Defense Against the Dark Arts
About a week into school, and Dazai had already almost been found out. Professor Trelawney had used tea leaves to “see the future”. When it was Dazai’s turn, everything was going smoothly until she gasped and didn’t say another word to him. She went off to the next person, but had been shaking the entire time after. Uh oh.
Dazai didn’t really have an opinion on her. He couldn’t explain it. But he knew for a fact he didn’t like how wimpy she was. That would never pass in the port mafia. No way. It was only then that he realized the port mafia may or may not have had a major impact on his opinions and thoughts—oh well.
After killing the basilisk last year, the students’ opinion on him slowly shifted. Some were less afraid, knowing that he technically “protected” them from a crazy strong creature, and the others were even more afraid knowing that he, defeated the crazy strong creature.
He had no luck whatsoever finding more information about Sirius Black. How disappointing. All he knew was that he escaped Azkaban, and was the talk of the town. Everyone was afraid, claiming he would kill everyone. Dazai did learn, however, that Sirius black was apparently on Voldemort’s side.
Even less students ended up going that year. More parents started deeming Hogwarts as far too unsafe for their child. At least until the problems, the Demon student and Sirius Black, were taken care of. To be honest, Dazai couldn’t exactly blame them.
The new teacher, Professor Lupin, gave him odd vibes. Something about him was just…strange. Suspicious. Dazai knew of a bar back in Yokohama that some mafiasos went to that was also called Lupin. That just added to his distrust in the teacher, for some strange reason. Having a name that tied to Dazai’s past wasn’t a good thing, at least not to him. He swore something was incredibly off about him, and he knew that he was going to get to the bottom of it.
Defense Against the Dark Arts was quite boring this year. Of course, he didn’t actually ever pay attention, anyways. At least Professor Lupin occasionally demonstrated stuff. Even still, it’s boring. Plain and simple. Yet, today was different—
Like usual, Dazai had gotten lost in the ‘maze’ of hallways. He had been walking to class with Blaise, but had to use the restroom. He had just told him to go to class without him. He had now regretted saying so. After endlessly walking around with no direction, he ran into the twins, who then agreed to take him to where he was supposed to go…all the way across the entire school. He had somehow managed to go the opposite direction.
Dazai was, obviously, very late. Professor Lupin didn’t seem to be that bothered, though. In the middle of the classroom stood a tall, strange box. Approximately 8 to 9 feet, he concluded. It looked like an old vintage cabinet of some sorts. Just looking at it gave him a headache—wait. No. Just being near it gave him one. It had magic. Or was magic, even. He couldn’t tell. All he knew was that it gave him a major migraine. But of course, he’d never show it.
The only question was, what did it contain? The box looked far too normal to be magic…it had to be something inside it. Whatever the case, he had a feeling that he’d find out pretty soon. He sat down next to Blaise in the back.
“Where were you?” Blaise asked him in a hushed whisper. “Surely you didn’t take that long in the restroom. Get lost again?” He asked again, but this time with a raised eyebrow.
“You know it!” Dazai replied with his iconic grin. Blaise handed him his quill, which he always held onto since Dazai wasn’t trusted not to lose it. Dazai’s mind traveled as he took the quill and began to fiddle with it in his hand, not really actually paying attention to it. His mind began to wander and drift, although, he didn’t actually think of anything. It was just…blank. Like always. This always happened to him. He’s heard that people daydream and zone out and stuff, he does too. The only difference was that he didn’t actually ever think of anything, to be honest.
“I’m just surprised you ended up actually finding your way to the class…” Blaise responded in a sarcastic tone. Haha. Silly Blaise, always making Dazai want to laugh. On a serious note though, it was true. He was surprised himself, to be honest.
“Fred and George.” Dazai responded with the same grin, still not actually paying full attention. He was still zoned out, and he was pretty sure Blaise could tell. He always knew. It was odd, almost like reading his mind, to be honest. But for some reason, he didn’t mind it. In fact, it was kind of…comforting. Anyways—
The professor was going on and babbling about something, but Dazai wasn’t paying attention. He found himself intently staring at the box. He couldn’t take his mind off of it. What was it? What was in it? What is its importance? Something about it was just so…interesting.
Professor Lupin patted the box while continuing to speak. That was when Dazai snapped out of it, and realized the professor had been talking about the box the entire time. For once, Dazai actually found himself listening to what was being said by a teacher.
The professor stated that the box contained a boggart—which, according to him, was a shapeshifting monster that takes the shape and form of the observer’s worst fears. That got Dazai thinking. What was his worst fear? Surely he didn’t have one. The port mafia wasn’t a place for idiocies such as fears.
Once the professor explained further about this boggart creature, it started to rattle and shake the cabinet it was in. It was feral. He hated feral creatures. They always reminded him of the port mafia’s dogs…those things sucked. Both bark and bite. It was annoying…and painful. He hated those. Kind of reminded him of the three-headed dog he saw when getting the philosopher’s stone.
He almost forgot about those. So many things have happened since then. What did Mori even need with the stone anyways??? He still didn’t know. Mori never told him anything. It was almost as annoying as the dogs, if not even more.
——————
He had ended up zoning out for a bit or something, because the next thing he remembered was the professor calling on a student to use as a demonstration for the boggart.
“No way!” The student, who had been chosen, cried out. “Why don’t you have the Demon go first, huh?! No one cares about my fears!” They shouted. It honestly seemed like they were just making up an excuse not to be humiliated in front of the entire class, but of course, no one but him caught on.
“Not to worry, everyone should be able to have a chance to go. That includes Mr. Dazai.” Professor Lupin responded, seemingly calm.
“I’m sorry sir, but that’s not what she means!” Another student spoke up, before standing from their chair. “She’s saying that you should have HIM go first instead. Since he’s the Demon Student, and all.” They explained, somewhat infuriated. They then dramatically turned at pointed in the direction of the back row—at Dazai.
No one was surprised, not even Professor Lupin.
It then dawned upon Dazai that Professor Lupin seemed to know more about Dazai’s Demon Student “situation” than Lockhart had. Obviously no one had told Lockhart, despite him having been a staff. Professor Mcgonagall probably trusted him enough to tell him; at least more than she trusted Lockhart. How much she trusted him, Dazai didn’t know, but he didn’t exactly care at the moment either way.
How much she said, though, was a different story. If she told Professor Lupin everything, like how Dazai had killed Quirrell in “self-defense”, then that would surely not end well. Lupin already seemed far more understanding and empathetic than all the others. He seemed weaker in that regard.
Anyone who was dumb enough to be empathetic towards someone was considered weak to the Port Mafia. That’s just how it was. If you showed “kindness” to anyone, it was simply showing mercy.
The Port Mafia doesn’t show “mercy”.
While the student kept whining about how Dazai should be the one to go instead, he simply continued to fidget with his quill. That was until he “accidentally” flung it across the room. Everyone who hadn’t already been looking at him all turned to stare. Or look. He couldn’t exactly tell. It felt like staring, at least.
Some students were scared, thinking he had tried to hit someone but fortunately missed. Some others thought he was just trying to intimidate everyone by showing off how strong he was.
The professor had stopped disputing with the student about whoever should go first, and silently watched the quill fly. He didn’t exactly bother doing anything, nor did he look upset. Dazai had long already realized that Lupin didn’t seem to care for him pranks and antics.
Dazai hadn’t thought about his actions. Because now, he didn’t exactly want to get up to go get the quill all the way across the entire room. Yet, he knew he had to. So he stood up from his seat, and began to slowly walk towards the other half of the classroom. It was slow and agonizing. All eyes were on him, and it was just total…silence.
He finally arrived to where the quill had flung to. Though, as he bent down to pickup the quill, something had accidentally slipped out of the inside pocket of his cloak—
Tom Riddle’s diary.
Everyone stared. They couldn’t help it. The Demon Student had just dropped something highly suspicious. He slowly picked it up, as to not instill the idea that he might be frightened or embarrassed. Whispering soon began to occur. He walked back to his seat. This wasn’t good…this really wasn’t good…the professor was watching too…and he looked at him suspiciously…
Pansy gave him a look. She looked angry, suspicious, but also…confused..? Oh well. Who cares?
The other students looked as if they were carefully pondering whether to laugh at the thought of THE Demon Student owning a “diary”, or to stay silent due to their massive fear of him.
Once he had sat back down, Blaise had asked him if he was alright.
“Yup!” Dazai replied. “Just forgot I had that in my pocket, is all.” He covered his slight worry with his causal grin.
This didn’t exactly seem to work in on him, as usual. Blaise had wondered how Dazai had to have possibly noticed the average sized diary in his pocket. Who wouldn’t? Though, didn’t seem to pry, for now. He wasn’t a meddler—most of the time, at least.
The class went on again, and the same student from earlier went first with the Boggart. That got a lot of people mad.
Professor Lupin was now preparing to open the cabinet containing the boggart. That was until the students tried “protesting”. It sounded more like those pixies from last year, though. They kept whining and complaining, yelling that Dazai should be the one going first. The professor tried to calm them, but to no avail.
Then, gradually, he began to cave in. Dazai knew it was going to happen. He decided that he’d have to just scare and intimidate anyone who tried to mock his fear of dogs.
Dazai was well aware he’d be chosen, so he stood up from his seat, and as he walked to the middle of the classroom, sure enough, the “protest” slowly died down.
The professor appeared slightly surprised at Dazai’s willingness to go first. Many students were contemplating on whether to cheer or boo at the thought of him being the one to go first.
He walked. Each step bringing him closer to his humiliation. All eyes were on him, each face holding a look of expectation. He looked back at Blaise. He had a face that seemed to hold concern, one that made sure Dazai was actually alright with this.
He wasn’t, but after a while you kind of just get used to things not ever going your way in the Port Mafia.
That’s just how it was.
The professor then gave instructions on what to do.
“This is a shape shifting creature, as I’ve explained before. It takes the shape of the viewer’s greatest fears. If your fear causes excessive trauma or stress, I encourage you to back down, for your own sake. You are not being forced into this.” The professor said, warning Dazai of was to come. Dazai didn’t exactly listen, nor did he really care. He wasn’t a wuss. He couldn’t be.
Either way, he was too busy worrying about how he would react to the dogs.
Only Blaise and the twins really knew from first year. Even then, they didn’t exactly know the full extent.
He closed his eyes and took a small breath. He tried to hide his worry, and he was sure no one would notice. His facade was always foolproof. Except for a few times with Blaise, of course, but that wasn’t the issue at hand here.
He was about to be humiliated in front of everyone. That would ruin his entire mission. Surely nobody would fear the Demon Student if they found out he was afraid of dogs, man’s best friends.
He’d be the laughing stock of the century. Headlines reading “INFAMOUS DEMON’S FEAR OF CANINES REVEALED” would be all over the wizarding community. He dreaded the thought. The professor finally finished explaining, and he checked to make sure Dazai was ready, before he slowly began to pry open the cabinet.
Slowly but surely, the boggart got out of the cabinet. It didn’t have a clearly visible form. Almost just a blob. That was until it got closer.
This was it. It would transform into a dog and he’d be the talk of the town forever.
It transformed into a—
———————
Everyone was confused. Whispering began.
What was it…?…where did it go?…it was just…gone. It disappeared. Surely his ability hadn’t activated. Blue light would’ve emerged, and he’d get a massive migraine. Sure, his head did hurt, but not nearly as much as it would’ve if his ability had interrupted. So…where was it…?
The professor was confused as well. Shocked, even. Everyone was a bundle of confusion and surprise. The professor inched closer to Dazai, inspecting where the boggart had previously been.
As he did, something emerged out of no where. It was a…sky? No. It was the boggart. It transformed into the night sky. The sky was dark, with clouds lit up from the reflected moon light. The moon that was shown—illuminated brightly—seemed awfully large.
Professor Lupin froze in an instant, his eyes widening.
Then, he looked away, trying to play it off. As he had turned his attention to the students, the boggart transformed back into nothing.
Many were confused. Especially Pansy and Blaise, Pansy being more confused than the other.
One student suddenly spoke up in a shaky tone, causing the whispering to come to a halt.
“M-…maybe the demon has no fear…?” He stated. Everyone seemed to then agree, which had made the whispering grow slightly louder.
Dazai in the other hand, seemed to almost realize in an instant. If he had no desire in the Mirror of Erised, why on earth would he have a greatest fear…? You can’t have a fear with no desire whatsoever. Dazai was a demon. That’s all he was. Not even worthy of being considering human.
What a shame it was.