Discovery 2
Word spread quickly in Hogwarts. Snape always tried to ignore the rumors going around, but he really couldn't ignore this one. Blaise and Dazai were dating. It was all anyone was talking about. And by anyone, he meant ANYONE. Snape normally wouldn't care about such things, but hearing that his problem child was dating, he felt strangely protective. Why Lockhart decided he should care about student relationships, however, was beyond Snape.
“You see, I can't understand how someone with such a respectable status would reduce themselves to his level.” Lockhart shivered. He may have “worked together” with the demon, but that didn't mean he had to like him.
“For the last time…” Snape pinched the bridge of his nose, a headache already forming. “I do not care for the silly rumors you follow, nor for your opinions on my snakes.”
“Yes. It is none of our concern with student relationships.” McGonagall said, leaning to whisper in Snape's ear. “Though with these two, it may be a concern. Meet me in my office later.”
Snape nodded, not exactly excited for another meeting about his problem child. He hurried to finish eating his breakfast and started leaving the hall, simultaneously looking at Dazai, who was smiling and pushing Blaise's shoulder. Yep. Not rumors.
-
Dazai watched Snape leave the room, McGonagall leaving not too long after him.
“They're definitely going to talk about me.” Dazai mumbled.
“What was that?” Blaise asked.
“Nothing! Just that this toast you gave me is delicious.” Dazai made a show of taking a bite of the toast, his stomach attempting to reject it.
“Okay…” Blaise suspected.
-
Fred and George saw Dazai look at the door where Snape and McGonagall had just walked through. The two were never really ones to plan anything other than a prank, they just followed someone else's plans, but the way Dazai watched the teachers with a definite need to listen in was something they couldn't ignore. The two shared a meaningful glance and returned to their usual demeanor.
“Ronnikins!” Fred cooed.
“Hermione!” George called.
“Bloody hell. What do you idiots want?” Ron cringed.
“You wound us little brother, but thank you for asking!”
“Yes we were just thinking that you and Hermione could join us on our little adventure today!”
“Oh no. No no no!” Hermione said. “Any adventure you two have planned is bound to get us in trouble.”
“Exactly! That's why we need you there to keep us in check!”
“Yeah right. You two? Wanting to be kept in check?” Ron snorted.
“Come on Ronnikins! Don’t you want to prank Snape after he made fun of your potion?”
“You're pranking-”
“Shh. Not so loud! We can't have anyone warning him.”
“I don't know…” Ron said. “What if we get in trouble?”
“You think we'd get caught?”
“As if!” George bragged.
“Besides, if we get caught, we'll take the fall and you and Hermione can pretend like it never happened.” Fred reasoned.
“Thats… true.” Ron said. “Alright I'm in.”
“Ron!” Hermione shouted. “You can't just let your brothers take the fall!”
“So does that mean you're in?” George asked.
“I guess I've got no choice, but once I say we're done then we're done.” Hermione sighed.
“Yes ma'am.” George and Fred saluted.
-
“I thought you said we were pranking Professor Snape, not eavesdropping!” Ron whisper yelled at the twins.
“Oops?” Fred smiled apologetically.
“But now that we're here, we should just stay to know what our teachers talk about.” George suggested to Hermione and Ron, Fred already on the same page.
“Probably just boring teacher things. Come on ‘mione let's just go-”
“Sssh!” Hermione shut him up. “They're talking about Dazai!”
Everyone listened harder.
“You're sure Mr. Zabini is aware of Mr. Dazai's… situation?” McGonagall asked Snape.
“Yes, I'm certain. He'd described Mr. Dazai's idea of friendship being a give and take, boss and subordinate type of relationship.”
“But that could be deduced from how he acts and not from the fact the boy is in the Port Mafia, no?”
The gang shared a look. The Port Mafia? Like the wizard mafia Dazai kept talking about?
“Well, yes, but Mr. Zabini had a conversation with me. He asked if Dazai would get in trouble if he did… something because of his guardian.”
Did something because of Mori?
“That is concerning. I'm afraid Mr. Zabini being involved with Dazai, especially romantically, could get him dragged into a similar place as Dazai. We both know how unsafe that is.”
Dazai's not safe?
“Dazai's involvement with the Port Mafia is terribly fickle. Poppy- I was trying to figure out a way to safely remove him.” Snape corrected himself. Poppy would no longer be able to help Dazai.
“As much as I'd like to help save Mr. Dazai, I fear if we allow his influence to spread further, he might pull more children deeper into the mafia territory of crimes and violence.”
“What are you implying?” Snape asked.
“I'm saying that we find a way to keep Dazai away from everyone or keep everyone away from him.”
Hermione gasped softly.
“But-”
“No. You either find a way to do that or I expel Mr. Dazai. I'll leave that up to you. Now please get to your classroom. Classes are starting soon.” McGonagall demanded. Snape couldn't argue, she was the headmaster and the one person that might help him wasn't there to help. He started to leave the room.
The gang realized Snape was nearing the door and ran to a nearby secret passageway. When they felt they were far away enough they took a breath of relief.
“Oh. My. GOD!” Hermione screamed. Ron flinched at her volume. “Dazai is in the mafia!?”
“Not the one Quirrell was in I hope.” Fred elbowed George, jokingly.
“This is serious!” Hermione said. “Did you not hear them say it wasn't safe and full of violence!?”
“Why would Dazai be in a criminal organization? He can't even do his homework.” Ron said. “Maybe they were talking about a different Dazai.”
“A different Dazai that is involved with a different Blaise? Right?” George mocked Ron.
“Shut up! I'm just trying to not freak out!”
“Okay calm down.” Fred said.
“We can just go and ask Dazai and I'm sure there'll be a plausible explanation.”
-
“There's a perfectly plausible explanation for what you heard.” Dazai smiled at them before trying to run away. Blaise stopped him and held him there.
“There's no use hiding it anymore Dazai. They'll understand if you just tell them-”
“No they won't!” Dazai fought Blaise. He couldn't tell them that he was a murderer, that he was an executive who tortured many, that his “father” was the boss of the Port Mafia, that Draco was also involved, that he'd killed Dumbledore and Poppy and all those other people.
“Dazai.” Blaise held his hands that were just scratching at his bandages.
“We already know that you've probably done some things. We just want you to tell us anything you can.” Hermione said, gently.
“You…” Dazai sighed looking at everyone's faces, preparing himself to seem as innocent as possible. “I was sent here by my Mori, but I'm just an errand boy. Mori is my boss, but he never gave me any reason for being here. He occasionally gives me orders like acting scary, and investigating things.”
“Mori is your boss and father?” Ron asked.
“No, he's not my father. I'm adopted.”
“Professor Snape said that you weren't safe. Why don't you let him help you?” Hermione asked.
“Professor Snape doesn't know anything. I'm safe.”
“Your missing eye says differently.” Fred pointed out.
“I already told you that it was from getting mugged. It had nothing to do with the Port Mafia.”
“Are we supposed to believe that?” George said. “Dazai, you're covered in bandages.”
“Just drop it.”
“We just want to help-”
“You're not helping anything! All you're doing is causing me more trouble. Why do you think I wasn’t telling you in the first place?!”
“Because you were afraid we’d treat you differently?”
“No.”
“Because you were told to keep it a secret.” Hermione said. “So then what will happen if they find out so many people know?”
“Nothing good for me or you.”
“So then what are you going to do about Professor Snape and McGonagall?” Fred asked.
“What about them?” Dazai asked.
“We forgot to tell you everything else they said, but,” George began, Dazai already guessed it before he said it, “Dazai, they’re trying to expel you or isolate you.”
“Even Snape?” Dazai asked. He didn’t know why, but he felt betrayed. Some teachers that “care” about me, huh.
“Snape didn’t want to, I could tell.”
“Yeah and if he did, we wouldn’t let him do anything to our Snakey!”
Everyone cheered in agreement.
“So then what’s the plan, boss?” Blaise asked, holding his hand. Dazai took a deep breath.
“Okay everyone! Here's the plan!”