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Well, this would be an interesting lesson.
A Boggart. A magical creature that would replicate what the student facing it feared the most.
Dazai wasn’t worried. Magic didn’t work on him.
Although, he was a little worried it might touch him and expose No Longer Human to the entire class.
Eh, whatever. It’ll be fine.
Dazai got in line.
“Alright, when the boggart appears, you will wave your wand and say ridikkulus,” Professor Lupin explained. Dazai nodded, though he wasn’t entirely listening. He wouldn’t need any spell. The Boggart wouldn’t come to him. If anything, it would be afraid of him. What with his ability and all.
Ron was afraid of spiders. (That was interesting.)
Draco was afraid of his father. (Dazai wondered if he should talk to pester Draco about that later.)
A good deal of the students were afraid of him. (Dazai wasn’t sure whether to laugh or cringe.)
Neville was afraid of Professor Snape. (That honestly did make Dazai have to bite back laughter.)
And now it was his turn.
Dazai stepped forward. The closet didn’t open.
Figures.
“Guess I’m not scared of anything,” Dazai said playfully, and started to turn around.
His breath caught in his throat.
There stood his father. And Mori.
Dazai let out a confused laugh. “What are you doing here?”
He stepped back, and heard multiple steps behind him.
The Hell’s Hounds stood there, looking concerned. Of course. When were they not—
Father’s voice rang out, like it always had before he fell ill.
“Kill.”
Before Dazai could comprehend this, a pack of snarling dogs ran past him, towards the gang. They screamed. But they couldn’t get out of the way.
Dazai gasped, hands flying to his mouth. No. Nononono. No, no, no.
Screaming. Blood. So, so much blood. The dogs kept attacking. Dazai could hear them. Tearing, snarling, barking—
Dazai whirled around to face his superiors.
“Stop!” he cried, mentally cursing his voice for being as fragile as it was. “Call them off! I’ll cut them off, I’ll come home, I’ll do whatever you want! Just stop it! Stop it!!!”
They didn’t call the dogs back.
“Call them off!”
Father shook his head.
Mori just smirked. “What did I say about attachments, Shuuji?” he asked, a playful undertone in his voice.
“I’m sorry!” Dazai pleaded. “Stop it, please! I’m sorry!”
“Ridikkulus!”
Dazai uncovered his eyes and looked up— when had he fallen down?— and saw that the dogs, Mori, the gang, and his father were now doing some sort of frenzied tap dance, before they retreated into the closet.
Oh. It was the boggart. I should have known. Dazai’s cheeks burned.
He looked around. The entire class was staring at him with wide eyes. The same went for the professors (Snape had come along “just in case”— Dazai assumed he wanted to spy on him).
“Dazai…” Blaise murmured. He was alive. Unharmed. Shaking slightly. Or maybe Dazai was the one shaking. He couldn’t tell.
But at this point, he was only slightly worried about that. Despite himself, even as he cursed himself for showing this much vulnerability, he launched himself forward and threw his arms around Blaise.
“You’re okay…” he said quietly.
Blaise nodded. “It’s alright. It’s all alright.”