Being scolded by Professor Snape for being late to meet him was not a good start for Leo's first morning at Hogwarts. Half of the meeting was just him being reprimanded, and the other half is the professor asking him questions he doesn't know the answers to. He just lied through his teeth.

"The prefects informed me last night that you set the bedroom on fire," the professor told him the minute he was done berating him for being late.

"It was an accident."

"Mr. Valdez, you are a fourth year student, and you shouldn't be having accidental magic at this age. Are you lying to me, Mr. Valdez?"

"No, I— Ow. " He felt that heavy weight in his head again, as if he's Zeus giving birth to Athena. Where's his dad when he needs someone to crack his skull open? [1] So he fought the pain by scrunching his whole face, and squeezing his thighs with his hands to bear the pain.

When the pain lifted, he sighed in relief—only to see Professor Snape standing by the wall crouched over with his hands on his head. Didn't this happen to Rumble Roar yesterday? Was this professor trying to read his mind like he did?

He shook his head and apologized to the professor for throwing him out, even though deep inside, he felt that the professor deserved what happened to him.

The professor didn't intrude on his mind after that. But he didn't miss the stare from the professor as he left his office.

Thankfully, he was able to get a schedule with Care of Magical Creatures for his electives because that sounds awesome. He also took Divination which the professor wasn't too pleased with, but with the amount of prophecies he's been encountering, he'd rather learn how it happens so he never gets caught off-guard with receiving one. The last one he took was Arithmancy, which he was told was also a form of Divination but with lots of Math, and honestly, he'd rather take one that seems easy.

Because of this morning ordeal, he goes to the Great Hall still rather sleepy, with bouts of excitement entering his system when he remembers he's gonna see more magic today.

As soon as he enters the Great Hall, he sees the twins urging him to go towards them. With a smile, he does so.

"Hey, guys," he greets them as he approaches.

"What's he doing here?" the twins' younger brother asks in a hostile manner, surprising Leo at the change from yesterday.

"Oh honestly, Ronald," the girl who looks like Hazel says.

"We want to greet our most noble guest from America," George says.

"I don't see why we have to continue to be welcoming to a snake," Ron—Is it Ron?—says with a roll of his eyes.

"Geez, the house rivalry really is big here, even with you, guys?" Leo asks.

"Yeah," the Percy-look-alike whose name he also forgot but he believes it starts with an H says.

"I don't think I can trust a snake," Ron replies.

Leo sees the twins open their mouths to retort but he cuts them off. "Look, man," Leo starts, "I don't really know what's going on with your houses. I just so happen to be sorted in Slytherin. Doesn't mean I know what they do. I'm literally from the U.S. I don't have any prior knowledge of your culture." He shrugs.

"Why don't you sit with us, Leo, our American friend?" Fred asks.

He looks at the Gryffindor table. "That's allowed?" he asks, remembering how it is not allowed in Camp Half-Blood.

"There isn't really a rule that that should be the case," George replies with a shrug.

Leo looks towards the Slytherin table where most are whispering among themselves and looking at him from time to time.

"I would love to," Leo starts, "but since the rivalry here can cause a war, I think it's best I don't aggravate the Slytherins. It'll be easier for us this way."

"You really are a sneaky snake, aren't you our dear friend?" Fred jokes.

"Valdez, what are you doing here in this… area?" Malfoy, appearing from nowhere, asks beside him.

Leo jumps up from his skin and looks at the platinum blond in surprise. The moment he set his eyes on the other Slytherin, he felt himself turn cold, and all emotions of concern and happiness from seeing the twins disappear. He felt he was like Khione, who is his total opposite since he's made of fire.

"Malfoy," he greets coldly.

"I wouldn't sit here if I was you," Malfoy replies. "With all these… people," he says the last word as if it's the most disgusting thing in the world.

"Who said I was sitting with them?" Leo asks.

Malfoy's brows raise. "Then what are you doing here?" he asks.

"Talking to my friends," Leo replies dead-pan hostile.

"Didn't you just say you were—"

"They're my friends but I'm not sitting with them. I think that's easy enough to understand?" Leo asks, looking up at the ceiling of the hall as if he's bored. He really doesn't want to talk to this racist motherf—

"Remember the first rule, Valdez," Malfoy warns before leaving.

Leo lets out a heavy sigh as if he just went through the most difficult thing he had ever done in his life. He doesn't usually act cold towards people, but insulting his mother? There's a bridge you can never cross.

The twins suddenly clap, bringing him back to reality. He laughs, scratching the back of his head in embarrassment. "Guys…" he starts.

"You really do fit in Slytherin," Ron says icily.

Leo sighs. "I'm telling you: the rules in Slytherin are making my head hurt. And I have Malfoy as my roommate, you can imagine how that goes."

Percy-look-alike winces. "Poor you."

"It's just a matter of time before he goes all cuddly with Malfoy," Ron continues, stabbing the egg on his plate.

Leo's nose crumples at that. "What a sight that would be. Well, messrs George and Fred, I have to go cuddle with the snakes," he says, saluting them.

"Actually, we have something to do, too," George says.

"So we're finishing breakfast early," Fred adds.

The three wave their goodbyes at each other as Leo walks back to the Slytherin table and the twins leave the Gryffindor table.

He sits beside Nott who is sitting beside Zabini, eating breakfast in silence. Leo sighs as he eats quietly, kind of jealous at the noise the Gryffindors are making.

I should have been in Gryffindor. It's more fun there, he thinks as he stabs a sausage on his plate. He looks at his class schedule for the day.

Since it's Monday, he has Transfiguration with the Ravenclaws, Potions with the Gryffindors, Care of Magical Creatures, and Defense Against the Dark Arts.

I guess I'll be using a lot of the Mist today, he thinks, still not used to using it even after Hazel taught him how.

"Why were you at the Gryffindor table earlier?" Zabini asks him suddenly.

"Huh? What? Oh… I'm friends with George and Fred. I thought I was friends with their younger brother and his friends, but I guess I was wrong."

"You mean Weasley, Granger, and Potter?" Nott suddenly asks.

Leo nods. "Yeah, the five of them were the first people I met in the clinic."

Nott shakes his head. "If you aim to stay in Slytherin, you should avoid the Golden Trio."

Leo tilts his head in confusion. "The Golden Trio?" he asks.

"Potter, Granger, and Weasley. The Golden Trio of Gryffindor house. Their main enemy is the Slytherin house. They're the reason we keep losing the House Cup. And before you ask, the House Cup is an award at the end of the school year. Each house gains or loses points that affect the school standing for the House Cup. Slytherin has been winning year after year but ever since the Golden Trio came, the Gryffindors keep winning. It's because the headmaster keeps favoring them. Plus Gryffindors and Slytherins hate each other. It's common knowledge here," Nott explains.

"But why?" Leo asks. "The school rivalry seems deeper than that of the House Cup."

"It's a long history that goes way back, especially about Potter," Zabini adds. "You don't need to worry about it. For now, at least." He shrugs.

"I think he would, considering, you know," Nott adds.

"He'll find out soon enough," Zabini replies with a shrug.

"Hello, I'm right here," Leo jokes, not really liking them talking about him when he's there. "And I'm pretty sure we don't need to divide ourselves this way for some stupid rivalry," Leo replies, as he bites on a hashbrown.

"You better not say that outloud near other Slytherins, especially Malfoy. They'll eat you alive," Nott berates him.

Leo shrugs. "I know a war when I see one. I'll try to behave, but I'm not gonna avoid people just because of history. We shouldn't repeat history. That's why that's all in the past. At least, that's what I think."

Nott shakes his head. "You won't last a month in Slytherin."

"If I can unite the houses with this method, then I'll be a successful Slytherin since we're all about ambition, right?" Leo smiles.

Zabini and Nott shake their heads but keep quiet instead of replying.

He watches as the other students examine the Goblet of Fire which is placed in the middle of the hall. A thin golden line has been traced on the floor, forming a circle ten feet around it in every direction. [2]

That is, when he sees Fred, George, and another student whispering among themselves as they enter the hall.

They did say they were up to something, he thinks to himself.

He watches as Fred walks right up to the edge of the line and stands there, rocking on his toes like a diver preparing for a fifty-foot drop. Then, he takes a deep breath and steps over the line. In his excitement since nothing happens, George yells out in triumph and leaps after Fred. [2]

Then, a familiar sizzling sound echoes through the hall, the same thing he heard last night, and both twins get thrown out of the golden circle. A loud popping noise echoes after and both of them sprout identical long white beards.

Everyone laughs and the twins join in. Leo whistles in their direction and the twins pose in response.

"I did warn you," says Professor Dumbledore who enters the Great Hall. He looks at the twins. "I suggest you both go up to Madam Pomfrey. She is already tending to Miss Fawcett, of Ravenclaw, and Mr. Summers of Hufflepuff, both of whom decided to age themselves up a little too. Though I must say, neither of their beards is anything like as fine as yours." [2]

After that goes down, he finishes a quiet breakfast then he walks with Nott and Zabini to their Transfiguration class with the Ravenclaws.

Fortunately, for him, today was mostly theoretical and they didn't even do any wand-work which reminds him that he needs to find a better stick than the piece of wood he got from his toolbelt he's still wearing underneath his robes. Or, at least, he needs to design it to look like his classmates' instead of just a plain long piece of wood.

As soon as class is over, he tells Nott and Zabini he's heading to the bathroom. Which he did, except instead of using the bathroom, he hides in a stall to carve the wood he got in his toolbelt to look like an actual magic wand.

He finishes just about time when he heads to the dungeon for his Potions class.

Everyone has paired up already except the front table with Hazel look-alike.

"Hi," he tells her, sitting beside her.

"Oh, umm, hi," she replies hesitatingly.

"Is it cool if I sit here? Everywhere else is full," he replies.

"No, it's okay. Are you good with Potions? I'd like to get full marks as much as I can," she replies.

"Er, I'm not quite sure actually. This is my first time doing Potions," Leo replies, scratching his head.

"Oh no," she whispers.

"By the way, can I get your name again? I forgot, sorry," he says.

The girl's eyes widen in surprise before she whispers, "It's Hermione Granger."

"Oh right," Leo says. "Since you're Gryffindor, I assume it's okay if I address you by your first name?" he jokes.

"Is it different in Slytherin?" Hermione asks.

Leo chuckles. "Very. It's a bit hard to adjust. Call me Leo. Anyway, don't worry about me. I'm told I'm really good at cooking. We just need to follow the instructions, right? Get the timing right? Easy peasy."

"I sure hope so."

They sit in silence before Professor Snape walks in.

Leo notices the look the professor gives him, probably wondering why he's sitting next to a Gryffindor, but doesn't comment on it.

The professor lectures on the effects of the ingredients they'll be using today which makes his classmates scratch their heads in confusion. To his surprise, the professor's lecture makes perfect sense. Then, it was time to apply the lecture.

He looks at the textbook which brings him to his next dilemma.

He can't read.

Hermione comes back with the ingredients they need and sits beside him.

"Uh, Hermione?" he starts.

"Yes?"

"Can you tell me what it says in the book?" he asks sheepishly.

"Can't you just read it?" she asks, seeming a little irritated.

"I'm dyslexic," Leo just says.

Hermione looks at him in surprise before she starts to read him the first three instructions.

"All right, you start the fire to warm the water, and I'll make the paste from the bloodroot stems. After I put it in later, I'll stir it right while you mince the Valerian root," Leo instructs while he's in his chef-mode.

"Ten points to Slytherin for your leadership, Mr. Valdez," the professor suddenly says beside him. "And ten points from Gryffindor for being so noisy, Ms. Granger."

"But—" Hermione starts.

"Don't make me turn it to twenty," the professor threatens.

"Sir, she's just reading to me the book since I'm dyslexic," Leo interjects. "I asked her to."

The professor glares at him while he hears his fellow Slytherins whisper among themselves and he realizes the rivalry is also among his head of house. He's doomed.

"Five points to Slytherin for finding a solution to your problem," the professor replies before walking away.

"But—" Leo starts but Hermione puts a hand on his arm to stop him.

"It's okay. It's always been like this," she whispers.

"It's not fair," Leo starts.

"I know. Let's just finish the potion."

And so they did, and they did it perfectly. Leo bottles up their potion and puts it on the professor's desk before leaving the lab.

As soon as they leave the room, he looks around and catches up with Hermione.

"Hermione, wait!" Leo says.

The two other boys with her turn around as well at his call. Ron glares at him and pulls Hermione away and walks faster. "Ron!" she groans.

But Leo is faster than any of them and catches Hermione by the arm gently to stop them.

"Wait," he starts.

"What do you want?" Ron throws his words as if they are daggers. "Here to make us lose points again?"

"Honestly, Ron! It wasn't his fault!" Hermione cuts him off.

"What is it?" Percy-look-alike asks him hesitantly.

"Yeah," Leo starts. "Er, I just want to thank you, Hermione, for reading the instructions for me. I totally forgot we need books in school," he laughs. "I forgot I'm dyslexic since I haven't held a book in years. Sorry, too, for making you lose points."

"You're welcome," Hermione says with a smile. "And thank you for defending me from Professor Snape. I think you caused yourself trouble with the Slytherins for what you did. It was very brave of you."

"I really didn't think it was brave of me. I was just correcting him because he was wrong," he chuckles. "I'm sorry again for making you lose points."

"Oh, it's okay. I'm surprised it's only ten points. Plus, you were a good Potions partner. We're a good team!" Hermione replies, smiling wider.

"Thanks for looking out for her," Percy look-alike says.

"Um, dude, can I ask for your name again? I forgot. Sorry, I have ADHD," Leo asks, embarrassed. The other boy looks at him, as if trying to hide a smile.

Jeez, it's like he loves it when people ask who he is, Leo thinks to himself.

"What's ADH—" Ron starts but Hermione promises him quietly to explain later.

"It's Harry. Just Harry," Harry replies.

"Neat. I can call you by your first names," Leo jokes.

At the questioning look on Harry's face, Hermione answers, "Apparently, it's different in Slytherin."

Leo nods. "You can only call each other's first names if you're complete and total best friends. Otherwise, it's on a last name basis. I'm trying to adjust." Leo laughs.

"Wanna walk with us to the Great Hall?" Harry asks.

"Harry, what in Merlin's name—" Ron starts.

Leo turns to see everyone has already left and they're the only ones around near the dungeons. "Hm, risk a rumor going around at Hogwarts or keep the peace?" he starts. "I don't give a schist. Let's go!"

Ron grumbles. "I don't trust you."

"I know, but give me some slack. I'm a foreigner. Just like those other people from other schools," he replies as they walk together to the Great Hall.

"Okay, I'll give you a little bit of slack for trying to defend Hermione," Ron quietly says.

"Thanks. By the way, why are you called the Golden Trio?" he asks. The three immediately stop walking to look at him. "Guys?"

Harry rolls his eyes. "I don't know who started that term."

"I don't blame them," Hermione says. "Since our first year, we always end up in trouble regarding the school which ends up with us saving a life or saving the school itself. Honestly, we shouldn't be the one with that responsibility. We're only fourteen, and we were eleven back then."

Leo chuckles. "Don't get me started. I've been in trouble with… higher ups since I was a baby," he replies, remembering Tía Callida or Hera, as he has come to know her more.

"I bet it wasn't fighting trolls, battling a basilisk, meddling with time, or fighting a dark lord," Ron replies with a bit of pride.

Leo laughs. "I fought with gods. Don't underestimate me."

Ron laughs for the first time. "You know. You're kinda all right, Leo. I'll give you that."

"Jeez, thanks," Leo laughs.

"Boys," Hermione whispers in awe.

"We're here," Harry announces and most eyes are on them as they enter. Leo waves at the trio in goodbye as he goes to sit with the Slytherins.

As soon as he sits, Malfoy whisper-yells at him. "What are you doing with Potter?" he asks.

"You mean Harry? He's my friend," Leo replies with a shrug.

"He's Potter ," Malfoy whispers.

"Yeah? So what?" Leo asks, nonchalantly drinking from his pumpkin juice.

"A secret rule of Slytherins is to never associate yourself with Potter," Malfoy says.

"Well, I didn't know that, but we're already friends. I'm not ditching him for a rule no one told me. I'm still a Slytherin, I know that. It's not against the rules to be friends with students from another house. You can't stop me. Especially you," he tells him as he feels that crackling feeling he gets when he knows his fire is about to explode.

He closes his eyes and calms himself down. Malfoy backs down, seeming wary of him. Malfoy probably knows what Leo is capable of so he decides to save his own skin rather than provoke him.

Good.

So far, his first morning at Hogwarts seems okay.

—oOo—

FOOTNOTES:

[1] After swallowing Metis, Zeus began having extremely painful headaches. On this particular day, his headache became so powerful and so painful that Zeus cried out in such excruciating pain that the gods came running to check on him.

Hermes and Hephaestus arrived to see why Zeus was in pain, and Zeus told them of his excruciating pain in his head. Hermes directed Hephaestus to cut Zeus's head open to relieve him of the pain. When Hephaestus cut open Zeus's head, Athena was born

[2] Taken from Chapter Sixteen of Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire. Page 258 to 260.