Fun fact: All my chapter titles are four words each.

Also I was so motivated by the positive reviews that I was able to write quicker!

—oOo—

Leo sighs. This morning, so far, is uneventful. He just finished his Arithmancy class, and the math involved is too easy for someone like him, which makes it a tad bit too boring. Hermione was impressed by his math skills, though. He's glad he has a friend in class in the elective. At first, Hermione kept berating him for not listening and not paying attention. But when he was called for recitation, he answered perfectly.

The class before that was the complete opposite. Sure, at first it was cool to be taught a history class by a freaking ghost, but when the ghost started talking, Leo almost ripped his face off from how bored he was. He was just glad the professor didn't care that he was making some small machines on his desk. Hermione was not impressed this time.

He sits at the Slytherin table for lunch, with a heavy heart.

It's the first of November and he can't help but think of his mother.

It doesn't help that he heard his mother's screams just two days ago from that weird monster he still doesn't know of. Reliving one of his worst memories is haunting him even worse today. It's one thing to dream or remember it since memories and dreams can be hazy. But it's another to be forced to go back to his memories vividly. What kind of monster would make someone go through all that?

He eats quietly, and he can tell Nott and Zabini are finding it odd that he's not being loud right now, but they don't talk either.

Leo finishes his food quickly before standing up and going out of the Dining Hall. He stands by the doors to the Courtyard. He takes a deep breath.

One. Two. Three.

And he heads to the basement leading to the kitchen.

Remembering to tickle the pear on the painting of the bowl of fruit which the twins showed him, the said pear giggles and turns into a large green door handle. Leo opens the door and is met with excited elves with ears almost like his own.

"What might you need, sir?" a nearby elf asks him.

"Can… Can I cook here?" he asks them.

They all look at him as if he grew a large head. "NO!" an elf yells.

"We should serve you!" another exclaims.

"Please. Let us serve you!" another one cries.

"No, I need to be the one to cook, but you can help me prepare it," he says with a smile. "I'm a good cook, promise."

It took some more convincing but they finally let him.

After that ordeal, Leo walks back to the Slytherin common room, holding the freshly made tacos he had made in the kitchens.

Since everyone else is still having lunch, the common room is empty as well as the dorm. He heads to his bed and places the tacos on the bedside table.

Schist, I forgot to get some flowers, he thinks.

After a small internal debate, Leo leaves the Common Room with the tacos in his hands. Trying to be as quiet and invisible as he can, he walks out of the castle and heads to the lake the twins told him about.

He walks around it, trying to find the perfect spot with the best amount of flowers he can pick, and sees a tree in a secluded spot that seems to be hidden from the castle so no one will be able to catch him.

Slowly, he takes out the tacos and places it by the base of the tree.

To his disappointment, there are no marigolds around the area but he's not really expecting that much so he picks up some berry bushes, cattails, pickerelweed, hyacinths, and water lilies, and brings it by the base of the tree. He places them delicately around the plate of tacos.

Next, taking out the photograph from his toolbelt, he places his picture of him and his mom, and sets it to lean by the tree so it could stand. When it can't stand, he quickly makes a small steel frame for the photograph.

Leo also takes out a couple of trinkets he made out of steel and places them around his ofrenda for his mother. Taking out some candles from his toolbelt, he uses his fire to light them up before he sits before the ofrenda.
[altar][1]

"'Ola, mama. Lo siento. I don't have marigolds with me, so these flowers are my best bet. I hope you find your way back here with me, though."
[Hi, mom. I'm sorry.]

His mom's immortal smile in the picture looks back at him.

Leo smiles. "Speaking of finding your way, I'm sorry I couldn't make a better ofrenda. I was gonna do it in my room but I forgot flowers, and I didn't want to walk out and back again and have my racist roommate see me. So I'm out here. I'm in Europe, by the way. Seems I'll never have an ofrenda in the same place twice. Lo siento, mama. I'm really trying but… it's just so lonely, especially without you."
[altar][I'm sorry, mom.]

A pause.

"I have new friends. Imagine that? Me? And wizards, too. I wasn't able to talk more to George and Fred since yesterday because we're in different years, but they're pretty chill even when they found out I'm a demigod. Hermione, Harry, and Ron are nice, too. Ron and I had a little disagreement when I got sorted in Slytherin but he warmed up to me in the end. What can I say? I'm charming that way."

He chuckles.

"Hermione is kind enough to read me the Potions book even if it would have cost her points. She can be bossy but she can also be a little shy when you compliment her. She's very smart. And Harry… Dios mio, mama. I can see a bit of myself in him. Someone wants him dead. I can help him, of course, but poor dude. I don't think being on the brink of death is normal to wizards unlike us demigods… I hope nothing beats him up too bad."
[My god, mom.]

"Leo?"

Leo jumps in surprise at the sudden voice behind him.

Speaking of the devil, he thinks to himself.

Harry slowly walks over to him and looks over Leo's shoulder.

"What are you doing here?" Harry asks.

"I should be asking you that," he replies. "How long were you standing there?"

Harry shrugs. "I just came by. I needed some air. This is my usual spot."

"Oh," Leo says, "I'm just paying my respects to my mom. It's dia de los muertos. The day of the dead. It's a part of my culture."

"Dia—? So, it's a part of your culture, huh? Like in the American wizarding school?" Harry asks.

Leo shakes his head. "No, my Mexican culture."

"Ah, sorry, I'm not really too familiar with other cultures—both muggle and wizard. Didn't have access to explore the world, unfortunately," Harry replies sheepishly.

"It's fine," Leo reassures him.

"The day of the dead, huh? I assume your mother is, er…"

"Yeah," Leo confirms.

"My mother is, er…"

"Too?"

"Too. Father, too."

"Schist, that's awful," Leo replies. Harry nods.

"So, your father?" Harry asks.

Leo shrugs. "He's out there. Somewhere. Don't really know."

"That's awful," Harry replies.

Leo lets out a chuckle. "Sucks for us, huh? I told you, we're kinda like twins."

Harry moves to sit beside him. "Yesterday was the anniversary."

"Of?" Leo asks.

"My parents' deaths," Harry replies, not really looking at him.

"Gods, I'm sorry, I didn't know," Leo tells him.

Harry shakes his head. "I'm glad you didn't. Everyone else seems to know, though. Even I didn't, up until a few years ago."

"Why?" Leo asks in confusion.

Harry sighs. "Maybe I should tell you. There's this dark lord lurking around."

Leo nods. "Yeah, you mentioned him."

"He targeted my family when I was a year old. My parents tried to fight him off but they died doing so. Before my mum died, she—I don't know—casted an Ancient spell out of her love for me. When the dark lord—his name's Voldemort, by the way—when he tried to cast the Killing Curse on me, it backfired and took him out temporarily."

"Temporarily?"

Harry nods. "I don't know how, but he keeps coming for me ever since I started here. It's like a part of him still keeps coming back."

"Why you?" Leo asks.

"I think he's cheesed off that I nearly killed him when I was a baby," Harry jokes.

"Cheesed off?"

"Er, annoyed, I guess."

Leo laughs. "British slang can be difficult to understand for an American like me…" Harry chuckles. "Anyway, is that why you're famous here?"

Harry sighs. "I hate it. I'm famous for my parents' deaths. Isn't that just messed up?"

"You said you only found out about their deaths a few years ago?"

"I mean I always knew they were gone, but I only found out I'm a wizard when I was eleven," Harry tells him. "I was told they died in a car crash. Who would've thought they were killed by Voldemort."

"Ah, same as me, then. I only found out I was a… a wizard a few years ago," Leo replies, thinking how he only found out he's a demigod a few years prior.

He always knew he wasn't normal since he can control fire, but a demigod ?

"My mom died in a fire," Leo adds. It is only right he shares his side after Harry shared his. "I kinda caused it but it was an accident."

"I'm sorry. I remember you telling me you either make things explode or you get exploded on," Harry says.

"Yeah," Leo says.

Harry and Leo sit in silence beside each other, letting the breeze play with their unruly hairs. Leo sighs. It's almost rare to have him be this peaceful. He's glad he has a friend with him here even if the day is painful. Finding out Harry's parents' deaths' anniversary was yesterday makes him feel less alone in feeling orphaned.

"How are you holding up with the whole tournament thing?" Leo asks after a while, remembering how the Gryffindors cheered this morning at breakfast the moment Harry went into the Dining Hall. People were flocking him but he did see Harry leave.

This seems to deflate Harry. "Ron doesn't believe me. Hermione does, though."

"That you didn't put your name in?" Leo asks. Harry nods in reply. "Well, at least, Hermione does," Leo consoles.

Harry clicks his tongue. "It's not the same. I just wish Ron would grow up. Hermione said he's jealous. That he's jealous I'm famous. That he's been competing for attention since he has a lot of siblings and now his best friend is also famous, and that the tournament is just one too many of my getting the glory," Harry spits.

Leo nods. "I think I can understand why he'd be jealous. My best friend back in the US, Jason, he's a big shot, too. He's tall, handsome, strong, and powerful. And me? Well, look at me. I'm vertically challenged, weak, and not as powerful. I'm just an ordinary de—wizard. But now, I realize, it's not really his fault that that's what the universe wanted for him. In fact, I think sometimes he has a worse fate than me."

Harry sighs. "I wish Ron would think like that. He's being stupid."

"Yeah, he is. Why don't you talk to him?"

"I'm not running around after him trying to make him grow up," Harry spits.

"Well, if you don't do anything, then nothing will happen," Leo replies with a shrug.

Harry wraps his arms around his knees, and places his hands on his head. "Why won't he just believe me? He's supposed to be my best friend."

Leo places a hand on Harry's back. "Yeah, it sucks. It's not your fault, though. He'll realize it soon."

"I wish he does," Harry grumbles.

"So, I guess you coming here is because things aren't going well, huh?" Leo points out.

"There's a chance this is Voldemort's doing, too," Harry says.

"That dark lord dude?" Leo asks.

"Yeah. At some point or another, he tries to infiltrate the school to save himself and kill me in the process," Harry answers matter-of-factly.

Leo winces. "Can't anyone help you?"

Harry shakes his head. "Either teachers are incompetent, teachers are the ones trying to kill me for Voldemort, or teachers are too busy doing something else and they won't believe anything I say."

"Yikes," Leo says, not really sure what else to say. "And I thought Hogwarts is a bit more organized than this. I think I might have made a mistake enrolling here," Leo laughs. "I don't regret it, though. At least, I made friends here."

"Why did you enroll here?" Harry asks.

"I told you. I was told about the dragons in the tournament, and I wanted to see. I'm kinda a fan of dragons, if that's not too obvious. I was supposed to talk to some guy named Charlie since he's here and managing the dragons from Romania."

"You don't mean Charlie Weasley, do you? Ron's brother?"

"Oh, Weasle y! I thought it was just a common surname here. I didn't think the two would be related! And brothers!" Leo exclaims. "I hope he can give me tips on how to deal with dragons so you can do more besides calming them down by talking."

Harry groans. "Merlin, I'll have to fight a dragon."

"Yo, promise me you won't hurt them," Leo asks.

Harry sighs. "I won't promise that but I will try my best." A pause. "Thanks, Leo. For believing me. I don't usually make friends easily, or tell people stuff, but with you, it's just easy."

Leo shrugs jokingly. "What can I say? I'm a charmer."

They spend some time in silence. Leo watches the flame on the candle sway along with the light breeze.

"She's pretty," Harry says, nodding at the photo Leo has of him and his mom.

Leo smiles. "She is…" Leo says. "Her name was Esperanza."

"Mine's James and Lily," Harry says. "Sorry about your loss."

"I'm sorry, too, about yours. At least, I have eight years worth of memories with her."

"Yeah… Hey, lunch is almost over. We should head back."

Leo sighs, taking the photo and the flowers with him.

"Let's go?" Harry asks.

"Off we go," Leo replies, holding on to the flowers and the taco.

He and Harry separate when Harry heads to Gryffindor Tower and Leo heads to the Slytherin common room.

Unfortunately for him, his roommates are already in the dorm.

When he enters, they look at him and look confused at what he has in his hands. But none of them comment on it—not even Malfoy.

Thanking his luck, he quickly makes his small ofrenda on his bedside table, and prepares his stuff for the Slytherin Charms class.

—oOo—

"Hey," Leo greets Ron, sitting beside him in their Transfiguration class.

"What are you doing here?" Ron whispers as Professor McDonald's starts the lecture.

"Just wanted to talk to you, and I'm guessing you don't want to sit next to Harry this time," Leo points out.

"No, I don't," Ron spits out bitterly.

"You don't really think he put his name in the goblet, do you?" Leo asks genuinely.

"You didn't hear him," Ron replies. "The day before, he said he would have put his own name there. I mean, a thousand galleons prize money? And be the youngest Triwizard Tournament winner in centuries? Why wouldn't he want to put his name in there?"

Leo hums. "I don't know the full story but I heard people keep trying to kill him every year. Don't you think this is another way?"

Ron's brows furrow. "What do you mean?"

"He didn't put his name in there. Someone else did. They want him dead. I already know for a fact that the Triwizard Tournament is gonna be deadly." Leo shrugs.

"How?" Ron asks skeptically.

"I went to Romania before coming here. In the Dragon Sanctuary. I was researching about dragons and the people there suggested I come here to talk to one of their experts—Charlie Weasley."

"My brother?"

"Yeah, he's one of the people who came here."

"He's in Scotland?"

"Yeah, he and a group of dragonologists brought dragons here for the tournament. I have a feeling that the first task is fighting a dragon."

Ron narrows his eyes on him. "You're taking a piss out of me, aren't you?"

"What in Tartarus's name does that mean?" At Ron's confused look, he explains, "What does 'taking a piss out of you' mean?"

"Like… pranking me? Did the twins put you up to this?" Ron asks.

Leo shakes his head. "I wish I was."

"Valdez, Weasley, I really would like to know what you two had been whispering about. Would you care to tell the rest of the class?" Professor Sausage McMuffin scolds them.

Both he and Ron turn red at the sudden attention, and they both apologize.

As soon as Professor McNuggets continue the lesson, Leo whispers, "So you'll talk to Harry?"

Ron rolls his eyes. "I don't believe you."

"You can ask your brother for proof." Leo shrugs. "But trust me, Harry didn't put his name in the goblet of fire. Did you see his face when he got called? Dude was terrified schist-less."

Ron looks a bit less skeptical when he makes that point but huffs in reply.

Leo doesn't push further.

They listen to the lecture once more and when it is time for the practical lesson, Leo finds it hard to use the Mist. At one point, he just decides to get a half-transfigured pincushion from a poor unsuspecting Ravenclaw and uses the Mist to make the poor dude think he still hasn't transfigured his hedgehog. [2]

He puts the hedgehog-pincushion hybrid in front of him, tells the professor he's having a hard time transfiguring and spends the rest playing with a stick to make it look like he's just not getting a hang of Transfiguration.

—oOo—
FOOTNOTES

[1] The multi-day holiday involves family and friends gathering to pay respects and to remember friends and family members who have died.

Traditions connected with the holiday include honoring the deceased using calaveras and marigold flowers known as cempazúchitl, building home altars called ofrendas with the favorite foods and beverages of the departed, and visiting graves with these items as gifts for the deceased.

[2] In Chapter Fifteen "Beauxbatons and Durmstrang" in the Goblet of Fire, page 233, McGonagall mentions that Hermione is the only one who was able to perfectly transfigure her hedgehog to a pincushion.