'Charms, ' Dazai whined, dragging his arms behind him as they walked through the winding halls, 'is boring. All these classes are

boring! '

Stepping onto the stairway just moments before it started to rotate, Draco raised a brow and sneered. 'You were barely paying attention. Are you sure that isn 't your problem? '

'True, ' Blaise added, 'It 's only a lecture day for most classes, of course. Though Professor Flitwick promised that tomorrow we could work on casting. '

'Whatever... '

'Don 't

grumble

at me! That 's hardly how a 'subordinate 'of mine should act. '

'I will push you off these stairs. '

Draco shot him an unimpressed looking, and Dazai was forced to admit that Grunts One and Two could probably punt him half-way across campus before he even reached out to push the weasel to his death. Still, something about Dazai 's threat must have stuck, because Malfoy rushed up the last few steps and was the first one off once the stairway came to a stop.

Dazai grinned.

'Potions next, ' Draco announced, now a full three feet ahead of Dazai and sending the bandaged boy a cautious glare, 'We have it with the

Gryffindors. '

'

I 've never heard someone put so much disdain into one word before. '

'

Dazai, shut up. '

'

Oh, there it is again! '

Suddenly, Crabbe and Goyle appeared on each of Dazai 's sides, two towering masses of pure brawn. The part of his brain that was constantly screaming

get out, shut up, it 's dangerous!

started screaming just a little bit louder. But Dazai was feeling well-rested today, so he shut those thoughts down and replaced them with apathy.

'Malfoy, keep your dogs in line. ' Dazai said, beaming with a particular sharpness to the corners of his eyes.

Though he was fairly sure the comment was meant to be silent, Dazai distinctly heard Blaise mumble, '

Aren 't you one of those dogs? '

Which '

rude.

Beside him, Pansy glared holes into Dazai 's skull.

Draco assessed him with a clean look, before offering another one of his nasty smirks. After a moment, he waved his thugs off. 'I 'm trying to be 'nice, 'you know. I 'm even letting you hang out with us for the day. You should show some gratitude, 'Mudblood. '

Something about that smile irked Dazai. He had a smile like a less intelligent Mori, which was too annoying of a concept to consider for long. Any time spent thinking about that bastard doctor was wasted time, so Dazai let himself tune into a different, less sadistic aspect of Malfoy.

Dazai offered a kind, if dishonest, smile, 'Well, I guess Draco's not such bad company! People seem to respect you. '

Respect,

Dazai had learned, meant that people stayed away from you. Draco drew attention when he wanted it, and chased it away when he didn 't. At first, Dazai had only planned to stick with this punk until he got bored with teasing him, but now... Dazai appreciated having some wiggle room in the otherwise crowded hallways. It was doing wonders for his mood. Or maybe it wasn 't respect 'maybe it was how Crabbe and Goyle 'glared at anyone who came within two feet of them.

I need subordinates of my own already.

He 'd have to hunt down those Weasleys during lunch and see if they would follow him around like a pack of stupid dogs. Then he wouldn 't have to listen to Malfoy tell him how to act like a 'pure wizard ' unless he had a particular longing to bleed from the ears (not that he didn 't mind the tips. Dazai always did love putting on airs).

'Yes, well... ' Draco hummed, sounding very assured suddenly, 'We 're here in the dungeons. '

They were, Dazai noted with a shiver. He followed lazily into the classroom. The room was large and cold, he noticed immediately. Instead of desks, the classroom was filled with small worktables that would probably fit only two or three people each.

A few others were already there, though mostly Dazai couldn 't recognize them beyond the vague sense of seeing them during the sorting. He looked through the other students, trying to see if 'Oh!

'I 'm sitting over there. ' Dazai said suddenly, interrupting something Malfoy was saying, 'Bye! '

'Wha 'come back here! '

Dazai waved Draco 's objection off, feeling a small swell of humor at the idea of leaving his '

boss '

in the dust. He rounded the corner of one workstation and came to a stop, grinning.

'Ron! My dear friend, whom I haven 't seen since yesterday, I found you! '

'Wh '

Dazai?! '

The red-head startled, flailing back in his seat. He ran a hand through his hair and took a calming breath. Dazai was very good at predicting how people would react, but when Ron 's expression hardened and his voice became steel, even he was a bit caught off guard. 'Get out here,

snake. '

Dazai blinked owlishly, then took a seat anyway.

'You tricked me into sitting with you on the train, but now that you 're Slytherin, I want nothing to do with you! Go sit with your new Death Eater friends! '

He...

may

have underestimated the strength of these house loyalties after all.

Huh.

'Don 't be like that! ' Dazai whined, kicking his feet, 'Besides, I don 't want to sit by that pompous Draco kid. Did you know he wants me to be his subordinate? The nerve! '

Ron gave only a blank glare in return.

'How about this ' '

'Take your seats! '

Dazai 's mouth clamped shut as Professor Snape traipsed into the room with an aura that undoubtedly commanded respect. Immediately, any student standing fell to the nearest seat 'and Ron was no exception. Snape 's appearance had locked them in as seat buddies. Curious, Dazai glanced to the other side of the room (was every Slytherin sitting on that side?) to see where Draco, Blaise, and Pansy had ended up. They were all seated very near to one another and shooting wide-eyed stares his way.

Dazai gave them a thumbs up.

Professor Snape came to a halt at the front of the class, his eyes rolling over each student with vague disdain. Dazai noticed a few Gryffindors flinch under the harsh glare sent their way with a bit of humor. When Snape got to Dazai 's spot next to Ron, something like confusion flitted across his expression. It was quickly stamped out, but Dazai caught it. Was it really so odd, cross-house friendships? Well, maybe not friendship.

'Put your wands away. There is little foolish wand-waving here. ' Snape declared after a second.

Dazai let himself melt into the table, already bored. There was no

foolish wand-waving

in any of these classes. He still hadn 't even had to chance to pull his wand from its box because it 'd been one syllabus after the next all day. Snape continued talking and Dazai let himself focus only on the echo of the professor 's words around the dungeons.

'Many of you will hardly believe this is magic. I don 't expect you will really understand the beauty of the softly simmering cauldron with its shimmering fumes, the delicate power of liquids that creep through the human veins, bewitching the minds, ensnaring the senses... I can teach you how to bottle fame, brew glory, and even stopper death 'if you aren 't as big a bunch of dunderheads as I usually have to teach. '

Dazai rolled his eyes, slumping forward momentarily. Just another boring class, huh? Although,

stopper death

was giving him 'some 'ideas...

Snape cut off abruptly. 'What. '

Dazai waved his raised hand in an eager hello. 'There 's a death potion, right? Can we brew that? Is it painless to drink? '

A few chitters rang out form the Slytherin side of the room, but otherwise, the classroom was silent. At his side, Ron tensed up horribly stiff and scooted his chair an inch away. What were they so scared for? Sure, the professors here put Dazai on edge, but he 'd spent an entire shopping trip with Snape and he was pretty sure that guy was harmless.

'We will

not

be brewing any ' potion of the sort. ' Snape growled. He walked forward until he was directly in front of Dazai desk. The teacher 's eyes were searching, livid little things. Under the harsh gaze, Dazai picked at the fraying edges of his bandages. 'Now unless anyone else has any idiotic questions, I 'd like to move forward with

my

class now. '

The room was dead silent.

'As I thought. Now then... '

Professor Snape 's lecture blurred together, and Dazai felt himself absorbing information more than participating with it. He had a sharp mind. Usually just hearing something once was enough for the information to stick with him. And while he had been looking forward to learning more about this mysterious wizarding community, the application was a bit...

Well, he didn 't want to learn all this

kid

stuff. Dazai wanted to know more 'who are the major players in this war? What are the most dangerous spells and creatures? But did he need to know that a bezoar can cure poison? Probably not, since Dazai really only saw himself as intentionally poisoning people.

This was boring and he was going to tell Mori as much in his first letter next week. Let that doctor know he was going to quit Hogwarts and drown himself in the lake.

After the rest of the class passed (filled only with boring instruction), Dazai got to his feet and stretched. Ron, who 'd been relatively silent the entire class, jumped to his feet and immediately started off towards the door.

'Hey, Ron, wait up. '

The Weasley ducked his head and continued walking off faster. Dazai didn 't hesitate to hurry off after him. On his way out, he caught the eye of Professor Snape, who wore a strained look at the interaction. Skipping the last few steps out the door, Dazai reached out for the sleeve of Ron 's robes.

'Don 't follow me, mate. I 'm not associating with a Slytherin, so leave me alone! '

Dazai pouted but withdrew his hands to his sides anyway. 'Aww, but we got along so well on the train! And you found all my books for me, too. '

Ron scowled.

That 's fine 'Dazai had been thinking about this all through class, and he 'd decided that he still liked the idea of training Ron as a subordinate. The kid had potential! Or something... Maybe he just didn 't like the idea of letting Ron go so easily.

Dazai put on a pleasant expression, hoping to disarm Ron 's distrust of him. 'It 'd be a shame to not stay friends... and, well... '

'What? ' The boy countered, suspicious.

Dazai almost smirked, but covered it up with a coy, ducked expression. 'Well, a 'muggleborn 'like myself in Slytherin... It 's a bit... '

'They 're picking on you? ' Ron asked. Was that a hint of concern in there? 'Take it up with Professor Snape! '

'Didn 't you see the way Professor Snape looked at me? He hates me! ' Dazai whined, giving a small, fragile-looking smile. 'Ah, you saw how quickly the Sorting Hat sorted me right? '

'Too fast, I think. ' Ron replied with a barely concealed anger, although Dazai noted he had softened a bit.

'Yes, yes. I agree. It couldn 't possibly have made a proper judgment like that. '

'...so 'you

aren 't

a Slytherin? '

Dazai clapped his hands together and gave a toothy beam. 'Exactly! I 'm a Gryffindor at heart, just like you! '

Ron squinted down at him as if putting together a puzzle with his eyes closed and hands tied behind his back. 'Aren 't you just trying to trick me? What do you

want? '

'

Take me under your kind, Gryffindor wings, Ron! Teach me how to be a good Gryffindor. Won 't your housemates be pleased that you 've converted me? '

Won 't they be pleased to find I 've spread my influence into not one, but

two

houses?

'

No way! I 'm not hanging out with a Slytherin, even if you 're meant to be a Gryffindor! I 'll get laughed out of my own house! '

Dazai waved him off. 'I 'm sure there 's something in this for you somewhere... ah! Maybe I 'll share some Slytherin secrets with you! I 'm sure your brothers will love the intel for their pranks. '

'You want to... ' Ron struggled, seeming to roll the wording around on his tongue in distaste before echoing, '...be my

subordinate? '

'Subordinate... Yes, that 's sounds right. ' Dazai preened. He quickly recalled what Draco had said to him just that morning, 'Look at you, already doing your part to rehabilitate this poor, muggle Slytherin! So kind, so kind... '

'I 'll 'no way! '

'Awww, come on! Help a friend out! I 'll even let you see my owl like you wanted to. You can have it if you take good care of me! '

Ron startled and glanced over his shoulder to where the last of the Gryffindors had just disappeared. 'You 'll give me your owl if I hang out with you? Are you that desperate for friends? '

'Sure. ' Dazai half-answered. Around them, the dungeons were almost completely empty. 'It 's time for lunch now, isn 't it? '

The other boy assessed him quizzically, brows pinched together and fingers tense. After a second, he nodded, then started walking. Dazai didn 't hesitate to try and keep pace. 'I 'll

think

about it. But don 't get your hopes up! ' He shot a glance at where Dazai followed a step behind him, 'And don 't follow me! '

'Yes, boss! '

Ron groaned into the air. Dazai let himself slow down until Ron was well out of the dungeons and it was only him left behind.

Easy. People were too easy to manipulate. He estimated maybe a month before the kid caved and came back to Dazai to accept the offer, giving Dazai access to both Slytherin

and

Gryffindor secrets. It wouldn 't be long before he had most of the school under his control. Just in time to drop out of Hogwarts for how terribly dull the classes were. Well, maybe he 'd have a bit of fun starting a wizard gang first. Dazai chuckled to himself in the dungeon corridors.

Someone cleared their throat behind him and Dazai whirled around to come face-to-face with Professor Snape.