Severus set the book down with a put-upon sigh.

He 'd been attempting to cast the spell written there for over an hour now with no results. No matter how many times he read the passage or waved his wand or wished

really, really hard

'nothing ever happened. In any other situation, Severus would have simply given up by now. As it was, a spell like this was virtually useless.

But Dazai needed to learn it, and Severus was at a loss as to how the boy would teach himself without a guide. Merlin knew the boy couldn 't be trusted to do his written assignments, let alone take the time to learn this spell without a guiding hand.

Just as Severus was lamenting the upcoming lesson, the door to his office suddenly swung open.

For a split-second, Severus ' heart sunk.

Not Gilderoy barging in again..!

His head snapped up with a glare, ready to chase the author away with a biting word or two. But rather than the loud and flashy form of Gilderoy Lockhart at his door, Severus saw a much smaller visitor instead.

'Don 't you know how to knock, boy? '

Dazai waved him off, the ever-present smile on his face teasing. 'It 's not like you 're expecting anyone else right now, are you? '

Unwittingly, Severus ' eyes automatically roved up-and-down Dazai 's figure in search of injury. A quick once-over, however, revealed nothing of the sort. Just the boy 's worrying (but not unexpected) bandage wrappings and those strange gloves he 'd started wearing this year. If Dazai had any injuries 'self-harm or otherwise 'they were covered.

Severus clicked his tongue. 'Just because I know you 're coming is no excuse to forego manners. '

'Right, right. But you already know I 'm rude, so there isn 't much point in pretending, ' Dazai said, clearly unbothered by the potion master 's smoldering sneer. Any other student would be trembling. As always, Dazai was the furthest thing from being just 'any other student. ' 'What are we doing for this week 's lesson, Professor? '

'We 'll be working on spell-casting today. ' Severus felt his eyes narrow. 'And watch your tongue. '

'Ah...

I 'm watching it, Sir. '

Severus severely doubted that.

Mercifully, Dazai didn 't make another impudent remark. Instead, he silently shut the door at his back. Only once the door was closed and they were truly alone, did Dazai whirl back around to face him.

Same teasing expression. Same amused glint in his eyes.

Severus sighed. 'Sit, ' he instructed, gesturing to the chair across from him at the desk, 'the sooner we get started the sooner you get out of my hair. '

Only, Dazai didn 't make any move to sit down. He stayed firmly in place, glancing around the room with two discerning eyes. His eyes flitted from one item to the next, lingering over textbooks, half-finished potions, the analog clock sitting on Severus ' desk... He didn 't appear to be looking for anything in particular. But after a moment, Severus ' assumption was proven wrong when Dazai asked, 'I don 't see the Sensing Stone anywhere. '

Severus grunted. 'We won 't be using it today.

Sit. '

An expression flashed across Dazai 's face for a split second 'one Severus couldn 't decipher. Then, that cheeky smile was back in its place. Dazai sat down. 'Madam Pomfrey doesn 't trust you to take care of it,

huh? '

the boy teased. 'Professor Snape 's explosive temperament would destroy it by accident. '

Severus ' brow twitched. Irritation lanced through him. 'The next word out of your mouth earns you a detention. '

Dazai opened his mouth, paused, then seemed to think better of it. His mouth snapped shut with a boney

click.

Good. At least the boy had

some

brain cells still rubbing around in that empty skull of his. Maybe they could make this lesson work, after all.

'The Sensing Stone was gifted to Poppy for medical purposes, ' Severus explained. 'It will not benefit you to have it present in this lesson. Unless you desire to make up another answer to the simple question of 'what color do you see? ' '

'I wasn 't lying about seeing white, ' Dazai said, puffing out his cheeks. 'Professor Snape just doesn 't trust me. '

Severus raised a brow.

Abruptly, Dazai 's childish pout fell into a small gape. He raised a hand to cover his mouth.

'Oops... '

he trailed off, looking sheepish. 'I don 't suppose you 'll take pity on me and rescind your threat about detention? '

Severus ignored him, earning a scrambling

'hey, don 't just look away like that, '

in return. Rather than rise to the bait, Severus took a moment to clean his desk of papers. When only the spell book they would be using for class remained, he looked back to meet Dazai 's eyes.

For all the boy looked self-effacing, he didn 't seem particularly worried about the detention now looming over him.

Brat.

Severus slid the spell book across the desk, then spun it around so Dazai could read it. 'Read the passage titled

Motus Subtilis

while I prepare tea. You will practice casting that spell once you 've finished. '

'We 're having tea? Just like old times! ' Dazai tittered, leaning forward in his seat. His eyes were locked firmly on the book, evidently reading. When Severus didn 't respond for a second except to glare, Dazai glanced up. 'Since I already have a detention, it doesn 't matter if I keep talking

now. '

'Make that two detentions. '

'Why not have it a round third? ' Dazai asked, eyes falling back to the book. His eyes moved quickly across the page, but Severus wasn 't sure how much the boy could actually be reading at that speed while simultaneously holding a conversation. 'It 's not like I have much else to do... Hey! Maybe you can give me detention during Professor Lockhart 's next class. He 'll hate that! '

Despite himself, Severus ' lips twitched upwards into an unmistakable smile.

Imagining Gilderoy 's pompous, arrogant smirk flattened from the insult '

Severus smothered his grin before Dazai could look up. "No. Go back to reading. '

'I 'm reading

and

talking, ' Dazai responded petulantly. True to his words, Dazai 's eyes remained firmly locked to the page. 'Anyway, if it 's Lockhart we 're talking about..? '

'No, '

Snape reiterated. As he spoke, he magicked the tea kettle to his desk and carefully lit a flame under it. A few more quietly murmured spells filled the water and collected the mugs. By then, Dazai had flipped the page. 'Regardless, Gilderoy has already made enough complaints about you to me. He seems to take these Remedial Magics lessons as a personal affront to his honor. '

Dazai snorted. 'Of course he does. He 's a champion of the people, after all. '

There was a lilting humor to everything Dazai said, as though he were privy to an inside joke Severus was only able to glimpse at. Severus wasn 't sure whether such a blas ' attitude should irritate him or not. On one hand, it told him just how little Dazai respected his professors. On the other, Severus had never known a single student to be this unafraid of him.

He wouldn 't go so far as to say it was refreshing. But it

was

curious.

Everything about Dazai Osamu was curious.

Hence why the

Motus Subtilis

spell wasn 't the only topic of conversation planned for today 's lesson.

Severus felt his eyes narrow as he observed the boy reading. Ever since his conversation with Poppy the other day, Severus couldn 't shake the nagging question: just what

is

Yokohama? It was a city 'it was Dazai 's home. But there was more to it. Something Yokohama was keeping from the rest of the world. Something only Dazai would know about. Severus intended to ask him about it today, hopefully without alerting the boy 's suspicions too terribly.

Poppy 's half-joking remark about it being similar to their own magical society had only tightened the bind on his chest. It was an absurd claim! But...

Severus remembered a too-brief conversation he 'd had with Albus one year prior. A conversation regarding so-called Special Ability users. If a group like that could exist without anyone knowing, could Yokohama be hiding something similar..?

'You look like you 're thinking too hard, ' Dazai said. At some point, while Severus was getting lost in thought, Dazai had stopped reading to watch him instead. 'I can practically see the smoke coming from your ears, Sir. If you think too hard, your brain will pop like a pipe bomb. You'll get brain matter all over the place. '

Severus ' lip curled.

'Go back to reading. '

Dazai blinked. His expression belied nothing of what he was really thinking. 'I 've finished. '

This time, it was Severus ' turn to blink, dumbfounded.

Although the passage he 'd instructed Dazai to read wasn 't particularly long, the text was very dense. It was full of complicated terminology and a vocabulary several levels above that of a twelve-year-old. Severus ' eyes narrowed. 'You 've

skimmed

it, ' he surmised, the glower painting his words heavily, 'Seeing as you will be performing this spell shortly, simply gleaning information from a paragraph or two will not suffice. Do not test my patience, boy. '

Except, rather than return to the book as Severus excepted, Dazai 's eyes hardened. He held Severus ' gaze. 'Why do you always think I 'm lying to you, Sir? ' Dazai bore the word 'sir ' as though it were an insult. Maybe to him it was.

'You can 't possibly have finished reading that already, ' Severus snapped back. Annoyance prickled his skin. 'Take your time and read it properly, or I 'll work out a punishment worse than detention for you. '

Clearly, the threat of detention had lost its power over Dazai. He 'd need something more threatening. Perhaps something to do with Gildeory. If Dazai 's words were anything to go by, he didn 't like the flashy man any more than Severus did.

But, again, Dazai didn 't look told-off in the slightest.

Instead, he crossed his arms over his chest, eyes still locked on Severus ' own. Then, with the upmost confidence, he recited,

'Motus Subtilis is one of the most precise and arduous spells for the average magic-caster to use due to the infinitesimal requirement for latent magic manipulation. The induction of more than a minute amount of magic renders this spell obsolete. As such, the casting of Motus Subtilis is more practical as an impetus for magical exploration or personal enhancement rather than as an in-field resource... '

Dazai trailed off, sounding bored. Not once had he looked back at the book. 'Need I continue, Sir? '

Severus stared. His mouth dropped open without his permission.

Dazai had not only just told him the book 's contents, but had

recited

it. Word for word.

How..?

'How did you do that? ' Severus asked. He pulled to book to himself checking that 'yes. Word for word, exactly. It wasn 't possible that Dazai had memorized the first paragraph after only reading it once. He must have been peeking at it, somehow. Only 'Severus knew that wasn 't the case. He had seen with his own two eyes.

Dazai shrugged, as if he hadn 't just done something incredible. 'It 's like I told you: I 've finished reading it. '

'That 's not... ' for once, Severus' ever-present scowl failed him. Bewilderment had taken its place in his voice. 'Have you read this book before? '

'No. ' Dazai 's nose scrunched up in a way that Severus thought was offended. "What use would I have for a spell book when I can 't spell cast? '

Severus ' eye twitched. 'Do not play coy with me. ' He leveled Dazai with a severe stare. 'You recited the book 's contents to me exactly. '

'What? Did you want me to get a few words wrong? ' Dazai asked. This time Severus was

certain

the boy was insulted. As if the feat he 'd just performed was not only typical, but expected of him.

Severus opened his mouth, then closed it.

In the end, words failed him.

The scream of steam saved Severus from having to respond. He extinguished the flame with a wave of magic, silencing the kettle. As he poured the steaming water into the two mugs, Severus turned a thoughtful eye onto Dazai.

The boy was no longer watching him. Instead, he had turned his gaze to the office around them, eyes once again flicking from one item to the next. Dazai must not have found whatever he was looking for, because he huffed loudly and slumped back into his seat.

Since they had first met, Severus had the sense that Dazai was smart 'it was something about his sly smiles and how the lights twinkled in his eyes when he was amused. And though some part of Severus had always held onto that belief, he had quickly squashed it down after seeing Dazai 's grades. Within three weeks of class, Dazai had gone from an A, to a C, then an F. He never did assignments and rarely completed tests. In fact, Severus was certain the only reason Dazai had passed his first year at all was because of the whole fiasco with Quirrell.

But this...

Severus poured a helping of honey into Dazai 's mug before sliding it across the desk. It was the same snake-skin pattered one he 'd given the boy last year.

Dazai 's eyes snapped straight to it from where they 'd been drilling into the clock on Severus ' desk. He took it without hesitation. 'Thanks, Sir. ' Steam billowed up around his face.

Severus nodded, silently fixing his own cup the way he preferred it. He met Dazai 's eyes across the desk. 'Can every student in Yokohama memorize texts so quickly? '

'Only the well-behaved ones, ' Dazai said, blowing over his tea.

Severus bit back a snappish response. Dazai Osamu was

anything

but well-behaved. Judging by the smirk Dazai was hiding beneath his mug, the boy was well aware of this fact. Before Severus could chastise him for it, however, Dazai was speaking.

'That clock is broken. '

Severus followed his student 's gaze to his desk. The analog clock sitting there was small and made of a dark wood. Just as Dazai had noted, however, its hands didn 't tick forward at all. They stayed stubbornly put at exactly the twelve mark. Severus turned it so Dazai could better see its face.

'This clock will serve as your lesson for today. '

At that, Dazai sat up a little straighter, clearly interested. He stared at the clock for a few lingering seconds before shaking his head. 'How 's that? It 's just a broken clock. '

'You 've read the chapter on

Motus Subtilis. '

And then some, evidently. 'Tell me, what does the spell do? '

Dazai frowned at him, clearly still upset with Severus ' earlier disbelief.

'Motus Subtilis is a catalyst for incredibly minute alterations to ' '

'Stop. ' Severus raised a hand, stopping Dazai in his tracks. 'Tell me in your own words. If you 're just going to spit back to me what the book says, you won 't benefit from this lesson at all. '

Dazai paused, mouth still hung ajar. For a second, it looked as though his entire being were buffering, unsure of what step he was meant to take next. A small furrow pinched between his brows.

Slowly, Dazai answered, 'it 's a spell for moving things only a very, very small amount. Fractions of fractions. '

Again, Dazai paused. But Severus could tell from how his eyes drifted away in thought that Dazai hadn 't finished yet. He was merely trying to find the right words.

Severus took a sip from his tea while Dazai thought.

'It 's used for movements so minor, you wouldn 't even notice if you weren 't staring directly at the subject. Precise, exact movements 'like in a surgery. ' He tapped a finger along the rim of his mug. 'You don 't want to be moving the scalpel over an entire centimeter, but only a fraction of that. It barely takes any energy to move the scalpel over such a small amount, but if you aren 't hyper-focused on the movement of your hand, you 'll wind up stabbing something you didn 't mean to. Killing the patient and getting blood everywhere is such a mess, ' Dazai said at last, eyes bright when he looked to Severus for approval.

Severus blinked 'that was certainly one way to understand the

Motus Subtilis

spell. Though, when he thought about it, it was not an unusual way for a

muggle-born

to understand magic. He 'd found a way to relate the nearly unheard-of spell to muggle practices. Severus was almost impressed, especially considering that he himself had struggled to imagine any practical comparisons for a spell like this. That, and...

'Your father is a doctor, isn 't he? '

Dazai nodded easily, but Severus didn 't miss the way his eyes briefly tightened. 'He 's done plenty of surgeries before... this spell is a little like that, then? '

Severus considered that for a second. Then, 'It is an apt comparison. Although,

Motus Subtilis

sees less practical use. '

'Right, ' Dazai agreed. He seemed to be on a roll, now. 'Since you lot have healing spells, I guess surgical spells wouldn 't do much good. So it 's just for practicing magical control? '

'In this case, we 'll be using it to manage your Magical Sensitivity levels. '

Now, it was Dazai 's turn to stop and think. He glanced at the clock again, but whatever the boy was thinking he didn 't voice aloud.

Severus cleared his throat, drawing Dazai 's attention back to him. 'Poppy 's current theory is that by having you practice a spell like

Motus Subtilis

'one requiring so minute an amount of magic 'your body might slowly acclimate to greater amounts in future lessons. '

Dazai nodded in understanding.

'In the past, spell-casting for you has been akin to going from zero to one-hundred in a second flat. As this spell requires a nearly unnoticeable amount of magic to function, it will hopefully not shock your system so terribly. ' Severus paused, trying to get a judge on Dazai 's expression. He had seen the boy ill and passed out after casting in the past. A spell this minor probably wouldn 't have the same effect, but he couldn 't be sure. The uncertainty twisted in Severus ' gut.

'You don 't sound very confident, Sir, ' Dazai commented. He took a sip from his tea.

A second after, Severus took a sip as well. It warmed him from the inside-out. 'This is merely a test. Seeing as I have never taught someone with your condition before, we can 't be certain if this method will work. If for even a second, you feel light-headed or unwell, stop casting

immediately

. Am I clear? '

'Professor Snape is awfully fussy today ' '

'Am I

clear? '

Dazai blinked several times, surprise written across his face. He visibly collected himself. 'Crystal clear, Sir. '

Severus let out a breath. 'Good. '

'What 's the clock for, then? ' Dazai asked, quickly pushing forward. 'I guess I 'm supposed to be using

Motus Subtilis

on it somehow. '

Severus watched him for a second. He sighed. 'For today 's lesson, you 'll be using the

Motus Subtilis

spell to move the seconds hand forward one tick. '

Dazai 's eyes widened minutely and he leaned forward in his seat to inspect the broken clock.

Severus had specifically chosen a clock for this lesson. If Dazai was able to perform the spell correctly, he would have a clear metric of the boy 's progress. One second forward on the clock would indicate one successful casting, and so on.

Although Severus didn 't expect Dazai to successfully cast the spell in only one lesson. Dazai was up against a significant hurdle, and it wasn 't something he would be able to overcome in one class period. But hopefully, after a few more weeks of practice, he might be able to cast

Motus Subtilis

once or twice.

It didn 't help that Severus himself was unable to cast a spell this subtle.

'Only one tick? '

Severus snapped away from his thoughts. 'This spell is incapable of movements greater than that.

Motus Subtilis

uses an amount of magic so small, it cannot move items even an inch. '

Dazai hummed. He took a long sip from his tea before setting it down on the desk. Severus watched as Dazai retrieved a wand from his cloak and gave it a few testing swishes. Evidently, the boy was eager to get straight into the lesson.

'The book didn 't mention any particular wand movement, ' Dazai said, giving his wrist a flick. But, seeing as Dazai had not uttered any spell, no magic swirled to life at the other end of his wand.

Severus grunted. That was another problem. 'No. And this spell is far too old and entirely out of practice in modern times for me to find the correct one. For now, try whatever motion feels most natural. ' With any luck, Severus ' next visit to the library would uncover a more detailed account of

Motus Subtilis '

casting methods.

'Most natural,

huh..? '

Dazai muttered. Testing, he gave his wand a few flicks, then a couple wide swishes. He rolled his wrist, traded wand-hands, then traded back. A few minutes passed in near silence while Dazai decided on a proper wand motion. 'Okay, ' he said, turning to Severus with a beam, 'I think I 've got it. '

'Then start practicing, ' Severus told him. Even though his expectations were suitably low, the potion master couldn 't help the interested buzz in his chest. None of this excitement show through in his tone, however. 'I haven 't got all day. Remember what I said about feeling ill. '

-

Dazai twirled the wand in his hand. With his gloves on, the wood felt perfectly smooth and groove-less. He gave it a squeeze.

What was the most natural way to hold a wand? Dazai had no idea. In his opinion, everything about having a wand felt unnatural to begin with. He much preferred the feeling of cold steel under his palm to the warm, buzzing wood of a wand. The

click

of pistol 's hammer to the half-mumbled incantation of a spell.

Though Dazai had spent a decent chunk of the previous year fruitlessly twirling his wand around, it had never felt very comfortable in his grip. Instead, it had felt useless. Dazai didn't like useless things.

Speaking of useless things 'Dazai lifted the tea mug to his mouth. The sweet tang of honey lingered on his tongue.

'Remember what I said about feeling ill, ' Snape was saying, serious gaze locking onto Dazai.

For a second, Dazai considered telling his professor, 'the second I start casting, I 'll feel sick, ' but decided against it. Snape was already being too fussy about his so-called condition. Dazai didn 't need him rushing to find Madam Pomfrey every time he so much has lifted his wand.

'I 'll be sure to stop, ' Dazai said instead. And he

would

stop. Eventually. After a few dozen tries or so, maybe.

Snape watched him for a long second, before finally nodding. Evidently, he hadn 't read the lie in Dazai 's words.

With permission given, Dazai turned his full attention onto Snape 's broken clock. Despite all the time that had passed during their meeting, it had still yet to tick forward even one second. Now knowing what today 's lesson was, Dazai understood why.

He

was going to have to be the impetus for its ticking.

He narrowed his eyes at it, then readied his wand.

One spell of

Motus Subtilis

should move the second hand forward one tick. That was it. Nothing greater than that. It was simple enough. And though Dazai could just lean forward and push the clock with his finger, that rather defeated the purpose of this lesson.

Now, Dazai just needed to focus.

But...

Focus on his wand, or focus on the clock 's second hand? Or on the feeling of magic buzzing around them in the air?

Although, based on what he 'd learned with the Sensing Stone last week? Dazai wasn 't sure he was even

supposed

to be feeling all the latent magic around them. He 'd thought, briefly, to ask Snape about it, but had quickly decided against it. The last thing he wanted was Snape giving him one of those wide-eyed looks again.

'Anytime now, Problem Child. '

Dazai sniffed. 'I 'm thinking. '

He didn 't turn to see Snape 's expression, but Dazai was sure the man was rolling his eyes. No matter 'Dazai was focusing now.

Focusing on..?

Dazai drew in a breath. It cooled his throat and calmed his mostly nonexistent nerves.

The magic in the air swirled, but Dazai ignored it. Dazai settled his focus on the point of his wand. For a spell as precise as this, precise wand movements must be critical. Holding his wand steady, Dazai gave it the slightest of flicks.

'Motus Subtilis, '

he whispered.

He perked up, watching '

Nothing.

The clock stayed resolutely silent; fingers still stuck at the noon mark.

Dazai frowned, eyes falling to his wand to glare at it.

'Try again. '

Dazai turned his glare onto Snape, who was watching him with expectant eyes. 'Don 't you have any tips? '

Snape raised a brow, but didn 't comment on the insolent remark for once. 'Unfortunately, I suspect only an individual with Magical Sensitivity as high as yours will be able to cast this spell. '

Dazai blinked, momentarily startled out of his glower. 'You can 't cast it? ' He asked, somewhat surprised.

Reading the textbook, Dazai hadn 't gleaned that

Motus Subtilis

was impossible. The book had described it as being difficult, but not out of the realm of possibility. In fact, Dazai got the feeling that

Motus Subtilis

was a spell anyone could do if they wanted to really hone their magic. Though, now that Dazai thought about it, Snape had suggested the spell wasn 't really used anymore. Perhaps knowledge of

Motus Subtilis

had faded alongside its popularity.

'Huh.

Guess I 'll have to do all the work for the two of us, then. '

Snape sighed. He sounded deeply burdened (Dazai doubted his cheeky grin was helping matters much). Still. It was an interesting tidbit to know Snape expected him to learn a supposedly unlearnable spell.

Again, Dazai raised his wand. This time, he settled his focus on the clock and gave his wand a long, dramatic swish. It cut through the air with a fwhip!

'Motus Subtilis! '

A second passed, the clock 's hand did not.

'Damn, ' Dazai puffed. Something turned in his stomach.

'Language. '

Dazai cast his teacher a sideways glance before turning back to the clock.

He tried another, now half-hearted, cast. Again: nothing. Clearly, he was going about this wrong. This wasn 't working. And though No Longer Human kept periodically buzzing at him, none of the magic around them was reacting to Dazai 's call.

He tapped his fingers along the wand 's edge, thoughtful.

I 've spell cast in the past. What helped then?

'Perhaps, ' Snape drawled, 'if you spent more time

casting

and less time

thinking about casting,

you might make some actual progress. '

Dazai, though mostly ignoring his professor now, automatically replied, 'It 's only because you won 't give me an example that I have to keep stopping like this. '

Oh.

Dazai blinked.

That 's it.

Across the desk, Snape bristled.

Dazai 's lips turned downward, and contemplation narrowed his eyes.

In the past, Dazai knew he didn 't learn spells in the traditional manner. Other students would listen to their instructors describe proper casting etiquette, then practice themselves. Within a few hours of trying, they could usually cast a given spell well enough.

For Dazai, however, he 'd always had an example.

No 'he'd

needed

an example.

Because it wasn 't about how to hold a wand or pronounce the words that he needed help with. He had plenty steady hands and a decent grasp over multiple languages already. What Dazai needed was to

feel

the spell.

Incendio

felt like a

snap

.

Wingardium Leviosa

was wavy.

Verdimilious

felt quivering.

Once Dazai was able to envision what the magic felt like, he 'd been able to cast it. Admittedly followed by several hours' worth of headaches and throwing up. But that was beside the point.

Dazai hummed as he realized the problem: he didn 't know what

Motus Subtilis

was supposed to feel like.

And without Snape to give an example, Dazai wasn 't really sure where to start.

How was the magic supposed to react? What shape should he push and pull the magic into?

Dazai set his wand down and closed his eyes in thought.

Motus Subtilis

was a bit like

Wingardium Leviosia

, wasn 't it? Only on a much smaller scale. So it should feel wavy, but more controlled...

'Mr. Dazai, ' Snape 's growling voice cut in, 'need I remind you that this lesson only includes the two of us. Ducking behind your desk and napping will not go unnoticed. '

'I 'm thinking, ' Dazai repeated.

Snape was silent for a second, then, 'I haven 't all day to be humoring you. '

'No, but you have until four. '

Fluttery and wavy... no that 's too unbalanced. A spell like this needs to be more exact...

'I don 't know what classes are like in Yokohama, but typically it is the

professor

who does the ordering around, ' Snape said. Dazai was barely listening. 'Do not presume to know my schedule. I can 't imagine teachers in any community are any more accepting of such an attitude as yours. '

'I wouldn 't know, ' Dazai said off-hand, still trying to form the spell in his head.

A bit more strict, a hint less loose...

'I was home schooled. Mori thinks it 's cute when I boss him around. '

'...I see. I suppose a doctor would make for a good teacher. '

'Sure. When he 's not busy stitching those idiots up after they get themselves shot. '

'Shot... '

Snape mumbled to himself. Then, 'Does Yokohama have a lot of crime? '

The question momentarily startled Dazai out of his concentration. He blinked up at Snape.

Crime in Yokohama..?

Dazai couldn 't help it: he burst out laughing.

Snape went rigid. He stared at Dazai with wide-eyes, clearly not having expected such a raucous reaction to an otherwise benign question. His mouth bobbled open and closed, evidently unsure what to say next. After a moment, his mouth snapped shut and Snape said nothing at all. Dazai chortled.

Good. Couldn 't he see Dazai needed to focus, here?

It took several seconds, but eventually the last dregs of laughter finally stopped shaking him. Dazai let out an amused and winded breath.

Right. That was enough laughing about. It was time to focus, now.

Dazai let his eyes slip closed once more.

He almost had the feeling of a spell like

Motus Subtilis

figured out. Now he just needed to make it real.

A more controlled

Wingardium Leviosa.

Exact and precise. Like a needle-point pricking through the air and piercing its target. Edging forward only one tick. An atom shifting just a little to the left. Mori 's scalpel. Dazai turned his focus inward, feeling how something heavy settled in his stomach.

Eyes closed and hands flat across his lap, Dazai muttered,

'Motus Subtilis. '

...

Tick.

Dazai 's eyes flew open. Across the desk, Snape seemed to have half-jumped out of his seat.

The clock 's smallest hand had braved forward one second.

'Oh.

I did it, ' Dazai hummed, pleased.

So

that

was what

Motus Subtilis

was meant to feel like. Dazai supposed that having an example would have sped up the process, but overall, this wasn 't an unsuccessful lesson. In the end, he 'd been able to engineer a magical signature that worked. Internally, Dazai committed the feeling of

Motus Subtilis

to memory.

Interestingly, Dazai noted, he didn 't feel especially sick after casting. Snape was right:

Motus Subtilis

used such a minuscule amount of magic, his body was barely reacting to it. No Longer Human barely had anything to even nullify. He flexed his hands in his lap, feeling well enough to try again.

'Motus Subtilis. '

...

Tick.

He'd done it again!

Triumph lit a smile on Dazai 's face. He 'd never cast a spell this easy before.

Wingardium Leviosa

had taken him weeks to figure out. Not only was

Motus Subtilis

easy to learn, but it also didn 't leave him making puddles of sick all over the floor.

Dazai cast the spell again, and smiled wider when it didn 't give him a headache.

He whirled on Snape. 'Do I get a passing grade, Professor? '

Snape was staring at him, mouth agape.

His eyes flicked rapidly from Dazai to the clock, then back again. The shock was written clearly across his face, and Dazai 's good mood immediately diminished.

'You ' ' Snape stop-started. 'You cast it. '

Dazai 's smile flattened. 'You told me to. '

'But it... ' he trailed off. There was wonderment in Snape 's voice when he said, 'No one has cast that spell for hundreds of years. '

Dazai took that in with a frown.

Suddenly, it occurred to him why Snape 's reaction was so flabbergasted: he hadn 't expected Dazai to learn this spell at all. Eventually, maybe. But not without significant practice and

certainly

not within the first few tries.

Well... Dazai could work with that.

He 'd worried for a second that Snape had seen something in his casting 'evidence of No Longer Human. But the man was just surprised Dazai was a good student, and that was less

worrying

than it was

amusing

.

'Motus Subtilis, '

Dazai said, casting the spell again. He felt the spell take shape somewhere in his skull. A second later, the clock ticked ahead.

Ow '

he'd felt that one. Dazai 's head ached dully for a few seconds before fading into nothing.

'You aren 't using your wand, ' Snape commented dumbly. Evidently, he was still too shocked to bother putting the usual grimace into each of his words.

Dazai turned his whole body to Snape, and the invisible thread of focus between him and the broken clock snapped apart. Wide eyes met his. 'Well, the book didn 't mention a wand at all. Maybe it just doesn 't need one. '

The truth was, Dazai was better able to focus on the feel of the spell when he wasn 't also focusing on the hold of his wand. He wasn 't sure what Snape would make of that, however, and wisely didn 't say so.

'Every spell needs a wand. '

'You can 't even cast it. What do you know? '

Snape froze. The mug he 'd raised to his lips a second ago came to a stuttering stop.

Then, his typical scowl overtook his features. Dazai 's insolence had finally shocked the man out of his stupor.

Before Snape could lash out at him, Dazai whipped back to the clock. He settled the feeling of a certain spell in his thoughts, then cast,

'Motus Subtilis. '

'

Tick.

Pain bit at his skull. Dazai winced without really meaning to, but the pain was gone within a few seconds.

Snape 's sneering expression sobered up instantly.

Clack!

Dazai flinched. His eyes snapped off of the clock, searching wildly for where Snape had slammed his mug into the desk. His heart skipped a nervous beat he fought to calm down.

'Don 't. '

Snape stared at Dazai for a long moment. His eyes narrowed as he looked Dazai over, clearly searching for something in his student 's appearance. But any of the pain Dazai had felt seconds before had since been washed out almost instantly. All Snape would find now was a wide-eyed, slightly rattled stare.

'It 's hurting you. Don 't cast again, ' Snape repeated, voice noticeably tight.

Dazai rolled his shoulders, physically shrugging off a lingering agitation. 'I barely felt it, ' he said.

'Any amount of hurt is unacceptable. ' Snape looked like he had something he wanted to say. But his tone was unchanged when he said, 'Spellcasting should not hurt at all. '

'I won 't improve if I don 't push myself, ' Dazai reasoned. As far as he knew, that was the only way to improve his magic. If Dazai hadn 't practiced

incendio

over and over again with the Loyalty Club last year, he wouldn 't be able to cast it at all now. No matter all the headaches and nausea along the way.

Snape sniffed. 'That may be the case. '

Dazai preened.

Before he could start boasting, however, Snape continued, 'But it is important to be aware of what limits you aim to push. I don 't need you throwing up in my office, Problem Child. '

'I wouldn 't do that. ' Dazai shifted in his seat. Then, he reached for his tea. It warmed his hands and soothed everything else. 'Not on purpose. '

Snape sighed.

'Tell me how it hurts. '

Dazai blinked at the non-sequitur. He raised a brow in question.

'During your last class with Poppy, we focused on a theoretical

why

does it hurt, ' Snape explained each word slowly. Dazai frowned. He got the feeling Snape was just trying to stall him on casting Motus Subtilis again. 'Tell me

where

it hurts.

How. '

'It doesn 't hurt, right now, ' Dazai said, unamused. At Snape 's disbelieving look, he clarified, 'my head only hurt for a second. I can keep casting now. '

'Don 't push it. '

I 'm not,

Dazai wanted to bite back. He knew his limits 'had met them and pushed past them a dozen times over until he was curled on the floor begging for death.

Dazai shook his head to clear the thought.

'Headache and nausea, then. ' Snape seemed to be talking to himself now, but he still kept a close eye on his student. He thoughtfully knocked a finger against his cup.

'Hmm... '

He trailed off.

Dazai watched him, waiting for the potion master to continue. When he didn 't, Dazai set his cup down with a loud

clink.

Snape 's eyes snapped to the sound, then to Dazai 's expectant face. He cleared his throat. 'We will be halting our lesson here for today. Your homework for the week is to practice

Motus Subtilis

. ' Dazai noted that there was no small amount of shock still in Snape 's voice as he said the spell 's name. Like he still didn 't fully believe Dazai had managed to cast it.

'In moderation, '

he emphasized. 'And preferably with one of your friends to supervise you. I don 't want to hear you 've landed yourself in the infirmary because of this, boy. '

'That 's it? ' Dazai asked before he could stop himself.

Snape levelled him with an unimpressed stare. 'I told you at the beginning of class we would be stopping the second you began to feel unwell. Even if it was only for a second. Until Poppy and I know more about your condition, we will be treating it with the utmost caution. '

Dazai frowned, eyes falling to the desk. His tea sat there, cooling. It was only just over half-finished.

Snape misread his expression as self-pitying. 'Be glad I 'm not giving you a writing assignment. Merlin knows you wouldn 't complete any homework, anyway. '

Dazai snorted. 'I 'd do homework if it were more interesting. '

Something contemplative shifted in Snape 's expression. It lasted for only a few seconds.

Then, he heaved out a sigh. 'You brought your textbook with you, didn 't you? ' When Dazai nodded, he instructed, 'Read it for the rest of class. If you get bored with that, you can re-read the section on

Motus Subtilis.

But under no circumstances are you to cast it again. '

Ah...

Dazai had already finished reading his textbook. It had been interesting, but there wouldn 't be any merit to reading it

again

.

'You just want me to stop talking, ' Dazai said astutely.

Snape grunted, but didn 't confirm one way or the other. Dazai snorted.

Despite his internal complaints, Dazai retrieved his textbook and obediently flipped to a random page in the middle. He

could

make more of a fuss, or even leave the room out of sheer boredom. But classes weren 't the only reason Dazai was wanting to stay glued to Snape 's side right now.

On the other side of campus in Lockhart 's classroom, the Hell 's Hounds gang was busy enacting their first official heist of the year.

The least Dazai could do was to distract Professor Snape while they worked.

Turning to his book, he '

Magic hissed suddenly at the edge of Dazai's awareness.

He nearly jumped out of his seat, eyes frantically searching for the source.

What was '?!

'Go back to reading. '

Dazai tore his eyes away from where they had settled on the back wall. 'Sorry, ' he said, guilty.

Snape 's expression was entirely nonplussed.

'Ah...

I 'm reading, I 'm reading. '

Dazai 's gaze fell back to his book, but the words blurred out of focus beneath him. His attention was elsewhere, still hovering on the strange magic he 'd felt a moment ago.

For just a second, Dazai had thought he 'd felt a powerful magical signature slithering within the school 's walls. He couldn 't quite pinpoint it 'something

large

and

magical

and

ancient

. A wave of magic coursing through the plumbing before it just as abruptly vanished.

Odd,

Dazai thought.

He shook himself, noisily flipping a page. He forced himself to ignore the unease suddenly boiling in his veins.

No odder than anything else at Hogwarts.

-

Knock, knock, knock!

Fred rapped thrice, then leaned into the door close enough to call quietly through the crack, 'You almost done in there? '

The sound of a scratching quill filled in a brief silence. Then, 'Only a few questions left to copy down, ' George said back, voice no more than a whisper. 'Lockhart sure is wordy... '

Fred sniffed, amusement tickling through his veins.

He looked down the hall in both directions. Only once he was sure they were alone did Fred unravel the Marauder 's Map. A few muttered words and the map came to life under his hands.

A complete map of Hogwarts stared back up at him. Fred started his once-over by Lockhart 's classroom.

As expected, the hall was perfectly empty of students and staff alike. Fred 's eyes settled on his own name: standing guard at the doorway to Lockhart 's room. A few feet behind him, George 's name was written by Lockhart 's desk. His twin was hard at work stealing test answers while Fred himself stood close guard.

Fred scanned the map for another set of familiar names.

And... There they were!

Little Ronniekins really

was

stationed at the end of the hall, just around the corner 's bend. Fred felt his lips twitch upwards at the observation. When he had asked Ron for help earlier, he had been awfully hesitant to get involved. For how much Ron had huffed and puffed about not being included in any risky schemes, he sure was taking his role seriously.

At the other end of the corridor, a neatly printed

Zabini, B.

stood guard as well.

That one was less of a surprise. For all Fred had only known Blaise for only a short while, he knew the second-year was dependable. He seemed like the type to care not very much about most things. But when he found something he

did

care about? Blaise put his all into it. Hence why his name was now a stony statue on the corner of Fred 's map.

Well on the other end of the map, Fred saw Dazai 's name right next to Professor Snape 's in the potion master 's office. Just like he said he 'd be. Still in lesson, then...

No matter. Dazai may not have been physically present for today 's heist, but he was still just as involved in the planning for it. Fred looked forward to catching up with the boss after everything was finished. There was nothing sillier than getting the whole gang together for a prank like this, after all!

With two loyal guard-dogs keeping watch and Fred at the map, he didn 't doubt they would make a clean getaway. Now all they needed was '

'Got it! ' George sang. He popped his head out of the door, beaming widely. Immediately, an identical smile appeared on Fred 's face. As he shut the door, George waved a paper in the air. It had all the frantic writing of a hastily-written cheat sheet across it.

Fred whispered a spell to lock the room behind them. It was locked when they arrived, so it would be locked when they left. A clean entry and exit meant none the wiser!

'Looking good, brother mine! '

George 's smirk was blinding as he tucked the paper safely away into his cloak. 'What say you we tell the kids that we 're all finished here? '

'Sounds delightful, ' Fred said, already rolling the Marauder 's Map closed once more. They were well in the clear now. 'I 'll grab Blaise, you grab Ron? '

George hummed, already on the same page as his twin brother. 'Then we rendezvous at the Hound 's office after Boss ' lesson finishes! '

Fred tittered out a laugh as he spun on his heel towards where Blaise was stationed. He knew George was doing the same for Ron. Between the two of them, words didn 't always need to be shared. It came with the territory of twinhood, Fred supposed.

Certain that his twin would get the job done with Ron, Fred skipped happily down the hall to where Blaise was stationed.

He turned the corner and saw that Blaise was still exactly where he 'd been on the map moments before.

Like a statue,

Fred had thought.

Blaise had his arms crossed over his chest where he leaned against the wall and a bored expression pasted across his face. Though Blaise looked duly focused on his surroundings, something about him made Fred think he was actually deep in thought. He stared straight ahead, unblinking.

'Like a statue ' is right,

Fred chuckled to himself.

This kid is way too serious.

'Something on your mind, Blaise? '

Blaise 's eyes slid towards him. He didn 't startle 'so maybe

deep in thought

wasn 't so accurate, after all.

Still, the ever-so-subtle pinch to Blaise 's brow vanished. 'I take it you 've finished. '

Fred snorted. 'All done! ' kicking the smile on his face even wider, Fred slung an arm over Blaise 's shoulder. When he stepped forward, Blaise obediently let himself be walked along. 'Now all we have to do is sell. You wouldn 't happen to know anyone willing to buy test answers, would you? '

'Just about anyone, ' Blaise answered sagely. 'Moreso for Professor Lockart 's tests, considering almost no one wants to read his books. Or listen to him during class. '

Again, Fred laughed. Boy, did he know it! Lockhart would talk and talk for hours, but say nothing of worth. Nothing about dark magic or magic for pranks or where he hides his valuables in the classroom...

Ah.

He was getting off track.

The point was: Lockhart only ever talked about himself, so his lessons were less

lessons

and more

self-aggrandizing.

He also had a number of unsavory things to say about Dazai. Fred walked out of every Defense class with a sour taste in his mouth and a bitter, protective anger filling up his chest.

'Well, I know

I 'll

be gladly using our cheat-sheet to pass the test! ' Fred chuckled, forcing himself to focus on the present. 'What about you, Blaise? You don 't have any hesitance about cheating, do you? '

Blaise raised a brow. 'One less class to study for, ' he said, matter-of-fact.

Fred nodded, as though that were a very wise thing to say. 'Ron, too. I think Hermione is the only one dead-set on making her own grade. '

It was silent for a second. Fred didn 't mind 'Blaise seemed like the quiet type, to him. Fred carted Blaise by the shoulder while the shorter boy gathered his thoughts.

'I don 't think Dazai was planning to cheat. '

Fred blinked. 'No?" He asked, surprise flickering across his face. 'But this whole thing was his idea. He 's not even going to reap the rewards, huh? '

Their boss was really an enigma, sometimes.

Blaise made a face. 'I don 't think a good grade is much of a reward for Dazai. '

Fred paused. The weight of an exceptionally expensive cufflink bore down on his wrist. 'And not the money either. '

An enigma with a lot of money, to boot.

'As long as Professor Lockhart is the victim, I think Dazai will consider this a success. ' Blaise tilted his head, the motion pulling him slightly out of Fred 's hold. Fred let him draw away without complaint. 'I 'm heading to the office early to wait for Dazai. I 'll see you then? '

It would still be a little while before Dazai 's class was finished.

'I 'll tag along! ' Fred said with a friendly smile. 'On the way, you can tell me

all

about all the prospective customers you 've got lined up for us! At fifty sickles per customer... '

He trailed off, mentally clocking the math of just how much the Hell 's Hounds stood to make.

Blaise stared at him for a second, before a small, amused smile filtered across his features. 'It 's a lot, ' he said. 'Almost all of the second-years I 've spoken to are interested. And that 's just Slytherin alone. '

As they walked through the halls, Blaise proceeded to list off customer, after customer, after customer. Fred 's amusement turned into surprise, then outright awe.

If they really stood to make

that much money...

Fred snickered.

Mom was going to

hate

all the new pranks George and he could afford with such a big bank.