Hello lol I'm back from the dead. Sorry, it's been a long time since we wrote. Unfortunately, RA Hanozaki isn't replying to me, CA Hawkins. So, I took matters into my own hands and will now be writing this fic on my own.

"And that's about it, really..." ends Leo as he gives a quick summary of what had happened to him in the past year.

"Bloody hell," the twins whisper to themselves, unaware they had said it at the same time and tone. Though, it wasn't unusual; they still weren't conscious about it, giving Leo the impression that twins really have their own power.

Leo, on the other hand, has no idea how he managed to say everything in a few minutes. They haven't even reached the castle of Hogwarts, and yet, he still finished his story. Then again, his hyperactivity is worse than anyone he knows—even Percy.

"That's a lot of information to take in," George comments thoughtfully.

"Now, I'm not that surprised the centaurs love you. I mean, they hate everyone but bloody hell, do they love you," Fred adds in bewilderment.

"Love me?" Leo scoffs. "They just gave me another prophecy. If they really loved me, they would tell me, 'Ah, yes, you'll have a peaceful year ahead of you,' and not 'Hey, kiddo, here's another adventure with a fifty percent chance of death. Good luck out there!' you know?"

"I don't know what to feel with how casually accepting you are about a prophecy made about you," George admits.

"I'm a demigod. These things happen a lot. I'm upset but not surprised."

Fred whistles. "I can't believe we are talking to an actual demigod."

Leo rubs the back of his neck. "Technically, you, guys, have godly blood in you, too. Sure, it's probably eons ago or something, but the fact that you have magic makes you a descendant."

Fred dismisses his words with a wave of his hand. "It's not as bloody awesome as being a direct child of a deity."

Leo chuckles, embarrassed. "It's not that great."

"Don't be so humble, mate," George scolds. "Where was the kid who said he loves looking at the mirror?"

Leo barks out a laughter. The twins share a look of confusion. "Sorry, sorry, you must have mistaken me for Narcissus, and trust me, that guy seriously loves his freaking reflection."

"Oh yeah, I read about him somewhere," George utters to himself.

"Dude, I met Narcissus. I'm telling you: it's worse than you think."

"What?!"

Leo blinks a few moments. "Er, a story for another time, I guess. Sorry, weird things happen a lot around me that I forget what I could sound like to those who aren't used to... my reality."

"Mate, you've got to stop apologising."

"Sorry."

An amused glance.

An embarrassed flush.

"Anyway," Leo cuts the silence, "last apology, I promise, but I'm really sorry I didn't tell you, guys, about me earlier. I even dragged you into the mess with the centaurs."

The twins shake their heads, stopping their walk to look at the little demigod.

"Mate, seeing the centaurs treat someone like that is one of the most memorable experiences in our trek at the Forbidden Forest," Fred reassures him with a pat on Leo's shoulder.

"Plus, we understand why you'd keep this a secret. I mean, people will think you're bonkers," George

"Bonkers?" Leo asks the unfamiliar slang.

"Yeah, you know, looney in the head."

"Loose screw in the head."

"Crazy like a box of cats."

"Crazy like Trelawney."

The twins shudder.

"I have no idea what the heck a Trelawney is but from the looks on your faces, I'm guessing I'm lucky I'm not like it," Leo chuckles.

"Oh, she's our professor in divination."

"Ah," Leo mutters distastefully at the memory of a prophecy over his head, "so, she deals with prophecies and all that jazz?"

"Come on, mate," Fred says as he wraps an arm around Leo's shoulders, "cheer up! You'll get through this prophecy in no time!"

Leo smiles before his mind snaps back at a problem at hand. "Oh gods, you can't tell anyone about the prophecy you heard, or about anything I told you earlier."

"Lips are sealed," George guarantees.

"Locked and key thrown in the Great Lake," Fred adds. "I have to ask, though; who else knows about all this?"

"About me being a demigod?"

"Yeah."

"Just you two… and the centaurs, I guess."

The twins share a look of surprise.

"How long are you staying here with Fast… Feast… Fe… er…?" Fred asks, struggling to remember the golden stead's name.

"Festus?" Leo asks. At the nod, he continues, "Until he gets fixed, I supposed. I was planning on going to Greece but I was intrigued when I learned that there are more dragons—not drakons—here in Europe. Maybe I could learn more about them and add better features to Festus." He smiles excitedly.

"Greece?" George asks. "Why are you going back there? I thought you fought the Earth goddess there?"

Leo shrugs. "Got bored, I guess," he lies, not wanting to say he wanted to find some closure after his many nightmares.

"Merlin, the shape Festus was in. It'll probably take you months to finish working on him," George realizes, dropping the other topic entirely, sensing a shift in the mood from Leo.

"Yeah, you should stay at Hogwarts. It's much safer than staying in the Forbidden Forest," Fred adds.

Leo hums. Hogwarts is a school and he is kind of reluctant to go since he vowed never to set foot in another school ever again. But then again, this is not just any other school.

It's a school for magic .

Hazel would be freaking out if she knew about this. That is, if Leo even gets the time to talk to the Mist Master.

Leo mentally shakes his head. No, he will not let himself spiral through negative thoughts at the moment. At least, not in front of these red-headed twins who are looking at him with smiles.

"Am I even allowed?" he asks after a beat.

"I mean, two other schools are coming here tonight. What's one more? You lied about Ilvermorny, right?" Fred asks. "It wouldn't hurt to add one more school."

"But we should probably inform the higher-ups about this. Maybe they could help with the arrangements… and the lie," George reasons.

"Dumbledore would be our best bet because he's the headmaster, but we should probably tell Minnie first," Fred tells George.

Leo's head moves back and forth from one twin over the other. He's impressed with how meticulous the two are as they scheme on letting him stay at Hogwarts.

"Who's Minnie?" Leo asks as the two nod at each other in agreement, probably forgetting that it's his fate they are talking about.

"Oh, Professor Minerva McGonagall. She's our head of house, and the deputy headmistress. She's much easier to approach than Dumbledore since her office is always open to Gryffindors," George explains.

"Gryffindor," Leo whispers to himself before turning back to the twins, remembering Alex's words earlier, "the house of the brave."

"It's the greatest house in Hogwarts," Fred replies proudly.

George cocks his head. "You know about Gryffindor?"

Leo nods. "Yeah, I met some wizard in Romania and he told me a lot about Hogwarts. He's the one who gave me a map to get here."

The two hum in reply.

"So, let's get to Professor McDonald's, then," Leo announces seriously.

"McGonagall," the twins say simultaneously.

Leo and the twins continue to talk about the differences of Camp Half-Blood and Hogwarts, with the latter giving tips on how to act around wizards and how to fake being a wizard, as they go through Merlin's gate.

The twins lead Leo through empty corridors which was fine with Leo since he doesn't want to be the talk of the school at the moment. Well, who wouldn't be curious about a random guy walking around looking like death came to mess up his fashion sense? Talking to the apparently current greatest pranksters of Hogwarts.

"So, where is her office?" Leo asks.

"It's on the first floor of the Defence Against the Dark Arts tower. Don't worry. We're almost there," George reassures him.

When the twins stop by a door, Leo looks at them expectantly and nervously. They give him a comforting smile before knocking on the door at the same time in a rather odd pattern.

"Come in, Messrs. Weasleys," a firm voice calls out from the other side of the door, making Leo freeze to the spot.

Slowly, the twins open the door to show a woman standing by a bookshelf with her back turned towards them.

"Good day, Professor Minnie."

A sigh.

"Mr. Weasley, how many times do I have to tell you not to call me—" her words falter as she finally takes in the sight of them.

He watches as her eyes widen and her posture straightens before she gives a stern glare at the twins beside him.

"What in the world have you two done now? And who are you?" she asks sternly but politely.

"My name is Leo Valdez, ma'am. I'm from America and I accidentally crashed through your school," he summarizes.

"Poor kid's a muggle," Fred says.

McGonagall sighs exasperatedly. "A true muggle would have been repelled when passing by. So, if he is a muggle, the only way he could be here is that you two deliberately brought him here. So, let me ask again: what is going on here?"

The twins laugh.

"We didn't do anything, professor. Honest!" Fred exclaims. "Leo, here, is a demigod."

"I beg your pardon?"

"Half-god, half-muggle," George explains.

A beat or two.

Leo's leg twitches at the silence and the dark glare on McGonagall's face.

"It's true, ma'am. I'm from Camp Half-Blood where other demigods are joined together to live freely from the monsters we intend to slay at the right moment. My father is Hephaestus, and my mother, Esperanza, is mortal. I need to stay here for a while because my friend and ride home is currently compromised."

The professor purses her lips before sitting down on the chair by her desk, eyes locked on Leo.

"If you need proof—" George starts.

"—Leo can make fire out of nothing!" Fred finishes for him.

"Oh! Er, yeah… I guess, right," he says dumbly as he nods fervently.

With a nod from the professor, Leo opens his right palm and lights it on fire. He lets the open flame dance on his fingertips before letting it sizzle down.

"I'm not a wizard," Leo admits. "I'm a demigod who can control fire. Also, I've been learning how to manipulate what a person perceives. It's called the Mist. There are those who are gifted enough to fool everyone. I can only do so much but well, you know, you gotta do what you gotta do. So, I learned it. Maybe it can help fake my magical power or something?"

McGonagall hums. "I believe a meeting with the headmaster is in order."

Leo can sense that the professor still can't believe what she is hearing, but is trying her best to help however she can. Like Chiron. She has easily earned his respect.

"Now, follow me, Mr. Valdez. Messrs. Weasleys, you need not join us," she says firmly.

"But—"

A stern glare and they sag in defeat.

"Come along, then."

They leave the office in silence with the twins giving him comforting pats on the back.

As they leave the Defence Against the Dark Arts Tower, they enter a quadrangle that is packed with students. They all stare at him and he instantly understands that they might not be used to seeing strangers in their school. Especially one who isn't wearing black robes and instead is wearing a ripped white shirt and cargo pants. He just thanks the gods his Camp Half-Blood shirt isn't ruined.

He looks around in awe instead of focusing on their whispers and glares. The castle is simply beautiful . The placing of the towers are as disorganized as he is and he knows Annabeth would have been irked by it.

The professor in front of him doesn't say a word to him—probably iffy with a stranger and a possible prank from the twins. She's probably thinking of what to make of me , Leo thinks.

They enter another tower with a great staircase and go to the second floor wherein he sees a corridor with a gargoyle at the far end.

Confusedly, they go towards the gargoyle and by this time, Leo had started to accept that looks can be misleading and that wizards do crazy things. This is proven when the professor utters, "Sherbet Lemon," and the gargoyle moves aside on its own to show a spiral staircase. [1]

McGonagall goes to the staircase and motions Leo to enter with her. As soon as he steps on the staircase, it slowly ascends on its own with the gargoyle going back to its place at the bottom of the staircase.

Once they reach the top, they are met with oaken double doors which Leo assumes would finally lead to the headmaster's office.

A jolly old voice calls out from inside after McGonagall knocked.

Leo marvels over the heavy amounts of knickknacks in the office before his eyes settle down to the old bearded wizard in purple robes—the one emitting a rather strong aura—whom he assumes is the headmaster.

"Professor, to what do I owe the pleasure?" Dumbledore asks after motioning them to sit on the seats in front of his desk.

McGonagall gives Leo a small look before turning back to the headmaster. "It seems we have a guest from America."

Dumbledore's eyes sparkle as he looks at Leo and he smiles. "You wouldn't be the demigod who was in the hospital wing earlier today, would you?"

Leo sees McGonagall's eyes widen at his words. "So, it's true?"

"I believe so," the headmaster replies. "Poppy came in rather rattled earlier. She casted a diagnostic charm on you," he says, looking over at Leo, "and to her surprise, you are a halfblood but of a different kind. It said your father is the god, Hephaestus, am I right?"

"Yes, sir. I'm a demigod from Camp Half-Blood which is at Long Island, New York."

McGonagall leans back on her seat as if she couldn't believe what was happening in front of her.

"Very well. I must inform the matron that our guest is here and well. She was surprised to find out that her patient is missing."

With that, the headmaster takes out his wand and flicks it. Out comes a white mist that takes the form of a bird that Leo suspects to be a phoenix. His mouth falls open to see the complex and beautiful magic for the first time since arriving in the school of magic.

Dumbledore tells the misty phoenix to tell the matron about her interesting patient. The phoenix gives a small nod before flying away and through the wall.

"That was so cool," he exclaims.

The headmaster gives an amused smile. "Glad you think so, Mr... Valdez , was it?"

Leo nods and looks at the headmaster in the eye.

That's when a heavy weight drops in his head and he brings his hands up to his temples. Squeezing his head since he feels like his brain is falling apart, he moans in pain. As he closes his eyes from the pain, the weight dissipates slightly but doesn't disappear entirely.

"Ow," he mutters. "My head hurts," he tells no one. Leo's brows furrow as he concentrates on trying to feel better when the weight lifts up immediately.

He lets out a heavy sigh before looking up at an in pain Dumbledore and an angry McGonagall.

"Using legilimency without permission!" McGonagall bellows. "The nerve—the audacity—"

"I apologise, Mr. Valdez," Dumbledore expresses sheepishly.

"Huh? What happened?" Leo asks, confused. "What's legi-legilly-lego-legiliabracadabra?"

" Legilimency , Mr. Valdez, is the art of getting into one's mind," the headmasters states.

"What?! Like… mind-reading?"

"In a sense. I apologise for using it on you, Mr. Valdez, but I am surprised you were able to detect me immediately," he continues.

"You were the headache?" Leo asks.

"I've never been pushed out in that violent manner before. You must be a natural Occlumens," he hums. "Although, I should not have been surprised since you are literally half-god. I am not as strong as you are." [2]

"What's an Occlumens?"

"They are able to detect and eventually push people out of their brains."

"Headmaster, what on Earth were you thinking? Using legilimency on a child!"

"I apologise." "I am not a child !"

"Casting that irresponsible behaviour aside," McGonagall starts, giving the headmaster a nasty glare, "we need to know what to do with you—" she turns to Leo—"and how you are leaving the school."

Leo rubs the back of his neck. "Actually, ma'am," he starts nervously, "I was actually planning on staying."

She blinks once. "I'm sorry?"

"My ride home is currently… destroyed. It'll take me some time to bring him back to pieces. Especially since I am not in my Bunker at Camp Half-Blood, I don't have the proper tools and all. So, I'll have to make do with what I have now. It isn't enough so fixing Festus would take longer and—"

"Festus? Who's Festus?" McGonagall cuts off his rambling.

"Oh, he's my way home. He's a golden mechanical dragon my old siblings made," Leo says the last part proudly, suddenly missing his siblings and Bunker Nine. He mentally shakes his head to rid himself the melancholy thoughts. "I need to stay. Also, I heard there was a tournament here involving dragons. It's why I came here, actually. Some guy named Charlie Weasley—the recommended dragonologist—is here. I wanted to know more about dragons so I can improve on the features on Festus!" he says excitedly.

Dumbledore's eyes sparkle, and Leo can tell that the headmaster trusts his words. He doesn't know why but he was not going to complain. [3]

"Have you talked to anyone about your… real identity?" Dumbledore asks.

Leo nods. "Fred and George Weasley know. I also met three other students. Harry, Ron, and Hermione, but they think I'm from Ilvermorny."

He ignores the shared knowing yet amused look between Dumbledore and McGonagall.

"It doesn't hurt to continue with that story," Dumbedore starts, "but I also think it would be better for you to pretend to be a transferee from Ilvermorny, especially since you're alone instead of having other students with you. It could have been convenient to say that the tournament attracted Ilvermorny, but what could explain the missing older students and their headmaster?"

McGonagall hums in agreement.

"Okay, transferee it is," Leo agrees. "Can I work on Festus here? He's currently being guarded by the centaurs in the forest."

"Guarded?" McGonagall asks.

Leo hums. "Yes, ma'am. They're taking care of him for me in case a monster comes for him or something. I don't know. Fred and George told me some stuff about the forest being dangerous and all that."

The two adults share another look.

Dumbledore replies, "Well, we can talk to one of the centaurs to get your friend back to Hogwarts and you can work on him here. Being the son of Hephaestus, I believe you are equipped with the skill of inventing and innovating?" Leo nods. "Also, I know you are fifteen years of age, but since Year Five is for the Ordinary Wizarding Level, I believe the classes will be difficult for someone who is not a wizard. We'll put you in Year Four which is advantageous since you already met three Fourth Years."

Leo nods before asking, "Sir, can I have my own room where I can work on Festus?"

"Absolutely not," Professor McGonagall speaks up. "It would be too suspicious that you are not sleeping with your fellow housemates."

"Housemates?" Leo asks.

"As a new student, you will abide by the rules and regulations of our institution. One of these is getting sorted and being part of a house. There's four of them—"

"The brave one. The hard-working one. The smart one. The ambitious one. Yes, I'm aware," Leo intervenes before another lecture about the four houses of Hogwarts. "I wanna know how I'm getting sorted, though. Can it be here now?"

McGonagall hums before replying, "The sorting is a public event. I'm afraid to say that we are going to have to follow our tradition."

Leo squirms at the thought of being sorted in front of everybody, but surely it mustn't be as different as when he was claimed by his father, must it?

"Okay," he responds calmly.

—oOo—

Leo stands awkwardly in his black robes as he stands on the side of the Great Hall. He looks around in amusement at the three different shades of robes in front of him—blue robes which he suspects is from the French school he went to earlier (gods, was that just this morning? he thinks to himself), and red robes from the Bulgarian one.

He didn't hear much of the announcements because he was too preoccupied at staring at the goblet with the blue flames in the middle of the hall. He starts to wonder whether he can control magical fire, too.

He comes back to reality when he hears his name get called by McGonagall and he tries to ignore everyone's stare and whispers as he walks to the front and sits on the stool placed there.

An old hat is placed on top of his head.

It hums then yells:

"SLYTHERIN!"

—oOo—

AN:

[1] In the book, Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire, Harry goes to Dumbledore's Office and uses the password, "Sherbet Lemon."

[2] Genius Intellect. Leo and Annabeth are the only ones amongst the Prophecy of Seven who have this ability. This would mean that Leo has a strong genius ability to be aware of any outward interference in his brain. In this case, another mind.

[3] Remember that Madam Pomfrey showed him Leo's diagnostics. It was written there that his titles include that he was the Defeater of Gaea. Dumbledore probably knows about Gaea but in the way everyone else knows about Gaea—not like how the demigods do. So whether or not she was evil, Dumbledore knows fighting a deity and defeating them shows how powerful Leo is.

It is also included that Leo is a Hero of Olympus. If he defeated Gaea and she was not evil, Leo would not have the title of being a hero. Dumbledore most likely concluded that Gaea is a person to defeat and thus turning Leo into a hero. This would show how Leo is in the path of good.

It also showed that Leo is the Admiral and Creator of Argo II. Again, Dumbledore is most likely aware of the myths and legends and has heard about the original Argo and can imagine what the Argo II entails. This would have given the impression that Leo is a good commander since he is the admiral of a ship, and a genius if he is the creator of said ship.

Lastly, it's showed that Leo is the Head Counselor of Cabin Nine. Dumbledore probably doesn't know what Cabin Nine is but being a head counselor probably gave him the impression that Leo is a good team leader and is good with being around other people.