The Miseducation of Lavinia Llwynog: Part VI

Monday morning was bright and cool.  The sky was clear and free of rain clouds and the trees in the Forbidden Forest were starting to show autumn's fiery colors.  Gryffindor colors, as the members of that House liked to point out.

Vinnie took no notice that the leaves were no longer Slytherin green.  She was distracted during Charms and misfired a spell, turning a bowl of marbles into a cockroach nest instead of a cluster of ladybugs.   She walked by Juliet Swinbourne and her friends who were whispering and pointing at her, not realizing that they were there.  She did not hear Soren's question until he poked her hard in the arm.

"Eh?  Stop that!" she snapped at him.

"You didn't hear anything that I said, did you?" he said crossly.  "You're the one who is always complaining about me not listening, but you're off in another world today."

"I'm sorry," Vinnie sighed.  "Today is the day that I'm meeting Sebastian Renard.  I can't stop thinking about anything else and I don't know what to expect."

"Expect the unexpected!" Soren said.

"What is that supposed to mean?" she cried in frustration.

"Exactly what I said.  You don't know who he is or what he is like.  You don't know what he will teach you or how.  So just go into the meeting without any expectations."

"Thanks for the useless advice, Prefect!"

"Soren is just telling you to keep an open mind about him, Vinnie," Al Sev said.

"An open mind?  That is what Sebastian said in his letter!  Maybe Soren should train with him instead of me!"

"Now there's an idea!" Soren laughed.  "Bring us a lot of details about Renard.  He sounds like he might be fun as an instructor.  I'm sure that he won't be deadly serious like Dad!"

"Animagus training is serious, Soren!  I want to know what this man is like!"

"You'll find out today," Soren said with a smile.  "Dad doesn't like him very much, but then again he doesn't like most people.  I tried to get Mum to give me an opinion but she wouldn't."

"I think that it is better that you decide for yourself when you meet him, Vinnie," Al Sev said.  "Don't get any preconceived ideas from Soren's parents. "

"You're right," Vinnie sighed.  "I just wish that Hadrian had written back in time."

Vinnie had written to her older brother, Hadrian, who did business with Sebastian.  She had asked him many questions about the man, but had not yet received a reply.  Hadrian was probably away on business and had not received her letter since he always replied promptly.  She was not superstitious, but the lack of a reply did not bode well.

"I have to change my clothes," she told the boys as she headed towards the girls' dormitory.  "I'm meeting him in an hour and Professor McGonagall told me not to be late."

"You'll be fine, Vinnie," Al Sev gave her an awkward pat on the shoulder.

"Hmmph," Vinnie snorted, but she flashed a smile at them as she headed up the stairs.

Vinnie changed quickly, remembering to wear trainers.  She hurried through the corridors towards the Headmistress' office and nearly knocked over Professor Evelyn Snape who was heading in the other direction.

"I'm sorry, Professor!"

"You're certainly in a hurry, Miss Llywynog!"

"Yes.  I'm supposed to meet Sebastian Renard today at two in Professor McGonagall's office."

"You're early," Evelyn said as she looked down at her watch.  "Please come into my office for a moment.  You still have plenty of time and I want to talk to you."

Her office was bright and warm.  Vinnie looked at her favorite photo of eight-year-old Soren playing in the snow with his Irish wolfhound, Fergus.  Her anxiety eased, just as it always did when she was in Evelyn's office.

"I owe you an apology, Vinnie," Professor Snape said.  "I realize that we should have informed you that you would be getting a new instructor before Sebastian was hired.  I know that you hate surprises and I feel terrible.  I want you to know that we did not intend to be deceitful.  The three of us--Professor McGonagall, Professor Snape and I--only had your best interests and safety in mind when we made our decision."

"You don't have to apologize, Professor," Vinnie reassured her.  "I know.  I'm just very nervous.  I've only had Professor McGonagall instructing me.  I don't know Sebastian."

"You've met him," she said as she looked Evelyn in the eyes.  "Tell me what he is like."

"He is intelligent and quite charming," Evelyn said slowly.  "Very entertaining company."

"He is also cunning and shrewd.  Not bad qualities--those are the trademarks of a true Slytherin.  He has a quick mind and from what I've seen, the ability to think far ahead and anticipate the actions of other people.  Again, that is a prized quality.  It has served him well since he is a very successful businessman.  He also seems to be an expert chess player."

"Do you like him, Professor Snape?" Vinnie asked nervously.  

"I don't know, Vinnie.  I only met him once.  Based on first impressions, I can say that there are things that I like about him and things that I don't like about him.  Just trust your good instincts."  

"That's what Professor Snape said."

"My husband gives very sound advice.  If there is anything else that I can do to help..."

"Come with me to Professor McGonagall's office.  I want you to be with me when I meet him."

"Severus will be there, Vinnie..."

"Please, Professor Snape!" Vinnie pleaded.

"All right, Vinnie, " Evelyn responded gently.  "I don't think that Professor McGonagall and Professor Snape will mind since I've already met Sebastian."

They didn't speak as they walked up the stairs towards the Headmistress' office, but Vinnie felt reassured by Evelyn's company.  Three of her favorite professors would be with her when she met Sebastian.  She would not be alone.  They paused before the gargoyle which stood guard before the Headmistress' office.

"Earl Grey!" Evelyn announced.  The gargoyle swung away revealing the stairs.  

As they mounted the stairs they heard laughter. Professor McGonagall was sitting at her desk, smiling and nodding her head in amiable agreement.  Severus sat in a chair to the right of her desk, scowling with his arms crossed over his chest. A man sat in another chair to the left of Professor McGonagall's desk.  He had been speaking to her and his face was turned away from Vinnie and Evelyn. The three of them rose when Evelyn and Vinnie entered the room.

"There you are Miss Llywnog!" Professor McGonagall said.  "This is your new instructor, Sebastian Renard.  Sebastian, this is your pupil, Lavinia Llwynog.  You already know Evelyn Snape."

"Good to see you again, Evelyn," Sebastian said as he stepped forward and shook her hand.  He turned to Vinnie.

"We finally meet, Miss Llywnog, or do you prefer to be called Lavinia?" he asked as he took her hand.


"Vinnie is what most people call me," she managed to say as she shook his hand.  

He was not as tall as Severus and Soren, but he was taller than Al Sev and Harry.  He was sharp-faced, with a long, pointed nose.  His full sideburns and the hair on the sides of his head was reddish brown, but he had lost most of it from the top. He was smiling a sly, bemused smile, as if he were in on a private joke.

"That's what R.J. will look like in twenty-five years," Vinnie thought, but with two notable exceptions.

Sebastian's complexion was clear, not freckled like his son's.  R.J. had blue eyes, but Sebastian's were amber, like Max's.   Vinnie stared.

They were not quite like Max's eyes.  For Max the amber eyes were simply another flattering trait on a handsome boy.  Sebastian's eyes were his distinguishing feature.  They were brighter and more fiery than Max's.  Vinnie could not decide if she found them beautiful or feral.

In addition to his eyes she found his manner of dress disconcerting.  Sebastian was dressed in Muggle sports attire.  He was wearing grey track pants and a black sweatshirt.  His trainers were worn, but Vinnie had seen them in a Muggle magazine and knew that they were expensive running shoes.  The only indication that he was a wizard was his wand, which was strapped to his right side.  

"He came to see Professor McGonagall dressed like that?"  It was highly inappropriate.  Evelyn must have thought so too, since her initial reaction on seeing him was shock.  The only people who didn't seem to care were Sebastian and Professor McGonagall.

"As I've informed you, Sebastian, Miss Llywnog has mastered the basic fundamentals of animagus training.  I leave it up to you to take her outside so that she can perfect them and become more fox-like," Professor McGonagall said.

"No fear, Minerva.  After Vinnie finishes her training there will be no vixen as cunning and clever as she," Sebastian answered as he flashed a toothy grin at Vinnie.  His teeth were straight and white.

"All the better to eat you with, my dear."  Vinnie recalled the line from the Muggle tale of the trusting young girl and the tricky fox.  Or was it a wolf?  She was flustered and couldn't remember.

"Sebastian," Severus broke in as he stepped towards him, "I have copied the notes that I have used for the animagus training sessions I have done with my son, Soren.  They should be most helpful since you have never trained anyone."

Severus waved his wand and a sheaf of papers appeared in his hand.  He handed them to Sebastian, who appeared non-plussed for a moment.  He instantly recovered his composure and gave Professor Snape a sly smile.

"Thank you, Severus.  I shall use them accordingly."  He turned to Vinnie.

"Time to begin our lesson now, Vinnie.  We only have two hours and I wouldn't want to waste your brother's money or anyone else's good credit!"

Vinnie thought that she saw him give a side-long glance to Evelyn, who looked down and twisted the bracelet on her wrist.  Severus glared.  Minerva walked over to Sebastian and shook his hand.

"It was good to see you again, Sebastian.  Please give my best regards to Greta," she said crisply, but her eyes were smiling.

Vinnie was taken aback by Professor McGonagall's familiarity.  Stern and reserved by nature, Minerva rarely showed her feelings.  Yet here she was treating Sebastian like a family member or old friend.  She liked him.  Severus clearly did not--he looked as if he wished to be anywhere else except in the same room with Sebastian.  Vinnie could not gage Evelyn's feelings.  Maybe she was confused?  Vinnie certainly was.

"You will have to have her back by four thirty today since we wasted half an hour talking," Professor Snape said as he glowered at Sebastian.

"I certainly will, Severus.  Goodbye, Evelyn!  Seeing you again was a most pleasant surprise.  Come Vinnie--let's get started."

She followed him down the flights of stairs and out onto the school grounds.  He breathed in deeply, exhaled and turned to her.

"Perfect day to start your training.  Clear and bright, not too warm or too cold.  Let's begin by stretching."

"Stretching?"  Vinnie asked in surprise.

"Of course!  Don't you stretch before you play quidditch?  If you don't I'll give Max a lecture about proper sports training for his team."

"No, I do!  Why are we doing it now?"

"Animagus field training is highly physical, Vinnie.  I told Professor Snape that I would use these notes that he so thoughtfully prepared accordingly, and I shall.  Incendio!"  Sebastian waved his wand over the sheaf of papers which burst into flame.  He smiled slyly at Vinnie who was aghast.

"No need for notes during field training.  You will learn by experience and instinct.  No writing and taking notes.  Everything you learn will be retained here," he said as he touched his forehead with his forefinger.  "Your training will also improve your memory retention.  By the end you will find that you will be taking fewer notes in class and concentrating more on what the teacher is saying."

"No notes?"

"I said fewer notes.  You certainly won't be copying everything down word for word like those swots who sit in the front row."

"I don't do that!"

"Good.  So far you are a promising student.  Now start stretching."  Sebastian placed his foot up against the wall and straightened his leg.  He grabbed his leg and slowly bent down until his nose touched his knee.

"Show-off!" Vinnie thought sourly as she did the same.  He was certainly fit for a man his age, but she was not about to give him the satisfaction of letting him know that she had noticed.  She was miffed that he had burned Professor Snape's notes.  Maybe he didn't intend to use them, but his actions were a definite demonstration of one upmanship against his former professor.

Sebastian stood up straight and pointed towards the left.  Vinnie followed with her eyes, which rested on a hill in the distance topped with rocks.  

"We'll run up to the top of that hill where the ancient ruins are.  That's where they hold the Ancient Runes class--at the ancient ruins!"  He laughed at his own joke.  "I never took that class.  No use studying a dead language.  I speak French and my partner speaks Spanish--both good for business.  My youngest son has taken it upon himself to learn Welsh.  Beautiful language, but useless unless you intend to write folk ballads.  He might as well learn Frisian or Udmurt."

"Welsh is my first language!" Vinnie snapped.  She immediately caught herself and covered her mouth with her hand.  She looked fearfully at Sebastian, but he did not look angry over her outburst.  He was laughing.

"Really?  Well I did say that it is a beautiful language--just not a very useful one.  Let's go!"  He turned and began jogging down the path towards the hill.  Vinnie ran after him.

"Rude git!" His smarmy attitude reminded her of R.J.  He wasn't handsome, but he was just as conceited as Max. That made it worse.

"Just look at you, jogging along with your nose in the air and that sly smirk on your face!  I'd love to see you lose that!  On a first name basis with Professor McGonagall, are you?  Think you're smarter than Professor Snape, don't you?  You probably think that I'm going to be an easy pupil who panders to your big fat ego.  Think again, Fox Man!  You think you're so great, but you're not even the mutt's nuts, as Soren would say!"

Vinnie's internal anger fueled her adrenaline.  Her legs pumped faster along the path as she ran ahead of Sebastian.  

"Wait, Vinnie!  Slow down!" he shouted at her.

She pretended not to hear him and ran faster, looking up towards the slabs of stone on the hill in the distance.  He would just have to run faster if he wanted to catch up to her.

"Cusanu fy nhwll, you balding sod!" she muttered under her breath.  She never would have said that to his face or to any other adult for that matter, but the saucy thought made her giddy and she laughed out loud.

Her high spirits did not last long.  The hill seemed farther away than she had realized and the path suddenly became a sharp uphill incline.  Her pace slowed and her breaths were hard and labored.  She was not a runner (save for the laps that Max insisted the team do around the quidditch pitch) and she had never been to the site of the ancient ruins.  She heard the steady thumping of quick footsteps behind her, but did not turn around.  

Sebastian passed her on the left.  He smiled his sly smile as he caught her eye.

"Last one to the top does ten push-ups!" he shouted.  

"What?"  Vinnie gasped as she watched him disappear ahead of her.  She was being outrun by a middle-aged man.  Great. She grimly kept up her pace, not pausing and keeping the crest of the hill in her eyesight as she trudged upwards.

Vinnie slowed her pace to a walk as she reached the top.  Her heart was racing and she was sweating profusely.  Her mouth was dry.  She spotted Sebastian sitting on one of the stone slabs, swigging from a bottle.  He waved his wand and another one appeared which he handed to her.  

"Water.  Don't drink it all down at once.  I was wondering when you would get here!"

Vinnie glared at him as she drank the cold water.  He smiled as he looked down at a Muggle stopwatch.


"Your time isn't bad.  Don't worry about not beating me.  I doubt that you've ever trained for or run in the London marathon."

"What's that?"  Vinnie asked.

"A twenty-six mile race through the city.  By the end I felt every bone and muscle in my body crying out and I thought that my heart was going to burst through my ribcage."

"Why would you put yourself through something like that?" Vinnie cried.  It sounded like a stupid, senseless  thing that only Muggles would do.

"For the same reason that I do most things," Sebastian responded.  "I thought that I could and I did."

"I want you to run every day.  You're in good shape, so make two miles your initial goal.  You will eventually work up to five and then we'll be ready for the next step."

"Wait!  I thought that this was animagus training!" Vinnie exclaimed.

"It is."

"You're training me like an athlete!  Why aren't you showing me how to stalk and hunt?  You should be showing me how to be a fox!"

"Who is the teacher here, Vinnie?" he asked.  His amber eyes glowed at her and she shrank.

"Who is the teacher here?" Augustus roared.  Vinnie shrank down at her desk.  Her quill dripped large spots of ink all over her papers.  She would be punished for that as well.  Her father insisted that her papers be neat with perfect penmanship.

"How dare you question my teaching methods you little brat!  You know nothing!  I should just let you stay stupid forever.  Stupid, stupid, stupid!  That's what you are!"

"You're the teacher," Vinnie said weakly.  She dropped to the ground and began doing push-ups.

"What are you doing?" Sebastian asked, frowning.

"You told me that the last one up the hill had to do ten push-ups."

"I was joking!"

"You're the teacher.  I'm doing as I'm told," Vinnie answered flatly.   Sebastian stared at her, puzzled and still frowning.  When she stood up he motioned her to sit on one of the stone slabs.

"We will go over some of the signals that foxes use to communicate with each other.  As a fox you will not have human speech, so your body language and vocal sounds will be important."

"If you are in a familiar area where you know the lay of the land and the animal inhabitants, walk with your head held high and your tail up straight--like this."

Vinnie looked at the large reddish orange fox before her.  Sebastian had effortlessly turned into the animal without a wave of his wand or speaking a spell.  Vinnie still had to use her wand to transform into a vixen.   She hoped that she would learn to transform as smoothly as he did.

Sebastian's head was high and his amber eyes were staring into Vinnie's hazel ones.  His eyes still looked human which was the only indication that he was not all animal.  His large plumed tail stood up straight like a flag.  He began to wave it back and forth.

"What a vain thing!"  Vinnie thought, although she had to admit that he was beautiful in fox form.  The fox sat up and Sebastian the man regarded her.

"Waving the tail indicates a good mood or an invitation to play.  Only use that signal if you know and trust the other creatures or animagi that you encounter.  If you are not sure and don't think that it is safe to transform back into yourself, adopt the submissive pose."

The fox was back, but he was crouched down low with his rump in the air and his tail down, ears pulled back.  The amber eyes no longer had the expression of certainty.  

"Oooh," Vinnie held her hand out to the animal to ease its fear.

"OWOWOWOWOWOWOW!"  The fox screeched.

"Eep!" Vinnie fell backwards, startled by the screams.

"I see that you haven't practiced your vocal calls yet!" Sebastian laughed as he helped her up.  "Foxes are beautiful but they have one of the ugliest cries in the animal kingdom.  We'll practice the different ones, but be prepared.  Whether happy or aggressive, they all sound bad!  The vixen's scream is particularly disconcerting."

"Let's see what you can do so far," Sebastian said as he waved his wand.  A chair appeared, along with a small table which held a tea cup and digestive biscuit.

"Just one cup of tea?" Vinnie looked at it longingly.  Food and drink could not be transfigured--he must have made prior arrangements with the Hogwarts kitchen.

"I'm taking a short break now.  It's in my contract.  You're still continuing with your lesson.  Now show me your vixen form."

"Bastard!"

Vinnie took a deep breath, waved her wand and softly murmured the incantations.  She looked up at Sebastian who was staring at her appraisingly.

The vixen was slender, and did not have the cheek ruffs that the fox had.  She was darker red in color, with a triangular face.  Her breast was white and her tail was not as full as his, but longer.  Her whiskers twitched and she darted her tongue out at him as she gazed back with her lovely hazel eyes.  She sat up straight and curled her tail around her feet.

"Well, you are a beautiful girl!" Sebastian remarked.  "Most impressive!  Minerva has taught you well.  You will continue to work with her on your transformation skills.  Once perfected you won't need a wand or vocal incantations.  Now, show me the poses that I just demonstrated for you."

Vinnie stood up straight on all fours with her tail held high.  She gracefully swooshed it back and forth.  She crouched down and pulled back her ears, looking up at Sebastian.  He was smiling.

"Excellent!   Your homework is to continue with those poses and also to run as I instructed.  Any questions?"

"AYYYYYEEEEEEOOOOO! The vixen's scream pierced the air.

"Bugger!" Sebastian yelled as he jumped to his feet and clapped his hands over his ears.  The vixen jumped up onto the small table, lapped up the rest of the tea and crunched on the biscuit.

Vinnie the girl stood up straight,  her mouth full of tea and crushed biscuit.  She eyed him nervously as she swallowed, then hid her face in her hands.

"Why did I do that?"  She was not certain, but in her fox form she was emboldened.  She trembled as she peeked through her fingers at Sebastian.  

"Cheeky one, aren't you?" He laughed.

Vinnie blinked.  He was not angry with her little antic--he was pleased.  

"Time to return to the castle," he said as he waved his wand and vanished the chair and table.  "Time is almost up and I've only been paid for two hours."

"I suggest that you take it slower on the way back," he said.  There was that sly smile again.

Vinnie jogged down the hill towards the castle a few paces behind him.  Sebastian stopped at the front gates.


"I'll say goodbye here.  No need for me to return to the castle since I cannot disapparate from the grounds.  It was fun today, Vinnie!  Get ready for more fun next week!  Remember, two o'clock sharp, but this time we will meet by the front doors.  Professor Snape will sign you out.  Don't forget to practice!"   The fox swished his tail at her and bounded away through the iron gates, down the path and out of sight.

Vinnie blinked, staring at the space where Sebastian the man had stood moments before.  She walked towards the castle, and ran into Al Sev who was racing down the path dressed in his quidditch practice gear.

"Where are you going, Vinnie?  Quidditch practice is in fifteen minutes!"

She had forgotten about quidditch practice.  She was tired and not in the mood, but knew that if she did not go Max would bench her for the first game and put the backup Seeker in her place.  He took a hard stance about appearing for practice, only excusing a player for illness, and even then you had to be ill enough to be in the infirmary.

"I'm coming," she sighed.

"Hey, didn't you have your first lesson with Mr. Renard today?  How did it go?"

"It was..." Vinnie hesitated, trying to think of the right words.  She had so many conflicting thoughts that she couldn't think of what to say.

"Can I tell you later?"

"Sure," Al Sev said.  "No hurry.  You don't have to tell me at all if you don't want to."

"No, I do!  It was just--strange.  I don't know if I like him or not."  

"Let's wait until we're back in the Common Room tonight.  Soren will be there and I will tell you both everything.  Just make sure that no one else is around.  We have a lot of nosy people in our House."

"No one is more curious than a Slytherin, although the Ravenclaws may argue with that," Al Sev laughed.  "Sometimes I think that our symbol should be a cat instead of a serpent.  They're cunning and curious."

"A cat would be a nicer symbol.  So would a fox--they're also shrewd.  Trust me on this one though--it's a good thing that Salazar Slytherin was a parselmouth and did not speak fox speech."

"Why do you say that?"

"Just trust me--you would not want to hear a demonstration!  I'll race you to the quidditch pitch!  Last one there has to do ten push-ups!"

Vinnie sprinted down the path, laughing as she heard Al Sev's quick footsteps in pursuit behind her.