Chapter 4: A Meeting with Dumbledore.
Axel certainly turned a few heads. It's not every first day of a new term at Hogwarts do you find a three thousand year old boy dressed in pure black and armed to the teeth. Most kids fell back in terror at this new spectacle.
"Firs' years over 'ere, firs' years," bellowed a giant of a man, "firs' yea-whoa," he said as he caught sight of Axel.
"Hey there Hagrid," Ron said, trying to distract him.
Hagrid wasn't focused on anyone else. He got the strange feeling that he must protect the students from Axel, who stared back and didn't look away. To him, Hagrid was harmless.
Harry noticed this interaction between Hagrid and Axel and moved in the middle, facing Axel.
"Let's get on the carriage," Harry said.
Axel nodded and broke eye contact. He walked toward the carriages and noticed the thestrals pulling them but he was thinking of a great many other things.
I need contacts in this region but I don't want to use these kids, he thought, I need to familiarize myself with the grounds and beyond; history, magick, I need to know these quickly.
They crowded in the carriages and moved slowly to Hogwarts castle. Before long, Axel was starting to be annoyed at the slow pace, but thinking about it won't get him anywhere. He dug his hands in his pockets and felt the earpiece. He thought of Nyayan and how he was, probably sad to find out that Axel couldn't come back.
I miss him.
He pulled the earpiece out of his pocket and dug in his pack for another double since Nyayan still had one.
"What's that," Ron asked.
"A communication device," he said as he found another. He whispered a word to the extra communicator and handed it to Harry, "since you seem to be important, I'll give this to you."
"Why?" Harry asked.
"To keep me updated while I'm out."
"Where are you going?"
"Wherever good information is."
"Hogwarts has a library," Hermione said quickly, "but no electricity can work on the school grounds."
"This doesn't exactly work off of electricity, its more organic," Axel clarified, "and it looks as if I'll be at the library unless I find a place more amusing." Directing his thoughts toward Hermione, and enjoyed seeing her shiver at the thought.
The carriages finally pulled up to the castle. Harry got out first but Draco blocked his way. Axel could here his voice talking to Harry malevolently and decided to sit back and wait for his cue.
"… So Potter, coming back to Hogwarts doesn't mean your going to always be protected," obviously this kid was a little bastard.
"Careful Draco, you might trip over your ego," Harry remarked.
Draco pulled his wand out and pointed it straight at Harry's face. Harry twitched but otherwise did nothing but stare down at Draco.
"Think you're safe Potter?"
Axel chose this time to step out of the carriage and walked up next to Draco. Draco turned to this new threat and blanched at the sight of Axel. Although he knew Draco couldn't see his eyes, Draco knew he was being stared at. He tried to defend himself with his wand but Axel grabbed him by his forearm and shoulder, flipped him, picked him up and threw him like a rag doll at Crabbe and Goyle who were running up to tackle Axel, but they all went down in a tumble. Draco kicked at his goons to disentangle himself and ran up into the castle, embarrassed. Crabbe and Goyle stayed back for a second, confused, but finally ran up to the castle themselves.
"Wow! That was amazing," Ginny exclaimed.
"Yeah, Draco deserved that," Ron said joyfully.
There was a crowd of people around them and they all stared at Axel as if expecting another fantastic feat but Axel walked up calmly to Hogwarts, disappointing them, for now. Harry, Hermione, and Ron followed slowly behind him.
"Who are you?"
Axel looked up and gazed into Professor McGonagall's eyes. She took a step back in surprise but stared back resolutely.
"You cannot enter here," she stated, almost in finality.
"Watch me," he said as he walked passed her. She didn't move to stop him. "Interesting faculty you have here," he commented as Harry and the rest ran up beside him seconds later.
"That wasn't very nice of you," Harry said, "she's the head of our house and she can make our lives a living hell."
"I know, but I'm hungry, I smell food."
The others didn't know how far Axel's senses went but all decided not to question. Yet. What they've seen so far was nothing compared to his real skills.
Assuming they come back soon, he thought.
They entered the Great Hall and sat down at the Gryffindor table. Axel glanced over to Slytherin and saw Draco's defiant look turn away quickly as he made eye contact. Axel smiled as a thought occurred.
"Harry, put the earpiece in that I gave you," Harry was confused but did as he was told, placing it in his ear and it turned invisible.
"Stay here," Axel said to the gang. He got up and with out another word, headed to the Slytherin table. He silently walked up behind Draco and clamped a hand on his shoulder. Draco went instantly rigid.
"What is he doing," Hermione asked. She could see Axel whispering into Draco's ear. His fellow Slytherin stared at Axel reproachfully.
The look on Harry's face changed from confusion to surprise and amusement. He burst out laughing when Axel apparently finished talking and squeezed Draco's shoulder hard before walking back to Gryffindor table. Draco massaged his shoulder and his scalp was very red.
"I feel better now," Axel announced.
"What did you say," Hermione and Ron urged.
Axel didn't say anything but wink at Hermione. Her face went pink and she turned away quickly as he sat down, unstraping his sword in the process and leaning it on the bench.
"After this ceremony I'll go to the library. Hermione," he said rubbing her back "will show me the way."
Her face went a deeper scarlet at being thrust in an awkward situation.
Don't think about that! Hermione screamed in her head. Axel smiled as if he knew what she thought…
"Ok," she just said meekly.
Students from grades two to seventh crowded into their respective tables and waited as the first years filed in cautiously. Axel made sure not to look in their faces as they stumbled around him (He didn't want to frighten the little kids and scar them for their duration at Hogwarts.) Professor McGonagall walked in from a side door with and old tattered hat and a squat three-legged stool. She placed the stool down and set the old hat atop of it. She walked a couple paces away and turned back expectantly as the hat burst into song:
When my four masters settled here
One very bright warm day
There was a time when they were friends
And they sought for a place to stay
So they stopped on this spot and said, "Why not?"
"Here is where we'll be
To train the young what should be done
It should be here, you see"
So they set about to find these young
And set them straight align
To introduce themselves
And tell them they were kind
"I," one Hufflepuff said, "will train you
With much love, and see thee on
Good times with ne'er a push or shove"
"But," said fair Ravenclaw, "here you'll
Come with me, you can find the path,
Your smart, please teach the others to see"
"Oh," power hungry Slytherin sneered when he
Saw the young, "come purebloods, let's go
And find a way on the path that will be won"
"And," brave Gryffindor said, "the courageous
Art with I. Come this way, its not real far,
And find fame and fortune in the sky."
So they went on their own way
To seek what they all sought
Put me on thy head and I'll tell you
Naught where you should be not!
Here was a slight pause as some students started to clap in appreciation to the hat's song. But it wasn't finished:
Beware though, a
Darker Harm shall come to sow
War and strife.
Until you seek the Sky
Who has the answers to save your life.
In the last part the old hat said slowly and imposingly. The people who had started clapping immediately stopped, thinking of the warning. All present had no clue as to what it meant, except one…
Nevertheless, they waited patiently for the first years to be sorted into one of the four houses. McGonagall then stepped forward, unfurled the scroll and began calling out names.
"Aberant, Lisa!"
A tiny mouse of a girl stepped forward and plopped the hat on her head, "Ravenclaw!" the hat shouted…and it went from there. When the first years were sorted, McGonagall picked up the old hat and stool and walked curtly back out the side door from which she came.
An old man with a gigantically long, white beard stood up and looked at all of the students and said, "Tuck in." Plates of food suddenly appeared and the tables groaned in protest to the sudden weight while students' hands flied around, looking for their favorite food.
The old man, apparently someone of great importance, was still standing, staring at Axel. He stared back, stood up, and walked all the way from his seat to the great table in front of Dumbledore, never breaking eye contact. He stopped when he sensed everyone pause and stare at his back, and listened to their little rumors of him.
"Albus Dumbledore," the old man said quietly and extending his hand to Axel.
"Axel Skye," he said powerfully, taking Dumbledore's hand and shaking it firmly.
"See me after?" Dumbledore asked.
Axel winked and left to sit back down.
"It seems. Hermione, that you won't need to lead me to the library," Axel said while Hermione was visibly calmed, sat at his part of the bench (people were a bit afraid to sit near him, except Hermione, who had no choice) and whispered in her ear, "but that doesn't excuse the fact that I'll be seeing you later." She tensed again.
It had been a while since Axel had had a decent meal so he made sure that each of his four servings were gone to a better place in his bowels. Afterward he felt somehow fat.
When all the plates were cleared, Dumbledore stood up again and addressed to the students certain rules to follow: "Welcome to this new and wonderful school year. Sadly though we have not found a new Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher," there was a deep groan from everybody except for most Slytherin, who silently cheered, "but, as many of you know, the Dark Forest is out of bounds, certain items will be confiscated by our caretaker, Mr. Filch. His full list is tacked on his office door for anyone to see for himself or herself. Anyone caught with those items will be subject to punishment by our Mr. Filch in the form of detention by his choice." People were starting to get restless and almost eager to go, but Dumbledore continued with a slow, and dominating: "we will, however many of you favor it or not, find a teacher for your Defense class, so rest assured you may find him or her educating some of you tomorrow," and almost silently, "you may go."
The Great Hall erupted with noise as people got up to leave for their dorms. Axel saw McGonagall stand next to Dumbledore and whisper furiously in his ear, but after he said his defense, she left off and walked away in a temperament next to madness.
"Aren't you coming, Axel?" Harry asked.
"I'll find out where you are later. Oh, and by the way, I'm turning off my communicator so I suggest you do the same."
"How do I do that?"
"Take it out of your ear and tell it 'off""
Harry and the gang left while Axel walked again up to Dumbledore. "Follow me," he said, and he led Axel through a series of corridors and passageways until they reached a large stone gargoyle.
"Ton-tongue toffee," Dumbledore said and the gargoyle jumped out of the way revealing a spiral staircase going up. Dumbledore continued leading Axel until they reached the top of the stairs and through a large oak door. He opened it up revealing a very spacious office. The walls were covered with portraits of important people, probably past headmasters so they can be remembered. All of them were silent and, as if in unison, stared at Axel.
He took it all in stride, though. He had been laid out for the masses once (or a few times) and he took it all without loss of mind or dignity.
He knew that these people would be watching his every move.
But among other things, there were trinkets of all kinds, including, but not limited to: spheres that lit up as a wizard came near, revolving solar system, scrying bowls of all shapes and sizes, mortars and pestles with some sort of herb or whatnot, but generally just a bunch of junk scattered in an organized fashion.
A platform, close by a window overlooking the grounds, was placed an ornate desk that was not so cluttered so as to have a minimum working space. Dumbledore took a seat on his side while Axel pulled up a chair on the other.
Dumbledore sat thinking for a full five minutes. Axel suspected that Dumbledore was thinking of how Axel was to be fitted in a puzzle, and so all of the pieces fit. So Axel waited for him to speak first. After all, this was his school and he was fully responsible for its care and protection.
"Welcome to Hogwarts, Axel," he said finally, "I've been thinking—"
Obviously, Axel thought.
"—About you position, currently here, and I am asking you now if you would like the new position of Defense Against the Dark Arts."
"I accept," Axel said without pause.
"But you don't know the terms of agreement," Dumbledore said cautiously.
"I believe I have a good idea."
"Then you would know that your presence here has started a slight uproar?"
"I get that a lot. I've gotten used to it, everyone being so cautious and all of those excuses."
"I may know something that you know not have."
"Would you indulge me in this knowledge?"
"A game of chess first."
"Oh? Well in that case I guess I'll have that information in a very short time."
With a twinkle in his eye, Dumbledore conjured up a chessboard with the pieces set and moved a pawn forward…
Hermione was, to say the least; a bit disappointed that Axel didn't see her again. She was lying in her bed, staring up at the ceiling through the overhead curtains. Just the thought of his name sent shivers up her spine.
Earlier, she was fairly quiet as they left the Great Hall and up to their dormitories. They greeted the Fat Lady and spoke the password to enter (Whippets). But her inattention made her trip on the rugs in the common room.
"—Don't you think, 'Mione?"
"What?" Hermione said, spinning around to Ron.
"I just asked if you thought that Axel was a bit creepy," he said defensively.
"Uh, no, not really," she said composing herself, "In fact, some would say he's quite normal, in his own way."
"Mental is more like it."
"Or even dangerous," Harry said musingly.
"What, do you doubt him?" Hermione imposed.
"Oh no, Harry, I think Hermione has a thing for Axel," Ron said teasingly.
"I do not," Hermione lied loudly. A few first years that were huddled together were forced apart when she walked through them going to her dorm.
"What's with her?" Ron asked.
"I don't know but things are starting to lead to him."
Ron knew who he was but was smart enough to keep a silent tongue.
Obviously things are going to be a bit different at Hogwarts this year, Harry thought.