Leona’s dorm vignette revolves around an incident from early in the school year where Jack takes issue with upperclassmen skirting the rules on the spelldrive field. In what is possibly their first conversation since Jack enrolled, Leona says, “I’ve heard about you. Rumors say you’re a real promising athlete, even as a freshman.”
Jack insists that he is only playing fair and everyone else is “hitting below the belt” because they can’t take him in a fair fight but Leona says, “I fail to see the problem. Playing smart to win a game is just common sense.”
Jack is shocked by Leona insinuating that he will “let these dirty cheaters off the hook” and Leona points out,
“You said they were ‘skirting the rules,’ which means they’re still legal. There’s nothin’ cowardly about it. That’s a legit tactic. Rule-wise, they’re not causing any problems. YOU, on the other hand, are being disruptive to the team. That’s a problem for the dorm.”
When Jack is out of earshot, however, Leona turns on the upperclassmen who had been harassing him, saying, “Don’t get all huffy just ’cause you’re losin’ to a frosh. It’s embarrassing to watch,” as though agreeing with Jack that they were only frustrated with their inability to beat him in a fair fight.
Later Leona overhears the same upperclassmen planning to “knock Jack down a peg,” and even Ruggie recommends that they let the other students “put a little fear into lack and teach him to respect the rest of his dorm.”
The upperclassmen confront a lone Jack with thirty other students with Leona intervening once they begin to use magic in the brawl:
“If all you were doing was roughing Jack up, I was gonna write it off as rough play and let it go…You’ve got a whole squad here and you STILL came out lookin’ like fools. None of you have what it takes to lead a pack.”
The students decide to turn on Leona instead and Jack tries to tell Leona that this is not his fight, but Leona orders Jack to stand down: “Thirty mice still ain’t a match for one lion.”
Leona deflects every spell that is cast at him (“We can’t possibly be this outmatched!”) and then begins to invoke his unique magic, only stopped once Ruggie intervenes, pointing out that the students have al “passed out from sheer terror.”
Jack asks why Leona came to his rescue and Leona responds, “Babysitting a pup that ain’t even opened its eyes yet is part of the housewarden job description,” calling Jack “a brat who doesn’t follow orders and runs off half-cocked. But at least you’re not so thick as to fail to learn something from this. At least I hope not.”
Jack apologizes for causing trouble and thanks Leona for his help, saying that he has learned some valuable things: “Like that I’m still green in so many ways….And that we have one incredible housewarden.”
Leona responds, “guys who own up to their mistakes are all right in my book. Keep at it and model that behavior for the rest of Savanaclaw, wouldja?”
Although Jack might never know it Leona protected him from Ruggie in Book 2, when Ruggie offers to “take care of (Jack)” before he becomes a problem, and Leona tells him no.
During Halloween Leona decides to get refreshments for the students of Savanclaw (Kalim: “I know Jack’s been working hard as part of the management committee”), downplaying himself with, “I’m lucky their brains are in their stomachs. Makes payroll as simple as can be.” Ruggie responds, “Can’t you just admit you wanna do something nice?”
Leona stands up for Jack later during the Halloween event, refusing to take command from Jack despite how his dorm members look to him for leadership: “Jack, you’re callin’ the shots. We’ll be following your plan.”
When the kidnapped Jack reunites with Leona and Ruggie towards the end of Spectral Soiree Leona greets him with, “If it isn’t the little lost pup who scampered out the door. Did you remember where your house was?” Ruggie whispers, “C’mon, Leona. Would it kill you to be honest with the guy and tell him you were worried?”
Leona agrees to enter Playfulland in order to chaperone Jack, joining Jack when the students separate into different groups.
Twisted Wonderland Reference Note 