room. The boy from earlier had claimed a bed in the warm corner opposite from Havelock's own and he was surrounded by a large group of several other students, all laughing and joking. The laughter didn't sound pleasant though, Havelock noted, they sounded like they were planning something. He didn't have to wait long to be proven right.
"Vetinari, is it?"
Havelock turned to see the boy and several others standing just behind him. "Yes, and you are?"
"Downey. You're new to the city, right?" A boy behind Downey started to grin.
Havelock eyed Downey warily. "No. I lived here when I was younger, I've returned in order to go to school here."
"Oh? Why'd you leave?"
"I went to live with my aunt."
Downey smirked. "Didn't your parents want you then? Can't say I blame them for giving you away, a skinny little runt like you."
Vetinari's eyes narrowed. "They're dead."
"Oh, well my apologies then," said Downey sarcastically. "Died of shame did they? What kind of name is Vet-in-ah-ry anyway?" He stretched out the syllables of the name, making each one drip with disdain.
"An old one."
"Can't be /that/ old, it sounds like a professional name, like Baker or Weaver or some such," Downey grinned at his companions behind him. "Yes, that's it, isn't it? Are you going to be a little dog botherer then, scag?" At this Downey gave Havelock a hard shove into the wall.
Havelock winced as his back hit the brickwork hard, then straightened up and stared coldly at Downey. "Don't do that again."
Downey shoved him again. "Or you'll what, Dog-Botherer?"
"I'm warning you."
"/You/ are warning /me/?" Downey said incredulously. He took a step back and cracked his knuckles. "I'm going to teach you a lesson in respect, Dog-Botherer…" He growled, raising his fist and stepping towards Vetinari, ready to give him the beating of a lifetime, but before he could do so, Havelock had reached down and grabbed a book out of his trunk. As Downey neared him, Vetinari reached back with the book and swung it towards Downey's face with all his strength...
"Two first year boys here to see you, sir."
Dr Follet looked from his paperwork and sighed. Oh for gods' sake, fighting already and it was only the first day... "Okay, send them in."
The two boys were ushered in and Follet looked at them appraisingly. Well, they certainly looked like they'd been in a fight, or at least the larger boy did; blood was still pouring out of his nose and there were the makings of several nasty bruises on his face. The smaller boy, Follet noted, only seemed to have a few tears in his clothes. They were probably from where Mr. Westbury had to drag him out of the dormitory to stop him from hitting everyone with that book.
"Well..." He looked down at the note he'd been sent about the incident, "...Vetinari, what exactly do you think you were doing?"
"Well, sir, I--"
"--it was completely unprovoked, sir," interrupted Downey loudly. "All I was doing was introducing myself to him, trying to make friends, and all of a sudden, for no reason, he launches himself at me, screaming that he was going to kill me! For no reason!"
Follet fixed him with a stony glare. "I don't believe I gave you permission to speak yet, Downey."
Downey looked down at the ground and mumbled, "No sir, sorry sir."
"Frankly boys, I don't know what happened and I don't care. You want to fight like common ruffians, then go join one of the street gangs." He sat back in his chair and looked intensely at them both. "You are training to become Assassins, and that means that I expect nothing but behaviour befitting a gentleman from both of you at /all/ times. Now get out."
When they had left the Headmaster's office and had safely passed out of earshot of any authority figures, Downey turned suddenly and grabbing Havelock by the collar, shoved him up against the wall. "I'm going to get you for this, Dog-Botherer."
Havelock smiled evilly, "Try it, Downey."
Downey snarled and after giving Havelock a final shove, he stomped back down the hallway back to the dormitory. Havelock smiled to himself as he straightened his clothing. Well, he thought, that certainly went to plan. He had known as soon as he had entered the line back in the courtyard that Downey had singled him out as a potential target. First impressions were always so important, he'd always thought. Well, he'd certainly proven himself as someone not to be taken lightly, and all it had taken was a few minutes of carefully calculated violence. Oh, he didn't suppose it would stop Downey from picking on him in future, and he certainly didn't care for the new nickname he seemed to have acquired, but at least beating the hell out of Downey now would give him some brief respite, not to mention a certain amount of satisfaction. And even when it started up again, at least they might remember the sight of Downey's face covered with blood, and maybe, just maybe, they'd remember that Havelock Vetinari was a dangerous person to cross.