The fifth-year let out a loud sigh, clearly annoyed. "Yeah, right. Even those of us who've known him for years don't get any discounts. Why would he give one to you newbies?"
He nodded subtly toward the Slytherin table. "Besides, Alex isn't exactly the friendly type. Ever since he became Prefect, Slytherin's been on edge.
The whole house has been walking on eggshells for years. Maybe things will finally calm down after he graduates."
"Wait... is he really that scary?" the hopeful first-year asked, glancing nervously at the Slytherin students, who sat unusually straight and quiet. "They don't even say his name out loud. It's like they're scared of him."
The fifth-year paused, taken aback. "Honestly? I didn't even know he existed until I was in my fifth year. He kept such a low profile, it's like he was a ghost, until suddenly, he wasn't."
He usually kept a low profile, well, at least until he became a prefect. As he spoke, the fifth-year wizard leaned in close to the two younger students, lowering his voice like he was about to reveal a major secret.
"I heard the reason Slytherin House is so... different now is because of him. According to the rumors, he's terrifying. He barely has to lift a finger.
They say he just casts curses from across the room, and after that, no one dares to cause trouble anymore. Some even say he used the Imperius Curse on them."
"The Imperius Curse? What's that?" the two first-years asked, eyes wide with curiosity.
"Stop spreading nonsense," a nearby sixth-year girl cut in sharply, clearly annoyed. "You're making this stuff up."
"What? Am I wrong?" the fifth-year shot back stubbornly. "If not, then why has Slytherin been so well-behaved these past few years? They must've been cursed or something."
"What kind of logic is that?" she replied, rolling her eyes. "Casting dark magic on your own housemates? That's a serious crime. Do you honestly think the professors would just look the other way?"
"Who knows?" the fifth-year said, shrugging.
"Maybe even the professors are under his control. Didn't you hear? Alex used to be a wizard hero or something. He must be insanely powerful."
Despite the wild claims, the way he said it was so over-the-top that even the younger students could tell he was exaggerating. They quickly turned to the sixth-year girl for a more reliable answer.
"Do you know this Alex? I think he's a year above you, right? Are you two close?" one of them asked.
The sixth-year sighed and shook her head. "Not really. He keeps to himself most of the time. But I do know he's close with our Head of House, and he's also a member of the Charm Club."
As she mentioned the club, she glanced over at Orianna Sinkley, who was standing nearby. "Actually, Orianna, you're in the Charm Club too, aren't you? You must see him around."
Orianna, caught off guard by the sudden attention, froze for a moment. Her mind immediately flashed to Alex, someone she'd enrolled with at the same time.
"He's definitely low-key," she said after a pause. "Not nearly as dramatic as Tucker makes him out to be." She couldn't help but glance over at the fifth-year, giving him a look that said he had clearly gone a bit too far with his storytelling.
"He's still super talkative in the Charm Club, and honestly, he's a total genius," Orianna said with a sigh.
"But you know, I've noticed he doesn't really connect with the other young wizards. It's like... he doesn't see them as his equals. I'm not sure why, but he's always felt more like a full-fledged adult wizard than one of us."
Orianna had once felt a bit jealous of Alex, especially since he joined the Charm Club before she did. But it didn't take long for her to realize she couldn't even understand half of the things he was working on.
Competing with him? That idea went out the window pretty quickly.
"Shhh, stop talking! Alex's here!" a sixth-year witch suddenly whispered, cutting off the chatter. She gave a knowing wink to the younger students, who immediately straightened up as Alex walked into the auditorium.
"Wow... he's even more handsome than the photos in the newspaper," one of the younger witches whispered, her eyes wide with admiration.
She hadn't seen him in person before, and clearly, she was starstruck. As if sensing her gaze, Alex glanced in her direction. Startled, she quickly looked down, her face flushing red with embarrassment.
But Alex didn't react further. Calm and composed, he made his way to the table where Snape was sitting and quietly took a seat.
His presence immediately caught the attention of every teacher and student in the hall. Even the new students from Snake House turned to look at him with curiosity.
Though he hadn't been around Hogwarts much over the past two years, Alex's reputation had only grown. His name popped up frequently in the papers, and everyone at school knew who he was.
Still, despite the attention, Alex remained quiet and low-key during the entire welcome feast. He didn't say a single word, leaving many of the curious students around him a little disappointed.
As the dinner ended, Alex noticed Dumbledore giving him a subtle but deliberate look. It was clear he wanted to speak with him. Alex easily picked up on the silent message and nodded slightly in acknowledgment.
Dumbledore had always kept a close eye on Alex. In the young wizard, he saw echoes of many people from his past, perhaps even a bit of himself. But despite Alex's brilliance and mysterious nature, Dumbledore never once feared he would follow the same dark path as Voldemort.
Dumbledore couldn't help but feel a growing unease about Alex. Over time, he had come to suspect that this young man might one day become even more dangerous than Voldemort.
Voldemort, for all his power, was ultimately a paranoid man driven by personal obsessions. Alex, on the other hand, reminded Dumbledore of someone far more calculated, Grindelwald.
Like Grindelwald, Alex possessed unwavering determination, formidable strength, and a sharp, mature mind. What truly concerned Dumbledore was the possibility that Alex might also harbor ambitions to reshape the wizarding world according to his own ideals.
If he ever decided to start a revolution, it wouldn't just be bold, it might actually succeed. His influence, especially within the Ministry of Magic, had already grown to a point that Dumbledore could no longer ignore.
Despite Alex's consistently "righteous" image and his seemingly flawless behavior over the years, Dumbledore couldn't shake the feeling that he was hiding something. There was a calculated move in everything Alex did, almost as if he were playing a carefully crafted role.
That unreadable quality made Dumbledore uneasy. He sighed, half-joking to himself, 'Maybe I'm just old and getting overly suspicious. Perhaps I'm reading too much into it.'
Still, even if Alex were to reveal more rebellious intentions now, Dumbledore doubted he could stop him. The young man had solidified his position so thoroughly that criticizing him in public would likely earn Dumbledore nothing but eye-rolls from the higher-ups at the Ministry.
Just then, the sound of grinding stone echoed from outside the headmaster's office, the statue guarding the entrance had moved aside. Moments later, Alex stepped inside.
"Headmaster Dumbledore," he greeted politely, placing a small note on the desk. "You really just leave the password sitting there on the gargoyle? Isn't that a bit risky? What if someone sneaks in by accident?"