Not wanting to be just out in the corridors for too long, Sasha hurried from the History of Magic second floor classroom to the library.  So they claimed, the school had been cleared of any fanged-ones but that didn't mean he was comfortable lingering out in the open of the corridors.  The sixth year walked briskly down the hall and slipped through the door of the library.

Sasha closed the office door firmly behind him, set his bag on the floor and took several deep breaths.  He knew something had happened to Mr. Morgan; he'd been anticipating some sort of surprise but he'd been expecting some sort of complimentary animal to Professor Trishna's Mini-pegasus.  A Mini-hippogryff or something.  Not...well, at first glance, it wasn't that easy to identify.  He looked a whole lot like himself, only with distinct differences. 

Strange how this same predicament prompted an entirely different response when applied to a different person.  Sasha hadn't found anything funny about Professor Trishna's situation.  The other students laughter had only strengthened Sasha's resolve to be as mature and sympathetic as he could.  Even without their reactions, though he would have still found the situation just as unfortunate. 

The same level of ... tact and sympathy ... was proving a little more difficult with Mr. Morgan.  Perhaps it was the relative difference in degree of change.  The transition from Head of House to Miniature Pegasus had been so much more drastic, so much more ... it would have been like laughing at someone who'd gone from entirely ambulatory to wheelchair-bound overnight.  With Mr. Morgan, the change had been, comparatively, much more subtle.  You got the impression things had changed but it took a close look to really identify how. 

And, Sasha just didn't want to look that closely. 

That discomfort was really where any urge to laugh came from.  But, he tried to stifle it and turned his attention to getting ready.  He pulled his wand from an inside pocket of his robes and finally forced himself to turn towards Mr. Morgan. 

"That's got to be really weird."  Sasha grinned broadly, despite himself.  "I mean...is...are your...I'm sorry."  There was really no question that didn't skirt - or entirely cross - the line of appropriateness.  "That's got to be annoying.  At least she didn't turn you into an old lady, though, right?" 

She and Kronos' brat had arranged this meeting - or had it arranged for them, rather - ages ago, and Landis was too prideful to cancel for a little thing like a sex change. They were in her employer's eyes long overdue for a lesson. This form had lingered several days longer than she would have liked, but she was assured by Nagde that it would wear off soon, certainly within a week or two. Such uncertainty made her irritable.

She waited in her office, going mentally over her plans. As far as she could tell, Malvivicus' demands weren't very specific - he just wanted Schlagenweit groomed into something stronger, more dangerous, and more knowledgeable - quick. It gave Landis a great deal of freedom in what she taught as well as an opportunity to cheat her employer, a prospect she found quietly satisfying. She could teach Schlagenweit all he knew, but that didn't mean she had to teach him all she knew. Even if it wasn't vindictive, it was just more intelligent that way: she did not want to create a weapon that could be used against herself.

Schlagenweit came in at the arranged time, after classes had ended for him and just after the library closing. Unexpectedly, he was grinning.

"That's got to be really weird. I mean...is...are your...I'm sorry. That's got to be annoying.  At least she didn't turn you into an old lady, though, right?"

Landis gave him the kind of look she reserved specially for smartarses. "I am very impressed by your ability to see the silver lining in this situation, Mr. Schlagenweit," she drawled. "But let me make it clear that I am not interested in your commentary."

"Your benefactor has informed me that a basis in offensive wandwork is most desirable. However, given your current student status, it is also advisable to learn spells which are of a more subtle nature. I will be teaching you a combination of the two as well as directing your study of a number of relevant texts. This will include a basic understanding of Latin spell theory, which regrettably you will show some difficulty with in order to justify the length of our meetings. I understand you've already received some tutoring this summer and possess an intermediate understanding of offensive magic. Is this correct?"

Thanks to years of playing the role of well-mannered stepson and the countless etiquette lessons, Sasha was able to promptly drop the bemused look from his face when instructed.   The amusement was still there, of course.  And, there's no doubt Mr. Morgan knew that as well.  It was just not quite hanging out there, lingering in the air between them.  Of course, Sasha had no intentions of lingering on the topic.  Even though Professor Trishna didn't get too far into details, Sasha suspected Mr. Morgan wouldn't be pleased that the Astronomy Professor had shared any information.  And, Sasha certainly didn't want to get Professor Trishna in any trouble. 

With wand in hand, Sasha took a seat and ... well, tried his best to get situated without looking at the woman opposite him.  "Well, defensive," Sasha corrected, pointedly, focusing on their meeting.  Regardless of the spells' actual intended uses, Kronos had always been careful to present them as spells to be used in defense.  Powerful and intense defense, yes.  But, despite his associations with Kronos, Sasha had no interest in using anything he was being taught in an offensive matter.  And, Sasha trusted - perhaps blindly - that Kronos understood that. 

Sasha's nose wrinkled slightly as he tried to envision feigning difficulty with a subject.  "Alright," he agreed.  "Do you want me pretending I'm starting from the beginning?  I studied Latin before coming to Hogwarts though Catechism but, I can pretend I know less than I do.  And, I'm sure that's very different, anyhow." 

"I met with Kronos frequently over the summer."  As often as Sasha could slip away without raising suspicions.  With only Wilhelm's supervision, it had been a relatively easy feat, so long as Sasha was on time to his classes and internship.  "He wants me to be able to protect myself against ... you know ... given the recent changes."  Last year, he managed to escape two separate werewolf attacks without getting infected.  Chances were slim he'd be so lucky if there were a third time. 

"I'm also entering the tournament and a lot of what he's taught me ... I can't use. I'd ... they'd get me expelled, wouldn't they?"  Sasha knew he was no where near skilled enough to possess the level of control that would allow him to select appropriate spells in the heat of a challenge or duel.  He needed to be able to compete and compete confidently without risking resorting to those other spells. 

Landis favored the boy with a look as equally pointed as Sasha's correction. "Defensive," she repeated, her gaze even and cool. It swept down as though she was consulting some of the papers on her desk, then back up again, targeting Sasha as surely as the pin punctured the butterfly. "Right." 

Defensive her arse. Landis would enjoy every ounce of doubt she could plant in the stupid boy's head. She'd planned this from the beginning, of course - not so confrontational as to have Sasha report her, just overt enough to make him think. Disillusioning Schlagenweit was her only spot of fun in this whole tiresome ordeal. Although anyone with a bit of common sense would see that Malvivicus' purpose for him was hardly benign, clearly Schlagenweit's desperate need for affection blinded him to the true intentions of his benefactor. Landis didn't share the perversions of her thrice-damned employer, but it was fairly easy to see what Kronos would demand as a price of the blue-eyed, blonde-haired, fresh-faced little Sasha. If he hadn't already.

Why he needed his new "son" to possess such skills and learning was only another part of the price. Landis wasn't so stupid as to miss that Sasha was being groomed for a place. He was to be a weapon... and a protege.

This all seemed to have gone straight over Schlagenweit's head, naturally. She doubted his pacifism was an act to cover his secret intentions to become a criminal mastermind. Well, it was Landis' job to pick stupidity up and bash its useless brains out. Metaphorically. For the boy who'd killed Mannie, it still wouldn't be a pleasant experience.

"Yes, I think it'd be best if you pretended no more than a rudimentary knowledge of Latin. Nothing more than a student here at Hogwarts would have picked up in class. It gives us a window of time before the Tournament starts to concentrate solely on your spellwork."

"I hardly know exactly what Malvivicus has or hasn't taught you, Mr. Schlagenweit, but yes, it's fairly easy to assume it'd get you expelled. There is a great deal of magic that hovers at morally grey. I'll teach you those spells that may be frowned upon but that aren't strictly forbidden - spells that a determined student might discover in a book, or have heard around, or whose unorthodox usage can be attributed to strong magic and beginner's luck. With a little creativity even the most benign spell can be twisted into a weapon..." Landis shrugged. "Or if you prefer, a shield. With repetition, it will be those spells that come foremost to mind if called upon to defend yourself in front of official eyes, not the ones Malvivicus taught you."

The urge to fidget and shuffle under the weight of the woman's gaze was strong but Sasha was determined not to give into habit.  The discomfort was habitual more than anything - a personal, largely subconscious individual twitch that had settled into his demeanor over years of being pointedly forced to recognize authority with a measurable degree of subservience.  Whatever was behind those pointed looks in his direction, Sasha knew he wasn't obligated to give them any acknowledgement. 

The man ... or woman ... or whatever in front of him was still, certainly, an authority figure.  She was a staff member and the Slytherin Head of House and, as such, Sasha was obligated to regard her in the same respect manner as he did Professors Levartian and Sandusky.  Especially within the walls of the school, that Kronos held authority over Mr. Morgan was an irrelevant and inapplicable detail. 

Sasha would regard Ms. Morgan with the due respect that their respective positions at Hogwarts required.  But, he knew Kronos would disapprove if Sasha coupled that with his usual subservience. 

Besides.  Some degree of vindictiveness was to be expected on the Librarian's part.  Employees always held some degree of resentment towards their employers and, especially, when, among the employee's expected endeavors was catering to the needs of the employer's son. 

"I can do that.  Outside of here, I'll stick to knowing the lesson material we actively cover - with just a rudimentary knowledge of basic, root vocabulary."  Another subject to study was really the last thing Sasha needed but he'd already decided less free time was better.  "I've decided to enter into the tournament."  The topic had already been broached so now seemed as good a time as any to declare his intentions.  He pointedly left out how much he was really banking on the unlikelihood he'd be chosen. 

Sasha had no intentions of providing anyone with details on what Kronos had been teaching him, let alone Ms. Morgan.  He'd let her come to her own conclusions on the matter and pursue whatever path seemed most prudent.  "So, are the spells more along the lines of what the Durmstrang students learn?  Are they still strong enough to use against, you know, werewolves?" 

"What are we starting with?"  Sasha retrieved his wand from his pocket and looked at it before turning his attention back to the lady. 

"So, are the spells more along the lines of what the Durmstrang students learn?  Are they still strong enough to use against, you know, werewolves?" 

Landis shrugged. "Certainly." Though what Schlagenweit thought the Durmstrang students learned instead of offensive magic, Landis would love to hear. "It's wise to prepare for an eventuality in which the werewolves here become a danger." Pureblood to the very marrow, Landis shared Sasha's feelings on werewolves. She was capable of interacting with them quite normally and had a few associates whose duel nature provided her extra funds and information in return for the Wolfsbane potion, but she would never approve of the Headmaster's decision to let the things back into Hogwarts. The fact that they were sheathed superficially in children's flesh made very little difference to the threat they still carried. "If you're attacked by one, your best option is to try and protect yourself long enough to get away. Magic doesn't work well on werewolves. I can cover some techniques for protecting yourself as soon as you like."

"If your name is chosen from the Goblet, I will train you for it. Today, however, we'll work on concealment charms and evasion techniques, little ways to get around the castle without being seen or followed, to send messages that no others can see or steal, to distract the attention of others and divert it elsewhere. You may have use of them at some point after hours or in attending these lessons, and if I send you a note regarding such I certainly won't be doing so in any obvious manner."

Sasha nodded, curtly, more than relieved to have someone else who agreed that preparing to defend himself against wolves was a wise choice.  Anything and everything Mr. Morgan was willing to offer that would help keep Sasha safe, Sasha was willing to receive it.  "I'm willing to use whatever necessary to get away.  I won't get trapped by one, again.  I won't get bit."  There was no way Sasha could convey too much interest for such a lesson.  In the case of werewolves, offensive spells used defensively were even very much on the table.

"It's not fair.  Not only did they let the beasts back in but they won't even tell us who they are.  I don't even know if there's one in Ravenclaw.  They expect us to trust blindly that the Ministry will contain them and yet they can't even contain their own.  Then, those of us wise enough to see the threat are being treated like the enemies."  SAWS had become the popular thing around school.  It was no secret how Sasha viewed werewolves.  And, yet, even the Ministry could lose track of their former Headmaster.

The benefit of concealment charms were obvious - around school or in regards to werewolves.  Or, even with his letters with Kronos.  He ran his fingers over the deep purple wood of his wand, feeling much more confident about the coming exercise than he might have even a year ago.  A year ago, with a mismatched wand, the coming exercise would have been a humiliating folly - he would have stumbled and faltered repeatedly before demonstrating even an ounce of success.  That had been the wandwork Kronos had seen during their first lessons - what the man had also seen that convinced him to have faith, Sasha probably would never know.  "How much do they work against magical detections?" he asked.  "Are they just effective against people trailing you normally?"

"It's not fair. Not only did they let the beasts back in but they won't even tell us who they are.  I don't even know if there's one in Ravenclaw."

Landis sneered, unimpressed with this bit of teenage melodrama. "Then you'll have to learn how to spot them on your own, won't you?" she asked. "Or can't you be bothered to pay attention. Don't whine so. Simply become more competent." There were plenty of signs, and it was exasperating that Schlagenweit expected to be handed this on a plate. Entitled. Silly. Frankly rather narrow-sighted. Certainly Landis had no more love of werewolves, and in a distant way she approved of Schlagenweit's desire to learn to defend himself - but there was nothing stopping him from researching ways to identify werewolves on his own, which Landis in his place would have done the moment he learned that he was in danger. No ambition. Landis waved a hand irritably. "That's your homework, then," she said. "I want you to find them. Look up the signs, consult your star charts, watch your fellow students." She laced her hands together over the top of the desk and watched him, mildly amused as if she knew it was a fairly tall order. It would be good practice.

That was politics for him. Sasha was in many ways so naive. "You'll have to be more subtle about your disapproval. In the meantime, prepare for the eventuality in which the werewolves become a danger." And let the unprepared hang.

"Don't underestimate wizarding paranoia." Landis smiled faintly. "There are spells for everything." She hadn't planned to show Sasha any of the more complicated ways of avoiding detection - what would a schoolboy need with them? His correspondence with a wizard on the Ministry's Most Wanted list was hardly as incriminating as he thought. But if the boy was so cautious, Landis could show him a few to evade magical means as well as physical trails.

Sasha opened his mouth to protest but quickly closed it, again, a hint of color rising in his cheeks.  He resented Mr. Morgan's implications - that Sasha's not knowing who the resident werewolves were was directly attributable to laziness or lack of initiative on Sasha's part.  That some unwillingness to study, learn and work were to blame. 

But, the protest and defense died in Sasha's throat well before any of it came through.  Once the initial impulse to throw out a reactive defense passed, Sasha was able to recognize the familiarity behind the sentiment.  Gerhard would have said much the same thing - and usually did.  Every time Sasha brought home grades from a sub par performance or asked for help with his studies.  "Yes, sir...ma'am," Sasha agreed, with a nod of his head.  "I'll do my best," he offered, knowing there was little use in pointing out he had been keeping an eye out.  His surveillance of his fellow students had been casual and, until he could provide a concise yet thorough list of suspects, he knew she wouldn't be interested.

At first, Sasha was hesitant to allow any indication of disparity show through at the sound of, yet, more homework being piled on top of what he already had.  He recognized the assignment before him was more vital than anything already assigned to him, and Mr. Landis would take any comments about his workload as simple complaining - which it was.  Even if there was some legitimacy to it.  If he brought up the topic simply as an excuse or apology for an inadequate performance, that's all it would be. 

But, perhaps it'd be better received if the purpose of bringing it up was to ask for any advice or insight - especially if she'd offered a segue.  "Spells for everything?" Sasha asked.  "Are there any spells that can slow down time?  Or, negate the need to sleep?  I don't mind the added workload - it's important.  But, I'm already falling asleep in my books at night.  And, I know - stealth tactics won't mean much if I start spacing out all the time."

It was a sensible enough query, and Merlin knew Landis had experience in supplanting with spells or potions an hour, maybe two, of sleep. In this case, Malvivicus' choice of tutor was ideal.

"Without the aid of a magical device such as a timeturner, there is no way of affecting the passage of time. However, it is possible to change your own perception of time through magical stimulates, concentration aids - potions to sharpen the wit, and spells that make you work double-time. Such solutions can be addictive, and are not meant to be used in excess. You will have to be careful to give your body time to rest or risk damaging your muscles. Altering one's perception of time, as well as forgoing sleep, requires that care be paid to the physical as well as the mental aspect." Perhaps such warnings seemed excessive, this conversation more a lecture than anything else. That Sasha did not shirk from his workload was admirable, but Landis was not, at this point, adequately prepared to counter a Kronos out for blood if she taught Sasha something that damaged the little crime heir.

"Some solutions are heavier than others. Ladeo ficsilis, for example, will allow you to completely forgo sleep for days and is helpful for big projects. As soon as the counterspell is applied the caster promptly collapses and is often too weak to move for periods up to and possibly exceeding the number of days previously spent working. It's popular at the end of term for very serious students. On the other end of the spectrum are spells such as the minor Renervate, which provides a jolt of adreneline-like energy that is short-lasting but can be applied again and again several times with no ill effects except - " Landis waved a hand dismissively - "some emotional instability. Easily countered with a calming draught."

"I can provide you with a full list of options as well as knowledge of any side effects you may experience and how to treat them. Even with magic, nothing is free. Your immune system will suffer from a lack of sleep no matter the sharpness of mind you retain, so you will have to bolster it with pepper-up potion and other remedies you can get from the school nurse. However, if such spells are applied responsibly, you could safely reduce the number of hours you need each night to only three or four. I would not advise going on less for any long-time basis."