Chapter Text
“Yes, Mr. Headmaster, sir? You called for me?” Leo asks as he enters the Headmaster’s office. It was cool to say the password to the gargoyle and have it move aside to reveal the stairs to the office. Leo will never get over it.
“Ah, yes, Mr. Valdez. I’d like to talk about your friend in the Forbidden Forest,” the Headmaster says from the window and walks towards his office desk. “Please sit.”
Leo heads to the seat in front of the Headmaster’s desk, already anxious. “About Festus? What happened? Is he okay?”
“I can assure you, Mr. Valdez, that your friend is fine, or at least, the same as how you last saw him,” the Headmaster reassures him.
“Oh, good,” Leo sighs in relief. “So, what is this about?”
“Firenze, one of the centaurs in the forest, and I had a brief talk. The centaurs have negotiated to bring what’s left of your friend, and for you to have him fixed here at Hogwarts so you don’t have to be in the forest back and forth—especially since it is dangerous. Of course, we will make a room for you where only you have access to with a password. No other means may be used to open it like magic spells. Is this acceptable to you?” the Headmaster asks.
“Yes! Yes, of course! Gods, I miss Festus,” Leo exclaims.
“Alright, then it’s settled. Professor McGonagall and I will personally have this fixed for your discretion. She and I will personally see to bringing your friend, without others seeing, here at Hogwarts. I will be sending you the password and the location of your friend’s room as soon as we’re done with the room and have transported your friend in said room. However, I would like to inform you that it may take weeks to be done,” he finishes.
“Yes, sir! That’s no problem! Thank you, sir!” Leo exclaims.
The headmaster gives him a small smile. “And I would suggest refraining from going to the Forbidden Forest to see your friend. I am assured by the centaurs that your friend will be safe with them.” He hums. “It is interesting, indeed, to see the centaurs so cooperative with this predicament.”
Leo shrugs. “They just like me, I guess.”
He sees a twinkle in the headmaster’s eyes. “I am sure they do.”
The news from the Headmaster makes him feel a lot better as he walks towards the Gryffindor Common Room.
“Password?” the woman wearing pink in the painting said, eyeing his green tie.
Here’s hoping the twins gave me the right password. “Balderdash.” [1]
The woman nods and the whole frame opens to reveal a common room.
He slowly walks in and immediately is met with an environment so different from the Slytherin Common Room.
If the Slytherins have a dark solemn mood in their common room, the Gryffindors definitely have a warmer cozier one. The circular room is adorned with reds and golds, with a fireplace that has the portrait of a lion.
Leo doesn’t help feeling that he should have been here. Gryffindor must be the house of fire. Seeing that he is fire itself, he should have been here in the first place.
As he walks in, the whole room stares at him.
“What are you doing here, snake?” someone yells.
“How did you get our password?!” another yells.
“Go back to the snakes, Valdez!” some other person says.
Leo raises his hands in surrender. “Easy. Easy. I’m not here for a war. I’m just looking for Ron and Harry. They’re my friends.”
They all look at each other, almost all skeptical to why he is here.
“Leo, our American friend!” Leo sees Fred walking towards him with George behind him, waving at him.
“I see you managed to get in,” George adds.
“Yeah,” he replies distractedly, looking around the common room for a particular person.
“Forge, I don’t think he’s here to see us,” George says.
“I’m so offended, Gred,” Fred replies.
Leo looks at them. “Sorry, guys, I’m here to fix something.”
“Must be the toilet in our dorm, it’s clogged,” Fred jokes.
Leo laughs. “Must be your fault, Fred.”
Fred shakes his head. “I am always to blame. It’s actually George.”
George chuckles. “I always get away with it… Anyway, since you’re not here for us, we better head on. We’re working on something, and we’re just about to go, er… check it out.”
Leo nods at them. “I’ll see you!” he says as the twins leave the common room door.
Once the twins leave, he realizes that the air has changed in the common room. Everyone seems to be whispering among themselves on why he’s here, and some even yelling at him to go back where he belongs.
Leo realizes Gryffindors and Slytherins have a lot in common. Why on Tartarus’ name are they fighting, he will never know.
“Leo! What are you doing here?” he hears a familiar voice in one corner.
“Oh, Hermione! Thank the gods I see a familiar face. Where’s the bros?” Leo asks, looking around the now chillier room from the icy glares of the Gryffindors.
“Harry’s off brooding somewhere. But Ron is in the boys’ dormitory. How did you get in here?” she asks, worried.
“I have my ways,” he says with a shrug, not tattling on the twins. “Anyway, I better go talk to Ron.”
As he moves towards where she pointed at before, Hermione places a hand on his arm to stop him. “What are you planning on doing?”
“Look, Harry’s having a horrible time and Ron’s having his jealousy outbreak, and neither of them want to lower their pride to help each other. I’m making the move. If they’re gonna be idiots about it, I’m meddling in it because nothing really,” he says with a shrug of his shoulders.
“Because you think it’s right?” Hermione asks with a gleam in her eye Leo can’t understand.
Leo shakes his head. “No, because they’re acting crazy and I don’t want to hang out with two different people in two different places. I’m bringing them back together so we can all hang out without a screaming match.”
“Oh… Well, good luck getting through to Ron. He’s a stubborn one,” Hermione says.
Leo looks over at what Hermione is doing. “What are you reading?” he asks.
Hermione looks at him with a hint of surprise. “Oh! I’m helping Harry…” She leans closer to him to whisper. “For the first task. He told me what you found out, and even if you can help calm the dragon down, we need to be more prepared. So I’m finding a spell that could be of help to us. But I have a plan.”
He tilts his head. “Which is?”
“A way to get his broom.”
“For… what?”
Hermione looks at him skeptically. “To fly, of course.”
Leo laughs hard, but Hermione only looks at him so he tries his best to stop it. “Sorry, it’s been a while since I’ve been in the wizard community. I always forget flying on brooms is a real thing,” he lies. “It’s like something out of a fairytale.”
Hermione smiles. “I get what you mean. I grew up in the muggle world.”
“Oh, so your parents were muggles or what?” Leo asks.
Hermione nods. “Yup, I’m muggleborn.”
Leo nods back. “I see. My mom was a muggle, too. But anyway, I better head to Ron’s place. Good luck helping Harry!”
With that, he goes up to the boys’ dorms.
It was awkward to keep opening doors to see younger students look at him with surprise since he doesn’t know which room leads to the fourth year dorms.
After a few failed attempts, he finally sees Ron lying in one of the beds which he assumes is the fourth year room.
“Ron!” Leo greets.
Ron jumps in surprise at the sight of him and sits up by the headboard of his bed. “Leo! How did you get in the Gryffindor’s Common Room?” he asks.
Leo looks around and sees two more students in the room.
“Yeah, what are you doing here?” one of them asks icily.
“Aren’t you a snake? Get your bloody arse out of here!” the other replies.
Leo raises his hands in surrender again. “I’m chill. I come in peace.”
“Dean, Seamus, it’s fine… but seriously, Leo, how did you get in here?” Ron asks.
“The twins,” Leo whispers at him.
“Ah, makes sense,” Ron replies.
“Go away or we’re calling a prefect,” one of them says.
“Seamus, it’s fine. Really,” Ron replies.
“Come on, Dean,” Seamus says. “I can’t stand being in the same room as a snake, and a traitor. Remember, Ron, you shouldn’t be cuddling with the snakes.” And so they left.
“Man, I feel like a hypocrite,” Ron laughs.
Leo laughs as well. “It’s fine. You warmed up to me anyway. I’m just charming.”
“So, why are you here? Looking for Harry?” he asks the last part rather bitterly.
“Actually, I’m here for you.”
“What?”
Leo sits on Ron’s bed by his feet. “You’re still not talking, huh?” he asks.
Ron looks away. “If you’re here to tell me that I should talk to him, save it. I’m not.”
“Did you ask your brother if he was here?” Leo asks. He sees Ron’s face flicker with an emotion. “Oh, so you did! What did he say?”
Ron huffs. “He said he’s not here. You really were taking the piss out of me.”
Leo’s brows furrow. “How can that be? I went to the Romanian Dragon Sanctuary and the dudes there said that he would be here handling the dragons for the tournament.”
Ron gives him a look. “How could you have been there? Charlie said the sanctuary is hard to find.”
Leo shrugs. “I’m just good at getting into trouble. I met a dude named Alexander and he’s like the head of the sanctuary. I was actually there to ask about dragons because I love dragons. They’re awesome and they’re the best, and I want to learn how they actually have fire in their bodies that they can throw at you, and—”
“Merlin, you sound like Charlie,” Ron laughs.
Leo laughs. “That’s what the dudes in the sanctuary said, too. They said even though they were in the sanctuary longer, the best person to ask about everything I want to know is Charlie Weasley. I thought Weasley is a common surname here in Europe so I didn’t know he was your brother.”
Ron hums. “So, he’s really here? Why would he say he’s not then?” Ron raises a brow skeptically at him.
Leo shrugs. “I mean, Harry told me that the champions weren’t supposed to know what the first task is. I accidentally let it slip out so Hermione is working on a way so he can survive fighting a dragon. But between you and me, I hope he doesn’t fight it because dragons are actually such gentle creatures, and I hate that a creature of fire gets hurt for no reason other than for entertainment. It’s not like drakons which are just aggressive schists. I met a dragon when I was in the sanctuary and they were attacking her with spells, but I found out she was just angry that one of her eggs was taken. Ah, sorry, I’m rambling. I just love dragons so much.”
Ron gives him a small look. “So, you’re really serious about all this?”
Leo nods. “Yeah, dude. I’m not making this schist up. I’m not a good liar,” he lies smoothly. He sighs, “Look, I know what it’s like to be jealous of your best friend.”
“It’s not just him,” Ron says with a sigh, resting his head on the headboard. “In my family, all my brothers are achievers. I’m always overlooked. And now even my best friend gets the glory. It’s just… I’m sick of it.”
Leo nods. “Yeah I get it. I was in an orphanage and got thrown around in a bunch of foster homes. All of the kids with me always get chosen first, and get adopted, but I’m not. Then I went to school, and my best friend Jason is strong, handsome, and a powerful de—wizard. Look at me, I’m scrawny. It can get annoying to be the seventh wheel in a group of seven. I always get overlooked, too. That's why I’m here in Europe. I… got sick of being forgotten. My friends love me, of course, but they all have their lives to do in the US. I don’t blame them… I’m left behind so I left. I’m not proud of it, but it just… gets too much.”
“Yeah, I get what you mean,” Ron replies with a nod.
“But between you and me, I think I’m the lucky one.”
“Why?” Ron asks.
“Because whenever we have to fight someone or something, my best friends are often the targets. Not me. And even though they get the glory in the end, it’s not their fault that that’s what the Fates have in store for them.”
Ron hums. “Harry does get targeted a lot.”
“Yeah, by Darth Vader.”
“Huh?” Ron asks, dumbfounded.
“Darth Vader? You know? Star Wars?”
Ron shakes his head.
“You don’t know Star Wars? When you wear robes and have a dark lord?”
“What in Merlin’s beard are you talking about?”
Leo sighs. “Nevermind. But back to the topic, Harry’s being targeted and I don’t know you all long but even I saw how terrified Harry was when his name was called. He didn’t put his name in the Goblet of Fire. Someone wants him dead and it’s probably this Voldy Moldy guy.”
Ron laughs. “Voldy Moldy, damn, that’s funny. I should tell Harry to call him that if he gets targeted again… Do you really think this is another plot to get him killed?”
Leo shrugs. “It’s the most convenient thing. Everyone hates him, and he’s alone. If I were that Sith, I’d use this against him. Especially hearing how much Harry suffered from him.”
“What the bloody hell is a Sith?” Leo just shrugs. “So… he told you everything?” Ron asks.
Leo nods. “Just the general gist, I feel. Look, we can try to contact your brother if you need more proof of how dangerous this all is.”
He can feel Ron cracking, especially with the hesitant nod.
Leo writes to Charlie:
Yo, Charlie Weasley, right?
A little birdy told me you’re the best source of information when it comes to dragons. I traveled all around the world for a mentor, and I heard you’re somewhere in Scotland! Is that true?
Would like to meet you soon.
Sincerely,
A U.S. Dragonologist in Training
“There,” Leo says, satisfied that he does not sound like a student from Hogwarts in the letter. “Do you have an owl? You know, I still can’t believe you use owls, and quills. Ever heard of a pen? Geez.”
“Slow down, mate,” Ron laughs. “Yeah, I have an owl. Pigwidgeon.”
“…Bless you.”
“No, really, that’s the owl’s name.”
“Gods, who on Gaea’s sandy butt would—”
“My sister. She’s evil,” he says with a fond smile. “Anyway, convenient, too, because I don’t think Charlie’s ever met Pig. He won’t know he’s mine.”
With that, he and Leo send the owl.
Ron was just further explaining the rules of Quidditch when Pigwidgeon came back.
“You’re back already?” Ron asks in surprise.
Ron takes out the letter and reads it before Leo does.
He curses under his breath. “I gotta find Harry,” he says urgently, running from his place on the bed and falling on his face in an attempt to be quick.
Leo takes a look at the letter.
Hello!
Yes, that’s true. I didn’t know there were dragonologists in America! Are you a new group? I’d love to know how you heard about me, and I want to know more about who you are.
Is your owl, okay? I think he’s had it rough.
Sincerely,
Charlie
“I guess that answered your questions, huh?” Leo asks more to himself.
“It bloody well did,” Ron replies, angrily buttoning up his shirt.
“We don’t know where he is, though,” Leo says as Ron scrambles around his room.
“I know where he’d be when he’s sad. Merlin, I’ve been such a prat,” he says as he struggles to put on a sweater.
“Hey, better late than never,” Leo replies with a shrug. “Er, maybe wear your robes? Dinner’s starting soon. We got lucky Professor Creepy didn’t get a substitute in time,” Leo suggests.
“Right! Right,” Ron says, clumsily grabbing his robes which are hanging over a coat rack in the room.
He barely got one arm through his robes when he ran out the door.
Leo smiles in satisfaction.
With victory in mind, he calmly walks towards the common room. All eyes are on him and his Slytherin crest, and some are angrily yelling at him to get out.
He pays them no mind as he walks towards Hermione who has a big smile on her face.
“I saw him run out the common room door! You got through to him?” she asks him, standing up in excitement.
Leo shrugs, trying to act cool. “I’m just that good.”
“Oh! Thank you! Thank you! Thank you!” Hermione exclaims, wrapping her arms around Leo’s shoulder to hug him.
Leo gives her a friendly hug back before she quickly moves away from him with her whole face being red.
Leo laughs it off. “I’m charming that way.”
“Mister Valdez, what in Merlin’s beard are you doing in the Gryffindor Common Room?” he hears a familiar voice behind him.
He winces and slowly turns around to see the angry look on Professor McNuggets’ face.
Leo gives his most charming smile and says, “I got lost?”
“How did you get in the common room?” she replies, much calmer but also more exasperated.
Not wanting to get the twins in trouble, who are also on one side of the room with a look on their face that just says ‘Sorry, bro,’ he tells the professor, “I hid and waited near the door so I could hear one of the Gryffindors say the password.” He laughs awkwardly.
She groans. “Well, best go back to your own common room, Mister Valdez. And I will be informing your Head of House about your behavior.”
Leo cringes. “Mierda,” he whispers to himself.
[sh*t]
“As for you, lions, please be more cautious about the common room password. As soon as Mister Valdez leaves, we shall change the password once more.”
And with that, Leo gets kicked out of the Gryffindor Common Room, but he has a smile on his face when he sees Ron and Harry laughing together at the other side of the Dining Hall as he eats with his fellow Slytherins.
