HP: The Arcane Thief - Chapter 35: Gangsta's Entry

Chapter 35: Gangsta’s Entry

“Worthless street rat, huh?” He muttered as his eyes began to glow. He had waited enough.

Lying in the snow, Axel recalled what happened in the past….

“Get out of here, squirt. How’d you even get in?” said a burly guard as he threw an eight-year-old Axel out of a bar.

Laying down on the ground, little Axel sighed. It had been a few days since he had to leave the orphanage and he had been wandering to all kinds of places in order to get some kind of employment to get money. He had gotten so desperate that he even tried entering this high-class bar.

On his way back, the burly guard bumped into a man as he passed by.

“Pardon,” said the man, tipping his hat to the guard as he came to stand in front of Axel.

“Kid, how’d you get in?” Asked the man, looking down at Axel.

“Who are you? What d’you want?” Still lying on the ground, Axel turned his head to look up at the man. The man was wearing a pin-stripped suit, a hat on his bald head, and had a cigar in his mouth. Also, his face was full of scars.

“I’m Scars. Johnny Scars. I asked, how did you get into the bar? The security of this bar is quite strict,” he muttered, looking at Axel with interest.

“Sneaked passed the guards,” Axel muttered with a sigh. He had to wait for a long time to pull it off. But it turned out to be a useless endeavor.

The man raised an eyebrow,

“You snuck passed them? How?”

Axel’s stomach rumbled,

“By minding my own business,” he said as he got up to leave.

The man smiled as he took out a 20-pound note from his wallet.

“As a matter of fact, I am. Tell me how you entered,” he stated, waving the note.

Axel shrugged,

“Wasn’t that difficult. I just had to wait. The black security guard had gone to the toilet. The blond one was looking at the woman on the counter and the burly one was busy with another person,” he explained.

The man slowly smiled.

“Knew it wasn’t a fluke. You have talent, kid. Why don’t you work for me?”

Axel shook his head,

“I think I’ll pass,”

The man tilted his head,

“I don’t understand. Why would a rat like yourself reject me?”

Axel glared at the man for looking down on him.

“Because, you’re no good. I saw you taking the wallet of that burly guard just now. You also have a bulge in your suit that looks like a gun. So, I think I’ll pass. I’m not that desperate yet.” Saying so, Axel dusted off his clothes and walked away. Something about this man didn’t seem right to him.

Seeing Axel depart, a wicked grin came to the man’s face, stretching the scars on his face.

“Looks like I’ve found a new toy, huh?”

…

Axel gave up finding employment and found himself going back to the orphanage instead. It’s the only place he’s known for his whole childhood. Axel didn’t even know exactly why he was kicked out.

He snuck in through the first-floor window that he knew will be open since they’d never think someone can climb that high. It was night so all the kids had gone to bed and Axel felt a sting when he saw that his bed was now occupied by someone else.

Shaking his head, he went to the kitchen to find something to eat. But to his bad luck, the caretaker and the cook were sitting there, drinking alcohol.

“Damn it,” he muttered. It looks like he’ll have to wait for them to leave first.

But these guys kept talking and talking. Axel was about to fall asleep when their conversation caught his ear.

“So, you finally kicked that freak out, huh?” Asked the cook. His words were a bit slurred and his face was flushed due to being drunk.

The caretaker laughed, “Damn right I did. He beat up some rich guy’s kid in the school and the rich guy asked for his expulsion. So they canceled his scholarship.”

Axel’s eyes widened after listening to their conversation. So, the reason he was kicked out was that rich bully? Axel hadn’t done that much. He had only defended himself.

The cook smiled, “That’s good. Now the school won’t question us when he’s kicked outta here. But, what if he goes to the authorities?”

The caretaker laughed, “That doesn’t matter. The kid’s parents left him with no paperwork. Legally, he doesn’t even exist. It’ll be no trouble,” he said, taking a swig from the bottle.

The cook tilted his head, “Then, why’d you take him in the first place? It could have caused trouble.”

The caretaker scoffed, “They were offering good money and I thought they’ll come back. So I didn’t really mind. But who’d have thought they were making a fool outta’ me! They were just trying to get rid of ‘im. The freak has demonic powers! Beats up other kids! I had to take one to the hospital last week! I tell ya, Jake, I’ve had enough of ‘im. Good riddance!”

“??!!!”

The caretaker’s words were like a hammer to the brain. This man had taken care of him since his childhood. And now he’s discovering that the man wanted to kick him out all this while.

Unable to bear staying there any longer, Axel just ran away from the place. His parents had left him, and the caretaker, who used to be kind enough, had also gotten rid of him. Is he really so undesirable?

He wiped his eyes.

Well then, fuck it. If no one really cares about him, then why should he care about anyone else?

He had been trying to make an honest living but now he really didn’t want to.

…

“Axel? Oi! Are you dead?”

Axel snapped out of his past memory as he heard a voice disturbing his rest. That day was the beginning of everything. Things would have been very different if only he had found help or at least if someone had given him employment.

But of course, he’d found three enemies instead. First was, of course, the caretaker. Axel had looted all the money from the caretaker’s personal locker the very next day.

Then there was the rich bully. He still had a score to settle with that family for getting him kicked out.

The third was someone whom Axel had already forgotten by the next day. But the man hadn’t forgotten Axel. Johnny Scars. He was a total nutjob and Axel should have known better than to talk to that guy instead of running away right then and there.

“Oi! I’m talking to you! Are you listening?”

Axel finally turned his eyes towards the annoying person who was disturbing him. It was Rose standing there with her broom in her hand.

“Can’t you take the hint? I’m trying to ignore you,” said Axel as he got up. It wasn’t a surprise that she found him. This junky can be seen flying around on her broom whenever she has free time.

Rose stomped her foot,

“Arrgh! Why the hell were you lying on the ground like that? I thought you were dead!”

Axel scoffed,

“No, you didn’t. Tell me why you’re here,” he said as he began walking towards the castle.

“So frustrating! Aunt Andromeda wants to talk to you!” She said with a huff, “She’s been asking about you the whole year and I’m tired of being the middleman!”

“Just politely ask her to leave me alone,” he rejected as he continued walking.

Rose had had it now, “What the hell is your problem?! She took you shopping, bought you so many things, even invited you to dinner with us! How can you be so ungrateful?!”

“!!!!!”

For a moment, Axel paused in his steps and Rose’s knees lost strength as she fell down.

Axel partially turned his head, showing one eye which seemed to contain blazing embers in it.

“Don’t speak when you don’t know anything,” he said in a voice colder than the snow around them.

“And also, if you’re feeling jealous and insecure about someone else getting more attention, don’t try to take it out on me,” he added. Her words had stung. So he must sting back.

In the beginning, the two of them were just fine. But slowly, over the months, he had noticed how her hostility kept increasing slowly. That’s why he said those words.

“!!!!”

And from the way her eyes widened, Axel could tell that he had hit a nerve. Inwardly nodding in at a job well done, he left Rose kneeling on the ground as he already began to forget the incident.

…

Axel sat alone in an empty compartment as he sharpened his dagger and knives. He was preparing for war.

On the seat in front of him, he had above 20 knives, some swords, and a few shields. The knives were kitchenware or stolen from those who kept them. Swords and Shields were taken from Armors.

There’s a reason why he didn’t take revenge upto now. That guy isn’t just a nobody. He’s a dangerous gangster with a whole fucking gang. And Axel has beef with them all. Thus, he can’t be lax with his preparation.

As he was sharpening each and every piece of equipment, suddenly, the numerous locking spells he had placed on the door vanished and the door slid open!

“Stupi—” Axel had his wand pointed at the door to stun whoever it was, but he paused mid-chant as he realized who it was.

He knew better than to attack this person.

A shield appeared around Martina even as Axel lowered his wand. And he keenly realized that her hands were wandless.

Yep, he knew better than to attack her.

After her family’s ambush at the Quidditch match, she had come to apologize for their nuisance and over the past few months, they had become kinda acquainted.

“What’s the matter?” He asked, trying to play it casual.

But of course, if you have a bunch of sharp weapons lying on your opposite seat, it’s difficult to not look sus as fuck.

Seeing her looking wide-eyed at him, Axel sighed,

“Close the door, will you? I’ll be suspended if anyone sees this,” he said, indicating the mess.

Martina came in and locked the door with a complex charm.

“Um… what are you doing?” She asked, looking at him weirdly.

“… Well… first tell me why you’re here,” He demanded.

Martina sat beside him since the other seat was completely full of weapons. Being from a Mafia family, weapons were a norm to her. Thus, she adapted quickly.

“I came to give you this,” she said, taking out a small box.

Axel made no motion to accept it,

“What is it?”

“It could be called a gift. My parents were going to give it to you personally. But since you aren’t coming, they orde—asked me to give it to you,” she said as she opened the box and Axel’s eyes widened.

“…Damn,” he muttered. It was a beautiful obsidian black dagger. From just one look, he could say it was enchanted. Or rather, he had been enchanted by it.

“A knife is a sign of friendship in a Mafia family. You are now a friend of Valentinos,” she said with a smile.

Axel knew what it was supposed to mean. He just couldn’t understand one thing:

“Why?” He asked.

How could him pulling out a knife on their son lead to this?

Martina shook her head,

“You managed to somehow impress them. And…” she paused.

“And?”

She looked away with a roll of her eyes,

“And they think they know me better than I do,” she said exasperatedly.

Axel didn’t know what that was supposed to mean, but he did accept the knife. Rejecting it usually means enmity and he wants to avoid that.

“Thanks,” he said truthfully as he examined the blade. Though he was hesitant to touch it.

“It’s not cursed,” said Martina in exasperation as she picked it up and held it out to him, handle first.

Axel hesitantly reached out and took it,

“Wow…” was all he could say as he held it. It was well balanced and just fitted right into his hand.

“It’s good, right? It has a lot of enchantments. It won’t need maintenance, can conduct magic, and, it even can cut right through spells!”

That surprised him. He looked at the knife,

“Well, I’d have given an equally good knife in return but as you can see, I don’t have it,” he said, gesturing at his collection.

Martina looked at his collection and picked up a knife. It was the best one, but also the most used and battered one.

“Well, this one seems nice,”

Axel shrugged, “It does the job,” he muttered.

‘Well, it has been used to stab through a man’s testicles, eyes, heart, and lungs… a job well done,’ he thought inwardly.

Martina finally decided to address the elephant in the room,

“So,” she said, gesturing towards the weapons, “I was wondering if you’ll explain this now…”

Axel sighed. He knew it was coming.

“Well, I’m sharpening them all,” he said evasively as he picked up his whetstone and once again got to work. He couldn’t just say he was preparing for a gang war, could he?

“With a whetstone? Why aren’t you using magic?”

“…” he didn’t know you could do that.

…

The train arrived at the station and everyone met with their families. Walking through them, Axel couldn’t help but look at the happy expressions of the people.

He neither felt envious nor sad to see them. Feeling sad or envious would mean that he’s dissatisfied with his current life. But he’s not. He’s well on his way to becoming the strongest in the world. And that’s all he wants for now.

Though he did feel envious about how most of their bodies are completely fine while he has been having it tough. But oh well, his Occlumency is proceeding steadily since that’s the thing he focuses the most on. He’ll get the cure soon enough.

Getting out of the station, he hired a cab and got in.

“Where to, sonny?” Asked the driver cheerfully as the radio played an old song.

“Peckham,” answered Axel.

The radio got turned off along with the driver’s cheerful mood.

“Not going, get out,”

Peckham is a district of southeast London, it had a population of over 300,000. Drugs, knives, guns, and murders were probably just a few things that Peckham has to offer. Almost every part of it is full of thug dealers or new bloods that are soon-to-be killers.

Axel sighed,”Take me as close as you can,” he muttered as he showed him the money. “The closer the better,”

As he got out of the taxi, he activated his stealth and his clothes began changing. His outfit changed into a black hoodie, black jeans, and black boots. His face got covered with a black mask too. The two wands in his hands had leather wrapped around them so that no one recognises them.

‘System, has the trace been really removed from my wand?’ he asked to confirm.He had gotten that as a system reward when he’d been attacked in the woods.

‘Affirmative,’

Well, good enough. It makes things much more convenient. He arrived in front of a large villa that had graffiti painted on most of its walls.

“A rat, huh?”he muttered as his wand slowly rose up to point at the door. He had made his decision. This time, he’s not going to enter as a rat.

But as a fucking Gangster.

“Bombarda,”

*BOOM*

Thus, with a wicked glint in his eyes, he blew up the gates of the villa.

***

A.N.: And that, kids, is the gangster’s way.

Next chapter title: The new magic and Revenge

POWERSTONES!!!

Read Ahead and Support this awesome piece of work on Pàtreon!

Pàtreon.com/Snollygoster