HP: The Arcane Thief

...

"That ought to teach him a lesson, right?" muttered Axel, dusting his hands as he looked at Draco buried under Crab and Goyle. Even though he wasn't really sure whether the guy learned his lesson or not, but there was one thing that Axel was sure of: This was satisfying and he didn't regret doing it.

He didn't do this because of the seat. No, that much offense, he could take. In fact, he didn't even intend to hurt him for that. But, when Malfoy called him a cripple, Axel just didn't find a reason compelling enough to stop him from doing whatever he wanted. Neville only managed to escape because he was Daphne's friend and just too pathetic.

"Wha…"

"Did… did you see that?!"

"Did he just—?"

"How the hell did he do that?!"

Of course, the onlookers were understandably flabbergasted upon witnessing the unbelievable spectacle of someone literally throwing their classmate with just one hand. This wasn't something that would be possible unless you have the physical strength of a peak athelete. But, looking at Axel's lean frame, they simply couldn't believe that it was him who did that even if it happened right before their eyes.

At this moment, Professor Flitwick ambled into the class, witnessing a commotion going on.

"Can anyone tell me what is happening here?"

And this is how the House Slytherin lost its first points even before any of the Houses gain a single point.

Draco Malfoy was sent to the hospital wing, but the matter wasn't too serious, considering that bones can be fixed in a jiffy in the wizarding world, but the bastard made it look like he was dying.

Flitwick was quite lenient on Axel. Axel had managed to achieve the highest scores in the first year and had always stayed quiet in his class.

The demunitive Professor had personally witnessed the boy's improvement, from not being able to properly perform the Lumos spell to perfectly casting all the first year spells. And Draco Malfoy was definitely not in the right, calling such a boy out on his disability, making fun of the weakness that he had been working so hard to overcome.

Of course, this was a pleasant surprise for Axel, who was expecting higher point loss and a detention.

"Thanks for going easy on the punishment, professor." Being the last one to leave, Axel thanked the Professor before he started to leave.

Professor Flitwick smiled, "Try keeping out of trouble, Mr. Hunt," he said simply.

"I will... try, Professor," replied Axel. But, his footsteps stopped when he reached the door.

"Professor, I was curious why—"

"Why I was so lenient?" Asked Flitwick, finishing the sentence for him, to which, Axel nodded.

The diminutive professor smiled as he looked down at Axel from his elevated seat.

"Because, Mr. Hunt, there were times when I have also went through similar situations as you when people made fun of my height,"

Axel's eyes widened a fraction upon hearing that. Of course! Why didn't he think of that? Being so short permanently might actually be worse than his situation in some aspects. And people simply tend to never consider how bad he must also feel to live with this reality, only seeing his jovial and comical sides mostly.

Flitwick shook his head, "You don't need to look at me like that, Mr. Hunt. That was me decades ago. Over the years, I have long come to love myself the way I am. As you can see from my achievements, I have learned to embraced my weakness and turn it into my strength."

'Turned it into your strength…?' Enlightened, Axel looked at the Professor in surprise for several seconds before he left in silence, his mind abuzz with thoughts.

…

Very quick, the news of Axel destroying Malfoy was spread throughout the whole school. Of course, no one really believed exactly how he did it, but Axel's name had began making waves again. Though Axel ignored everything and simply attended his classes.

But of course, actions had consequences, and some people were NOT happy with his actions.

In an abandoned classroom, two snitches were flying around, with an athletic girl with bronze skin and electric blue eyes zooming around on her broom, trying to catch them. After a number of attempts, the exhausted girl sighed as she dismounted her limited edition broomstick.

"Maybe I should just stick to playing as a Chaser," she murmured, looking at the snitches that were difficult for her to even follow. With all the players gone and Gryffindors having Rose Potter, she was forced to try playing as a seeker to have a shot at victory.

"Patricia?" The door to the empty classroom opened, as her loyal friend entered. "You need to hear this," said her friend, telling her the latest piece of news.

Patricia frowned as she heard of the incident. If a mere second year boys were to start opposing her from day one, how would they win the Trophy this year? And, who was this Axel Hunt anyway? Did he not hear her clearly yesterday that or does he not fear the consequences?

"Get me the information on this boy and Call him here when the classes are over," she ordered before she went back to practicing. She'll make an example out of this kid.

...

For the last class of the day, which was DADA, Axel sat in the last seat with Daphne.

"So, I hear that you've been getting along with the new Girl?" Asked Daphne as soon as she came.

Axel looked at her with dead eyes. "Seriously, I actually pulled off such a stunt, and the first thing you ask me about is Luna?"

Daphne lowered her a head a little as if in thought.

"Well, I have my priorities straight," she responded in a voice low enough that Axel couldn't hear her.

"What was that?"

"Nothing. So, what is this news I'm hearing about you blowing people into the air with magic?"

Axel shook his head, "Nothing much. He was just annoying me, so I taught him a lesson."

Daphne looked at him with scrutiny, "Hm… this is not like you," she observed. "Usually you'd have been more… I don't know, cautious?"

Axel thought about it as he looked down at his hands. "You are right. But that was when I had no real power to rely on. Now though…" he clenched his fist and felt the power overflowing through him. "Let's just say this is not a good time for people to pick on me," he said with a sigh. He wondered if he was going mad.

Daphne nodded in understanding. "It's not at all wrong," she said, noticing his doubts. "You know, Tory, mom and I cried happy tears for days after we found out she was healed," she revealed with a nostalgic smile, "One of us would just randomly start crying after once again realizing that it was real and then in the next minute, the other two's dams would also be opened, and in no time, we'd start bawling our eyes out,"

Listening to her, Axel fell deep into thought as once again realized just how different it is to have a family. Despite having a chronic disease like that, he still felt a bit jealous of Astoria for having such a loving mother and daughter.

"Hey... by the way, Luna is cute, right?" Asked Daphne out of the blue, interrupting his thoughts.

"Yeah… wait, what did you say?" Asked Axel who didn't quite hear what she said.

"...Never mind," said Daphne, looking away.

Soon, Gilderoy Lockhart entered the class, making many of the students cheer.

Lockhart spread out his hands, as if to indicate that yes, he was the one. "Ladies and Gentlemen, congratulations! You finally get to meet me," he said, flashing everyone a smile with his abnormally white teeth.

"Me, Gilderoy Lockhart, Order Of Merlin Third Class, One of the top 30 most followed people on Hooter and Magebook, and Witch weekly five time most charming smile winner and much, but you already know that, don't you?"

Looking at the cringey behavior of the man, Axel could only shake his head in disgust, "Is this guy for real?"

Daphne also shook her head in bewilderment, "Let's just hope he knows how to teach," she murmured.

"...And then I disarmed him without even looking at him! Like this, Expelliarmus!" He shouted, clearly looking at the dummy sneakily from the corner of his eyes.

Well, Lockhart turned out to be much of a comical guy as he'd exaggeratedly demonstrate each and every spell on a practice Dummy while bragging non stop. But, as it turned out, even though the guy was narcissistic as fuck, he at least seemed to know his stuff.

"The spells were a bit weak, but still, he managed to cast them well enough," muttered Axel.

Daphne nodded, "Well, better at teaching than at least Umbridge so far. But his fame is undeserved. No way he can do the things he's bragged about with just this." was her judgment.

Axel looked at her quizzically, "Why aren't you acting like the others?" He asked, looking at other girls of the class who were definitely much more excited to be taught by Lockhart.

Daphne looked at Axel for a moment, "Because, there's simply no comparison," she said conclusively.

?? Axel didn't really understand what but oh well, at least this Professor was turning out to be fine so far. He's so self absorbed that Axel can easily sleep in this class. But right after he had this thought, the system gave him a notification after a long time.

[Axel, he has been using Dark Magic.]

'Fuck.'

....And that promised Axel that this guy....is definitely not good news.

….

After the class ended, Axel found two Slytherin students waiting for him right outside.

"You need to come with us."

"Patricia wants to talk to you."

Axel frowned at their ordering tone. He couldn't say he didn't expect things to go this way, but… avoiding this situation now would only make it more complicated. They might think he's afraid of them or something. And, when he wasn't afraid of a group of grown-ass wizards who were using Dark Magic, why would he be afraid of this girl and her gang?

So, he decided to meet up with this Brazilian young lady and give it to her straight to keep him out of this whole charade of hers.

…

The door opened and Axel walked into the classroom which the two Slytherins had led him to.

Looking inside, he was a bit surprised when a green streak flew past him, flying all around the large classroom at high speeds, chasing after a snitch.

"Zzznnnnn*

Patricia whizzed past him a few more times, coming dangerously close to crashing into him, but Axel didn't move an inch. While waiting for her, Axel found out about two things.

"Znnnnnnn" "Znnnnnnnnnnn"

One, this girl was trying to intimidate him, and two, the noise made by the snitches in the closed space was…extremely annoying. Especially since he had Misophonia.

Finding no success in intimidating the boy, Patricia landed as she went to sit on a top of a bench wiping the sweat off head. Her dark hair was tied in a pony tail and her body clad in a sports bra and leggings were glistening with sweat.

"Why'd you call me?" Asked Axel, a bit impatient from the wait already.

"Axel Hunt, the genius top of the class in first year. You were an asset to Slytherin last year," she said, taking a sip from her bottle, her breathing still a bit uneven from the earlier exertion.

Normally, anyone male would be flustered in this scenario.

But... Axel was not just anyone.

"No shit." He muttered with a bored expression.

"..."

The atmosphere of tension and pressure she'd created in the past two minutes was completely destroyed as Patricia found no words to that. There was brief silence in which the only sound in the room was coming from the two snitches that were buzzing by both of them every few seconds.

'So annoying,' thought Axel as he tried not to cringe at the irritating noise the snitches made. He wished she'd proceed a bit faster.

Letting go of the games, Patricia decided to dive straight to the point. "You've been called here because of your earlier act of aggression against your fellow Slytherin, Draco Malfoy. Since you broke the rules created on the first day, in the first class with no regard to the impact it is going to have on the rest of the Slytherin, you are, as warned, going to receive an equivalent punishment from the House." She said in a way as if she was a judge sentencing a criminal.

Axel looked at her exasperatedly, "And what it this punishment going to be?"

"Usually, it is to be decided in front of the whole house. But," she said as she paused, trying to make Axel anxious, "Since you could be an asset to Slytherin, I'm willing to lighten your punishment," she said graciously.

Axel was now beginning to get irritated, plus, the three snitch constantly passing by him were also not helping.

"What is it?" He asked. There was no harm in listening, right? Maybe he could settle it peacefully, right?

Patricia nodded, "You only need to apologize in front of all the House and promise to abide by the rules from now on." she said as if this was a light punishment.

Yep, no way it's going to end peacefully.

Axel resolutely shook his head, "No chance."

Patricia raised an eyebrow, "Oh? Are you really denying it? Are you aware of the consequences?" She asked, her voice taking a threatening tone.

Though, in Axel's eyes, she was nothing but a little kitten hissing at him.

"Look here, you daddy's princess. I get that you need to make a show out of punishing the person who broke the rules to establish your dominance, but believe me…" he paused as his eyes glowed dangerously. "You're picking the wrong person to pick on here. Keep me out of these powerplays of yours and I'll leave you alone."

?!?

Patricia frowned as she felt somehow intimidated by the boy. But then, rage overtook her fear when she thought that a mere second year boy said these things to her. 'Daddy's princess?!' That was most infuriating.

Frowning, she took out her wand to teach the boy some manners, but,

*Swoosh*

She was caught off guard when a spell came flying at her out of nowhere, disarming her with such force and precision that her wand shot out of her hand like a bullet as it broke through the window behind her, falling outside.

!!!!

Looking at her the hole in the window, cold sweat flowed down Patricia's back as she imagined what would have happened if she took even half of that force. Her hand that had held the wand was had a burning feeling to it.

Axel shook his hand as he inwardly clicked his tongue. He still isn't adept at controlling this new power of his. His precision is now top notch but control is severely lacking.

Pocketing his wand which he'd drawn within milliseconds, he glared at the girl. "I'm telling you again: Stay out of my way. You don't know even half of what I'm capable of," he said as he started to leave. Before he left though, he reached out with his hand and—a small golden ball got caught between his two fingers.

"Wha—" Patricia sat there, tongue tied as she witnessed Axel casually catching the snitch without even properly looking at it.

"Annoying balls," he muttered before his hand blurred.

*DING*

An ear splitting sound rang out before the constant buzzing of the room suddenly stopped. With a stiff face, Patricia slowly turned her head to find the two broken and still twitching remains of two snitches lying on the floor.

"....."

....

Even after Axel had left, Patricia sat there in stunned silence for a long time, looking at the two snitches.

In those broken remains, she could also somehow see the Quidditch Cup with House Slytherin's name on it.

Slowly, an obsessive gleam lit up in her blank eyes.

'I NEED HIM.'

****

A.N.: : Is It That Time Of The Month For Her?

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