?!
'This old fogey!'
Axel quickly told the system to handle the situation. After all, the system always has been the one to deal with situations like these even before he had Occlumency. Why would he even bother dealing with this situation on his own and let this useless system be even more lazy?
He wasn't quite confident if his own Occlumency skills could deceive Albus freaking Dumbledore yet. After all, he had no way of knowing just how skilled Dumbledore really was and he doesn't want to risk revealing his own Occlumency skills to this man, or anyone for that matter.
So, in the end, it's best to just let the system handle the situation, while he prepares for alternatives in case the system becomes useless at this critical moment.
Thankfully, the system seems to be a pro at dealing with situations like these as a few memories began to surface to the forefront of his mind, making it appear as if he was thinking about them at the moment.
Dirty and malnourished frowning at people who would look at him with disdain and scorn. Him looking at people eating food while he was starving on the streets. Him sleeping on the hard floor while dreaming about having a soft bed and solid roof over his head. And lastly, him looking at families enjoying themselves.
Axel looked Dumbledore in the eye. "There are a few things I do want. But if I have to compare, I'm already living most of my dreams," he said, looking genuine. He was at least not lying about having some of his dreams fulfilled. It's just that he had no plans of stopping now.
Dumbledore retracted his Legilimency probe as his gaze towards Axel turned softer. He nodded.
Mr. Hunt, to be honest, I was concerned… that you have too much in common with someone I know. Immensely talented, charming, and similar tragic past. But now I realize, even if you have similarities, you are, in fact, very different."
Axel frowned. "Why would it be a concern if we were similar?"
Dumbledore took off his glasses as he seemed to think about the past. For a few moments, it looked like he won't reply. But then, he actually answered.
"Well, Mr. Hunt, the person you share many similarities with, unfortunately ended up on the wrong path. And I live everyday with the regret of not being able to stop it from happening." said Dumbledore with a sigh.
'System, who the fuck is he talking about?'
[Voldemort. He also grew up in a muggle orphanage and had immense talent.]
'Well, fuck me sideways…this old bat just thought I would become a Dark Lord,' thought Axel, realizing he had just dodged the bullet. 'Thankfully, he doesn't know just how right he was,'
Axel could totally see himself getting branded a dark lord in the future.... Something he would have to do his best to avoid.
"Well, Headmaster, I don't think you need to worry about me straying to the wrong path," said Axel confidently. 'Because I have already strayed down the wrong path ages ago, and there isn't jackshit you can do to stop me.' he added inwardly.
Dumbledore nodded as he chuckled light heartedly, "I will be holding you on to that, Axel. I have high expectations for you. I won't keep you any longer," he said, calling him by his first name rather than his surname. And for some reason, it made Axel feel like he was being treated like a small boy.
Looking at Dumbledore, Axel's gaze deepened. Even though he was safe for now, he knew that the old man's suspicions weren't over yet. Axel would be on Dumbledore's radar from now on. Well, touché. But Dumbledore is now on HIS radar as well. Axel will not forget the fact that Dumbledore first wasted his time calling him here for no reason, and then had the gall to test him and tried to blatantly read his mind without permission.
…
The news of Axel being called to Dumbledore's office was spread throughout the school quickly, and many thought Axel had gotten punished for all of the shenanigans he had been pulling off.
Being called to Dumbledore's office was not a small matter. Among the thousands of students, the number of students who had gotten his attention could be counted on one hand.
Everyone thought that Axel had been punished for his recent actions in the recent game which had resulted in students following his leading and doing crazy things throughout the school.
The next morning, during breakfast in the great hall, Axel found himself in a somewhat bad mood. But not because of what people might think, but something else.
He looked at the Ravenclaw table. Daphne was sitting there as always. But, sitting beside her was a boy constantly trying to talk to her.
"How was the meeting with the Headmaster, Hunt? Is it true that you cried and almost peed your pants?" Asked Draco Malfoy.
The boy had been keeping himself out of Axel's way until now, but maybe because Axel's background had been revealed now, or maybe because he thought that Axel won't be aggressive anymore now that he had been disciplined by Dumbledore himself, but the boy had once again gotten the courage to run his mouth in front of Axel these days.
"Don't even start, Malfoy. Have you already forgotten the last time?" Asked Theodore in annoyance. Even he had gotten tired of watching Malfoy make a fool of himself again and again. It was shameful to watch.
"So what? Last time didn't know that he was a bloody mudblood. My father can get him kicked out of school anytime!"
Axel, who had been looking at Daphne talking to her friends, didn't even look at Draco. "Who is that guy?" He asked Theodore, pointing at the guy sitting beside Daphne.
Theodore glanced at Axel in puzzlement but still answered. "That's Michael Corner, second year, half blood. His family is in the shipping business," he said, giving out more than Axel had asked for. "But, why do you ask?"
Axel shrugged casually. "No reason."
Michael Corner, who was trying to talk to the Greengrass Heiress, suddenly felt himself gripped with an uncontrollable fear, as if someone was choking him. But looking around, he found that apparently he was the only one who felt it.
Turning back to Daphne, he found her staring at Axel Hunt while frowning. Michael found an opening. "He's a scumbag, isn't he?" He asked.
?
The ice princess, who had been ignoring him until now, finally glanced at him for the first time, her delicate eyebrows raised. "What did you say?"
'She... she actually talked to me!'
Michael Corner almost died from that one glance, as he found him stuttering. Taking a deep breath, he calmed himself. This was his chance!
"I-I mean… just look at him, always trying to be the center of attention. He just uses people with fame and then discards them when he's done with them. You two were like best friends and he got you to do all of his homework. But after getting Martina, he doesn't even talk to you," Michael got more and more confident as he spoke, but for some reason, he felt the temperature around him dropping, causing him to shiver.
Before he knew, Daphne's face had turned cold as she cast a freezing gaze at him. "Dumbass, don't talk about things you don't know about." said Daphne in annoyance before turning her attention back to her breakfast.
That was it, as her friends politely asked Corner to sit somewhere else, causing his face to redden in shame.
Daphne's brows furrowed. She had no trouble bad-mouthing Axel herself. But... when she heard Corner doing the same, she felt quite irritated.
'What the hell?' Daphne didn't know what had come over her. Corner had not been wrong in what he said. But, after observing Axel for a few days, she felt that there might be more to the situation than what it appears.
Either Hunt might be a bit better, or he might be an even bigger scumbag. Whatever the case, she didn't like other people making assumptions.
Back at the Slytherin table, Axel's shoulders finally slackened as he turned his attention back to the situation around him. "You were saying something?" he asked, looking at Malfoy.
Theodore cough, and a giggled escaped Tracy's lips at Axel's genuine nonchalance. Malfoy didn't back down though.
"Look around the table, Hunt.
Just because you have won us a few matches doesn't mean that the people here have accepted you. No matter what you do, you'll always be a mudblood," he said, loud enough to be heard by the whole table.
There were more than a few people who seemed to agree with Draco while few people looked annoyed or disapproving gazes at him.
Patricia, who heard it as well, couldn't let it slide as she walked over. "Detention Mr. Malfoy. And 10 points from Slytherin. Discrimination is no longer allowed in house slytherin. And House Slytherin indeed fully accepts Axel as one of its core members. And you as a nobody would do well to remember it," she said strictly, though a few people did not seem to agree.
Patricia looked apologetically at Axel. "Don't mind people like him. They're a bunch of ungrateful psychopaths."
Axel shrugged. He had been trying to remain lowkey now that he was on Dumbledore's radar, but people like Malfoy and Michael were making it difficult for him to do so.
Completely discarding what had happened out of his mind, Axel continued to attend the classes. Though, something happened after the history class.
"Mr. Hunt, a word with you," said Professor Narcissa, making him pause.
Draco Malfoy looked puzzled at why his mother would be making Axel wait but he obediently walked out with the rest of the students.
Axel looked at the blond woman in front of him. Aside from her blond hair, she resembled the other two black sisters a lot. Though, if he had to put it, her features had a more snobbish feel to them.
He was extremely alert right now, keeping his guard up. This woman was supposedly worse than the Black sisters, and even Draco was extremely scared of his mother.
"Yes professor?"
Instead of saying anything, first Professor Narcissa unexpectedly bowed slightly to him, making him take a step in surprise.
"Mr. Hunt, I understand that you have a powerful backing, and my son has been quite a nuisance to you here. So I would like to apologise for my son's behaviour," she said, straightening up again. "About Draco… due to my busy schedule I haven't been able to pay proper attention to his upbringing. I would be disciplining him severely after this so that he won't vex you again."
Axel looked at the woman, unimpressed. "Professor, why would you think I have a powerful backing?" He asked.
Professor Narcissa raised her brows, as if she did not expect that response. She shook her head. "That's not possible. A lot of things would be unexplainable if you didn't have a powerful background."
Axel shrugged. "But, I really am a Muggleborn," he said, just to see her reaction. As expected, her nose wrinkled slightly, as if she was disgusted, but she quickly hid it.
Axel sighed. This apology pissed him off more than it placated him. She is just like her sister Bellatrix. If she didn't think he had a powerful background he would have been the one receiving the disciplining instead of her son.
Narcissa had already understood that the boy had been testing her, and she had failed. 'To think he is the same age as Draco,' she lamented, once again, as dark anger flashing in her mind towards her son.
"I'll take my leave then, Professor," said Axel, not really saying anything to the Black sister about her slip up just now.
Not like he cares. If she can get Draco off his back, good. If not, well, he'll have a much harsher and much more permanent lesson to teach Malfoy. Something along the lines of *cough* Damien *cough*
…
Surprisingly, in the upcoming days, Draco Malfoy really did stop bothering Axel. Whenever Axel would be near him, the guy would back off 10 feet on his own while looking thoroughly ashamed.
Axel didn't know exactly what his mother had done to him, but it was definitely working.
Though, even with Draco and Malcolm out of the picture, there were still a few people who could not accept his blood status.
Other than that, there was something else that was bothering him.
"AXEL HUNT VS RAVENCLAW!"
"3rd May! Don't miss it!"
This type of promotions were spread everywhere. After his second match, his fame had taken a huge jump, increasing the number of people who were curious to see him play by a lot. Even those who were skeptical about it had to acknowledge his skills now and were eager to see more.
And with the next match coming, if these people are doing promotions like this…
How to say it? It felt like he was being taken advantage of.
After all, he didn't even get a single penny from the last match, even though the clips were seen all over the world.
Along with that, he didn't like the attitude of Slytherins as well.
Axel frowned. This won't do. Something needs to be done.
