Chapter Text
Summer was now officially the dullest season of the year.
Most would argue otherwise. Summer is when the weather is at it's best, when nature thrives and the sun shines brightly daily. Casting a warmth that only summer could bring. It was also the time of year when students got a lengthy break from school. If you were to ask any student what they loved about summer, they would say the best part is the break from school. But for Dazai it was completely different.
Dazai had never been particularly fond of summer. It's not like he disliked it per say, although the constant heat was intolerable. Especially when he wore as many bandages as he did alongside his heavy, black coat that was practically a beacon for heat. However, after spending the past two years as a student of Hogwarts he discovered that summer was more dull than any other time of the year because summer meant being stuck in Yokohama with Mori.
Hogwarts provided their students with a two month break each year for summer holiday's. That was two months with Mori for Dazai. Two entire months without Hell's Hounds.
This year Mori wasn't as controlling over Dazai's actions outside of work, so he supposed that was an upside. Turning thirteen this year did come with some sort of newfound freedom in that sense. Outside of missions that he sent him on, Dazai could do whatever he wanted, and he spent all that time avoiding Mori when he could. Unfortunately he still saw him constantly since they still lived under the same roof, and because Mori was his boss.
The new boss of the Port Mafia. He wasn't really the 'new' boss anymore. Half a year already passed since the passing of his father and Mori claiming his position. Since he himself became an executive and Mori's right hand man. Since he had been at Hogwarts until a month and a half ago, Dazai didn't yet feel the impact of his new position. Being back in Yokohama made it hit him. Men twice, even triple his age respected him immensely. Listened to his orders as though they were law and treated him as their superior. As an executive he was the superior of everybody else in the mafia apart from the other executives and Mori himself and Dazai would be lying if he said he hated the upgrade. With Mori as the boss and after he appointed him as an executive, he had an official position in the mafia, whereas previously he technically was just the boss' son. He now got paid a huge amount of money for the work and he had more influence. It made it all more bearable.
-
The streets of Yokohama were practically deserted late at night. It was an eerie type of quiet that could only be found in a city run by a mafia. Dazai gazed out the window of the back of the limousine he was in, watching the empty streets pass him by pensively. The driver was headed to the headquarters of the Port Mafia. Earlier in the evening Dazai was sent on a mission to track down a traitor of the mafia that attempted to leave the city after tampering with their drug supply. Of course, he found him easily and disposed of him without issue. Afterwards he received orders from Mori to report back to him as they apparently had "important matters" to discuss.
The Port Mafia begun to thrive once Mori became the boss. Dazai may not be the biggest fan of Mori- but he could recognise that he was the perfect boss for the Port Mafia. Unlike Dazai's father, Mori was ten times more sensible and less impulsive. An organisation like the Port Mafia may utilise violence to achieve it's goals when necessary but Mori didn't solely rely on it. He knew when to use other means to achieve what he wanted and that made him a far better boss than the previous one.
The vehicle shortly came to a stop outside a towering skyscraper and Dazai exited the limo to make his way inside. The building itself was just as quiet as the city. Lacking the presence of any other human beings. He walked through the hallways alone. Past the stained-glass windows that held colour that felt fraudulent compared to the colour in the windows in the Great Hall in Hogwarts.
On the train back home this year Dazai made a promise to Blaise that he would write to him and he kept that promise. Fortunately Mori did not forbid him from communicating with his friends this year as Dazai's friendship with Draco was beneficial in Mori's eyes considering that the mafia was in an alliance with the Malfoy's. Dazai wrote to Blaise a handful of times. He wrote to everybody at least once, but Blaise was the only one of his allies to be sent more than three letters. They were never long. They never contained too much information on what he was up to, only random snippets of information that was mostly useless, but they reassured Blaise that Dazai was still okay and he knew that was all Blaise needed. On the other hand, Blaise being just as useful as ever did share purposeful information with him. He kept him up to date with the Daily Prophet and wrote to him about how the healers from last year that were accused of poisoning the petrified students and Madame Pomfrey were arrested and sent to Azkaban. The students and teacher that the two of them were responsible for killing.
"Ah, there you are." Mori wore his usual slimy smile. The same one that lacked any real warmth behind it. "I expect your task went well?"
It wasn't a question, rather it was an assumption. An expectation. Dazai simply nodded in response and slumped down in the chair in front of Mori's desk. "He didn't make it far before I caught him. Not like he could even if he wanted to."
Mori's demeanour was unreadable as he looked at Dazai. He never told him why exactly he needed him here to talk. It was just like him to leave Dazai guessing all of the details until he decided to tell him. By now he should be more than used to that kind of behaviour from Mori but it still agitated him each time without fail. His life would be much easier if the mafia boss was more upfront with him instead of trying to play mind games with him every time they spoke.
"It's almost time for you to return to Hogwarts." Thank God, he's getting to the point without stalling first, Dazai thought to himself. Mori leaned his elbows on his desk, folding his hands and resting his chin atop them. "I have arranged for you to stay in the same place as last year for next week to give you a chance to gather your supplies for this year. You will be staying there until you go back to school."
Dazai hoped that this was what Mori needed to discuss with him even if he wouldn't admit it out loud. The past month and a half went by painfully. There was only so much missions he could do without getting bored. His job kept him occupied but not entertained. He had subordinates in Yokohama but they weren't the same subordinates he had in Hogwarts. They weren't as competent as Hell's Hounds in his opinion. At least, he didn't tolerate them nearly as much as he did with Hell's Hounds. There was no fun in his actual mafia subordinates.
"I assume you're aware of your lack of popularity in the media now?" Mori asked lightly. "Have you heard about the current topic of mass panic?"
"The man that escaped from Azkaban?" Sirius Black, Dazai hadn't read any of the actual Daily Prophet articles about him, but he could recall Blaise writing to him about him a couple of weeks ago. He knew the gist of the situation. Apparently an ex supporter of Voldemort escaped from the most high-security prison in England and became the first to ever do so. There was still no sign of him anywhere and it the Wizarding World went into panic, speculating what he may try and do. "I heard. Why?"
"Nobody knows for certain what his intentions are, but there are rumours spreading that he plans to search for a way to continue Voldemort's work," Mori informed him. "I spoke with Lucius Malfoy about it. None of the other Death Eater's knew he was on their side until he was arrested. He told me that Sirius Black posed as a member of the Order of the Phoenix, a group assembled by Albus Dumbledore to fight against Voldemort in the war. Then he betrayed them by giving up the location of some of their members that were in hiding. One of them being his best friend."
"This guy sounds terrific," Dazai remarked dryly. "What are you getting at with this?"
Mori smiled faintly, as though amused by him in some way that he couldn't place. Typical. "So impatient," the doctor cooed the words in a way that made Dazai grimace inwardly. He couldn't wait to get away from him again for another year. His tolerance for Mori lessened with the more time he spent away from him. He couldn't even begin to imagine how much more annoying he would be next year.
"What I am getting at," he continued. "Is that Lucius Malfoy told me locating him would be in our best interest. If we can get to him before law enforcements, we can bring him to our side as we did the others and he can help us ensure that Voldemort will not return. We already have many powerful Death Eaters on our side, it will benefit us massively to bring Voldemort's most faithful servant to the side of the mafia instead."
"You say that as though you want me to do something about that," Dazai commented skeptically. "Incase you've somehow forgotten, I'm going to be at Hogwarts for the next ten months."
Mori hummed in response and Dazai almost frowned at the way the doctor stared at him from across his desk. "I know, but that doesn't mean you won't come across him now, does it? Isn't Voldemort's biggest enemy in Hogwarts?"
Dazai easily picked up on the implications of Mori's words. Voldemort's biggest enemy was Albus Dumbledore, the headmaster of Hogwarts. If Sirius Black decided to carry out the rest of his previous master's work then he would try to take out his biggest enemy at some point. The easiest place to find Dumbledore was Hogwarts. If someone wanted to find and kill Dumbledore, Hogwarts was the first place they would go to.
"So what, then? You want me to see if I can find Sirius Black lurking around the castle when I'm there and talk him into going to find the other Death Eaters?"
"Precisely!" the doctor confirmed cheerfully. "The rest of us will keep a lookout for him elsewhere, whereas you are to find him if he decides to pay your school a visit. If he's capable of escaping from the most guarded magical prison in Europe then it's best we have eyes everywhere searching for him."
It sounded like a logical plan. Not as exertive as his past tasks, that's for sure, so Dazai didn't have any complaints. All he had to do was keep his eyes peeled and try and gain new information on the convict which wouldn't be difficult. Besides, he was going to be in Hogwarts. Away from Mori and back with his gang. He wouldn't be as bored as he is here without them, especially without Blaise. Letter's aren't an incredible substitute for living under the same roof. He would need to get his subordinates phones at some point, it would be so much less tedious to call them than it is to manually send letters and await a letter in response.
"Fantastic. Can I go now?" Dazai was already rising from his seat without awaiting an answer from Mori. The quicker he could get out of here and return back to their shared apartment, the better.
Mori didn't stop him. He watched the young executive as he stood up, stretching before heading towards the door to leave.
"Try to find out any other useful information you can this year too," the doctor called out to him right as he was almost outside the room. "Also, Lucius' son will be staying in the same location as you next week. He's pleased that you are both acquainted with one another. Keep it up, it makes us look good."
Dazai nodded and disappeared out the door.