Magic and Mystery Coil by Allegory_for_Hatred

Reunion

Once the air between them was cleared, Tom became a surprisingly good host.

Every day, three times a day, the innkeeper knocked on his door to deliver a meal. Dazai accepted every one, though more than half of the meals ended up in Featherbrain's stomach instead.

Tom would start every morning off with the latest Daily Prophet served beside a warm plate of breakfast, which Dazai then considered in the privacy of his room. The articles were only becoming more daring. Skeeter had taken to calling Dazai an "evil, manipulative villain-type." Of course, this left Lockhart to be the people's "hero." Dazai didn't know which moniker was worse.

Tom was insistent that the slander and lies would eventually die down, but with each passing day he grew less sure. The lack of authenticity in the Daily Prophet was a heavy blow to the man. Dazai couldn't relate.

Still. They got on well enough, even if Tom still balked every time Dazai casually mentioned drinking all of the inn's ale and dying of liver poisoning.

When the day finally came for Dazai to leave for Hogwarts, Tom quietly saw him out the side-exit. "If you ever need anything, write," Tom said. "Even if everyone else is against you, I've got your back, kid."

Dazai nodded, already mentally cataloguing what uses he might have for a bartender/innkeeper.

"That reminds me!" Tom said with a snap. "Florence is still digging around the archives—when they're sober enough, that is. If they manage to snag anymore old papers about you, want me to send them your way?"

Though Dazai wasn't sure how much use he would get out of them, he agreed nonetheless. "If you could. Give Florence my thanks."

"'Course!"

Dazai shifted the luggage in his arms. Between books, robes, and Featherbrain, it was no easy feat.

Tom seemed to take his discomfort as indication of the time.

"Well, you'd best be off. Hang in there, kid. It'll get better." He turned to Featherbrain when Dazai merely nodded. "Goodbye to you too, little lady. Take good care of each other, okay?"

Featherbrain cooed happily, and Dazai had to grab the cage tighter to accommodate her shifting around.

"Thank you for your hospitality," Dazai said, curt, but to the point. The looming threat of walking through a bustling crowd had him eager to get moving.

"Off you get, then!" Tom grinned, brushing them off. "Otherwise, you'll miss the train."

Dazai dipped his head in a slight bow. Then, with a final goodbye, he turned from Tom and left the alley.

By the end of things, Dazai thought, Tom hadn't been so bad. The man could be a little overreactive, but he had been helpful overall. So far, Tom had been the only stranger willing to look past Skeeter's outrageous claims. Dazai silently thanked Tom again as he pushed through the London crowd.

Mostly keeping to the edges of the streets, Dazai tried hard to avoid the questioning stares of muggles. But with Featherbrain's constant cacophony of hoots and coos, it was nigh impossible. Dazai was only really able to relax once he'd pushed through the entrance at Platform nine-and-three-quarters.

The magical gateway burned at his skin painfully, but it was still a relief to pass to the other side. Surrounded by other wizards and witches, Dazai's luggage and owl didn't seem nearly as strange. No one gave Dazai a second glance as he beelined directly for the train to Hogwarts.

Still, Dazai was careful to keep his head ducked behind his luggage. The last thing he needed was to be swarmed about being this so-called "Demon Student."