The team was led to one the small tables, where a meal for them was already arranged where their Slytherin friends joined them.
"Great match, Hunt!"
"You brought glory to the house."
"If you want to go pro, I can get you a great contract!"
"If you're looking to make a quick earning, you can promote our company."
"Axel, I can make you very rich!"
'Slytherins will be Slytherins,' thought Axel. To them, Axel was like a golden goose full of profit right now. Of course they would try everything to win him over now.
There was a time when he was treated like air in this house. And when he was nominated as the seeker, he was treated worse.
But ever since he started to show off some of his talents, people have started approaching him. Though, he had to admit, it was never this blatant.
Rolling his eyes, Axel signalled Patricia.
Patricia understood the assignment immediately. She clapped her hands to gather everyone's attention. "Everyone, Axel is still recovering from yesterday's exertions. No one is allowed to bother him," she announced.
Though with great reluctance, the Slytherins left him on Patricia's orders. Two bulky Slytherins were allocated to him with the task of fending off anyone who approaches him.
After everything was cleared up, Patricia took her seat beside him.
"Don't mind them. They're all under strict instructions from their families to make contact with you, or they wouldn't be so… crude," she said, regarding the people who tried to make offers to him with a disdainful look.
Axel gave her a glance, "Oh? Look who's talking."
He could easily recall a certain captain harassing him non-stop to join her team. Talk about hypocrisy.
Patricia blushed, "That is a different matter! I... I was very desperate back then! And I could not let all that talent of yours go to waste!" She defended.
"Besides, I don't regret it. Just look around. Right now, you have so much power and influence at your hands that you could achieve things that others can only dream of." Patricia's eyes were glimmering by just imagining it. "Isn't it… invigorating?"
"... Not really." Axel sighed.
Under different circumstances, he might have enjoyed the current scenario. After all, he now had power, acknowledgment, and a wealth of opportunities waiting to be explored.
But alas, things are complicated. Him having a system is the proof of that.
Axel gripped the pendant around his neck. Very soon, the world would be filled with chaos and destruction. And the future is so bad that the Akashic records had to go as far as choosing someone from the mortal world to mediate the situation.
That's why, he has to hide his real powers and do what needs to be done in order to avoid future troubles. He cannot live in blissful ignorance like other people. The power he has… comes with heavy burdens.
"No? Why not?" Patricia looked at him in puzzlement.
Axel shook his head. "Can't tell you," he told her, but what he meant was, 'None of your business.'
Patricia looked at him deeply. "I can never figure you out, Axel." she admitted. "But, that only makes you so much more interesting. Well, I'll go enjoy our victory. Someone must take the main place after all," with that, the power hungry girl finally departed.
Axel rolled his eyes. Patricia might be the most materialistic, ambitious, and calculating girl he has ever seen. She might have even sat beside him and bantered just now only to show her close relation with him.
In short, she was not the kind of girl he could trust, even if she might genuinely support him. But Axel didn't mind. He would let her play her little games as long as she doesn't go overboard. After all, she IS useful. With her, he can practically rule the Slytherin house without actually having to go through the troubles that come along with it.
As soon as Patricia was gone, a few students started to try getting a seat near him. Axel spotted Theodore and Tracy looking at him from afar, so he called them over. They've been having breakfast together for a while so Axel preferred them over the other Slytherins.
"Mate, you were amazing yesterday! But… you already know that," said Theodore, sitting beside him.
"Yeah. But are you alright now? We were worried," asked Tracy.
Axel nodded, "Still healing. It'll be alright in a few days."
As mentioned, you shouldn't come out of a confrontation like that unscathed. Having some injuries would make him more human. Axel looked around at the grand party. "How did the students arrange for all this so quickly?"
"Oh, it wasn't just the students. Professor Mcgonagall was the one who got most of the things arranged. And the funding came from the school." Tracy informed him.
"Mcgonagall?" Axel raised his eyebrows.
Tracy nodded excitedly. "Yes, just look at her! I've never seen her so… less scary before."
"Well, as you know, she's quite the Quidditch enthusiast. This match was actually her idea. Of course she's happy our school won," said Theodore.
That explained it. Axel looked at the Scottish professor who was sitting at the Head table with the rest of the professors, sipping her wine. She did have a giddy vibe today. She was talking to Professor Narcissa, the History Professor, who has been becoming quite popular with the students lately.
But then, Axel unexpectedly spotted Lockhart, sitting just a few spaces away from Mcgonagall. What drew his attention was the fact that Gilderoy looked none of his usual self today. His always awfully styled hair was in a mess, his clothes unkempt, and his face gaunt. Also, there was no dimpled smile on his face.
"Wait, Lockhart is actually here?" Apparently, Theodore also saw him, as he exclaimed in surprise. "Blimey! What's up with his appearance?"
"Hm? Lockhart?" Tracy also looked over. "Oh, he's actually here! It's been a while since I've seen him."
Axel was a bit surprised, "A while? Have you guys started skipping his classes as well?"
Tracy shook her head straight away. "Of course not. Lockhart's the one who's not been taking his lectures lately. He rarely appears these days."
Theodore snorted. "He must have been still sore from the time you beat him up in front of everyone."
Axel recalled the incident. Lockhart was really out of line that time. Axel had not been in the best of the states, having used [limit break] the previous night, and having played an intense Quidditch game the very next day without rest. And while he was in that state, Lockhart had come and tried to take credit for teaching Axel how to play Quidditch.
Well, as a result, Lockhart was humiliated badly in public.
"Is that really it?" Asked Axel. Was that really the reason why Lockhart has been so elusive and shabby lately?
Theodore shrugged. "Well, it must definitely have a huge impact. He's become a meme now. Students laugh at him all the time."
Well, Axel still did not regret teaching him a lesson. The guy had it coming.
While Axel was thinking about that, the surrounding conversation slowly started to halt, as eyes began gathering in his direction.
"?" Axel looked over and realized the cause. For some reason, Rose Potter was standing behind, being blocked by his bodyguards.
Axel inwardly heaved a sigh. The previous star seeker against the current star seeker. Such a situation would of course garner everyone's attention.
"What's up?" Axel asked, turning in his seat to face her.
Rose wasn't intimidated by the attention gathered on them. She had a look of resolve on her face.
"I've come... to apologize, I'm… I'm sorry," She stated with much difficulty, as if doing something extremely difficult.
Axel was puzzled. "What for?"
"...."
Rose looked stunned. It seemed like she was not prepared for this. "What… what do you mean what for?"
"I mean what are you apologizing for?"
Rose glared at him. "Don't you know already? I'm sorry for misunderstanding you! I mistook you for some philanderer who has relations with multiple girls. I'm sorry you had to clarify it through the interview."
Axel blinked. 'Wtf?'
He had already forgotten Rose's accusation as 'just another Rose thing' and move on, but this lady here thought he actually gave a flying fuck about how she thought of him, or what she said about him.
'Come to think of it, she's been acting weird lately.' He thought. Ever since the interview, Rose has been acting differently. Well, less bitchy. She even came to wish him luck before the match.
Axel nodded. "Well, if you say so," he said, before starting to eat again.
Rose was once again triggered. "That's it? I apologise to you in front of the whole school and you only say "if you say so"?! You could at least try being a bit moved!"
Axel was a bit irritated to hear that. "But you could have just done it when we're alone. Why did you have to do it in front of everyone?"
Everyone was just starting to forget about his presence and enjoy the party, giving him some relief. And she just had to come right now and bring everyone's attention back to him. Couldn't she have just apologised in private.
Rose stomped her feet.
"Do you think I'm enjoying this?! I had accused you in front of everyone! Everyone thought my words were right. Of course I have to apologize in front of everyone! No matter how embarrassing it is!" She yelled, before running away, tears glistening at the corner of her eyes.
!?
Axel was left sitting on his seat, stunned. So… that was the reason.
Damn it, just how self centered was he? The girl was actually making an effort here. Not only for him, but also for herself. His image had gotten so bad that he had to come forward and clarify it himself. And she genuinely felt at least partially responsible for that.
That's why she came to apologize. And her sincerity could be seen just by the fact that she had put aside her pride and apologized in front of everyone.
And he had just been too self centred to care. Now seeing the crying girl exiting the great hall, Axel felt like shit.
…
Meanwhile, sitting at the head table, Gilderoy Lockhart looked at his target. He clenched the fingers of his hands. 'Just wait, just wait a little longer,' he thought.
Lockhart has been miserable these days.
Not many people know this, but he has an Obsessive Recognition disorder. It is an extreme and unhealthy obsession with achieving fame, recognition, and admiration from others. Individuals with ORD are driven by an insatiable need for attention and will go to great lengths, including engaging in morally reprehensible actions, to achieve their desired level of recognition.
That's why he's always been trying to get recognized for more and more achievements, even if those achievements aren't his. That's why, when he saw Axel playing like he did in his very first match against Gryffindor, Lockhart couldn't help himself from acting.
He thought it would be an easy matter. The boy was just 13 years old. A few well-placed compulsion and memory modification charms would have been enough to convince him that Lockhart really was his teacher.
But the boy unexpectedly humiliated him instead. Very badly. Unfortunately for Lockhart, that clip became a meme and got hugely viral on the Magi-hive, making Lockhart the joke of Hogwarts.
But, no more of that. Thankfully, Lockhart is not alone. He has help.
'Right?' He thought, caressing the small diary in his pocket.
Lockhart has long given up getting the recognition of the whole world.
That no longer matters to him.
Now, his goal is getting the recognition of a certain someone instead.
To do that, Lockhart has been preparing something for a long while now. And soon, he will be able to execute it.
...
A.N.: POWERSTONES!!
Next: Hogwarts under Attack
Read ahead on Pàtreon
Pàtreon.com/Snollygoster