HP: The Arcane Thief

Chapter 138: Axel Hunt: Missing

Soon after Axel used Arcane Travel to leave, Martinas guardian angel slowly faded away after decimating all the Dementors. The Professors, Senseis, the Aurors, and the ninjas all stared at the scene with dumbfounded gazes.

"Holy Merlin…" Alice Longbottom covered her mouth, which was left hanging open.

"Just…what the hell was that thing?" Muttered Yamamoto Sensei.

"Killing Dementors. To think it's actually possible," Flitwick was still in wonder. His mind was racing with possibilities. He wanted to research this spell more.

"I couldn't have been a Patronus, right?" Wondered Professor Babbling.

"It was a bit like a patronus, but Patronuses radiate positive emotions. That thing, when it looked our way, it gave me the chills," said Septima Vector, the arithmancy professor.

Professor McGonagall sighed, feeling a weight being lifted off her shoulders. "Whatever it was, I'm glad it was on our side. Aurors and Ninja Guardians, please patrol the castle. Look for any stray Dementors that might have escaped. The Professors and Senseis, I would request you to please investigate the cause for this unprecedented disaster. We can't let it happen again. Until then, the curfew continues."

"But professor, surely we must be finding the one who cast this spell?" Interjected Professor Snape, drawing several nods. "If we're able to learn this spell…"

McGonagall shook her head. "That is not the priority, Professor Snape. And whoever the caster was, I don't think we can find them if they don't want to be found."

She was already satisfied that the situation was handled without the headmaster. Dumbledore and Yujiro are currently on a diplomatic visit to America, and it's a bit complicated for such powerhouses to travel back and forth across countries. That's why Mcgonagall didn't try to pursue who the person was.

That was that. Everyone began to move according to the instructions. Though, Mcgonagall's troubles weren't completely solved yet. At this moment, another commotion started to occur at Hogwarts.

The Minister of Magic herself arrived at the school, along with a huge entourage of people. Bellatrix Black was currently in a state of extreme panic and shock. "What you said… is all of it true?" She asked Gorski, even as she hurried forward as fast as her legs would take her.

Gorski was having difficulty keeping up with her due to his age. He sighed. "Of course it is. What would I get out of lying?" He had told her everything why Axel was currently in danger.

Bellatrix gritted her teeth. Axel might be in grave danger! And it was all her fault!

Tristan Hunt had never revealed much to her. All she knew about the man was that he had left Atlantis due to an Organization and then was killed when he returned. She had never thought that it would have any connection with Axel.

Oh, how wrong was she…

Who would have thought that Tristan had actually stolen something important from Kraken. And neither had she thought that that important thing was actually the pendant Tristan had always worn around his neck!

Apparently, the pendant is some sort of key for access to another world and it had taken a lot of time and effort for the organisation to unseal it and find a way to use it. Just as they were going to succeed, Tristan had swooped in and stolen the key.

What the hell?! She had never imagined that Tristan had this deep a grudge with the organisation. And since they never got the key, they are going to suppose that Axel might have clues of its whereabouts.

And… That is still not the whole matter! Axel's mother, and Tristan's actual lover, was not just a nobody. The bitch was actually the Crown Princess of Atlantis!

Tristan… you would avoid each and every woman like a plague, And when you did love someone, it was the fucking Princess of Atlantis! Bellatrix was getting a headache. Given the fact that Atlantis was trying its best to usurp the throne, there's no way in hell they're going to let a rightful heir live in peace.

At this moment, Professor Mcgonagall and other Professors and senseis had finally arrived to receive the minister and her huge force of hitwizards. Only few had gone to investigate the cause of the Dementor incident since this seemed a higher priority task.

"Minister, this is most unexpected. Maybe you could have given us a heads up before bringing an army—"

"I don't have time for this." said Bellatrix, cutting Mcgonagall off. "Just tell me, when did any of you last see Axel Hunt?" She didn't have time for courtesies right now. It was all her Occlumency shield could do to stop her from losing her mind.

Mcgonagall and the Professors were caught off guard with the rather unexpected question. Axel Hunt? Why?

"Today is the weekend, but I did see him attend my class yesterday," answered Flitwick.

Bellatrix felt a weight off her shoulder upon hearing that. At least he was fine till yesterday. But that was still not enough. "That means none of you have seen him today?"

"No, But Minister, why would you—? Began McGonagall, but Bellatrix was not having it.

"I told you professor, I don't have time! Just order everyone to find him! Once you find him, tell me his location. His life is in danger."

McGonagall understood that the matter was serious. Despite the growing number of questions she had in her mind, she did as she was asked. WIth such a force and with such a serious attitude, the minister surely wasn't playing around. If a student's life is in danger, then they have to be serious too.

"Summon Axel Hunt this instant," she ordered. "He must be in the Slytherin dorms under curfew."

"No need." Belltatrix couldn't wait that long. "Let's go ourselves," she said, beginning to walk towards the Slytherin dorms herself.

?!

If Mcgonagall and the rest of the professors were surprised before, they were now completely flabbergasted. The person in front of them was not just anyone. She was the minister of Magic. And one more powerful than any other minister in Magical Britain's history.

It was already out of the ordinary for such a woman to have any business with a student, but for the matter to be important enough to make the minister go to such lengths, it was beyond their comprehension.

And thus, the Professors and senseis all found themselves making their way towards the Slytherin dorms with a strange sense of disillusionment.

—Slytherin Dorms—

Most of the students were still in the common room, discussing extensively about what might have been the reason for the sudden curfew.

Patricia sat regally at the armchair with her chin resting on the back of her finger, "Any updates?" She asked. Unlike others, she knew why the curfew took place. But the matter was serious enough for her and her followers to keep quiet about it.

"Yes, it seems that the situation has stabilized, and the aurors are back on patrol. So our contact can't give further information."

Patricia had a frown on her face. Just how the hell did Dementors enter Hogwarts?

Just then, her follower got another piece of information that made her jump. "Patricia, there's something else! The Minister—"

The follower didn't need to complete her sentence. The common room door opened at this moment, and the Minister of Magic herself stepped in, followed by a whole entourage of Professors, Senseis, Hitwizrds, and Ninjas.

All the students in the common room stood up, their faces going white due to the huge scare.

"Axel Hunt? Someone fetch me Hunt," said the head of the House, professor Snape stepping forwards,

"Hunt?" The students looked at each other blankly. Just what trouble had the guy gotten himself into this time? It was still fine until he was being summoned by the Headmaster, but this? Is he an international criminal or something?

Regardless, many jumped at the opportunity to help the Minister.

After the students left to find Axel, there was a deafening silence in the common room, disturbed only by the minister's impatient tapping of her heel. Everyone standing had a lot of questions but no one dared say anything.

"Is it possible to tell us what this is about now?" Asked Mcgonagall in the silence. But of course, she didn't expect an answer.

Bellatrix shook her head. "No, but I would have to request you to grant Axel an indefinite leave of absence."

McGonagall looked like she wanted to mention the fact that there were exams coming up soon but the matter right now seemed to have gone too far to mention mere second year exams right now.

Soon Axel the students began returning one by one, but they had embarrassed expressions on their faces.

"Where is Hunt?" Asked Professor Snape. "Has he broken curfew?" He assumed that would be the only reason why the students couldn't bring the boy.

The students exchange looks. "Erm… Professor, we don't know where his room is."

"...."

Bellatrix almost sent out curses and Professor Snape put a hand to his face, "Who in here knows Hunt's room? Come forward." He said.

Surprisingly, no one came forward this time. None of the students knew where the fuck Axel's room was. They had rarely or never seen him in the common room as it was.

Standing among the students, Patricia sighed. Only she knew the fact that Axel Hunt didn't actually live here. But she couldn't tell this to the minister right now, could she?

What was she supposed to say? That 'I had my followers search each and every room to find his room because I am some weird stalker'? Not to mention she would have to explain why she kept quiet after knowing that Axel has been breaking curfew every night all this time?

"Preposterous! How is it that no one knows where Axel Hunt's room is?" McGonagall couldn't believe it. The students could only look down in embarrassment.

"Skimpy! Skimpy, come here" She called out, as an elf popped out in the front of her but it was scared by the huge amount of people present.

"P-Professor be calling Skimpy?" The tiny elf squeaked.

"Skimpy, could you tell us where Axel Hunt's room is arranged?"

Skimpy nodded her big head vigorously. "Follow skimpy." The elf quickly led them into the winding corridor which was full of doors. It finally stopped in front of a room one level below.

"Here be Axel Hunt's room."

Everyone looked at the door with doubt. The place where Axel's name was supposed to be written was empty, which usually means that the room hasn't yet been assigned to anyone. The door opened to reveal that inside was completely empty, not even Axel's personal belongings were there. A layer of dust was gathered everywhere.

"What is the meaning of this?" Asked Bellatrix.

"Skimpy, why is the room empty?"

"P-Professor… Skimpy isn't know. Axel Hunt never be staying in this room from the first night."

"What?"

That was even more surprising. Never stayed one day?

"He's been breaking curfew since day one," said Professor Snape, looking rather incensed.

Bellatrix didn't give a shit about their stupid rules. "Where has he been staying all this time? And where is he right now?!"

….

'Shit.' Axel cursed. He quickly backed away, but the damage had already been done. Right now, he was surrounded with tendrils of Darkness, all of which were going inside his chest.

""What?!"" Not only Axel, even Voldemort was taken aback upon witnessing the strange phenomenon. But his surprise was several degrees higher.

""Perfect connection…. Just like last year... You! You are the intruder who snuck into my London base....""

It didn't take long for Voldemort to connect the dots. Last year, someone had brazenly intruded into their base, only to find that he had broken into the wrong place. Then the intruder had the gall to say, 'Sorry, wrong address,' before proceeding to leave.

Only, that intruder had managed to somehow trigger their ritual circle which usually took a huge amount of resources to activate.

""You finally appear again."" Said Voldemort.

Axel internally cursed. 'So that's what it was about.'

Last summer, he had been searching for the Organisation's whereabouts in London since he didn't know it was actually in Atlantis. Thus, he had ended up finding another group of sussy individuals. At that time, due to being recently healed, he felt invincible. He had brazenly entered the place, broken through wards, only to realize that this wasn't the Organisation he was searching for.

Thinking nothing of it, he had left the place. As far as criminal organisations go, he had seen many in the muggle world. It wouldn't matter if there are some in the Magical world too. At that time, while running, he had felt that his pendant had vibrated for a moment. But he hadn't simply thought it was his imagination.

Now seeing the same reaction, but much, much stronger, he realised that it was actually real.

Voldemort laughed. ""I have been trying to find you, Intruder. We finally meet...""

"Ew..." Axel looked creeped out. "Sorry, I'm not into talking books."