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  Posted originally on the Archive of Our Own at http://archiveofourown.org/works/689816.
  Rating:
  Explicit
  Archive Warning:
  Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death, Underage
  Category:
  F/M, Multi
  Fandom:
  Harry Potter - Fandom, X-Men Evolution, X-Men - All Media Types, Marvel (Comics)
  Relationship:
  Harry Potter/Kitty Pryde, Harry Potter/Rogue, Harry Potter/Rachel Summers, Harry Potter/Laura Kinney, Harry Potter/Illyana Rasputin, Harry Potter/Amara Aquilla
  Character:
  Harry Potter, Kitty Pryde, Rogue (X-Men), Rachel Summers, Laura Kinney, Illyana Rasputin, Amara Aquilla, Jean Grey, Scott Summers, Logan (X-Men), Charles Xavier, Erik Lehnsherr, Mystique, Kurt Wagner, Norman Osborn, Peter Parker, Gwen Stacy, Mister Sinister, Emma Frost, Sebastian Shaw, Tabitha Smith, Bobby Drake, Toad (X-Men), Fred Dukes, Wanda Maximoff, Belasco, Pietro Maximoff, Nick Fury, Lance Alvers, Graydon Creed, The Juggernaut, Bastion - Character, Natasha Romanov, Clint Barton, Wade Wilson, Victor Creed
  Additional Tags:
  Crossover Pairings, Harems, Lemon, Alternate Universe
  Series:
  Part 1 of Beyond the Veil
  Stats:
   Published: 2013-02-18 Completed: 2013-07-11 Chapters: 52/52 Words: 379051
  Beyond the Veil Volume One: Arrival
  by megamatt09
  
  Summary
  
  X-Men Evolution and Harry Potter Crossover. After stepping through the veil in the Department of Mysteries, Harry finds himself in an alternate universe. He has to find a way to adapt to a war of a different kind. Harry/Kitty/Rogue/Rachel/Laura/Illyana/Amara.
  Chapter 1
  
  
  Chapter 01: Arrival.
  
  Loud footsteps thundered in the distance. A group of heavily uniformed army personnel chased a dark haired youth through a maze of abandoned buildings in a bad part of a town. The young man continued to gain further speed, but he was finding it rather difficult to give the men and women chasing him the slip.
  
  There were two things that were very plain to anyone who was watching.
  
  The first thing was this young man was not from around here. His dress when he arrived indicated this, and raised the alarm for suspicion from eyewitnesses. He managed to swipe some clothes that would allow him to be more inconspicuous, but first he had to shake these people off. That was easier said than done.
  
  The second thing that was obvious was that he was way over his head, and pretty much running on fumes. All he had was his wits, and any survival instincts he could manage with. There were a few tricks up his sleeve, but he was reluctant to use them, at least until the time was right.
  
  The chase continued, and the young man dodged behind a fence area. He allowed himself a few seconds to catch his breath. He wiped his dark hair away from his face. His hair was normally messy, and quite unruly, but it was more so since he had arrived here. It was a hair style that people would notice right away.
  
  His breath continued to become more and more labored. He rushed forward, trying to shake off his potential pursuers, and the whirling of helicopters from above indicated that more people had joined in on the chase. He ran as fast as he can. Eventually, he would run out of room, and his back would be against the wall.
  
  The dark haired young man wondered where he was going anywhere.
  
  Harry Potter had no idea how he got himself into these messes sometimes. It defied all conventional logic. He honestly did not go looking for trouble, but trouble seemed to find him.
  
  And he had never been in more trouble in his life. The military of wherever he was continued to chase him. There was a bit of a misunderstanding a while back, but they shot first. Harry just defended himself.
  
  He continued to pick up the pace. Breathing came harder. Yet, he tried to push on. Despite being a wizard, Harry's stamina had certain limits. Through the ability of magic, he was able to push himself past those limits. Utilizing magic could be a tricky process; especially the kind of magic Harry was intending to do.
  
  A few warning shots fired in the air. Harry remained alert, and ready to defend himself should the shots get too close for comfort.
  
  "Freeze right there, and come quietly!"
  
  Harry deflected the bullets back before they could hit him. They disappeared into the air, much to the shock and surprise to those people who fired to him.
  
  'I really wish I didn't have to do that,' Harry thought to himself. His heart sped up a little bit, as the situation continued to grow more serious. 'Now, they're going to have even more reason to come after me.'
  
  Harry felt he was perfectly justified in defending himself. For the past year at Hogwarts, he had been pushed around by that foul woman. He had his skull cracked up by Snape with torturous teaching sessions, and now he was being chased halfway across the desert by this military.
  
  He was not about to take it anymore. There was only so many times he could be knocked around, before he determined enough was enough.
  
  A purple shield appeared around him, and it blew everyone back. Desperate times called for desperate actions. He never tried this before. In fact, he was warned that there could be dire consequences if an untrained wizard tried this type of magic.
  
  There was no choice he felt. Either he got blown to bits, or he was ripped in half when he failed to apparate. It was do or die. He closed his eyes, and disappeared into the night.
  
  He felt like he was being squeezed through a very thin tube. The urge to vomit visited him immediately, but he shook it off. The important part was that he was here, and he was safe.
  
  Harry made a mental note that he still preferred flying.
  
  At least through he was in one piece, and Harry wiggled his fingers and his toes to verify this. He slumped against the wall, and inhaled and exhaled heavily. The arrival, and then the chase had winded him.
  
  At least he had given these people the slip. At least for now, but something told him that it was easier said than done.
  
  It was never that easy.
  
  Now he had to figure out where he was. Harry allowed himself a look around, to try and puzzle out where he was. He needed to find this important detail out, for it would be the key factor of piecing together a way to get home.
  
  Harry picked up the pace, and continued to press forward on his journey into mystery. One instinct of survival he picked up was never to stay in the same place for too long, especially when he was being chased. He learned that the hard way during his childhood with Dudley and his gang. Stick around one area for too long, and it is too easy to get cornered.
  
  The street signs indicated that Harry was in New York, in the United States of America. A country he knew very little about, other than of course there was an entire ocean between it and the United Kingdom. Also, he knew that despite technically being the same language, there were some slight differences between American English and British English.
  
  Harry remained on his toes. He kicked a newspaper on the street in the air .The newspaper was called the Daily Bugle, and had the headline, "Spider-Man: Threat or Menace" on it. Harry scarcely paid attention to this. He had to keep moving, no matter what. His heart slowed down at least. He was not sure if magic users could drop dead from a heart attack, a stroke, or suffer any other Muggle ailment.
  
  It was not wise to use himself as a living test subject to prove or disprove the mortality of a witch or a wizard.
  
  "You seem lost, lad."
  
  Harry turned around. He saw a very outlandish out man wearing a blue suit. He had grey hair and thick glasses. He had a bright, grandfatherly expression to him, and Harry relaxed.
  
  "You aren't a secret government agent, are you?" Harry asked, finally finding his voice.
  
  The man chuckled. "I tell you, if I was, I wouldn't be doing a very good job of keeping a secret if I told you."
  
  Harry nodded, but he remained on his guard. He learned many valuable lessons, but appearances can be deceiving and always be on your guard seemed to be one that stuck out in his mind more often than not.
  
  "You're not from around here, are you?" the old man asked.
  
  "No, I'm not, I just flew in a while ago, and I was wondering when the latest subway train was," Harry said, remembering that in the United States the term for Underground was subway.
  
  "You just got here in time," the old man said. "Subway leaves in fifteen minutes. I'd hurry if I were you."
  
  "Thanks," Harry said.
  
  "Not a problem, kid," the old man said. "Hope you enjoy your stay. Stay strong, true believer. Excelsior!"
  
  Harry stopped, pausing for a minute, and shook his head. This was a rather strange man, but he had no time to dwell on that. While he was sure he had given the military the slip, it was prudent for him to keep moving.
  
  He recalled how he arrived here. It seemed like ages ago. Harry remembered those moments in the Department of Mysteries, and took a deep breath, moving towards the subway. He used a few small spells to bewitch the guards into allowing him passage on the train. The past year, he learned a great deal about magic, while preparing lessons for the D.A.
  
  Looking at his grades, one might consider Harry Potter to be an underachiever, especially given his status. Which in a way was true, but Harry managed to find the motivation to learn what he could when it mattered. Most of the time, he did struggle to find the motivation.
  
  Harry made his way onto the train. There were tired looking businessmen who were commuting from their jobs. The sun was going down, so it must have been very late.
  
  Now that he had a moment to sit down, Harry had time to reflect on the past day's events. He honestly had no idea how much time passed between the moment he stepped through the veil, and the moment he woke up in the desert somewhere in the Southwest United States. He shook the cobwebs, and remembered the split decision he made to get here.
  
  Now, he regretted it, mostly because the perilous situation he had been put in.
  
  'Live and learn, Potter,' Harry thought to himself.
  
  Harry could see it from his vantage point. His godfather, Sirius Black, engaged Bellatrix Lestrange in battle. If he was not too concerned with staying alive himself, he would have had a moment to appreciate a good spectacle of dueling between two skilled magic users. Even through Bellatrix was twisted, he had to give the devil her due.
  
  Sirius let up on his attack for just one moment. His taunting voice echoed throughout their chambers in the Department of Mysteries. "Ha, you're going to have to do better than that..."
  
  Bellatrix did do better than that. She shot a stunning spell at Sirius. He thought all would be okay. Sirius staggered through a mysterious curtain and fell through it.
  
  During times like this, everything went by in super slow motion. Seconds could seem like hours.
  
  Time stood still, and Harry waited for him to come back. He continued to wait. Sirius did not get back up, and resume the fight. In fact, his form mysteriously was sucked through the curtain. Harry waited, but Sirius did not return and pop back up, to rejoin the fight.
  
  "Sirius!" Harry yelled, unable to believe that the closest thing he had ever had to a parent had been blasted back like he was nothing.
  
  This had to be a nightmare, but this was far worse.
  
  This was reality.
  
  The cruel and taunting laughter echoed throughout Harry's ears, and Harry scrambled forward, nearly tripping over his feet in the haste. He had a hero complex as big as Hogwarts. He knew that if he somehow passed through this veil, he could save Sirius. Or at least he thought he knew.
  
  He heard Remus's yells for him to stop. In another life, Remus would have been able to hold Harry back, to prevent him from going through the veil.
  
  In this life, Harry slipped by, and continued his sprint towards the veil. He felt himself drawn closer. Any second thoughts left him the moment where the rattling sounds behind the veil, the whispers drew him forward. His heart sped up, and he knew what he had to do.
  
  He took the plunge. Harry Potter dove through the veil.
  
  On the other side of the veil, he saw nothing, but darkness around him from all sides. Everything changed, and he became unsettled.
  
  Harry could not hear anything, touch anything, smell anything, or see anything. His senses had been shut off once he hit this void, and Harry Potter had no sense of himself.
  
  The next thing he knew, a blinding flash of white life engulfed him. The whispers of a thousand torment souls attacked his psyche, and then something from inside him was being ripped apart. The only sensation he could feel was his scar, and it was much like if a hot poker had been jabbed into it, and then twisted in.
  
  Harry was pretty sure he screamed in absolute agony. Yet, he could not hear his own screams. This caused his mind to be unable to piece anything coherent together. He groped the air, and wondered if this was the price to pay through stepping through this mysterious veil. He wondered if he had been condemned to live a life without any senses.
  
  Time once again crawled to a near stop.
  
  The throbbing pain in Harry's head ceased, and he heard an inhumane shriek in his head. He had no idea if he grabbed his head or not, but he made an honest attempt of doing so. The shriek became more pained, like there was something suffering in his head. The yells ceased after several spine chilling moments.
  
  Another wave of blinding light engulfed him, and this time Harry blacked out completely from what occurred. His mind shut down. He wondered if this was what the end was supposed to be like.
  
  There was nothing, but black. Harry had no sense that he ever existed for the next several moments.
  
  The next thing Harry knew he was face first in the sand in the middle of the desert. He was dressed in wizard robes, which was never a good sign if he was seen by anyone from the Muggle World. Shaking his head, he tried to regain his bearings. He flexed his fingers. At least they did not seem to be broken, which was an encouraging sign. He rolled over, trying to shield his eyes from the sun beating down on him.
  
  Harry pulled himself to his feet. He winced, rubbing his side. At least his ribs were not cracked. He had cracked ribs before, and it was not a picnic. He pivoted on his feet, and Harry rubbed his forehead. He heard the sound of helicopters in the distance, and they landed in the desert. Several uniformed figures stepped forward.
  
  He had not been awake for five minutes, and already he was at the business end of several guns.
  
  'Of course,' Harry thought to himself in despair.
  
  "Hands in the air where we can see them!"
  
  Harry held his hands in the air, right where they could see him. He also found out that he had no wand with him. That was a potentially problematic situation, and he took a deep breath. Harry tilted his wrists upwards, and a blast of bright light blinded the military troops.
  
  He shook his head. It had been a long time since he had performed that kind of accidental magic.
  
  Harry was not about to look a gift horse in the mouth. He had only one instinct, and that was to run.
  
  "After him!"
  
  Harry reminded himself that they started it. They were the ones who pointed the guns at him, and they were the ones who threatened to shoot at him.
  
  The grenades were uncalled for as well. Harry picked up the pace, and sped forward. Instincts beaten into his head throughout his childhood gave him a good sense of when to dodge projectiles that had been thrown at him. He continued to run as fast as he can.
  
  He had to give these guys the slip.
  
  They were making it very hard, and continued to run on sheer instincts. He needed a plan, but avoiding getting shot was high on the list of details he needed to put in said plan.
  
  Harry shook his head, bringing himself back to the present. Something happened to him when he stepped through the veil in the Department of Mysteries.
  
  'What is that thing anyway?' Harry thought to himself. 'I thought for a moment that I was going to die. Slowly, and painfully, but somehow I blacked out, and ended up some place else. And why in America of all places? Well, I guess I'm going to have to get some answers when I get back home.'
  
  Harry took a deep breath. Running through the veil had been a stupid impulse, and desperation was the biggest reason. He had rushed through the veil, without any thought of what was going to happen afterwards.
  
  He laughed. Despite the fact that the Sorting Hat thought he would do well in Slytherin, actions like that made him worthy of the Gryffindor house. He shook his head, and peaked around the corner. So far no one had figured out that he had gotten on this train due to less than ethical means. As long as he kept his head low, and did not attract too much attention, he could hopefully get out of here.
  
  'I have to find my way back,' Harry thought to himself. 'The thing is I don't know how long I was gone. Any amount of time could have passed since the time I left through the veil, and the time I got here.'
  
  His mind flashed through the near-fatal injuries many of his friends had received in the Department of Mysteries. His stomach turned when he thought of the curses the Death Eaters used against them all. And he sensed that they were holding back just a little bit, out of fear that they might get Harry. Thus if they struck Harry they would incur the wrath of Lord Voldemort.
  
  Harry took a deep breath. All he hoped for was everyone got out of there in the end, and got the medical attention they needed. They never should have come with him. If they died, the blood would have been on his hands.
  
  It was not a game. Things seemed to be so much simpler before, but a troll in the girl's bathroom almost seemed like a lifetime ago.
  
  Harry shook his head. He could not worry about that right now. For once, he had to put himself and his needs first and foremost. Then he could worry about others, once he was safe and out of the woods.
  
  A thought struck Harry suddenly. If he passed through the veil, and ended up here, would Sirius have potentially ended up here as well?
  
  He had no idea. He strained to remember any hint of how he got from Point A to Point B. He struggled to remember, but he came up with nothing.
  
  The train stopped, and Harry decided that it was best for him to get off. There was no need to arouse suspicion. He stepped around into the shadows. He craned his ear, hearing the radio in the distance.
  
  "...A young man, around fourteen to sixteen years old has been sighted moving across the United States. Witnesses state that he appeared out of nowhere. The boy is hostile, and may be armed and extremely dangerous. Do not approach him under any means. If you see this young man, call your local law enforcement immediately. The young man is between the age of 14 and 16 years old, and has unruly black hair and green eyes. He has been reported to shoot an energy blast from his hand, potentially some kind of concealed weapon."
  
  Harry winced. That was not good at all. He sped up his movements, careful not allow anyone to get too close of a look at him.
  
  He was in this country for only a short amount of time, and already was spiraling up the most wanted list in record time.
  
  Harry stepped forward, and kept to the shadows. He heard the hushed whispers. He pulled the hood of the jacket he stole over his head. Thankfully he was able to disappear into the crowd of people, before anyone noticed any resemblance to the fugitive young man.
  
  He snorted at the claims that he was dangerous. Last time he checked, they pulled their guns on him first.
  
  Harry slipped forward, and saw a street vendor selling food. When no one was looking, Harry waved his hand, and the vendor's eyes glazed over. Harry managed to help himself to a hotdog, some chips, and a soda.
  
  It might have not been the most nutritious meal, but Harry was on the run. There was little time to nitpick about nonessential details such as nutrition.
  
  Harry pulled a face. The food didn't taste the best, but he managed to force it down. He took a few steps forward into the shadows. He heard the whispers in the distance. The uniformed personnel crowded around.
  
  "Split up, the suspect was spotted here!"
  
  Harry decided to give them something to chase. Even though that someone would not be him, as he sent a loud bang into the air. It was a diversion charm that he learned during the past year, when looking up spells to teach the D.A.
  
  It worked like a charm, no pun intended. They moved in to circle the sense of the disturbance. Harry gathered that he would not be able to keep up the charade for very long. He had to keep moving, and find a place where he could lose them.
  
  Only then, could he take the very necessary step to find a way back home.
  
  Harry shook his head. He might want to find out the date. If only he could have gotten his hands on a newspaper long enough, he would have been able to piece together that essential little fact. He slid across the floor, quick as a cat, and continued to speed up his movements.
  
  He slipped into a park. There were children playing in the distance, and a dog barking. The sounds of laughter filled the air, and Harry knew that it must have been getting very late.
  
  Nothing happened, at least not now. Harry took a few steps forward, and managed to climb up a tree. He struggled, but somehow he managed to get up on the tree. He perched himself on the branches. This was not the most comfortable perch point in the world, but it would have to do.
  
  He watched from above. He could see people searching for him in the distance. As long as he made no sudden movements to alert anyone that he was here, he was perfectly safe and secure.
  
  Harry made a mental note to learn Muggle repelling spells the next chance he got. They would have been very useful at this point.
  
  He wondered if the United States magical government would piece together what happened before too long, or even recognize him. Harry had no idea what witches and wizards from America were like, but he hoped that something could be sorted out.
  
  As stubborn as he might have been, Harry did realize something very clearly. No matter how much he would like to think it would be different, he could not run forever.
  
  Once night fell, he would keep moving. The cover of darkness would hopefully keep him from being caught.
  
  In the meantime, he was marooned in America with no money, no allies, and no means to contact home.
  
  He was pretty sure he had been in a worse fix, although he had no idea what it might have been. It would have been a lot easier if he would have had his Invisibility Cloak, but it was back at Hogwarts in his trunk and thus not able to help him.
  
  A bald man dressed in a suit sat underneath helmet. The man sat in a wheelchair, having lost the use of his legs some years ago. He currently was focused intently on a strange energy signature that had just popped up a number of hours ago.
  
  The man's name was Professor Charles Xavier. He was the headmaster of Xavier's Institute for the Gifted. He was a man with a dream that many thought was impossible.
  
  There were an ever growing number of people with special gifts, and they increased with each passing year. For lack of a better term, they would be mutants. Some might consider them to be freaks of nature, but that was a concept that Xavier would hope to correct over time. As much as he loathed to admit it, there were some humans had had the knack of fearing those that were different from them.
  
  Someday, he would hope to be able to bridge the gap between mutants and humans. Right now, he settled with trying to help younger mutants understand their gifts, and train them to use those gifts safely. Xavier knew that when their gifts had manifested, many were absolutely afraid. They had no clear idea how to cope with everything that was happening to them, and how their bodies were reacting strangely.
  
  Xavier chuckled, thinking that could be an apt metaphor for many changes. He had been afraid himself when his powers manifested. Hearing the thoughts of other people had been an alarming experienced. At least until the moment where he learned to block it out, and control it. It was much like closing a dam, and it took a long time before it was as simple as breathing.
  
  His experiences were something that drove his ambitions, and his dreams to create this school for the gifted.
  
  Right now, he focused on the strange energy signature he discovered a short time ago. Cerebro managed to pick it up, but it was not like any other reading he had ever seen in his life. It was completely odd and it fluctuated in an erratic manner.
  
  'Strange,' Xavier thought, and he tried to lock in on the energy signature. 'I can't quite pinpoint what this young man's mutant power is, but I can sense that he's alarmed greatly about something.'
  
  A new arrival pulled Xavier out of his thoughts.
  
  "Hello, Logan."
  
  A short man with dark hair, wearing a black t-shirt and blue jeans stepped in. His name was Logan, even if his past was a mystery, especially to him. He was known primarily as Wolverine.
  
  "You've been locked up in here for over two hours," Logan said. "What's up?"
  
  "A strange visitor," Xavier said.
  
  "This wouldn't have anything to do with the reports of the mysterious kid that's been popping up all over the news all day," Logan said in his usual gruff voice.
  
  "We can't rule out a correlation," Xavier said, and he shook his head, to try and get a fix. "His gifts are unlike anything that I have ever seen before."
  
  "You're not the only one who noticed, Chuck," Logan said. "The government's out for this kid's blood, and...they're chasing him like he's some kind of animal."
  
  "It's possible that he's scared about the discovery of his powers," Xavier said, and he turned around to face Logan. "We must locate him immediately, and try and calm him down."
  
  "Easier said than done," Logan answered gruffly.
  
  Xavier just offered a ghost of a smile. "It always is."
  
  The doors leading to the room with Cerebro slid open. In the room walked a dark skinned woman with white hair, dressed in black. Her name was Ororo Munroe, but her codename was Storm. This was because of her uncanny ability to control the weather. She took a tentative step forward.
  
  "Hello, Ororo, I'm glad you could join us," Xavier said with a smile. "A new mutant has arrived the scene, but his power is unlike anything I have ever seen. I have been unable to pin down a name, or any details regarding him."
  
  "What are his powers?" Ororo asked.
  
  Xavier shook his head. This was going to be more difficult to explain than he would have thought.
  
  "That is the problem," Xavier replied. He took a deep breath and continued to speak. "His powers appear to be energy manipulation of some sort, but exactly how or the limits I'm uncertain of. I wish for you and Logan to track him down, and bring him back to the mansion. Be careful though, he may be confused about his powers, so he may lash out if he considers you a threat. Try and take the more diplomatic approach if you can when inviting him to come here."
  
  Xavier's eyes turned to Logan. A small smile appeared on Ororo's face, when Logan gritted his teeth and shook his head.
  
  "I know, Chuck, I understand, this isn't my first go around," Logan remarked, and he leaned back against a wall, casually. "So we get the kid, and then what."
  
  "Just bring him back here, and we give him the choice whether or not to stay or not," Xavier said. "It does appear that he's on the run, so if he has any friends and family, he may fear their reaction due to his powers. And try not to attract the attention of the various government agents hovering around."
  
  "Sounds like a kid who attracts a lot of attention," Ororo commented.
  
  "Yes, unfortunately," Xavier agreed. "You know what to do by now, I will be in contact if anything else comes through on Cerebro."
  
  Ororo and Logan both nodded. They made their way towards the Blackbird.
  
  "Saw a few images of the kid on the news that they were able to pick up," Logan grunted. "He doesn't look too dangerous, but things aren't always what they appear to be."
  
  Ororo nodded. She knew what she had to do to remain on her guard. She joined her teammate on the Blackbird, and it took flight. They were determined to locate this young mutant, before he became some sort of government lab rat, or hurt someone.
  
  Harry figured that he should be sleeping, but his mind was racing a mile a minute. Sleep was hard to come by when he could barely think. He tried to clear his mind, but found it rather hard to do. He took a deep breath, and climbed down from the tree he was perched on. He was beginning to develop a slight cramp in his leg.
  
  He took a deep breath, and stepped forward. There was no one in the park. He reminded himself that he had to get his hands on a newspaper, or at least find out what the date was.
  
  Harry noticed something right away. Now that he had time to rest, he noticed for the first time he had no glasses. They must have been lost when he was knocked through the veil.
  
  For some reason, his vision was perfect. Not to mention, he saw better than he ever did when he had glasses. He wiped his hand to his forehead, wiping the sweat from it.
  
  He stiffened immediately. He spotted several more government troops rushing in. Harry threw himself in the bushes, hoping that would hide him from them. He crouched down as low as he could. He could not even chance breathing too loudly. He listened in carefully on what they were saying.
  
  "This kid's a slippery one, isn't he?"
  
  "What do you think he is?"
  
  "I don't know, maybe he's some kind of extra-terrestrial."
  
  "That would explain the weird energy blasts from his hand."
  
  "Where do you think he went?"
  
  "I don't know, maybe he phoned home or something?"
  
  Harry continued to listen in. They stood around his hiding spot. He would have to stun them to get out of here. The problem was, he suspected that there were dozens more nearby. He chanced a slight look around. Two of the government agents talked in hushed tones.
  
  "We don't know what he is, or how to stop him?"
  
  "He's running scared though."
  
  "Yeah, he is, but that could be just survival instincts. Or him luring us into a false sense of security, but I don't know. Fury wants him alive, for questioning. The crater he left in the desert had energy spikes that were off the charts."
  
  Harry had no idea who this Fury person was, but if he sent these guys after him, then he was sure that he would not like this guy. The dark haired wizard allowed himself a moment to breath. He knew that he could not stay here forever, but at the same time, he could not let them capture him.
  
  There was a time for thinking, and a time for action. Harry made a split decision, and decided that now was the time for action.
  
  He blasted the bushes around him, and caused splintered pieces of wood to fly in every direction. This allowed him a momentary distraction to rush off. Harry quickened the pace, and continued to run.
  
  He heard loud voices from behind him. Harry was sure some of those agents suffered injuries, some potentially fatal. Since he was tired, hungry, and lost, Harry found his sympathy at the lowest level possible.
  
  Harry very nearly escaped them. He was a few inches away, but a wall of troops blocked his path. There were eight of them, and he prepared to fight them.
  
  Before Harry could do anything, the guns had been pulled from their hands. He blinked, and a chain link fence was wrapped around the troops. They were pinned into place, and Harry's eyes grew as wide as saucers.
  
  He was doing some really weird accidental magic all day, but he was sure that he was not capable of something like that.
  
  Harry turned around, and saw a figure dressed in purple and red. He had a helmet covering his face. Pieces of metal swirled around him, and the helicopter above was being ripped apart and thrown around.
  
  "You have caused quite a stir, young one," the mysterious man said. "Do not be alarmed, child."
  
  Harry frowned. If there was one thing that he detested, it was being called a child.
  
  "You have special gifts, which means you are above the limitations of humanity," the man continued. "And your gifts in particular have caught the eye of many. You will help the next evolution of this world rise above humanity. Your gifts will aid the cause when they are fully mastered."
  
  Harry eyed this man suspiciously. He decided to ask the obvious question.
  
  "Just who are you?" Harry asked.
  
  "You may refer to me as Magneto," the man said. "And we have much to discuss as it pertains to your future."
  Recruitment
  
  
  Chapter 2: Recruitment.
  
  Harry stood silently, and looked up this new player in the game. The person called Magneto, who had just knocked aside these government troops like they were absolutely nothing, hovered in the air with his arms folded. Harry remained still, and assessed the situation. He knew that this man commanded a great deal of power. He magnetized the metal around him, and used it to accomplish his goals. It was a one sided beating, there were no two ways about it. Harry blinked suddenly, trying to regain his bearings.
  
  He was in this new place. Unfortunately, this was one situation that he had no idea how to get out of. Magneto stood, patiently, and awaited for Harry to give his answer. Harry had no idea what to say, and what to do. Yet, he had to do something, so he decided to say the first thing that came to mind.
  
  "What do you mean about my future?" Harry asked, and immediately he felt stupid at saying that.
  
  Magneto decided to elaborate. "Child, you have great power, and with that great power, there is potential. The mutant race could use someone like you on our side. As you can see, the humans went after you at the first sign that you might not be something they can control. They will continue to go after you. Not because of any misdeed you have done, but for the sheer fact that you are different. People fear what they cannot understand."
  
  Despite the situation he was in, Harry had to grudgingly admit that this Magneto had a point. He had lived in through many situations where people did fear what they were unable to understand. The events during his second year, when people had judged him to be evil just because he spoke Parseltongue, proved that much. His own relatives were proof of this, and there were many other cases. Fear tended to make people lash out in the worst possible way.
  
  Despite their common ground, Harry thought there was something suspicious about this Magneto. He might have talked as if he had the best intentions, but there was just something about him that wondered if those intentions had gone to a certain extreme. The best intentions often could go wrong, and while Harry tried to keep an open mind, he remained suspicious.
  
  "You think I'm a mutant?" Harry asked. "I don't think..."
  
  "This is a common reaction for those who have come into their powers, the fear of being different," Magneto said. He spoke in an even and patient voice. "But there is no reason to fear. You have risen above humanity, and their flaws. Humanity will destroy each other for their own petty gains. If we do not band together, what do you think they will do to us?"
  
  This question was left unanswered. Harry stood before Magneto. He did not say anything, so Magneto took this as his opening to continue.
  
  "The choice is in your hands whether or not you come with me," Magneto said. His gaze remained cold, and focused towards Harry from behind his helmet. "I will say this, if it was not for my intervention, you would have been captured and subjected to horrors which you can only scarcely imagine. You are running around in circles. If you were to join me, then you would not fear. Your fellow brothers and sisters will help shield you, and make you strong."
  
  Harry's eyes narrowed. This guy thought he owed him something, because he saved him. His hands curled into fists, but Magneto paid his body language no mind.
  
  "Once again, the decision is yours," Magneto said in a cool and calm voice.
  
  Harry folded his arms and thought about it. He knew that the wrong answer would likely get him attacked. He knew that there were spells to transfigure metal into plastic, but he wondered if he could actually perform them. His transfiguration ranged from average to disappointing.
  
  It was points like this where Harry wished he had taken his studies of magic more seriously when he had the chance. That was in the past now, and Harry was staring up at a problem for the present.
  
  Harry took a deep breath, and stared up at Magneto. He took a deep breath, and spoke. "So you want my answer. I'm..."
  
  What Harry was going to say was interrupted by the arrival of an impressive looking aircraft. Magneto stepped back, and his body tensed up. He prepared himself for a fight against them. A dark skinned woman with white hair and a man with dark hair, with a scowl on his face, exited the plane, and turned their attention to Magneto.
  
  Storm and Wolverine exited the Blackbird, and sure enough the first thing they saw was Magneto. Professor Xavier warned them there was a chance that Magneto might try and recruit the young man. He saw the young man standing there. He looked positively confused about the situation. Wolverine, not one known for tact, stepped forward and stared down Magneto.
  
  "Step away from the kid, Magneto," Wolverine growled, and with a skikt, his claws popped up for emphasis. His teeth gritted before he offered his next statement of declaration. "Now!"
  
  Magneto hovered, his arms folded. Had one been able to get a clear shot of his face, they would have detected amusement. He stared down Wolverine.
  
  "You think you can threaten me, the Master of Magnetism?" Magneto asked in a dry tone of voice. He lifted a hand, and Wolverine's legs and arms folded back. He tried to push back through the sheer force of will. "You always never did learn from your foolish blunders, Logan. One would think that one with a skeleton coated with metal would not try and trifle with someone with my powers."
  
  Magneto flicked his wrist, and Wolverine grimaced. He tried to fight back. Never one to go down easily, he tried to fight off his enemy.
  
  "I could easily rip your foul metal coated bones from your body," Magneto commented calmly. He used his powers to continue to knock Wolverine around like he was nothing. "But what point would that serve? Charles should teach his pets more obedience. I find that an animal that has learned obedience lives much longer."
  
  He forced Wolverine down on the ground. He smashed face first into the rocks below. Wolverine struggled back up, and Magneto exerted more force. Wolverine was like his puppet on a string to be used as he pleased.
  
  "Again, I ask you, what did you hope to accomplish by trying to engage me?" Magneto asked him. "What did you hope to foolishly do? Is it worth it to be utterly humiliated?"
  
  Wolverine managed to lift his head up, and look Magneto in the eye. He heard thunder in the distance. He decided to enlighten Magneto on what was going on. "It's call a diversion, bub."
  
  Magneto's head snapped up, and he saw the storm clouds rolling in. Storm floated into the air, and her eyes narrowed. Thunder cackled in the air, and a wind began to kick up. This was even strong enough to be able to blow Magneto slightly off balance. He summoned another part of the fence, but Storm blocked the attack with a huge gust of wind, blowing the metal back.
  
  Harry watched the battle as he edged away from it. He figured that both sides of this battle had met before. And they had quite the past. It was something that he had been stuck in the middle of, and he was not sure if he liked that. There was another huge problem as well. He had no idea who to trust, and there was a chance that both sides were completely out of their mind.
  
  While the two sides were occupied with each other, Harry backed slowly to the side. A strategic retreat was in order. At least until he found out more. He turned around, and rushed off as fast as his legs could carry him.
  
  Where he would go, he had no idea. All Harry knew was that he had to get away from this battle until he considered his options. He saw the battle continue to get intense over his shoulder, and he continued to run further into the park. There was a wooded area that he hoped he would be able to lose everyone who had been chasing him. His heart beat into his chest, and it thumped hard.
  
  He had no idea what a mutant was to be honest. This Magneto seemed to think he was one. He briefly wondered if that was some American term for a wizard. Were witches and wizards known by Muggles and actively hunted in America? What Harry knew about magical culture in America could be written on the head of a pin. He would worry about figuring that out when he had time to catch his breath.
  
  A part of him still wondered why the American Ministry still had not gotten involved. Surely they would have been doing some heavy damage control by now. Unless they were more incompetent than their British counterpart and that was a thought that made Harry shudder.
  
  Not to mention he had no clue where Sirius was, or even if he had made the trip. Harry shook his head; he would worry about one thing at a time. It was survival of the fittest out here, and Harry was not going to be taken down that easily.
  
  While Harry sped away to reassess his situation, Storm and Magneto continued to engage in battle.
  
  "I will not stand by idly and let another young mutant be lead astray by foolish hopes and dreams," Magneto said, and he turned towards Storm. "Charles has sent you here to poison the boy with lies. It is the dream of a fool that mutants and humans can live together in harmony. Did you not see that this government hunted a teenage boy like he was some dangerous fugitive?"
  
  Storm had heard this statement from Magneto before, or at least variations. He always had an uncanny ability to point out the harsh truth of the matter, but that just made the cause of Charles Xavier to be more important.
  
  "You cannot look me in the eye, and tell me that I'm wrong," Magneto said, and he stopped attacking Storm.
  
  "It isn't like you to surrender," Storm said.
  
  "It is foolish to continue this fight, we should all be on the same side," Magneto said, and he looked over his shoulder. "Plus, in our conflict, we seemed to have accomplished only one thing. That was driving our newest mutant off. Do what you must to locate him, if you choose to. But I will conduct my own search, and remember, if he chooses to join me, then any attempt to persuade him will be judged as an attack against the mutant race."
  
  Magneto moved off, and Wolverine finally was allowed up to his feet, just as Magneto left them.
  
  "Just one shot, I swear, I'll take him down," Wolverine growled.
  
  "You played your role well, Logan," Storm said. "But we have a problem right now."
  
  "Yeah, the kid flew the coop," Wolverine said. He shook his head. "He's still out there, and who knows what he'll encounter."
  
  Storm nodded. She decided to voice something that she had been wondering about.
  
  "I'm wondering if there is something about him that is beyond standard mutant abilities," Storm said to Wolverine. "The readings that Charles gave us for him, they are rather unique. He may have other gifts beyond the X-Gene."
  
  "Well, let's work on finding the kid first, and then we can worry about what he is, or what he isn't," Wolverine suggested. Storm looked at him. He shook off the injuries and continued to speak in a low grunt. "I'll heal."
  
  Storm and Wolverine turned around, and walked off. They both spotted another wave of government troops closing in, which indicated to them they could not stay here. They both entered the Blackbird, and prepared to report back in with Professor Xavier of their status.
  
  "It was only to be expected that Erik would get involved," Xavier said in a calm and patient voice. "He sensed this young man was vulnerable and acted to use him to further his own aims. We should have been prepared for it, but he managed to find this young man first. That is a lesson to be learned, but never mind that. We must locate him before Magneto does."
  
  Wolverine and Storm nodded.
  
  "Do you have any idea who he is?" Wolverine asked.
  
  "That remains a mystery to me, my friend," Xavier said. The truth was that he had been combing every single detail. "Normally I was able to pinpoint information, but whoever this young man is, he simply appears to have no records whatsoever anywhere. His thought patterns are something that are an enigma to me, but I do pick up brief frantic pulses infrequently."
  
  "He has to exist somewhere," Storm argued. Then a thought visited her. "You don't suppose that he is not from around here."
  
  "Yes, that is my belief as well, there is a chance that something went awry, and we may have a visitor from elsewhere," Xavier said. "I have been able to locate this much, however. He has a latent mutant ability, buried beneath several other powers. Yet, that is not his true power; rather his true power is something else. It is something that is more among the mystical variety."
  
  "You've got to be kidding me," Wolverine said. "You mean the kid is some kind of magician?"
  
  Xavier chuckled from the other end of the communication. "Actually the preferred term is sorcerer, or wizard. You sound as if you don't believe it."
  
  "I believe it, believe me, after what I've seen, there's nothing that I wouldn't believe," Wolverine answered gruffly.
  
  "These new powers, that would make him a more delicate situation than we had previously thought," Storm said.
  
  "Correct, Ororo," Xavier answered. He paused momentarily to check anything. "His X-Gene is just an added gift for him beyond his other abilities. His mystical abilities, well I may have to call upon a former colleague of mine to get further insight on what I might expect from them. Naturally, he is extremely difficult to get ahold of, but being the Sorcerer Supreme, he does have many matters that dictate his time."
  
  There was silence for a brief moment, before Xavier switched gears.
  
  "We will worry about determining this young man's powers, and abilities should he chose to join us," Xavier continued.
  
  "What if he decides to join Magneto?" Storm asked.
  
  "It will be unfortunate," Xavier admitted. He took a deep breath, and continued in his most optimistic tone. "But let us assume that his mind has not been made yet."
  
  "Why don't we find him first, and ask him?" Wolverine suggested, and Storm looked on, before she nodded. That seemed to be the best course of action.
  
  "He couldn't have gotten too far," Storm said. She then paused, and added. "Then again, if these reports are correct, he made it from the southwest to the east coast in record time."
  
  "Keep me posted on your progress, and I will do likewise if I find out any tangible information that you can use," Xavier replied, and both Storm and Wolverine nodded in agreement. "In the cover of night, it may be difficult to locate him, but we must keep trying."
  
  "Don't worry, I've got his scent, shouldn't be too hard," Wolverine said.
  
  Wolverine's super heightened senses made him an expert tracker, and his nose could not be fooled most of the time like tracking technology could. The nose did in fact know, and Wolverine sniffed the air. The smell of the woods intermingled with several other smells. It took Wolverine only a moment to pick up the scent of the boy in any kind of distinct way.
  
  "He's heading north," Wolverine said, and Storm piloted the Blackbird in that direction.
  
  Wolverine tensed up. He sensed something other than their runaway's scent. He sensed something that could complicate things greatly. He shook his head, trying to find a way to ignore it, but yet there was no ignoring that particular foul scent. His teeth gritted and Storm noticed this action.
  
  "What is it, Logan?" she asked.
  
  "Sabretooth," Wolverine growled. Never had one word be spoken with more hatred than what Wolverine had utilized with this name.
  
  Harry slumped against the tree. He wiped his forehead, and it took him a number of minutes before a small amount of fear truly set in. It was rare for him to be afraid, but under the circumstances it had to be accepted. He really had no idea where he was.
  
  This day had all started off with him stressing about completing his Ordinary Wizarding Level exams, and not failing them. Knowing what he knew now, he would have taken the OWLs a hundred times, if it meant not living through what happened on this day. .
  
  Sirius had gone through that veil. He just had to follow him through. Now he was being chased by several groups. And he had no clue where Sirius was, or even if he was anywhere. The few answers he had been able to piece together just raised more questions.
  
  He stepped forward, and wondered if he should chance lighting the trail. The darkness was a double edged sword. On one hand, it would cloak him from any parties. On the other hand, he would have a hell of a time seeing. Harry reckoned this was one of those "damned if you do, damned if you don't type things."
  
  'If only you can see the famous Harry Potter right now,' Harry thought to himself. 'On the run, and potentially this could be my last stand. Well, guess what, the time for running is done. If I'm going down, I'm going down swinging. Why should I run?"
  
  Harry stood up, tall and proud. He did not hear anything for miles around, with the exception of the chirping crickets. He had no idea how eerie that sounded until now. He heard an owl hoot from a tree above.
  
  "Don't suppose I could tie a letter to your leg, and send a message to someone over in Britain, do you?" Harry asked the owl, half in a joking manner. The owl flew off to another point, annoyed at being disturbed. "Yeah, that was a longshot, but I had to try."
  
  Harry stopped.
  
  "Okay, Potter, talking to yourself when no one else is there is the first sign of insanity," Harry said. He stood around, and tried to use a directional spell to point him out of this wooded area.
  
  He heard a snap in the distance. Immediately, he sent a stunning spell into the distance at the direction. It was a bit weird to be doing magic without a wand, but somehow he managed it. He wondered if this was some kind of side effect from his trip through the veil that would wear off in time. Harry took a deep breath, and he heard another loud footstep. Leaves and twigs crunched in the distance.
  
  There was someone stalking Harry. Harry had no idea if this was an animal or a person, but it was unsettling no matter how you sliced it. Harry took a long and deep breath. He remained rigid, on his feet, and ready to go at a moment's notice. Another crack of twigs, and Harry fired off another spell.
  
  At least, this was not the Forbidden Forest. There should be nothing in here that could hurt him. The noises ceased at that moment, and everything had gone completely silent. It was too silent for Harry's liking. He waited for the other shoe to drop, and for something, anything could happen. Now, it was time for Harry to light the path. He held his hand up, and a bright ball of light erupted from it.
  
  The path lit up, but there was nothing nearby. Some rustling in the bushes caused Harry to stir. He heard the sounds of traffic, which meant he was not in the woods much longer. He was getting much closer to the city. He turned around. Yet, he could not move further on.
  
  He bumped into a large and imposing figure. He was dressed in a trench coat, with a black tank top, and white pants. He had wild hair and a sadistic expression in his eyes that quite frankly Harry did not like. He gave Harry a wide and toothy grin, as he took another step towards the wizard. To his credit, Harry stood his ground, and braced himself for a battle.
  
  "Awfully late to be out here alone," the wild man snarled. He eyed Harry, and a sadistic expression continued to flicker in his eyes. "What the matter, did you get lost?"
  
  "No, not lost, just found my way out of here," Harry said firmly, as he stood up proud.
  
  "Ah, you better be careful, these woods can be dangerous," the man said. A sadistic and knowing look appeared in his eyes. "All kinds of wild animals are around here. Someone who is soft might lose their head."
  
  The man closed in on Harry, and he looked like he was stalking his prey. Harry lashed out, sending sparks into the face of this man. A stunning spell was fired off, but the man had surprising speed and agility for someone his size.
  
  "That was the stupidest thing you could have done!" he growled. He continued to circle Harry, and tried to close in. He looked like a shark smelling blood. The man kept stalking Harry, trying to close in for the kill.
  
  All Harry had to do was get in one shot at this man. One of his slicing spells appeared to have struck the man's leg, drawing blood. The wound healed over, and Harry stepped back. His eyes widened in abject shock, and now fear set in.
  
  "Your little light show can't stop me," he taunted, and laughed hard.
  
  "Who are you?" Harry demanded, and he fired another series of spells off.
  
  The array of spells fired off, and this hunter was sent back hard with one of them. A high powered banishing spell sent him flying into a tree. Harry took that as his sign that it was time to leave the wooded area, but that was easier said than done.
  
  His pursuer launched himself in front of Harry. He stuck the landing with precision, and turned towards Harry.
  
  "I'd sooner rip you apart, but the boss wants me to bring you back," he growled, but then he stopped and sniffed the air. A grin spread across his face, showing all of his teeth. "Excuse me; it's time I get reacquainted with an old friend."
  
  Harry had no idea what this man could have meant by that statement. He had a feeling that he was about to find out. A loud growl echoed through the air from the other end of the path, and Harry remained on his guard.
  
  "Sabretooth!"
  
  Harry recognized this man as one of the two who had engaged Magneto earlier. Sabretooth's eyes narrowed in hatred, as the smaller man dove at him. Razor sharp claws were bared, but Sabretooth blocked the attack. Sabretooth pushed him back. Wolverine fought Sabretooth with brutality, and sent him crashing to the ground hard.
  
  Wolverine spun around, and focused on Harry.
  
  "Get out of here," Wolverine told Harry.
  
  Normally, Harry would not be the one to take orders, but that was the best idea he had heard all day. He hastened his steps, but realized that nothing in his life could be that simple. In his little ducking and dodging routine with this Sabretooth bloke, he twisted his ankle. He winced at it, and cursed himself for being so careless.
  
  "I tell you Wolverine, we keep doing this, but it'd be a lot easier if you just died," Sabretooth growled.
  
  "Sorry, too stubborn to stay down," Wolverine growled, not sounding sorry at all. He tried to move in for an attack, but Sabretooth blocked it.
  
  A part of him could not tear his eyes away from the violence that occurred next to him. Wolverine and Sabretooth ripped into each other with absolute fury. Both fighters seemed to have a past, and tore each other apart. Sabretooth was the more violent of the two. He was motivated by the bloodlust, and tore into Wolverine.
  
  Wolverine pushed back, and kicked Sabretooth in the leg hard to gain the advantage. The two continued to maneuver around each other. Harry stood, and tried to gingerly move out of the way. He could not help, but watch this battle. Violence was not something that normally appealed to him, well for the most part. The intensity these two fought was second to none.
  
  The two continued to exchange violent punches, and Sabretooth got Wolverine backed up into a tree. He throttled Wolverine, but Wolverine pushed back from the efforts. The two continued to rumble.
  
  "Stay down and take your medicine, runt," Sabretooth growled.
  
  "Why don't you make me?" Wolverine challenged him.
  
  Sabretooth violently flung Wolverine over the top of his head. Wolverine crashed down to the ground hard, and Sabretooth pummeled him in the side with a series of violent punches. Harry took a deep breath, and tried to study the battle.
  
  He was not running on a bum ankle, not any more. Healing spells were very difficult to pull off, as the Lockhart fiasco in his second year proved. He found himself studying Sabretooth's moves, and almost analyzing a way to defeat him. Wolverine was coming up on the short end of the stick, and Harry limped forward, having a clear idea what he had to do.
  
  He had a clear shot right now, and he had to take it.
  
  A red light shot forward, and impacted Sabretooth hard in the chest. The large furry mutant slammed high into the trees in the distance, and was knocked out for the impact. When he woke up, he would be rather sore to say the least. Wolverine turned around, and stared at Harry. Said boy just stood there, and a determined expression was on his face.
  
  "I thought I told you to get out of here," Wolverine said. He then added. "And thanks for the help."
  
  "You're welcome," Harry said, and he turned around, but he winced as he stepped wrong on his ankle. It did not hurt as much as it did a while ago, and he could somewhat walk on it, but at the same time it still was tender. "I wish I didn't twist my ankle like an idiot."
  
  "Injury comes with the territory, kid," Wolverine said, and he sniffed the air. "Sabretooth's going to be licking his wounds for a while. I can tell you that much. We better go meet up with Storm, tell her that I found you."
  
  "Why were you looking for me?" Harry demanded. His limp cleared up a little bit, and he tried to remain on even footing.
  
  "Everything will be explained," Wolverine said. "Just come with us...."
  
  Harry held up his hand, and Wolverine stopped.
  
  "What makes you think I'm going to come with you?" Harry asked. His eyes narrowed, and suspicion was in his eyes. He was not about to trust these people right off of the bat. He had no idea who was trustworthy. For all he knew, both sides could have been utterly insane, and out to do him harm.
  
  Wolverine stopped. He was about to protest, but found out that this kid was making a logical argument. Hell, he would be distrustful of the circumstances if he had been in this kid's shoes.
  
  "Just give us time, hear us out," Wolverine said gruffly.
  
  Harry decided he could allow them that much, but he prepared to defend himself in case things got ugly.
  
  "You have him, Logan?" Storm asked, and Wolverine nodded. Harry did not run away, on account that his ankle was killing him. She turned to Harry with a smile. "Hello, I'm Ororo Munroe, and you are..."
  
  "Harry,' Harry replied. He remained calm, and decided not to offer much more information that that, for now. "Just Harry."
  
  Storm nodded. She understood that Harry, providing that was his real name, was not going to trust them to give out much information, at least for right now. There would come a time where he could hopefully trust them.
  
  "The fog cover should allow us a safe getaway from any government officials," Storm said to Wolverine, and Harry sat. "Providing of course Harry consents to join us."
  
  "Join you, where?" Harry asked.
  
  "We're from the Xavier Institute for Higher Learning," Storm explained. "It is an institution that helps young mutants such as yourself understand your powers, and use them in a way that cannot hurt themselves or others."
  
  Harry heard that "mutant" word again, and continued to wonder what it meant. He suspected the best way to find out these answers was to play along. Until he could find a way to get home, but a place to stay was a place to stay. It sure beat running from people that wanted to do him harm.
  
  "So what do you say, Harry?" Storm asked.
  
  "I'll come along, to see what this place is all about," Harry said with a shrug.
  
  "That's all we ask for you," Storm said. She focused on getting them out of here, and safely back home. Harry buckled up in one of the seats, and they took flight.
  
  It was different than flying on a broom; Harry had to admit that much.
  
  From the distant, Magneto watched as the new mutant consented to join the X-Men. He stood, his expression never wavering beneath his helmet.
  
  "A pity," he commented in a soft voice. "But not unexpected."
  
  He knew one thing for sure. This was not over. He allowed the X-Men to have their one moment of triumph, for now.
  
  A couple hours after the flight back, Harry was sitting in a study area. His ankle was still a little sore, but it was mostly better. Magic did have remarkable self-healing properties. He drank the juice, and sandwich that he had been offered. It was better than the street vendor food that he had swiped earlier that day. The mansion he was in looked rather safe. Then again, so was Hogwarts, and Harry knew all too well how that turned out for him most years.
  
  Still, he remained silent, and calm. He hoped that he would be able to get some more answers here, and use these answers to find his way back. For now, it was a long day, and all he wanted to do was get some rest.
  
  A knock on the door brought Harry out of his thoughts.
  
  "Yes, come in," Harry said.
  
  The door opened, and five individuals walked in. Harry recognized two of them right away, as Storm and Wolverine or rather Ororo and Logan as he found out, who had brought him here. The third figure was a bald man in a wheelchair. The fourth was a red haired girl with green eyes, dressed in a purple tank top and jeans who looked at him with a smile. The fifth was a dark haired young man with red sunglasses, and he nodded and smiled as well.
  
  Why someone would wear sunglasses indoors, Harry had no idea whatsoever, but he just went along with it.
  
  "Hello, Harry, I trust you've had time to regain your bearings," the bald man said. He rolled forward, and extended his hand. "I am Professor Charles Xavier, the Headmaster of the Xavier Institute for the Gifted."
  
  Harry reached forward, and politely shook the man's hand. He tried to keep an open mind once more after everything that had transpired. Xavier turned towards the red haired girl, and the dark haired boy.
  
  "This is Jean Grey, and Scott Summers, they are students at the Institute," Xavier informed him.
  
  "Nice to meet all of you," Harry said with a nod and a polite smile.
  
  "The pleasure is ours, Harry," Scott said.
  
  "Welcome to the Xavier Institute," Jean said with a bright smile. "Well, if you choose to stay here anyway."
  
  "Is there a choice?" Harry asked dryly.
  
  Xavier just smiled. "There is always a choice. Not every mutant I have discovered has entered this school. Some decide to take different roads in life, while others opt to try and live a normal life, not embracing their gifts. It is unfortunate, but we do not force anyone's hand here."
  
  "What is a mutant?" Harry asked. He had a general idea, but he wanted to hear Xavier's take on it.
  
  "A common question I have had, as there are many definitions to it," Xavier told him. "It is referred to those humans with special gifts, who have an additional gene. Through my studies, it has been called the X-Gene. That is the additional part of the genetic makeup of a human that will denote them as a mutant. Some mutations are easier to hide than others, but most of us are able to live normal lives, for the most part."
  
  Harry did wonder what it was like to live a normal life. For his entire life, he had been looking for that answer. Yet, he just about gave up on that, and mentally shrugged his shoulders. He would have to just go to the flow, and see where life would take him.
  
  "For the most part, we are unknown to the public eye," Xavier continued when Harry had no further questions. "However, there may come a day where we will be known to a wide group of people. The more of us there are, the more difficult it is to hide, and thus there will come a day soon where we will have to go public."
  
  Harry offered a nod to this.
  
  "It's difficult to hide something like that," Harry said, for lack of anything else better to say. The only thing he had to say kind about the Ministry was that they were somehow able to keep a lid on the secrecy aspect of his world. "So this is a school that will help, um mutants, use their gifts."
  
  "Yes, we do what we can to help," Xavier agreed. "It can be a bit overwhelming to take in for the most part; it is for many young mutants when they discover their powers."
  
  "All of us were confused by our powers, and did not understand how they properly work," Scott said at one point. "But, it's not that bad."
  
  Harry shook his head.
  
  "I knew about my powers, for a very long time," Harry said. "For the past five years, I've...."
  
  "Yes, I realize about your other abilities, but you still have other abilities beyond your magic that you have yet to realize," Xavier said.
  
  "Abilities?" Harry asked.
  
  "Your arrival here has caused your X-Gene to manifest," Xavier said.
  
  "What exactly is my X-Gene power?" Harry wondered.
  
  There was a moment of silence. Xavier still had not completely come up with an explanation for what Harry's powers completely were.
  
  "That is something that we will determine in time," Xavier admitted, and he surveyed Harry. "If you choose to stay here at the Institute, then we will determine what you are capable of. "
  
  Harry wondered if something happened to him when he had stepped through the veil. It was possible. His head was clearer than it had been previously. His eyesight cleared up, and the scar on his forehead was gone. He looked at his hand, and those hideous words carved into his hand were also gone.
  
  That somehow made the unbearable pain that he suffered stepping through that veil worth it. At least it almost did.
  
  "Where did you come from, anyway?" Jean asked, and then she took a step back at the look at Harry's face. "Sorry if you didn't..."
  
  "No, I would have asked the same thing if someone showed up randomly," Harry said, but he screwed his eyes shut. "The thing is, I can't quite remember what happened. I was being chased, and then I woke up in the desert."
  
  Harry waited. He hoped that they had bought that statement.
  
  "Your friends and family must be worried about you," Jean said, and Harry looked at her.
  
  "I'd imagine my friends might be," Harry said, but he remained tight-lipped about his family for now. "Once I figure out what happened, I think I might need to find a way home."
  
  "If that is what you feel you need to do, then we'll do what we can to help you," Xavier said. "In the meantime, you may spend the night here, and get some rest. Then we can talk about what you want to do in the future later on."
  
  "Fair enough I suppose," Harry said. "I just have one more question."
  
  "Of course," Xavier said, and he gave Harry the opportunity to ask the question.
  
  "You know how I said everything was a haze when I arrived here?" Harry asked without preamble. He had been given the opportunity to continue. "This might sound like a stupid question, but I'm not sure how long I was out. For all I know, days could have passed. So I was wondering something. What's the date today?"
  
  "August Twentieth in the Year Two Thousand," Xavier said, and Harry paled immediately, but he tried to remain calm and collected. "About when did you think you left?"
  
  "I don't quite know, but it's been a long time," Harry said, when he finally found his voice. He took a deep breath, and turned around. He addressed the entire group. "Sorry, if I seem a bit rude, but I think I'll head to bed. It was a pleasure meeting all of you."
  
  Harry spun around, and exited the study without another word. The five X-Men watched him leave immediately. None of them knew what to say at the moment.
  
  "He seemed to be a bit upset about the date thing," Jean said. "I wonder how long he was gone."
  
  "It does seem like a long time," Scott said, and he leaned against the wall. He took a deep breath, and shook his head. "He seemed to be a bit....I don't know..."
  
  "Reserved would be the word you may be looking for," Xavier said. "Harry does seem to hold many secrets, and his trust seems to be one that is earned over time."
  
  The temptation to poke around in the mind of anyone had always been present for a telepath like Charles Xavier. He only did this under extreme circumstances. Harry seemed to be only dangerous if he had been provoked in some way. If he stuck around here, perhaps Harry would open up. He just hoped that Harry did not get too hung up trying to find a way home.
  
  If his theory was correct, then Harry may have not come here by conventional methods. That would explain his sudden arrival and lack of information about his past. That was a mystery to solve in the future, especially when everyone had a good night's sleep. It had been a long day, for many reasons.
  
  In the early part of the morning, past midnight, Harry sat in the dark, and he was in deep in thought. He pondered the mystery of the veil and what happened when he stepped through. Did he travel through time? He supposed any number of things could have happened when he stepped on through the veil.
  
  Harry hoped that he made the right choice agreeing to go with these X-Men as they were called. They seemed to be nice and accommodating enough, for the most heart. Harry suspected that everything he knew was turned upside down. He was just going to have to go with the flow, and see what happened, until he got a better feel for the rules of the game.
  
  One thing was for certain, if he got here, there had to be a way to go back. Without knowing more about the veil, it could potentially be difficult. And the veil was in the Department of Mysteries. He took a deep breath, and tried to piece together all he knew. He was sure that he died, or came pretty close to it.
  
  In time he would figure out what happened, and how, if possible, he would find a way back home.
  
  If he wanted to go back that was.
  
  And right now, Harry had many reasons not to go back given what he had been put through over the past year, than he had to return.
  
  It would be something that he would think about after a good night's sleep.
  
  For some reason, sleep did not come as easy as he had hoped. There was so much on his mind, and the events of the day replayed over and over in his head. Also the nagging question of Sirius's whereabouts, and if he made it continued to dog him.
  
  Not to mention the nagging thought that he might be stuck here for a very long time.
  
  'One step at a time, Potter,' he thought. 'One step at a time.'
  Adaptation
  
  
  Chapter 03: Adaption.
  
  Harry Potter sat with his legs crossed, deep in thought. He was currently sitting in the living room, after a few hours of sleep. He found it rather hard to come by. The past day had been a revelation for him. He was a long way from where he was yesterday. Not only a long way, but a long time, with the fact that it had been over four years since the moment he had stepped through the veil. He had gone over it in his mind time and time again.
  
  What exactly happened when he stepped through the veil? Did he pass out for what seemed like four years? Or was there something else that happened? Harry knew there had to be an explanation about what happened. The weird amount of time that passed really bothered him. He still felt like he was fifteen years old, nearly sixteen years old.
  
  Another explanation crossed his mind. Did Sirius make it? He had no indication what happened to his godfather, if he was here or not. Harry only half heard Remus's yells that he was all gone, but Harry paid him no mind about anything. He managed a deep breath. All he knew was that he was here, at this place. The Xavier Institute for the Gifted as it was called, and Harry tried to figure out what he needed to do next.
  
  What should he do? Should he try and return to the magical world? Did he even want to return? He had friends, but Harry wondered if they were even alive after four years that might have passed. Given the state some of them were when he left them in the Department of Mysteries, he wondered. Or if they were alive, did they move on?
  
  Life did move on eventually. That was the most depressing reality of them all. They had likely gotten on with their lives by now without him. The entire time thing seemed to strike him a bit odd, given the fact that he still had nearly the same appearance that he did when he left at fifteen, or sixteen years old. The only difference was that his glasses were gone, and his scar had vanished. It was almost as if he was frozen in time until the moment he woke up.
  
  Oddly enough his mind was far clearer than it was not. It struck him odd how no magical officials had descended upon the scene. Surely they would not want to have the Muggles get any hint of what was going on?
  
  "So, you couldn't sleep?"
  
  Harry's eyes turned around. He had been a bit jumpy, but he had seen Jean Grey standing there. She looked at Harry with a curious expression.
  
  "Oh, hey, Jean," Harry said to her. Jean walked over, and sat down next to Harry.
  
  "Something's bothering you, isn't it?"
  
  "I've had a long day," Harry admitted to her. "A really long day. Really, after everything that happened. I wasn't expecting to wake up in a strange place, and get chased."
  
  "Professor Xavier is trying to sort out everything that happened," Jean told him. "It isn't really your fault. You were scared and without help, but that's what we're here to do, we're here to help."
  
  Harry's jaw just remained set, and he nodded. He found himself unable to properly relax properly. He was half tempted to say that he just wanted to go home, but he realized how childish that sounded in the back of his head. He remained calm, and cool.
  
  "So, do you want to talk about what happened?" Jean asked in a tentative voice.
  
  "No," Harry replied in a swift voice. "Sorry, but I'm trying to figure it out myself"
  
  Jean frowned. He seemed to be very guarded. He seemed to be one of those people who was unwilling to confide in others, unless he absolutely had to. Curiosity filled her that she tried to squash. She could almost tell that he had been through some kind of ordeal recently. Professor Xavier had hinted about that much.
  
  "Okay," Jean said. "So when did you discover your powers?"
  
  "Depending on what ones you're talking about," Harry retorted, and he took a deep calming breath. "Strange things have always happened around me I guess."
  
  'And trouble seems to happen everywhere I go,' Harry added to himself mentally.
  
  "Professor Xavier knows about the magical aspect of your powers," Jean said. "But he wouldn't have picked you up on Cerebro if you didn't have an X-Gene."
  
  Harry just nodded. He was still deep in thought.
  
  "I wonder what that particular um mutant power might be," Harry said, and he shook his head for a moment. This was going to be a long and hard road. "Just something else I have to figure out while I'm here."
  
  "Well, that's what the Institute is for, to help young mutants figure out their gifts and how to learn them," Jean told him. She turned towards Harry to see him a bit better. She asked him in a honest voice. "Have you given any consideration about whether or not you want to join the Institute?"
  
  "I've thought about it but...I don' t know," Harry said. And this was the honest truth; he was trying to figure out what his purpose was here. "I have a feeling that I'm going to have to give an answer one way or another."
  
  "You can take as much time as you need," Jean said. She smiled at Harry. "I wasn't sure about joining at first, I don't think anyone is. It's a life changing experience. But I realized that I needed help understanding my powers, because if I got upset I could hurt someone else or even myself."
  
  Harry just nodded. Mutant gifts were not too different from magic. They could help or hurt people depending on how they were used. There were differences, but power was power no matter how you sliced it.
  
  "So, what are your powers?" Harry asked before he could help himself. He quickly amended. "Sorry but..."
  
  "No, you're curious," Jean said, and she took a deep breath and sighed. She looked over at nearby table, and lifted it up into the air.
  
  Harry watched the progress with the table.
  
  "Telekinesis," Jean said to Harry. Harry nodded, he had heard of the power. Even if pretty much anyone in the magical world could mimic it through the proper levitation spells. "I can lift up to ten times my body weight, but I don't think I've tried too much. The larger the object, the harder it is to control and guide properly."
  
  Harry responded with a nod. He watched Jean demonstrate her powers. "Very nice."
  
  "And that's not all I can do," Jean told him, but she took a deep breath. This one might cause some problems. "I'm also a telepath."
  
  Harry paused, and he shifted his gaze away from Jean at that moment. He tried to act casual, and not accusatory. It was just that he had bad experiences with mind reading gifts.
  
  "So, you can interpret the thoughts of people and understand them on a conceptual level," Harry said.
  
  Jean blinked before she responded. "That's really a wordy way of saying that I can read minds."
  
  "Sorry, a Professor at my old boarding school wasn't fond of the term mind reading," Harry said, and after several lessons, he had that pounded into his head. As the headache pounded his head from when Snape attacked him mentally. "He said that thoughts are complex, the human mind is not a book to be read at will, and most thoughts are in complex patterns."
  
  'At least most minds are,' Harry thought, frustrated that he had never been able to learn what Snape had taught him. Then again, the instruction of "clear your mind" had been very vague, and unhelpful.
  
  "You've had a very bad experience with someone who could read minds," Jean said knowingly.
  
  Harry blinked once again. He shook his head.
  
  "How do you figure that?" Harry asked suspiciously.
  
  Jean caught onto what he was implying right away. "Well it's just obvious on your face. People don't have to always read minds to know what a person is thinking. Professor Xavier is a telepath as well, and he's sworn never to use his powers unless given permission. I've tried to do that as well."
  
  "What do you mean try?" Harry asked her.
  
  Jean had a feeling that this was going to be an awkward conversation. "Well, Professor Xavier's telepathy works slightly different than mine. He has to prod his way into the mind to read thoughts. His is more active. Mine is more passive, like a radar picking up thoughts, although it could become active with time I guess. I had to work hard to shut it off, because..."
  
  Jean paused at that moment, before she continued with a smile crossing her face.
  
  "Let's face it, there's nothing more awkward than reading people's thoughts, and realizing that when they are looking at you, they're really picturing you naked."
  
  Harry laughed in spite the situation.
  
  "I swear, I'll try to keep out of your thoughts, because I know they should remain private and sacred," Jean told him, and Harry relaxed slightly.
  
  'At least people here seem to be a bit more respectful of that fact,' Harry thought to himself. He was sure that there were times where Snape and Dumbledore used their powers to gain information, and he was sure they used their gifts on him a few times. They would have claimed that they had their reasons, and many would have agreed with them.
  
  Jean and Harry sat for another couple of moments, until Scott Summers turned up, yawning.
  
  "Oh, hello, Jean...and Harry," Scott said, fixing his gaze on the newest prospect of the Xavier Institute. "How are you enjoying your stay so far?"
  
  "Everyone seems to be rather accommodating, and it's been nice to have a place to be until I can figure out what happened," Harry said.
  
  "Do you have any idea?" Scott asked.
  
  "A few, but many of them are outlandish and defy all logic," Harry said, shaking his head immediately at the thought.
  
  "The Professor is trying to figure that one out as well," Scott informed him. "He has a couple of theories. When you arrived, he couldn't pick up any information on you. Which is strange, given that Cerebro is normally able to pick up any information on new mutants, even the slightest scrap of it."
  
  Harry looked confused. "Cerebro?"
  
  "Right, that's the machine that helps Professor Xavier find and locate new mutants," Scott explained. "When their powers manifest, and I guess the moment that you arrived, your mutant power manifested, alongside your other powers. Normally that's a bit clearer what the mutant power is. But there's something that is hiding it."
  
  Harry wondered if his magic had been masking what this mutant ability was. At this point, he had no idea. He tried to rack his brain to think about what he did differently. Sure he did magic without a wand, but somehow he doubted that was it. He was able to Apparate despite never doing so previously, but that was something that all witches and wizards were capable of.
  
  He needed to go back over his day, mentally, and figure out what happened. Retracing his steps were important.
  
  "So are you planning to make the Institute a more permanent form of residence?" Scott asked him.
  
  Harry paused, and he shrugged at this point.
  
  "I have to figure out some things first," Harry said.
  
  "The Professor will be ready for your answer when you're ready," Scott said, surveying Harry after a moment.
  
  Both Jean and Scott had a sense that there was something that Harry was keeping private. He might not speak much, but his emotions tended to be rather vivid on his face at times. Harry noticed them frowning, and had a good idea what they had figured out about him.
  
  He resolved to keep his face more blank.
  
  They spent the rest of the time before breakfast making light conversation, with Harry carefully avoiding the subject of his past and where he came from.
  
  To close the book on one chapter of his life, Harry needed to be sure what exactly happened. He knew that after his ordeal the previous day, he would be risking a lot sneaking off to verify what happened. The truth would set him free, and hopefully allow him to make a clearer decision on what was going on with his life right now.
  
  He had stretched his powers to their limits by making the trip over here. He took a deep breath, and rehydrated himself with the water he had brought along. The actual apparation was getting a bit easier as time passed. All he had to do was keep a clear head, and concentration, while visualizing where he wanted to be. And he was there.
  
  That was the one huge limitation to the skill. He could not go anywhere that he had not already been. A picture would not do with making the trip. He had to get not only the sights correct, but the sounds and the smells as well. Getting in the entire atmosphere was important for this particular magical skill.
  
  King's Cross Station still stood, but that fact was not something Harry was concerned with. He needed to make sure that one simple part of King's Cross station was here. He took a step forward, and saw Platform Nine and Platform Ten. They did not look too different. He took another step forward, and drew in his breath.
  
  He nudged the barrier in between the two platforms with his shoulder.
  
  It was solid. There was no give, and there was no way for him to step through.
  
  Harry tried to push the barrier, but there was nothing once again.
  
  The barrier remained solid once again. It all sank in for Harry at the moment, and it was something that he should have realized straight away.
  
  The barrier did not exist because his world did not exist. The veil had not technically transported him in time, but rather it transported him to an entirely different world. A world where the hidden and secret world of witches and wizards he had known for the past several years did not exist.
  
  Did anyone from his world exist?
  
  It was possible that they did, but they did not know him if they did. They would be different, with different experiences that did not involve magic.
  
  The more pressing question was, did an alternate version of him exist?
  
  Harry really had no idea. He was leaning towards no, given what he found out about Professor Xavier not finding out one bit of information about him in this universe. He was in an entirely different world, where Harry Potter did not exist until now. The names and the faces have changed entirely, and no one he knew could help him, simply because they did not exist.
  
  It was a crushing reality, but one that Harry felt like he had to accept to move on. He did wonder if there was any way to return home. He wished he had studied more about magic when he had the chance. He had just done the necessary work for the classes, and that was it. The only times where he truly applied himself was when he prepared for the Triwizard Tournament and then when he lead the D.A.
  
  He had a feeling that magic did exist in this world, but it was not as he or anyone else from his world knew it. That would be an aspect that he would have to explore.
  
  'So much to do to figure out how I fit in in this new world,' Harry said.
  
  He did wonder if any of his friends had tried to find him after the events of the Department of Mysteries. Or even, and Harry shuddered to think about this, any of his enemies tried to locate them. Or if they just all assumed that he was dead.
  
  Harry hoped for the sake of his friends that they did not try and go through the veil. The journey was a vicious one, and one Harry thought that he was lucky to survive.
  
  He broke out of his thoughts when he heard a dog barking. He turned around, and in the distance he saw a familiar looking dog running off into the distance. He thought he had found a familiar face, but then his heart sank when reality returned to him.
  
  This dog was with a family, on a leash. He was just a normal dog, who had gotten away when he had become too excited. He was barking at a squirrel in the distance.
  
  Harry thought for a moment that Sirius had managed to survive the journey as well. Those hopes were dashed immediately. Harry took a deep breath, and closed his eyes. He returned back to the Institute before he was missed.
  
  If he was missed, no one stayed anything. He was certainly not going to.
  
  The next few days, Harry stayed at the Institute and ran over everything he found out throughout his time. . He knew that there would come a time where he would have to make a decision whether he should stay, or should be go. Right now, he was trying to figure out his options, not that there were many. To be honest, if he had left, it was not like he could go anywhere else.
  
  Everyone at the Institute seemed to be patient with him, and it did have a certain welcoming feeling that made a part of Harry smile. He did consider the possibilities of being here.
  
  "Hello, Harry."
  
  Harry turned around, a bit tense, but relaxed. Charles Xavier wheeled towards him in his wheelchair. There was a moment of silence.
  
  "Professor Xavier," Harry said in a respectful voice, inclining his head as he looked at Xavier.
  
  There was a moment before Xavier had broken the silence.
  
  "Have you made a decision of whether or not you wish to stay?" Xavier asked, and he could tell by Harry's body language that he had not made that decision. He suspected as much, and he did not even need to reach the young man's mind. "Very well, I feel that it is prudent to give you information that might help you make your decision a bit clearer. You have been around the grounds, and have seen glimpses of what we have to offer."
  
  "Yes, I have," Harry agreed.
  
  Xavier nodded.
  
  "Very good, but should you choose to join you will receive training of your gifts. We can understand how they work, and how to use them an optimal level. We do most of our training in the Danger Room, a high class facility to allow young mutants to better train their powers, and be more in tune with how they work."
  
  For some reason, Harry had thought that the Danger Room might be a rather accurate name. If he stayed, he would find that out for sure.
  
  "We offer lessons to put our training to the test," Xavier said. "Most of the exercises are put together by Logan, and I can assure you that while his methods may seem extreme, he does tend to get results."
  
  Harry could tell by his brief glimpses of Logan that he was intense. Right now he had left the grounds on his bike. No one else seemed to be concerned about this, so Harry speculated that this was something that was just another part of life at the Institute.
  
  "In addition to the training at the school, we feel that it is prudent for your conventional studies not to slack," Xavier said. "All students at the Xavier Institute for the Gifted are required to attend Bayville High School to get a standard education. A strong body is not something that can stand alone, not without the help of a strong mind."
  
  Conventional education, well that could be a problem. He recalled what he knew from his Muggle school days. The last time Harry had a regular non-magical class he was ten years old. He had no idea how much that would help him. He figured that he would have to voice these concerns to Professor Xavier.
  
  "You remember my other non-mutant gifts," Harry told Xavier. Xavier nodded. "Yes, well I attended a school to help learn about them. I learned a fair bit about how they worked, but one thing that they were lacking is that they did not offer a more conventional education."
  
  Being the brilliant man he was, Charles Xavier caught onto this immediately.
  
  "So they arranged for a magical education, but no grounding in the standardized subjects?" Xavier asked him. This was not an accusation, just merely an inquiry.
  
  "We studied magic, and that was essentially it," Harry said. "The last time I took a M...normal class was about when I was ten years old."
  
  "You would be about fifteen, sixteen right now?" Xavier asked, and Harry nodded. "So the American equivalent for your education would be if you skipped all of your classes from the fifth grade all the way to your Sophomore year of high school."
  
  Harry had no idea, but he had a feeling that he missed a lot of Muggle education. He just never thought that he would return to that point in his life. Xavier pondered the problem for a minute.
  
  "It could be difficult, but doable," Xavier said. "Along with the assessment of your abilities, we will need to have you take some standardized tests to see how much you remember, and where you would place in your knowledge Tutors may need to be assigned to get you up to speed. It may be some hard work, but I feel confident you will not let yourself down."
  
  Harry was a bit shocked to see that Professor Xavier had such confidence in him. Then again, he did seem like the type of man who seemed to want the best from his pupils, and commanded a certain deal of respect.
  
  "That will be a bridge we shall cross when you make your decision, although I do encourage you to pursue a standard education no matter what path you choose," Xavier said. "I'm arranging for papers to be put together so you can attend Bayville High School, and not raise any questions."
  
  Harry had no idea how this was being done, so he just nodded. He was going to go with the flow, and see what happened. He decided to give Xavier his most honest answer.
  
  "I'll give you my answer, tomorrow," Harry told him. "I just need a bit more time to think about it."
  
  "Very well," Xavier said, and he could sense that Harry was on the edge of joining up at the Institute. He seemed to be curious to learn about the nature of these true powers, and Xavier was rather intrigued about them himself, if he had to be honest.
  
  At that moment, Xavier left, and Harry remained in solitude. He was almost sure that he was going to join. He found himself unable to come up with any compelling reason not to. He would have to sleep on it as the saying went.
  
  A grey hair man dressed in black stood with a surly expression on his face. He wore an eye patch, and he stared down a group of government agents. The agents backed up from him, and they appeared to be a bit nervous. Despite being hardened agents of a secret government organization, they knew when they were about to be chewed out. The man was someone who commanded a great deal of respect from everyone around him. He was as tough as nails.
  
  The floating government base was high above everyone, hidden to everyone whether they would be friendly or otherwise. There were very few in the various governments in the world who knew of its existence. It was a super-secret government base, and organization. This flying fortress was called Helicarrier. It was the headquarters of Strategic Homeland Intervention Espionage Logistics Directorate, or SHIELD as it was most commonly known as.
  
  The man in the eyepatch stared them down. He was Nick Fury, and he was not someone to be messed with.
  
  "Let me get his straight," Fury said, and his tone left no room for argument. "Some of my best government agents were tripped up by a teenage boy. And then you lost him, and have no further information about him or how he arrived here!"
  
  The Director of SHIELD snarled those last words. The agents understood that this was the time to keep their mouths shut. Fury breathed in and out. He took out a cigar, and took a puff on it. He stared down at his agents through a narrowed eye.
  
  "Powers or not, that kind of performance is inexcusable," Fury told them in a gruff tone of voice. "I expected something like this from some wet behind the ears rookie, but not from hardened government agents. And Magneto's interference is even more troubling. He has interest in the boy."
  
  "Our intelligence indicates that he left with Xavier's two associates," one of the agents reported.
  
  "Yes, Xavier and his institute, I do have that under close surveillance," Fury said, and there was a moment of silence. The grizzled government agent took another puff on his cigar. "I've been at this game since before most of you were just a twitch in your Daddy's trousers. I've seen everything that you can believe, and many things that you would not believe. Yet, this new arrival, the readings that we scanned from this crater in Vegas...well you read the reports."
  
  The government agents responded with swift nods. There was a moment of silence and Fury continued to speak with them.
  
  "We know little about this new arrival, where he came from, and how," Fury said. "All we know is that he is capable of great power. That could make him a potentially dangerous situation. We must keep a close eye on him, and be prepared to strike in case he becomes too much of a problem."
  
  SHIELD was in the business of protecting every single person in the world from a variety of threats. Fury himself knew first had that was far from an easy battle. Each and every day there were situations where everything that he knew would be questioned. This was one of those situations. He tried to punch up the satellite photos, and slow them down. There was a brief flash of light.
  
  One minute their mysterious visitor was there, and the next minute he was not there. And Fury was at a loss for words as to understand how.
  
  "Information is our game, and when we don't have information, you know that could be a problem," Fury said, and he turned around. "Once we gather the intelligence we need, this may require further invention from SHIELD. For now, we sit back, and we gather everything we can find."
  
  Fury turned to his agents.
  
  "Is that clear?" he barked. The agents of SHIELD nodded, and they took a few steps back. "Good to see that we're on a common ground. And remember, your training will double after what happened. We're not going to repeat another mistake like you've done with your last mission. I don't need the cream of the crop be embarrassed. If word gets out, SHIELD will be a laughing stock."
  
  There were no protests about the fact that Magneto's involvement may have tipped the odds. SHIELD would be waiting and watching. Fury looked at his men, a swift grin spreading on his face as he stared them down. He was pretty sure that they had gotten the message.
  
  Now it was time to wait for the next move. He continued to study the latest reports. Fury realized that if Magneto knew about this new player, other less than friendly parties would be more than interested about finding out more. Doctor Doom and HYDRA would be two of the potential players to worry about, and Fury had his eye firmly on them. They were among the most dangerous threats that SHIELD had on their radar.
  
  Harry leaned against the wall, the next day. He had a good idea what his decision was going to be when he had promised Xavier that he would give it. The truth of the matter was that he just needed a bit more time. It was not like he had many options to consider. If someone was going to come for him from the other side, then there was a chance that they would be stranded here as well. Providing that they would make it, and Harry seriously had his doubts that anyone could make it from the other side. He had thought that there was a chance that Sirius somehow was here, but this was a one in a million fluke.
  
  He still wanted answers about where he was, and how exactly he got here. Something happened to him after he stepped through that veil. He suspected that there had to be someone, somewhere that could shed some light. For now, he decided that joining these X-Men was the best possible idea for him.
  
  Harry paused, and then turned. With a swift knock, he announced his presence outside the study.
  
  "Yes, come in, Harry," Xavier said.
  
  Harry did so. Xavier, along with Ororo, Jean, and Scott were standing there. They all acknowledged him with polite nods and smiles. It was Scott who was the first one to speak up, and address Harry.
  
  "So, I heard that you were going to make a decision about whether or not you were going to stick around."
  
  "No matter what you decide, we will respect it," Ororo said, and Xavier responded with a nod.
  
  Harry sighed. He shifted himself, and took a deep breath. Now it was time to speak up, and to tell them what he decided to do.
  
  "You know what, I thought about it long and hard," Harry said. "I'm sure you understand that I didn't want to make a decision that I would regret."
  
  "Quite understandable, yes," Xavier agreed. He waved his hand and motioned for him to continue. "Go on, Harry."
  
  Harry did in fact go on.
  
  "So, first of all, let me thank you for everything that you've done for me so far here, and all of the questions that you've answered, I think I had a few of them," Harry said.
  
  "No problem, that's how we learn,' Jean said. "You should never be afraid to ask questions."
  
  Harry understood that, at least now he did.
  
  "Well, I've decided that after thinking about it, there is only one thing that I can do that's the best for me," Harry said. "And that is, I agree with to join the school, and to learn what I can about whatever mutant gift I could have."
  
  "I may be biased, but that's a wise choice, Harry," Xavier said.
  
  "You won't regret it," Scott said.
  
  "Yeah, you can learn a lot here," Jean said. "Welcome to the Institute Harry."
  
  "We are all confident that it's a decision that you did not make lightly, and it was for the bests," Xavier said. "Logan, I'm sure, will agree once he returns from his excursion."
  
  Harry looked at them.
  
  "What now?" Harry asked them.
  
  "Well, I believe we have a number of tests to determine what your levels are, both from an academic standpoint, and from a standpoint of where your gifts are," Xavier said. "We can begin them as soon as you are ready."
  
  "If it's alright with you, Professor, I'm ready right now," Harry said.
  
  Xavier nodded, and he turned around. Professor Xavier hoped that Harry would be up for the challenge. He could sense that he seemed rather determined to understand what his powers would be. Perhaps that could shed some light onto how he mysteriously arrived her less than a week ago.
  
  "And to make things authentic for those papers, my last name is Potter," Harry told them, almost as an afterthought. "Harry James Potter, that's my full name."
  
  Now that he knew that he was in a different universe where his world did not exist, there would likely be no one tracking him down. So, really there was no reason not to give Xavier and the rest of the X-Men the information about his full name.
  
  "I will make a note of that, thank you for that information," Xavier said. "And I welcome you to the Institute."
  
  Harry nodded, hopeful he would enjoy his stay.
  
  While the X-Men welcomed their newest member, the helmeted form of the Master of Magnetism stood, and pondered everything. He did wonder what might have happened if the X-Men had been a few seconds slower in arriving. It would not matter if they were too much slower. It would just be a period of five minutes at least. He could see that the new young mutant who arrived was considering the merits of joining him.
  
  He would have questions, but Magneto could tell that he was considering what he had to say. It was just a minor setback that he had chosen to go with Xavier. It was always a shame when those with optimism had been blinded by Xavier's ideals. Yet it was not something that was unexpected. Xavier had believed in his dream.
  
  He turned around, and saw the arrival. A woman stood before him. She was dressed in white. Her skin was blue, and she had red hair. Her name was Raven Darkholme, but she was better known as the shapeshifting mutant known as Mystique.
  
  "So, the new mutant slipped through your fingers," Mystique said. She tried to keep her tone calm.
  
  "A minor setback," Magneto said. His voice was calm and crisp. Someone of his power learned all they needed to know about control, and more importantly patience. "A war is brewing, and we will need able bodies. The people we recruit might not be the most skilled. However they will be useful. There is a new age dawning, and humanity will try and bring us down to their level."
  
  Mystique nodded. The fact she was a shapeshifter meant that there were many that mistrusted her on sheer principal. Magneto had silently reminded her of the debt that she owed him from all of those years ago. She was thus drafted into his service.
  
  "But what about this boy?" Mystique said. "What is so special about him?"
  
  Magneto pulled out a set of pictures. He handed them to Mystique.
  
  "I was able to liberate these images of our young friend," Magneto said. "His powers are unlike anything that I have ever seen previously, and I think you would agree once you have looked at them."
  
  Mystique was handed the figures. She looked at them. The young man was an interesting marvel. Yet, she failed to see exactly how this young man fit into her employer's plans. She studied every single little bit of the photos intently. The energy blasts could barely be caught in a photo. The more his powers were displayed, the more unfocused the photos had become.
  
  "The government already has made much of these photos,' Magneto said. He turned around, and stepped back. "As has Xavier, and no doubt they have their own theories. Yet, he may be the one to bring upon a new age for mutants, and allow our brothers and sisters to finally gain the standing that they deserve."
  
  Mystique's look seemed doubtful.
  
  "He does have power. As raw as it might be, but I fail to see how he is anything completely special."
  
  Magneto folded his arms. There was a long moment of silence between her and Magneto. The shapeshifter experienced the eerie silence, and it was a moment before Magneto decided to indulge her in a response.
  
  "The potential he has may be unlimited. I do hope that it is not squandered underneath Xavier's thumb. I do see that a free spirit such as this young man might find himself at odds with Xavier and his disciples in due time. We will wait and watch. We'll continue to monitor this situation, and I trust you will report back to me on your mission."
  
  Mystique nodded. Posing as the principal at Bayville High School would allow her to get a bird's eye view of potential new recruits.
  
  "I expect regular updates on any progress you have made," Magneto said, and he turned around. There was no more correspondence between him and Mystique. They had their conversation, and the pair of them worked together out of necessity.
  
  The war would occur soon, and all mutants would have to make a choice where their loyalty lied.
  
  
  Blending
  
  Chapter 4: Blending.
  
   In his day, Harry Potter had fought many fearsome creatures and won many deadly battles. In his fifteen, nearly sixteen, years of life, he had been through a great number of tough trials. He had fought dragons, giant snakes, soul sucking monsters, deadly wizards, and had to sleep in the same room with Ron Weasley's snoring. Yet, there seemed to be nothing that was more intimidating to him then the challenge was ahead.
  
   Harry Potter would be stepping into the realm of American High School for the first time. He heard stories. Not many stories, but a few stories that made him think rather carefully about what he had to deal with. Over the past couple of days, he had been put through a battery of tests to determine the status of his mutant power. Not to mention, Harry took a number of test to determine what he remembered from the days of actually attending standard school.
  
   Thankfully, it was not as damning as he had feared. He had remembered far more than he thought he remembered. He would be spending some time trying to play catch up in certain subjects, with a little assistance. He felt he had been a solid student, perhaps not the most academically gifted, but he hung in there. However, if he was motivated he was willing to work hard in certain aspects. Perhaps this entire school thing would work out, and there would be tutors if he started to struggle.
  
   Harry would vow to win this battle on his own. However, there were going to be many things that would be out of his control. All he could do was take one step at a time. He stood outside the doors of Bayville High School. He took a deep breath, and drank in his surroundings.
  
   People chattered nearby, and he knew that this was going to be an entirely different experience from his days of Hogwarts. It was an entirely different world for many reasons, least of which being the lack of magic.
  
   Then again, as he caught glimpses of the interactions, with all of the gossiping, relationship drama, and cliques, he wondered if this would be too much different from Hogwarts. Teenagers were in fact teenagers no matter the world or dimension that they were in. They had the same personality traits whether they had magic or not. He would just have to and see what happened. He made sure that he had his papers in order. Once he verified they were, he could proceed. Without another word, he took his first steps into the treacherous jungle that was high school.
  
  'First stop is the Principal's office to make sure everything is in order on their end,' Harry thought to himself. He paused immediately, and his head turned around. He felt stupid. 'And I have no idea where it is. At least this place isn't as big as Hogwarts, and has no disappearing staircases, paintings, or pesky poltergeists."
  
   Harry inclined his head, and turned around. He felt stupid immediately. He could have slapped himself in the head. All he needed to do to find the Principal's office was to turn slightly to the left. The door was already open, so Harry stepped inside.
  
   It was not the experience that he had taking his frequent trips to the Headmaster's office, or any of the teachers at Hogwarts for that matter. Actually the understated and quite bland nature of the office was quite refreshing.
  
   The dark haired wizard took a step forward. He really had nothing to fear. He stood at the front desk, where a student aid sat. The aid noticed Harry was there, and cleared his throat.
  
   "Yes, may I help you," the student aid said in a dry and rather uninterested tone of voice. He was there and showed little interest for his job.
  
   "I'm here to see Principal Darkholme, I'm a new student being transferred here," Harry explained. "Harry Potter, er you should be expecting me."
  
   The aid checked the notes on the desk in front of him. He offered a crisp nod.
  
   "Yes, Principal Darkholme will want to speak with you, through that door to the back office," the aid said in a dull voice. He pointed towards the direction, as if Harry could not figure that out. Harry stepped forward into the back office.
  
   Waiting for him in the office was a rather severe looking woman. She had dark hair and glasses. She seemed not to be one to be trifled with. The woman, Principal Darkholme, looked at Harry over her glasses. She was surveying him carefully, trying to figure out where he stood. It was an awkward couple of moments before she decided to break the silence.
  
   "Mr. Potter," Darkholme said to Harry in a crisp voice. "Another one of Xavier's has been sent here, I take it."
  
   "Yes, Principal Darkholme," Harry said. She took several moments to really look at Harry. Almost like she was sizing him up for a noose and that made Harry a bit uncomfortable. The woman remained seated behind her desk, and stared Harry down. "My records are here, if you need to take a look at them."
  
   Darkholme snapped the records from Harry's hands. She remained silent for a few minutes. The seconds of the clock ticked by, and Harry sat himself down on the chair to look up at Darkholme. She seemed to be assessing something, and taking her time to do it. Harry decided it would be best not to speak. He just remained silent, and still as the woman before he did what she felt she had to.
  
   After a moment, the Principal of Bayville High School opened her mouth. "Well, Mr. Potter, your records seem to be in order. There was a sizeable gap in your education due to an extended stay in the hospital. I trust your health is in an optimal state now."
  
   "Yes, I feel much better than I have before," Harry answered. The story seemed to be airtight. Xavier thought that there was going to be people who were going to potentially poke holes into the story, although less if they had went with some prolonged illness. Harry decided to trust the man's judgment. Darkholme seemed to be particularly intent in picking together each and any hole with his story. It was almost like she did not buy the cover story for one second.
  
   "For your sake, I hope you remain in perfect health, and cause no trouble," Darkholme said. She placed the files on the desk. She put her hands on the desk, and her eyes narrowed towards Harry. She peered at him from behind her spectacles. "I will be watching your every single move Mr. Potter. Slip up one time, and Xavier can pull as many strings as he wants, but that won't change the fact that you'll be out of here. I have a zero tolerance policy. Is that clear?"
  
   Harry was reminded of Snape, only female. He shuddered at the rather horrifying mental image that he just gave himself. He decided to reply in the calmest, most polite voice he could manage.
  
   "Crystal."
  
   "Then everything that you need to do in this office is done," Darkholme said in a calm and calculated tone of voice. "I trust you'll be able to find your way to your first class. Remember, tardiness is not tolerated, as I'm sure you found out when you read your copy of the school handbook."
  
   "Yes, I read it, back to front," Harry said.
  
   He had no idea what Darkholme's problem was with him. Normally he would call her out on it, but he was trying to actually make an effort to stay out of trouble when he can. He had just got here, the last thing he wanted to do was to make a scene. A part of him wondered exactly how long that was going to last.
  
   "Am I excused?"
  
   Without another word, and a nod of consent, Harry was excused from the office. He looked up his locker number, and his combination. Actually having a locker was something that was completely different for him. He struggled with the combination a little bit. Then he realized no one was looking, so he just used a tiny bit of magic to cheat it.
  
   What people did not know, would not hurt them after all? Harry hastened to his first class. Thankfully he was able to find it, before the bell rang. Less than ten seconds before the bell was going to ring, and Harry was going to be marked tardy.
  
   He had cleared the first minefield. The day was still young, however.
  
  
  
   The very first day of standard High School had actually been a rather tiring one for Harry. Perhaps he was used to the insanity of Hogwarts. High School offered a different type of insanity that threw him off. There were some similarities between both schools. There were teachers of different types. They gave homework, they lectured, notes needed to be taken. Harry struggled to focus. He reminded himself that he did not have his standard note-taker or homework checker with him in this universe.
  
   He had to work alone. He had to buckle down, and not be lazy. Perhaps a stronger mind would allow him to have stronger powers.
  
   On the bright side, he did not have a ghost teacher that did not drone on about Goblin Rebellions. So that was a point in the win column.
  
   Harry knew had to work hard to not to fall further behind. A charm lightened his bag, actually allowing him to be able to carry all of his books without any problem. How the teachers expected them to carry all of the books, without getting a hernia that would be a mystery that he would have to solve on another day. He did hear a few snatches of conversation from the senior class students, who stated that their textbooks seemed to be getting bigger and bigger each and every year.
  
   He would have to take their word for it. He would not be surprised if that was the case.
  
   "Busy first day at school?"
  
   Harry turned around, and saw Scott standing right behind him.
  
   "Yeah, you could say that," Harry said. "It's a different experience than I'm used to."
  
   Scott nodded. Given where Harry came from, there had to be many differences between the school systems. Plus as Harry told him, he was getting used to a more normal school structure. The school where he came from focused on the specialized classes that would center on mastering his powers.
  
   "Don't get too frustrated by it too soon, Harry," Scott said to him. "Even those of us who are used to it get overwhelmed by it."
  
   "Yeah, I can imagine," Harry said dryly. He took a deep breath, and offered a shadow of a smile. "It actually wasn't quite as bad as I thought it would be. A bit weird and it's going to take some getting used to. I got to all my classes, didn't cause any trouble, and hopefully I'll continue to get through the day."
  
   It was not going to be that bad, Harry admitted. He was just going to take things one step at a time, and hope for the best. He took a few breaths, and suddenly he heard a message from inside his head.
  
  'Harry, please report to my office at your earliest convenience. The results of your tests are processed.'
  
   Harry blinked.
  
   "Still got to get used to being talk to in my head," Harry said.
  
   Scott gave him a sympathetic expression. "It doesn't get any easier at all. Trust me, it still throws me off. Especially when I'm in the middle of doing something."
  
   Harry nodded, and he made his way into the Mansion. It was a short walk to Xavier's office. He reached forward, and was about ready to knock on the door, but it turned out that he did not have to.
  
   "Come in."
  
   He proceeded to open the door. He walked inside Xavier's office. Xavier sat behind his desk, and pointed towards the chair in front of his desk. Harry took that as his invitation to sit down. He looked at Xavier, a curious expression in his eyes.
  
   "You said my test results were completed," Harry said. He paused, and he added another thought he had. When he spoke, he tried not to sound too urgent or paranoid. "There wasn't anything that was wrong in them, or anything I should be worried about."
  
   Xavier alleviated Harry's fears immediately. "No, Harry, there was nothing too bad. Curious, but something that is curious is not necessarily bad. While I don't claim to be an expert on magic, I have encountered it a time or two in the past. You seemed to be fairly above average in your powers. The fact you were able to perform it without a wand indicates that you might have received a power boost when you had left your world."
  
   Harry thought this was a better explanation than he could come with it. He had not even thought of his wand, and a part of him was glad he did not have to use it. It was a bit of a problem if he lost it. So, the fact his powers got boosted because of it was a good thing.
  
   "As for your actual mutant power, well that's an extremely curious one," Xavier said and he looked at Harry. Harry was a bit agitated from being left in suspense. "I could not say whether or not your powers manifested before or after you entered this universe. It is possible they manifested when you arrived here."
  
   "What is it then, Professor?" Harry asked.
  
   "You have super heightened stamina and reflexes, that are able to function on a tenth of an energy as the normal human or even someone with the X-Gene," Xavier said. "And I've observed that you have a keen ability to read the body language, and adapt your fighting stance from that. I believe that is what allowed you to dodge the attacks on your way here for as long as you did. I have cleared up that particular misunderstanding."
  
   "Thank you," Harry said. He wanted to live a mostly normal life, well as normal as being a magical mutant would be. Something told him that was going to be easier said than done. "I...I really thought that my powers would be more physical, then passive."
  
   "Well any power can be utilized in a physical matter depending on your creativity," Xavier told him. He consulted the report a moment later. "But there are numerous abilities that I have found that can be classified as just a further manifestation of your magical abilities. There is a grey area between the two, and it's difficult to determine what precisely your limits are. Further training in our Danger Room will assess the full scope of your powers."
  
   Harry nodded slowly. He hoped to get started with his training.
  
   "Of course, that can wait for another day," Xavier said. "The first day at public school, and I doubt they have wasted any time with giving you a fair amount of homework."
  
   Harry looked at Xavier. He chuckled.
  
   "Trust me when I say that I don't need telepathy to know that the load is going to be hard. I'll dismiss you so you can get a head start on that, and if you struggle, do not be afraid to ask for help."
  
   Harry nodded, and he took up his bag of books and homework. He moved over towards the room that he had been staying with. He suspected that he had a good couple of hours at the very least.
  
   It was not for the first time where he questioned whether teachers understood the actual passage of time and space. There were many times where he had wondered that at Hogwarts, and now he wondered it here.
  
   Harry started with exploring the wonders of Alegbra. He pulled a face at the thought of the subject. The sour expression was on his face, as he continued to press forward on his homework.
  
  
  
   The work load was something that he would have to work hard to adjust to over time. Although he wondered exactly how much differently the workload was than from Hogwarts. The subjects were different, but honestly teachers the world other tended to get some kind of pleasure of causing a vacuum with the free time of their students.
  
   Harry bit his lip carefully. He shifted back and forth and tried to focus on the work load he had. By a sheer miracle, he was almost done. He plugged away at everything. The part he liked the most about High School so far is the fact he was absolutely normal. He was just another face in the crowd. All he was known as was that new guy with the accent, and that distinction would lose its charm rather quickly. Or at least he hoped it would. Still Harry was relieved to be as normal as he could be.
  
   Or at least as normal as a wizard who had additional mutant abilities could be. He had hardly realized that it was getting so late right now. He had only take a brief break for dinner, and then he plowed through the homework. He found it easier to retain the information the more he worked on it. It did work well in a nice quiet room as opposed to the hustle and bustle of the Gryffindor Common Room.
  
   He heard the voices of Jean and Scott. He knew that he should not be eavesdropping. Yet, he could not help himself. He listened a bit closely.
  
   "Jean...you know it was an accident. My glasses got knocked off. I didn't mean to hurt Duncan, I swear."
  
   Harry's face flooded with understanding, and a bit pity. He shook his head. He knew that Duncan referred to Duncan Matthews, Jean's boyfriend. The actual dynamic of their relationship was something that Harry did not completely get. Jean seemed to be rather nice, and Duncan...well he kind of seemed to be arrogant. He figured that this was some kind of High School thing that he would figure out in time.
  
   "I know you didn't, but the Professor had to work hard to make sure no one noticed. You need to be more careful of keeping your glasses on. One wrong nudge and they could be knocked off. Then you could really hurt someone"
  
   Harry knew that Scott had optic eye beams. He had trouble controlling them due to a head injury that he suffered during a plane crash when he was younger. The only thing that could block it was Ruby-Quartz. Exactly why that was, he had no idea. Science was not one of Harry's strong points, and that was something that remained constituent from his primary school days.
  
   Speaking of which, he looked at his mostly completed homework. He figured that if it got much harder, he would need tutors.
  
   Harry stepped out of his room, nearly running into Scott. Jean had already left to use the bathroom.
  
   "What's up?" Harry asked. He acted like he had not been listening in.
  
   "Oh, Harry, sorry I've had a rough night," Scott said in an apologetic voice. "I had to break up a scuffle under the bleachers. There was a student who was using his gifts to steal from others. A couple of the Football players roughed him up."
  
   "So there was another mutant?" Harry asked. "Just like us."
  
   It was at this point where an expression crossed over Scott's face. "I'm not sure if you could classify him just like us. In the sense he's a mutant, but his sense of hygiene...well it left something to be desired."
  
   Harry could tell that Scott did not approve. He shook his head. Jean popped up at that moment, having exited the bathroom.
  
   "His name is Todd Tolansky," Scott informed him, and Harry nodded. He had not encountered this new mutant, but he had barely been at the school for a couple of days. So he was going to keep an open mind, until he had a chance to personally meet him. "I had to save him, no matter what he was. What would have done?"
  
   Harry did not answer, but he honestly thought that he would have done the same thing. Immediately, the voice of Xavier projected into their minds. Even Jean and Scott shifted, and Harry felt relieved that it was something that they were not completely used to as well. They waited a few seconds, until Xavier informed them why he had summoned them.
  
   "Our newest guest has arrived. He is waiting in the office right now, ready to meet you three."
  
   Harry, Jean, and Scott all walked down the corridor and down the stairs until they reached Xavier's office on the ground floor. The door was already open for them as they walked. A knock on the door from Scott announced their arrival.
  
   "Yes come in."
  
   Harry, Jean, and Scott all stepped forward. They took several tentative steps towards the room, and saw Xavier sitting there, and Ororo stood there. By their side, stood a hunched over young man, dressed in a Monk's outfit. A hood was pulled over his head. Harry, Jean, and Scott could not get a good look at his face face, so they made their way closer, and closer.
  
   "This is Kurt Wagner," Xavier said to the assembled group. "Kurt escaped his home country in Germany to escape prosecution to regarding his unique appearance. He has come to our school to hope to control his abilities. Kurt this is Jean Grey, Scott Summers, and Harry Potter.
  
   "Pleased to meet you, Kurt," Scott said, and he extended a hand forward. Kurt extended a hand, and it was noticed by all that it was blue and fuzzy. Jean and Scott were momentarily thrown off, although Harry seemed to take it stride. He had seen some weird appearances in his day, so perhaps he was just a little be desensitized to the entire thing.
  
   Plus the appearance rarely mattered. It was how the person acted that mattered.
  
   Kurt took Scott's hand, and shook it. He did the same to Jean, and then to Harry. He took a step back.
  
   "Welcome to the school, Kurt," Jean said with a bright smile.
  
   "Yeah, welcome to the school, I hope you'll be here for a long time," Harry said with what he hoped was an encouraging tone of voice. "It might seem a bit intimidating at first, but you'll get used to him. I'm new as well."
  
   Kurt nodded, and his hood was pulled down. He had the appearance of a fuzzy looking blue elf, although it would be easy how certain people might mistake him was more demonic. That type of prejudice was something that Harry knew all too well, and could identify with.
  
   "I do hope that none of you are alarmed by my appearance," Kurt said. Scott, Jean, and Harry stared unblinking, and they shook their heads. "It has caused many problems, where I got prosecuted for how I looked."
  
   Kurt realized how he understated this fact. He was chased by a mob, and was nearly crucified before he was saved by Professor Xavier and Storm. He laid low for a while, before he came to America to be part of the school.
  
   Harry was the one who spoke up at this point. "Then they're idiots. It isn't how you look on the outside, but what you are on the inside that matters. It's your actions that matter."
  
   Kurt nodded gratefully at this sentiment.
  
   "I share those sentiments exactly," Xavier said, and he nodded. He paused, and considered his options. "Although until the moment that you are more comfortable with mixing in, I have something that would ease the transition a bit more."
  
   He nodded to Ororo, who took out a watch.
  
   "A free watch?" Kurt asked in awe.
  
   Xavier chuckled. "Try it on, and see for yourself."
  
   Without another word, Kurt strapped the wrist device on his wrist, and he tapped it. He immediately morphed into something more conventional that would not stand out in the crowd. He looked at Professor Xavier immediately, grateful at what he did.
  
   "Thank you, Professor," Kurt said graciously.
  
   "It was no trouble at all," Xavier said. "Storm will show you to your room, so you can settle in and enjoy your stay at the mansion. If you need anything, don't hesitate to ask."
  
   Kurt nodded immediately, and he caught glimpse of his new appearance more in the mirror. Ororo smiled, and Kurt looked up with an apologetic expression in his eyes. He was lead off.
  
   "The three of you are excused," Xavier said. Jean and Harry left, but Scott was the one that stayed behind.
  
   Scott looked immediately apologetic. He tried to convey what he felt. "After what happened tonight..."
  
   "I know, and I doubt that much could be gained from a lecture at the moment," Xavier said. "The only advice I will give you is to be more careful in the future. Even the best intentions are going to be something that goes awry."
  
   Xavier remained rather calm. Scott shook his head. He hoped to obtain that level of calmness and restraint.
  
   "The thief, I believe he was a mutant as well," Scott said.
  
   Xavier nodded, knowingly. "Yes, Mr. Tolansky, he was nearly victimized with a brutal assault. Tell me everything you know, and have seen. He may have a spot at the Institute yet."
  
   Scott proceeded to launch into his explanation. There seemed to be a bit of mistrust on his face and in his voice, but Xavier was willing to give anyone a fair shake. Even though there was evidence that told him that might not be a good idea.
  
  
  
   Todd Tolansky, or Toad as he had been dubbed, looked up at the mansion. His eyes remained narrowed, and his fists clenched. He felt a high wind kick up below him. To be honest, he was not sure about this. Yet, Principal Darkholme was not the type of lady that one could really say no to. He was sent to the mansion to gain information. No one would suspect him. He took a look at the storm clouds and gulped. Without another word, Toad slid towards the Mansion.
  
   A gust of wind picked up. Toad was caught off guard. The slimy mutant lost his balance. He spiraled forward, and he managed to avoid crashing through the window just narrowly. The door opened, and he looked inside. Another gust of wind picked him up, and sent him flying through the doors. He spiraled down to the ground, and landed with quite the embarrassing thud.
  
   He shook off the expression. He saw a bald man with a wheelchair come forward. He
  
   "Greetings, Todd, I am Professor Charles Xavier," Xavier said in a calm and reassuring voice. "I run Xavier's Institute for the Gifted."
  
   Toad shook his head, to try and regain his bearings. This was not the reception that he expected. It took him a couple of moments to adjust to his surroundings. He stood up, and focused his stare at Xavier. He had a job to do. Before he could say anything, he caught sight of Kurt standing in the room. He glimpsed Kurt's unconventional appearance. He could not resist speaking his mind.
  
   "What are you supposed to be?" Toad asked in confusion. He took a long and detailed look at Kurt. "Some kind of ratty plush toy or something?"
  
   Kurt's eyes widened, and he looked at Toad.
  
   "Oh, and have you looked in the mirror lately," Kurt fired back.
  
   Toad looked at Kurt in confusion. "I have in fact, every morning. I say that I look quite handsome."
  
   Kurt looked at him incredulously. Before he could say anything, Toad's eyes narrowed. He got immediately defensive, and his knees bent. He jumped forward into the air towards the furry mutant. Before Toad can get his hands on him, Kurt disappeared in a flash, and reappeared on the Chandelier above.
  
   "What the..." Toad asked, and he shook his head. He was not about to be embarrassed by this ball of fuzz. His knees bent, and he sprang up. Toad missed him once again.
  
   "So close, yet so far," Kurt commented.
  
   Toad's fists curled up. "I'll show you too far, you fuzzy little gecko."
  
   Toad jumped at Kurt once again. Once again, he teleported out of the way.
  
   From the outside Harry watched the situation unfold before him. Toad was persistent, he'd give him that. Even if he was completely outmatched, and his hygiene sense left something to be desired, there was just something about him that was persistent. He half listened to the conversation between Ororo and Professor Xavier that went on several feet away from him.
  
   "Do you think that Mr. Tolansky has potential to be part of this school?" Ororo asked.
  
   Xavier pondered the matter for a moment, before he gave his honest assessment.
  
   "It remains to be seen, but we must give him a fair chance. He does have a willingness never to give up. However, whether or not that actually means that he is a young man that can join this group, that's something we can debate. We must keep an open mind.
  
   Ororo looked at her old friend and teacher with a knowing smile.
  
   "I sometimes think that your willingness to see the best in others might blind you to the obvious."
  
   Xavier did not respond, rather he kept his focus from him above. Kurt and Todd continued to circle each other. Todd got closer, and closer, before he grabbed onto the furry mutant's tail.
  
   "Gotcha," Toad said, but Kurt disappeared, and transported them away.
  
   The two mutants dropped down onto the ground. Both of them landed hard. Toad shook himself off first, and Toad gave his head a shake. He saw they were in a training room of some sorts. Kurt looked at Toad in wonder.
  
   "Where are we?"
  
   "You asking me?" Toad asked. He massaged his throat, and cleared it. His eyes snapped towards Kurt. "You were the one who brought me here."
  
   Kurt opened his mouth to retort. Yet his eyes widened immediately, when he saw a laser start up. It aimed at him, and blasted towards him. He disappeared with a teleportation pop. He remained on his feet, and unsteady.
  
   "I think that we're about to find out the hard way," Kurt said. He closed his eyes, and avoided the attacks. Toad screamed and managed to hop out of the way. He could barely hear the noises from up above, and there was a loud crack that echoed that cause Toad to jump around, and try and get out of dodge.
  
   The voice of Professor Xavier called from the other side of the door.
  
   "Scott, Jean, our two newest guests have found their way into the Danger Room."
  
   'And people accuse me of finding trouble too easily,' Harry thought to himself.
  
   There was a moment where time stood still. Toad landed on the ground when his attempt to hop out of the way had gone awry. His heart hammered on the inside of his chest. He tried to move forward.
  
   He buried his head in his hands, and waited for the worst. As it turned out, he did not need to. Scott and Jean turned up. Scott aimed an optic blast to take out the laser torrent. Kurt was safely guided out of the way, as was Toad. The slimy mutant shook madly, unable to believe what happened. It took a moment to regain his bearings.
  
   "What kind of welcoming committee is this?" Toad asked in an incredulous voice. Toad hopped away outside of the mansion. The entire group watched him.
  
   Scott took a step forward, to chase down Toad, calling after him. Xavier stopped him immediately.
  
   "It appears that our friend has decided that his experience at the Mansion was not the most accommodating," Xavier said. He shook his head. It was unfortunate, but he could sense that Toad had some potentially malicious intentions regarding the school. He did want to give him a chance, however it was a test that he failed.
  
   Toad ran forward, and his breath continued to quicken. His movements moved. He ran into the imposing form of a dark haired man with claws. Logan stood there, and popped his claws. The glint flickered in Toad's face, and Logan stood there. Toad swallowed nervously, and gave a bit of a chuckle. He slowly backed away from Logan and his legs twitched madly.
  
   "What are you looking at?" Logan asked in a growl.
  
   Toad shook his head. He tried to indicate that he never wanted to make any trouble. The soothing tones of Professor Xavier could be heard by all telepathically.
  
   "Let him go, Logan," Xavier said to him, and Logan stepped back, grunting.
  
   Toad took it as his cue to leave, and he immediately darted out. Logan's eyes narrowed immediately, and he sniffed the air.
  
   "I came back a bit earlier, thought I smelt trouble," Logan said. He stepped forward towards the mansion. "Maybe it just turned out to be ol' stinkboy there."
  
   Logan watched Toad leave. His smelt something off about the mutant. Xavier had suggested that he let the mutant leave.
  
   "Still think you're getting too soft, Chuck," Logan said gruffly.
  
   "You never fail to be critical, a refreshing change to be sure," Xavier said in agreement. "It appears that our newest recruit, Kurt Wagner, has gotten into a spot of trouble. His first day at the mansion, and he already got into a scuffle."
  
   Logan nodded. Kurt had just exited the Danger Room. His eyes remained unfocused, and he blinked. He shook his head, and wondered if he would get blamed for this. Harry, Scott, and Jean walked over here.
  
   "Well, I didn't plan to make a first impression that way," Kurt said. "I'd understand if you didn't want me to attend the school anymore."
  
   Harry just shook his head, and offered an encouraging smile. "We all make mistakes. If you think you're getting kicked out for one mistake, then you're really giving this place an unfair shake."
  
   Scott nodded beside Harry, and Jean gave Kurt an encouraging smile.
  
   "Welcome to the school," Scott said to him. "Harry's right, you shouldn't beat yourself up over what happened. Come this way, I have something to show you."
  
   Harry knew that Scott was going to show Kurt the Blackbird. To be honest, Harry was interested in learning how to fly it, after a while himself. It might be different than a broomstick, but flight was flight.
  
  
  
   Toad's hands trembled so fast that they were nearly a blur. The mutant looked up at the imposing figure of Mystique, or Principal Darkholme as he also knew her as. The woman did not need to utilize her shape shifting powers to produce the desired effect. She was rather intimidating without them.. A sadistic scowl crossed over her face. Her arms folded over her chest, and she stood forward. She peered at Toad behind her spectacles.
  
   "You had one job, one simple job!" Mystique ranted. Her nostrils flared with anger. Her fists were clenched, and Toad thought for one moment that he was going to be strangled to death. "You were supposed to infiltrate Xavier's school, and gain the necessary information that you could. Yet you get scared off immediately."
  
   Toad swallowed the lump in his throat. He remained calm, and collected, despite the fact that he was more scared out of his life than he ever had been.
  
   "Hey, me jumping out of there was just self-defense, it was nothing personal," Toad said, and he remained calm. "That Danger Room place, it's insane. There are so many lasers moving around. I can't keep my eyes on all of them at once."
  
   Mystique raised her hand. Toad covered, and dropped to his knees, almost pleading for his life. The shape shifter's face contorted into pure rage. She snarled, and stared down Toad. For a few seconds, Toad thought he was really going to get it. Mystique relaxed her body language. Her demeanor remained sadistic, and ice-cold. It was like she would gut Toad, and leave him for dead if she thought she could get away with it.
  
   "You were given one simple job," Mystique said in her most deadly voice. Toad gulped, and he was about ready to respond that they had been over this, but an incensed Mystique had cut him off. "You were supposed to gain valuable intelligence for the Xavier Academy, and you couldn't even gain one shred of information. You couldn't even smuggle in one camera, or hidden microphone. Hell, Xavier or Grey likely have erased any memories of anything you've learned from the pace."
  
   It was at that moment where Toad had gone completely on the defensive. He thought that this was a bit unfair. He shook his head, and tried to argue with Mystique.
  
   "Um, I don't remember getting my mind wiped."
  
   This statement did not improve Mystique's mood. She picked up a letter opener from her desk, and slammed it down, breaking the wood. She grabbed Toad around the arms, and glared in his eyes.
  
   "Of course, you don't remember if you got your mind wiped," Mystique said in a breathy tone. She looked in Toad's eyes, as the young mutant recoiled in fear. "That is the idea, so you don't remember anything!"
  
   Toad shook his head frantically.
  
   "It won't happen again, I swear, Boss Lady," Toad said in a trembling tone of voice.
  
   Mystique's face contorted in an angry expression. "It better not, for your sake. You're dismissed, now get out of here before I change my mind."
  
   Toad could not get up to his feet fast enough. He scrambled towards the door. However Mystique stepped in front of him, and put up a hand.
  
   "You now work for me, so report to this address," Mystique told him in a harsh voice. She held the envelope in her hand, and passed it in Toad's grimy hand. Toad seemed reluctant, and tried to drum up the courage to tell Mystique off. "Unless you want to be reported to the law for the thefts you've done. Someone like you won't last long. You may get dissected."
  
   Toad shuddered at the thought. He could hardly believe it, but he remained calm and collected. He looked up at Mystique.
  
   "Is that all?" Toad asked a shaky voice.
  
   Mystique waved her hand, and her eyes continued to simmer with fury.
  
   "Yes, go before I change my mind."
  
   Toad could not hop out of there fast enough. He nearly slammed into the door, and tried to escape. Mystique sat down behind her desk. She needed a good round with a punching bag after the idiotic bumbling that Toad did. She suspected she had herself to blame. She sent an amateur to do a professional's job.
  
   She heard a rattling on her desk. She saw the tin on her desk begin to come to life. The paper clips rattled around. They were magnetized, and she followed their progress with her eyes. She knew that the man in the shadows could manipulate larger pieces of metal, and could bring anyone to their knees.
  
   "That fool Toad bumbled the entire operation," Mystique said. She once again held the letter opener in her hand. The blue skinned mutant found the letter opener pulled out of her head by Magneto. "I suppose it was partially my fault to allow a bumbling fool like Tolansky with such a delicate operation."
  
   Magneto tapped the letter opener on the desk. Mystique followed the progress of the object, and there were a few moments before the Master of Magnetism decided to indulge her with speaking to her.
  
   "I wouldn't be too hard on yourself or the boy, Raven," Magneto said in a cool voice. The paper clips and the letter opener swirled around her head. Had Magneto chose to, he could do some serious damage with it. "We could have gained valuable intelligence had it succeeded. Since it failed, there was no risk of losing a valuable asset."
  
   Mystique had to agree with Magneto's answer. She found the letter opener spin around above her head, before Magneto continued to launch it into the wall.
  
   "And what is your assessment of young Mr. Potter after meeting him?" Magneto asked.
  
   "He remains an enigma," Mystique admitted to him. "At first he does not seem capable of anything extraordinary at all."
  
   Magneto just responded with a crisp nod at first. Then a few seconds later, he spoke in a cool tone of voice.
  
   "Keep monitoring him. Appearances may be deceiving as first. As someone of your powers understands perfectly."
  
   Mystique nodded. She had no choice, but to comply and continue her mission.
  
   Magneto let her alone with her own thoughts of the events of today. There would be a reckoning with Xavier and his students, sooner rather than later.
  
  
  
   "Alright Harry, it's your turn."
  
   Harry stepped forward towards the Danger Room. His arms were relaxed by his side. He kept his posture steady and firm. This could not be any worse with undergoing Quidditch training with Oliver Wood. Harry remembered those days fondly, in a way. He had to fly in all kinds of insane weather, and even with a lack of sleep. Many would complain about it, but if Harry had to admit it, he did not mind it at all. He took a nice and deep breath, and stepped into the Danger Room.
  
   His Quidditch training has given him enough of a sense when to duck. There was many times where he had applied that training to dodge spells. Back in the Department of Mysteries, he was able to dodge every single spell that the Death Eaters threw at him. That did seem like a lifetime ago now. There was just a built in instinct in him. He had a keen idea of how to dodge most spells.
  
   Flying lasers should not be something that was too different. At least that's where Harry hoped.
  
   "This first exercise will be a solo run, until we integrate you into the team proper," Xavier said to him.
  
   Harry relaxed, and nodded. He looked up with a look of confidence spread across his face. He shook his head and was ready to go.
  
   "Ready to go when you are, Professor Xavier!"
  
   Xavier nodded. Scott, Jean, Kurt, Ororo, and Logan all watched the progress of Harry. He took a moment to calm himself. He made a mental rule to himself not to use his magical abilities at first, unless he was in a sticky situation. When he got more in tone with his mutant powers, he would figure out how he mixed, and matched the powers.
  
   He could not think much longer. He just had to switch to action. There was a blast of laser energy. Harry dodged to the side, to the left and to the right. He took several deep breaths, and rushed forward. He tucked his head, and rolled underneath the blasts of the lasers. He tried to gauge the trajectory of the lasers, and fight the traps in the room.
  
   One by one, Harry managed to hold his own against everything that the Danger Room threw against him. He was not a complete pro at it, but he immediately ducked each and every attack. He ducked, and rolled his head. The X-Men watched immediately from high above, and accessed his abilities and Xavier, Ororo, and Logan were marking down suggestions that they would giave him for improvement. He was not perfect, but he was good.
  
   "So, what do you think?" Xavier asked after they had watched Harry in the Danger Room for a few minutes.
  
   "Kid has potential," Logan said. "He could try to keep a bit cooler head in there."
  
   "Speaking from experience, are we?" Ororo asked, and Logan just turned around to follow Harry's progress further. "It's not too bad."
  
   "Yes, it's not bad at all," Xavier agreed. He thought that before too long Harry would be able to handle the higher levels. They did not want to overwhelm him on the first day.
  
   Harry could not dodge forever, he was caught off guard. The lasers were not lethal, but they stung a little bit. He understood that he had to keep a cool head in there, and become mindful of his surroundings.
  
   He vowed to improve. He wondered if he was going to beat the high score in the Danger Room any time soon. He decided that it would be best to improve upon his own abilities.
  
   Then he would worry about beating everyone else. He was coming up with his own ideas how to best adapt, and he was sure that the instructors had their own suggestions.
  
   For some reason, he found the Danger Room to be something that he could adapt much better to than High School. He smirked, and wondered how well that spoke of his sanity, or lack there of.
  
   He continued to press forward. As the levels kicked up, he had a feeling the Danger Room would live up to his name. In the meantime, he would work himself up.
  
   And hopefully his body would be stronger, and he would be more able to defend himself. Either by using his powers, or not using his powers.
  Phase
  
  
  Chapter 5: Phase.
  
  The birds were chirping outside. The sun shined brightly, and it was a picture perfect day. It was a day that should be enjoyed by all outside in nature. Harry Potter sighed in relief. He would actually get to see some of it as it turned out. The pile of homework he had been given was nearly completed. And before the end of the weekend as well, that was the thing. Harry had some tutoring, but once he had everything explained to him, he was able to move through the work easily.
  
  The tutors helped a little bit. Even though Harry thought that he managed to be rather decent with schoolwork when he sat down, and blocked out the distractions. His parents were supposed to be smart after all.
  
  He had stepped forward, and he had finally put down the pile of homework. He had to admit, this was getting easier and easier with each passing moment. He walked forward to the Mansion. He made a movement to go outside, yet something had caught his attention He spotted Professor Xavier hard at work underneath Cerebro. A frown appeared on his face. Jean stood by his side.
  
  "Another new mutant, Professor?" Jean asked.
  
  Xavier responded with a crisp nod. "Yes, she just tapped into her powers recently. I believe it was a surprise for her....yes do come in Harry, and don't linger outside."
  
  Harry was surprised, but he tried to remain calm and collected. He entered the room, and saw Xavier and Jean begin to work through the system. There was a long pause, and Xavier decided to announce to his two X-Men what he had found out.
  
  "Our young new mutant's name is Katherine Pryde," Xavier said. "She's currently a sophomore in High School. She lives in Chicago. She discovered the power of intangibility, or to put it in lamen's terms, she can walk through walls at will."
  
  Harry and Jean responded with a nod. They both exchanged an unspoken agreement about the nature of this new young mutant's powers. They thought that was a potentially useful power. And a potentially dangerous power if it was in the wrong hands. There was so much potential to be able to walk through walls.
  
  "She discovered her powers in the middle of the night last night," Xavier said. The slightest hint of amusement crossed through her face. "I believe that she did so when she had passed through the floor all the way to the basement. I don't think it is too much of a stretch to say both herself and her parents were completely shocked."
  
  Harry thought that if something like that happened to him, he would be freaking out just a little bit.
  
  Jean would have to agree. "The poor girl, she must be confused."
  
  "Yes and that confusion is something that could present a problem," Xavier said. He turned to Harry. "We could use a bit of help to persuade her."
  
  Harry was taken completely aback by this statement.
  
  "Me?" Harry asked in confusion. "Why me?"
  
  He took a good look at the girl on the screen. She was a rather cute brunette; he had noticed that. So, he was interested, just a little bit about going on this mission. Then again, what he knew about girls could be written on the head of a thumbtack.
  
  "I figure that someone closer to her age and peer group would be easily relatable to her," Xavier explained to him. Harry nodded, that made perfect sense to him. "Jean and I should be able to persuade her, but at the same time it never hurts to have a little extra help. And you can consider this a bit of a reward for your hard work in trying to keep up on your studies."
  
  Harry shifted in agreement. He thought that it would be good to get out. The last few days he had been itching for a chance to stretch his legs. He had spent most of his time at the Mansion, and at school. Some new surroundings would be something that would be a nice change. He nodded slowly, and smiled at them.
  
  "If you're so confident in my abilities, then I won't let you down," Harry said to them.
  
  Jean frowned, and took a good long look at Harry.
  
  "Don't sell yourself short Harry, you're a part of this team," Jean told him.
  
  Harry nodded calmly. He could tell that Xavier had more information. That would be given to them on the way. Jean, Harry, and Xavier made their way to the Blackbird. There was a moment where Xavier remained calm, and collected. He then turned to them.
  
  "Also, there is a second mutant who has manifested his powers within the same time in the area," Xavier said, and Jean and Harry both perked up in interest. This gave Xavier the opening to continue, and explain to both of the members of his team. "His name is Lance Alvers. His power is that he can create seismic vibrations with his hands."
  
  Harry looked intrigued at this. He knew that there were certain charms that could cause the ground to shake, and it would be something that he was interested in tapping into when he had the time. He could only experiment with magic, trying to build upon and improve on what he knew. There were times where he got the sense that he retained magical spells that he never remembered learning. There was almost like there was a second set of memories buried inside his subconscious.
  
  A frown spread across Jean's face, and she looked at Xavier. She could tell that her mentor was holding out on some kind of information, although it was unclear what at this point.
  
  "Is that all of the information?" Jean asked.
  
  "We must keep an open mind," Xavier told them, and Jean and Harry both knew that Xavier sensed a problem. He would not judge anyone, everyone deserved a chance. "However, Mr. Alvers has a history of being accused of petty theft and vandalism even before he had tapped into his powers. We must try and reach out to him as well as young Katherine. But do be prepared for hostility should we push him too much."
  
  Harry and Jean had a feeling of dread pouring into their minds. They tried to push it out. Then again, they hoped that this would turn out well. Still the prospect of one or two new recruits was something that they hoped to be a part of. Harry had known from his role of teaching the D.A. that powers must be taught, and honed. Being part of the X-Men had really continued to enhance those lessons.
  
  Jean piloted the Blackbird towards the intended destination. The flight was nice and leisurely, without any problems. It gave them a moment to prepare. Harry sat in the back, and wondered what surprises today would bring.
  
  Katherine Pryde, or Kitty as her friends and family knew her as, was not having a good time right now in her life. The fifteen year old girl had a frown spread across her face. Normally she tried to keep a happy face. Yet, she had been pushed to the brink. Over the last couple of days, she had undergone changes in her body that she was unable to cope with. It caused her a lot deal of distress.
  
  One could argue that this was just the part of maturing from childhood to a teenager. However, the standard changes of puberty were something that Kitty could perhaps deal with. Perhaps, maybe, but that was beside the point. These changes were far different. The changes she experienced right now had her falling through the floor.
  
  All teenagers went through phases. However, Kitty phased through the floor, which was not something that she had in mind. She just wanted to keep her head down, work hard, and achieve her status as a straight "A" student. Well straight "A's" except for gym class, which seemed to be a hurdle that she could not overcome. Both in the figurative sense, and the literal sense, but that were beside the point.
  
  This change scared her to death. First she dreamed she was flying. She was lighter than air. Then she dreamed that she was falling. No matter how hard she tried to fight falling, she was falling lower and lower. It panicked her. She always read that during falling dreams, the person would wake up the moment they hit the ground. At least that was the most common theory, but that matter was up for much debate.
  
  However, there was no excuse for what happened. She had phased directly through the floor. She was at the point where she found herself face-first in the basement. Her blankets and pillows had been stuck in the ceiling.
  
  Scientifically speaking, that should not be possible. However, she came to one possible explanation. Her teenage mind could only come up with one conclusion. It was absolutely elementary. She was a freak. Kitty felt she was a genetic mistake and someone who was not going to fit in if word got out about her condition.
  
  She took a deep breath. Perhaps if she just was able to keep control, and not accidentally shift her molecules, she would be okay. No one had to know what was happening to her. Things were already awkward enough with her parents knowing. Even though she was sorely tempted to do so right now, and she grabbed onto the locker. She banged, and tried to push her way into the locker. She tried to open it.
  
  The laughter echoed through her ears. Every school had their tormentors, and they tended to pick up the easiest target. The one who focused on academics were often the most obvious targets. They were singled out as geeks, nerds, and dorks. It seemed to be an unfortunate part of the high school social structure. Many would just brush it off as kids will be cruel. It was easy to say that when you were not the direct party of the torment.
  
  Cruelty was something that was much harder to cope with when a person was normal.
  
  Kitty tried to push open her locker, and finally got it open. She tried to ignore the two tormentors. Block it out. That was what was suggested to her by her parents. Try and be the better person, do not engage them, do not stoop to their level.
  
  "Ah, I think Kitty-Cat is having a of trouble with her locker."
  
  "Let's give Pretty-Kitty a hand."
  
  Kitty hated the fact that some people just had to be the stereotypical bully out of every single after school anti-bullying special on the planet. However she found herself shoved into the locker, and it slammed behind her.
  
  "Hey!" Kitty yelled in an incredulous tone of voice. She tried to bang her fists on the locker, but it was no use.
  
  'I didn't even know people actually shoved others into lockers in real life,' Kitty thought to herself. Her desperation was at a higher height. She gritted her teeth. The bell had long since rung. So not only was she trapped in her locker, but she was going to mark up a tardy.
  
  She wondered what happened. She tried to beat her fists against the locker. There was no one outside, but then she heard footsteps outside. She remained still. A part of her wondered if this would somehow be decided to be her fault. It was possible.
  
  Instinctively, Kitty popped her head outside. She shuddered, and unexpectedly, she spiraled out of the locker. She went head over heels, and landed with a crash. She saw a dark haired boy dressed in a black t-shirt, and jeans. He was looking at her in awe, and perhaps a tiny bit of a calculating expression. Almost as if he was considering the possibilities of what he just saw.
  
  "What are you doing?" Kitty demanded, and she saw the spray paint can in his hand. She put two and two together, when she saw the lockers that were vandalized.
  
  The young man, a Senior by the looks of things, looked at Kitty, with a raised eyebrow. "That was amazing. You were in the locker, and then you were out of the locker. It's like you walked through it"
  
  Immediately, Kitty was on the defensive.
  
  "No, I didn't," Kitty said, her voice rising in alarm. This was her worst fear come true, someone had figured out what she was.
  
  She tried to shake everything off. She had to keep it cool. There was no reason that anyone had to know.
  
  "I saw you, and heard you," the young man said. He looked at her. "I was wondering if there was anyone out like me, with gifts like mine."
  
  The young man lifted a hand, and the lockers vibrated. The seismic vibrations rocked the school. He stopped before the trophy case, or the trophies inside had cracked from the impact. He stood, with a calm expression on her face. Kitty still seemed alarmed, unable to fully reconcile what had been going on.
  
  "Um, yeah, but listen...I don't know what you thought you saw, but I didn't do anything," Kitty said. Her voice shook a little bit, and she realized how unconvincing she sounded.
  
  "I won't tell, if you don't," the young man said. "Lance Alvers, Senior Class, and I'll be glad when I get out of here, won't you?"
  
  Kitty did not share those sentiments at all, but she had no reason to argue. This was not a battle she could fight. She was a bit choked up.
  
  "Kitty Pryde, and I'm so going to be late for gym," Kitty said, and she rushed off immediately.
  
  She left Lance in her wake. The young man watched her leave. The truth was that he had been keeping an eye on her for a while, from afar. And to find out that there was another one like him was interesting. He looked outside, and saw two of the girls harass Kitty. Perhaps he would give her a hand as a gesture of good faith.
  
  He closed his eyes and raised his hands. The ground outside began to rock. The two girls in question were confused, not to mention injured when he had unleashed his powers. He watched Kitty's expression. She was utterly terrified. However, she would learn that it would be best to embrace her powers, and consider them a gift. It was just like that woman told him that met him on the street; his powers could be used for something more than rocking a few lockers.
  
  And taking a look at her, Lance had the perfect idea to take a nice little shortcut to the top bracket of the class.
  
  All he had to do was persuade the girl to help him.
  
  Kitty walked around in a funk. She tried to shake her head, and clear the cobwebs. Given what happened today, living a normal life was something that she felt slip away from her moment after moment. She tried to keep her head up. It was all she could do not to lose it. She held her breath, and tried not to lose it. The last time she lost it, she went through something. It didn't hurt for her density to shift. However, it did feel weird never the less.
  
  She heard a wheelchair roll up behind her. Kitty stood carefully, and spun around to face him. After everything that happened today, she was tense. She saw the bald man sitting in the wheel chair. A teenage girl of about seventeen or eighteen years old stood before her. She gave Kitty an encouraging smile. Kitty eyed them suspiciously.
  
  Time stood still for her.
  
  "Hello, Ms. Pryde, we'd like a few moments of your time if it's fine with you," the bald man said. Kitty let out the breath she was holding. Immediately she was on guard completely. Her fists had been clenched, and she shifted her weight from one side to the other. She continued stare at them She was careful not to say anything. "I'm Professor Charles Xavier, Headmaster of the Xavier Institute for the Gifted, and this is one of my students, Jean Grey."
  
  "Hello, Kitty," Jean said.
  
  She seemed nice enough. Curiosity got the better of Kitty.
  
  "What do want with me?' Kitty asked. She balled up her fists, and took a deep breath. "I so didn't ask for anything that happened to me."
  
  Jean offered a reassuring smile. "No one asks for anything like this to happen to them. Yet, the gifts mean that there is something special within you."
  
  Xavier picked up where Jean left off. "Jean speaks great wisdom. It is easy to be confused. Both for yourself and your parents, but I can assure you that your parents understood what was happening. They were a bit concerned, but they understand that this is something that is not going to change the person that you are."
  
  Kitty looked extremely skeptical. She relaxed a little bit. She saw Xavier and Jean look at her.
  
  "It's just something that I wasn't used to before; I woke up in the morning and well..." Kitty said, and she trailed off. She seemed to be unable to articulate the words that she wanted to say. She shook her head. She tried to speak once more. "It was just something that totally messed with my head. I couldn't believe it; I didn't want to believe it."
  
  Kitty was trying to remain brave in the face of this new change in her life. That was easier said than done.
  
  "Kitty, it's okay," Jean told her in a reassuring voice. "The moment I got my powers, I was scared too. It was hard to shut it off. All of the thoughts around me, they flooded in my head."
  
  Kitty's eyes snapped up towards Jean. Her breath began to go in and out. She came to one conclusion. This conclusion alarmed her.
  
  "Wait, you can read minds?" Kitty asked.
  
  "Yes, but I can assure you..."
  
  Kitty was not listening. Much like many teenagers, she was jumping to the worst possible conclusion possible at this distressful news. She slowly backed away, and closed her eyes.
  
  "I can't believe it, you know what I'm thinking," Kitty said, and she turned around, before she stormed off immediately.
  
  "I didn't..."
  
  Get out of my head!"
  
  "Kitty, wait!"
  
  Kitty was not listening. She rushed off immediately. Jean frowned, and watched her leave. Xavier just closed his eyes, and sighed deeply.
  
  "Perhaps you should not have shared that bit of information with her as of yet," Xavier told her gently, and Jean nodded.
  
  She had made a crucial error trying to relate. It was not hard to realize why the mind reading thing could upset someone.
  
  "I guess I really blew that one, Professor," Jean said.
  
  "I wouldn't say that, we should have realized that Kitty was still coping with the development of her powers," Xavier said. He sat straight in his wheelchair. This opportunity was not completely blown. He wondered what he was going to go now.
  
  Thankfully, he had one more ace up his sleeve. Harry showed up at this point. He had just missed the show apparently. He walked over, and turned to face the Professor and Jean.
  
  "I searched all over the school, but I didn't come across her," Harry said. He saw the look on Jean's face. "Let me guess, you had better luck in finding her."
  
  A strained smile spread across Jean's face. "Finding her was the easy part. Actually convincing her that we were here to help her was the bad part. Most people don't react well to the fact that someone can read minds."
  
  "No, they don't," Harry agreed. Xavier turned towards Harry. "Maybe I should go and talk to her. I could have better luck."
  
  This was part of the reason why he was brought here.
  
  "Yes, Harry, but tread lightly," Xavier said.
  
  Harry enjoyed a challenge more than anything else. He moved down the hallway. He had a feeling that the girl would not have gone that far. He hoped that he was not going to make this situation even worse than it was already. He walked forward, and spotted the girl sitting on the desk of a locked classroom. She could only get through that door if she had phased through it. It was locked from the inside.
  
  Immediately, Harry twisted the door knob, and with a little magic, had opened the door. He really had no idea how he was going to deal with this. He just decided to go with his instincts.
  
  Kitty sat on the desks, arms folded, deep in thought. She made a total idiot out of herself, and overreacted. Yet, it was too late. She heard footsteps. Immediately, she jumped up.
  
  "Look, I'm sorry that I snapped at you, but it's just kind of creepy that you can do the entire mental probe thing and it kind of freaks me out!" Kitty shouted and she looked up. She saw that it was not Professor Xavier or Jean Grey. She blinked, and took a long look at the person who had shown up. For a moment, she was tongue tied. "Oh, sorry, I...I thought you were...someone else."
  
  Kitty wanted to crawl into a hole and die out of embarrassment. She had just yelled at someone, and had taken out her bad day on a complete stranger. The brunette spent a moment staring into his eyes, before she snapped out of it.
  
  Harry watched the girl with a smile. He knew all about overreacting to simple situations.
  
  "its okay, given the situation, I perfectly understand" Harry said. He took a step forward, and spoke in a gentle voice. "If I was going through what you were going through, I might have reacted the same way."
  
  Kitty looked at him and she relaxed a little bit. She looked at him, a bit testily. He held his hands up.
  
  "Don't worry, I come in peace," Harry said to her. "I remember the first day that I discovered that there was something really different about me. It was a bad situation."
  
  "What happened?" Kitty asked, and she immediately realized that she was a bit too nosy for her own good. "Sorry, but..."
  
  "I was being chased by a group of bullies," Harry said. He was speaking about this casually like he was discussing the weather. "One minute I was on the ground. The next minute, I was on the roof. It wasn't for ages until I figured out what I did."
  
  Kitty nodded her head.
  
  "Harry Potter, by the way," Harry said.
  
  "Kitty Pryde," Kitty said in the calmest voice she could imagine. This Harry really did make her feel a bit more comfortable. "It's just been a really stressful last couple of days."
  
  "Believe me, I understand, I've had days like I'm sure you've had," Harry said to her. "Walking through walls, that can be very useful. Do you know how many times where I got locked inside a room, with no way to get out?"
  
  "Um, no," Kitty said.
  
  Harry decided to elaborate. "Must have been loads, but the point is that your power could be extremely useful. It's not shutting a door, but opening a window. A window of opportunity, and it's not the end of your life, rather a new beginning."
  
  Kitty tried to piece together this Harry. He seemed so mature. He was not like other boys her age that she ignored. She was interested.
  
  "Jean and Professor Xavier were just trying to be friendly, and I don't think either of them would really read your mind, without permission," Harry said to her. "And if you think that they might try, just picture them in their underwear. That will get them out of your mind quick."
  
  Kitty laughed. Harry sat down next to her on the desk. Kitty tried not to do anything to embarrass herself.
  
  "So how did you get here?" Kitty asked. "How did you join up with that Xavier guy I mean?"
  
  Harry smirked a little bit. "That's a long story. Maybe if you join the school, I could tell you a little bit of it."
  
  Kitty thought that was a compelling enough reason. Still she was not completely sure. Perhaps she was loopy from phasing through the wall one too many times, but Harry just seemed like one of those guys that she could trust.
  
  They had made some light conversation for a few minutes. Kitty felt more and more at ease with Harry. There were times where Harry seemed sure of himself. Then there were times where he seemed more confused that anyone she knew.
  
  He was an enigma. And she was fascinated about learning more about him.
  
  Several moments later, Harry and Kitty walked down the hallway. She was in a bit better spirits than she was an hour, or even ten minutes ago. It was just that everything came crashing down on her ears immediately, and it was hard to cope with. The minor trials and tribulations of a teenage girl who was struggling to pass her gym class, and being bullied really paled in comparison.
  
  Now she felt much better.
  
  "So have we come to an understanding?" Harry asked her. "Your powers don't make you a freak, rather they make you unique. And there's no shame in that."
  
  Kitty could not resist smiling. It was the first genuine one she had in days.
  
  "Nice slogan, you should really put that on a t-shirt," Kitty joked.
  
  Harry looked at her. "I was being serious."
  
  "I know, but it's actually a good point, really it is," Kitty said. Her eyes looked up and down at Harry. "So...I feel like a total idiot for freaking out like that."
  
  "No, it's all good, you weren't a total idiot," Harry said, and Kitty crossed her arms. "But, I think that we're good right now. Are you ready to go back to Jean and Professor Xavier, and give them a chance? They won't read your mind."
  
  "Yeah, I'm trying to keep a bit more of an open mind about that," Kitty agreed. Harry offered her a smile.
  
  "Good, because I don't like to see everyone at odds," Harry said. "All of the angst gives me a headache. I'm trying to cut it out of my life."
  
  "And yet you're a teenager," Kitty said. "Are you sure you're not much older?"
  
  "People have accused me of acting immature in the past," Harry told her.
  
  "Really, you?" Kitty said skeptically.
  
  The two continued to walk down the hallway. Another party stepped in front of them. Harry tensed up immediately. He tried to remain calm and collected. He knew from sight that this was the other mutant that Xavier picked up on Cerebro. Lance Alvers, and immediately Harry remained cautious. While there was no reason to suspect hostile intentions right off the bat, there was also no reason to be a fool, and expect that Lance would be completely trustworthy.
  
  Harry braced himself. Kitty stood beside him.
  
  "You really are going to walk away with this guy, like he's some knight in shining armor, are you?" Lance asked.
  
  Kitty opened her mouth. She was flummoxed by his aggressive actions. After a moment, she spoke up.
  
  "No, he made some good points. You know, I'm sure they'd help you with your powers too. Everything would be all cool."
  
  "I don't need any help with my powers, and you don't either," Lance said, and he stood up straight. His gaze burned into Kitty. "When they say help you with your powers, they really mean they're going to put you on a leash. I know what teachers really mean when they say that they're going to help you. They're going to help you be miserable."
  
  Harry could tell that this young man had some bad experiences in the past. This was not going to be fun. He tried to be the voice of reason, even though he wondered if he was being a fool. Still he had to try, he was stubborn like that.
  
  "It's nothing like that," Harry said. "The Xavier Institute..."
  
  "Yeah, I heard all about Xavier and his high and mighty ways," Lance said. His eyes danced with hostile intentions "And you seem to already mixed in with his holier than thou ways too."
  
  Harry just shifted on his feet. This was not going as he had planned. He was trying to keep a cool-head. He was trying to keep a level head. He was really trying not to cause any trouble. He had gone a few weeks in this world without causing too much of a stir.
  
  "If you don't want anything to do with the Xavier Institute, that's fine," Harry said to Lance. He took a few calming breaths. He stared down the other boy. "But, Kitty and I are going to return. So please step out of our way and..."
  
  Lance did not move. Harry sighed. He was really making this difficult. He reached forward, and lightly grabbed Kitty's wrist. Kitty phased out of his grip, rather annoyed at his actions.
  
  "You can't be serious, and buy his crap," Lance said. He decided to dangle the carrot in front of Kitty's face. "I know how you're about to flunk in gym. I can tell you where they're keeping the grades, and you can use your powers to change them. Just think about it, you'd be in and out, and no one would notice."
  
  Harry now felt like the angel on the shoulder, and he hated having to be the cooler head that had to prevail. He gently grabbed Kitty's shoulder, and steered her to the side.
  
  "Let me first say, that this is up to you, we're never going to force you to join," Harry told her. He was completely serious when he said this. "No one should force or pressure anyone into using their powers in a way that they don't want to. My only request is that you think about what you're going to do nice, and hard. How is it going to affect your future? There is a difference between doing what is easy, and what is right. And that's a choice you're going to make."
  
  Kitty bit her lip. There was a temptation, and she was ashamed to admit this, of changing her gym grade. Admitting was the first step. Then again, her desire for perfect academics was beaten over the head by her conscience. She took a deep breath, and looked at Harry.
  
  "I told you, I made up my mind," Kitty said, shaking her head. She looked at Harry honestly. "I really...I really do want to come with you. To the school, I mean. I mean what if I lose my mind, and end up phasing out of my clothes in public. Imagine the embarrassment. I mean, that would be really, really bad. I think I would die of embarrassment."
  
  Harry did imagine that would be a pretty mortifying situation. He turned towards the brunette, and he looked at her, seriously.
  
  "So, if you're sure, then Jean and Xavier are waiting for you in the other room. I'm sure they're going to forgive your little outburst. It happens to the best of us, even the most mature of us."
  
  Harry remembered his frequent outbursts earlier that year. That summer he had quite the temper. He was sure that he took a few years off of his friends' hearing after what he did. Yet, he had grown beyond that. He realized that he could have better control of his powers if he held better control of his temper. Then, the dark haired wizard told to Lance, giving him a "no hard feelings" look.
  
  "Just remember, the offer is open for both of you," Harry said.
  
  Lance's teeth gritted. Harry sensed trouble. He did more than sense trouble. He sensed the floor vibrating beneath his feet. He cursed his luck. Kitty looked at him, and Harry moved forward.
  
  "You don't want to do this," Harry said. He was trying to stay out of trouble, but he was not going to let anyone walk over him either.
  
  The debris broke up from the ground. Dust flew everywhere. Harry threw his body in the way, and a large chunk of debris smashed into him. He grimaced, and he went through his head, racking his brain for a way to counteract the attack. Perhaps he had gained greater clarity in his concussed state, but he had the right idea.
  
  Kitty dove forward, and grabbed Lance. She made both of them intangible. She phased them halfway through the floor, before the vibrations were too much for her to keep straight. She was back out, and Harry used a shield charm to block the debris. He repelled them back at Lance. It was self-defense. He knocked him out.
  
  Lance was down on the ground, still breathing. Harry shook his head, and nearly collapsed to the ground.
  
  Harry staggered. All things considered he could have been better, but he could have been worse. Blood dripped from his mouth. Kitty rushed over, kneeling down beside Harry, and at that moment. Jean and Professor Xavier arrived. Xavier surveyed the mess, most of it which Harry cleaned up. He had a nasty bump on his head, and his mouth bled. Yet he seemed in rather good spirits.
  
  "Harry, are you alright?" Jean asked.
  
  Perhaps once again it was his concussed state, but Harry thought that was the stupidest question he could ever imagine. He was perfectly fine.
  
  "Yeah, peachy," Harry said in a dry voice. He noticed their questioning looks. "I had to knock him out, he could have crushed, Kitty, and any innocent bystanders."
  
  "And you, too!" Jean yelled.
  
  "Yes, and me," Harry said as an afterthought. He staggered around a bit dazed. He tried to brush it off.
  
  Kitty turned towards Jean and the Professor. A bit of a shifty smile crossed her face. She looked at them. Things were kind of awkward.
  
  "So, um, I made up my mind, and I'm going to try the school," Kitty said.
  
  "Yes, I imagined that would be the case," Xavier said. "We will meet with your parents to discuss your options for your future. After Harry gets medical attention after what happened today."
  
  "No need to worry about it, Professor, I'm fine," Harry said.
  
  Jean looked at him through narrowed eyes.
  
  "Yeah, the bloody mouth really indicates fine,' Jean said.
  
  Harry was now annoyed once more.
  
  "Merely a flesh wound," Harry said, shaking his head.
  
  Jean shook her head. Logan was like this, but Logan had the amped up healing factor. Harry had no such thing. Then again, she snuck a peak at the scans Professor Xavier did on Harry. Magic had natural healing abilities. Maybe Harry was not as strong as Logan for that, but he could heal from things that would bring most men down to their knees.
  
  Harry was eventually persuaded to get medical attention. Kitty could barely hold back her laughter at the look on his face. It was like he was being condemned to death row. It was kind of funny and a bit cute if she would have to admit to herself.
  
  Kitty shook her head, wondering if she got clonked on the head as well.
  
  After the events of the day, Kitty was both rather happy, and also kind of nervous to be back at her home. Jean and Professor Xavier were right there with her, and Harry was also sitting beside her. Jean seemed to have the uncanny ability to pacify everything, and make things a little better with authority figures. Yet, Kitty was still a bit nervous, and this was showed on her face.
  
  "You aren't mad at me, are you Mom and Dad?" Kitty asked. A frown appeared on her face. She could handle what anyone else thought of it. It was letting down her parents that caused her to be a bit more stressed. "About the entire power thing and how it's going to interfere with my life..."
  
  "No, Kitty of course not, but it's just a shock to see your only daughter go through a change like this," her mother said. She surveyed her daughter with a reassuring look. "You are still the same girl that you were a week ago. It's just..."
  
  "You have found a special talent that you need to understand and train," her father said. He tried to keep his expression neutral and fair. "Professor Xavier has talked to us, and informed us that there are other people like you out there. People who have abilities, and we think that it's best that you go to that school, and learn what you can. Besides, you can get a fresh start."
  
  "Yes, Kitty, if you are willing to join, we can have to enrolled in the Xavier Institute, and Bayville High School by the end of the week," Xavier said. "Your academics will not be interrupted, and you can begin learning how to train your powers."
  
  Kitty looked at them, looking at her parents, and the representatives of the school. She nodded.
  
  "Yes, this is something that I really have to do. I think I'll look forward to doing this. I'll miss you guys, but it's not like I'm going to leave forever. I'll e-mail you, every week, and I'll come home and visit when I can. There's no way I'll ever forget you, ever, I promise."
  
  Kitty's parents just nodded, and smiled. They knew she would not. Jean got to her feet, and Xavier turned to Kitty's parents.
  
  "Here is the contact information for the Institute, in the event that you need to get in touch with the school in the case of a family emergency," Xavier replied, and Kitty's parents nodded. "We'll be leaving now."
  
  "I'll go pack," Kitty said, trying not to sound too eager. After some of the things Harry told her about the school, she was more excited than ever before. Plus for some reason, spending more time with Harry seemed rather enticing.
  
  Kitty scrambled up the stairs, and began to pack. Jean ushered Harry over. She looked at him with a knowing smile.
  
  "What are you smiling about?" Harry asked her.
  
  "Nothing, just glad to see that you seem to be back on your feet after what happened," Jean told him. She grew suddenly serious, and looked over Harry. "There are far better ways of getting someone's attention then to take a huge chunk of debris on the top of your head."
  
  Harry looked at Jean. A cross expression appeared on his face.
  
  "I was trying to make sure no one got hurt," Harry said.
  
  Jean looked at Harry in an exasperated manner.
  
  "Well, some might argue that you're far from a nobody, Harry," Jean said.
  
  Harry shifted in annoyance. He hated when people worried about him. While it was understood where they were coming from, it was still annoying. He was more durable then people gave him credit for. He could handle himself, and had many times in the past. Jean did not press the matter anymore, so neither had brought up the subject. There was an awkward silence. Professor Xavier gave the Prydes a few more words.
  
  Kitty made her way down the stairs, trying to lug her bag with her. Harry used a charm to help her steady it.
  
  "Thanks," Kitty said to him.
  
  "No problem, looks like you could have packed a bit more evenly," Harry said.
  
  Kitty looked at him with a frown, and a challenging expression.
  
  "Oh, are you some kind of expert in how bags should be packed?"
  
  "No, but I can tell that the bag would be ripped if you shifted it the wrong way with how it was packed," Harry told her. Kitty shifted with a frown on her face. "I managed to redistribute the weight, so you should have no problems now."
  
  "I don't know how I ever could have lived without you," Kitty said in a teasing voice.
  
  "Pretty easily, I'm sure," Harry said, and both teenagers laughed. Xavier cleared his throat.
  
  "I believe the Jet is warmed up, if that's all, we must be departing, so we can return by dark," Xavier said.
  
  Kitty nodded, and she rushed over to give her parents one last goodbye.
  
  "So, Kitty, about that boy," her father said in a casual tone of voice.
  
  "Dad!" Kitty yelled in an incredulous tone.
  
  She could not believe that her parents would embarrass her like that. Then again, she was pretty sure that was in the official parenting manual that you had to embarrassing your children. If Harry had heard this conversation, nothing was mentioned. Kitty intended to not bring anything up.
  
  She acted like nothing happened.
  
  Kitty prepared to leave with Jean, Harry, and Professor Xavier for a new life of adventure and fun with the X-Men.
  
  She just hoped she survived the experience.
  
  Then again, it could not be any worse than High School, could it?
  
  There was no way possible.
  
  Was there?
  
  Lance walked outside. He stewed after what happened. The truth was what happened today, he could have handled a bit better. His pride had taken a huge hint. That other boy seemed to be a pushover, but he had turned his own powers against him. And when he had woken up, he had hit his last strike. He had been expelled from school after his attack. Not that he needed school. He sat outside, and rubbed his forehead. He could barely hear a car pull up, and the door slam.
  
  "Having a bad day, Mr. Alvers?"
  
  The same woman who had talked with him on the street had walked out for him. She was dressed in a business suit, and wore glasses.
  
  "Yeah, what's it to you?" Lance asked.
  
  "No need to get hostile, I heard that you got expelled from school," the woman said. Lance looked at her. She decided to elaborate. "I can offer you an opportunity to get a fresh start, and right the wrongs. All I need is for you do a little favor for me."
  
  Lance folded his arms. There was a catch. There always had to be a catch. Yet, despite that fact he was intrigued. His full attention was focused on the woman, and he figured there was no harm in asking her any questions. What were his options?
  
  "What is it?" Lance asked.
  
  "Move to Bayville, on the East Coast, and I can offer you a fresh start that many only dream about," the woman said. "I am the Principal of Bayville High School. I can offer you a spot at the school. You will get close to other interesting students. Students from the Xavier Institute, who also attend my school, and I believe that they are troublemakers. But, I am recruiting several promising students to help keep an eye on them."
  
  Lance thought the chance of retribution was rather promising. Perhaps his anger had gotten the better of him. Yet, he had never been one to back down from a fight. Calling it a side effect of how he grew up, and the fights he had, but that was just how he felt. The woman seemed to be giving him all of the right answers, for the most part. She warned him that there were those who did not understand his powers, and sure enough he was right.
  
  "So, where do I sign up?" Lance asked.
  
  Principal Darkholme had a calculating look spread across her face. The fish had swallowed the bait, and she had netted Magneto a second recruit. The recruits might be scrapping the bottom of the barrel; however she could train them up. Strict discipline would turn these teen recruits into an elite fighting force on par of Xavier and his lackeys.
  
  "Right now, Mr Alvers," Darkholme said.
  
  "Please, call me Avalanche," Lance said.
  
  Darkholme just responded in a very dry voice. "Lance Alvers...Avalanche, yes that's very original of you."
  
  Despite this, she had a new recruit. Said recruit was also willing to leave immediately. She had struck while the iron was hot, and now another member for the growing Brotherhood. Magneto would have his army, and hopefully would get off her back.
  
  If what she found out was right, she had a mission of the more personal nature to deal with.
  
  To Be Continued in Chapter 6 "Lessons."
  Lessons
  
  Chapter 06: Lessons.
  
  The Blackbird was boarded with the entire assembled group of X-Men. This was a mission where Xavier suspected that the entire team should go on. Given the fact that this was a weekend and thus not a school night, there was no reason for any of them to stay in bed.
  
  Ororo, or Storm, was the one who was designated to fly the plane. There was space designated next to her, where Professor Xavier's wheelchair could be placed. The ramp extended down, and Xavier rolled up it, and only place. The next two seats on the plane back were occupied by Jean and Scott. Kitty took a seat in the next row, and Harry sat down beside her. Kurt sat in the next one on the plane. Logan, being Logan, sat away in the back, and propped his feet up, waiting to go to their destination.
  
  There was silence that was going to be broken in a matter of moments.
  
  "So where are we going?" Logan asked. He was short, and to the point, always one to get to the answers without cutting through the bullshit. "We pulled everyone out of training, so it has to be important."
  
  Logan had the air of someone who thought that was a mistake.
  
  "It is Logan," Xavier said. "Another mutant was picked up on Cerebro, and her mutant powers are quite intriguing. This will be a bit of a flight, so it's best that I explain properly."
  
  Scott spoke in a casual voice. "So, are we talking about the good kind of interesting? Or are we talking about the bad kind of interesting?"
  
  "Depends on what your perception is, Scott," Xavier said. "She can absorb the memories of people through the touch of her bare skin."
  
  "That must be a useful power," Harry mused.
  
  "Well, providing if you can control it," Xavier said.
  
  "She can't control it," Harry said, and he suddenly grew rather grim.
  
  "That does seem to be the case, she touched just a tiny bit of her flesh on a boy's hand today, and he blacked out," Xavier said. "The boy will recover in time, but for now he's in a catatonic state. It's uncertain if he'll remember what has transpired. The girl's assumed name is Rogue, at least that's what she goes by."
  
  "Well it seems like that name's already taken," Kitty said to Harry in a joking manner. "That kind of sucks, it does fit you."
  
  "Very funny," Harry said, and Kitty just nudged him.
  
  "Oh come on, it's not like you're someone that stays out of trouble," Kitty told Harry.
  
  "Yeah, she does have a point," Kurt said. "You tend to attract the most trouble for us in those Danger Room sessions."
  
  "I get you out of the trouble don't I?" Harry inquired. His expression remained firm and emotionless. Kitty and Kurt both nodded their heads.
  
  "It's all part of your training," Ororo said, before this discussion could go any further again. "Although one day, I hope that your training will progress to the point where you don't get into trouble in the first place."
  
  Harry would have to agree. He thought that as well. Contrary to popular belief, he would have liked to be have avoided trouble. Yet, it seemed to follow him. No matter what universe he was in.
  
  There was silence on the Blackbird. Harry thought his Danger Room training was moving nicely. The solo stuff he was better at than the team work. He had to admit, for some reason he worked better alone. Still he was improving, so that was actually something that encouraged him.
  
  "It's going to be a long flight to Mississippi," Kitty commented lightly. She looked at Harry with a smile. "And someone dodged out of the conversation about the codenames yesterday, before we could properly finish it."
  
  Harry opened his mouth, before he decided to go in with the only retort that he could think of.
  
  "Jean doesn't have a codename," Harry said.
  
  "Hey, don't get me involved in this," Jean said. The truth was she thought of one that sounded cool. When she was about sixteen, and now at the sophisticated age of seventeen the name "Marvel Girl" did not sound that cool or anything but cheesy. Scott was the only one who knew, and he was not going to say anything.
  
  If he knew what was good for him.
  
  "Come on, codename," Kurt said. "It's not that painless, its better you pick out one, before Logan does or something like that."
  
  "And what's that supposed to mean?" Logan asked.
  
  Kurt shook his head.
  
  "Nothing, nothing," Kurt said, changing the subject. "Still, I picked out Nightcrawler, and Kitty..."
  
  "Shadowcat, duh," Kitty said. She shook her head, and crossed her arms.
  
  "So that was the one you finally decided on after the fifty million codenames you threw out in the state of hyperactivity you were in," Harry said. He had a grin on his face, and Kitty just shook her head.
  
  "Hey, I couldn't decide, all of them were epic," Kitty said.
  
  Scott turned around to look at Harry.
  
  "You know you'll never here the end of this, if you don't pick a codename soon," Scott said.
  
  Harry sighed. Names were not something that he was good at. He closed his eyes, and began to crack his brain.
  
  'Firebolt...no naming myself after my old broom isn't going to work out,' Harry thought to himself. 'Sparky...no I'll never here the end of that one. Wizard...too generic. Sorcerer...yeah that's even more generic. Spanner...I have no idea where that bit of stupidity came from. Who would want to be named after a wrench? Downfall...no. Potter, think off something before you get saddled with something that's going to stick."
  
  The plane hit some temporary turbulence, but it was nothing that it could not recover from. Harry was jolted out of his thought process.
  
  "I've got it," Harry said. Kitty moved over, and nearly phased through her seat belt in excitement. She could not wait to see what brainstorm her team mate had come up with. "I think Arcane would be the perfect codename for me. I don't know what, but there's just something about the codename that speaks to me."
  
  Kitty looked at him, blinking in confusion, before she understood. She looked impressed.
  
  "Well given that it means something that's understood by few, mysterious and secret, that fits you to a tee," Kitty said.
  
  Harry thought that did fit him, even though that was not quite the direction he was going for.
  
  "Actually, I was going for the magic user aspect of it, more really," Harry said.
  
  "Although you really should have gone with the name Excalibur or something, I mean that just sounds cool," Kitty said. Harry looked at her, with a raised eyebrow. The brunette looked at him in an exasperated manner. "You know, like the sword with King Arthur and Merlin and all that stuff."
  
  "Yes, I'm aware of what Excalibur is," Harry said with a chuckle, and there was laughter all around. "I just don't see it as a name fitting me. And are you trying to say that Arcane isn't cool?"
  
  "No, I'm not saying that all," Kitty said. "But you got to admit that the name Excalibur just seems to be so much more epic."
  
  Harry sighed. He looked at her, with a frown.
  
  "Arcane's good too," Kitty added.
  
  "Glad to see I have your vote of confidence," Harry said.
  
  "Good, we finally got that settled," Kitty said. She turned to Kurt. "Unless you can think of a better name."
  
  "No, it's good," Kurt said.
  
  "Well, I'll miss hearing that debate," Scott said dryly and suddenly they saw that they were there.
  
  The X-Men prepared to see what they could find from the newest mutant. The way Xavier had briefed them on the situation, they knew that they would have to take extra care not to terrify the girl, and cause her to lash out against them, using her powers. The Blackbird landed, and they exited it to walk to the last known spot where the girl was sighted.
  
  Getting here was the easy part. Finding their mystery girl was going to be something different all together.
  
  A young girl dressed in gothic clothing stepped forward. She was pale, with dark hair, and white bangs. She looked around over to the side. Her heart began to thump a mile a minute. She could hardly believe what had happened. Her entire world had been turned topsy-turvy. She continued to run forward as fast as her legs could carry her. The events of the last few hours had played through her mind. She had gotten mostly a sense of herself. However, there were just many more questions that were yet to be answered.
  
  The girl known as Rogue leaned against the wall. She was at a party. It was a rare outing that her guardian, Irene, had allowed her to attend. There was something that was always different about her. She had been told that she had a skin condition, and had to avoid contact with other children her age. Well, skin condition would be one way to put it what she had. She held her arms across her chest, and took a few deep breaths.
  
  It all came back to her. There was this boy, at the party. His name was Cody. He asked her to dance, they did. Suddenly their skin touched, and the lights went out. His memories became hers. His talents on the Football field had become hers. She was standing there, and took a deep breath. She still shook her head.
  
  'What's happening to me?' Rogue asked herself. She put her hands on her face. 'Is this what's going to happen every single time I go out in public. I can't even stand to face anyone? I have to be afraid to accidentally bump into someone, because this might happen. This is crazy. This is...no there's got to be an explanation. I got to get out of here...get home."
  
  Rogue put her hands on her head. She continued to be confused, and took a deep breath. The solution had swam around her head. She needed to get home. However, where was home? That was something that she had no idea. Was she home right now? Was this her home or Cody's home? Where was she going? She wiped her hand across her forehead.
  
  She barely even remembered her real name any more. She could not sit around here, gawkin' like some kind of idiot. She had to keep moving. It was useless to try and think otherwise. She made sure her skin was completely covered, or at least as covered as it was going to get. The last thing the girl wanted was some relapse of the incident.
  
  Suddenly she stopped. She heard growling from outside. Rogue felt faint, and stopped.
  
  "Who's...who's there," Rogue said, and she prepared to fight.
  
  A short man dressed in orange had stepped out. He had dark hair.
  
  "I've got you, right where I want you," he growled.
  
  He charged forward, and jumped at Rogue. Rogue tucked her head, and rolled out of the way. The man crashed into the bed, and Rogue decided to use that as her opportunity to rush out of the backdoor, as fast as her legs could carry her.
  
  Mystique watched Rogue leave. Her eyes followed the girl's progress out the door, as she thought about the plan. Wearing the face of Wolverine was something that she detested, but it would have to do for the plan to work. She could not allow Rogue to be recruited by the X-Men. Xavier had already gotten to one of them, and poisoned him with his lies. Mystique refused to allow another one to get corrupted by that foolish man's even more foolish dream.
  
  She watched Rogue leave. Her beady eyes were narrowly fixed on the girl. She gave the girl a couple of moments to sweat things out. Then she turned into Storm. She reached into her belt, and pulled out a miniature pellet. This would simulate fake lightning.
  
  "No one escapes the X-Men," the faux Storm bellowed in a commanding voice.
  
  This performance would go on without a hitch, and Rogue's own confusion about her powers planned into her plans perfectly. She pelleted in, and the flash of light scorched the ground, it caused Rogue to tumble head over heels. She landed on the ground with a thud.
  
  She rolled over, and got back to her feet. The woman she saw kept in the shadows, so she looked like an imposing figure. Rogue took a few deep breaths, and tried to remain on her feet. She scrambled on her back, and kept running.
  
  Mystique watched Rogue leave. It was a shame she had to do something like this. The name of the game was deception. It was all about sticking to the plan. Mystique turned around, and she got on her cell phone when she was sure Rogue was running out of sight.
  
  "She's running scared," Mystique said. There was a small bit of regret in her voice. Yet, she was trying to keep neutral.
  
  She had a job to do.
  
  The X-Men had arrived. Already Rogue would be confused. Mystique morphed into a raven. It was time to get a bird's eye view, and watch the show. Soon she would continue to drive nails into the reputation of the X-Men.
  
  The entire group exited their jet, unaware that they were being watched by Mystique. As long as she remained hidden, and in the shadows, there should be no way that any of them would know that she was here.
  
  The game was afoot. Now it was the time to take things up to the next level when Xavier and his disciples got involved.
  
  The seeds of discontent will be sewed even further.
  
  Harry always found himself to be someone who could think really quickly on his feet. He had never been much of a planner. That was the one reason why he kind of was a bit reluctant about being a part of a team. It kind of stopped him from thinking on his feet. He had to compensate for the follies of others.
  
  He stood around. Scott, Jean, and Logan went one way. Ororo took to the air to see if she could spot this Rogue girl. Harry was with Kitty and Kurt on the ground. One of them could teleport away from trouble, and one of them could become intangible to avoid attacks. And they could do so to other people.
  
  Harry thought he heard something. It was merely a bird.
  
  'Got to learn to relax, Potter,' Harry thought to himself.
  
  Suddenly, he did spot something. The girl Professor Xavier described had been running in the distance. He had gotten a glimpse of her. It took him a few seconds to register what he saw.
  
  "Look," Harry said to Kitty and Kurt. They both spun around.
  
  "Yeah, that's so her," Kitty said. She pulled out the communication device that she had on her. "Hey, Scott, Jean, we got her."
  
  "Great, don't let her out of your sight, we're going in," Scott said.
  
  "That shouldn't be too hard," Kurt said, and he teleported out of the way.
  
  "Not all of this can do that," Kitty said. Harry disapparated away next and left Kitty stranded. Kitty placed her hands on her hips. Harry returned.
  
  "Hang onto my waist tightly," Harry advised her.
  
  Kitty looked at him strangely. "Your waist?"
  
  "That's what I said," Harry said, and he grabbed Kitty, pulling her in closely. Kitty wrapped her around his waist. The two disapparated with a pop.
  
  There was a moment where Kitty had her arm around Harry's waist. She paused, and noticed that they were there.
  
  "Um, right maybe I should let go," Kitty said.
  
  "Take your time," Harry told her with a smile.
  
  They joined Kurt over to the side. Kurt was standing there, and Logan hovered in the background. The fuzzy mutant turned his attention to both Kitty and Harry who stood and waiting.
  
  "It looks like we don't have to worry too much, Jean's found her," Kurt said, pointing them out.
  
  Harry moved in to listen closely, and he caught snatches of conversation.
  
  Jean walked up towards Rogue. She had collapsed on the ground, and was now seated on the ground cross-legged. She looked up at Jean. She backed off.
  
  "It's okay, there's no need to be upset," Jean said. "With your powers, you're scared, and confused. But we're here to help."
  
  "You are?" Rogue asked.
  
  "We're here from the Xavier Institute for the Gifted, and you can learn how to use your powers," Jean said.
  
  "And you expect me to just get up, and walk off with you," Rogue said. There was a great deal of distrust dripping from her voice.
  
  Jean shook her head. She could see the suspicious look in Rogue's eyes.
  
  "I don't expect you to do that. However, just think about it. Take this communicator device, and if you consider going, just press that button. It should contact one of us, and we can pick you up. We'll be around a little bit longer tonight."
  
  Rogue just pondered. She really didn't know what she wanted to do to be honest. Suddenly she looked up, and spotted of the ones who attacked her. The man who had tried to attack her in her room was now walking up towards her, and Rogue panicked.
  
  She saw the woman who had tried to zap her with lightning. Immediately, Rogue ran off.
  
  "I don't understand, it looked like she was going to join," Jean said.
  
  "Something's rotten here," Logan said. He sniffed the air. "I can smell it."
  
  "Yeah, the way she's running, could someone else be here?" Harry asked.
  
  Logan considered that for a second.
  
  "Possible, I'll keep an eye out," Logan said.
  
  "So do you think that we should try and talk to her?" Scott asked.
  
  Kurt popped up. This was his first official recruiting mission, and he thought that this would be the perfect chance to do something useful.
  
  "Maybe she ran away from you guys, but maybe I could talk to her," Kurt said.
  
  Harry nodded. He thought that Kurt was more of a people person than he was. His conventional regular appearance was not a reflection of what lied within. This Rogue girl seemed rather more distressed than Kitty was when Harry had run into her. Kitty was just dealing with her powers. If Harry did not know any better, Rogue was attacked by someone.
  
  "I'd be careful, someone might have been attacking her," Harry said.
  
  "You mean trying to make us look bad," Ororo said.
  
  "Yeah, that makes sense," Kitty said. Her eyes focused on Logan and Ororo. "When she saw the two of you, she panicked."
  
  "Elf, go see if you can talk some sense into her," Logan said shortly, and Kurt nodded. "The rest of you, stick around here. If someone is attacking here, they could be going after us."
  
  Rogue nearly collapsed on the ground. She had been running for so long that she was sick of it. She saw a dark haired boy on the swing set of a playground area.
  
  "Hey there's no need for alarm," the boy said with a smile. "We're not your enemy, we're your friends."
  
  "I don't know what's going on here," Rogue said. "Who are you?"
  
  "My name's Kurt," he said. He dropped down, and looked at Rogue. "The X-Men are here because they want to help you."
  
  "The X-Men, two of them tried to attack me," Rogue said. A scowl appeared on her face. "Look, you might be one of the good ones, but the one that attacked me today were not good."
  
  "None of us saw you until you were running," Kurt argued.
  
  There was a long moment where Rogue looked at Kurt with abject disbelief. She shook her head, and could not believe him at all. It just seemed so crazy. She wanted to believe it, but she couldn't.
  
  "I just want to try, and get home and get some answers," Rogue said.
  
  "I understand, you think the entire world is out to get you," Kurt said.
  
  Rogue thought that was an oddly accurate statement. Kurt got up to his feet.
  
  "So, just let everyone have a chance to explain themselves, and it won't be so bad," Kurt said to her. He paused, and gave Rogue an encouraging smile. "You'll see."
  
  Rogue shook her head. She took a step forward, but a figure jumped her from behind. Before either Kurt or Rogue could see who it was, Rogue accidentally brushed up against him. His powers had been absorbed and he dropped to the ground, knocked completely unconscious. Rogue panicked. This was the second time this happened, but she got something more than memories.
  
  Rogue teleported immediately. All she intended to do was to get out of there. However, all she could do was teleport.
  
  Kitty and Harry arrived. They saw Kurt on the ground.
  
  "Kurt!" Kitty yelled frantically.
  
  Harry held her back. He performed a few diagnostic spells. It was determine if Kurt was in any immediate danger.
  
  "He's merely stunned," Harry told Kitty, before she could completely freak out. "She barely touched him; he'll be up in a couple of minutes."
  
  "How do you know?" Kitty asked him.
  
  Harry looked at her seriously.
  
  "Because, I saw it before we got here," Harry said. He turned around. His gaze was in the shadows. "There's something else here, that attacked both of them."
  
  "Is that the same thing you think is attacking Rogue?" Kitty asked.
  
  Harry nodded. Scott and Jean were nearby in case they needed back up. It would be another couple of minutes before Kurt would come too.
  
  His breath quickened, as did his heartbeat. Harry began to pick up the pace a little bit more. He hoped to reach Rogue before it was too late. She was still teleporting like mad. Harry knew that this might get him absorbed too. He grabbed Rogue's wrist to block her, and grounded her in place.
  
  There was a long pause for a moment where it appeared that nothing happened. Then Harry felt something wash over him. He passed out from the pain as quickly as Rogue grabbed his wrist. He dropped to his hands and knees, and then blacked out.
  
  Rogue staggered back. She had gotten a taste of what it was like to have Harry Potter's memories. This was not going to be pleasant for her at all. She began to scream in pure agony. She managed to disapparate nearly halfway across the town with a huge crack.
  
  Harry was coming to. He felt like he had been dunked in ice water. His powers had protected him for the most part. He had only felt a slight buzz when Rogue absorbed him.
  
  "I tried to stop her," Harry told Jean as she showed up.
  
  "You did, but it seems like your powers aren't something that can block hers," Jean said. She paused, and added. "You weren't assuming they were, are there?"
  
  Harry responded with a shrug.
  
  "Magic makes an idiot out of most science," Harry said. He thought that this was the most logical explanation at the time. "I had to take a guess."
  
  Jean nodded. That was fair enough. Kitty moved over with them, and Kurt was beginning to stir as well. They still had the problem of a rogue...well, Rogue.
  
  Harry got a good look at how her powers worked, and if he would have had to grab her next time, he would be able to negate them. His mind processed that much. He could be completely of base, but he hoped not.
  
  Rogue shook her head. The longer she ran around, the more confused she was. The moment she touched that second boy, his memories just did not make any sense to her. At least for the most part, and the memories that made sense had completely tortured her mind. What kind of life did he live to have something like that in his head? That had to be the most messed up mind ever.
  
  The X-Men were something else that caused her confusion. Sometimes, they seemed to want to help her. Then there were other times where they wanted to attack her. She took a step back, and ran into a building. She just needed a quiet place to think and to recoup.
  
  She heard the footsteps behind her.
  
  "Who's there?" Rogue demanded. Her Southern temper flared up at this moment. "Look, I'm so sick and tired of you all giving me the go around. I want some answers, and I..."
  
  She stopped, and the redhead who had given her the communicator had shown up at that moment. She managed to straighten up, and take a deep breath.
  
  "It seems like some people just don't want to be helped," "Jean" said.
  
  Rogue looked up, and the columns behind her exploded. She scrambled towards the nearest exit as fast as her legs could take her. The girl came to one conclusion. This entire group was nuts and possibly fickle as well. Rogue took her next steps, and scrambled away as fast as her feet could take her.
  
  Mystique stood, under the guise of Jean Grey. So far, everything was going towards plan. Pretty soon, Rogue would be turned away from the X-Men forever. She closed her eyes, and then her form morphed into that of one Harry Potter. Mystique took a step forward, and drew a breath.
  
  "Going somewhere?"
  
  Mystique turned around to come face to face with the real deal. This was not part of the plan at all. How did he get here some quickly?
  
  "You know if she sees us in the same place, at the same time, your little deception is going to go down the tube," Harry told her.
  
  Mystique fired a kick. Thanks to his reflexes, Harry ducked. He rolled out of the way, and tried to back off. He tried to alert the team, but Mystique had kicked the communicator out of his hand. Harry was now on his own, and he turned to engage her. He tried to manipulate her into position to fire a spell at her. She seemed to be able to dodge that accordingly, and they circled around each other.
  
  Rogue stepped back, and now she was really confused. Not to mention she was very angry. She saw two versions of the same dark haired, green eyed boy that she was fighting. This made no sense at all. One of the boys shot energy beams from his hand of some sort. She felt stupid for describing what he did like that. Yet, that was the only explanation she could think of.
  
  The X-Men showed up at that moment. They were greeted by the sight of the two Harry's fighting.
  
  "So, which one is the real one?" Kurt asked. He had just woken back up, and was still a little groggy from the battle.
  
  Kitty frowned, and she pointed out the right Harry.
  
  "I'm guessing the one that's shooting the magic stuff out of his hands," Kitty said.
  
  "Yeah, that makes sense," Logan grunted.
  
  Mystique was getting more and more frustrated as time went on. No matter what she did, she could not get one hit on this young man. Who had now ruined everything, and it was not like he was skilled at fighting. He was not skilled at fighting in the slightest. It was just that he was jumping around, and it was beginning to drive her nuts. All he was doing was dodging.
  
  She backed off when she saw the X-Men. The numbers had turned into odds that she did not like. This was the last thing that went through her mind before an orange light impacted her chest. She landed to the ground and her breath had been knocked out of her.
  
  Jean decided to ask the obvious question. "Professor is that..."
  
  "Yes, that is, Jean," Xavier said. The other members of the X-Men looked confused, especially the newer ones. "This is Mystique. She is a shape-shifter, and a highly dangerous fighter. She's a master of deception."
  
  "That much I gathered," Harry said dryly.
  
  "So, she's the one who tried to go after her?" Logan asked.
  
  Rogue stepped forward, and looked at the entire group of X-Men. Her eyes widened at that moment, and her mouth opened.
  
  "Will any of you explain to me what the hell is going on here?" Rogue asked. Her eyes narrowed, as she looked at all of the X-Men. "Is this is some kind of sick joke?"
  
  "There's no kind of sick joke here, Rogue," Xavier said. Rogue looked rather skeptical. Anyone would be given the circumstances. Thankfully Xavier was able to pacify the situation as only he could. He sat on his wheelchair, and peered up at her. "The X-Men are not your enemies. We can help you figure out your powers."
  
  Rogue looked dubious at best. Mystique's eyes flickered open. She slowly managed to get to her feet, before she was missed. Logan had seen her rushing from the window.
  
  "We've got a runner," Logan growled.
  
  Harry moved over to stun Mystique again. However he was stopped.
  
  "Let her go," Xavier said.
  
  Harry's eyes narrowed suspiciously.
  
  "What?" Harry asked, unable to believe this.
  
  Xavier sighed. This was going to be hard one to explain. Yet he had to.
  
  "We must let her go, young Rogue here is of the most importance," Xavier said.
  
  "We had a perfect opportunity to bring someone dangerous like that down, and we're just going to let her go," Harry said. He spoke slowly, and deliberately as if he was not sure he was hearing right. He was pretty sure he did not get hit in the head during the battle.
  
  "I got to go with him on this one, Chuck," Logan said.
  
  'I'll explain my reasoning for it later, Logan,' Xavier told the mutant telepathically.
  
  Logan just grumbled.
  
  "Harry could have got her easily you know," Kitty said. "The rest of you aren't going to just stand around and let her get away, are you?"
  
  "If the Professor has a good reason for it, then perhaps we should," Scott said. He was in two minds about the situation, but Professor Xavier often did have a good reason. Even if he was at a loss to figure out what that reason might be.
  
  Rogue stared.
  
  "You can come with us Rogue, if you want, or we will drop you off back home," Xavier said.
  
  "Fine, I'll come with you," Rogue said. She looked at them to make sure she let them know this decision was completely in her hands. "Then I'll decide whether or not if I'm staying."
  
  Xavier nodded his head. All and all that was the best that he could hope for given the situation. He would be able to talk to Rogue.
  
  "We all got off on the wrong foot I think," Harry said. "I'm sorry."
  
  "For what?" Rogue asked.
  
  "You saw my memories," Harry said.
  
  "Yeah, well I was the one who touched you, so I had it coming," Rogue said. "I'm going to have to figure out why that keeps happening."
  
  "Well come to the school, and you might," Kitty said.
  
  Her cheery demeanor was something that threw Rogue off, and just annoyed her on principle. It was nothing personal against the girl. It just was against her nature. She just nodded. Perhaps that would be something that she had to consider.
  
  A black bird watched as Rogue left. Her beady little eyes were fixed on both Harry Potter and Charles Xavier. She blamed both of them for what happened, and she plotted her revenge.
  
  There would come a day where both of them would pay.
  
  "So have to come to a consensus of whether or not you're going to stay, Rogue?"
  
  Rogue stared at the assembled group of the X-Men. The truth was she had really been trying to figure out where she stood. There were a million thoughts going through her mind. She was quiet the entire trip back. No one seemed to want to look at her. Then again, after this entire event she took a deep breath. She looked at the group, and folded her arms. She delayed the answer, even if she knew what it was going to be.
  
  "I'll be honest, I thought that you people were out to get me," Rogue said. "Then it was...that Mystique wasn't it?"
  
  "Yeah that was her," Xavier said. "She is a master of trickery. Do not feel bad that you nearly were tricked by her. There were many people who had fallen for her tricks in the past. And there will be many more people who have fallen for her tricks. Many of them far wiser, and it was lucky she was caught."
  
  Harry had no idea whether or not luck had anything to do with it. Mystique was there, and then she was gone. Harry took a step back. Kitty, Kurt, Jean, and Scott stood in the background. He had wondered why Xavier made the decision that he did. That one was going to annoy him for a long time.
  
  He was hoping to avoid the standard answer of people having their reasons. And Xavier likely had a good reason he was sure. The only thing that stopped Harry from calling out Xavier on everything was the fact that he did not have a back-up plan. He was still in this strange world.
  
  Still one day, he would likely have to confront him on it.
  
  "Yeah, Mystique is slippery," Harry told Rogue, for lack of anything better to say.
  
  "You took her down," Rogue said. "And then you let her go."
  
  "Yeah, I'm at a loss for that one too," Harry said.
  
  "Why did you tell Harry to let her go, Professor?" Kitty asked.
  
  "Yeah, she was one of the bad guys, so we should have brought her in," Kurt said.
  
  Xavier knew this was not going to be a conversation that he would not relish having with the younger members of the team. If he had taken in Mystique, he would risk starting a war with Magneto. Humanity would be caught in the crossfire. Their relationship had been tense. It was almost a truce, or a ceasefire.
  
  "No human prison would have been able to hold Mystique," Xavier said. The answer was honest, and most would have bought it.
  
  Rogue, Kurt, Kitty, and Harry all exchanged expressions of deep skepticism. The older members of the team seemed about ready to buy this answer. Logan just grunted, and scowled. Something told them that he did not believe it any more than they did.
  
  "Okay, Professor, you're the boss," Kurt said, shrugging his shoulders.
  
  "Now, I hope that today's events will not sour our relationship," Xavier said.
  
  Harry nodded. He was still getting used to being a part of a team. Perhaps this is one of those team building exercises, and things he had to learn to deal with.
  
  The more answers he got, the more questions he got.
  
  "I'd like to stay, Professor, give the X-Men a shot," Rogue said. She shifted her shoulders.
  
  "We'd appreciate you giving us the chance," Xavier said.
  
  "Welcome to the team, Rogue," Jean said in a bright voice.
  
  "Yeah, you won't regret it," Scott said.
  
  Rogue nodded. She hoped that she would not. Harry looked at her, and she followed him out of the room.
  
  "I want to talk to you for a minute," Harry told Rogue. His voice was low and urgent. "What did you see?'
  
  Rogue thought this was a good question. The memories when she absorbed them barely made sense.
  
  "I don't really know," Rogue said. "None of your memories that I absorbed were that vivid. Even your powers, I couldn't really control them."
  
  "My powers are far different than most," Harry said. "It's a wonder you didn't black out yourself when you absorbed them."
  
  Rogue blinked when Harry had dropped this statement on her.
  
  "You can't be that powerful," Rogue said.
  
  Harry chuckled. This was going to be fun. He looked at the gothic girl seriously. This was going to be one of those things where he would have to explain it carefully. He felt a bit more at ease that she had not seen something that would come back to haunt him later on.
  
  "No, trust me, power has nothing to do with it," Harry said. "And it's a wonder that you didn't start blowing things up. But that's beside the point. I just want to know if you saw anything. There are some things in my mind that I don't think anyone really deserves to see, or have to experience."
  
  Rogue shifted. She had gotten a sense of that.
  
  "You've had a hard life," Rogue said.
  
  "That's one way of putting it," Harry said.
  
  "And you're not happy about letting Mystique go," Rogue said. Harry did not blink. He opened his mouth to try for the diplomatic approach, not trying to stir anything with the new student. "It's okay; I don't blame you at all for thinking about that. I would have done the same thing."
  
  Rogue turned around, and walked off. Accidentally, she brushed against Harry. She winced immediately, but Harry kept watching. The girl was sure that their skin touched together. She remembered what Mystique did today. She almost did not go to this school, because of everything that she tried to pull. She had enough problems with the fact that she could not touch anyone without knocking them out.
  
  Harry walked over, and sunk into the chair with a sigh. Kitty sat down on the chair opposite of him.
  
  "Tell me about it, it's been a long day," Kitty said. "I wonder why the Professor wanted to let Mystique go."
  
  "Damned if I know," Harry said, slumping in the chair, and he summoned over a book to read. Kitty dodged it when it flew through the air.
  
  "No, need to get all broody over it," Kitty said.
  
  Harry jumped to the defensive mode immediately.
  
  "I'm not getting broody," Harry said. He looked at the brunette with a smile. "You'd know when I was getting broody."
  
  "Oh, are there little storm clouds forming above your head or something?" Kitty asked. "Because that's the only way people would be able to tell the difference between now, and how you normally act."
  
  Harry just smiled.
  
  "Trust me, you'd know," Harry replied.
  
  "And you were totally scared when Rogue energy-vampire you," Kitty said. "Is the big bad Harry Potter keeping some deep dark secret?"
  
  "Yeah, the bodies of brunettes who keep pestering me with questions," Harry said dryly. He looked at her with a slight smile. "I keep them in my basement."
  
  "Hey!" Kitty yelled.
  
  "Seriously, I just like my privacy," Harry said. "And the past should remain in the past."
  
  Kitty nodded. That was fair enough. Harry barely talked about his friends, or where he came from. Then again, he was never going to see them again.
  
  Kitty would freak out if she went through what Harry did. She found herself watching Harry, as he was reading. She found herself lost in his eyes.
  
  "What do I have something on my face?" Harry asked her.
  
  "No, just thinking," Kitty said.
  
  Harry just smiled at her and went back to his book.
  
  The day that was had been a rather frustrating one for Mystique. She had thought that she had everything under control. Then she had to deal with that Potter. Potter had not only figured out her deception, but he had knocked her unconscious. It was a small miracle that she managed to escape. Yet, there was no miracle what she was up against. She found herself face to face with Magneto.
  
  "You failed to recruit her properly into the Brotherhood," Magneto said in a calm voice.
  
  Mystique wished Magneto had raged at her. This calm disappointment was far more demeaning to her than mindless rage.
  
  "My plan was compromised," Mystique said.
  
  Magneto seemed to be not in the mood to listen to any excuses. He stared down Mystique, and promptly began to speak. "Compromised, plans do tend to get compromised, Raven. Yet, the true measure of a mutant is how well they are able to adapt. If our brothers and sisters are able to withstand the onslaught, than adaptation is something that you must learn. Do not disappoint me such again. So far, you have gathered a few recruits to our group. And there will be many more to come."
  
  "Yes, I won't disappoint again," Mystique said.
  
  She watched Magneto. These moments of long silence really did get to her much of the time. She had thought Magneto was considering whether or not she was an asset. Had she not proven her loyalty to that man time and time again? She should be thanked for all that she had put on the line, and now all that she had lost.
  
  The Potter child would have a problem.
  
  "I trust you will continue to keep an eye out, and give me further progress reports on the situation," Magneto said.
  
  Mystique nodded in a stiff manner. She had no choice, but to do that. Magneto turned around to depart. This left Mystique standing there, a frustrated expression spreading across her face. She took a deep breath, and turned around to see a dark haired woman with glasses. This woman was her associate Irene Adler. She was blind; however she had the gift for the foresight.
  
  "You have encountered the one that walks between worlds," Irene said in a cryptic voice.
  
  Mystique's face was contorted with confusion. "The one that walks between worlds?"
  
  "He is not strictly classified as a mutant and he has great potential," Irene continued. She stood in front of Mystique, and nodded carefully. "He will serve to be an asset for whatever side commands him. He has the ability to inspire great light inside darkness, and could lead mutants to a new age."
  
  Mystique nodded. Her friend had told Rogue's powers would manifest. And warned her not to be careless.
  
  "He has influenced many already, even if his time here has been short," Irene said cryptically. "He will be one for many to watch. And many will see fit to end him, to prevent him from becoming a threat to their plans."
  
  Mystique had no idea how much of this she wanted to believe. The mysterious arrival of the boy only known as Harry Potter had completely vexed her. Yet, the fact that he could be some kind inspiration to mutants intrigued her just a little bit. Magneto seemed interested in monitoring the boy's progress.
  
  For now, Mystique considered him a little more than a thorn in her side, and an individual who disrupted her plans.
  
  She would have to wait if that opinion was changed.
  Sorcerer
  
  
  Chapter 07: Sorcerer.
  
  There was one thing that all of the students of the Xavier Institute for the Gifted could say about the Danger Room. It kept them on their toes, and in fighting shape each and every moment they had trained in it. The programs were varied enough where they could expect the unexpected. Harry dodged a set of lasers, and tucked his head. He used his agility to roll out of the way. He deflected two of the blasts. His attack had knocked out the attacks.
  
  It had been an interesting last few weeks at the Xavier Institute. Harry had never thought he would have been able to fit in that well. Yet, he found his way to a brand new home. He had a brand new life, with many of the same challenges.
  
  He deflected two of the attacks. It was important to learn to work as part of a team, and not as a solo act.
  
  "Kitty, dodge to your left, and turn!" Harry yelled. Kitty nodded, and did what Harry had advised. Harry tried to get a handle of his surroundings, before he continued to yell suggestions. "Kurt, go to your right, and turn, and Rogue stay through the middle."
  
  The lasers were deflected on that note. Harry thought he was coming into his own at spotting certain patterns in the Danger Room. He did give Logan some credit for changing everything up in the Danger Room. It would be foolish to allow them to grow complacent. There were a set of lasers, and the shower began to blast out them. The closing walls of the Danger Room nearly tripped them up. Kitty went intangible, and disabled them.
  
  "We're not going to make it!" Kitty yelled.
  
  "Of course we're going to make it," Harry said. Kurt ported in front of Harry. "Kurt, is Rogue behind you?"
  
  "Present!" Rogue yelled, and she rushed forward. The Goth girl took a good look around. "Is it just me, or is Logan trying to make an effort to kill us every morning before breakfast? And lunch and dinner?"
  
  Harry just offered her an encouraging smile. Kitty was the one that piped up immediately. "It isn't just you. I swear, just because he has a healing factor, doesn't mean the rest of us does."
  
  "Keep focused!" Harry yelled at the top of his lungs. Which could be pretty loud, given that Harry was capable of some volume.
  
  Kurt, Kitty, and Rogue did keep focused. They continued to dodge the attacks, bobbing and weaving around them. Harry looked at the clock. If they did not complete this program in a certain amount of time, they would fail in this Danger Room session. Harry did not intend to fail, even if he had to rely on the other team members.
  
  "Kitty, disable, Kurt teleport, Rogue up you go," Harry said.
  
  No one was going to call out Harry on his strategy. He actually managed to get them through most of the course. The energy rings were far ahead. The four managed to get through most of the Danger Room.
  
  "Could you use magic to disable them?" Kurt asked.
  
  It was Rogue who answered.
  
  "Remember, Logan said that would invalidate the entire point of the exercise," Rogue said.
  
  Kitty was the one that piped up next. "Harry would use something like that in real life though, so I don't know why it's not allowed."
  
  Harry would have to concede that she had a point. Although, he did have to train his other abilities, in addition to his magic. The three of them continued to move forward. Each step they got closer towards the end of the Danger Room. Harry's heart skipped a beat. He made sure his team members made it through safely.
  
  "Okay, we're going to the last leg, everyone stay together!" Harry yelled.
  
  Kitty, Kurt, and Rogue nodded. The last hurdle did seem to be among the most dangerous. They had to keep moving. Harry led the group down the final leg of this training session in the Danger Room. It was a sharp turn. They could see Professor Xavier watching from above. Logan was watching as well. The expression on his face was unreadable.
  
  "I think we're going to have to jump this one," Rogue told them.
  
  Harry nodded. He would have to concur. Kitty and Harry rushed to the front of the line. It was Harry that cleared the pit first. His knees had been bent, and he landed on the ground. Harry staggered. He managed to adjust his footing. Kitty was the next one that had made her way over the pit. She closed her eyes. She could feel the floor tingle underneath her feet. This was pretty much a warning shot for her to go through. Kitty bent her knees, and sprang up forward.
  
  Her balance was not as poised as Harry's. Most of it had to do with adjusting for the development of her powers. She was getting better. However, her footing was something that could use work. She nearly fell over. Harry caught her in his arms for a moment, just to allow her to readjust herself. The two shared a lingering stare. Harry looked at her, about to ask her if she was okay. Kitty nodded immediately, trying to remain cool under the situation. Kurt followed through next, and Rogue had brought up the rear. The four X-Men stood at the end, and they knew the finishing line was there.
  
  "We're going to actually make it!" Kitty yelled in a triumphant voice.
  
  Rogue shook her head. "Yeah, by the skin of our teeth."
  
  "We can argue about how close, or how far we came later," Harry said. He took several steps forward, and reached the end. Kurt followed him next. Kitty followed him next, and Rogue had landed.
  
  They waited for the light to go off. The Danger Room session had been completed. Harry shook his head. He thought he could have got through that a bit faster if he had been able to use the full scope of his magical abilities, or if he had done so by himself. Yet, he was rather pleased all things considered with how well his team had done. They had all kept it mostly together under fire.
  
  This was the second time they did this particular Danger Room exercise. The first time they did it, the less said about that the better. This was a few weeks back. Harry thought Rogue in particular looked like she was going to crawl into a hole and die out of frustration.
  
  "So how do you think we did?" Kitty asked, tugging on Harry's sleeve to get his attention.
  
  Harry looked at her. "We did decently enough I think."
  
  "Decently enough?'" Kitty asked.
  
  "He means there's room for improvement," Rogue said to Kitty. "And I agree, there were a couple of times where we looked like we were kind of cutting it close."
  
  Harry thought that a couple of times were something that was a generous assessment. However, they had improved from the last time. The last time they had failed this session.
  
  Unfortunately, it was not Harry who was the one who had to give the final assessment of the matter. It was Logan who had that happy role.
  
  Kitty, Rogue, Kurt, and Harry all stood, and the Danger Room doors opened. They had managed to all remain conscious throughout the entire session. Surely, that was progress?"
  
  Logan stood outside of the Danger Room. He had watched the training session. There was always something that he would have done different. However, even he had to admit that they were doing decently enough. Under the circumstances, they could have done much worse. He saw the Danger Room doors open. Kitty, Kurt, Harry, and Rogue exited. Logan turned towards them. His eyes looked at all of them. Logan stared at them, and they stared back. There was a few seconds of silence before Logan decided to break the silence.
  
  "Well, you didn't completely embarrass yourselves like you did last time," Logan said. He offered this gruff assessment, which the quartet took as praise. "Not too bad in there, but if this was real life most of you would be dead. You would have been skewed to bits."
  
  Harry agreed with this. That is why they had these simulations, and training sessions. It was to iron out all of the kinks in the teamwork before they were out on the field. However, Harry did know one thing. More often than not there was a huge world of difference between a simulation and between actually being out. Harry learned that all of the training in the world would not prepare for the impossible.
  
  "Next time, we'll get out there easier," Harry said.
  
  "This session was way too easy on all of you, especially you," Logan said to Harry. Harry looked back at Logan, his expression firm. "You're someone who should be handling tougher things in there. You're going to get some solo time in the Danger Room on the higher levels."
  
  Harry thought that he had did the best job he had in keeping the team together. The team had made it out of the scenario one hundred percent. No one had passed out; there was not even a scratch on them. To Harry, he thought everything had turned out rather well. Still, he had to agree with Logan, there was room for improvement. Teamwork was something that was the hardest thing to fine tune. If more than one team member was out of sync, then they would have to compensate.
  
  "I didn't think we'd get out of there in time," Kurt said. "And I thought we improved."
  
  "We did improve, it's just certain people here can't really see improvement," Kitty said.
  
  Harry shook his head. "I told you we all did well. All I said was there is room for improvement. Trust me, if we had been a step or two quicker, we would have been able to finish that Danger Room session in quicker time."
  
  Harry took a deep breath. He took a step forward into the hallways across from the Danger Room. Jean, Scott, and Ororo disappeared into the shadows. Harry took another step forward. Logan walked up, and had something else to say to them.
  
  "I need to up the difficulty in the Danger Room," Logan said. "The four of you got through that a bit too easily."
  
  "Easy," Kitty mouthed.
  
  "In what world was that easy?" Kurt asked.
  
  "Yeah, I didn't think that was too easy," Rogue said.
  
  "Of course it wasn't," Logan said. He shook his head, and walked away.
  
  "You really did think it was too easy," Kitty said to Harry. Harry just shrugged.
  
  "Not really, but we're going to get thrown in with the wolves if we complain too much about it," Harry said.
  
  Jean and Scott walked out around the corner. Harry stopped and looked at them.
  
  "So, did you see that?" Harry asked them. Jean and Scott nodded. "So, what did you think?"
  
  "I think you did well in there, Harry," Jean said.
  
  Scott gave his input. "A little rough around the edges, but you're not as bad as you were a couple of months ago. Give it time and you'll be going through there so well that even Logan won't find anything to critique."
  
  Harry actually hoped not, because he was always looking for ways to improve. Kitty just snorted at the very thought of Logan not finding something that they could improve on. Then again, the first time she was in the Danger Room, she blacked out after the training session. She had thankfully gotten better since then. Kurt and Rogue both walked off; to do homework they had lingering. For once in his life, Harry had actually taken the initiative and had completed his homework Kitty had assisted him on it, a little bit, but for the most part Harry had gotten it all done.
  
  His grades in school had been improving, or at least he thought they did. It was something that was hard to figure out when he was comparing grades from a magical school to the grades of a normal school.
  
  Harry sighed.
  
  "What's up?" Kitty asked.
  
  "Just thinking about that speech I have to give to the class on Monday," Harry said. "I'm not the best public speaker in the world."
  
  "Nerves, everyone has those, don't worry about it," Kitty said. She added with a smile. "Just pretend that everyone's in their underwear."
  
  "You do realize that you're in that class," Harry said. His voice remained calm. However there was a slight hint of a smile. "So, wouldn't I be imagining you in your underwear?"
  
  "You mean you don't imagine me in my underwear," Kitty teased back.
  
  Harry just gave her a smile.
  
  "Wouldn't you like to know?" Harry asked.
  
  Before this interplay could go on any further, Kitty and Harry noticed something off to the side. They were about to head outside on the account of having their homework done, and just hang out. The two took a couple of steps forward, and saw a strange man with dark hair arrive. He was in the midst of a conversation with Professor Xavier. The two could not resist listening to the conversation.
  
  "Sorry for not meeting with you sooner, Charles. There were extra-dimensional manners that demanded a great deal of my time."
  
  Xavier responded. "No problem at all, Stephen. The responsibilities of the Sorcerer Supreme are something that demands a substantial amount of your time. You did read the message that I read you about young Mr. Potter."
  
  Now Harry was intrigued that they were talking about him. Kitty stood up straight next to Harry. The two of them discreetly took a step forward, to listen closely.
  
  "Yes, I have heard about him, and I have studied the mystical energies that surrounded his arrival to this plane," Strange said. "His powers have raw potential, but they are unrefined. It seems as if the magical education he had given had been the most rudimentary. It could have done him more harm than good as regards to his magical prowess."
  
  Kitty looked extremely curious. She nudged Harry to ask him a question, but Harry hushed her.
  
  "I believe that it would be prudent for you to talk to Harry himself," Xavier said. "Perhaps you can shed some light on his strange arrival in this world."
  
  Harry shook his head, and acted like he had not been listening in just a second later. Kitty looked amused. Harry could not act innocent to save his life. Although she had really appreciated the effort, and the door opened.
  
  "Ah, Harry, I was hoping you were still available," Xavier said to Harry. If he had noticed Harry was eavesdropping, he did not bring up the fact. "I wish for you to speak with a friend of mine."
  
  "I'll wait for you outside, Harry," Kitty said. She offered him a smile, which Harry returned.
  
  She figured Harry needed space. Perhaps he could find out the reason why he got here, and maybe a way to get back.
  
  Kitty wondered if Harry would want to go back. She kind of hoped that she did not. She shook her head, and walked off.
  
  'Stop being selfish, Pryde,' Kitty thought to herself. She shook those thoughts off.
  
  She watched Harry leave with Professor Xavier.
  
  Harry exited the room, and walked inside. He tried to not look too nervous, or as if he had been eavesdropping just few seconds ago. He spotted Professor Xavier the moment that he walked in first. There was a man that stood beside him, dressed in black robes. There was a golden amulet around his neck. He looked at Harry with a nod, and Harry wondered what this was all about. He had a feeling that he would find out all too soon.
  
  "Harry, this is an old colleague of mine, Doctor Stephen Strange," Xavier said. Harry looked at him with a curious expression on his face. "He is the Sorcerer Supreme of Earth."
  
  Harry was now intrigued. He figured there would be other magical users in this dimension. Logic dictated that there had to be. He just had no idea where he would have met them.
  
  "Please to meet you, Doctor Strange," Harry said.
  
  Strange offered a polite nod, and shook Harry's hand. Harry could tell this was a man of great power. He had assumed that Dumbledore was the most powerful wizard that he had ever meant. However, this guy just gave off the vibe that he was in an entirely different class that might as well have made Dumbledore look like a squib. Strange took a deep breath.
  
  "I've been following your arrival here, as had the rest of the world," Strange said. Harry nodded, and waved his hand to give Strange the opportunity to continue. "Someone like you would have caught the attention of a lot of eyeballs. I was alerted to your presence, but I decided not to intervene unless necessary. I felt until the time was right, I would step back, and see where you would fit in with this universe."
  
  Harry nodded. He had been here for a little over a month right now, and he had been settling in. The Sorcerer Supreme of all people had expressed that he had watched him. Harry had no idea what the responsibilities of the Sorcerer Supreme were, or how a person obtained such a title. He was interested in finding out.
  
  "So, you just decided to meet up with me now," Harry said.
  
  Strange shifted on his feet. There was a moment before he addressed Harry. "Yes, I sensed that there would be others who would be far interested with the raw power that you command. Your magical abilities are something that remain an anomaly. When combined with your mutant abilities, you are quite the unique young man indeed. Less than one percent of population in the Earth dimension would be able to obtain magic and mutant abilities simultaneously. The fact that your body would be able to contain such a power proves that you are in the top percentile of regarding power."
  
  Harry nodded. It took a bit to sink all of these in. He thought that he had been powerful, or at least that's what people told him. His confidence of his powers tended to be all off the board. Then again, he could achieve things back in his world that many other people could only dream about. There were not many people who could master a Patronus. And not only master a Patronus, but master them in the face of all of those Dementors. Performing a Patronus is one thing, performing it under pressure while relieving your worst memories was another thing entirely.
  
  "Magic is a blank canvas," Strange continued. "The possibilities can be endless, and only expanded by your own mind. However, it is very easy to allow your powers to run away from you. There are times where powers can be used for great things. And there are instances where powers can be used to corrupt."
  
  Harry understood one potential example of how powers could be used to corrupt. Lord Voldemort was at the top of the list. That was one part of his universe where Harry did not miss. A part of Harry wondered what happened when he left. With no Harry Potter, he wondered if anyone stepped up and defeated Voldemort.
  
  "I believe between the two of us, we can figure out how you arrived here, and if it is possible for you to return to your dimension," Strange said.
  
  Harry took a deep breath. He was debating furiously about whether or not he wanted to return if the opportunity had presented itself. There was a doubt that the opportunity would even be there. He could actually be himself with no pressure of being the Boy-Who-Lived there. He did not have to be the Chosen One. In that world, the fame would be thrust back onto him. There were his friends, but they could not be the sole reason why he was leaving. They would be fine without him.
  
  "With your permission, I will try and walk you through with your arrival through this dimension," Strange said. "I can assure you that anything that happens on this trip will stay between the two of us. I think that there are many secrets that should only be yours to declare when they are ready."
  
  Harry looked reluctant. On the one hand, he was intrigued about potentially getting some tips from someone who appeared to be far more knowledgeable about magic than he ever hoped to be. On the other hand, he was not sure if he wanted anyone to know anything about what happened in his home dimension. Still, he was curious about one thing. How did he get here, and if he wanted to go back, could he?
  
  "I think I would be interested in learning more," Harry said.
  
  "I thought as much," Strange said. "I will be borrowing your student for the day Charles, and perhaps depending on today, we can make further arrangements regarding training about his other powers. I've been meaning to take an apprentice."
  
  "It's no problem at all, Stephen," Xavier said. He wished he could offer any more insight with Harry's mystical abilities. If there was one person in the world that he could trust giving one of his X-Men that kind of insight, it was Stephen Strange.
  
  Strange and Harry disappeared into a glowing purple light.
  
  Strange and Harry arrived from the Xavier Institute. They popped up outside of a large manor house. Harry thought that it looked to be almost alive. Then again, there were times where Hogwarts seemed to be alive. The days where the stairways had shifted out from underneath them, where doors moved, and the fact that there were magical portraits that could visit each other. So seeing a building that was sentient did not faze Harry in the slightest. Harry stood, and waited for Strange to tell him where he was.
  
  "Welcome Harry, to the Sanctum Santorium," Strange said. Harry nodded slowly. This was something that was completely new to him. "This is my official residence, and where I have cataloged a great deal of my magical research tomes. I hope that over time they will be of use to you, if you are willing to learn."
  
  Harry took the step forward, and the doors swung open. It allowed him entry into the Sanctum Santorium. Strange walked behind Harry. There was a moment of silence. Harry looked around, and was impressed. There was an eerie presence within the fortress. Harry stood on his toes, and wished he had a few more sets of eyes. He wondered if there was a spell to allow such an effect.
  
  "Be careful not to touch anything," Strange told Harry. Harry stood on his toes, and was once again careful not to brush anything. "While I do not doubt your capabilities, there are many dangerous objects that I have obtained. It is just a matter of keeping them out of certain hands of those who would use them for harm. And some of them are rather alive."
  
  "That would explain the feelings that I have been having, "Harry said. Strange looked at the young wizard with a curious expression on his face. Harry decided to elaborate what he meant to the Sorcerer Supreme. "It's just when I stepped in here, I felt like everything in this place was calling out to me. It's almost like I understood it, but at the same time I didn't understand it. It's really hard to explain."
  
  Strange nodded. "It is not anything out of the ordinary to feel those sensations. Magic tends to call out to the strongest of us. I would not be too off base with saying that the very nature of your mystical abilities have changed the moment that you arrived here."
  
  Harry responded with a nod in the affirmative. Strange did not offer any more insight on the matter. The Sorcerer Supreme turned around and took a step towards a dusty shelf of books. He blew the dust off of the book, and read the contents of the book. Harry looked at him with a quizzical expression in his eyes. Strange shook his head.
  
  "I simply needed to verify something," Strange told Harry. Harry nodded. He would accept that for now. "Now we must go through the method which you had arrived here. I know you arrived in the desert as if you had never existed. I must tell you that I am well versed in the methods of sudden appearances and disappearances. My status as the Sorcerer Supreme has allowed me to deal with the strange and the mysterious."
  
  Harry could have figured out that Strange was someone that had his share of strange experiences, for lack of a better term. He threw all caution to the wind. Curiosity had got the better of him, and he decided to dive into the explanation.
  
  "I was fighting a group of servants of a rather powerful dark wizard in my dimension. I had brought a group of my friends to help me. I insisted that they stayed behind but..."
  
  "They wished to fight alongside you despite the dangers," Strange offered him.
  
  Harry nodded. That was one way of putting it, he supposed.
  
  "So anyway, they came with me," Harry told them. Strange invited Harry to continue. "All of us fought the servants of this dark wizard. They underestimated us, because I think they thought they would get an easy ride against young witches and wizards. A group of adult wizards arrived to help. One of them was my godfather, his name was Sirius Black."
  
  Harry took a deep breath.
  
  "He was blasted through a curtain, and disappeared," Harry said. "I had thought that I would follow him through the curtain, and try and find him. I felt....I felt like every inch of my body was on fire. Then I felt more at ease than I had ever been. It is hard to explain it."
  
  "I have heard a legend about a mysterious curtain that could act as a passageway, I will endeavor to research it later," Strange said, and Harry looked on with a smile. He thought he would finally get some answers. "Is there anything else you can remember?"
  
  Harry shook his head. For some reason, he decided to keep the mysterious flashes of memories that he had in his head to himself, for now. Learning to open up to people was a new experience.
  
  "Everything from the moment I stepped through that curtain, until the moment I got here was a blank. It was four years ago that I left that dimension. Yet, I didn't age a day."
  
  "A combination of time travel and interdimensional travel is very potent magic," Strange said. "One or the other can lead to a potentially dangerous experience. Combining both disciplines of magic can lead to magic that could rip someone apart."
  
  Harry decided to address the elephant in the room.
  
  "So my godfather..."
  
  "I cannot say," Strange said, cutting Harry off before he could speak on anything. "Without knowing the full nature of how you arrived here, there is very little insight that I could offer. The mantle of the Sorcerer Supreme offers me a deeper insight on many matters of magic than most. There is much responsibility in wielding this position, and a constant job. However, I believe that this is a mystery the two of us can solve."
  
  Strange remained calm and he looked at Harry. Harry sensed that the Sorcerer Supreme was determining how much to tell Harry.
  
  "I believe that you have untapped potential Harry, but your power are rather raw," Strange said. "We can discuss what can be done to refine it over time. Presently, just relax, and we will try and determine what has gone wrong."
  
  Harry did relax at that moment. Strange's spell allowed him to relive the entire experience.
  
  "You were dead for a minute, but something occurred," Strange said. "You passed a test and instead of being sent beyond, you were sent to this dimension. I will find more about this veil, and will tell you more when I can determine."
  
  Harry sat and waited.
  
  "You may read that entire back wall of books while you wait," Strange told Harry. "I would need to supervise your attempts to perform any magic in any of the other books given the nature of the content."
  
  Harry nodded, and Strange disappeared. He picked up the books, and began to read about the magic. It described sorcery that was far beyond anything that had been taught at Hogwarts.
  
  Books did tend to be more worth a person's attention when there was material that was conveyed in an interesting and enlightening manner. At least that was what Harry thought when he had combed through the various books while he waited for Doctor Strange to return. He realized how many books he had been assigned at Hogwarts had been written in a dry-manner that really did not give the desire to read the books.
  
  To him, magic should have come alive on the pages of the books he read. Although, how literal that statement would be, it would be something to be determined in time. While he did not know about half of the spells or enchantments on the pages, it would be something that he would have to learn in due time. There was also something else pretty interesting. The theory actually was more exciting than watching paint dry with the way it was conveyed. If he had learned magic in this way, he might have gone further and applied himself.
  
  There was no use to thinking about what could have been. Rather, he would have rather think about what could be now. Some of the dark creatures described in these books were nasty, and Harry shuddered at the thought of having to encounter them.
  
  Harry was so captivated with his reading, that he barely noticed that Strange returned. The Sorcerer Supreme walked up from behind Harry.
  
  "I thank you for waiting patiently," Strange said to Harry. Harry nodded, to try and convey that this was not a problem at all. "I found some information about that veil you eluded to, and also it may offer some insight about how you have arrived here."
  
  Harry's attention perked up just a little bit. Curiosity had got the better of him. He had nodded his head. How did he get here?
  
  "Years ago, a mysterious gateway was created by a group of wizards in medieval times," Strange told Harry. Harry nodded, to indicate that he had his full attention on him. "The gateway was created to execute criminals that were too powerful to be killed by mundane means. A version appears to have existed in your world as it has in this world. The gateway would be the ultimate method to judge witches and wizards."
  
  "You mean that it would actually determine whether or not they were guilty or innocent?" Harry questioned.
  
  Strange replied with a swift nod. "That was the intended purpose. However, the creation of magical artifacts can be a tricky process. The gateway was intended to destroy anything that passed through in the case of the guilt. One might stand to reason that guilt had already been decided and assumed the moment that they had passed through the veil. None had been known to survive, even if there was a small chance that they could survive."
  
  Harry just pulled a face. That was just the story of his life. He was always surviving things that no one else should have been able to survive. The Killing Curse was one thing, the veil was another, and he was sure that there were many other examples. His body should not have been able to stave of Basilisk venom for long enough for Fawkes to cry his tears. Maybe his real mutant power was that he was able to survive the impossible. Which meant knowing his luck, something utterly mundane would kill him.
  
  He took a deep breath, and looked at Strange. "So I got here through the veil..."
  
  "I believe the veil considered you to be different than anything that had ever come into contact with it," Strange explained to Harry. "Therefore, since you willingly walked through the curtain, it perceived you as innocent. With that perception, it allowed you to enter this universe. A universe that is very different from your own."
  
  Harry took a deep breath, and looked at the Sorcerer Supreme. "So is there any chance at all that I would be able to return home?"
  
  Strange looked thoughtful at that moment, and took a moment to consider this. Harry could tell that this was something that he spent most of his time trying to determine when he left Harry to his own devices.
  
  "Theoretically speaking you could return," Strange said. Harry sensed that there was a "but" hanging in the air. "However, the trip back may in fact be even more dangerous than the trip you took to come here. You would have to return the same exact way that you arrived here, and there is a significant margin for error."
  
  Harry pondered this matter immediately. He thought that was the case. Once again, he hoped that no one would walk through the veil. While he had the ability to survive these things, a part of him wondered if other people would survive. Given what Strange told him, that was highly unlikely.
  
  "I can sense you have a desire to learn more about the mystical arts," Strange said.
  
  Harry paused, trying not to seem too eager. He did not want to seem like some overindulgent child in front of the Sorcerer Supreme.
  
  "Yes, I would appreciate learning more," Harry said. He spoke this statement in a matter of fact manner.
  
  "Then I would offer my services to assist you along the way of your training," Strange said. "Now, there is magic that may be beyond your capabilities, at least at first. However, with hard work, and careful planning you can learn about the mystical arts."
  
  Harry pondered this.
  
  "If you are willing to learn, and if you want to think about this, I will understand," Strange said immediately.
  
  It was something that he thought about. The past month he had been trying to figure out a way to continue his magical training. Experimentation would only get him so far without any guidance. Who better to get any guidance from than the Sorcerer Supreme?
  
  "I accept your offer for training, Doctor Strange," Harry said.
  
  The Sorcerer Supreme nodded, and turned around. He was hoping that Harry would accept his offer for training. That type of power should be trained up, and the untapped power would interest those magical users of lesser scruples. During his time of the Sorcerer Supreme, he had encountered many dark and dangerous forces. Even with his power, there would always be someone out there with more strength than him. That is why he sharpened his wits, and his resourcefulness.
  
  "One of the most important aspects you can learn about magic is this," Strange explained to Harry. "Magic is all about testing the limits. However, there are times where if you try and tap into too much power, too soon, it can corrupt even the most noble of minds. The books are there for your disposal, but only these books on this shelf should be practiced without my direct supervision."
  
  Harry nodded. He had a feeling that his training would just began. That he would learn more from Doctor Strange than from all of his teachers so far.
  
  Strange looked at his library. It was something that he was proud of. There was only one person that he knew of in this realm who had collected as many books on the occult as he did, and that was Victor Von Doom. But that was beside the point.
  
  Right now, he slowly gave Harry the benefit of some of his knowledge of magic. He did not want to overwhelm the young man on his first day. The Sorcerer Supreme had a feeling that he was still assimilating into this universe. And he was still trying to find his place.
  
  Each day a journey began with many steps. Every day was a winding road.
  
  The past few hours had been rather interesting and enlightened Harry a great deal. However, he was rather glad to return back to the Xavier Institute. He arranged to visit with Doctor Strange after lunch on the weekends for more lessons, if there was not any kind of catastrophe on either end. Given Stephen Strange was the Sorcerer Supreme, and he had many responsibilities, Harry felt grateful for any of the time that the man had taken out of his day.
  
  Harry had a feeling that there was going to be another Danger Room session after dinner. He stashed away the book that he had been given about the nature of magic. Strange suggested that would be read it for the weekend.
  
  Kitty popped up, and greeted Harry.
  
  "For some reason, I thought you wouldn't be coming back," Kitty told him.
  
  Harry looked at Kitty, with a teasing smile. "What, are you trying to get rid of me?"
  
  Kitty laughed.
  
  "No of course not," Kitty said shaking her head, and she stepped forward, to look at Harry. "It's just; Professor Xavier mentioned that this Sorcerer Supreme was going to see how you got there. And I figured that...well never mind. I guess you're still here."
  
  "I don't know if I would go home right now even if I could," Harry told her.
  
  It was not really home, really. His life was far less complicated here in this dimension, than it was in his home dimension. The lack of prophecy hanging over his head really did relax him just a little bit. He had made friends, and had created a new life.
  
  "Do you miss them?" Kitty asked him.
  
  Harry just gave a bittersweet smile. "A few of them, but really as long as go I've left, they likely already forgot about me. So I don't think about it too much."
  
  Kitty stepped up, and looked at Harry.
  
  "Well if they're truly your friends, I don't think they ever forgot about you," Kitty said. "I wonder if any of them tried to follow you."
  
  Harry shuddered.
  
  "Given how the veil killed everyone else that walked through it, I hope not," Harry said. Kitty looked at Harry quizzically. "Because the veil was a tool for execution, and most were supposed to die. Somehow I didn't. That's the story of my life."
  
  "Only you would have some kind of negative spin on not dying when you should," Kitty said. Despite the fact she was shaking her head, she had a fond smile on her face.
  
  Harry looked at her seriously. "Well it's not the part about not dying that bothers me. It's just...it's just complicated."
  
  Kitty stepped forward, and instinctively reached for Harry's hand. Harry did not say anything, and did not call her on her actions. She placed her hand on his.
  
  "Sometimes things don't have to be complicated," Kitty said. "You'd be surprised how totally simple life could be."
  
  Harry just looked into her eyes. They stood outside, with the breeze blowing.
  
  "One day, I hope to figure out how simple life is," Harry said. Kitty took another step towards Harry.
  
  "Maybe we can figure that out together," Kitty told him. The space between them was mere inches.
  
  Kitty and Harry shared a quiet moment outside. Kurt popped up at that moment, which caused the moment to be lost.
  
  "Harry, good you're back," Kurt said. "See Kitty, you and Rogue were both freaking out for no reason. Well Rogue wasn't freaking out, more like a quiet brooding, but you get what I mean."
  
  Harry's interest was piqued.
  
  "I wasn't freaking out," Kitty told Kurt defensively.
  
  Harry raised an eyebrow, but he had said nothing about it.
  
  "I think Logan is trying to kill us before we have a last meal," Kurt said.
  
  "Overreacting just a little bit, Kurt?" Harry asked him.
  
  Kurt shook his head. "One hour Danger Room session before dinner and you think he's not trying to kill us? He wants you both in there, five minutes ago."
  
  Harry and Kitty exchanged a look, and nodded. They had walked inside.
  
  "We're going to have to continue this at another time, I guess," Kitty said.
  
  Harry looked at her with a playful smirk. "I wouldn't miss it for the world."
  
  Kitty thought that was the type of smile that stopped girl's hearts. She nearly lost control of her bearings, and phased through the ground. Thankfully, she avoided that embarrassment. It was time to head off to the Danger Room for a training session.
  Field Trip
  
  
  Chapter 8: Field Trip.
  
  Time flew by for one Harry Potter, each and every single day passed through the ether. He could hardly believe it. Time did have a nasty habit of running away from people. The last few weekends he had been spending time learning some of the most interesting magic in the universe from Doctor Strange. Strange was a wealth of magic knowledge that had offered him many opportunities to expand on the foundation that he learned on at Hogwarts. Granted, the foundation was shaky. Strange theorized, and Harry agreed, that the best witches and wizards from that world did some kind of independent study. There was no lack of power that was the problem, but rather the lack of ambitions.
  
  Harry found he was able to process information a lot faster. He had read through five percent of the books Doctor Strange had in his library. Given the vast amount of books that he had, five percent was not a statistic to sneeze at. Harry had a smile on his face when he thought about that. He was reminded anew how intriguing magic was, along with how much potential it had. . Although Strange gave him theories about how magic could corrupt the mind and the soul, and some of the incidents where people embraced a darker side of magic. Some of the foes that Doctor Strange went against made Voldemort look like a girl scout.
  
  Harry shuddered at the mental image he gave himself. He doubted that anyone would accept cookies from Voldemort.
  
  That was the past, and Harry could not wait for another weekend trip to learn a bit more about magic. He thought that he was learning at a quicker rate than the past. Magic was a tool, and could be used in any number of creative ways. Some had used the tool to hurt, and some had used it to help. Others had used it to better their lives. There were a multitude of uses.
  
  The veil had some interesting side effects, and they were all for the better. It appeared that what did not kill you, must make you stronger. That was a credo Harry would live by.
  
  At this point, Harry exited the school bus. It was field trip day for the students at Bayville High School. This was a rare day where they could get away from the monotone of pencils, and books. Harry stepped forward, walking out from the bus. Kitty was right beside him. Kurt and Rogue brought up the rear. They were not the only school in the area to take this field trip. There were several other school buses from across the nation.
  
  "I can't wait; this is going to be so awesome!" Kitty yelled.
  
  "Yeah, it's thrilling," Rogue said dryly. She seemed to be a bit disinterested.
  
  "Rogue, you should be thrilled about this," Kitty told her fellow X-Men. "We're taking a trip to the Baxter Building, and the lab of Reed Richards. Maybe we'll see some great scientific invention that will change the world."
  
  "You mean, Reed Richards, as in the leader of the Fantastic Four?" Kurt inquired. He tried to keep the excitement out of his voice, but this was a failed endeavor.
  
  Amusement crossed Harry's face, and a chuckle escaped his throat.
  
  "Yeah, that Reed Richards," Kitty said. She seemed to try to keep her excitement to a minimum, even if she was failing a bit at doing that. "The Fantastic Four are supposed to be the first family of super heroes."
  
  Harry just nodded slowly. He had taken some time to read up about the Fantastic Four. They had many interesting battles and were role models where all aspiring superhero teams strived by. The real interesting thing was that the entire world knew their real names, as they had gone public and come clean with their secret identities.
  
  "So, does anyone have money for the gift shop?" Kitty asked.
  
  "They have a gift shop?" Kurt questioned, an eyebrow raised at the thought.
  
  "They added it just last month," Kitty informed Kurt.
  
  "Great, the first family of super heroes has gone commercial," Rogue said. She stepped over and paused. "Harry, you don't have any money on you do you?"
  
  "Loads," Harry told Rogue, with a smile crossing over his face as he said this statement.
  
  Kitty looked at Harry with a surprised expression. "I don't know how you have the money that you do half of the time."
  
  Harry just smiled a mysterious smile, and began to open his mouth to speak. Rogue cut him off.
  
  "I swear if you say it's magic, I'm going to groan and roll my eyes," Rogue said. She smiled in spite of saying that statement.
  
  "Well what else would it be?" Kurt asked. He suddenly looked serious. "You haven't been duplicating money with magic, have you?"
  
  "Don't be ridiculous, Kurt, Harry wouldn't do that," Rogue told Kurt. She paused, and looked at Harry. "You wouldn't, would you?"
  
  Harry just laughed, and a smile spread across his face. A mysterious smile, as if he was keeping his friends in suspense. Kitty just nudged him, playfully.
  
  "Spit it out already, what did you do?" Kitty asked them. She looked at him with a pleading expression, and wide eyes "Please."
  
  Harry decided to not leave them in suspense. In reality, he thought the idea was so simple; it was amazing that many magical users did not think of it as a way to make a little extra income. Of course, given their ignorance to the Muggle world, and the profit potential, it was obvious why this was. Harry turned to the entire group to share his findings.
  
  "There are repairing charms that could make everything as good as new," Harry said. "People bring me broken objects. A little wave of my hand and everything is brand new. They don't ask, and I don't tell."
  
  "Does this work for everything?" Rogue asked curiously.
  
  Harry decided to elaborate. "Well, not everything. There are some electronics where it is going to be hard to make the repair charms work right. Unless I understand exactly how the electronics work, and find a way to get around them without frying the circuits. Trust me, I can tell you horror stories about what happens when magic and electronics mixed."
  
  Harry paused, and continued to speak.
  
  "If I can understand it, I can fix it. The simple stuff like chairs, books, bags, and clothing, that's no problem. I don't want to do anything too elaborate. I kind of want to keep the lid on my powers. And I'm sure Professor Xavier would agree."
  
  "I wonder how long that will last," Rogue said.
  
  Harry shrugged, and shook his head. That was a good question. In addition, he had been searching for dropped money that had been left on the streets of New York. It was remarkable how careless people had been with their cash. Money dropped on the sidewalks, in the streets, in the parking lot, and in the sewers even. Money was money, and Harry was using every trick to his advantage. Also there were a surprising amount of halfway decent items that people just threw out. A few charms to fix them, and a couple charms to clean up, and Harry could sell them.
  
  "So, can you buy me something?" Kitty asked him. She looked at him with a pleading look, and bit down on her bottom lip.
  
  Harry smiled. "Of course, that's what friends are for. I've got plenty of money. Just don't make a habit out of it."
  
  Kitty nodded, and then looked nervous. "Right, the last thing I want is to turn you into my own personal ATM. That would be totally taking advantage of your friendship, and that would be wrong."
  
  "I'm not opposed to helping out every once in a while," Harry said. He looked at the brunette with a smile. "Just anything that you want from me, don't be afraid to ask."
  
  "Anything?" Kitty asked. A couple of naughty thoughts went through her head at this point, but the brunette shook them off. This was not the time or the place. She looked at Harry. He nodded, and a smile spread across her face. "Thanks Harry, you're the best."
  
  This interplay was interrupted when the teachers lead them into the Baxter Building. The four X-Men saw Jean and Scott in the distance. They were in a separate group, being herded in with the Junior and Senior students.
  
  Harry walked into the Baxter Building, and prepared himself for what was to come. He would be switching gears from magic, into the realm of science. The two disciplines seemed to be rather similar, given the fact that they were hard for many to understand.
  
  It would be a change of surroundings. Harry resolved to enjoy a nice and relaxing day where nothing would happen.
  
  The Baxter Building was a fantastic building deep within the heart of New York. There were many individuals deep inside the building. Yet, there were four individuals who were among the most interesting of them all. They were heroes that many in the world had looked up for. These four had saved the world from countless destruction numerous times. And in one memorable instance, they saved the world from getting consumed by a cosmic force of pure destruction.
  
  The Fantastic Four were considered the first family of super heroes. The brains behind the outfit was Reed Richards, or Mister Fantastic as he was often called. He had the ability to invent seemingly anything, and his powers would be that he could stretch his body. Of course, not unlike most geniuses, he tended to be rather absent minded and forgot many obvious things, despite his knowledge for science being second to none. This caused him to get called on by his teammates constantly, albeit in a good natured way. They would not change Reed. He was their absent minded professor.
  
  "Reed, the students for the field trip are coming down! The teachers are expecting for you to pull your head out a test tube, and talk to them all."
  
  That was the voice of Susan Storm, or the Invisible Woman. She was kind hearted, but at the same time not one to be trifled with. Her powers were to create fields of invisibility around her. These could be used to attack her enemies to great success. Anyone who called her the weakest member of the team was in for a painful surprise.
  
  Another voice had further brought Reed out of his work.
  
  "Yeah, Reed, stop geeking out, and get with the program!"
  
  That was her brother, Johnny Storm, or he was better known as the Human Torch. The Torch might have been a hothead, but he was still a valuable member of the team. When he could get focused, he was rather skilled. And had been a valuable part of the Fantastic Four for the time it had been around, despite the fact he tended to be a hot head and impulsive. Johnny stepped forward. Reed snapped his head up, a smile crossing his face as he looked at the Human Torch.
  
  "In a minute, Johnny, Sue," Reed said. His eyes were fixed on what was in front of him. "I'm just finishing cataloging this fascinating specimen."
  
  "You might call it fascinating, but the rest of us people in the real world call it dullsville," Johnny said. He did a mock yawn, and stood back, looking around the lab. "Come on Reed, get with the program. This tour is going to really get the rep of the Fantastic Four up."
  
  "Yeah matchstick, and remind me why our rep is in the toilet in the first place. Oh that's right, the fact you keep grandstanding."
  
  The fourth and final member of the Fantastic Four was Ben Grimm, or the Thing. One should not let the Thing's rocky demeanor fool them. Despite his gruff exterior, the Thing was all heart. In fact, many might argue that he was the heart of the Fantastic Four. Without the Thing, the team would not function as a team.
  
  "Hey, boulder brain, settle down, that wasn't really my fault," Human Torch said.
  
  Their good natured bickering was something that ensured there was never a dull moment at the Baxter Building. Sue smiled at them, but she prepared to step in, should things get too hostile. The fact was that ever since their parents had died a few years back, Sue had taken responsibility for Johnny. Somehow that had turned into keeping responsibility for the rest of the Fantastic Four team. The nineteen year old woman thought that it had been an interesting two and a half years. Even if Reed did spend most of his time in his test tubes, and not enough time paying attention to certain other matters.
  
  Yet, that was beside the point.
  
  She peered through the doorway of the main lab. The teachers were filing in, bringing the students. There were buses all over the state.
  
  "The rest of us will be downstairs, Reed," Sue said to him. "Try and join us when you can."
  
  Reed tapped his fingers on the side of the desk. Sue cleared her throat, and Reed sat up straight.
  
  "Coming in a second," Reed said.
  
  "For all of his inventions, he should really invent a watch that he can pay attention to," Johnny said. This statement was agreed by with the remaining members of the Fantastic Four.
  
  Three of the four members of the Fantastic Four made their way down the stairs. Reed continued to look at the equipment on the desk. He had been studying the odd inter-dimensional disturbances that started a couple of months back. The first influx had happened a month ago. It was like something arrived here. Was that someone friend or foe? It would be a worthy subject of study.
  
  Reed would have to find out later. He knew that if he found out the disturbance, others would. It was highly advanced science, beyond anything this world had ever seen or even Reed seen. And Reed Richards had seen everything. The scientist walked out to join the tour. His mind was still half on his work when exiting the lab.
  
  The group of students stood waiting for the presentation. Harry, Kurt, Kitty, and Rogue stood off to the side a little bit. A group of girls squealed, which caused Rogue no small amount of irritation. She turned to Harry, and rolled her eyes.
  
  "Great, the fan girl brigade is here," Rogue told herself.
  
  Harry just patted Rogue on the arm, consolingly. Rogue smiled, that Harry seemed to share her pain.
  
  'I'm just glad they're not for me, for once,' Harry thought to himself.
  
  Kitty frowned. She took a moment to look at them. "They're...really obsessive. And a bit too bubbly for my taste. Talk about surgery sweet."
  
  "Like you aren't," Rogue said.
  
  "No, really, I'm not that bad, they're putting me on an entirely new level," Kitty said. The brunette mutant shook her head. "They're cavity inducing."
  
  She stepped back. She nearly instinctively phased through the wall.
  
  "Come on, let's find a space a bit closer," Harry said.
  
  "Before or after we get trampled?" Rogue asked.
  
  Harry just smiled, and he led the two girls over. Kurt was near them, and followed closely. The Human Torch stood in the background. He seemed to be milking this for all of his work. Until his sister pulled him into the background, and gave him a stern reprimand. Johnny fell into line, and Harry turned to the group with a smile.
  
  "It seems like the first family of superheroes are just that," Harry said.
  
  "Yeah, they're no different than any of us," Kurt replied. "So do you think the X-Men will get the respect that the Fantastic Four do?"
  
  Rogue just scoffed. "That would be the day."
  
  "I don't know, that would be pretty cool," Kitty said to them all.
  
  "We're going to have to stay in the shadows, we're not ready to be exposed," Harry said, reciting Professor Xavier's warning to them all. Harry found all of the secrecy to be annoying. Once the veil of secrecy got knocked loose, everything would come out.
  
  For now he had to play the game.
  
  "Yeah, but we have powers, why can't we use them?" Kitty questioned. She waved her hands, and decided to go into a perfectly logical statement. "The Fantastic Four saves the day three times before breakfast, and there's Spider-Man, and Iron Man..."
  
  "Iron Man doesn't have any powers though, that's a suit of armor," Kurt argued.
  
  Kitty just sighed. "You get my point."
  
  Harry just smiled. He scoped out the surroundings, to see what he was up against. . The Fantastic Four were about ready to address the crowd. Everyone was getting restless. Harry tapped his foot on the ground, and waited for their arrival. Kitty and Rogue stood on either side of him, with Kurt standing in the background. All four of them craned their necks over the crowd.
  
  "Look, there he is," Kitty said, and a smile crossed her face. There he was indeed. Reed Richards, one of the most brilliant scientific minds in the world, walked out. His mind seemed to be elsewhere.
  
  Harry had got the impression that he was a genius, even though he was a bit scatterbrained. Then again, the best geniuses often were. The other three members of the Fantastic Four stood by the side.
  
  "We love you Johnny!"
  
  The Human Torch waved at them, a bright smile on his face. He adopted a businesslike expression at the looks from the Invisible Woman and the Thing. Harry watched. He noticed Jean and Scott with their classmates a bit back in the background.
  
  "Oh for the love of God," Rogue groaned.
  
  "It's not that bad," Kurt said. Rogue just stared at him, eyes narrowed. "Okay, it's that bad, but it could be worse."
  
  Rogue was about to question how it could get worse. However Harry was the one who stepped in and evaded a potential crisis. He was getting rather good at doing that for some reason. Then again, he had plenty of experiences.
  
  "It's started," Harry said. Kitty stood by Harry's side. She walked in closer to Harry. Kurt and Rogue stood, their eyes directed towards Reed Richards. He tapped on the microphone a couple of times to test to see if it was working. Reed cleared his throat.
  
  "Thank you for coming out here today," Reed said. The scientist looked around, to see each and every person who had come out. "My team managed to pull me out of my lab long enough for me to address everyone. I must say, it is great to see some of the potential bright minds of tomorrow. It just seemed like yesterday I was experiencing the trials and tribulations of High School myself."
  
  Reed decided that it was prudent not to state that the real trials and tribulations were due to the fact that he had a genius level intellect. Therefore, he was rather bored with the entire process of education. Most geniuses tended to get rather bored within the formal process of school. Things simply went too slow for them, and forced them to think inside the box.
  
  "The work I have had done as part of the Fantastic Four has allowed me to open up new avenues of research," Reed added. He had a captive audience listening to his every word. "And I hope that you will have many of the same opportunities that I did. Even though I do hope that it does not happen due to being bombarded by cosmic radiation. That's a life changing experience that many of us could have done without."
  
  "I'll give an amen to that," the Thing said under his breath. Harry thought that he was the only one who heard what the rock hero had said.
  
  "I must warn you that many of the inventions I created are dangerous, and therefore are not for public view," Reed said. "That's why the top levels of my lab have been sealed. Perhaps one day, they will be fit for actual use. I have studied countless disciplines of science in the recent past. And there is so much that I do not know. If there are any questions, then please do not hesitate to ask them."
  
  Kitty was the first one to chime in.
  
  "Doctor Richards, you wrote a paper describing how what is perceived as magic could be considered to be an advanced form of science, and thus did not exist," Kitty said. Reed nodded, and Harry looked rather curious. Kitty took this as her invitation to continue. "However, wouldn't you agree that there are some things that cannot be explained through any kind of conventional science?"
  
  Reed remained calm, and tried to answer that question the best that he could.
  
  "That's an intriguing question, but for every actual there is a scientifically plausible explanation," Reed said. "For years, conventional science would be considered to be that of sorcery. Science that we take for granted, but use every day in our normal lives. Fifty years ago, cell phones and the Internet would be something that we could scarcely dream about. If anyone described them, they would be considered witchcraft. Yet, they exist. There is a plausible, and logical explanation, even if one has not found it out as of yet."
  
  Sue decided to jump in. "I think what Doctor Richards means is there is a correlation between science and magic. They are two elements where many people struggle to understand. And there are certain laws to how they are governed."
  
  Harry actually thought that made a certain degree of sense. There were laws to magic; although Harry did wonder how much actually governed how magic worked and how much that put limitations on them. There were more questions, many of them about the battles the Fantastic Four had, and if it was true they once had to stop Doctor Doom from launching the Baxter Building into space. They also asked question about their battles with Mole Man and the Puppet Master. Harry privately wondered who named these people.
  
  "Let's keep moving, things are getting crowded around here," Harry said.
  
  Kitty and Rogue were both grateful for different reasons. Kurt also nodded. The two girls followed Harry.
  
  "Let's take a look at that gift shop," Harry suggested. Kitty smiled back at him.
  
  "Yeah, let's buy some cheap trinket that will be forgotten after a while," Rogue said. Yet, Rogue's eyes were at the gift shop, with a little bit of interest in them.
  
  "Rogue, if you wanted me to buy you something, all you had to do was ask," Harry said.
  
  Rogue blinked. She nodded, slowly.
  
  "Maybe, I'll have a look around," Rogue said grudgingly.
  
  "Let's go this way," Kitty said, grabbing Harry's hand.
  
  The group walked towards the gift shop, to see what they could take a look at.
  
  The gift shop was an absolute madhouse, and brimming with all sorts of chaotic activity. Harry wondered how he got talked into this. Then again, perhaps he was a fool for thinking that that people would be more interested in the science than the trinkets.
  
  Another girl looked on. Kitty and Rogue were off to have a look around. She stepped forward, and nudged Harry as he was busy watching Rogue and Kitty to make sure he did not lose track of them.
  
  "Excuse me," the girl said. She was blonde, wearing a black shirt, and jeans. The girl had a black headband in her hair. "Sorry, I didn't mean to get in your way. I had to get sucked back here in the madhouse."
  
  Harry waved off her apologies. "It's alright, really it is."
  
  "I just can't believe the Fantastic Four would actually think this was a good idea," the girl said. She rolled her eyes, at some of these bandwagon jumpers who only started to follow the FF because they were the hot new thing. . "Then again, when they went public, they were like completely different people. They were still heroic, still saved the day, but they just seem to be more celebrities than superheroes."
  
  Harry nodded. "Why couldn't they be both?"
  
  "I suppose they could," the girl said with a shrug. She turned to Harry. A smile spread across her face. "Gwen Stacy, Midtown High."
  
  "Harry Potter, Bayville High School," Harry said.
  
  A smile cracked across Gwen's face. Her blue eyes flickered with amusement.
  
  "I suppose we're supposed to hate each other for sports team related reasons," Gwen said. She had an amused expression on her face. "Then again, I don't really pay attention to sports, unless I can help it. Still for some people, sports is really serious business."
  
  "I don't really pay too much attention to sports either," Harry admitted. The only sport he really enjoyed was not played in this universe, and that was more for the love of flying than anything. "Then again, I'm afraid I'm not privy to the big sports rivalries of the New York area. I just moved here a few months ago."
  
  "Oh, really, British right?" Gwen asked. Harry nodded. "Yeah, I guess I could kind of tell from the accent. It's kind of a telltale thing. Are you adapting well?"
  
  "I do kind of wish that people would learn to drive on the other side of the road, it's very off putting," Harry said. Gwen laughed, in spite herself.
  
  "It's two different worlds, isn't it?" Gwen asked. "It's amazing how much the people from two countries can be separated by a common language. For the record, I apologize on behalf of my country for mangling you guy's language."
  
  A slight smile appeared on Harry's face.
  
  "So, are you waiting for someone?" Gwen asked.
  
  "Yeah, my friends Kitty and Rogue are over at the gift shop," Harry said. He looked over, seeing his fellow X-Men. "And Kurt's over there too."
  
  Gwen thought that Rogue was a rather strange name. Then again, that had to be a nickname. Not that she was going to judge. She tried not to be judgmental.
  
  "Are you waiting for anyone?" Harry asked.
  
  "Yeah, my friend Peter," Gwen said. A questioning look was on Harry's face, and Gwen quickly defused everything. "He um had to go use the bathroom. He's been in there a very long time, and I hope he gets back soon, and everything goes alright."
  
  Gwen knew the real reason why Peter had gone off. She was good at keeping her friend's secrets, and she would not tell anyone. Peter tried to play dumb with her about what the situation was, but Gwen figured it out right away.
  
  "Well, hopefully he doesn't get lost," Harry said in a joking manner.
  
  Gwen nodded. She realized how lame the bathroom excuse was all things considered. Peter and her were in an rather frustrating spot in their life. They were in the "just friends" phase, not that Peter would know a romantic overture if it danced naked in front of him.
  
  That was beside the point. Gwen found herself looking at this Harry Potter with interest. Then again, someone like that already had a girlfriend, or at least girls lining around the block. Of course, Gwen wondered if he would be blissfully ignorant to that fact like Peter was.
  
  Case in point, one of the girls stepped up to join them.
  
  "Hey, Harry, I found something cool, you have to see this," Kitty said. She looked at Gwen. "Oh, hello, I'm Kitty Pryde, and you're..."
  
  "Gwen Stacy," Gwen said, with a smile which Kitty returned. She turned to Harry. "It was nice meeting both of you, but I have to go check to see if Peter returned and I just missed him."
  
  Gwen walked off. Rogue stopped and looked at Harry.
  
  "Another girl falls to the charms of Harry Potter," Rogue told him in an undertone. "If I didn't know any better, you were trying to collect them."
  
  Harry had no idea what to say to that. Rogue cracked a smile.
  
  "Rogue, we just met each other," Harry said.
  
  "Yeah, I know, and your heart is somewhere else," Rogue said. She smiled. It was a bit of a forlorn smile.
  
  Rogue turned around, and walked away to keep with the crowd. Harry pushed through the crowd and joined Kitty.
  
  "So, what do you think?" Kitty asked, and she held the necklace replica of the Baxter Building.
  
  "It looks like it suits you," Harry said.
  
  "You mean it's tacky," Rogue commented.
  
  Kitty gave her an incredulous look, but Rogue just smiled.
  
  "Actually, that's far better than some of the stuff they're selling here," Rogue said.
  
  "You don't have to ask, I'll buy one for both of you," Harry said.
  
  Rogue and Kitty looked at Harry. Both girls had smiles on their face, even if Rogue's was subtle. Kitty rushed over, and hugged Harry. Thankfully she did not phase both of them through the wall this time. She was getting a bit better at that.
  
  "Thanks Harry, you're the greatest," Kitty told him, and she leaned over to give him a slight kiss on the cheek. A slight smile crossed Harry's face.
  
  Kitty was surprised at her own daring. Yet, Harry was not going to complain. Her and Harry had been spending a lot of time together over the past couple of weeks, with Kitty helping Harry with his school work when he struggled. Harry actually was rather smart when he applied himself. All he needed was some confidence, which Kitty thought he lacked from whatever happened in the world he left. Without knowing about Harry's friends and family, Kitty could not draw any conclusions.
  
  The group continued to move around. The Thing and the Human Torch walked around to talk to the tour group. The two signed autographs and mingled with the people. They did seem to be two of the more popular members of the Fantastic Four.
  
  Harry could have smiled. The day had gone rather smoothly all things considered. It was just a normal day out, without any problems whatsoever. The crowd at the Baxter Building was chaotic, but if that was the only thing he had to complain about, then it was a satisfying day. He was about to say that this was a perfect day.
  
  A loud explosion echoed from outside of the Baxter Building. Kitty, Rogue, and Kurt, along with several other students, looked on, backing up from the explosions.
  
  Rogue decided to ask the obvious question. "What was that?"
  
  'The consequences of me trying to be a little bit optimistic,' Harry thought to himself. He offered a bit of a long sigh, and braced himself for what was to come. Another explosion echoed from outside, and Harry remained on his feet. He was rigid, and shook his head. Surely, this could not really be happening.
  
  "Everyone remain calm, I'm sure it's nothing," Reed Richards said, and he walked forward to analyze the situation.
  
  Harry stood on his guard. He turned to his fellow X-Men, who also tensed up. Training in the Danger Room tended to do that to people, and they waited for the other shoe to drop.
  
  "Explosions rarely amount to nothing," Harry stated slowly.
  
  "Where's Scott and Jean in all of this?" Kurt wondered.
  
  "They're likely with the upper class, in that tour group in the next room," Harry replied to Kurt. He took a deep breath, and suddenly the windows cracked. His eyes narrowed. Breath lightened, and Harry paused, eyes focused on what was coming. "You've got to be kidding me."
  
  Harry only said that because he wished that someone was kidding him. Yet he could not deny what he had seen. He looked over his shoulder. Thankfully most of the students had been ushered out, which would make what he had to do a lot easier. There were less eyes to witness the magic that he must perform to get them out alive.
  
  "Everyone stay close, and don't get separated," Harry told his teammates. "I'm going to see what I can do to them."
  
  "And how are you going to do that?" Kurt asked.
  
  It was Kitty who responded with the obvious answer. "Magic, duh."
  
  Harry saw the robots before his yes. They were silver, with green cloaks. They stood before him, and armed with a large assortment of lasers. The lasers had been armed on Harry.
  
  "Target detected, fire."
  
  Harry immediately put shields up that would prevent any stray lasers from hitting bystanders, and to a lesser extent, him. With a swift shot, he knocked half of the robots out of commission. They exploded into debris. Harry waved his hand, and caused the debris to disappear before it could hurt anyone. One of the robots could have attacked him, but Kitty popped out from underneath the floor. She phased her hand through the robot's chest plate, and shorted it out. Sparks flew in every direction.
  
  "What are these things?" Kurt asked.
  
  "I'm guessing they're bad news," Rogue said.
  
  The Human Torch heard the sounds of screaming, and for once it was not his adoring public. He looked at the Doom Bots, and sighed. For most people, this would be an alarming situation. For Johnny Storm, this was just another Wednesday.
  
  Sue, Ben, and Reed were on the next room, working crowd control. Reed having slipped off a moment ago, to check his scanners. Johnny wished Reed would have used his eyes more and his science less, but that was a discussion for another time. He stood in a pose, and fried one of the Doom Bots. Another Doom Bot swooped in and sprayed flame retardant foam on Johnny Storm. He was unable to flame on, and he dropped to his knees, cursing his luck. One of the students stepped in.
  
  "Get back, you don't want to get hurt," Johnny said to the boy, but his green eyes burned with determination, and three of the robots were demolished like they were paper.
  
  Harry smirked. It was rather new to him for anyone to tell him to get back because he might get hurt. Immediately he blasted the robots, and sent them flying in every direction. The robots crumbled to dust, and Harry rocked back on his heels. Kitty, Rogue, and Kurt tried to discreetly help engage the robots. Suddenly Kitty looked out the window. There was a drone outside of the building, and it began to heat up.
  
  "Um, guys," Kitty said, pointing frantically.
  
  Harry tried to blast it, but a shield repelled his magical attacks.
  
  "Oh you've got to be kidding me," Rogue said. There was an energy field around that floor of the Baxter Building, and everyone who still stood within that particular room felt themselves encased in an energy field.
  
  Harry tried to figure out what this field was. If he could figure it out, he could blast out. It seemed to be partially magic, some mix of sorcery and science. Which made it a bit of a problem to deal with, as only someone who was cunning could mix disciplines like that. Doctor Strange told him that mixing science and sorcery was something that very few could master. The fact someone managed that was very worrying.
  
  Rogue, Kitty, Kurt, Harry, the Human Torch, and several other students had been transported off in a flash of light. Harry wondered why they were the lucky ones to be chosen. The group of them ended up in a dungeon. Harry had known from past experiences that being inside a dungeon was never a good thing. Kitty walked up behind Harry, and asked him the obvious question.
  
  "They transported us somewhere, didn't they?" Kitty said.
  
  "Yeah, they transported us somewhere," Johnny said, speaking up. He was trying to think quickly on his feet. Reed was always the level headed one, to be able to think out of any situation. "The question is where?"
  
  "Yeah, that's the question."
  
  They turned around and saw Gwen stand right there with them. The blonde haired girl seemed a bit calm and collected, or maybe she was just good in keeping cool. Harry wondered if she had to deal with something like this before.
  
  "So did you ever find your friend?" Harry asked her.
  
  "No," Gwen said shortly.
  
  She hoped that her friend could find them. Gwen had a feeling he might come in handy. Of course, she could take care of herself if push came to shove. Taking out her cell phone, she tried to call for help. It was dead, and she could not even dial anyone.
  
  "It's not working," Harry prompted. Gwen shook her head. "I'm not surprised. That much magic in the air, it's going to fry most electronics."
  
  Gwen was caught off guard. Her eyes narrowed, and she slowly asked a question. "Um, what does magic have to do with this?"
  
  "Explanations later, right now we should find a way out of here," Kitty said. The Human Torch was trying to get a communicator device working.
  
  "Guess it must be something potent if Reed's technology has been fried," the Human Torch said. "So, um, I guess we better keep moving."
  
  They all nodded. The group walked down a long and cavernous hallway. There were many things that Harry did not take too kindly with. One of them was being transported somewhere against his own will.
  
  Harry would be having stern words with whoever did this.
  
  "Can't you just teleport us out of here or something?" Kitty asked him in undertone.
  
  "Don't you think I would have tried that if that was the case," Harry replied back.
  
  "Well, yeah," Kitty agreed.
  
  "Yeah, I can't teleport either," Kurt admitted. "I just pop in and out at the same place. Someone really big just smacked me across the face."
  
  Now Harry was rather curious. Who was behind this?
  
  "I'm sure you have a good idea who's behind this," Harry said to the Human Torch.
  
  Human Torch did not answer that question.
  
  "Well?"
  
  "Nothing good," Human Torch said, more seriously than anyone had seen him.
  
  When Johnny Storm got serious, one could take it to the bank that there was a problem. He closed his eyes, and tried to get the group through this problem. While some members of the group exhibited powers, some of them were just normal humans.
  
  It seemed like the group was in a maze. It was a giant Labyrinth of passageways that never ended. Some of the members of the group were restless.
  
  "Okay, we've been walking around forever," Kitty said.
  
  "No kidding," Rogue said, and she shook her head. She looked up. "My blisters have blisters."
  
  "Yeah, well I'm getting a bit tired of being someone's prisoner," Harry said. He crossed his arms. Rarely did he like get transported anywhere against his will. And this was against his will for sure. Harry took a few steps forward. His breath continued to quicken. He walked up the steps, and Kitty, Rogue, and Kurt followed him.
  
  Johnny returned from the other end. "Wherever he sent us, it's a maze."
  
  "Who is he?" Harry asked.
  
  Kitty opened her mouth to offer her theory. The door creaked open, and Harry moved forward. He was at the end of a large torch lit room. There were guards surrounding the room in every direction. Harry stood on his guard. The guards stepped back, and allowed Harry and his group to continue to walk. Even though Harry had an idea that they would jump him if he had performed any hostile actions.
  
  He looked up and saw a figure in the shadows on a throne room. The figure spoke in a low voice, and one that commanded authority.
  
  "Come closer, child."
  
  Harry took a step forward. The wizard braced himself. There was no attack. It was that tense moment before what was going to happen. That calm before the storm. He wanted answers, and his temper was reaching its boiling point.
  
  "I don't know who you think you are bringing me here!" Harry yelled. Kitty winced was she began to put two and two together
  
  "Harry, that's...."
  
  "I want answers, and I want them now!" Harry continued. "You drag me and my friends off to some castle, and now..."
  
  "A being of great power and great impatience," the rumbling voice stated. "You will be silent in the presence of Doom!"
  
  Harry felt realization slap him like a cold burst of water.
  
  "Wait, Doom?" Harry asked.
  
  Silence occurred. Harry realized how serious everything had gone.
  
  "Doom, as in Doctor Doom," Kitty told him gently. Harry felt the need to face palm "You know, Doctor Doom, arch enemy of the Fantastic Four, the biggest bad that ever did bad. That guy."
  
  There was another pause. Harry slowly turned to Kitty.
  
  "Why didn't you warn me?" Harry asked her.
  
  "I tried," Kitty said meekly.
  
  The group stood back. Doom leaned forward. His engraved metal mask showed malevolent eyes. A green cloak was pulled over his body. He wore a suit of armor that covered every inch of his body, which had been burned.
  
  "Hey, Victor, looking good, is that a new polish job?" Johnny asked, trying to break the tension.
  
  Doom only barely acknowledged the Human Torch's flippant comment. His childish antics were something that Doom had grown accustomed to, and only regarded them with disdain.
  
  "Rudeness all around and you do not appreciate my hospitality," Doom said. "No matter, the Fantastic Four will be down a member shortly due to your insolence. It's a pity it wasn't Richards. "
  
  Harry stood around, and there were legions more of these robots that had attacked them.
  
  "Great, invasion of the Doom Bots Part Ten Million," Johnny said. He rolled his eyes. Again, for him, Doom Bots was just another Wednesday.
  
  The Doom Bots crowded around, ready for battle.
  
  "In Latveria, Doom's word is law!" the Doom Bots droned.
  
  Despite their powers, they could be overwhelmed by the sheer numbers just bearing down upon them. Several of the non-powered students seemed frightened, and faint. This was his first official mission that he led, and talk about being thrown out into the deep end.
  
  Doom might have been a bit out of his depth, but Harry would not give up.
  
  "Protect the civilians!" Harry yelled out, taking leadership.
  
  It was a good thing that robots tended to blow up easily in the face of magic. It was a bad thing that sheer numbers were being used.
  Doom's Law
  
  
  Chapter 09: Doom's Law.
  
  The Doom Bots began to arm themselves for battle. Harry looked at them, and calculated the threat. Pressure was something that he could handle, it had only happened too many times with him. And he was confident that it was something that his teammates could handle as well.
  
  Harry levitated Kitty up into the air, and he flung her magically through one of the Doom Bots. Kitty shifted herself, and short shorted it. The Doom Bot crashed down to the ground. Suddenly, Kitty tried to punch through another Doom Bot, but it exploded back into her. The brunette mutant was unharmed, and rather rattled.
  
  "Guys, these things are becoming adaptable," Kitty said. She frowned, and Rogue moved over, dodging the attacks.
  
  It was just like in the Danger Room, only more real. Rogue maneuvered herself, and two of the bots blew each other.
  
  "Yeah, I got the message," Rogue dead panned.
  
  The Doom Bots stampeded towards both of them. Kurt latched onto one of its arms, and grabbed it. It was ripped off in the impact. The X-Men and the Doom Bots continued to engage each other into battle. The Human Torch assisted, and sent blasts of fire. Once again, he was extinguished, and dropped down to the ground.
  
  "Oh, come on," the Human Torch said.
  
  He rolled over, and coughed. This was not one of his better days. Harry turned to the X-Men, and tried to usher the shell-shocked civilians out. Some of them were rather faint, and had frozen in battle.
  
  "We better work on getting the civilians out, they can't...." Harry started. He was stopped when he saw Gwen out of the corner of his eye pick up one of the Doom bot arms that had been severed, and aim the laser in it, taking out three of the robots at a time. The lasers cut through the Doom Bots like a hot knife through butter. "Okay, never mind."
  
  Gwen got her share of strange looks. She sighed.
  
  "What?" Gwen asked. "Oh come on, I'm not going to hide in a corner and bawl my eyes out because I don't have any super powers."
  
  There was a bit of a pause, mostly so Harry could readjust his charm work, and divide and conquer his enemies. Kitty nodded her head.
  
  "Fair enough," Kitty said.
  
  "Yeah, more power to you," Harry said.
  
  Gwen began to fire more blasts at the bots. Harry managed to encircle them with magical energy. Taking out multiple targets at once could be tricky, especially so without hurting them. However, his training with the Sorcerer Supreme was something that gave him a leg up beyond what most would have. Harry blew them out with the magical energy.
  
  Doom watched the battle, making sure to analyze every single move. The Human Torch was once again into the battle. That annoyance was not something that was within Doom's notice. Rather, he watched the dark haired child who had appeared months ago in a flash of light. He was worthy of further observation. While his skills were only blooming, he had potential. Potential was something that Doctor Doom respected, and felt could grow. A blast of energy had shot through his creations. Doom continued to watch, and wait for this battle to play out.
  
  Kitty and Harry did a tandem attack. This set them up for Rogue dodging the attack. The agility that had been formed through battles in the Danger Room had caused her keep ducking, dodging, and bobbing around the attacks. The robots blew up each other rather nicely. The other students were ushered out. Except for Gwen, who despite her powers did not run away, and had stayed to help. Harry's awestruck expression was kept on Gwen's face, and he decided to ask a question once the dust had been cleared.
  
  "How did you learn to fight like that?" Harry asked her.
  
  "When your Dad is a police officer, you have to learn a few things about self-defense," Gwen explained. She continued to keep up with everyone. "With all of the drug dealers, mobsters, and just general nut-jobs...kind of have to learn something to keep yourself from being picked apart as an easy target. You know, there has been some level of survival instincts."
  
  Harry would be hard pressed to disagree with that. He continued to help lead his team through the battle. There were miniature explosions that rocked the castle that they were at.
  
  "Stay sharp!" Harry yelled.
  
  "Staying sharp, and on our toes," Kitty agreed.
  
  "I don't know how many of these tin cans he has," Rogue said.
  
  "Too many," Johnny said, knowingly. He wondered how many of these things Doom had on hand.
  
  The explosions continued to ring out around them, and the battle intensified. The Doom Bots dropped down to the ground. They formed a barrier in front of their leader. Harry and Kitty saw that barrier as only another way to blast through. Harry aimed his hands, and a powerful attack cut through the air. He was getting closer and closer to the throne. He would have reached his destination much sooner; however he also directed his shield charms to protect his friends.
  
  "Hey, um guy, see if you can get a close shot at Doom," the Human Torch said. Harry focused his attention on Doom. "I've got your back!"
  
  Harry did try and blast Doom at close range. An energy field appeared around him, and bounced off the magical attack. That was just what Harry thought. He would have had his throne shielded.
  
  "Damn it Reed, why couldn't you make something that couldn't get fried?" Johnny grumbled.
  
  The Human Torch once again was knocked down. He flamed on once again, and immediately was doused once again. Harry siphoned the foam off of him with a charm, and he gave his nod of thanks. The Human Torch shot off like a cork into the night, and flew around.
  
  The Doom Bots were dropping like flies. Of course, the bots were one thing. The man at the top of the throne was another thing entirely. Harry stood, and watched, keeping an eye on the rela threat. He wondered if these robots magically multiplied. The thought seemed absurd to most, but for Harry's life, absurdity did seem to be the order of the day. A deep breath was taken, and Harry continued to look forward, waiting for the opening that he needed to gain the definite advantage.
  
  By now, he was certain that they would have been missed. It was only elementary. Fighting the battle was one part.
  
  "Don't let up now, we're almost there," Harry grunted. "Keep it up, everyone don't lose your heads, we're doing well!"
  
  His words of encouragement were shouted to his teammates. A part of him hoped that they could lead them onto victory. Everyone was still in the battle, which raged on, and they choked in the smoke of the destroyed Doom bots.
  
  Doom continued to watch, and wait. He was perched, and stared down his enemies. The powers of this strange young man were something that he would find a use for in due time. Right now, he was content to wait, and watch, and plot.
  
  Jean rushed around, breathing in and out. She tried not to panic, because bad things happened when she panicked. A telepath was not someone to be trifled with when she was in a state of distress. Scott treaded lightly as he stepped behind her, and watched his friend. Jean folded her arms.
  
  "So, you did see that?" Jean asked.
  
  "If you mean that half of the students just disappeared, including our team mates, than yes," Scott said. "Who did this?"
  
  "Does it really matter?" Jean asked hotly.
  
  Scott took a step back. Red heads and telepaths tended to be rather high strung, and since Jean was both, he knew better than to agitate her right now.
  
  "It matters, but the real question is whether or not we're going to get them back."
  
  Jean spun around, and saw Ororo and Logan walk up to join them. Jean's expression was fixed, and rather calm, almost eerily so. She took a few seconds to compose her thoughts before she began to address Logan.
  
  "So, I take it you heard about what happen," Jean said.
  
  "Yeah, I heard," Logan said. He sniffed the air, and the face of the mutant turned into a scowl. "Smells like Doom Bots."
  
  "Yes, I was afraid of that."
  
  Reed Richards showed up at that time. Ben Grimm and Susan Storm followed him. Three fourths of the Fantastic Four stood before them, and stared down the X-Men.
  
  "Hey, Logan, it's been a long time," Ben said in a gruff voice.
  
  "Yeah, last time, I drank you under the table," Logan replied.
  
  The Thing just looked at Logan. He waved his rocky hands. "Ah, I seem to remember that happening a little bit differently than you do. But, hey, far be it for me to get in the way of a good story. I do wish we could have met up under better circumstances."
  
  "You and me both," Logan said to the Thing. He looked out the window, and tried to get a sense of what was going on. "If it's Doom, we could have a bit of trouble."
  
  "A bit of trouble does often come with the territory when one deals with Victor," Reed said. He sighed. "His vendetta never seems to cease. In fact, it gets stronger with each passing year. But, why did he come here, of all days? He seems to be keeping the peace, and did not attack us for some time. I won't say things are better between us, but it is different, almost like a cease fire."
  
  'I don't know if we should tell them about Harry,' Jean projected to the entire group telepathically.
  
  Logan, Ororo, and Scott all nodded, but kept their faces grim. Doom would have noticed Harry's arrival, and would have been waiting for the right opportunity for weeks. It would suit Doom's king sized ego to abduct someone out from underneath the nose of Reed Richards, his most hated enemy. The rest of the team mates, they could not say. Hostages, maybe, for some kind of collateral, or perhaps they just got caught up in everything.
  
  "I'm sure if we all work together, we can find out what Doom is up to and stop him," Ororo said.
  
  "Yeah, there's a bit of a problem with that," The Thing said. The member of the Fantastic Four sighed. "Latveria is restricted space, and Doom has diplomatic immunity. We don't like busting down his door any more than we have to, even if we do it."
  
  Sue was quick to notice the discomfort of at least one member of the group. "However, given the circumstances, we might not have any choice. We don't want to see anyone get hurt at all, and whatever Doom is after..."
  
  Sue trailed off. Her brother had gone off with them. While Johnny could take care of himself, well most of the time, it still did not stop her from worrying.
  
  "Yeah, Suzie, we know, and we'll get him back," The Thing said in a gentle voice. He gave his team mate a reassuring look. Sue wished she could be a bit more cheerful.
  
  "What are we waiting for then?" Logan asked, breaking the uncomfortable silence.
  
  "Right, we need to go into there with a plan, because Victor will be expecting us," Reed said. "If anything he's obsessively prepared."
  
  "Ain't that the truth, stretch," Thing grumbled.
  
  Reed Richards punched in a number of coordinates. If he could trace what happened back to its source, then he could find out where Doom had taken the guests in the Baxter Building. There were a few moments before he had struck it.
  
  "I believe we have it, where Doom has taken them," Reed said. "They're at the Latverian Embassy."
  
  "Just perfect," Logan said bitterly.
  
  "Then we have little time to waste," Ororo said.
  
  "What could Doom be doing to them?" Jean asked. She tried not to look worried, but the expression betrayed the red headed telepath.
  
  Logan shook his head. "They'll be fine. We've trained them for battles like these. Even though someone like Doom is far beyond the most extreme levels of the Danger Room. The guy's nuts."
  
  "Took the words out of my mouth," the Thing said.
  
  The members of the Fantastic Four and the X-Men all nodded. It was time to separate the men and the women from the boys and the girls. The entire group moved out, and was ready for action. Logan remembered the last time he tangled with Doctor Doom. It did not end all that well, and Doom had humiliated him. His teeth gritted when he remembered that moment. He knew that the Fantastic Four had a handful of battles with this guy, and it was always a tough battle.
  
  "The three of you better stay sharp, because Doom ain't a walk in the park," Logan warned them.
  
  "We're not going to go down without a fight," Scott said. "He took some of ours, and we're going to bring the fight to him."
  
  "No, we get the kids and get out," Logan said firmly.
  
  Logan was looked at strangely by the group.
  
  "Never thought I'd see you of all people back down from a fight," Ororo said.
  
  Logan shook his head. "I ain't backin' down, just playing it smart."
  
  "I'd agree," Reed said. "We should try and to not indulge Victor in whatever he is doing."
  
  The Fantastic Four and the X-Men got the transport Reed had offered. It should have cloaked them until their arrival. They were ready. Doom was not going to be a day at the beach, and they just hoped that their young charges could hold their own.
  
  Harry's teeth gritted together, and determination flashed through his green eyes. Several of the Doom Bots froze in ice. That allowed the group to continue to fight forward. Harry kept his eyes on both the Doom Bots. Suddenly, the man on the throne clapped his hands, and his remaining metal servants took several steps back. Harry looked up at this dangerous individual. Doom stood before him, and there was a long moment where they exchanged a stare down.
  
  The silence continued, passing through each moment. Doom's steel gaze fixed upon the entire group. Everyone waited for the all shoe to drop.
  
  "Is he going to say something?" Kurt wondered.
  
  Kitty and Rogue wondered that as well. The Human Torch stepped forward. He had never danced with Doom one on one himself. It had been always been with the members of his team. Not that Doom was one to offer that much one on one time with his adversaries. The ruler of Latveria was an individual who sent legions of his Doom bots at his enemies.
  
  "I have seen as much as I wish."
  
  Doom spoke in a slow and deliberate voice. It was the tone that commanded absolute respect. Harry only knew a small amount of information about Doom. Knowing your enemy seemed to be the order of the day. However, without that knowledge of an enemy, a person no matter how much power they had was outgunned. Harry's gaze remained cool, and focused. Doom looked back to him, not showing any emotion in his eyes. The eyes were the window's to the soul, and the only visible part of Doom's costume.
  
  "I noticed your arrive here, young sorcerer," Doom told him. His voice rumbled throughout the castle. "And I have prepared for this opportunity. Much to my dismay, you have decided to join up with a foolish dreamer in Charles Xavier. Such untapped potential should not be at the disposal of a fool. Both Xavier and the Sorcerer Supreme lack the imagination needed to properly understand your gifts. Doom has an ample imagination, and could see the potential that you have at your disposal."
  
  Harry just allowed Doom to drone on. While Doom was speaking, Harry was trying to calculate a way to get one good shot in on him.
  
  "I sense your skepticism," Doom declared. "Many have likely told misguided tales about Doom. Yet, I do what I must to take hold of the world, and to keep it from following into decay. And I can sense a kindred spirit deep within you. The two of us could do much together. There is great potential that is untapped. A greater purpose that could be utilized, and the two of us could work together. Harry Potter, join me and together we will rise above all of these fools."
  
  There was a long pause. During this pause, Harry focused his gaze up at Doom. He gave the impression that this was done to stare down Doom. In reality, the dark haired wizard scanned the throne, trying to find some flaw in the defenses of Doom.
  
  Gwen was the one that broke the silence. "Well, at least he didn't tell you he was your father."
  
  Kitty shook her head, and folded her arms. Harry looked eerily calm, and it was almost like he pondered this. Kitty seemed a bit worried. Harry seemed too independent to willingly follow someone like Doom.
  
  "Harry?" Kitty asked.
  
  "Your offer is interesting, Doom," Harry said, and Doom leaned forward, eyes flashing with interest. The ruler of Latveria thought that he had Harry in the palm of his hand. His gaze continued to linger on Harry's face. Harry decided to drop the bombshell. "However, I will have to respectively decline your offer. I don't know if you've figured this out, but people normally don't like when they are kidnapped against their will. And I'm nobody's pawn."
  
  Doom's demeanor remained unchanged. The calm before the storm was prominent. Doom clutched the side of his throat. The monarch stood up to his full height, and his eyes never waved.
  
  Several more Doom bots were summoned. The group stood up on their feet. The Human Torch shot up, to try and get his hands on Doom.
  
  "No one will pass," Doom said. He raised his hand. The Human Torch was blasted out of the air.
  
  The Human Torch, never one to give up, pulled himself to his feet. The Doom Bots stormed forward. Kitty, Rogue, Kurt, and Harry engaged them into battle, swiftly and fiercely.
  
  "Look on the bright side," Kurt said.
  
  "There's a bright side to this?" Rogue asked.
  
  "Well yeah, this will prepare us for the next time Logan throws us in the Danger Room,' Kurt said.
  
  Kitty grabbed the arm of one of the Doom bots, and phased it through the other. While her bare hands would not do, this attack seemed to do well. Harry caused a quarter of them to blow up with a well-placed Reducto field.
  
  "Where does Doom find all of these things?" Rogue asked.
  
  "Maybe he buys them in bulk,' Kitty suggested.
  
  "That wouldn't surprise me," Harry concluded, and he sent another wave of energy towards them.
  
  The Doom Bots broke apart. They could tell that Doom was going to take a chance to get out of there. Not that the X-Men had any delusions about their ability to beat someone like Doom in at this point in their training. All they could do was stall him Kitty dodged the attack, and Harry looked at her with an encouraging expression.
  
  Kitty took out three of the Doom Bots. Rogue blasted one of the Doom Bots with the arm. The laser fire cut through it. Kitty jumped into the air, and tried for another attack. One of the Doom Bots smashed into her, and knocked her to the ground.
  
  Kitty winced. Her elbow popped. She bit her lip, and a bit of pain folded at her. The Doom Bot moved in for the kill. Harry's eyes narrowed.
  
  "Everyone stand back!" Harry shouted at the top of his lungs.
  
  Kitty tried to convey that she was okay. Sure her ribs and arm was sore, but that came with the territory. Yet, perhaps that would fire Harry up, and Kitty was too transfixed by the magic Harry was displaying.
  
  Harry's magical field expanded. It was a trick that Doctor Strange taught him. However, it was one that he was struggling with. The struggle was one of Harry's more frustrating moments.
  
  The right kind of motivation could allow him to do anything. The energy concluded. The Doom Bots blew up into nothingness. The remaining Doom Bots that Doom had were fried. The Ruler of Latveria pressed on a button. He stepped back, and tried to escape. However, he looked up in the air.
  
  "Richards," Doom said. The word was spoken with even more contempt then when Snape spoke the word "Potter" back at Hogwarts. He stepped forward, and tried to make his escape. This would be a situation that he would have to obtain further information on.
  
  Harry shot cords around Doom to bind him. He was surprised by his success that he had caught one of the most dangerous criminals in the world in his grasp. The entire group looked at him with amazed awe.
  
  For some reason, Harry thought this was too easy, but he was not one to jinx what happened. Doom seemed to grow silent and cold at that moment. Now Harry really did wonder, but he was about to find out.
  
  Harry kept his eyes on what seemed to be Doom for another couple moments. The Invisible Woman, Mister Fantastic, the Thing, Wolverine, Storm, Cyclops, and Jean all stormed the palace. They half expected some kind of battle to walk into. The last thing they expected to walk into was smoldering Doom Bot remains, and Doctor Doom bound with Harry and the Human Torch standing by him.
  
  "You actually captured him?" The Invisible Woman asked. Her mouth opened and closed in absolute astonishment.
  
  Johnny chuckled at the expression on his sister's face. It was a true Kodiak moment.
  
  "Hey, Sue, good to see you too, yeah I'm fine," the Human Torch said. He turned and inclined his head towards Doom. "So, we've got old Victor wrapped up, and ready to go."
  
  Reed stepped forward. He was rather skeptical on sheer principal. The scientist took a second to tap on the form of Doom. Sure enough, his theory was justified.
  
  "I'm afraid that's not Doom," Reed confirmed. Sure enough, Reed broke open the bot, and there was a microphone inside.
  
  "Figured it was too easy," Harry said.
  
  "Oh you've got to be kidding me, a Doom bot again!" The Human Torch exclaimed. He could hardly believe it, but it was true. There was some times where Johnny wondered if they ever went up against the real Doctor Doom, or had fought a never ending stream of Doom Bots, who answered to other Doom Bots.
  
  "I wish I was, but the scientific proof is there," Reed said. His voice was humorless. "This model is nearly flawless to the point where it could pass for the original. In fact, until the moment Victor deactivated it, I would not be far off from hypothesizing that it would think it was actually Victor Von Doom."
  
  Reed analyzed the Doom Bot. It would be foolish to bring it back to the Baxter Building, at least until he gave it a detailed scan. Knowing Doom, there were a few surprises that would have been left in behind. Reed expected a Trojan to be left behind. Doom had done that before, and Reed had learned that lesson the hard way.
  
  Harry only half paid attention to this. He stepped over, and walked towards Kitty. The brunette hunched over. Harry offered his hand to her. Kitty took it, and Harry held her steady. A smile spread across her face. Harry held her close to him, and concern flooded his face.
  
  "Are you hurt badly?" Harry asked.
  
  "Yeah, my ribs are a bit sore and my arm, but it could have been worse," Kitty said. She shook it off. "I'll live. Maybe not comfortable for a while, but I'll live. That was an advanced move, and I should have waited before trying it in battle. Guess I just jumped the gun."
  
  Harry looked at Kitty.
  
  "But you have some great moves, I didn't think you could do that," Kitty added.
  
  Harry just smiled his smile. "Well, we don't know what we are capable of, until we do it. I guess I really just decided to throw all caution to the wind. And it worked."
  
  "Well it's robots, so it's not like you had to hold back," Kitty said. "And keep doing it, if it saves people."
  
  Harry would have to agree. They were robots where he was sure were shielded from magic, at least most magic. The longer he fought, the easier it got. The more he understood what he was fighting. Even highly advanced technology had patterns. Kitty walked over, and Ororo looked at her.
  
  "Don't worry, you'll get medical attention when you return to the Institute," Ororo told her in a consoling voice.
  
  Kitty was about to protest to say that she was fine. Her breath went short. The stabbing pain in her side had told her differently. The entire group moved hastily to the transport. It was going to take some smoothing over to figure this out.
  
  Harry did not envy anyone having to explain what happened to all of the parents. Gwen just shook her head and walked towards the transport that was being offered off of the Latverian Embassy.
  
  "My Dad's going to flip out, and lecture me," Gwen said. The blonde girl had a smirk on her face. After the incident with the pepper spray, her dad should have known better that Gwen was not going to sit back and be a good little girl when people were in danger. "Especially when he finds out that I got involved in the fight. Given that he's a cop, he really has no room to talk, but there you go."
  
  Gwen looked at Harry, Kitty, Kurt, and Rogue, and pondered on what to say.
  
  "Right, and I'll see you around sometime," Gwen said. She jotted down her e-mail address, and handed it to Harry. "If you need my help for any reason at all, you shoot me an e-mail."
  
  Kitty looked at Gwen with a quizzical expression.
  
  "Don't worry, I'm not trying to steal your boyfriend," Gwen teased her. Kitty just offered a brief smile, and Harry raised an eyebrow.
  
  Neither Kitty nor Harry corrected that misconception. Mostly because of the fact that time ran rather short and Gwen was on the transport the next moment. The X-Men exited the building. Reed Richards had dismantled the Doom Bot, and had taken it along for further study when he was certain that there were no nasty surprises behind it.
  
  'So any idea what happened to the real Doom?" Rogue asked.
  
  Harry thought that was a good question.
  
  "I hope we never run into him again," Kurt shuddered.
  
  Kitty and Harry exchanged nods. That was a sentiment all of them agreed about. The real Doctor Doom would be ten times more dangerous than this imposter they fought today. The only thing all of them cared about was returning home. The team boarded the jet, and it flew off. This would take some smoothing over, and Harry wondered if his life would ever be anything, but complicated.
  
  That would be food for thought for later. He had thought that his first official mission where he was technically de-facto leader had gone better than could be expected. Perhaps there was some kind of potential for this entire team work mess. Harry had been having his reservations. Call it a gut feeling if one might, but Harry tended to pay closer attention to his instincts.
  
  Until he amassed some level of resources, Harry had to wait and ponder what to do. As much as he hated to admit it, money did make the world go around. There were a few ideas in his head, and there would be time to expand on them in the not so-distant future.
  
  Doctor Doom's latest scheme had reached the ears of SHIELD Commander, Nick Fury. He paced around, nearly wearing a hole in the Hellicarrier floor. Doom had always been a national security threat ever since becoming the ruler of Latveria. What pissed Fury off the most was that he had his hands tied, thanks to the diplomatic immunity that Doom enjoyed, and flaunted in front of face. Doom and Fury had gone around a few times, and Doom had slipped out of trouble.
  
  Fury was only mildly interested about what Doctor Doom had done, and majorly interested about the other results of the day's events. His intelligence had revealed that some of the students from Xavier's school had been among those kidnapped. Whatever Doom was after, no one was talking. Fury saw that as a challenge. He would just have to dig even deeper, until he found what he wanted. The Director of SHIELD tapped his fingers, and stood poised. He turned to his agents.
  
  "Did you at least get one stinking surveillance photo from the entire mess?" Fury asked his agents.
  
  The agents shook their heads. Fury stood up straight. The Director of SHIELD brought himself to his full height. He continued to stare them down. People would have backed off by now, and cowered.
  
  "Just this one photo, sir but it's blurry," one of the agents aid timidly.
  
  Fury snatched the photo in his hand. He studied it through a narrowed eye. There was much that was interesting about the photo. He saw Xavier's students in it. There were faces that he could scarcely make out.
  
  "This was taken before Doom's security camera's short circuited," another agent added as an afterthought.
  
  Now Fury was interested. There were a number of theories that he could follow up on, and investigate. A man like Nick Fury did not put much stock into theories or guess work. In his line of work, there was much to be lost if he did not have the right information. Teeth gritted, and Fury studied the photo. Being a secret agent, he was used to picking out the details. It was the difference between certain death and living to fight another day.
  
  Fury looked up at the agents. He turned around.
  
  "Barton!" Fury barked.
  
  Clint Barton spun around, and his eyes were on Fury. Barton was an expert archer, who could hit any target. It had earned him the nickname Hawkeye. He was one of the most valued agents of SHIELD, even if he and Fury did not see eye to eye. At this moment, Fury needed someone who would be able to be able to think outside of the box.
  
  "Yeah, Fury, what do you want now?' Clint asked. He leaned against the wall. The archer was calm and collected.
  
  "I need you on the Potter situation, and fast," Fury told him. Clint remained calm, and waved Harry. "Someone shows up at random, and it isn't a coincidence. Xavier and his group are harboring him. And that Institute has always been a potential security snafu waiting to happen."
  
  Barton nodded his head. He had seen the files. Maybe not read them from cover to cover, because he was not that meticulous. However, Clint had scanned enough of the files to be interested. Fury was collecting biographical information on every single member of the Xavier Institute, every time a new student showed up, Fury seemed to know. How he learned such things was one of the greatest mysteries of SHIELD. New agents tended to act those questions. Older agents just decided to go with the flow, and see what happened. Nick Fury knew things, that seemed to be his super power.
  
  So when he did not know something, he got on edge. This Potter situation put Fury on edge.
  
  "So what do you want me to go?" Barton asked. "Tail some kid twenty four seven?"
  
  "Just keep an eye on him, Barton," Fury replied. Fury cracked his knuckles and his eye narrowed. "We need to know information about him. These biographical details are just too clean, too arranged. Xavier might have fooled most, but the lack of any kind of paper trail to follow up on anything. Potter seems to be paranoid about making sure anyone sees him doing anything. Every one of his actions has been mostly discreet. We've only been able to pick up the slightest of hints on security camera footage."
  
  Barton leaned against the wall. This was again not news to him. His eyes flickered on Fury.
  
  "Paranoid, and trying not to see, seems like he'd be a good fit in SHIELD," Clint said. "Maybe one day he'll take your job, Fury. Is that what you're afraid of?"
  
  Fury ignored the flippant comment from the archer.
  
  "Yes, but that could mean he was a tactical mastermind," Fury said.
  
  Barton blinked. "We are still talking about the sixteen year old mystery boy, aren't we?"
  
  "Don't let appearances fool you, things aren't always as they appear," Fury said. "We have a bigger problem than this one boy. Xavier and Lehnsherr are on the borderline of some kind of war. It's an arms race between the two of them to collect mutants. SHIELD needs all of the information they need. Keep an eye out Barton. I've gotten you a job at Bayville High to keep a closer eye on everything. You will be cleaning up."
  
  Barton stopped, and stared. Clint Barton cursed the very day that Nick Fury was born. He had to work undercover at a high school as a janitor. That was not the lowest mission he had, not even close.
  
  "Can't Natasha do it?" Clint asked.
  
  The archer realized that the woman in question would likely pummel him senseless if she ever found out she was being volunteered for an undercover work as a janior.
  
  "You're more of the janitor type, Barton, and Agent Romanov is on a deep cover mission," Fury said gruffly. Barton read that as something that was on a need to know basis. "I trust that won't be a problem."
  
  Clint offered a nod. Fury always had a way of talking people into things. So he might as well skip the middle man, and do it. Perhaps he could get back in the good graces of Fury after his last than stellar results on the last mission.
  
  Fury remained calm, and kept his temper in check. Xavier and Magneto were recruiting mutants for their respective groups. One might argue that these super powered people could be used as weapons. Fury had no problem with mutants; it was the damage that they could cause that worried him. And this Harry Potter could potentially be a doomsday weapon.
  
  Harry thought about the events of today's impromptu mission. Things could have gone much better. Everything could have gone much worse. Harry walked down the hallway, towards Kitty's room. He went to visit her in the infirmary. However, Harry had been informed that Kitty had been released. Harry knocked on the door.
  
  "Kitty, are you in there?" Harry asked.
  
  "Yeah, come in, Harry!" Kitty called brightly.
  
  Harry opened the door. He walked inside the room that Kitty and Rogue shared. It was still early, and Rogue was down having recovering from the latest Danger Room session. Harry stopped, and paused when he looked at Kitty. His heart skipped a beat when he saw her.
  
  Kitty was sitting cross legged on the bed. Her hair was not tied up, but rather flowed freely down her back. The brunette wore a short black-shirt that stopped before her waist. The shirt showed her midriff, and Harry found his eyes lingering on it. She wore a pair of black panties. Harry's eyes traveled down to her legs. He found himself staring at them. Kitty cleared her throat, and Harry looked up to her. Harry saw the grin on her face, but she quickly shifted her expression in an innocent expression.
  
  "Kitty, I didn't know...you weren't..." Harry managed.
  
  "What, decent?" Kitty asked. She slid to the side of her bed, and looked up at Harry. "It's not that bad. It's not like you walked in on me when I was naked, or anything."
  
  That was not the mental image that Harry needed right now. Kitty patted her hand on the side of the bed. Harry took the invite to sit down, and sat down beside Kitty on the bed. The brunette looked at him. Her blue eyes met his green ones. She smiled at him, and placed his hand on his leg.
  
  "So why did you come in here?" Kitty asked.
  
  "I just wanted to see if you were doing alright," Harry said.
  
  Kitty could barely conceal the glee she had.
  
  "I'm doing fine Harry," Kitty said. She scooted a bit closer to Harry, so she could look at him properly. "I'm a bit sore after what happened. That will teach me to remember I can, you know, go intangible more often."
  
  Harry smiled. "It's a lot easier to think about what we should have done, then what we did do out there."
  
  Kitty fired back with a grin. Her hand still rested on Harry's knee. "I can see what you say. There are a million things that we could have likely done differently every time. However, everyone got out fine, and we learned a valuable lesson. Doom is still out there, but he wasn't really there to begin with, so that's not something that we can do anything about."
  
  Harry just looked at her, and nodded. Kitty scooted just a little bit closer to Harry.
  
  "We need to talk about something," Kitty said.
  
  Harry was curious. "What about?"
  
  "The two of us," Kitty said to Harry. Her hand was still on his knee. She then reached forward, and put her hand on Harry's. "We've kind of been dancing around everything a little bit. We're out there, fighting together. And we've been spending a lot of time together, and I enjoy your company. I don't know if you feel the same."
  
  "I do," Harry said. Kitty tightened her grip on his hand. "I really like spending a lot of time with you."
  
  "I'm glad," Kitty replied to Harry. She shifted by Harry, and it seemed like she was choosing her next work. "The truth is, I really like you a lot."
  
  Harry decided to have a bit of fun at Kitty's expense.
  
  "Well we are friends," Harry said. "So I should hope you like me."
  
  Kitty just shook her head. "No, I mean as more as friends, kind of like this."
  
  The brunette leaned forward, and wrapped her slender arms around Harry's waist. Kitty leaned forward, and her lips met Harry's in a kiss. Harry was caught completely off guard by this action. His brain managed to kick into gear, and he did the only thing that made sense. Harry kissed back. He felt her lips on his. It was very nice. He put his hand on the small of Kitty's back, to pull her in close to him.
  
  The kiss continued to linger. The two were a bit nervous. They had never truly kissed anyone. Both hoped that they did not screw up.
  
  Harry and Kitty slowly pulled apart after a couple of minutes. Both wanted to get an assessment of what the other felt. The two stared at each other, and Harry was the first one to break the silence.
  
  "That was...well wow," Harry said.
  
  "Yes it was," Kitty concurred.
  
  Kitty curled up into Harry's lap, and Harry wrapped an arm around her waist. She shifted slightly, squirming against him. Harry decided to break the silence.
  
  "So, I guess that makes us boyfriend and girlfriend then," Harry said to her.
  
  "Are you asking?" Kitty asked.
  
  "Kitty, will you be my girlfriend?" Harry asked her.
  
  Kitty spun around, and kissed Harry once again. Harry returned the kiss. Kitty ran her fingers through Harry's hair. The brunette broke the kiss. She practically straddled Harry on the bed, and was slowly pulling his shirt up over his head. Kitty slowly traced patterns over his chest and abs. The training in the Danger Room was starting to do him a lot of good. Kitty stroked his chest, and a smile crossed her face.
  
  "I'm sure you've done this sort of thing often," Kitty said to Harry.
  
  Harry shifted, and was a bit nervous. "Actually, I didn't really have much time for dating, with everything that happened. There were...complications. I had about two dates. They both ended in disaster. One was to a school dance, and one was with a girl a year older than me that I had a crush on. We kissed a few times, but she was crying so it was not nearly as nice as yours."
  
  "Why would she cry?" Kitty asked, completely confused. Harry was an amazing kisser, and would likely get better with experience. She felt a little wet just thinking about it, and what else Harry could do with his mouth.
  
  Harry sighed. This was not a pleasant topic to talk about.
  
  "Well, she was thinking about her dead boyfriend, and then she kissed me," Harry said.
  
  Kitty's eyes snapped up. She felt a bit bad for Harry. "Talk about your mixed messages."
  
  "Tell me about it, that entire relationship was messed up," Harry said. Kitty stroked his face, and looked into his eyes.
  
  Kitty's wrapped her arms around Harry's neck. She was draped over his lap. Kitty whispered into his ear. "So, Harry, you have a half-naked girl in your lap? What are you going to do?"
  
  Harry paused for a moment. He looked at her. The expression in her eyes danced with mischief, and Kitty shifted over to the side of him.
  
  "Kitty, don't you think we might be..."
  
  "Going too fast?" Kitty asked. She pulled him into another kiss. This one was short, but nice. It was enough for Harry to be eased slightly. "For some people, maybe they could say that. Some people might argue that we're not mature enough to do this. But, don't we have to go into deadly training simulations every day, where we have to dodge lasers, robots, and all kinds of insanity? If we're mature enough to do that, than I think we're mature enough to do this. I think any norms for any relationship should be thrown out the window, given the situation."
  
  Harry had to concede that she had a point. Deep down, he would have to agree, and he tightened his grip around Kitty. The brunette gave him a wicked grin. Kitty placed her hand on Harry's pants, and slowly phased her fingers through them. She brushed against him, and brought Harry no small amount of pleasure.
  
  "Did you just..."
  
  Kitty laughed. She withdrew her hand from within his pants.
  
  "Do you like that Harry?" Kitty asked Harry in a sweet voice. "Would you like me to touch you like that again?"
  
  Harry's expression looked at her. He tried to hide his want. Even if his face did not betray him, the bulge in his pants did.
  
  "I think I'll take that as a yes," Kitty said.
  
  "What about..."
  
  "Contraceptives?" Kitty asked. "Um, would they even work on people like us?"
  
  Harry looked at Kitty in confusion.
  
  "Well, we're supposed to be evolved, so wouldn't we have something a bit stronger."
  
  "Yeah, that does make sense," Harry said. "I know they won't work on magical users, at least normal ones. Condoms wouldn't work either. Because of the magical discharge within wizards causes them to break or worse vanish. It really depends on the power."
  
  Harry looked thoughtful at that moment.
  
  "There are contraceptive spells," Harry informed her. "I've been looking into them, but I haven't really mastered them yet."
  
  Kitty could not resist commenting on this news. "Oh, you've been looking into contraceptive spells? I guess you've been scheming to get into my panties for a while now."
  
  She said this in a teasing manner. Harry reached forward, and placed his fingers on the edge of her panties. This was a more bold action that he had ever done. Kitty went intangible, and Harry's fingers passed through the fabric of her panties.
  
  "Judging by how wet you are, it seems like you've been thinking about me getting in your panties too," Harry fired back.
  
  "Alright, I guess two can play that game," Kitty conceded. She went solid, and Harry's hand was "stuck" in her panties. Not that either was complaining. "So, I guess the two of us can have a little fun, and then we can go all the way once you learned those charms."
  
  Kitty thought that she might be able to go intangible before Harry erupted in her. However, she might get lost in the moment and forget. It was best to play it safe, for now. There would be plenty of time for more fun later. They could just pleasure each other, and go further later.
  
  "So what do you have in mind?" Harry asked her.
  
  Kitty just grinned, and arched her hips up, to meet Harry's hand. The fun had just begun.
  
  Smut/Lemon Begins.
  
  Harry felt her pussy on his fingers. It was warm, and better than anything than he had ever felt in his life. Kitty smiled, and the dark haired wizard paused for a brief second. He decided that it was best to go with his instincts. Harry stroked Kitty through her panties. Kitty's eyes glazed over, as Harry started to play with her. A slight moan escaped from her mouth when Harry explored every inch of her private parts.
  
  "Feels good," Kitty told him. She paused, and then added. "It would be better if you saw what you were doing."
  
  The brunette mutant shifted herself. She slowly phased out of her clothes. Harry was rendered speechless. His heart skipped a beat.
  
  Kitty sat on the bed and spread her legs slightly. Harry took a good long look at her. A mischievous grin played across her face. Harry watched all of her. His eyes traveled towards from her cute face, with a winning smile. Her slender shoulders were next, with freckles on her shoulders. Harry took a look at her breasts. It had been the first pair that he had ever scene. They were not as large as some, he suspected, but they looked like a decent handful. Her pink nipples stood out, perky. Harry continued to look at her tight stomach muscles, forged from the training in the danger room.
  
  His heart fluttered when Harry took a look at her tight little pussy. It was moist, with a small strip of brown hair visible. Her legs were sexy as well, and caused Harry's mouth to water. Harry watched Kitty, who stared back at him with a grin on her face.
  
  "So, is this how you imagined me when you thought of me naked?" Kitty asked mischievously.
  
  "Better," Harry admitted. He grabbed Kitty by the shoulders, and pulled her in close to him. "You look beautiful."
  
  Kitty smiled, and pressed her naked body against Harry's. Harry felt every inch of her skin on his. Immediately, Kitty grabbed his pants, tugging them firmly in her hands.
  
  "Only fair, to put us on equal footing," Kitty whispered in his ears. "Let's see what you've been hiding behind those baggy pants."
  
  Harry arched his hips up, and Kitty phased him out of his pants. Kitty's eyes stopped at Harry's cock. She stared at it. It bulged in front of her, and Kitty felt her mouth water when she looked at Harry.
  
  Immediately, Kitty pounced Harry. She wrapped her legs around Harry's waist. Harry placed his hands firmly on her ass. The two of them made out. Their lips smashed against each other, as their hands explored each inch of their flesh. Harry squeezed Kitty's ass, and she paused for a second. She grinded her wet center across Harry's pelvis, to get him to continue. Harry arched his hips up, and his cock brushed against her opening.
  
  "Making it very hard to resist," Kitty breathed.
  
  "Oh, am I?" Harry asked. He leaned her back onto her bed, and kissed her neck. Kitty breathed out. Harry sucked on her neck. That would be leaving marks, but somehow it was worth it. She placed her hands on Harry's back, and encouraged him.
  
  Harry's mouth found her tits at the next moment. Kitty thought she was going to lose it immediately.
  
  "Suck them Harry, please I need it," Kitty said. Her nipples were really sensitive, and having Harry lick them was driving her into new levels of pleasure. The brunette also was sure that he was using magic to drive her pleasure up.
  
  Harry was glad that Kitty was enjoying what he was doing. This was the first time he had done anything more intimate with a girl then a kiss. Harry decided to make attention to her body language, and what seemed to give her the most pleasure. If that particular gift worked when delivering pain to his enemies, maybe it could work well with delivering pleasure to his girlfriend.
  
  His mouth planted a series of kisses on Kitty's stomach. Kitty arched her hips up. Harry decided to take things to the next level. His fingers brushed her slit. Kitty shivered.
  
  "Stick them in me," Kitty told him, and Harry plunged a finger into the brunette below him.
  
  "You're so tight and wet," Harry whispered.
  
  "Yeah, make me wetter them, if you can," Kitty encouraged him.
  
  Harry rose to the challenge. A second finger was inserted into Kitty's pussy. The third was entered, and Harry slowly gained a rhythm. His fingers pumped into her, slowly at first. Kitty pushed her hips up, and Harry continued. Kitty tugged on her hair, and her eyes glazed over.
  
  "Feels so good," Kitty breathed shallowly.
  
  Harry played with her a little bit more, before he responded with a grin. "It's going to feel a little bit better, wait for this."
  
  He pumped into her a few more times, and pulled out. Harry switched, licking her pussy. Briefly, he sucked on Kitty's clit. Kitty was driven absolutely insane, but bit her bottom lip. Harry thought it was the sexiest thing he had ever seen. Kitty struggled to not convey pleasure vocally, but had failed. Harry looked at her.
  
  "I put up silencing charms, go nuts," Harry informed her.
  
  Kitty loved magic at this point. She wondered what else it could do. Perhaps it could allow them to heighten their pleasure in other ways. Kitty made a mental note to encourage Harry to explore that later. Right now, she had lost sight of all coherent thought when Harry had dove into her pussy.
  
  Harry scraped his tongue on the inside of her core. Kitty placed her hands on the back of his head. She encouraged Harry to continue to work her over with his tongue. Harry's tongue managed to hit all of the pleasure spots deep within her. Kitty slowly bucked her hips up.
  
  "Harry, keep eating me," Kitty encouraged him.
  
  Harry closed his eyes, and began to rattle his tongue on the inside of her. It was at that point, Kitty had almost lost it. Harry was hissing into her pussy, and it felt so good. Her eyes had been shut, and Kitty lost sense of where she was. She had soaked Harry's face with her orgasm. The brunette girl saw stars on the inside of her eyes.
  
  The next thing she knew, she was becoming intangible. She nearly pulled Harry through the bed with her. Harry had caught her, and Kitty pulled herself back up. His green eyes locked onto her blue ones with an apologetic look.
  
  "Kitty, I'm sorry."
  
  Kitty could have laughed. "For what, for giving me a kick ass orgasm and nearly making me phase through the floor?"
  
  Harry was relieved that she was not mad at him. Kitty gave him a kiss.
  
  "Maybe I should put some charms up to prevent you from going further than the floor," Harry said. "We wouldn't want to give everyone on the floor below a free show."
  
  Kitty thought that would be for the best. She wrapped her arms around him. Her eyes looked at him, and a smile spread across her face. "Could you do that?"
  
  "I'm sure it's possible, magic is capable of many things," Harry said with a shrug.
  
  Kitty pushed back, and slowly wrapped her fingers around the head of Harry's cock. Slowly, the girl teased it. "Speaking of magic, I think it's time that I serviced your wand."
  
  Harry rolled his eyes a little bit at that. Then again, between both of the Weasley twins, he had heard enough wand jokes to last a lifetime.
  
  "You just had to go there," Harry said. He would have to admit, having a feminine hand on his member felt much better than his own.
  
  Kitty smiled, and clutched Harry's cock in her soft hand. Her hand slowly ran up and down his length. She needed both hands on it to firmly grasp it. Harry was rather gifted. Kitty felt fortunate that she would always be Harry's first, no matter what. The girl gave a slight lick to the head of Harry's cock. Harry pushed his cock into her hand, and Kitty's mouth was towards it.
  
  "Ready for your first blowjob, love?" Kitty asked in an adorable, but terrible British accent.
  
  "As long as you don't do that accent ever again," Harry said.
  
  Kitty just smiled, and stroked his cock. Her tongue then tentatively licked it up and down like a lollipop. She tasted it. Harry's cock tasted so good, but it was the milky filling inside that Kitty could hardly wait to sample the most.
  
  "Just think of this as incentive to learn those charms, so we can go further," Kitty purred in his ear.
  
  Kitty slowly wrapped her lips around Harry's cock. She only managed to fit a certain amount of Harry's length into her mouth. The rest of it, she grasped firmly in her hand. Kitty slowly bobbed her head up and down on Harry's cock. Harry placed his hands in her hair, and stroked it. He lifted his hips slowly, and Kitty continued to go down on him.
  
  "Use your tongue a bit more, that's it," Harry managed. Kitty stimulated Harry with her mouth and tongue. "Your hot mouth, feels so good. I bet your hot pussy would feel even better."
  
  Kitty played with herself, and she continued to go down on Harry. She had never thought about doing this before. Yet, Harry was responsive to her actions, so she must be doing something right. Her mouth continued to pleasure him. Kitty stroked the remaining length with her left hand, and squeezed his balls sac.
  
  "I love it when you touch me like that," Harry grunted. He stroked his fingers through her brunette hair. "Suck my dick, Kitty."
  
  Kitty maintained eye contact. Harry was getting her hot as well. His cock in her mouth was a wonderful feeling, and Harry reached around, to play with her breasts and stiff nipples. Harry rubbed her. The brunette felt Harry's muscles tighten in her mouth.
  
  "I'm going to cum, Kitty," Harry whispered.
  
  Kitty was quite ready to taste Harry's cum. Her bobbing never ceased. In fact, she speeded up, and stroked Harry. She would coax the cum out of his balls, and down her throat. She went faster and faster. The look of pleasure in Harry's eyes while she went down on him encouraged the girl to go on.
  
  Harry groaned.
  
  "So good, cumming," Harry grunted, feeling his muscles tighten.
  
  Harry spurted his cum into Kitty's mouth. Some of it dribbled out onto her chin, but Kitty managed to swallow the vast majority of it. It left her with a warm sensation in her. All of her bumps and bruises disappeared, like they were a distant memory. She milked his cock until it was dry, and fell back on the bed. A look of contentment spread across her face.
  
  Smut/Lemon Ends.
  
  Harry grew rigid. He looked at Kitty at that moment, and felt something.
  
  "Someone's coming, I better go," Harry whispered.
  
  He waved his hand, and his clothes were back on him. Harry leaned forward, and kissed Kitty goodbye. He disappeared with a soft pop. Kitty immediately put her clothes back on, and the door clicked open. Rogue entered the room. She looked about ready to collapse.
  
  "Rogue, how are you doing?" Kitty asked.
  
  Rogue walked forward in a dazed state, resembling a zombie.
  
  "Don't want to talk about it," Rogue said, and she stepped forward. "The good news is that I survived the entire session in there. If you can call it survival. Harry didn't break a sweat in there."
  
  'Well not until now,' Kitty thought, barely suppressing a grin she had.
  
  "Whatever Harry has, he should bottle it, he'd really make some money," Rogue said.
  
  Kitty could barely suppress a grin. She had some of what Harry had alright.
  
  "I'm glad that someone's feeling better," Rogue told her. She looked at Kitty, and her expression softened. "Seriously, are you doing alright?"
  
  "Fine, everything's just great, a bit sore, but I'm recovering," Kitty said.
  
  The truth was that Kitty was feeling much better after she had her fun with Harry. She could not wait to go further. Kitty looked pleased. Rogue stared at Kitty.
  
  "There's something on your chin," Rogue said. "What is that?"
  
  Kitty brushed her chin, and licked the excess off of her fingers. She responded in a very casual and innocent voice. "Cream."
  
  "Cream?" Rogue asked.
  
  "Yeah cream, tastes good too," Kitty replied, smacking her lips.
  
  Rogue looked at Kitty. Perhaps her mind just went in the gutter, but Harry walked up here to visit Kitty. He did not return downstairs, and might have been up there for a while. Kitty had something white on her face, and Rogue just was struck by the sudden realization. Rogue was able to put two and two together.
  
  "You're lucky it was just me that almost walked in and not Logan or anyone else," Rogue said, after a moment of silence.
  
  Kitty's expression fixed to one of innocence. "I have no idea what you mean."
  
  Rogue just looked at her roommate with a scandalous expression. The Goth girl rolled her eyes. Innocence did not suit Kitty. She decided that she was going to collapse on the bed. After today, that did seem to be logical.
  
  "Harry came to visit me," Kitty said brightly.
  
  "I'm sure he did," Rogue replied. She turned around, and closed her eyes. The girl could crash right now and be dead to the world.
  
  "And he asked me to be his girlfriend," Kitty said.
  
  "That's great Kitty," Rogue replied dryly.
  
  "He's amazing," Kitty said with a sigh.
  
  Rogue's mind ran wild with the possibilities of what Kitty could be implying. She shook her head to dislodge her mind from the gutter.
  
  "I'm sure he is," Rogue remarked dully. The truth was she had given the matter some thought, but Rogue dislodged her thoughts immediately.
  
  Kitty just turned around. She had really not thought about boys in that way, before she met Harry. Perhaps she was too distracted in academics, or something.
  
  She was confident that Harry would learn those charms. Then they could cut loose, and had some real fun.
  
  It was a great way to relieve stress that was for sure. Kitty had a feeling that there would need to be a lot of stress relief if days like this became common place.
  Fatal Attraction
  
  
  Chapter 10: Fatal Attraction.
  
  It was not too long before the cat was out of the back, and it was known that Kitty and Harry were dating. The fact it only took less than a week actually was astonishing. Everyone in the Institute found out, and after the standard words of warning about safe sex, everything was fine.
  
  The High School rumor mill did tend to work fast. Once again, Harry thought that there were very few differences the world over for teenagers. Harry and Kitty walked into the High School, holding hands. There were several dirty looks being given to Kitty by several girls. If looks could kill, Kitty Pryde would be dead would be dead.
  
  "Really, they're being really mature," Kitty said. She looked at Harry with a smile. "You know, if they act like that, then they won't be in a very stable relationship."
  
  Harry would have to agree. Jealousy would be one of the more frustrating emotions to deal with as a teenager. He had been down that road before, but had matured and grown past that. Well for the most part, Harry would be lying if he was not capable of some immaturity. His hand was held on Kitty's, and the two walked forward. Rogue and Kurt joined them. Rogue looked at Harry and Kitty for a few seconds, before she straightened her posture.
  
  "I've never seen that many angry girls in one place," Kurt commented.
  
  "Believe me, I have," Harry said, shaking his head.
  
  "Where?" Kurt asked.
  
  "It's a long story," Harry said.
  
  "Is anything with you ever a short story?" Rogue asked. Harry just shrugged, and offered her a smile. Rogue really wished he would quit doing that, it was distracting. "Well, it's not hard to see where they are coming from. I mean, you can't really blame them."
  
  "No, I guess you couldn't," Kitty agreed. She leaned closer to Harry. Harry wrapped his arm around her. She was honestly surprised that Harry only had less than a handful of dates, and had not gone so far. He was such a natural, and Kitty could hardly wait to go further. The two of them would be each other's first, and whatever happened from there, would happen. "Good taste, bad attitude, that's really a dangerous combination for sure."
  
  Harry offered a smile, and the three of them walked. They saw a new student, or at least one that they did not notice before. He was a rather large student.
  
  "Well there's someone that's going to stand out in a crowd," Kitty commented.
  
  Harry just looked at this young man, and tried to figure out what to make of him. He could not help, but think that this large student had made Dudley look positively anorexic. Not that Harry was one to judge, but he looked like he ate Dudley and his gang.
  
  "Yeah, in the worst ways, and looks like he has a bit of a temper," Rogue said, watching the scene before her. She saw the young man get a bit agitated when he walked by. Rogue winced, and saw the path he left.
  
  Off in the distance, Todd and Lance stood by watching, the scene. One of them simmered with rage and jealousy. Lance watched Harry and Kitty, barely guarded contempt in his eyes. This caused him to lose some control of his powers. The ground was beginning to shake beneath him.
  
  "Hey man, cool it before you sink the school into the ground," Todd said. He then paused, and added. "On second thought, keep it up, go nuts."
  
  Lance just turned around and looked at Lance. "What does she see in him?"
  
  Todd looked at Lance. Surely, he could not be for real. Granted, they were friends, by default, but even Todd had to call a spade a spade.
  
  "Well, I could start making a list, but we'd be here for a long time," Todd said. "Hell, if I was a girl..."
  
  "Enough," Lance said with a shudder. He did not need the mental images. He stood back, and continued to watch. There were many things that were going through his mind right now. "I wonder what that Darkholme woman wants us for. She has us holed up in that dump, because of some grander plan."
  
  "Hey, I don't question her, bad things happen when you question her," Todd said with a shudder. His eyes looked up. "Hey, is that the new guy that she mentioned the other day?"
  
  Lance's attention was diverted towards the large blonde teenager that walked up.
  
  "What's his name?" Todd asked. He took a moment to think about it. He shook his head. "Oh yeah, Fred Dukes."
  
  "Looks like a blob," Lance said in a surly voice.
  
  "Yeah, he kind of does," Todd agreed. "So, we better try and get to class. Darkholme threatened pain on both of us, and I kind of believe she'll follow through on it."
  
  Lance just gritted his teeth. Darkholme tended to expect a lot of them, with giving very little in return. And there were a number of threats. He had a feeling that Darkholme worked for some higher power.
  
  Speaking of the devil, Principal Darkholme walked up. She passed Todd and Lance only with the barest amount of acknowledgement. She turned towards Fred.
  
  "Mr. Dukes, I trust you are not having any troubles," Darkholme said.
  
  "Yeah, no trouble," Fred grunted. He stared down Darkholme. His large form stepped forward at that moment. "Just trying to fit in here, High School is a new thing for me, after working at the freak show."
  
  "Good, and I trust you'll find your way to class on time," Darkholme said. "The first bell rings in three minutes, and it's unwise to linger. I trust you'll not be late. I don't tolerate tardiness."
  
  "Yeah, I won't be," Fred grunted. Did she think that he was stupid or something. He took a thunderous step forward. He saw a group of Football team members laughing. "What are you laughing at?"
  
  "Nothing, man," one of the jocks said.
  
  "Even if you're just a big joke."
  
  Fred stopped walking in the school, and turned around. He tried to keep his temper in check. It had been a problem. He hated when people laughed at him. Everyone laughed at him, but he was not a joke. His fingers twitched.
  
  Harry and Kitty walked by at that moment. Kitty noticed that Harry had a calculating expression on his face. She decided to call him out on it.
  
  "What is it, Harry?" Kitty asked.
  
  "I'm beginning to think that Darkholme is someone else," Harry told her in an undertone.
  
  Kitty looked up at Harry in confusion. Harry seemed certain about this, so curiosity got the better of Kitty.
  
  "Okay, who do you think she is?" Kitty asked.
  
  Harry decided to drop the bombshell. "I think she's that Mystique woman we fought a few weeks back."
  
  Kitty's eyes flickered, and suddenly she looked at Harry.
  
  "Are you sure?" Kitty asked.
  
  "You don't believe me," Harry said.
  
  "Of course, I believe you," Kitty said. The girl was incredulous that Harry did not believe that she would believe him. "You can read the body language of people, can't you?"
  
  "And that's how I picked out that she was Mystique," Harry whispered.
  
  There was a moment of silence, which Kitty broke a bit later.
  
  "Maybe you should tell the Professor about this," Kitty said.
  
  "I wonder if he already knows," Harry said.
  
  "Maybe, but if he doesn't, you could tell him," Kitty suggested. "It's up to you, whatever you want to do."
  
  Harry debated whether to tell the others as well. He knew that Rogue would flip, given what Mystique did to her. Harry was reluctant to tell her, due to this fact. Then again, Harry hated when people kept information from him.
  
  "There's the bell," Kitty remarked, breaking Harry's attention.
  
  "Yeah, don't want to be late," Harry said.
  
  "Darkholme's a bit of a bitch, whether or not she is a shape shifting mutant in disguise," Kitty said. She and Harry exchanged a brief kiss before they went their separate ways to their first period classes.
  
  Harry had a lot of things to think about and ponder on. He would need to think about school, and keep his mind on that. Then he could worry about other matters, later on.
  
  "Scott, I'm just showing him around, it's no big deal."
  
  This had been the scene that Harry had walked in after school on that day. Scott and Jean seemed to be having a heated discussion about something. Harry would loath to have called it an argument, because it was not that heated. He had seen some arguments in his day. They could be pretty violent, and sometimes he had been stuck in the middle of them trying to play peacemaker.
  
  "I know you're just being helpful with showing the new guy around the school, and that's great. Really Jean, it's really great. However, Dukes does seem to be...well there's just something about him that's wrong."
  
  Jean folded her arms, and she inhaled for a moment. The red haired telepath looked at Scott, and kept a calm expression on her face. "Fred's just trying to fit in. He's in a new place, and he doesn't know anybody. You remember what it's like, don't you?"
  
  Scott did not answer, even if he did remember it with picture perfect clarity. Harry tried to walk away slowly and casually before he had been sucked into this argument. He tried to avoid being sucked into arguments on general principle. Unfortunately, Scott had seen him, and called him over.
  
  "Hey, Harry, did you hear?"
  
  "Hear about what?" Harry asked. Feigning innocence was the best possible thing, to keep him out of trouble. Granted, there was a fact that he heard many things, so strictly speaking there would be many things they could be alluding to. Harry always had keen observation skills. Of course once something was heard, it could not be unheard. That was the biggest problem.
  
  "Jean is showing this new guy, Fred Dukes around the school," Scott said. An exasperated expression crossed on Jean's face. Harry could tell that Scott was just concerned. He was just showing it in a way that was rubbing Jean the wrong way. Harry could tell he was not going to like being drawn in this, if he could help him. "You've seen him."
  
  "He's rather large, kind of hard not to," Harry remarked in a flat and dry voice.
  
  Scott nodded. "And he has a bit of a temper..."
  
  "I'm not denying that he is, Scott! It's just that...well Harry knows what it's like to be in a new place."
  
  "It's not exactly the same thing."
  
  "Well, it kind of is."
  
  Harry shook his head, frustration mounting. He waved off the argument. The truth was that Harry desperately needed to have a word with Professor Xavier, and did not have the time or energy to deal with this. He took a deep breath, and decided to go for the most diplomatic answer he could.
  
  "I'm sure both of you have valid points. I've only seen Dukes, and not met him. Therefore, I can't say, and I kindly ask you to not ask me of my opinion. I don't have an opinion either way, and I'll talk to both of you later."
  
  Jean and Scott were left by Harry at this moment. Harry had no doubt the conversation continued. He walked inside of the Xavier Institute. His mind was going many miles a minute. The Mystique thing kind of bugged him when it happened, and when Xavier just allowed her to leave, Harry did wonder. He wanted answers, and insisted on getting them. He knocked on the door of Xavier's office. He did not have to wait long for an answer.
  
  "Come in."
  
  Harry clicked the door opened, and walked in to face Professor Xavier. He sat behind his desk, and began to file paperwork. Xavier looked up to Harry, with a friendly and approachable smile.
  
  "Harry, what can I do for you today?" Xavier asked.
  
  "I noticed something odd at school, that you might want to know," Harry said. Xavier made a motion with his hand, inviting for him to continue. "Principal Darkholme I think she's Mystique."
  
  Xavier looked at Harry, as if trying to figure out how he had come to this conclusion.
  
  "An interesting accusation to make Harry, and one that could be possible. Given that Mystique is a shape shifter, she could pose as any person, including me or you."
  
  Harry noticed the lack of surprise in Xavier's tone. Perhaps he was being paranoid, and seeing things that were not there. Yet, paranoia was the one thing that often kept people alive. At least that was Moody told them all about a year ago.
  
  "Their movements were similar, and the way both carried themselves," Harry said, and Xavier responded with a brief nod. The two of them exchanged an expression. Time tended to stand still with the two of them. "I want to ask a question about what happened a few weeks ago, with Mystique."
  
  Xavier figured that this was coming. It actually was always interesting when students questioned him, as it allowed him to gain an entirely new perspective on a situation. Even if he sometimes did not agree with the disagreements, Xavier did welcome all feedback. "Given the circumstances, an explanation is in order. You did meet Magneto upon your arrival here."
  
  Harry's mind flashed back to that night where he arrived here.
  
  "Hard to forget something like that," Harry answered.
  
  Xavier remained rather calm, and decided to explain the facts of the matter. Harry folded his arms.
  
  "Mystique is working for Magneto. I believe she may be recruiting troubled mutants. These youngsters would be easy to entice, with a small amount of power and respect, offered as a dangling carrot. Magneto and I are at a crossroads with each other. Putting Mystique in prison would expose mutants before we are ready."
  
  "And when will we be ready?" Harry asked.
  
  There was no harsh tone in Harry's voice. He framed his question as calm and crisp. A year ago, he might have screamed, and came across as an angsty teenager. A long time had passed, and Harry had kept his emotions in check.
  
  "I cannot say that," Xavier said, and this was a rather honest answer. "I do understand your concerns, and appreciate your information. Humans will know that we exist in due time. It will be a long and hard road to achieve tolerance."
  
  Harry understood better than anyone that some people tended to be intolerant to others that were different from them. The fanatical racism towards magical creatures moved that much. And the less said about his experiences with the Dursleys, the better.
  
  He did know one thing. Harry would be keeping an eye on Mystique, and trying to figure out what she was going to do. If she made a wrong move, Harry would step in, consequences be damned. The last one was a free pass, this time; Harry was going to take whatever heat he would get from Xavier and the others. Even if it got him kicked out of the Institute, Harry had to do what he had to do. He was accumulating a decent amount of resources, and training. He had been saving every dollar he could find, and had been researching other potential avenues of income. If push came to shove, he would be fine.
  
  "Thank you for your time, Professor Xavier," Harry said.
  
  Harry walked off, and nearly bumped into Rogue in the hallway. Rogue winced as Harry brushed against her, and remembered that he could in fact touch her. It was taking every single bit of her self-control to actually bring up this subject with Harry. She figured he knew, and he knew that she knew, so Rogue did not feel the need to bring it up. The fact that Harry was currently dating Kitty had also caused Rogue a bit of pause, and reluctance to bring up the subject.
  
  "Sorry, Rogue," Harry told her in an apologetic voice.
  
  Rogue waved off Harry's apology. She looked at him. "Don't apologize; I was the one that wasn't looking where I was going. My mind was elsewhere."
  
  Harry did not ask where her mind was, and Rogue was not about to tell him.
  
  "Rogue, I need to tell you something, but promise you won't freak out on me," Harry said to her.
  
  Rogue looked at Harry, and a frown spread over the Goth girl's face. That was never a good thing when someone asked another person not to freak out on them. She looked at him for a moment, and nodded.
  
  "What is it?"
  
  "Mystique is Darkholme," Harry told Rogue.
  
  Rogue's expression darkened, and a bit of anger bubbled to the service.
  
  "Rogue, calm down, please," Harry told her in a voice. Rogue took a deep breath, and for Harry, she would remain calm.
  
  "Did you tell the Professor?" Rogue asked.
  
  "Yes," Harry replied.
  
  "And what did he say about it?" Rogue asked.
  
  "Not too much," Harry admitted.
  
  Rogue thought that Professor Xavier meant well. However, if it was up to her, she would not have let Mystique escape after what she did. Had she been given the chance, the shapeshifter would have killed everyone. She was ruthless, and Rogue had seen a bit of that first hand.
  
  "We'll keep an eye on her," Harry said. "Kitty knows about it too."
  
  Rogue agreed. If Mystique was posing as the Principal of a school, that meant she was up to something. The real question was what. They all had to keep an eye on Mystique. Whatever plan she was up to, they would find out, and stop her.
  
  Fred Dukes was someone who was short of temper, and did not care who knew it. The one thing that gave him clarity was the fact that no matter what, nothing could move him. There had been people who had tried to budge him, to laughable results. It would take a super natural force to knock him back even a few inches. Since no one could move him, he figured that people should move out of the way of him.
  
  Harry stood in the hallway, preparing to head to his next class, when the immovable object brushed into him. Cool as a cucumber, Harry stood his ground.
  
  "Hey, you could watch where you're going," Fred grunted.
  
  Harry just stood back. He was not about to take this, and braced himself for a fight "Well, I was watching where I was going."
  
  Fred did not look the way that this pipsqueak was looking at him. At that point Jean showed up.
  
  "Oh, hi, Jean," Fred said, and any anger was forgotten at that moment.
  
  "I was just wondering if you were doing alright fitting in," Jean said in a kind voice. Fred looked at Jean.
  
  Harry could already sense that there was going to be some amount of trouble with Fred. He could see it in his eyes, with the way he was looking at Jean. Harry doubted a girl had showed Fred Dukes any kindness before. Or really anyone for that matter, but that was beside the point. So it was going to entice him, and in all of the wrong ways.
  
  He prepared to deal with what was to come.
  
  "Yeah, it's been great," Fred said. He shifted on his feet, and looked at Jean. A hungry expression flickered through his eyes. "With my powers, I've been able to cut a wide path. No one can get in my way."
  
  It was at that point Jean frowned. "Fred, I know you're struggling to fit in. But with your powers, they could really hurt people."
  
  "Yeah, they could," Fred agreed.
  
  Harry saw the red warning signs right away.
  
  "So, I'll be going right now, I don't want to be late for lunch," Harry said.
  
  Fred's eyes brightened up. Harry shook his head, way to play into the stereotypes.
  
  "See you around Jean, um...." Fred said.
  
  "Harry," Harry replied helpfully. "Harry Potter."
  
  "Right," Fred said, and he turned around, and walked off, or rather lumbered off.
  
  Jean looked at Harry. Harry turned to Jean at that moment, his expression was questioning. The red head telepath threw her hands up. "He's really..."
  
  "Jean, if you want to help people, it's your business," Harry told her.
  
  "Would you have?" Jean asked.
  
  Harry remained silent, a flicker of grin spreading over his face, and he responded to Jean honestly.
  
  "I think we've established that I'm not a people person," Harry responded.
  
  Jean nodded, if that was not the truth, Harry did not know what was. Harry did tend to open up to very few people. There were some rather prominent trust issues that Harry was still working out. Although, the people that Harry did open up, he would fight for, providing they wanted his help. So that was something that could have been appreciated.
  
  "I take it you didn't just want to talk to me for a casual conversation," Jean said.
  
  "What, did you read my mind?" Harry replied, with a teasing expression.
  
  "I would never do that," Jean said. She then paused, and added. "I get the impression that for some reason your mind is a very disturbing place to be."
  
  Harry thought that Jean hit the nail on the head, and then some. The truth of the matter was that he was afraid of the things that had been going around on the inside of his mind. There were those thoughts and memories Harry was certain that were not his.
  
  He briefly debated on enlisting the help of someone, but after Snape, people going around inside Harry's head was something that the wizard was a bit tentative about signing off on. Harry was seriously considering asking, although he did need a telepath who might not take some of these memories the wrong way. The flashes could be disturbing. Xavier might be out on that note, and Harry was not sure Jean would be in either. She was still mastering her powers anyway, and Harry did not want a novice poking around on the inside of his head.
  
  "We may have a little bit of a problem," Harry said. Jean leaned in to listen closely, and made sure no one else was around. "It's to do with one of our old enemies, you know Mystique."
  
  "I know her all too well," Jean said. She folded her arms. "Do you think she's up to something?"
  
  "Yeah, up to being the Principal of this school," Harry replied.
  
  Jean cocked an eyebrow, and looked at Harry. "Please tell me you're kidding."
  
  Harry just offered a smile. "I really did wish that I was. Did you notice her demeanor?"
  
  Jean frowned, and pondered the situation over in her mind. That was a problem if Harry was onto something. Mystique being the Principal of this school could allow her to keep an eye open for potential recruits. The redhead asked the one question that had been on the tip of her tongue.
  
  "Did you tell Professor Xavier about this?"
  
  "Told him, he said that he would look into it," Harry said.
  
  Jean seemed a bit miffed about this for some reason. While she did appreciate everything the Professor did, there was sometimes where he did certain things that Jean found herself rather skeptical about.
  
  "Rogue and Kitty know too," Harry added.
  
  Jean offered a knowing smile. "Of course they do, and we should really let everyone know, but that's up to you."
  
  Harry had thought about it. Logan likely would have flipped out, and maybe called Xavier out on the entire mess, or at least kicked up a fuss about it. Storm's reaction might have gone either way. Harry fully expected Scott to not question the Professor too much, even if he was secretly miffed about everything that had been going down. Harry tensed up before he could think of much more about what was going on.
  
  "Harry, what is it?" Jean asked.
  
  "I thought I heard someone," Harry said.
  
  "There's no one around here, but the janitor," Jean retorted, a frown spreading across her face.
  
  Harry relaxed, just a little bit. The truth was that this janitor did tend to lurk around just a little bit too much for his liking. Harry wondered if he was being more paranoid than Moody when he suspected the janitor to be part of any wrong doings.
  
  "We better get to lunch, before everyone takes all the edible food," Harry said.
  
  Jean nodded, that was actually a sensible suggestion. Her mind was still on Mystique being in the school. Harry was right to be concerned, and be on his guard. A shapeshifter proved to be a rather dangerous foe for the obvious reasons. Jean walked off, and went her separate ways with Harry.
  
  Clint Barton walked off into the shadows. This assignment had not been dynamic, or exciting up until now. He might not have found out anything about Potter, but he knew that one of Magneto's chief people had been put in a key position at the high school thanks to overhearing that conversation. He had a feeling that Fury would have kittens when he found out. Providing of course that the Director of SHIELD did not already know, and Clint made a note of that. Perhaps this janitorial gig did have its benefits, and the pay was halfway decent as well.
  
  On the other hand, Clint missed the glory days of being shot at by HYDRA troops. The toilets awaited him.
  
  "The teachers didn't quite seem to bury us with too much homework tonight," Kitty said, as she compared notes with Harry outside. The two decided to walk home together to the Xavier Institute, on the account of it being a beautiful day. If the walk went long, Harry could always transport them home.
  
  "Speak for yourself," Kurt said popping up as if he had teleported out of nowhere, and Harry would not be surprised if that was the case. "I swear, they're trying to kill us, or at least make us very miserable."
  
  "Well, guess some teachers remembered we actually had something vaguely resembling a social life," Kitty commented.
  
  "Or they're just luring us in a false sense of security," Rogue inputted, when she just walked over to join the group.
  
  The four walked together in silence. Scott joined them after a little bit. He decided that it would be prudent to ask the question that was on the tip of his tongue.
  
  "Hey, have any of you seen Jean lately?"
  
  "Not since when I talked to her before lunch," Harry said.
  
  "Yeah, she told me about that," Scott replied. His expression was neutral, and Harry could not read what he was saying. Whether or not Harry would have asked Scott his opinion was not important for now, that could wait until later. That moment was lost for right now.
  
  Harry's ears perked up, and he noticed something with his keen instincts. There were a signs of a struggle. Harry's steps quickened. His instincts told him that there was something that should not be. He left his fellow X-Men in his wake, before Harry slid to the ground.
  
  The dark haired wizard stopped, and stared at the situation that was before him. Jean's boyfriend, Duncan, was currently on the ground. He had been knocked out by some brutal force. Harry paid little mind to the jock on the ground, just stepping over like he was a non-factor. It was not Harry's business to meddle in other people's relationships, although he might have wondered what Jean saw in Duncan that had made him a fitting relationship. Harry's steps got closer and closer, and he zeroed in on the source.
  
  Jean had been caught off guard by Fred Dukes. Something told Harry that something like this was going to happen. The logical thing would be for Jean to use her telekinetic powers to defend herself, or so Harry thought. Jean had appeared to have frozen up, and lost every bit of her nerve. Her breath quickened.
  
  "Just want to talk to you, that's all," Fred grunted.
  
  "Yeah, well I don't think..."
  
  Harry stood before the large blond teenager. An expression appeared on his face, and Harry folded his arms.
  
  "You know, you might want to back away from her," Harry said. Fred Dukes laughed. Harry thought that he had been underestimated. That was a mistake many people had made. "There are other people around the corner, people who wouldn't appreciate what you're doing."
  
  "Yeah, and they'll be on the ground just like the Quarterback was," Fred said with a chuckle. Duncan's pained breathing was all that Harry needed to know. "And just like you're going to be. So get out of my way."
  
  "Let her go," Harry stated in his most dangerous voice. "I'm not warning you again."
  
  Fred had thrown Jean onto the ground. The large mutant had tried to attack Harry. Harry dodged underneath his arms, and spun around. He staggered and spun around. Harry used a tripping spell to cause Dukes to fly onto the ground with a crash. The impact no doubt got more than a few people's attention. Dukes landed, and rolled over. Harry stood over him. The wind blew through his hair, and the expression in his green eyes, was stoic.
  
  Now Fred Dukes might have not been the brightest bulb in the box. However, when someone moved him, when he was pretty sure that could not be done, something was up. The real question was what, and Dukes pulled himself to his feet. An energy field of some sort had blocked in.
  
  The rest of the X-Men showed up at that moment. Other students and teachers had crowded around. Jean regained her bearings at that point, and Fred Dukes found himself stared down by Scott Summers. Scott had put two and two together about what happened, and was not too pleased.
  
  "Really, that's low, even for trash like you," Rogue said.
  
  Dukes just grunted. "I'll take you all on, this pipsqueak got lucky."
  
  Harry frowned. He thought that Dukes was the one that might as well be considered lucky. Once again, magic utterly bitch slapped physics. He had moved what was considered unmovable by his powers.
  
  "Mr. Dukes!"
  
  The large boy turned around. Darkholme marched out of the school doors, and spun around, to turn her attention to Fred. The larger boy did show a modicum of fear now, his bravado having been erased.
  
  "I was just trying to...." Dukes said.
  
  "You're coming with me," Darkholme demanded harshly. Dukes would have likely gotten into a great deal of trouble for assaulting one student and trying to kidnap another. She sensed an opportunity to pull another one into the Brotherhood fold.
  
  Harry frowned at what had transpired, and really it could have gone better. Jean walked by, a bit tentative. She looked at Harry.
  
  "Um, thanks," Jean muttered and shifted carefully.
  
  "No problem, I'm sure you would have done the same for me," Harry replied. "But, remember next time you do have mutant powers."
  
  Jean suddenly looked a bit cross at that statement.
  
  "Yeah, I froze a little bit, okay, Jean replied defensively.
  
  Sympathy crossed over Harry's face.
  
  "It happens, just learn from the experience," Harry stated.
  
  Jean walked over to rejoin her fellow teammates. For some reason, she got the impression that Harry was a bit too used to life endangering experiences, where he had to think quickly on his feet. He was mysterious and an enigma in many ways to Jean. Scott looked like he was going to say something to her. Kitty walked over to join Harry.
  
  "You really knocked him down, and made it look like he just tripped," Kitty commented.
  
  "Well that was the idea," Harry said to her in an undertone. "Now, I believe we were walking home."
  
  Kitty held out her hand, and Harry took it, squeezing it firmly in his. The two leaned forward, and exchanged a kiss. Harry wrapped an arm around her waist, and pulled her in. Kitty melted into his arms, and nearly phased into Harry. Thankfully she got a grip on everything, and the two broke apart with an unspoken promise to do a bit more later after they got their schoolwork and training done. They bid their goodbyes to their fellow X-Men.
  
  The walk home was nice, mostly because they were together.
  
  Fred Dukes sat in the office of one Principal Darkholme, his arms folded across his broad chest and a surly expression etched over his face. The severe looking woman had her eyes on Dukes. Today, he had lost his temper in the worst way. What was worse was that little pipsqueak Potter had moved him. No one had moved him before. Darkholme's gaze burned into the large teenager's forehead. Time ticked by, before the principal began to speak to him.
  
  "Well, it seems like we're in quite a tight corner Mr. Dukes," Darkholme said. "Attempting kidnapping of a student, attacking another, and getting into a fight. And it's not like I can punish Mr. Potter for what he did, because he didn't put one finger on you."
  
  Fred realized that the principal had a point. The fact of the matter was that Potter did not put one finger on him. Which made the situation even more humiliating and potentially demeaning, and the large teenager crossed his arms. He looked at the woman.
  
  "I brought you here, and it means that you're my responsibility," Darkholme replied. Her gaze burned into the face of Fred Dukes. Silence occurred in the office for a moment, with the tension being able to be cut with a knife. "I do wonder what I would be able to do with you."
  
  "You can't do anything to me, just give me another crack at Potter," Fred said.
  
  Darkholme's face snapped towards the young mutant. Her gaze burned into his face. Fred slid back into the chair, and thought that he had taken one step too far with his bravado. Despite his girth being three times the size of Darkholme, he still felt a small amount of humiliation. There was a lengthy pause between the two of them, before Darkholme responded to him. Her voice was cool, and deadly when she had spoken.
  
  "I have a place for students that have potential like you. I know of your abilities, and there are others like you. Others who need guidance, and rest assure that will be something that you will be receiving. Just stop, and consider the deal I'm offering you. Join this group, and I can choose to look the other way. Fail to join, or do as I say. and the consequences will be harsh to bare. Just consider what your future is."
  
  Fred's eyes narrowed and the large mutant thought about it. To everyone else, he was nothing, but a blob. Someone who would be cast aside, and someone who would be mocked. Anyone who was nice to him would have been done so out of pity. Fred thought that if he was going to be a misfit, at least there was something that he was going to be in good company with.
  
  "Yeah, I'm in," Fred grunted.
  
  Darkholme folded her arms and nodded.
  
  "Rest assure that your training will only be harsher from here," Darkholme responded in a crisp voice. Her stern gaze focused on Fred's face once more. "You can meet your fellow roommates. They are waiting for you outside the office."
  
  Fred got up to his feet, and took a large step forward outside of the office. He pushed open the office door, and his eyes narrowed. He saw Todd and Lance standing outside of the office. Lance surveyed Fred for a moment, before he responded.
  
  "So, you got taken out by Potter, too," Lance said.
  
  Fred's expression twisted to gritted teeth. He would have not liked to be reminded about that fact.
  
  "No problem, we'll get him next time," Lance said.
  
  Todd's expression changed. "I don't know. I mean the rest of those X-Men; they look like they'll let you go the other way. Potter on the other hand, I don't think that he's going to let us go without a fight. He could really mess us up. Potter gives me the creeps, to be honest."
  
  Todd shuddered at the thought. The slimy mutant's words were fallen on deaf ears. He was not necessarily being afraid. Todd just enjoyed the fact that he was alive, and that was always a positive thing. Messing with Potter might change that fact.
  
  Was it his fault that he enjoyed living?
  
  Logan watched the latest session in the Danger Room, and the doors opened up. Harry stepped out, and brushed his hands off.
  
  "I guess you can go to the next level," Logan grunted. There was almost an approving vibe to voice, and an expression on his face that indicated that he enjoyed the challenge Harry offered.
  
  "Logan, I would advise not overwhelming him," Xavier said.
  
  "No, it's not overwhelming me," Harry replied. "There were times that I was getting a bit bored in there, to be honest."
  
  "Don't get too cocky kid, you might not be able to take that back," Logan warned him.
  
  In truth, Logan had a sense that Harry was all too used to being in near death experience. The young man had a sixth sense of when something was going to try to kill him. Logan now saw it as a challenge to create a program that would trip Potter up. The rest of the team was moving along well. The team sessions did slow Potter down a tad, mostly because he had to adapt his surroundings for the other team mates in his training.
  
  Harry walked out of the area around the Danger Room, and felt rather pleased with everything that had happened. A pair of hands popped out of the wall, and grabbed him, before pulling him through wall into the next room. Harry readjusted his surroundings, and Kitty stood before him. The brunette girl was dressed in a blue t-shirt that showcased her midriff. She had changed into a short black skirt, and black boots. A confident smirk spread across her face.
  
  "Kitty, you know that I could have done something to you, with you catching me off guard," Harry said.
  
  A smile spread across Kitty's face. "You can't deny it isn't worth the risk."
  
  Harry felt that he could not deny that fact. Harry placed his hands on Kitty's waist, and he peered into her eyes. Kitty peered back, and she leaned against Harry.
  
  "So, Harry, are you ready to study?" Kitty asked to him. A smile spread across her face.
  
  "We got all of our homework done," Harry replied to her.
  
  "Oh, I think that we could brush up on our biology," Kitty said. She placed her hands on Harry's face, and Harry looked back into her eyes. "And maybe a bit on our oral presentation as well. How are you coming along on the charms?"
  
  "I believe I got them down," Harry answered her.
  
  A mischievous grin spread over Kitty's face.
  
  "Well, how are you supposed to master something when you don't have a living, test subject?" Kitty asked. She posed for Harry, and Harry felt himself stir a little bit. Kitty reached forward, and placed her hand on Harry's crotch. "Maybe you need a little bit of motivation."
  
  Smut/Lemon Begins.
  
  With a grin on her face, and maintaining eye contact, Kitty rubbed Harry's crotch through his pants. Slowly, her hand phased through his pants, and touched his member through them. Kitty stroked Harry for a little time through his pants, and took a step back. Kitty sat on the edge of the bed. She stood, and smiled at Harry.
  
  Harry waved his hand, and Kitty felt a tingling sensation through her being.
  
  "Did you feeling a tingling through your spine?" Harry asked. Kitty responded with a light nod. "Good, that means the charm is working."
  
  "Like it wouldn't," Kitty said with confidence. She grabbed Harry by the wrists, showing surprising strength for someone her size.
  
  Kitty pushed Harry onto the bed, and pressed her lips against his. Harry wrapped his arms around her waist, and deepened the kiss. The two indulged themselves in each other's lips. The two got into the kiss, their fingers trailing through the other's hairs. Kitty grabbed Harry's shoulders, and made them both intangible. The brunette mutant pulled Harry through his clothes, and then Kitty shifted out of hers. Harry saw her body and the girl reached forward.
  
  Harry arched his hips up, and Kitty clasped her hand around his cock. The brunette stroked his length up and down. Harry felt her hand on him, and he reached forward towards her.
  
  "Feels so good," Harry breathed. Kitty's motions continued, and the girl pumped up and down on his length. "Keep stroking my dick, Kitty."
  
  "It's so big, and so hard," Kitty breathed.
  
  "That's because of you and your tight little body," Harry told her, and Harry reached into her pussy, fingering her. Kitty moaned, at the efforts. "I didn't know how tight you are, or how wet. Just wait until my cock is in your pussy."
  
  Kitty felt her pussy moisten with desire. She wanted that cock, in her, badly. It was a burning desire within her. A few more minutes, she played with it, feeling it, getting to know every single inch of Harry's throbbing member. Kitty grinned, and then slid back, spreading her legs.
  
  "Come and get it, Harry," Kitty told him.
  
  Harry looked at her. "I heard the first time hurts."
  
  "Yeah, but I can handle a couple of minutes of pain, for many more moments of pleasure" Kitty replied. She stroked her fingers across her folds, and Harry explored them as well. "Let's get the hard part over with, and yes I'm sure. Shove it in me."
  
  Harry aimed for her entrance, and slowly, gently pushed his cock in. Kitty bit down on her lip, with to stave off the pain as her hymen was busted by Harry's entrance. She felt blood drip down.
  
  "I didn't hurt you," Harry whispered.
  
  "No, not too bad, perfectly normal," Kitty said, and Harry waved his hand. Kitty felt the pain numb, and then the blood vanish.
  
  "How are you now?" Harry asked.
  
  "Good, now take me, make me your woman," Kitty told him, a lustful expression in her eyes.
  
  Kitty pushed her hips up, and Harry decided to slowly pump his cock into her. Kitty was not having any of it. She grabbed Harry's neck and looked him in the eyes.
  
  "Harry, fuck me like you mean it," Kitty demanded.
  
  "If you think you can take it," Harry replied.
  
  Kitty gave Harry a "bring it on" look, and Harry gripped her slim hips. He then decided to push into her a little bit faster, and harder. Kitty started to moan, but Harry could tell from her body language that she was enjoying it. Harry slammed his cock inside her pussy. Kitty wrapped her hands around Harry's back, encouraging him. He buried his cock deeper into her, fucking her pussy all the way.
  
  This was far better than anything that she could imagine. Kitty could feel Harry's cock stuffing her full. She felt herself being brought to an orgasm, her very first while having sex. The girl felt a bit of smug satisfaction that she would be Harry's first. This was numbed by the pleasure. Harry rubbed his thumbs onto her nipples, and Kitty moaned.
  
  "I love your perky little breasts, I think I'm going to suck on them,": Harry said.
  
  Harry placed his mouth on them. Kitty breathed in and out, and the cock continued to slam into her. Her tight crevice was being punished, and the brunette enjoyed every single action Harry made in her. Harry's hands were all over her body, sending little jolts onto her.
  
  "Harry, do that, more," Kitty encouraged.
  
  Harry obliged on both fronts. The time ticked by, how much he did not know. His balls tightened, with Kitty's cunt squeezing into him. Kitty went intangible a little bit, but Harry stopped. This encouraged Kitty to get a hold on her powers, and Harry once again stopped back. The brunette pushed herself up to meet Harry's cock. Her walls squeezed, and rubbed him, and Harry never felt better.
  
  "Feels so good, that tight pussy," Harry breathed.
  
  "Wreck me Harry!" Kitty yelled.
  
  Harry obliged, and thrust himself deep into the girl's cunt. Kitty grabbed her hands around Harry, and thrust her hips upward, with Harry pumping deep into her.
  
  "Going to cum," Harry warned her.
  
  "Do it in me," Kitty pleaded, tightening her grip. She felt her pussy muscles tighten, and had no idea how much longer she could go.
  
  Harry thrust into her a few more times. Kitty pushed her hips off of the bed, and Harry's balls tightened. Kitty's pussy clenched around him, and both reached their orgasm. Both mutants saw stars when Harry deposited his load into Kitty's wet and willing pussy. Her walls had been painted white by his thick and juicy seed. The mutual release from both of them had been enjoyed.
  
  Smut/Lemon Ends.
  
  Harry was on the bed, his arms wrapped around Kitty. Her face rested against his chest. Kitty's eyes snapped towards Harry, and a smile crossed her face. The brunette mutant took a moment to allow herself to regain her composure.
  
  "That was amazing," Kitty commented.
  
  "Glad you agree," Harry replied.
  
  Kitty looked at Harry. She was sure that Harry only had the slightest idea what he was capable of. Women would be lining up around the block for him, and wanting a piece of that action. Kitty was just glad that she got on the ground floor. The brunette wondered if she would mind if Harry had slept with other girls than her.
  
  The brunette mutant came to the conclusion that as long as she got her Harry time, it was more than fine with her. A shifty grin crossed over Kitty's face, as she thought of the kinky possibilities that multiple partners would create.
  
  Her parents had told her never to be selfish. Although Kitty was not quite sure this was what they had in mind, but the advice applied.
  
  When the time was right, Kitty decided to gently break the subject to Harry. And if she was honest, she wanted to go a few more rounds with Harry. Then they could decide if they wanted to expand. Kitty already had one person in mind, and she could almost tell that Harry was curious. And Kitty could tell that this person was looking at Harry, and undressing him with her eyes when she thought no one was looking.
  
  Not that Kitty minded, because she could not fault someone for taste. And hey, they were all friends, so what was the harm in a little fun? Even if Kitty could not really touch Rogue, she could tell that Harry could, even if he had not tested how long, or how intimate things could get.
  
  "What are you smiling about?" Harry asked.
  
  "Just thinking about something, tell you later," Kitty said. "We can sit here a little bit, and relax, unless you want to go another round."
  
  Harry smirked, and pulled Kitty into a long kiss. The brunette mutant sighed into Harry's mouth, and Harry ran his hands over her body. Kitty responded in kind.
  
  Both enjoyed the sensations that each other gave them. Somehow, both felt stronger than ever, and more relaxed, along with being less tense.
  Inbetween
  
  
  Chapter 11: Inbetween.
  
  The fall wind blew, sending leaves scattering in every direction. The weather was a bit cooler halfway into the month of October. Harry and Kitty walked around the outside of the school, laughing at something. A smile spread across Kitty's face at something that Harry was saying. The brunette mutant leaned in closely, and gripped Harry's hands. She stood on her tiptoes. This action allowed the girl to properly look Harry in his eyes.
  
  "So he really made a big deal about you not being invited to his little party," Kitty remarked. The brunette shook her head. She shifted positions, and only held one of Harry's hands. "I don't know what you did to him."
  
  "Duncan does have many hang ups, and one of them is being a jerk, it seems," Harry said casually. He just threw his hands, like it was not really a big deal at all "It just seems like half of these high school parties with the popular kids are highly political, and just a way to gain some sort of bragging rights."
  
  Kitty nudged Harry, and a smile spread across the young mutant's face. "Are you sure you aren't being overly cynical? That's kind of your thing."
  
  Harry pondered about the matter for a few seconds, before he turned towards Kitty, and addressed her.
  
  "Or, I could be the only sane one," Harry said, blinking rapidly. With these words, Harry placed a hand on the small of Kitty's back. Kitty smiled at him, mischief dancing in her eyes.
  
  "If that's the case, we're in trouble," Kitty retorted. Harry just pushed her back slightly.
  
  Harry's lips met Kitty's in a tender kiss. They were out of the way from prying eyes at this point. Most of the other students had stayed closer to the school. Harry thought that this was the perfect time to steal a moment with his girlfriend. Kitty closed her eyes, and enjoyed the kiss. Harry's tongue invaded the inside of her mouth. Kitty pushed back, and stroked Harry's hair.
  
  Harry slowly backed off, and Kitty cocked an eyebrow at the sudden stoppage.
  
  "Shapeshifting principal at ten o'clock," Harry whispered.
  
  Kitty nodded. Public displays of affection might have gotten them in a bit of trouble. Everyone did them, and few got called out upon them, it seemed, but they were being careful. Yet since Darkholme had it out for Harry, and likely Kitty by extension, it would be best to maintain some level of discretion. The two walked by casually, seeing Darkholme exit her car.
  
  Toad sat there, looking very miffed. He was just inches away from grabbing the juiciest bug that he had ever seen. Granted, one might argue that it was disgusting, and the mutant was living up to his namesake a bit more than he should. However, Toad did a lot of research to live up to his reputation. Certain bugs were high in protein, even more so than most food that people ate and took for granted.
  
  That was his story, and he was sticking to it.
  
  Darkholme exited the car, and stopped halfway out. She peered at Toad, who sat there, trying to act innocent. The act was not something that was bought by Darkholme. Over her glasses, the woman glared at Toad.
  
  "Mr. Tolansky, that car is brand new," Darkholme remarked in a crisp voice. Her gaze burned a hole through Toad, and Toad scooted back, fear dancing in his eyes. "If I see one bit of slime on it, I'll be displeased. Is that clear?"
  
  "Yeah, crystal," Toad said dryly. The slimy mutant crossed his arms, and was rather miffed at the situation. He waited until Darkholme was gone, before the mutant offered one more comment. "Even if you cost me my lunch."
  
  Toad decided to hop up to see if there was any more grub to be held. Harry and Kitty made sure Darkholme was out of sight, before the two of them made their way back towards the school. Kitty checked her watch, and an expression crossed her face. Harry's gaze snapped towards her.
  
  "Bell is about to ring in a couple of minutes," Kitty stated, looking anxious at the moment. "We better get going."
  
  Kitty leaned forward, and gave Harry a parting kiss to the lips. The kiss was nice, and lingered just a few seconds. The two of them broke up all too soon, to the sound of Jean's voice.
  
  "Kurt, wait!"
  
  Harry sensed some kind of impending doom, and normally these sorts of feelings would be spot on. He hated when he was right. Harry and Kitty walked forward, quickening their footsteps, and had been greeted to quite the sight. Scott was sitting there a bit miffed. Jean looked at him like he had done something wrong. Rogue was just standing in the middle, trying to be a neutral party.
  
  "What happened?" Kitty inquired, eyes widened when she looked at the group.
  
  Rogue was all too happy to get Kitty back up to speed.
  
  "Oh, Kurt was just being himself, and he was showing tail," Rogue said, in a crisp and casual tone of voice. Rogue realized what she was saying, shivered, and decided to amend her statement. "The actual physical tail, that is, and Scott grabbed him by it."
  
  "I was just trying to get him to cool down, and not get us exposed," Scott said, throwing his hands into the air.
  
  Harry pinched the bridge of his nose, and offered a long sigh. He was sure that Scott had meant well. However, there was something about what happened where he could see Kurt had gotten a bit miffed.
  
  "That could have come better," Scott admitted, shoulders slumping.
  
  "Yeah, you think," Rogue responded in a dry voice. Her eyes narrowed at Scott. "Kurt was really upset."
  
  "He'll be back around," Kitty said, voice raising, trying to remain cheerful.
  
  Jean smiled, trying to put a reassuring spin on the situation. "I'm sure he will. He just popped off somewhere. Kurt can't teleport any further than what he see."
  
  Harry had to rain on their parade with his own commentary on the situation. "Well he could have teleported a ways away from here. Several times, in the time that were talking about what happened."
  
  Scott shifted guiltily at this moment. Perhaps he could have exhibited a bit more tact. That was one of the things that the Professor did tell him to work on if he wanted to be a leader. Yet, didn't leaders have to make tough decisions every single day?
  
  "Don't worry about it, everything can be smoothed over later," Harry remarked, waving them off.
  
  "Yeah, for sure," Kitty agreed. She then shifted. "We better get to class. If we don't, we'll be late, and Darkholme might kill us."
  
  Rogue paused, and what they knew that might as well have been literal. So far, Darkholme had not done anything, and had just stepped back. Of course, given the master of deception part of her powers that did not mean anything, she was just waiting for the best moment. Rogue was keeping a close eye on her personally, and if Darkholme did anything suspicious, Rogue would bounce right in.
  
  Harry thought that it was a shame that Kurt and Scott had some kind of row. There would be plenty of time to figure that out later. Right now, he had a test in his first class after lunch. So Harry's focus moved over to take care of them, for better or for worse.
  
  "I can't believe the nerve of that guy sometimes."
  
  Kurt Wagner walked through the school grounds, and had a few bitter thoughts in his head. The truth was that he needed a few moments to calm down, and reassess the situation around him. Time he was offered when teleporting away from the screen. Scott did tend to be wound tight.
  
  At that moment, Kurt had arrived at the door of a basement; curiosity had gotten the better of him. He knocked on the door, but there was no one inside. With a swift movement, Kurt opened the door. A set of steps marked his destination, and Kurt choked on the dust when he walked down the stairs. His eyes watered as well when he moved down the stairs.
  
  'No one has been down here for years,' Kurt thought to himself. The fuzzy mutant's expression was one that was awestruck.
  
  He made his way down to a makeshift lab. Kurt's arms folded over his chest, and walked down the stairs, getting further and further into the basement area. Kurt took a closer look. The equipment had not been touched. He wondered if anyone had even been down here to clean in a while. The dead rats were a telltale sign that he would have to lean towards no one cleaning anything down here in an extremely long time. Kurt's arms folded together. He rocked on the balls of his feet.
  
  There was a brown device on the floor. Kurt tapped it, and a spark flew from it.
  
  "Hey, what are you doing down here, elf boy?"
  
  Kurt turned, and saw Todd Tolansky perched down on the railing of the stairs. The slimy mutant's expression was fixed on Kurt, and time stood still for a minute. Toad hopped down to face Kurt. The mutant took a step back, and braced himself for some kind of confrontation.
  
  "What are you doing down here?" Kurt asked, standing and bracing himself for what was going to happen.
  
  Toad waved his hands. "I asked you first,"
  
  "Oh that's real mature," Kurt retorted.
  
  "It was a simple question," Toad said, throwing up his hands. He took a step back, and stared down Kurt. "Then again, you X-Men think that you are so great, and all that. I don't know what you're problem is half the time."
  
  Todd hopped at Kurt. Kurt teleported out of the way in a cloud of blue smoke, and landed on the other side. Todd dropped down on the other side, and grabbed the device in his hand.
  
  "What's this?" Toad asked.
  
  "Hey, you better put that down," Kurt said.
  
  "Looks like some kind of funky camera," Todd mused, taking a good look. He began to play around with the buttons on the device.
  
  "You don't know what you're doing!" Kurt yelled, nearly grabbing Toad in frantic fury, but the mutant hopped back.
  
  Todd's face just relaxed. "Hey, don't worry, I know exactly what I..."
  
  A zap echoed, and a bright light engulfed Kurt at that moment. Toad watched, dumbstruck, mouth hanging open. Kurt vanished into a bright light. One of the X-Men had vanished before his eyes.
  
  The slimy mutant blinked. He saw that the X-Men had disappeared, and just shrugged his shoulders. He hopped off, with the object in his hands.
  
  "Hey, get back here in and finish this!" Kurt yelled, with his fists clutched in the fury. He tried to reach forward, and grab Toad. His fingers passed through Toad. The blue mutant blinked, and tried to teleport forward. He landed outside of the gym. He realized that his image inducer had failed. Something about that machine had fried it when he passed through.
  
  This was not something that would be considered an ideal situation. Kurt saw a group walk towards him. They were laughing, and barely paid any attention to anything around them. Kurt braced himself for them, and they passed through him.
  
  Confusion was something that passed through his mind. Kurt now had no idea what was going on. He moved forward and towards the school. It was almost like he was there, but at the same time he was not there. Kurt regained his bearings, and blinked several times. Another step forward, and Kurt continued his movements. The doors of the school opened, and Kurt heard the bell.
  
  "Rogue!" Kurt yelled suddenly, and he reached forward, waving his hands frantically.
  
  Rogue walked right by Kurt, like he was not even there. Now Kurt was confused, and pondered what happened.
  
  "None of them can hear you."
  
  Kurt spun around, and saw a young dark skinned man standing before him. He was dressed in a white shirt, and jeans.
  
  "Trust me, I've tried until my voice was hoarse," he said. At this point, he offered a shrug and a shifty smile "The name's Forge."
  
  "Kurt," Kurt replied dully, shaking hands with him. If this Forge was bothered by his unconventional appearance, he did say anything. "What happened? I was in a lab, and got in a fight with someone. The next thing I knew, no one could hear me."
  
  "Oh boy, that's not good," Forge said, shaking his head. "That was my lab, and it looked like the school locked away my inventions after I disappeared."
  
  "That lab didn't look like it had been visited in years," Kurt replied. Forge's expression never left Kurt's face.
  
  "That's because it hasn't," Forge said quietly. He took a step forward, and looked at everyone who passed through him. "It hasn't been visited since the year nineteen seventy eight. That was when I disappeared."
  
  Kurt was caught completely off guard by this new development, and his mouth hung open. Stepping back, Kurt tried to shake his head to gain some situation. For a moment, the fuzzy mutant seemed dumbstruck, and then he spoke.
  
  "You've really been here for this long."
  
  Forge laughed it off. "Well, it's kind of hard to explain. Then again, we've got all of the time in the world. I've heard every bit of gossip, who's dating who, who is trying to start trouble behind each other's back. There's really nothing else better to do, then just watch everyone and learn everyone's business."
  
  "How did you not go insane?" Kurt asked, eyes widened with astonishment. He was visited by another question. "How did you eat if you been there for that long?"
  
  Forge paused, and looked at Kurt. That was actually a good question, and one he had thought about. He did not really think that much about it, and paused before the answer was given.
  
  "Well, it wasn't really a problem," Forge said, shrugging his shoulders. Kurt looked at him with a quizzical expression. "Never mind, I've been trying to find a way out of here, and you might be able to help."
  
  "How could I help?" Kurt asked, standing on the balls of his feet, impatiently.
  
  "I saw you out there, teleporting," Forge answered. The young man shook his head. "I didn't think that there were other people like me, well not exactly like me, but you get my point."
  
  "So you're not bothered by my appearance?" Kurt asked, trying to keep his body language relaxed. That might have always been a sticking point.
  
  "Trust me, I've seen weirder," Forge said, dismissively shrugging the question off. He added to try and lighten the mood. "I did live through the seventies."
  
  Kurt's eyes snapped forward, and Forge looked at him. The two walked through the gym doors, and saw a group of girls make their way towards the locker room.
  
  "So how far does this pocket dimension go?" Kurt asked in a casual voice, inclining forward, eyes focused.
  
  Forge paused, thinking about it. "I've run some tests, and it seems to stop just a few inches outside of the girl's locker room."
  
  Kurt's face fell immediately. Forge just shook his head, and cleared his throat.
  
  "With you here, we can both find a way out of here," Forge replied, business as usual. "There have been bits and pieces that were brought here during the accident, and I've been trying to fit everything together. I haven't had something to jump start it. I need your help."
  
  The blue mutant nodded, and leaned in for Forge to tell him what the pair of them needed to do.
  
  The school day had ended, and most of the people were untroubled. Rogue walked outside the building, and her eyes moved forward. Harry and Kitty walked out from behind her, and before they could get a word in edgewise, Jean and Scott walked up. A look of worry and guilt crossed over Scott's face as he stared down Harry. There was a moment before Scott decided to open his mouth, and speak.
  
  "Have any of you seen Kurt after lunch?"
  
  "No," Harry replied, craning his neck to look over the shoulder, in hopes that Kurt would appear. Then again, he did not have any classes with Kurt after lunch. Kitty shook her head. Rogue was the one that decided to pop up.
  
  "No, he wasn't in last period," Rogue informed them, and she turned around where Jean and Scott stood there.
  
  "So that means that he was gone for over two hours," Jean said, before biting down on her lip. She sighed, and tried to regain her bearings, taking a deep breath. "Almost three hours, and..."
  
  "This is all my fault, he ran off," Scott grumbled, slumping in defeat.
  
  Harry shook his head. "He's got to be around here somewhere. I mean, he can't be gone forever. Where would you be if you were Kurt?"
  
  "Somewhere where I wouldn't want to be bothered," Kitty suggested, before she shrugged her shoulders. That's was all she had.
  
  Harry nodded, and he took a step forward. The dark haired wizard saw a door partially ajar. He wondered if anyone noticed anything. Performing a couple of scanning spells, Harry saw there was someone there. Kitty and Rogue walked up behind him. Both girls seemed to wait for Harry to say a word.
  
  "So anything?" Rogue asked, leaning forward to peak at what Harry was peaking at.
  
  Harry paused for a moment, and decided to elaborate. "Someone has been down here."
  
  "Why?" Kitty inquired, impatiently standing on the balls of her feet.
  
  "Yeah, that's a good question, why would anyone be down there?" Rogue asked, wrinkling her nose at the dust. Harry looked at her, and Rogue just shrugged. "No offense, but it doesn't look like anyone has been down there for years. In fact, I could have sworn those doors are normally locked."
  
  "They are," Scott told them, standing alert. The X-Men stood, and all of them had a look around. Jean suddenly remained rigid, and she listened to something.
  
  "Did you hear something?" Jean asked, spinning around, at the sounds that occurred behind them. The members of the group shook their heads, except for Harry, who nodded. Harry carefully took another step forward, and scoped out the situation. His eyes narrowed, his tongue clicked, and the situation was checked out. Harry could sense that there was something that he could not see, and only barely perceive.
  
  Harry spun around towards the rest of the group. They stood rigid, and waited for Harry to give his input.
  
  "Something really weird happened, and I think Kurt might have been transported somewhere," Harry concluded, letting out the breath he was holding. The X-Men all looked at him, pausing for a moment, and Harry elaborated on what he said. "There are other worlds, realms that can exist between dust particles in the air."
  
  Kitty backed off, and her eyes widened in horror, and voice rose a pitch level. "You mean we could be totally be crushing Kurt right now!"
  
  Harry smiled at the similar reaction Kitty had to when he learned that there was sentient life existing between dust particles.
  
  "No, it doesn't work that way," Harry said in a reassuring voice, and placed a hand on her shoulder. Kitty relaxed, and Harry placed his arms around her. Kitty looked at Harry, waiting for an answer. "The universes exist when they shift away from each other. They are on different levels. Whether Kurt is on a level if he can see us, but we can't see him, I don't know. It's highly possible."
  
  "Fine, we have a theory on where he went," Scott said, and Harry invited for Scott to continue. "But, how did he get there?"
  
  Harry picked up a flash of light from the parking lot. A grimace appeared on his face, when he watched the lightshow.
  
  "I have a theory."
  
  Harry walked forward. Someone had tapped into another plane of existence, some kind of world between worlds, a Middleverse with science. And one of the members of the Brotherhood had gotten ahold of it. Toad played with the device like a toy, and several items disappeared into nothing. Including Mystique's brand new car, and good riddance to it as far as he was concerned.
  
  "Hem Hem!"
  
  Toad spun around, nearly falling over in fear. Harry smirked; he always wanted to do that to someone else. Now, the dark haired wizard understood why that woman did that particular cough. It did work wonders in getting the attention of people.
  
  "Um, hey, how are you doing?" Toad asked, shifting around, and looking at the green eyes of someone who could hurt him really bad.
  
  "You're playing with something that is far beyond your comprehension," Harry told him, without missing a beat.
  
  "Nah, I got it to work, see," Toad said, waving the device in his hand when he spoke. As a result, he demonstrated and blasted a bird from the sky.
  
  Harry reached forward, and grabbed Toad.
  
  "Listen, I know what you did to Kurt," Harry responded in an icy voice. He did not yell, he did not scream, he did not shout in full force ballistic intensity. Yet, Toad knew that he was miffed.
  
  Toad backpeddled. "Hey, I didn't do anything to elf boy, he could have got out of the way, you know."
  
  Harry clicked his thumbs, and carefully looked at Toad. He clicked his fingers, and narrowed his eyes. "Give me the device."
  
  "Here!" Toad yelled, shoving the device into Harry's hands, and hopped backwards, nearly landing on his feet.
  
  Harry was glad that he did not have to threaten bodily harm to get him to act. Toad scrambled back, getting as far away from Harry as possible.
  
  'Whoever calls Toad the dumbest member of the Brotherhood really doesn't get it,' Harry thought, a small smile crossing his face. He walked off to join his fellow X-Men.
  
  "We've got it, and it's easy to send there's there, but bring them back might be another thing entirely," Harry informed them, holding the device for all of them to see.
  
  "Let's take it somewhere, and get a look at it," Kitty suggested, also analyzing the device. "We better be careful though. If we press the wrong button, it could send all of us to the fifth dimension or wherever."
  
  Harry turned to Kitty, with a smile crossing his face, and Kitty wondered what was up.
  
  "Well, you're our resident genius, so I think you would figure it out," Harry told her, placing a hand on her shoulder.
  
  Kitty looked flushed at this compliment, but shook it off. "Um, I'll do my best."
  
  "That's all we could hope for," Harry replied back with a smile. The expression on Kitty's face was determined, and her fists clutched together. She would not fail, especially with Harry putting so much faith into her.
  
  Kitty would not let him down; Harry just had that effect on people, when he put his faith into a person, they did not want to let the dark haired wizard down.
  
  If there was one thing Kurt could say about his experience today, it was that being nowhere, along with everywhere was just a tiny bit surreal. He stood, and waited for the next moment. There were people passing him. Suddenly, a car had flown into the scene. It slammed down onto the ground, and Kurt's eyes widened when he saw it.
  
  "Did you see that?" Kurt asked, on alert, and his eyes darting around wildly for any more flying options.
  
  Forge grumbled, before he recuperated.
  
  "Someone's messing with my device," Forge said, clutching his fist. He tried to remain calm under fire, but the time displaced mutant failed to do so. His hand was on his head. "That's our only ticket out of here, and if he breaks it..."
  
  "We'll be stuck here forever," Kurt concluded grimly, and Forge nodded.
  
  There were a few instances where Kurt could hear faint voices. There seemed to be a presence.
  
  "I'm pretty sure Kurt is still there, but the question is finding the right frequency to get him out!"
  
  "Harry?" Kurt asked, eyes widened at the sound of his teammate. He paused, and then yelled. "Yeah, I'm here, just hang on and be careful with that thing!"
  
  The yelling fell upon deaf ears, and Kurt deflated when there was no response.
  
  "Kurt, no matter how much you yell, he can't hear you," Forge said, shaking his head. He turned his hand into a machine, which allowed the mutant to fix together a power pack. "In this realm, you still can teleport, but you can't teleport completely out. I'm hoping that with a small adjustment, you'll be able to give your friends a warning, and tell them what to do."
  
  Kurt allowed all of this to sink in, and asked the burning question.
  
  "What do you want me to do?" Kurt asked, impatiently shifting on his feet from the left to the right, and back again.
  
  Forge held his hand, to motion for Kurt to wait a minute. This was delicate work, and Forge did not want it disrupted. Especially given the supplies in this place was not something that were plentiful. The mutant continued to work, and managed to put together something.
  
  "The good thing about these powers, is I can put together anything," Forge said, holding up his arm which had converted into a tool that would allow him to make anything with the proper materials. "I think you'd agree how handy that is. We need anything to get out of here, and I have something that could help us."
  
  Forge took a moment and walked Kurt over. He double checked everything, and relief flooded him when everything appeared to be in order. That was always a plus, and a foundation that he could be built upon. He held the battery packs in his hand, and tried to fasten them to Kurt. Kurt looked at him with a questioning expression.
  
  "Please stand still," Forge told Kurt, and Kurt did as he was told, careful not to fidget. The young mutant tried to adjust everything that was needed to do so. "This is a very delicate process, and I can only allow you thirty seconds at the absolute maximum when going out there."
  
  "That's thirty seconds more than we would have had," Kurt offered, once again trying his best not to move, and Forge responded with a swift nod. He clicked together a few more items, and made sure the battery back was tightened. If it fell off when Kurt teleported, there was no telling what would happen. Although, being the scientific genius, Forge would have to offer a hypothesis that it was nothing good.
  
  Forge took a deep breath, and looked at Kurt.
  
  "Everything is set, and we need to get to the area of my lab, that was the direction they seemed to be heading," Forge stated, resigning himself to what may happen. Kurt followed Forge, passing more leaving teachers and students. The two of them remained together. "We need to have them inverse the fluctuation matrix."
  
  Kurt's confusion was obvious, so Forge decided to elaborate.
  
  "We switch off the yellow switch, and turn on the blue switch," Forge explained.
  
  "Why didn't you just say so?" Kurt asked, confusion flooding his face.
  
  "I just did," Forge said, and he shook his head. They made their way outside the doors. Kurt saw the Brotherhood mobilizing on the outside.
  
  "Oh boy, that can't be good," Kurt said, his eyes focused on them, and cursing his luck mentally.
  
  "Those guys are trouble?" Forge asked.
  
  Kurt suddenly looked exasperated. "More trouble than you could know. We better hurry. They could bust that device if they get into a fight with my team."
  
  Forge suddenly looked a bit nervous, and dread flooded his face. There was no hypothesizing about it at that time, if the device was busted, they would be there forever. Forge had been there for twenty years, and did not want to be there a second longer. He had a feeling that Kurt felt the same way. The two of them hurried, and saw the X-Men down in the lab.
  
  "It's go time," Forge said, resolved to see this through.
  
  "I'm ready," Kurt said firmly. "So I just need to teleport?"
  
  Forge nodded, and Kurt prepared to teleport, with the battery packs fastened on him. It was do, or die time. The fuzzy mutant knew what he had to do. Kurt just hoped that he would not die over it.
  
  "There is a point seven percent chance that you will be ping-ponged between the dimensions, until you cease to exist," Forge added as an afterthought, and at this point, alarm folded Kurt's face. "Relax, relax, that's not good odds, but I'm just putting out the possibility."
  
  Kurt braced himself. It was now or never. His eyes were shut, and at the very least he had to try.
  
  Kitty placed the device down on the table, and tried to slowly piece together what she needed to do. She was no idiot when it came to electronics, but this seemed to be the strangest device the girl had ever come across. The wiring had been all over the board, the switches did not seem to work out well, and there was just something about the entire set up that just looked rather off. Then again, it was likely homemade. Yet, Kitty had to try. The girl took a deep breath, and prepared to figure out what needed to be done.
  
  Jean, Scott, and Rogue all stood guard. While Harry's charm work would have kept the Brotherhood out, and away from interfering from this very delicate operation, the X-Men left nothing to chance. The ground outside rumbled.
  
  "Avalanche," Rogue said, rolling her eyes. "Charms or not, if the ground shakes, we're not going to be able to hold down the fort for much longer."
  
  "They'll hold," Harry told Rogue, firm with his resolve.
  
  "For how long?" Scott asked, a bit nervous.
  
  "Five minutes, ten minutes, but the great thing about magic is that I can always reapply the charms if they weaken somehow," Harry respond. He could feel the ground rumble beneath them. If at all possible, Harry would have liked to avoid a fight. It just would have complicated the delicate situation they were in. "Although we might want to step it up quickly. The longer we're in there, the more people are going to suspect something is up."
  
  "This is completely messed up, whoever did this wiring," Kitty said, frustration mounting. "This is like so messed up. I don't know if I should start randomly pressing buttons, or not, or just smash the entire thing."
  
  "You know, smashing it might reverse everything," Scott suggested.
  
  Jean shook her head, trying to get some sense in this situation "It could free Kurt, or it might be able to trap him in there forever."
  
  The doors continued to rumble, and Harry's shoulders slumped. So far, everything held tight, and he hoped it would stay that way. Spending five years mostly away from any kind of electronics had caused him to be a bit behind the curve of how modern convenience worked. Harry had just re-learned how to type properly. Apparently typing with one finger was not something that was accepted, but Harry shook that thought off.
  
  "This might need a magical touch, but I don't know if I feel safe reaching through dimensions or not," Harry said, closing his eyes, and pondering on the situation. While it was true that he might one day be capable of pulling off such a feat, Doctor Strange cautioned him about not doing anything that daring. "This looks like a job for the Sorcerer Supreme."
  
  "Well do you have him on speed dial or something?" Rogue asked, and Harry thought this was a good idea, he should have thought of it earlier.
  
  Harry decided to give Strange a try. Sure enough, Harry knew that solution would not be that easy. He turned to his fellow X-Men and relayed the bad news to them. "Busy, Strange is in another dimension, he's working on a problem there, and can't be reached at this moment."
  
  "Well don't bother leaving a message," Scott remarked, and Harry moved over to reapply the charm work to keep the Brotherhood out. He was confident that should hold, and allow them to finish up here.
  
  There was a small burst of light. Kitty offered a surprised noise, and grabbed Harry by the wrist. Harry turned around, and both saw Kurt. The other X-Men looked at Kurt, and all noticed that they were faded.
  
  "Listen to me....inverse the...switch off the....switch on...."
  
  "Kurt, you're breaking up!" Kitty yelled, leaning forward to try and listen to him, and Kurt suddenly faded back into nothingness. Kitty placed her hands on her face, and tugged at her hair. "Oh, what I am going to do?"
  
  Harry paused, and listened closely. He could hear something, faint.
  
  "I think he said to inverse the fluctuation matrix," Harry said, slowly and quietly. "Whatever that means."
  
  "Are you sure?" Kitty asked, biting her lip nervously. Harry nodded. "I mean, I guess that would make plenty of sense, yeah it would make total sense. So, let's see on that thing, we turn off this yellow switch, flick on the blue switch, and hope that I didn't just screw up all of reality."
  
  Kitty closed her eyes, and her breath hitched. It was all or nothing. There was a long pause, where Kitty thought for a brief moment that she buggered everything up. However, a bright flash of light erupted from the machine, and filled the lab. Kurt and Forge dropped down from the ceiling, and landed with a solid thud. Both of them seemed to be rather shaken from everything.
  
  "Kurt, it's glad to see you back!" Jean yelled, relieved.
  
  "Yeah, it really is," Rogue said, taking a deep breath.
  
  Kurt offered a smile, and he was glad to have returned to firm ground. "It's good to be back."
  
  Scott turned to Kurt, an apologetic expression on his face. "Kurt...."
  
  "I know," Kurt replied, waving it off.
  
  Kurt and Scott both nodded at each other.
  
  "Well that was direct," Kitty said, and she looked pleased. "Um, do you think we better bust this thing so no one gets zapped by it again?"
  
  It was Forge who had piped up. He had gone pretty much unnoticed by the entire group for the moment, but he had to get his two cents in. "There is truly no harm in breaking it now. We're all back, and hopefully not returning."
  
  Kitty took this as her cue to shift her hands through the device, and bust it apart.
  
  "The name's Forge," Forge said. He shook his head, clearing the cobwebs that accumulated during his time. "As for where I've come from, well that's a long story...."
  
  "He's a mutant just like us," Kurt chimed in. He opened his mouth, but Scott had sidestepped him.
  
  "I'm sure Forge can tell us about his story on our way back," Scott said, and the entire group pause, before they heard a frantic yell coming from within the school.
  
  "WHAT IS MY CAR DOING IN THE MIDDLE OF THE SCHOOL HALLWAY? Tolansky!"
  
  The X-Men exchanged smiles, seeing the Brotherhood scramble away like thieves in the night, to avoid any more trouble. Someone had been busted, and it was a good feeling that it wasn't them. It was time to walk way, the lessons learned from today filed back to think about at a later time.
  
  Forge had just finished relaying his tale to Professor Xavier. The young mutant waited for the headmaster of the Xavier Institute to offer his final assessment. There was a moment before Xavier did.
  
  "Forge, your story is one that is unconventional," Xavier said with a nod of his head, and Forge responded with a nod of his own. This gave Xavier the cue to continue. "All mutants, even among those who are displace through the annals of time, are welcomed always at the Institute. Such opportunities were not offered during your youth, I have no hesitation in saying."
  
  "No they were not," Forge agreed. He immediately took a moment to ponder what Xavier had told him. "Your offer is very generous Professor, but I'm going to have to pass. I'd like to look up my parents, to see if they are still around. I might have a little explaining to do, and I'm very much past curfew."
  
  The members of the X-Men laughed at this, and even Xavier cracked a slight smile. He looked at the young mutant, before addressing him.
  
  "Very well, it is your decision and I respect that. Allow me be the first to tell you that if you change your mind, or if you need a place to say, room will be offered at the Mansion."
  
  "I thank you for that Professor," Forge said, with a gracious look in his eyes, and he took a step back, before looking at the other X-Men. He really had no idea what to say, so he settled for the absolute obvious. "I'll see you all around, I guess, and I'll stay in touch."
  
  Everyone said their goodbyes to Forge. To him, that was a muddled mess. In many ways, Harry had a great deal of sympathy for the young man's plight. While it was not exactly the same than his, being displaced in a world where you had only a small amount of understanding what was going on and was far different than the one that was known was a challenge.
  
  Kitty offered a smile to Harry, having a shrewd idea what he was thinking.
  
  "I'm sure he'll adapt like you adapted," Kitty remarked, standing next to Harry.
  
  Harry offered a smile towards the brunette mutant, and nudged her slightly. "Stumbling around blindly, and hoping for the best."
  
  "Hey, it worked didn't you," Kitty teased him. A fond smile spread over her face "You're not that hopeless, well no more hopeless than any other teenage boy out there."
  
  "Nice to see you think so highly of me," Harry replied back, and Kitty stood up on her tip-toes to give Harry a light kiss on the lips. She pulled back with a grin.
  
  "Harry, I think the world of you," Kitty told him, before deciding to switch tracks. "So, did you get all of your homework done?"
  
  "Actually, yes, there wasn't too much of that," Harry remarked. He lightly gripped Kitty's hand, and offered her a smile. "The teachers must be slacking; either that or they've been replaced by shape shifting aliens."
  
  Kitty rolled her eyes at the absurdity of shape shifting aliens, but despite that action, an amused glint appeared in her eyes. She grabbed Harry by the arm. "Only you would try and put the most negative spin on it. But they would go in well with the shape-shifting principal"
  
  Harry just smiled, and managed to put a monitoring spell in the woman's office, under the pretext of bringing her a note from one of his teachers. Naturally, so far it did not yield anything worthwhile, but perhaps it would sometime. Mystique might not have been foolish to do anything incriminating in a public building.
  
  "Some might call it negativity, and others might call it realism," Harry replied, looking at her with a stoic expression.
  
  "And I just call it, you being yourself," Kitty fired back. Harry stepped back, smiling. "So, the two of us, you want to head out, and hang out?"
  
  "Yeah, it might be nice to get out," Harry agreed.
  
  Kitty turned, and saw Rogue standing off to the side. On a whim, Kitty asked a question. "Hey, Rogue, do you want to come with us?"
  
  "No, it's okay, I mean it'd be like I was a third wheel on your date," Rogue said. She also hastily amended her statement, nearly tripping over her words to do so. "Besides, I've got work to do, lots of homework."
  
  Kitty frowned. "Well, that's too bad then. It's not really a date-date per say, more like a hanging out between two friends thing. If you're sure..."
  
  "Yeah, Kitty, I'm sure," Rogue told Kitty.
  
  "You wouldn't be a bother," Harry added, in a reassuring tone of voice.
  
  Rogue offered a slight shadow of a smile. She appreciated this sentiment.
  
  "I know, but I really have a lot of homework to do," Rogue answered, which was the truth. It was not an excuse, even if it was a handy explanation.
  
  Kitty and Harry paused for a couple of moments, before they nodded.
  
  "Fair enough, we'll catch you later," Kitty said, shrugging slightly.
  
  "Good bye Rogue, try not to get too stressed out," Harry told her, watching her leave, and looking towards Kitty with a curious expression.
  
  "I won't," Rogue told them.
  
  She wondered if Harry and Kitty had offered to let her tag along out of friendship, or out of pity. Then again, Harry and Kitty were her friends. And Harry was the only one who could touch her, even if was just brief touches, without any complications. Rogue would be lying if she did not think about Harry touching her in more intimate ways, but she shook her head to clear those thoughts.
  
  Right now, she had a huge pile of homework to focus on. The teachers might have been trying to kill her, or at least trying to drive her nuts. Still in some ways, a huge pile of homework was great. Rogue watched Harry and Kitty walk off, laughing and bantering with each other. She buried herself in the History assignment, and it took her mind off of a lot.
  
  It was hard to think about relationship drama when one's entire grade hinged on this assignment.
  Web Slinger Part One
  
  Chapter 12: Web Slinger Part One.
  
  The bright lights of New York were wonderful at night, or at least that's what the opinion of Harry was presently. To be honest, there was very little to complain about. It was good to get out, and have some fresh air. Kitty stood next to Harry, allowing herself to look around the city. The truth was that the night was still young and curfew was still a couple hours away.
  
  "And we only ran into one pickpocket," Harry told Kitty. That little adventure had been short lived, but rather entertaining.
  
  Kitty's amusement was obvious across her face. The brunette mutant crossed her arms, and smirked. "Yeah, and you turned his knife into a rose."
  
  The two laughed for a few minutes, enjoying the memory.
  
  "No one will believe it," Harry told Kitty, and Kitty stood in the streets. New York was a busy place at night. "I mean, before you knew all of this stuff, would you have believed that some random guy on the street would have transfigured someone's knife into a rose?"
  
  Kitty shook her head. She stood on her tip-toes to get a closer look around, before she sank back down, and looked at Harry. "I wouldn't have believed it for a second. In fact, if you would have told me that even three months ago, I would have thought that you were insane. Just amazing how everything has happened a month away."
  
  Kitty and Harry sat down on a bench that had been provided outside of a park. They were directly across from a billboard, promoting Stark Industries. The two of them paid little attention that, enjoying the time that they spent with each other over the past month or so, especially enjoying the time they spent with each other tonight.
  
  Harry placed his arm around Kitty's waist, and the brunette scooted closer to him on the park bench. It was a great night to be out together, just hanging out. After some of the days they had, with the training and everything. Harry had the communicator at hand, half expecting it to go off after some emergency.
  
  Thankfully, Harry's notoriously bad luck had left him alone. Kitty grabbed Harry's hand, and they walked the sights and the sounds of the city. The two of them sat together, and enjoyed each other's company. After today was over, they might be enjoying each other's company in a more intimate way, behind closed doors.
  
  The two of them rested on the bench against each other, and there was a bit of silence.
  
  "The last few weeks have been perfect Harry," Kitty replied, a warm expression in her eyes and she looked at her boyfriend. "And I'm glad you trusted me to take our relationship to the next level, when we did a couple days ago."
  
  "I'm glad too," Harry replied, and he pulled her in. He wrapped his arms tightly around Kitty, and pulled his girlfriend into a kiss.
  
  The kiss lingered a long time. Kitty ran her hands through Harry's hand. People making out in public was in fact most certainly an uninteresting sight in New York, so they only got a few courtesy glances and shrugs. There had been far weirder things to behold, with the large number of super powered criminals and villains coming down the pike. Harry pulled away from Kitty, and stroked the flesh on the small of her back. The two smiled, and looked in each other's eyes.
  
  "Just think, Harry, this is only the beginning," Kitty told him. Harry leaned in closer, to see what she had in mind. "Someone like you, you're bound to have many girls who would like to be in a relationship with you."
  
  "Kitty, we're together now, you and me," Harry replied, a bit perplexed at what Kitty was saying. Kitty just looked at Harry, with a slightly impatient expression crossing her face. Harry could not resist teasing her a little bit. "Don't tell me you're already bored of me?"
  
  "No, I'm not, I can never be bored of you," Kitty replied, and she laughed at the very thought. She looked at Harry, mind going wild with a few possibilities "We just scratched the surface."
  
  "I know teenage relationships are supposed to be fleeting, but shouldn't we at least pretend that it might last a long time?" Harry asked the girl, wondering what the game was.
  
  Kitty smiled, Harry was powerful, handsome, but sometimes a bit slow on the uptake. Or maybe he just enjoyed acting that way; it was hard to tell sometimes. Kitty decided to how to best convey this to Harry. Sometimes it was a lot easier to have some plan in her head, then to actually spit it out.
  
  "Harry, I didn't say that we would break up any time soon," Kitty told Harry. She looked in his face, stroking his hair, and smiling. "However, I'm open for experimentation if you're comfortable with that."
  
  Harry wondered if Kitty was implying what he thought she was implying. He wrapped his arms around her, trying to get the slightest hint of what she had in mind. Granted, Harry had thought about it. He was a guy, there were things like that he thought about. To have his girlfriend come out, and say something like that, Harry wondered if he was indulging in some wishful thinking.
  
  Something that was rare to him, and he had seldom thought about himself.
  
  An explosion had startled Harry immediately, and had ruined any moment the two might have had. The mutant couple was greeted by a situation. In the skies, Harry spotted a blur swing past him. There was a middle aged man who gave chase, and was dressed in a leopard print vest and tight black pants. The man in question carried a spear, and was in a crazed single minded pursuit for the enemy above him.
  
  'There's something you don't see every day,' Harry thought to himself.
  
  "Even in New York, didn't that strike you a bit odd?" Harry asked, nudging Kitty at this point.
  
  Kitty cupped a hand to her chin, and looked thoughtful, nodding slowly. Truth be told, that was something that looked on. Harry turned to her, and their eyes locked with each other. He decided to ask a question on a foolish impulse.
  
  "So do you want to check it out?" Harry asked, struck by a sudden daring inspiration.
  
  Kitty smiled, and nodded. Checking it out would be a good idea right about now, given the fact that it was weird. And she would not rest until she had determined what was going on. The two of them walked off. They had their mission uniforms in their bag, after all it was best to be prepared. Perhaps they would get to the bottom of this, and what was happening. The two had changed with each other in the same room, having nothing to be ashamed about.
  
  "I think it went over that way," Harry replied, and Kitty nodded, seeing the scene above her.
  
  Harry grabbed Kitty around, the waist, and on a sheer impulse, took up flying. It was like riding a broom, only without a broom. Kitty turned to Harry, in shock and awe, and her eyes widened. It took her a moment to catch her breath, and reconcile what she saw.
  
  "Um, since when could you fly?"
  
  "Since about fifteen seconds ago," Harry retorted, mischief flashing in his eyes.
  
  'My boyfriend is like so totally awesome,' Kitty thought to herself, with a smile.
  
  Kitty thought that was a fair enough response and the two prepared to see what the scene of the disturbance was. The two decided to take the plunge together, peering out from behind the wall. They were in the fact finding part of the mission, which was rather crucial. Only then could they jump into battle.
  
  The unknown had awaited them.
  
  A figure swung over the rooftops of New York. He was being chased, or so his hunter thought. In reality, he was luring his attacker into a false sense of security. The man dropped down, but he was no mere man. He was the Amazing, the Spectacular, the Sensational, Spider-Man, and he was being stalked by one of his most persistent enemies.
  
  It was amazing how much of a difference eleven months had made. Eleven months ago, Peter Parker had been a normal high school student, and had been the punching bag of the local jock. A field trip to Oscorp changed that, when one of sixteen genetically altered spiders got loose, and bit Peter. It was no ordinary spider bite; it gave him amazing spider powers. The ability to be faster, jump higher, be stronger, and to climb walls, and just have heightened stamina, was at his fingertips.
  
  At the age of sixteen years older, Peter Parker learned one lesson, and that was with great power there must also come great responsibility. He had allowed a thief to get away, when he was too busy grandstanding. That same thief had accidentally shot his Uncle Ben. The thief had been desperate, but Spider-Man had been outraged. He barely held himself back from pummeling the thief to a blood pulp, remembering that Uncle Ben would not approve.
  
  It was from that day forward that Spider-Man dedicated himself from protecting the city. It was not easy, especially adding onto school, dealing with friends, and making sure he was home in time before Aunt May's curfew. Yet he managed everything just as well as he could be expected.
  
  However, none of that matter, as right now Spider-Man was being stalked by one of his more persistent and annoying foes. The man's name was Sergei Kravinoff, or as he had been dubbed by the Daily Bugle, Kraven the Hunter. Kravinoff was a world renowned game hunter who had hunted some of the most deadly beasts in the world, including endangered species. He had traveled to New York to hunt the deadliest game of them all, that being Spider-Man.
  
  "I can smell your fear," Kravinoff stated, dropping down and stalking Spider-Man. The sadistic glint appeared in the eyes on the hunter. A spear extended out, and a toothy grin appeared on Kraven's face.
  
  "Are you sure that's what you smell?" Spider-Man asked, preparing to engage the enemy. There were times where the web head felt bad about engaging on unarmed opponent in a battle of wits, but that took the fun out of everything.
  
  The web slinger tucked his head, and somersaulted out of the way. Kraven charged him, but Spider-Man avoided another attack. "Because I'm getting a distinct BO problem, and it's coming from you."
  
  "Your bravado is almost amusing," Kraven declared, stalking his prey and he stood ready to pounce. The web slinger dodged out of the way.
  
  For Kraven, there was only one law that applied, and that was the law of the jungle. When he was out there on the hunt, it was a game of survival of the fittest, and it was kill or be killed. That was the only thing that mattered. Kraven charged Spider-Man with his spear. The web slinger ducked around.
  
  "You will be the greatest trophy I have ever mounted on my wall," Kraven summarized, teeth gritted, and spear clenched in his fist.
  
  Spider-Man pulled a face underneath his mask, and regained his bearings. "You know, if you're someone who hunts people, you have a serious problem. And here's the newsflash, the name's Spider-Man. There's a heavy emphasis on the man in there."
  
  Spider-Man dodged another attack, and web yanked the spear out of Kraven's hand. He knocked the mighty hunter back with a series of rabid fire punches.
  
  "And there's also a hyphen in there," Spider-Man added as an afterthought. Kraven rushed Spider-Man, but the web slinger tripped up the mighty hunter. "Which a lot of people tend to forget, that's always annoying."
  
  "Enough, you will be prize trophy," Kraven growled, and he pulled out a pair of daggers.
  
  With a mighty roar, Kraven charged Spider-Man, but the web slinger dodged the attacks once again. He avoided the stabs by the dagger.
  
  "Didn't your mother tell you not to run with knives?" Spider-Man taunted him. Kraven just growled, ripping the webbing off from around his eyes. Kraven once again attacked, and once again Spider-Man avoided those attacks. "You could hurt someone, likely me, with them."
  
  Kraven knocked Spider-Man back, and he landed onto the ground with a thud. The web slinger was back on his feet, and Kraven swung a huge punch. Spider-Man was sent backwards. The web head popped back up, and shot a line of webbing at Kraven. Kraven dodged it. His speed and reflexes were second to none, and they had to be, given some of the dangerous wild animals he had to hunt. Kraven reached forward, when suddenly a mysterious force had blown him back.
  
  The hunter gave a pained yell, when he was thrown off of the edge of the building, and crashed to the city streets below. Spider-Man took a moment to look around, and he was taken aback by what happened. A new arrival had caused the web head to be surprised, and he spun around.
  
  The web head looked at a dark haired youth, who wore a black jacket with a green t-shirt. There was a red belt with a green "X" in the middle, and he wore black pants, along with boots. His companion was a brunette girl, wearing a black top, a black jacket, and tight black pants. Spider-Man was caught dumbstruck for a moment.
  
  "Hi!" the girl yelled in an excited voice.
  
  It took Spider-Man a moment to regain his composure, which had been rattled after playing tag with the mighty hunter all night. He blinked, and stared at them.
  
  "So, wait, let me get this straight, you're the one who blasted Kraven off of the roof," Spider-Man managed, speaking slowly and clearly. He was not sure what he thought about that. The web head stared down to the alleyway below, and was taken aback. He could not even spot Kraven, mangled body or not, and he had no idea where to go from there.
  
  "I didn't, he did," the girl responded, pointing to the young man with her.
  
  Spider-Man had encountered more than a few heroes in this town. He had met up with the Human Torch. The web head also teamed up with Daredevil and Luke Cage to tackle street level crime. He also encountered some bad tempered guy with claws who called himself Wolverine. Among other heroes, but these two were new to him however.
  
  "So, I'm sure you know who I am," Spider-Man said.
  
  "Iron Man, right?" the boy asked.
  
  "What..no?" Spider-Man asked, but both were laughing at the dumbfounded expression on his face.
  
  The two looked rather amused, and Spider-Man realized that he just got punked.
  
  "Relax, we know who you are, Spider-Man," the girl said, trying to be serious. "My name is Shadowcat, and this is Arcane."
  
  Spider-Man took a good look at the young man, and he nodded.
  
  'Mysterious and something that few people understand, that fits that guy to a tee for some reason,' the web slinger thought. 'Then again, some people could say that about your friendly neighborhood Spider-Man.'
  
  "You knocked Kraven off of the roof," Spider-Man said slowly. "You could have killed him."
  
  "You mean, I didn't?" Arcane asked, and Spider-Man seemed to be flummoxed. "Relax, he was a guy who was going to stuff and mount you on a wall. What's the harm if we got a little rough with him?"
  
  Spider-Man had no real way to answer that question, without looking like a glorified boy scout who had always followed the rules. That was the dilemma of a hero. It seemed like the press alternated between slamming him for being a threat and a menace, or had said that Spider-Man was too soft. There were no reasoning with some people.
  
  "Um, thanks I guess, even if you were a bit extreme," Spider-Man remarked.
  
  "No problem, happy to help," Arcane replied, with a nod, and he extended his hand. Spider-Man, sensing no trouble with his spider sense, shook it.
  
  Spider-Man turned around, and bid his goodbyes. He would have liked to stick around for chat, but he was way late in meeting Gwen to hang out. It was not a date, both of them had agreed to that. It was just two friends, doing what two friends do, and that was hanging out. It was nothing more than that.
  
  Harry turned to Kitty, and decided to address the elephant in the room.
  
  "So any clue where the mighty hunter went?" Harry asked her, a questioning look in his eyes.
  
  Kitty shrugged. "As hard as you blasted him, he could have been sent half way to Jersey for all I know."
  
  Harry would have to agree. He did a few scanning spells, but Kraven did not seem to be in the intermediate area. A scan with his own eyes had not seen anything as well, as magic was wonderful, but not absolutely foolproof. Harry scooped up Kitty in his arms, and lowered them both to the ground.
  
  "I think he was a little bit freaked out that you knocked that guy off of the roof," Kitty suggested.
  
  Harry turned to her, before answering in a completely honest voice. "It was all in the name of saving lives."
  
  Kitty smiled, and nodded in agreement. There was some times where certain brutality couldn't be avoided. It was a hard choice to make. Kitty preferred not to have to take that route, even if it was unavoidable. Yet in the heat of the battle, one seldom had a chance to worry about what was right. It was a choice of what got them out alive, and that could be the difference between life and death.
  
  Harry thought similar thoughts, if people were going to try and attack him, and others around him, well they were honestly taking their chances. Regardless, the two of them tried to move off to enjoy the rest of the night, although they had a feeling that any chances of a normal date might have been moot with these two.
  
  Kraven was not the only one who was hunting Spider-Man throughout the concrete jungle of New York City. Even though the hunt of this particular individual was a more subtle kind of hunt, there were still observations that were being made by one individual. Ever since Spider-Man came on the scene, and displayed the powers he did, this man had been interested. Given the fact that there was circumstantial evidence that the web slinger's powers came as a byproduct of one of his experiments, it only stood to reason that he would take an interest.
  
  The man's name was Norman Osborn. He was the CEO of Oscorp. The Osborn family fortune had been squandered through many years of obsession and vices. Yet, Norman spent most of his adult life rebuilding his fortune, often at the expense of several other companies throughout New York. The sins of the Osborn name had caused it to be a tough road. It was a family name that was strongly connected with indulging in vices, and mental illness. Every single Osborn for the past several generations had succumbed to a mental illness prior to the age of forty.
  
  The thirty seven year old owner of Oscorp turned his attention to the video wall. The latest exploits of Spider-Man was played for him to see. Whether or not Spider-Man was a hero or a menace, that fact did not concern Osborn. It was the furthest thing from his mind. The fact of the matter was that Spider-Man could be considered to be a valuable asset, and one that could bring Oscorp to a higher level possible.
  
  Norman Osborn could smell the type of opportunity someone like Spider-Man presented from a mile away. All he needed to do was seize that opportunity, and it would be his. Osborn tapped his fingers, and turned to the head of his research division. This man was a portly man with dark eyes, and a bowl haircut who went by the name of Otto Octavius.
  
  "Progress report, Otto?" Osborn asked in a brisk voice.
  
  Octavius proceeded to respond in an oily and rather tentative voice. "Um yes sir, Mr. Osborn, I have collected a small sample of data regarding Spider-Man. I would require a more significant sample of his blood to ensure what his full capabilities are."
  
  "Well, what are you doing just standing here?" Osborn demanded in a harsh voice. Otto took a step back, knowing when to pick his battles. He secretly longed for the day where he would be able to rise above, and take charge of Osborn, instead of the other way around. "Spider-Man could be the secret to Oscorp's success. It is unfortunate that the board of directions shut down the experimentation we have done."
  
  "Yes, quite unfortunate," Octavius droned.
  
  Osborn turned around. When someone shut a door, a window had re-opened. He would have some level of clarity, and progress past this point.
  
  "Yet, despite all that, one spider got loose, and bit someone, the question is whom?" Osborn asked. "These extraordinary powers are not something that just popped up overnight. If we can offer this proof, then the government will be eating out of our hands, any government for that matter. We will have an army of super powered spider soldiers that will allow us to charge high dollar to anyone."
  
  Osborn paused, and thought about the matter that had ate away at him for a number of months. The Board of Directors had been breathing down his neck, and a few of them had called for his resignation. Those fools had no idea that they would not be in the cushy position they were in, had it not been for his hard work, his blood, sweat, and tears. They were ungrateful and greedy.
  
  "And for that to matter, I need results and not just guess work from you, Doctor Octavius," Osborn continued. His expression snapped fully on the oily scientist before him. "I want you to find out every single thing you can about Spider-Man, and I want greater samples. We will be able to replicate that, and create our army, to sell to the highest bidder. If the United States government won't pay, then we'll find someone who will."
  
  Octavius offered a courtesy nod, and continued to punch up information to be displayed on the screen in front of them. He suddenly caught some images of Spider-Man's latest battle. Checking with the catalog he had placed together of the various enemies the web slinger had fought; Octavius recognized that particular foe as Kraven the Hunter. That was not the only interesting observation that Octavius picked up.
  
  Rather the interesting flash across the screen was some blur that had knocked Kraven off of the roof. He rewound the few images that were presented. This person never touched Kraven, never even laid one finger on him. Yet, Kraven was knocked off the roof in one fluid motion, blasted away like he was nothing. The scientist was keen in observing what had transpired.
  
  'Interesting,' Octavius thought to himself, and he scratched his chin, pondering certain possibilities.
  
  "What are you staring at, Otto?" Osborn asked, suspicion lingering in his eyes.
  
  "Nothing, Mr. Osborn, sir," Octavius said in a meek voice, and Osborn's eyes just snapped towards his head scientist.
  
  "Are you certain it was nothing?" Osborn inquired, pressing on further.
  
  Octavius responded with a swift nod, and did not say another word.
  
  "I had assumed that I had picked up another clue regarding Spider-Man," the scientist said. "But I guess that it was a false alarm."
  
  Osborn took a moment, and did not seem to completely buy that notion from Octavius. There was something up.
  
  "If I find out you've been hiding information from me, Otto, after everything that I've done for you..."
  
  "Just merely a camera glitch, sir," Octavius remarked dryly.
  
  One day, he would be the master, and Osborn would be the slave. Otto Octavius dreamed of the day that he would rise up, and take control of everything that Osborn built.
  
  Osborn on the other hand, his mind was firmly fixated on one goal. Spider-Man continued to intrigue him. At first, he seemed to be annoyance, and someone who stopped petty crime. Another do-gooder in a mask, but at each passing day, there was more and more about it.
  
  Ocatvius pondered web slinger's mysterious savior. If he had taken out the hunter in one fell swoop, and then toppled the camera, there was some level of power beyond his wildest dreams. Octavius was curious to what science this person's powers was derived from. There was a feeling that it would be interesting.
  
  Yet, a great deal of his time was eaten up by his boss's futile studies on Spider-Man. Otto Octavius tried to slow down and focus the security camera footage, but once again found nothing. At least nothing he could derive anything from.
  
  'I'll just have to dig deeper,' the scientist thought to himself, and prepared for the next faze of his operation.
  
  After that minor hiccup, Kitty and Harry walked across the sidewalks. Given that this was the first proper date for either of them, both were a bit tentative away.
  
  "Maybe we can catch a movie?"
  
  "That'd be a first for me."
  
  "Oh, you've never seen a movie with someone?"
  
  "No, watching a movie period, my relatives...well they were a bit movie phobic. They were very strict, didn't approve of imagination."
  
  Kitty just looked at Harry, and accepted that answer for now. For some reason, Harry seemed to alternate between being too casual and not being casual enough as it regarded to talking about his relatives and the rest of his world. Kitty had wondered why. There were any number of theories that were floating around the brunette girl's head, and all of them had made her curious.
  
  The only reason why she did not really pry was the fact that it really was not any of her business. Harry really only stated a few times that he missed his friends, but what was done was done. He did not really miss his relatives, or say anything to that extent. Then again, Kitty really could not blame Harry for his detachment. If he was not going back, he should not work himself up.
  
  "I wouldn't know what good movies are showing right now," Kitty replied shaking her head. "Maybe we should have thought this entire date thing out."
  
  "Hey, the night has been fun so far," Harry answered, putting his hand on hers. "We saved Spider-Man from getting mounted as a wall trophy of some crazed game hunter."
  
  "Yeah, really romantic, wouldn't you say?" Kitty replied sarcastically, but she was smiling in spite that fact. She was deep in thought. They had hung out around the mansion, but this was the first time that Kitty had a date. Harry had briefly remarked that he had one date, but he would rather not talk about it. Kitty suspected that this was with the girl that cried when she kissed Harry, and the less said about that relationship the better.
  
  "Harry, is that you?"
  
  Kitty and Harry turned around, and saw Gwen Stacy sitting outside at a table. The blonde seemed anxious, and waiting for someone. Her foot tapped on the ground, and her arms were folded. Her expression brightened when she saw it was Harry.
  
  "Hey, Gwen," Harry replied brightly. "You remember Kitty Pryde, my girlfriend."
  
  "I seem to recall the last time we meant, something about some monarch trying to kill us with a bunch of robots," Gwen said. At those words, a bit of a grin crossed her face.
  
  "So what are you doing here?" Kitty asked curiously.
  
  Gwen offered a long sigh, and looked up. "I'm actually waiting for my friend Peter."
  
  "Oh the one who was in the bathroom," Kitty answered brightly.
  
  "Yeah that one," Gwen said, worry flooding her. Peter had told her that he was going for a patrol around the city before he met her. One quick patrol in the city seldom meant one quick patrol around the city for Peter. His luck was notoriously rotten, even before the spider bite. And it seemed to amplify tenfold since the bite. "He should be around here any time soon."
  
  "Oh, are you two going on a date?" Harry asked.
  
  Gwen brushed off that statement, a bit too quickly, shaking her head.
  
  "No, we're just hanging out like two friends, studying, there's a big test coming up at school you see. We kind of want to keep our status as the two highest grades in the school."
  
  Harry nodded, and offered Gwen a smile. "A lofty goal."
  
  "Well you know me, shooting for the stars," Gwen answered, and her expression brightened up. "Peter! It's glad to see you can make it!"
  
  Gwen offered Peter an expression that indicated that they would be talking later about what happened. Peter tried to disguise a limp. Kitty didn't even notice it, but Harry did. Harry frowned, and looked at Peter. Something was up, but he kept his eyes off Peter for the most part.
  
  "Peter, this is Kitty Pryde and Harry Potter, I met them on the field trip a couple of weeks ago," Gwen announced to Peter.
  
  Peter shifted with a minimal amount of guilt. There was something about these two that seemed a bit familiar, but he shrugged it off as nothing.
  
  Harry had thought for a moment that Peter had deduced that he and Kitty were the two that saved him earlier today. The charms Harry had put on their mission uniforms had worked like, well a charm, and Peter Parker did not connect Shadowcat and Arcane with Kitty Pryde and Harry Potter.
  
  "Gwen told me about what happened at the field trip," Peter said. He tried to keep the guilt away from his voice. "That was quite a mess you got into, wish I was kind of there to see it."
  
  "It's no problem, given that you were indisposed," Harry told Peter.
  
  Peter just nodded, he had been indisposed. Just not in the way everyone had thought. He was playing tag with Rhino and Shocker, who had teamed up on their latest crime spree. It was never a fun time when two of his criminals teamed up, especially those who were that dangerous.
  
  'Limp, disappears at all times, I'm beginning to think that this isn't the first time we've met Peter Parker,' Harry thought to himself. He did not let either Kitty or Gwen know about this. That was Peter's secret to tell people, if he chose to. Although Harry did have a sense that Gwen knew, and was also hiding it from other people.
  
  The problem with Harry was that he was able to pick up little details that most people would have missed, and had noticed pretty much anything. There were little hints in the body language of people. Harry had thought about what he wanted to do, but suddenly, he turned around and could have sworn that he heard something.
  
  Harry stopped and looked around; then again the city of New York would have many people lurking around. So being paranoid about one sound would not do him any good. Kitty's expression moved towards Harry, questioning him. Harry decided to enlighten her a bit on what he was thinking.
  
  "I think we better stick around for a little bit," Harry told Kitty, and Kitty once again looked at him with a quizzical look. "The mighty hunter might still be lurking around."
  
  Kitty opened her mouth to protest, but Harry kissed her, both to silence her, and under the pretext of letting anyone watching get lured into a false sense of security. Not that this was a bad tactic, and Kitty enjoyed the kiss, as long as it lasted.
  
  "We'll just stick around, and everything will be okay," Harry said. He looked at Gwen and Peter. "Do you mind if the two of us tag along with you for a little bit, while you're going that way?"
  
  It was not a problem at all for either Gwen or Peter. Kitty had no reservations about it. Now that Harry had mentioned something, she kind of half sensed a presence. This was one of those times where it would be useful to have Logan around. Kitty shook her head at that, the last thing she wanted was him chaperoning her date.
  
  Kitty and Harry walked, trying to act natural, and have some semblance of a good time. Both hoped that Harry was being over careful.
  
  The only and greatest rule of the jungle was that survival of the fittest had occurred. A hunter learned more from a failed hunt, than from any perfect one, but the hunt was not truly over until one party was dead. Kraven the Hunter cracked his knuckles, and proceeded to pick up the trail of Spider-Man. He had doused the web slinger with a special powder during the battle that would allow him to track his greatest prey.
  
  The fact he got blown off of the roof by this mysterious sorcerer was most annoying, but the true hunter adapted and learned from those mistakes. Kraven's keen senses had allowed him to brave most of the fall. The bumps and the bruises had been mild compared to his hunt against the wildest game of them all. Some of the species were among the deadliest in the land, yet Kraven had brought them to his knees.
  
  "You grow closer, Spider-Man," Kraven remarked to himself. A toothy grin spread over his face, and the hunter was ready to jump into battle. Soon, the battle would commence, and Kraven would be able to land himself the biggest prize.
  
  The only game Kraven played was to hunt big game. He heard a few traces of conversation. There were those who had misunderstood that there was nothing personal with his hunt with Spider-Man. At least not at the moment, it was merely a sport which he craved. In some ways, he did respect Spider-Man, and that respect was what drove him deeper and deeper into the hunt. The respect would make his ultimate triumph that much better.
  
  Kraven could also sense the one who blasted him off of the roof was near. That was a potential annoyance, but Kraven braced himself. He mentally reprimanded himself for being caught off guard in such a careless manner. Had Kraven not had the ability to jump at that time, it would have been his demise. That one bit of carelessness was something that could shift the balance between life and death in the jungle.
  
  "Yes, Spider, your scent, I can smell you, and those who will hope to shield you for your inevitable fate," Kraven remarked in a low growl. His teeth gritted.
  
  He pulled out a pair of binoculars, and continued to scope out the scene. With each passing instance, the mighty hunter grew closer to his pretty. Thus, it would be closer to his triumph. Those around him were ignorant that they were being watched. Kraven picked his spots wisely, and prepared his tranquilizer darts. If he needed to take out an obstacle, a long range attack would be best.
  
  Against Spider-Man, Kraven preferred the glory of hand to hand comeback. It got his heart pumping, blood racing, and allowed himself the full joy of the hunt.
  
  Ever since his childhood, Kraven hunted. His father had put him outside to fend for himself and that was how he ate. In the village he lived in, if one did not hunt, one could not eat. And if one could not eat, than one would not survive.
  
  Kraven had saved up an immense amount of money, and thus no longer needed to hunt to eat. He hunted for the thrill of the hunt, and the sport it offered. The deadlier the game, the better, and the more satisfying the actual capture had been. Kraven showed no mercy on who he hunted, for these beasts would show no mercy against him.
  
  He envisioned taking out Spider-Man, and stuffing his body, before mounting it on his wall as a trophy. Once that was done, Kraven had no idea what other challenges he would have, for this was the ultimate hunt.
  
  The hunter vowed not to get ahead of himself. Until the moment he captured Spider-Man, and the last breath left his body, the hunt was still on. Kraven sat, like a cat ready to pounce, and prepared for the final stages of the hunt.
  
  The first step was to divide and conquer.
  
  To Be Continued in Web Slinger Part Two.
  Web Slinger Part Two
  
  
  Chapter 13: Web Slinger Part Two.
  
  Harry stood outside, and took a long look around. So far so good, at least from what he saw. Perhaps his paranoid suspicion was off the mark, perhaps there was no threat. He had burned up about an hour just hanging around. Yet, Harry needed to be completely sure that there was nothing around. He turned to Kitty, with a smile.
  
  "It's been great hanging around with you guys, really it has," Harry said, with an honest expression on his face and Peter and Gwen nodded.
  
  "Yeah, it was nice meeting you for the first time," Peter replied, trying to be rather polite.
  
  "We should really do this again sometime, if you're ever in the neighborhood," Gwen answered, looking at them with an honest smile. It was oddly refreshing not to get attacked by Doom Bots, or whatever when they were out.
  
  "So, if it's alright with you, we'll be heading on to enjoy the last few minutes before we have to head back," Harry told Kitty, offering her an encouraging squeeze of her hand.
  
  Kitty nodded, even though she had a shrewd suspicion that Harry might be trying to lure out whatever he had seen earlier. The brunette mutant locked arms with Harry, and they waved goodbye to Peter and Gwen. Suddenly, there was a buzzing in the air that had caused Harry to be on his toes, and look straight up into the sky.
  
  That was not the only thing that was buzzing. When there was danger nearby, Peter had an early warning. The problem was being warned about the danger was not nearly as good enough compared to what the danger was. However, it was something useful, and Peter had dubbed it his spider sense.
  
  Peter stood on his toes, with his spider sense going wild. A rocket shot through the air, immediately impacting the ground, and the civilians scattered. He could see Harry stand rigid, with his eyes on Peter. Peter found this to be rather annoying, given the fact that he could not change into Spider-Man.
  
  Harry wished Peter would just run off already, and some of the people would go with him, so it would be a lot easier. He tried to scan for someone, and a dagger flew through the air. With expert reflexes, Harry diverted it harmlessly away from any targets. The hunter was spotted high above the roof tops, and continued to stalk his prey. Everything was becoming rather tense, and the entire situation was hard to deal with, given the fact that there were still witnesses.
  
  Gwen spotted Kraven out of the corner of her eyes, stalking in the shadows.
  
  "Alright, the game is up, one of your cowards is Spider-Man, I can smell you, and I can track you!"
  
  Gwen had to take drastic action, to get Peter some time to change. So she reached over, and pulled the fire alarm, to lead to the necessary distraction.
  
  Funnily enough, the crazed hunter throwing daggers and explosives was not enough to get everyone packing. The fire alarm on the other hand, got everyone running quick enough. Harry had slipped by, and Kitty with him. Peter had moved to the other direction.
  
  Kraven stepped forward, ready for the attack. His voice was menacing, as was his stance. "I know you're here Spider-Man, I have tracked you."
  
  Spider-Man knocked the much larger hunter down from behind. Kraven landed on his hand, and skillfully landed on his feet. He pulled out two discs and threw them at Spider-Man. His reflexes dodged the attacks.
  
  "Yes, yes, this is the ultimate thrill," Kraven declared, his eyes glassed over with pleasure when he continued to stalk his prey. "You are the ultimate prey, Spider-Man, it's such a shame that we have to reach a climax tonight. You will be stuffed and mounted on my wall."
  
  Spider-Man continued to dodge the attacks from Kraven.
  
  "Um, that's just sick and wrong on so many levels," Spider-Man added, and he tried to ensnare Kraven with his webbing. His webbing latched onto the soda machine, and Spider-Man gave it a tug. Kraven dodged the flying machine, and rolled around on the ground, before throwing daggers. Spider-Man dodged them immediately. "Seriously, do you think you need to get a room before you act out these sick fantasies?"
  
  While the mighty hunter had been fighting Spider-Man, Harry was ready. He had disabled the security cameras. All of the civilians had been evacuated from the premises, and were safely out. Spider-Man and Kraven continued to fight.
  
  Shadowcat and Arcane exchanged an expression with each other.
  
  "Standard attack ploy, distract him from the front, while I get him from the back," Arcane told her, eyes focused with a determined expression in them.
  
  "Gotcha," Shadowcat said, and she tucked her head, before doing a roll.
  
  Kraven knocked Spider-Man down to the ground. The web slinger crashed with a thud, and Kraven stood above him, twirling his spear in his hand. He moved in for the kill. Before Kraven could plunge down onto Spider-Man's chest, Shadowcat stood in front of him, arms folded with a determined expression crossed over her face.
  
  "Get out of my way, little one," Kraven growled, not in the mood for games.
  
  "Why don't you make me?" Shadowcat challenged. "Unless you don't think you can beat one teenage girl."
  
  Kraven just laughed. "Please, teenage girls are the least intimidating of beasts."
  
  "You've obviously never been at a mall then, have you?" Shadowcat asked, rolling her eyes at the hunter.
  
  Kraven was not about to be baited by one little girl.
  
  "I'll say this one last time, get out of the way, before I move you out," Kraven growled.
  
  Shadowcat stood tall and proud, and saw Arcane move into position. Kraven rushed forward, to try and ram a spear into her. At the precise moment, Shadowcat went intangible, and dropped through the ground. Kraven's eyes widened, and he was knocked from behind, tripped up. His balance, normally precise, had caused him to fall forward, and land on his spear.
  
  The spear of which impaled him, straight into his heart. Kraven rolled over, and blood gushed from his chest. Everyone could not believe what had happened.
  
  Spider-Man was numb in shock. Gwen stepped forward, and the web slinger seemed to be unable to articulate anything. She opened her mouth, but Spider-Man got there first.
  
  "You...you...just killed him!" Spider-Man said, barely able to string together a coherent sentence.
  
  "Last I checked, he impaled himself on his own spear," Arcane replied coolly.
  
  Technically while that was true, Spider-Man was in too much of a numb shock to really comprehend all that had happened around him.
  
  "Arcane just did save your life, you know," Shadowcat answered, and she winced at all of the blood. That was a messy way to go, especially impaled on one's own spear. Arcane placed an arm around her, and looked into her bright eyes.
  
  "Are you okay?" Arcane asked her.
  
  "Piece of cake," Shadowcat replied, but the sirens had indicated the arrival of New York's finest.
  
  Arcane stood to look at Spider-Man, who was partially rattled form the battle, and completely rattled by the fact that he just saw someone kill one of his enemies. There was a conflict of emotions running through the web slingers head at this point in time.
  
  Captain George Stacy walked onto the latest crime scene. After twenty years of distinguished service, there was really nothing that surprised him anymore. One could tell when the cops on the force were rookies. They were among those who had been a bit squeamish and unable to handle the insanity that came with the territory.
  
  "There was this hunter, and he was screaming for Spider-Man."
  
  'I should have known,' Captain Stacy thought, and he fixed his face into a stoic and businesslike expression.
  
  The truth was that Captain Stacy was following the exploits of Spider-Man, along with the rest of the world, ever since he came onto the scene nearly a year ago. Some had accused Spider-Man being a threat and a menace. Many accused Spider-Man of being the cause to the growth of super powered criminals. Captain Stacy took a different tact to the matter.
  
  He felt that many of these people would be committing crimes, regardless of whether or not Spider-Man existed. A few of them had been on the scene, and perhaps many of them would still be on the streets, racking up the casualties and the body count would be more than the NYPD could handle. Stacy thought that Spider-Man was something that the city needed, even though as long as that mask was on, people would wonder about him.
  
  He also understood the necessity of wearing the mask. Everyone had loved ones and Spider-Man was no exception. All of the dangerous enemies who went after Spider-Man, would go after his loved ones with extreme prejudice.
  
  Captain Stacy had been greeted to quite the grisly scene. Spider-Man stood there in numb shock, and Kraven was down on the ground, dead with a nasty wound in his chest. There were two other people standing there that Captain Stacy did not recognize. Being the no-nonsense man he was, he decided to get the answers he needed.
  
  "Would anyone explain what is going on?" Captain Stacy asked in a crisp and calm voice.
  
  It was Gwen who had piped up, looking at her father, with pure conviction in her eyes when she spoke. "It was Kraven, Dad. He attacked Spider-Man, and tried to attack me and...Arcane and Shadowcat here."
  
  Gwen pointed out the two heroes in mind, who stood there, with unreadable expressions on their faces. Captain Stacy saw that the girl looked a bit more scared than the boy, who seemed to be the type where nothing could really faze him.
  
  "Arcane and Shadowcat?" Captain Stacy asked, raising an eyebrow when he looked at them. He just mentally filed that away, there were two more super powered heroes, add them to the growing number. New York did seem to be overflowing with both super powered heroes and villains. "Continue, Gwen."
  
  "He tried to attack Shadowcat with his spear," Gwen continued, trying to remain clam, and Spider-Man slumped against the wall, nodding. "Arcane had to defend her, and one thing lead to another, and Kraven tripped, and got impaled with his own spear."
  
  Captain Stacy saw this Arcane having his arm around Shadowcat's waist, and held her tight to him.
  
  "It was an accident then?" Captain Stacy answered in a cool voice, trying to get the facts of the situation.
  
  "Yes, it was an accident, self-defense," Gwen said firmly.
  
  Arcane really agreed that it was an accident. He was intending to take care of Kraven, but not that messily. Something clean and painful, to compensate for the fact that he put innocent people in danger.
  
  There was a moment where Captain Stacy looked over the scene. There was no clear evidence that Arcane had acted in pre-meditation. He understood as a veteran police officer that there were times where deaths happened in the heat of the moment. Sometimes, when protecting others, people could not think of a way to bring in the prep alive. While this was not technically that situation, he looked down at Kraven, and then looked at the group.
  
  "I know this must be a shock, but there was nothing that you could have done, given the circumstances," Captain Stacy replied. The veteran cop had his eyes on both Shadowcat and Arcane. "I would tell you to endeavor to keep more careful in the future."
  
  Arcane and Shadowcat both nodded. Captain Stacy walked away to check out the crime scene with his officers. Arcane and Shadowcat stepped forward.
  
  'I better go talk to him,' Harry thought, when he looked at Spider-Man.
  
  Spider-Man stood in the background; he still could hardly believe what happened.
  
  "For the record, I didn't mean for it to happen like that," Harry told him.
  
  Spider-Man's head snapped around, and he looked at Harry. There was a moment before he found his voice.
  
  "You really can't just go around and killing everyone, he would have been captured by the police..."
  
  "For how long?" Harry asked, and Spider-Man just stopped.
  
  Spider-Man really had no answer to that one.
  
  "It'd make us as bad as them," Spider-Man said, and everything he stood for was shaken to the core. "We have great power, and with great power there must also come great responsibility"
  
  "That's a nice sentiment, but great responsibility could be exercised in a number of ways," Harry replied in a crisp manner, and Spider-Man stood rigid. "What if one of your costumed enemies breaks free, and in their attempt to kill you, kills a group of school children?"
  
  Spider-Man winced at that thought and honestly, that was a fear that he had. Yet, he had to do things the right way.
  
  "They could still be rehabilitated," Spider-man argued.
  
  "Some still could, but others are beyond hope," Arcane replied, not really paying much attention to what Spider-Man said. "You must ask yourself after about the third or fourth go around with some of these people, if they are really worth trying to save, or if you're just sacrificing the needs of many to protect a few."
  
  Spider-Man looked at Arcane, trying to reconcile what he said.
  
  "I would prefer that we didn't have to kill anyone," Shadowcat replied, her expression gentle and her voice calm. She would really have preferred that she did not get blood on her hands. Sometimes, it was sadly necessary. Especially when the situation was either kill or be killed.
  
  Logan had a long talk with all of them, telling that while killing was not something that he preferred, there were sometimes where it was unavoidable, and only they could know when it was necessary. Xavier seemed to want peace, but Logan had tried to give them a nasty dose of reality, that sometimes peace was not an option and there was a need for blood on their hands. It should be avoided if possible, but at times it was impossible.
  
  "Kraven would have broken free, and attacked you, maybe even hurting innocents in the process," Arcane explained, his gaze fixed and determined on Spider-Man.
  
  Spider-Man nodded grimly.
  
  'He's right...but why does it have to feel so wrong that he's right?' Spider-Man thought to himself.
  
  "Um, yeah, I don't...see you around, I guess."
  
  Spider-Man spun around, and took the buildings, swinging off.
  
  "You didn't really want to do that, did you?" Shadowcat asked.
  
  "If a person really wants to kill and gets pleasure out of it, then they have something wrong with them," Arcane told her. "If a person avoids killing beyond all reason, then there might be something wrong with them too. When someone admits that it's necessary, and not relish it, that's the most balanced at all."
  
  That was Harry's story, and he was sticking to it. Any plans of a happy evening had been ruined, and they were about to head home. Hopefully they would try again at another time.
  
  Despite the night that was, Harry and Kitty found themselves returning to the Xavier Institute, in rather good spirits, or at least as good spirits as they could be given the situation. The two had their arms interlocked, when they walked up the drive, and smiles were on their face. The moon was out tonight, and there was a slight winter chill in the air. Harry offered Kitty a warming spell, and the girl was rather pleased with this turn of events.
  
  "You know, call me crazy, but that was fun," Kitty told Harry, a grin on her face.
  
  Harry fired back with a smile, and tightened his grip around her waist. "You know, I'm sure no one would call you crazy, at least to your face."
  
  "But you can't deny that you haven't thought about it," Kitty answered, and the two stood next to each other, bright smiles on their face. Harry just smiled back at her.
  
  "Wouldn't you like to know?" Harry asked to Kitty, and he playfully nudged her. "Actually, I thought that despite everything, it was a fairly decent night. No innocent people died."
  
  "That's always a good thing," Kitty answered to him, and the two took a step forward towards the front door of the Xavier Institute. Harry reached forward, and the door opened with a click. Kitty smiled, and walked in. "Good in bed, and a gentleman, what did I do to deserve you?"
  
  "I think I have other qualities that balance out, the entire finding trouble no matter where it goes thing is one of them."
  
  "I don't think you find trouble just as much as it seems to stalk you around every single corner," Kitty argued, and she stood on her tip toes, and brushed her lips against Harry's for a light kiss. She pulled back. "Maybe you should get a restraining order on it."
  
  Harry laughed at the joke, and the two of them entered inside. They spotted Logan sitting in the chair, and his eyes were on the both of them. Harry wondered if this was a good thing, or a bad thing.
  
  "I guess you two couldn't stay out of trouble for one night, could you?" Logan asked, looking at them.
  
  "Given some of the things that you get up to, I don't think you have any room to talk," Kitty replied, not really in the mood to deal with a reprimand right now.
  
  Logan would have to agree.
  
  "Not criticizing, just making a point. Your little escapades made the news, and I see you've run into the web head. I've met him before, once. Kid won't shut his yap, but he has a good heart, and he won't ever give up."
  
  Harry and Kitty both nodded, but they remained careful. Every single step they took inside, and they heard the wheeling of a wheelchair before them. Professor Xavier arrived, and Jean and Scott stood by him.
  
  "For a normal night out, it seems like you two had a lot of excitement," Scott said, trying to keep his voice even and neutral. "Although I do wonder if it was such a good idea for you to get involved."
  
  "People noticed Shadowcat and Arcane, but they couldn't tie it back to us," Harry answered, having a sinking feeling where this conversation was going to go.
  
  Jean was the next one who stepped in. "We're not blaming you, either of you. It's just that there's a certain temptation to use your powers, and it can get harder."
  
  "I do hope from here on out, both of you will be more careful," Xavier replied.
  
  "No one got hurt," Harry persisted.
  
  Xavier had sensed some thoughts from Harry, and did suspect that the harsher life had hardened his approach to many people. "Sergei Kravinoff's death might have been no accident, and if it was an accident, then I will have to ask you to be careful."
  
  "Crazed hunter with a spear, who tries to attack people so he can stuff them as trophies is not something I'm going to play nice with," Harry answered, his eyes flickering in warning. If people's lives were in danger, then Harry vowed to take corrective action. "We're thrown in that Danger Room every single day, and for what?"
  
  "I understand that it is hard to look the other way..."
  
  "No, it's not hard to look the other way," Kitty replied quietly. "It is the easiest thing in the world to do."
  
  Jean decided to best pacify the situation, and the somewhat bitter thoughts that were coming off gave her a headache. "Why don't we all just calm down, and take five."
  
  "That's a good idea actually," Xavier replied, deciding that emotions ran too high to get any logic done. "With the adrenaline pumping after the battle, and the shock of hearing what happened, none of us are in sound mind to discuss what has occurred. Do remember that the aim is to train up your powers so that you can use them for good, and use them safely."
  
  Harry just nodded, and Kitty placed her hand on his. The two of them thought they were doing that. Again, Kraven was not supposed to die that messily, but Harry was going to take any situation where everyone got out in one piece to be one where he considered it to be a victory.
  
  "I believe all of us can learn much from what has transpired tonight," Xavier added.
  
  Harry would have to agree, everyone could learn something from any battle. That was one thing that he had tried to take to heart. Granted, there was always a chance that a lesson could be learned, and it was the wrong lesson. Logan stood, and watched them.
  
  "I ain't blamin' either of you for what happened," Logan told both of them. "It's battle out there, and someone like Kraven, well never met the guy, but I heard enough about him to know he's nuts. He would have taken both of you out, like you were nothing."
  
  Harry recalled that Kraven had tried to drill a spear into Kitty, so really anyone who attacked his girlfriend was going to be high on his list of people that he would not sympathize with their deaths.
  
  "Let's see what the news is saying about us," Kitty replied in a bright voice.
  
  "I'm not sure if I want to know," Harry replied.
  
  "It would so totally be fun," Kitty added to him.
  
  "No, it so totally wouldn't," Harry replied to her dully.
  
  Kitty opened her mouth to protest, but Harry caught her open mouth with a kiss. Rogue walked out at that moment.
  
  "You two could get a room," Rogue said, shaking her head, in a half of daze.
  
  "Well the only available one would be with you in it," Kitty fired back.
  
  Rogue shook her head, and walked down the hallway to use the bathroom. The truth was that she was now thinking about Harry pinning her against that wall, and having his way with her.
  
  Why did not being able to touch anyone make sexual fantasies so vivid?
  
  "Remember our conversation from earlier, Harry," Kitty told him.
  
  Harry was immediately alert, and Kitty looked at him.
  
  "Are you thinking what I think you're thinking about?"
  
  "Maybe," Kitty told him in a mischievous voice.
  
  Harry placed a hand on her waist, and Logan walked by, just turning away. As long as Harry treated her right, and it did not interfere with their training, Logan found himself uncaring about the romantic drama. He knew better than anyone else about how annoying it was for someone to stick their nose in someone else's relationship.
  
  Plus he had better things to do with his time than worry about who was dating who.
  
  Obsession was a virtue that had driven the greatest of all men. It did not matter what walk of life they stood in. Some people would be obsessed to obtain any amount of greatness. Among those who could get the most obsessive would be athletes, scientists, businessmen, and writers. This was a few of the people who had obtained this level of obsession. On the streets and in many fields there were people who had dove directly into this obsession.
  
  One such man was Norman Osborn, and another such man was Otto Octavius. A scientist, and a businessman, and very different in many ways, but they were driven by one thing and one thing only. That was their mutual obsession, an element that drove the both of them. Norman Osborn had tried to puzzle together one key question, and that was, who was Spider-Man?
  
  Osborn had many things that had driven him, and had demanded his time. Everything in his life kept coming back to that one single moment of time, where Spider-Man had gone the scene. It could only come from his research, and if he could prove that, then he would be able to keep Oscorp in his hands where it belonged.
  
  There was one other burning question that had entered his mind, based on revenge events. The beady little eyes of the New York businessman looked at the screen, and there was a huge question that also echoed out. This only very nearly snuffed out the question of who is Spider-Man, and that was, who was Arcane?
  
  One grainy image was in front of Osborn's face, and he had seen a flash of something. Was he some government experiment who had escaped? Was he some traveler from a long distant planet, or just something else entirely?
  
  Many people feared the unknown, and Osborn could see it in front of his eyes, the biggest unknown of them all. SHIELD would likely have wanted a piece of him, every single government in the world, and every single business would have seen this Arcane as a potential resource. The strange energy disturbance and the arrival of the mysterious stranger was also not lost on Norman Osborn.
  
  'Those who wait can find their opportunity,' Osborn mused to himself, and he continued to look at the one grainy photograph.
  
  Behind him, bubbled several containers of a green fluid. This formula was a performance enhancer that would increase the stamina, strength, and durability of anyone who had been doused in it. It was unfortunate that Osborn lacked enough test subjects for it. The formula would not be able to be picked up on any standardized drug tests, which made it a perfect source of revenue for professional athletes.
  
  "The fool doesn't understand what he's doing,' Otto murmured to himself, eyes fixed on what was in front of him.
  
  He twisted a few knobs, and had found one little bit of DNA. It was a hair, but it was better than nothing. He analyzed everything, while Osborn had gone on one of his latest flights of fancy. There would come a time where Otto would unlock the secrets of the universe. He continued to keep up the experimentations.
  
  While others waited, and chased spiders, Otto was prepared to unlock the genetic curiosities that had eluded men for quite some time. At least that was what his intention was.
  
  His equipment had a short circuit, and everything had failed. For many, this would be frustration, but for Otto this represented something else. This represented something that would be considered opportunity. This opportunity would be his key to scientific potential, and a twisted grin spread across the scientist's face when he had thought about what could be done.
  
  First he had to unlock the secrets of that DNA, and that was where he hit a snag.
  
  "Inconclusive," Otto whispered to himself.
  
  This little reading did not deter him. In fact, it caused him to be even more curious about the secrets locked in this one strand of hair. Osborn continued his obsessions, and walked by to check the progress of his precious formula. The formula had power, but the potential within this one being, this Arcane could be more powerful.
  
  Yet there were more like him, Otto had heard rumors, and whispers about a higher evolution of people. He found it well worth his while to keep up with his studies, and ensure that he unlocked everything.
  
  Power would be in his hands, and the scientist knew that something like this would take months to barely scratch the surface. Working for a control freak like Osborn had taught Otto many virtues, one of them would be patience. Once he had uncovered these secrets, it would be Osborn who would grovel before him.
  
  The very thought sent a sinister smile to the face of the scientist, and he continued to plug away at his experiments. Information was at the tips of his fingers, and it would be his to digest when the time was right.
  
  As for Spider-Man, well Otto would prove his worth by capturing him. He would prove his value to Osborn. All Otto needed was some help, a few bad men so to speak.
  
  Six did seem like a perfect number for some reason.
  
  Plans formed in the mind of the demented scientist, using his robotic arms to allow him to do his work four times as quickly.
  
  Obsession was a most powerful motivator, and that was what drove this scientist.
  
  Rogue pulled herself from her room, and stood at the edge of the hallway. The fact of the matter was she had no idea how late it was, although she had a good taste of what happened. She saw Kitty and Harry make their way towards Harry's room. Rogue took a step forward, and looked at the two of them.
  
  "So, did you two have a nice date?" Rogue asked them, for lack of anything better to say. Her eyes fixed on both of them.
  
  Kitty snickered, and looked at Rogue. "Yeah, it was very eventful. A bit of it might have hit the news."
  
  "Oh, did it?" Rogue inquired, and Kitty responded with a crisp nod. Rogue placed a hand on the hair and ran her hand over it. It took a moment, before Rogue had decided to look at her. "So, aren't you going to give me a hint?"
  
  "Well, let's just say we ran into Spider-Man, and bailed him out of trouble," Kitty told Rogue, and Rogue looked at her, as if inviting her to give more information. "And it was so totally awesome."
  
  "I'm sure it was," Rogue answered barely suppressing a smile.
  
  "Seems like you missed out on something, by not joining us, Rogue," Harry told the girl, a slight smile appearing on his face.
  
  Rogue just fired back at this moment. "Well, I might have just weighed the two of you down. Although are you going to try and outing where you don't run into any trouble?"
  
  "It's hard not to run into trouble, when it keeps following me," Kitty answered at that moment, and she nudged Harry, with a smile spreading his face. "It doesn't matter; it's some good practical training. Really makes us think on our feet, and it really makes the Danger Room training worth it in a way."
  
  Rogue pondered, and would have to agree with that. The fact of the matter was that there were many times where she did hope for a more practical application of the training done in the Danger Room. She took a deep breath, and proceeded to cross her arms. On Harry's advice, she worked on her reflexes, and dodging, along with using her opponent's momentum against them. While her powers could potentially be useful if harnessed, Rogue felt a desire to not use them, as it left echoes of her "victims" in her head
  
  "And we need to talk about something, the three of us," Kitty chimed in, and Rogue just looked at Harry. "I can see you looking at Harry all of the time, Rogue."
  
  Harry did notice that as well, even if he was not about to bring it up. Besides, he was in a relationship with Kitty, and did not really offer any hope that it would expand beyond that, until the moment where Kitty had hinted that she would be open to experimentation. Rogue just took a step back, and put her hands up.
  
  "Kitty, I wasn't...you're just imagining things," Rogue responded, her voice completely reeking of someone who had gotten defensive. Kitty just smiled, and shook her head. Rogue was taking things the wrong way, and she took a step forward, a smile crossing her face.
  
  "I'm not mad, it was just an observation I made," Kitty told Rogue, a smile crossing her face. "And Harry is the only person who could touch you, without any complications. Wouldn't you like to see how far that would go?"
  
  Rogue just shook her head; this had to be a joke. Kitty just smiled.
  
  "Rogue, we're all friends here, aren't we?" Kitty asked, and an innocent expression flicked through the brunette's eyes
  
  "Yeah, we're friends," Rogue agreed, blinking her eyes. There was no doubt in her mind that they were friends.
  
  "So, why don't we try something daring?" Kitty asked her, and Rogue leaned forward, completely curious about Kitty's proposition, even if it was morbidly so. "The two of us, we both like Harry, and I think it's safe to say that Harry likes both of us."
  
  "What are you trying to say?" Rogue asked, before Harry could even say one word.
  
  "Well, we could try some kind of arrangement," Kitty said to Rogue, and Rogue crossed her arms, thinking.
  
  She really did ponder this matter, nice and long, carefully and hard. The fact of the matter was she was intrigued, but at the same time a bit suspicious. Harry reached forward, and grabbed Rogue's hand.
  
  "Rogue, if you want to do this, it's fine, but just think about the possibilities it would offer," Harry told her, a smile crossing his face, and Harry was nearly up towards her.
  
  'Oh my God, is he going to kiss me?' Rogue thought, but Harry stepped back at that moment.
  
  Rogue took a step forward, froze a little bit. She took a deep breath, heart fluttering and eyes blinking.
  
  "This is a big thing to get into, and what will people say?" Rogue asked.
  
  Kitty was the one who chimed in with an absolutely logical statement. "When this entire mutant thing gets out, I don't think people are going to be too concerned about some guy being involved in a relationship with two girls or more."
  
  "Or more?" Rogue asked, and she blinked.
  
  "Hey, you never know," Kitty answered, shrugging her shoulders, and she stepped forward. Harry stood on the other side of Rogue.
  
  "Yeah, the two of you, you're extremely pretty, and any guy would be lucky to have you," Harry replied.
  
  Rogue just looked at her, and Harry placed a hand on her hair.
  
  "Can....can I think about it a little bit?" Rogue asked, and Harry and Kitty nodded.
  
  "Take all of the time you need, we'll be ready," Harry replied to her, and he pulled Rogue into a hug. Rogue stiffened, and felt Harry's body against hers.
  
  This was more contact that she was used to having, and the girl's skin felt like it was burning for even more. Rogue turned around in a daze. She wanted to be sure this was something that she wanted because it was wanted, and not out of desperation. Harry turned to Kitty, and Kitty grabbed Harry by the jacket, before backing him off.
  
  "She's about in, I think," Kitty replied, and Harry just blinked, looking at her. "You can't tell me that you never thought about this."
  
  "I thought about it, but I never thought it would happen," Harry admitted, with a playful smile, and Kitty was steered onto his bed. The contraceptive charms were second nature, and Harry applied them immediately to Kitty.
  
  Kitty felt the tell-tale sign of the shivers down her spine, and pulled Harry into her. Harry pinned her down on the bed, and kissed her. Kitty returned the kiss, working her tongue. Harry pulled her hair down, and Kitty ran her hands all over Harry's body. The two continued their kissing, before Kitty nudged Harry. Harry pulled himself up, looking at the brunette girl beneath him, and a smile spread across his face.
  
  "So, do you know any binding spells?" Kitty asked, mischief dancing in her eyes. "You know spells that can be used to tie people up."
  
  Harry immediately got Kitty's meaning. A shifty grin spread across his face, and he answered with, "A few"
  
  Kitty immediately got excited, and Harry pushed her back on the bed. The brunette's legs wrapped around Harry, and Kitty stopped, unable to phase.
  
  "It's a charm I found that stops your powers," Harry replied, and Kitty responded with a grin.
  
  "Well, I guess I'm at your mercy," Kitty told him, and with those words, a grin spread over her face, and she was excited about what was going to happen.
  
  Harry ran his fingers through her hair, and the fun was just going to begin.
  
  Smut/Lemon Begins.
  
  Harry and Kitty wrapped their arms around each other. His hands felt underneath her clothes, and Harry stroked her exposed flesh on her back. Kitty swung over, straddling Harry's lap, and Harry cupped his hands around her cute rear. She sighed deeply, feeling the bliss, when Harry continued to kiss her.
  
  Kitty grinded her crotch up and down against Harry's, and Harry tilted her back on the bed. Harry touched her body, and stroked her hair, before kissing her. Kitty sighed immediately, and Harry stroked her neck, pressing his lips to the side of it.
  
  "Oh, Harry," Kitty breathed heavily, and she felt Harry's mouth working over her neck. He was sucking on it, and it felt so good. He had a magical mouth, for lack of a better term.
  
  Harry pulled her up, and slowly pulled her shirt off of her body. He took a good look at her upper body, and continued to run his hands over her. Kitty pulled Harry's shirt over his head, and caused his hair to get messy. Kitty ran her hands over Harry's chest and abs, and appreciated the feel of the muscles underneath her hands. Harry appreciated the motions of Kitty, tracing around his abs, and chest.
  
  Harry reached around and removed her bra. Kitty's breasts stood perky, and Harry pressed a mouth to her right tit. Harry sucked on it, and Kitty was pushed back onto the bed. She arched her hips up, and Harry pulled her skirt down. Harry kissed down her body, as Kitty rested on the bed, with a soaking pair of black panties.
  
  Reaching over, Harry skimmed the edge of her panties, which were damp. A smile crossed his face as he looked at Kitty. "You're so wet."
  
  "Yeah, you did that to me, with all of the teasing," Kitty retorted, and Kitty immediately spun around.
  
  Harry groaned, as Kitty squeezed his balls tightly in her small hand. She ran her hand up the shaft, and flicked her little tongue over the head.
  
  "Feels good, suck my cock, Kitty," Harry ordered.
  
  Kitty obliged him, and slowly shoved Harry's cock into her mouth. It felt good, it tasted good. Harry grabbed her hair, and pumped his cock into her little mouth. Kitty enveloped it tightly around her mouth, and Harry pushed into her. She hummed, and managed to experiment, using her tongue and mouth to stimulate Harry.
  
  Harry thought that there was no better feeling. It felt great to have her suck his cock. Kitty played with his balls, causing pleasure to course through his body. Harry spotted Kitty stroking her pussy, and the cock was pulled out of Kitty's mouth.
  
  Kitty was pushed down onto the bed. Harry used his thumb, and rubbed her clit in circular motions. Kitty moaned, and felt good.
  
  "Like that, like me to keep doing that," Harry whispered , blowing on her pussy, which got Kitty excited, and he began to suck on her clit. Kitty nearly lost it, and she felt the juices roll down her thighs.
  
  "Yeah, that feels so good," Kitty moaned, and Harry switched.
  
  Harry tasted the sweet juices between her legs. His tongue licked her out, and Harry offered a few slight hints of a hiss. It was a hiss done every about thirty seconds, as he licked Kitty's pussy. Kitty bucked her hips up, offering Harry.
  
  "Harry, use that Parseltongue on me, please," Kitty begged. She needed this, and wanted this.
  
  Harry obliged her, and his tongue rattled on the inside of her pussy. Kitty's eyes glazed over, looking heavily lidded, and she began to breath heavily. Harry licked out her pussy, and Kitty grabbed Harry's hair, to encourage him to go down on her, deeper, and deeper.
  
  Kitty's pussy convulsed around him, and her body deflated in pleasure. The next thing she knew, once she had come down from her orgasm, she was flipped over onto her front. Kitty's hands, and feet had been bound, and her rear and pussy had been presented to Harry. Harry hovered above her, placing his hands on her hips.
  
  "You asked if I knew any binding charms," Harry retorted to her.
  
  Kitty just looked over her shoulder at him, and Harry cupped her ass, and played with her pussy as well. She needed Harry's cock inside her badly.
  
  "Stick it in me, please, I can't take it," Kitty replied. "Please don't make me beg for it."
  
  Harry offered a smile to her. "You look so cute when you beg."
  
  Kitty bit her lip in frustration, and gave a surprised yelp when Harry smacked her ass. He was getting daring, and Kitty loved it. Harry alternated between playing with her breasts, ass, and pussy, offering her pleasure, teasing her and riling it up. Kitty felt herself burn in desire.
  
  "I'm going to fuck you from behind," Harry whispered in her ear.
  
  Kitty felt herself clench, and Harry grabbed her hair. She closed her eye, and Harry stuck his cock inside her from behind. He slid into her pussy with practiced ease, and Kitty felt pleasure. Harry impaled himself in and out of her tight core, and hammered into her. He felt her pussy hug his cock, her walls squeezed him in a magnificent way.
  
  "Such a tight pussy," Harry breathed.
  
  "Tight for you," Kitty told him, and Harry pounded into her. "Yes, that's it Harry, fuck me hard."
  
  "Oh, I'll fuck you hard alright," Harry said, and he sped up, banging into Kitty from behind.
  
  Kitty clutched the bed sheets. Harry continued to go into her pussy from behind. Her eyes flickered shut, and she moaned. Harry made her feel so good, and his balls slapped against her thighs. The large cock inside her, almost splitting her in half, made her body feel absolute pleasure. Girls would line up, and pay admission if they knew what Harry had, and he would only be getting better.
  
  Harry enjoyed having her wetness hug him, and he drove her to several mind blowing orgasms. His balls throbbed with the desire. He pushed into her.
  
  "I'm going to fuck you so hard," Harry whispered to her.
  
  "Keep doing it," Kitty managed.
  
  Harry pounded into her from behind, and Harry just reached around, playing with her breasts, and rubbing his fingers across her nipples. They were really sensitive and responsive, and Harry felt more pleasure when he pounded into her.
  
  The fucking continued throughout the hour, and Kitty tried to use her pussy muscles to squeeze him.
  
  "Are you getting tired already?" Harry asked her.
  
  "So, am not, " Kitty managed, and Harry continued to speed up, pleasuring her pussy with his cock.
  
  "You're going to have a big one, and then, I'm going to have the big one," Harry replied, and Kitty's breathing got more and more.
  
  Kitty thought it felt so good, and soon Harry would cum in her. The fact that he was practically having his wicked way with her, as he pounded her pussy made her gush over and over again. Kitty thought of even more possibilities, perhaps involving straps and wall, but right now all she was really focused on is making Harry cum.
  
  "Give me your seed Harry," Kitty encouraged, wiggling her ass a little bit. "I know you want to."
  
  Harry did in fact unload his seed into Kitty. Several ropes of cum splattered into her, and Harry continued to pump into her from behind. Kitty could not believe Harry had so much cum in him, and for some realize, she always felt refreshed and stronger after it. Harry unloaded into her, making sure he was drained dry, and Kitty collapsed on the bed, absolutely content, about an hour after they started.
  
  Smut/Lemon Ends.
  
  Kitty draped herself in Harry's arms after Harry had untied her, with the love making session having concluded. The two lovers looked into each other's eyes.
  
  "I love you, so very much," Kitty murmured, snuggling her head into his shoulder.
  
  Harry was taken off guard by these words, but those words flowed so naturally.
  
  "I love you too," Harry replied, and he pulled Kitty into her, embracing her.
  
  Kitty was visited by a naughty suggestion. "So, I wonder if the Danger Room has any uses other than training?"
  
  Harry just blinked, and smiled at her. If that was the case, the real danger would be when Logan had found out what they were doing in there.
  
  Then again, wasn't that part of the fun?
  Unstoppable
  
  Chapter 14: Unstoppable.
  
  Harry currently sat in the domain of the sorcerer supreme for one of his sessions with the powerful sorcerer. Strange was an able teacher, but the Sorcerer Supreme did put his pupil through the paces. A few months ago, Harry would have been annoyed by something like this, but a huge part of him understood what was at stake. The Sorcerer Supreme wanted to test Harry, like he had never been tested before, and put him through the paces.
  
  The magic Harry learned had been advanced, and there were some spells that he struggled with, while others he had mastered, it was an intriguing imbalance that had confused him.
  
  "I have observed a rather curious development with you, Harry," Strange remarked, when Harry had nearly staggered, and almost collapsed, but at the same time remained on his feet.
  
  "What is this?" Harry asked, guarded and his eyes snapped up to face Strange. The Sorcerer Supreme did often offer some cryptic commentary, but that was just the station of an extremely powerful magic user.
  
  Strange did not give Harry a long time to wait, and he continued to state the theories that he had been formulating during his latest meetings with Harry Potter.
  
  "While I'd be loathed to call anything about the art of magic mundane, one could argue that the necessary mechanics of magic are just that. What I find rather peculiar is that you tend to find yourself struggling with the more mundane parts of magic. Yet, when faced with advanced magic, you excel far faster than anyone could hope for."
  
  Given Harry's past, that was far from surprising. The fact of the matter was that he noticed this in the past. The Patronus Charm was one major thing, but the fact of the matter was that Harry just found himself bored with learning about the basics of magic. The basics seemed to be something that many needed to have pounded into the heads of Hogwarts students, and then by the time that they got to the actual interesting spell work, Harry found himself rather underwhelmed.
  
  He just wanted to skip the pleasantries, and actually get to do magic, get to the interesting things.
  
  "I've experienced something like this happening before," Harry replied, and Strange just pondered, looking at Harry, and motioned for him to continue. "During my third year in my previous school, I mastered a charm that takes adults much longer to master."
  
  "Fascinating," Strange said, stroking his chin as he talked. "Gazing into your mental layout, there seems to be an anomaly within it."
  
  Harry sat up straight, and was about to protest that Strange had been taking a peak into his mind, but the Sorcerer Supreme jumped straight in.
  
  "I can assure you that I gazed no intimate memories, yet I have spotted several threads that would give cause for alarm and lead to some inconsistences within them."
  
  "What kind of inconsistences?" Harry asked him, and he wondered if Strange had noticed the same thing he head.
  
  "I believe we both know the answer to that one, young wizard," Stranger told Harry, and he held his amulet, before peering directly into the eyes of Harry. "The fact is that there are certain memories that are foreign to your mind. And have you ever found yourself in possession of skills that you do not recall being taught?"
  
  It slapped Harry suddenly, and his seamless ability for silent spell casting, and magic without use of a wand had become far more obvious. It came from those memories, and the flight came from it as well. He suspected there might be others.
  
  Needless to say, this was not the first time Harry had exhibited abilities for something else, the Parseltongue ability being one of the first to pop up back years ago.
  
  "There are certain memories," Harry admitted, choosing his words carefully. "Memories that I do not recall living."
  
  "People often discuss the concept of past lives," Strange mused to Harry, and Harry just looked at Strange, a look at deep skepticism in his eyes. "I am uncertain whether or not this is what you may be experiencing, or if it might be something entirely different. We could delve into the realm of the unknown."
  
  Harry did ponder on that fact a little bit more. He had a theory, but at the same time, thinking about something and discussing something was another matter entirely. His great fear was that these memories could be removed from his mind. Harry knew that whatever dark taint that had been in them had been gone, and his head had been clearer than it was. All of the drawbacks of what happened with Voldemort had disappeared, and Harry had gotten the full benefit of his knowledge.
  
  Providing of course he could make any sense of it.
  
  "Getting your mind in order will be important in tapping into the full benefits of your magical prowess," Strange added, and his gaze focused on Harry. He collected his own thoughts. "I would suggest practicing meditation techniques to help get your thoughts in order."
  
  "In order to clear my mind, right?" Harry asked, and Strange offered Harry a curious expression. "A teacher of mind tried to teach me a magical ability to block intrusion. He told me to clear my mind, and then attacked it repeatedly, forcing his way into my thoughts."
  
  Strange paused, and thought about what was said. It was a wonder that Harry's mind was not in further disarray than it was. He held himself back from criticizing the methods of this teacher. He had never met the man, and it was possible that this was the way that he learned the art. Even if it was dangerous to learn any kind of mind blocking art in such a heavy handed way, especially with a mind so young and potentially fragile due to the type of life he expected life to live.
  
  "It is a matter of collecting your thoughts together," Strange replied to Harry. "It is much like organizing books on a shelf, and also placing false books, to misdirect any intrusion. The mind arts is not so much clearing your mind, but rather ensuring that it is in proper order. An untrained mind can be dangerous for a novice in the mind arts to work with, for they could trip themselves up. A master will be able to navigate around the obstacles."
  
  "I see," Harry told him, slowly pondering on the matter.
  
  "I would recommend allowing a telepath assist you, but this is merely a recommendation and not a requirement," Strange answered, and Harry looked at him, before nodding. "And now, it is time for one final session, before I allow you to go today."
  
  Harry braced himself, ready to go. The truth was that this made him appreciate training with Logan in the Danger Room. The rest of the team was on some kind of outdoor excursion at a camp, and was given the choice between that or hours of weekend Danger Room training. Talk about forcing the hand.
  
  Harry found himself on the mind scape, and saw the conjured monsters coming at him. They were towering, and in many ways, representative of the demons in his mind. At least that's what Strange had told him, and Harry conjured magical weapons, to deflect them. The strength of the weapons reflected the strength of he was developing in his own mind.
  
  When the strength of his mind increased, so did the strength of his spells. At least that's what Harry determined.
  
  Charles Xavier took a deep breath, given that the Institute was mostly cleared out today, it would allow him to do some fine tuning with some of the finer systems in the mansion, like the security system, the Danger Room, and Cerebro.
  
  "Kids are going to be gone the entire day can actually hear myself think," Logan remarked, propping his elbows up, and peering forward. There was silence, before it was broken "Guess we know that they'll brave anything, if it gets them a day off from training."
  
  "To be fair, we have been working all of them rather hard," Xavier remarked, and he continued to make tweaks. "Thankfully, Cerebro is working at optimal performance, and the security systems and the Danger Room are also working as such."
  
  "Yes, thankfully," Logan agreed, and suddenly he shifted with a start, when the alarm at the mansion had gone off. He popped his claws instinctively, and took a step forward. "And it looks like we're going to get a test run of it."
  
  Xavier remained calm, and had punched up the security camera feeds. Outside the Mansion, he saw two figures approach, both of them with bad intentions. One of them was Mystique, but who she was leading right towards the Institute was troubling. She had with her, Cain Marko, better known as the unstoppable Juggernaut.
  
  "I could have sworn you had him locked up," Logan remarked, and he popped his claws, ready for a fight.
  
  "That assumption was mine as well, but it appears as if Mystique has paroled him rather early," Xavier remarked, and he activated the security system at the moment.
  
  "Something tells me that it wasn't for good behavior," Logan stated, and he shifted himself. "And something tells me that security won't keep him out."
  
  "No, it will merely slow him down, and hopefully impede his process, while you get ready," Xavier told Logan, and Logan stood, understanding immediately what he needed to do.
  
  "On it, Chuck," Logan informed him, preparing himself for a fight, against this unstoppable force.
  
  Outside the Mansion, Mystique led the Juggernaut towards the mansion. Cain Marko was the step brother of Charles Xavier, and had a great deal of resentment towards his brother due to his gifts. However, while Xavier's mind was strong, his body was weak. The Juggernaut was much stronger, and more durable that Xavier was. He was ready to settle the score, and nothing would stand in his way.
  
  "Remember, you're here to help me steal Cerebro," Mystique informed the Juggernaut, eyes narrowed and focused.
  
  Juggernaut just cracked his knuckles, and stepped forward, walking slow and steady, grumbling at this broad who was ordering him around. "Yeah, sure, heard you the first ten times, lady."
  
  Annoyance crossed the face of the Juggernaut beneath his helmet. For his freedom, he would play this woman's little game, at least for now. There will come a time where he would stop playing the game, and get ready to gain his revenge on his little brother. Xavier was the one that had trapped him in the cage.
  
  "Hey, Charlie, can you come out and play?" the Juggernaut taunted, and he smashed his way through the gates. The laser defenses popped up, and had begun to shoot at the Juggernaut, but he just shrugged him off. "I've met grandmas that hit harder than that."
  
  Juggernaut pushed forward, and Mystique watched the monster continue his trek further and further into the Institute. Magneto had put a lot of pressure on her for a success, and one of his goals was to take Cerebro, and use it as a means to find mutants. Mystique was under the impression that it needed a telepath to function, but she would allow the finer details of that particular scheme to her boss. Right now, she watched the Juggernaut dismantle the security systems, and rip open the iron doors, allowing himself entry.
  
  Logan stepped forward, and he was ready to face the Juggernaut. His claws popped out, and he stood in a threatening pose.
  
  "Let's dance, bub," Logan growled, and jumped forward for the fight.
  
  "Out of my way, pip squeak," Juggernaut replied, right as he back handed Logan down to the ground. Logan rolled over, and never one to admit defeat, he popped back up, once again ready for a fight.
  
  Juggernaut caught Logan in his grip, and slammed Logan against the wall. Logan struggled, swinging his arms and his legs in an attempt to push off. Logan was hurled across the room, and Mystique punctuated his pain by casually kicking him in the face, before turning to the Juggernaut.
  
  "Leave him!" Mystique demanded, eyes flaring.
  
  "In a minute," Juggernaut replied, lifting up Logan, and curb stomping him, before tossing him to the side like a chewing gum wrapper. Logan landed on the ground with a sickening thud.
  
  The Juggernaut turned around, and slowly like a mighty glacier, eased forward. Mystique followed, and they were getting closer to their target, and closer to Xavier.
  
  Logan grumbled, clutching his ribs and his head. A healing factor was something that had allowed him to sustain a lot of damage, but there was just one fundamental flaw with it. It certainly did not cancel out the pain he felt once he tried to struggle to his feet. Logan collapsed a couple of times, before he got to his feet.
  
  Determination spread across his face, despite being beaten up, battered, and abused, and Logan got up, staggering, but determined.
  
  "Hey, I don't recall saying we were finished," Logan taunted, and Juggernaut turned around, with Logan charging him.
  
  The battle raged on between Logan and the Juggernaut. Juggernaut outmatched him, but Logan would not give up.
  
  For the third time today, Kitty had slapped away a mosquito that had been annoying her. They were really annoying little insects. The mosquito buzzed away, and Toad had decided to take a bite out of it, much to the disgust of both the X-Men and the Brotherhood. He chowed down.
  
  "Needs more salt," Toad offered, which got grimaces and groans from his teammates.
  
  Today was a great deal to be outside all things considered, well if one did not take the insects into account, and it was hard not to take them into account. The X-Men had been offered this camping trip, with Kitty standing with Jean, Scott, Kurt, and Rogue, all of them regretting this outing, only slightly.
  
  The alternate was Danger Zone training with Logan, and that was a way to absolutely ruin their Saturday. Then again, they had to deal with the Brotherhood being nearby for a long amount of time, and that made them really doubt.
  
  "I so envy Harry right about now,' Kitty replied, shaking her head, and her shoulders slumped, taking a moment.
  
  "No kidding," Kurt added, and he swapped a few insects away.
  
  "It's not that bad," Jean offered them, but she got her share of cross looks. "Okay, maybe it is a little bad, but we've handled worse than the great outdoors."
  
  "Don't remind me," Rogue managed at this moment, and she took a step forward, to see the Brotherhood. Scott stood next to them all, and looked at his team members.
  
  "It builds character, and besides, would you want to be thrown into the deep end on a Saturday?" Scott asked, and the four X-Men standing beside them shook their heads.
  
  "Yeah, Summers, you X-Men need to build character."
  
  This was a statement of the newest member of the Brotherhood, and the apparent leader, Pietro Maximoff, or Quicksilver as he was called. As his name would have indicated, he ran around at super-fast speeds. His feet ran fast, nearly as his mouth did. The X-Men had barely known this member of the Brotherhood for too long, but one thing was certain, none of them really liked him all that much.
  
  "Hey, do you notice one of them missing?" Toad piped up suddenly.
  
  "Yeah, where's their little green eyed twerp?" Blob asked, and he stood, sinking into the ground when he stood.
  
  Lance could not resist piping up, but the truth was he was disappointed that there was not a chance to outshine Potter. Potter had been cruising for one ever since he humiliated Lance all of those months ago. "Looks to me that Potter isn't man enough to brave the wilderness."
  
  "Please, Harry's all man," Kitty chimed in, and Rogue just nodded in agreement.
  
  That caused the Brotherhood to step back, and glare at them. The camp they were in was a survival course, and with every survival course, came a stereotypical hard as nails drill sergeant named Hawke.
  
  "Alright ladies, listen up," Hawke barked, glaring at them, and the Brotherhood and the X-Men spun around. "You all seem to be all riled up over something, but let's see how well all of you survive out there in Camp Ironback. This camp has sent the most hardened of men crying home for their Mamas."
  
  The Brotherhood stepped back, but they refused to show any fear in the face of the X-Men, they would show up.
  
  "Summers, you look like the leader type, you lead the charge with this group," Hawke ordered him.
  
  This did not go down favorably with some people.
  
  "Summers?" Pietro asked him in a scandalized voice, and the drill instructor turned towards him, eyes narrowed. Anyone else would have shown fear at this point, but Quicksilver was not anyone else. He was not going to show fear in the face of what he perceived to be his inferior.
  
  "Do you think that you should be the leader, Maximoff?" Hawke asked him, a stern and fixed expression on his face.
  
  "Yeah, I should be," Pietro said, looking rather smug, and he stepped to the right and the left, staring down each of the X-Men, Scott especially, without any fear.
  
  "Yeah, you'd end up leading us off a cliff," Scott remarked, and Kurt just nodded.
  
  "Looks like you've trained Wagner to be your little flunky," Pietro fired back.
  
  "Enough, we'll separate the tough from the weak," Hawke growled, and he turned to them. "The two of you will lead teams through an obstacle course. Since you two groups seem to have been at each other's throats all day, we'll work it out the old fashioned way, to separate the winners from the losers. A good old fashioned game of survival of the fittest, between your two teams, and the first one to plant the flag at the top of the mountain is the winner."
  
  "I'm game," Scott told them, and his teammates nodded.
  
  "Yeah, we'll wipe the floor with these geeks," Pietro fired back, and the two groups of mutants stared each other down. The glares were intense, and if looks could kill, they would all be dead.
  
  "Save it for the obstacle course!" Hawke barked at them.
  
  "Let's make this interesting," Jean remarked when Hawke was out of earshot. The Brotherhood stood up, the various members staring down the team. "How about we don't use any of our powers?"
  
  "Are you sure about this, Jean?" Scott asked, having his reservations about this arrangement.
  
  "What's the matter, Scottie, afraid we'd mop the floor with you?" Lance taunted them, and Scott turned, his glare simmering.
  
  "Yeah, he's nothing, but a chump," Pietro replied, and he looked around at them. "We can beat you without our powers, and I bet you anything you couldn't beat us if we had one hand tied behind our back and the other hand helping."
  
  "Wow, bold man," Todd chimed in.
  
  "We're game if you are," Rogue said, stepping forward.
  
  "Yeah, we're going to so mop the floor with you guys," Kitty added.
  
  "Why don't you put your money where your mouth is?" Pietro asked. "First one to the top wins, try and keep up?"
  
  Scott stood there at a moment, and the Brotherhood went their separate ways.
  
  "Again, I ask, are you sure about this?" Scott asked, turning to Jean, and his posture being less than certain.
  
  "Scott, we have to be defined about more than our powers, you heard what the Professor keeps drilling into our head," Jean replied in a patient, but determined voice, seeing the steep mountain that they had to climb.
  
  "You just know the Brotherhood is going to cheat," Kitty chimed in in a lowered voice. "So why don't we just have Kurt teleport up there..."
  
  "Because that wouldn't make us any better than them," Scott replied grudgingly, at a look he got from Jean, and Jean nodded.
  
  Kitty made a cracking motion with her hand, and Scott turned around, pretending he did not see this. She turned around and smiled.
  
  "I believe we can get up there, if we follow this path," Jean remarked, studying the mountain. Being an athlete, she was used to physical activity that did not use her powers.
  
  The X-Men began their trek up the mountain, doing it the old fashioned way.
  
  On the other side, the Brotherhood struggled. Fred gave Todd a boost onto his shoulders, with Todd looking around from side to side. Fred's knees strained, and Pietro turned to Lance, who was watching.
  
  "We're taking a short cut," Pietro told them, and the other Brotherhood members looked at him. "Hey, they said no powers, and we're sticking to that rule. However, they didn't say no shortcuts."
  
  Pietro and Lance pulled off the wood over the tunnel, to allow them a path inside.
  
  "Are you sure that's safe?" Todd asked, his eyes flickering around in a tentative manner, and his hands shaking a little bit.
  
  "Yeah, it's perfectly safe," Pietro fired back, unable to believe that such a question was asked of him, and shaking his head. He took a step up, and saw a rickety staircase. "One at a time, up through here....I SAID ONE AT A TIME DUKES!"
  
  Fred had collapsed the staircase, which had caused the rocks to shift in, and block both the way in and the way out. The four Brotherhood members choked on the dust.
  
  "Alvers, can't you use your powers or something to get us out," Pietro grumbled, and Lance tried, but the rocks just crumbled either more.
  
  "Not without killing us all," Lance told them all, and the Brotherhood were stuck, in a sick twist of karma.
  
  "Ah man, the X-Men are going to beat us, and we could have beaten them too if we would have just played fair," Todd groaned, and he flicked his tongue out, to catch one of the insects.
  
  "Would you stop doing that?" Pietro asked, his eyes flickering in annoyance, and Todd just responded with an apologetic shrug.
  
  The Brotherhood tried to struggle out of the hole that they had put themselves into.
  
  Logan continued to tear into the Juggernaut, not that it did much good. The unstoppable man was getting a bit sick of this runt's attempts to tear into him. Eventually, the Juggernaut pressed forward, and nailed Logan right in the face with a huge palm blow. Logan landed on the ground, but he grabbed the leg of the Juggernaut, scissoring it. The two continued to brawl near Cerebro, with Xavier in the background. Mystique watched, her expression of glee, shifting into one of absolute horror at the next action of the Juggernaut.
  
  Juggernaut stepped on the Cerebro helmet, rendering it to broken and useless pieces.
  
  "You fool!" Mystique howled, in complete rage. "You incompetent...."
  
  Juggernaut smashed Mystique hard into the wall, and she fell with a resounding crack.
  
  "I think you don't get it, lady," Juggernaut told her, taking a step forward, and looking down at her. "I ain't one of your Brotherhood brats that you can just boss around. I'm the Juggernaut, b..."
  
  This powerful declaration from the Juggernaut was cut off when a spell had knocked him in the back. The intention was to stun the Juggernaut, but the spell did not quite work out that way. The Juggernaut turned around, and stared down the person who attacked him. There was one more door between him and his younger brother, and they would be having a little familiar reunion.
  
  Harry stood there, and sent another spell, not knowing why the first one did not work. He sent an extremely powerful cutting curse, but Juggernaut stepped forward, and deflected it. The Juggernaut took a good long look at Harry, and began to look at him, taking his appearance in, and he began to laugh heartily. Another spell was sent off, this time a bone breaking curse, but that did not stop the Juggernaut.
  
  "Man, I've taken shits that are bigger than you," The Juggernaut taunted.
  
  "You really should get a doctor to look into that," Harry remarked in a cool voice, without missing a beat.
  
  The Juggernaut rushed forward. Harry ducked his head, did a forward roll to evade the attack, spun around, shot up into the air like a cork, and fired off another spell from his perch point in the air. He was unsure why this magic was not working against the Juggernaut. It must have been something to do with the attire he was wearing. Harry tried a different tactic, and several cords shot from the air, circling around the Juggernaut. For a second, this held him, but only a second.
  
  "You don't get it, Houdini, your little magic tricks can't stop me," Juggernaut growled, and he rushed Harry once again. Harry made a life dodging people that were much larger than him, and making sure that he did not take the hit.
  
  A trip jinx worked on the Blob, and should have worked here. However, it did not, and the Juggernaut spun around, cracking his knuckles, a scowl crossing his menacing face.
  
  "Not even a love tap, really, kid, are you even trying?" The Juggernaut taunted, waving him on, and egging him to try again. Which Harry did, to minimal effect, blasting and firing away at the Juggernaut, trying to pinpoint a weakness.
  
  Mystique looked up, but Harry paid her no mind, given the fact that he had much bigger fish to fry. The Juggernaut's charge once again was for nothing, and Harry was at the height of desperation, firing spell after spell, but nothing seemed to even ding the Juggernaut. He sent several magically conjured fireballs at him, but once again, the Juggernaut stood there, immobile and unstoppable.
  
  "Thanks, been wanting to work on my suntan."
  
  Harry was at the height of his desperation, and launched himself forward in flight. The Juggernaut grabbed at Harry, but Harry grabbed onto his helmet. In a fit of inspiration, Harry dug his fingers into the mask, and went straight for the eyes of the Juggernaut, digging into them with his fingernails.
  
  That seemed to do some damage, and Harry went one step forward, and sent bolts of magic into the eyes, a conjunctivitis curse of sorts. The Juggernaut knocked Harry off, and he was vision impaired, but still unstoppable.
  
  "Alright, first you annoyed me kid, but now you've just missed me off!" Juggernaut roared, and he tried to smash Harry, but the dark haired mage flew out of the way. The teenage wizard dodged several more attacks.
  
  Harry resolved to use the Juggernaut's mindless charging against him, although it was hard to pick out a pattern. His powers did not work that well against someone who had no pattern, so naturally he would have to improvise.
  
  'Harry, Ororo is picking up the rest of the X-Men, along with the Brotherhood, they should be arriving within the next twenty minutes,' Xavier projected to him mentally. 'I know it may be difficult, but see what you can do to delay him.'
  
  'Delay, right, got it,' Harry thought back in a frantic manner, dodging and ducking the Juggernaut's attacks. 'Any ideas why magic doesn't seem to work much about this guy.'
  
  'The easiest explanation may be the most logical,' Xavier responded, and Logan, never one to admit defeat, rejoined the fight, to assist Harry. The two fought side by side against the Juggernaut, with Harry trying to knock the Juggernaut off balance, and Logan going in for the more physical attacks. 'And that is that since his powers are derived partially from magic, magic will have a minimal amount of effect on him.'
  
  'Makes sense, I suppose,' Harry thought back, and then he was visited by a sense of inspiration. 'Don't worry, I've got a plan, to delay him, twenty minutes did you say?
  
  'Yes,' Xavier confirmed. 'If you can get the helmet off of him, then I can mentally shut him down.'
  
  'So the helmet protects him from telepathy?' Harry inquired.
  
  'Yes,' Xavier confirmed.
  
  'It would have been helpful if you would have told me about the helmet, oh about ten minutes ago,' Harry responded in agitation over the link.
  
  Harry took a step back, and waved for the Juggernaut to go on. The Juggernaut had temporarily been tripped up, which allowed him to turn to Logan.
  
  "Got a plan," Harry told him, and Logan turned to Harry, before nodding.
  
  "Alright, any plan you've got, it's got to be better than us just standing around here," Logan offered, and once again, the Juggernaut knocked him back.
  
  "You mean better than you being knocked around?" Harry asked, and Logan just glared at him, before offering a stoic nod.
  
  Logan just waved Harry off, and Harry lured the Juggernaut towards the doors, and right through to the Danger Room. If he was right, he might be able to delay the Juggernaut, but at the same time, this plan hinged on the X-Men and to a lesser extent the Brotherhood getting there.
  
  Mystique took a step forward, carefully lurking in the background. She would not be throwing herself in the line of fire, until she could pick her spots wisely. It was a survival instinct that had been beaten into her.
  
  "We're almost to the top, and I told you we could do it without powers," Jean replied, triumph appearing in her eyes.
  
  There was a thump from below, and the X-Men stood, stopped, and stared.
  
  "Let me guess, those idiots tried to use their powers, and it ended up blowing up in their faces," Rogue remarked in a dry voice, adjusting her stance, and peering downward. There was a small crack where they could see the Brotherhood.
  
  "Look!" Kitty exclaimed, pointing and seeing the hatch above.
  
  "So, they just tried to take a shortcut," Kurt replied, and he stood above them. Scott moved over.
  
  "Hey, let us out, Summers!" Pietro yelled, frantic.
  
  A smirk crossed Scott's face, and he looked down at the Brotherhood, peering down at them, not wasting a chance to rub their own failure into their faces.
  
  "Surely your stirring leadership can get you out of this mess, Maximoff," Scott retorted, looking down at them, enjoying the fact that the Brotherhood was helpless.
  
  "Fine, you're better, happy!" Pietro yelled back up, and Scott just looked at them.
  
  "Kitty, phase through, and shift the material away from the hatch, I'll blast open an entrance, Jean lift them out of there," Scott ordered, taking control of the situation.
  
  Kitty did as she was told, and the X-Men stood back. Scott focused his visor, and blasted a hole in the top of the mountain. Jean had lifted the members of the Brotherhood out one by one, and they landed hard on their backsides when she had dropped them down.
  
  "You could have had him teleport in, and get us out easier!" Todd yelled, pointing at Kurt.
  
  "Sorry, must have slipped my mind," Scott answered dryly, but the X-Jet arrived, and Storm looked down. The telepathic message of Charles Xavier could be heard.
  
  'X-Men, Brotherhood, both of you need to band together to defeat a common foe.'
  
  "Why do we have to listen to that guy?" Lance asked, questioning it immediately.
  
  "Because they have Mystique," Jean told them, and the Brotherhood exchanged looks at each other, before Lance spoke once again, his tone never changing at this new piece of information.
  
  "Again, why do we have to listen to that guy?"
  
  "C'mon," Pietro told them in an undertone, and the Brotherhood perked up immediately. "It will be a perfect chance to show them that the Brotherhood is better."
  
  "Is everything a competition with you guys?" Kitty asked, and once she learned Harry was potentially in trouble, her determination became all that much more.
  
  All of the mutants boarded, and were ready for a fight. They did not know what they had to deal with exactly, but the Professor was briefing them with it on the way.
  
  The Juggernaut gave a pained grunt, and he smashed through the defenses of the Danger Room, and continued to stomp forward, having wrecked everything in his path.
  
  "Got any more ideas," Logan muttered in an undertone to Harry.
  
  "Can you cut the clasps with your claws?" Harry replied to Logan, and Logan paused, looking at them and studying them intently.
  
  "Yeah, if you can get me up there," Logan replied, and Harry just nodded.
  
  "Hang on," Harry replied, and the two of them dodged another charge from the Juggernaut once again.
  
  A magically propelled fastball special had allowed Harry to fling Logan with a banishing charm of sorts into the Juggernaut. Logan was very close to cutting the clasps, but the Juggernaut knocked him off into the wall. The mutant slumped against the wall after cracking against it.
  
  "What was that supposed to be?" Juggernaut asked.
  
  "It's called a distraction, bub," Logan replied, eyes narrowing, and sure enough, the assembled X-Men and Brotherhood had arrived at that moment, staring down the Juggernaut.
  
  "Showed up to the party, the more the merrier," The Juggernaut told them, and he turned to the X-Men and the Brotherhood. "I don't know who you think you are, but none of you can stop me."
  
  "Let's see what happens with the unstoppable meets the immovable," Blob answered, and rushed forward. The Juggernaut just lumbered forward, and the Blob lumbered to the other direction, and the two forces clashed each other, neither offering any movement, until the Juggernaut managed to push Blob a few steps back. Fred Dukes staggered backwards.
  
  'Remember, the helmet, that is protecting his mind, the most vulnerable part of him," Xavier projected to them.
  
  Jean used the door the Juggernaut ripped off, and flung it at him. The Juggernaut blocked it, and began to throw things. She stopped it with her telekinesis, and avoided being smashed.
  
  Kurt popped in mid-air, with Quicksilver rushing in in an attempt to keep the Juggernaut off balance. The Juggernaut tried to grab the teleporting mutant.
  
  "Too slow, so close, oh that was a near miss."
  
  "Stand still!" The Juggernaut growled, and Kurt had grabbed one of the clasps, before pulling it off.
  
  The Juggernaut realized the danger he was in, and he began hurling things. Harry grabbed Rogue around the waist, pulling her out of the way. Kitty grabbed Harry, and the three of them went intangible, before popping through the floor out of harm's way.
  
  "Pop me up right behind him," Harry whispered to Kitty, and Kitty nodded, with the Juggernaut swinging wildly at everyone. He nearly brought the room down on everyone.
  
  Harry had gotten to the final clasp on his helmet, and between him, Kitty, and Rogue, they had pulled it off. The Juggernaut grabbed Harry in mid-air, and knocked both girls back down to the ground.
  
  "What do you got to say to yourself?" the Juggernaut growled, preparing to shake Harry like a rag doll.
  
  "Legilimens," Harry replied to him in a calm voice, and the Juggernaut's mind was assaulted by the crude, yet useful, attack.
  
  The distraction with Harry trying to enter the Juggernaut's mind, albeit crudely, had allowed Xavier to pop in, and he shut down the Juggernaut. Harry dropped down, carefully on his feet, and Xavier and Mystique both stood in the doorway. It was Xavier who had spoken up first.
  
  "The X-Men and the Brotherhood, working together," Xavier offered, turning towards Mystique.
  
  Mystique just remained numb, and in shock, watching everything, before she offered her assessment.
  
  "I see it, but I don't believe it," Mystique said, and she watched as her team brushed themselves off. All things considered, their team work was sloppy, and they would be getting put through the rigor for training every single moment of their free time once they had gotten back.
  
  "Perhaps it is a sign of things to come," Xavier told Mystique, and Mystique just stood.
  
  In many ways, she saw Xavier's bright eyed idealism to be nearly amusing, if it had not been so absurd. The shape shifting mutant proceeded to shake her head. She turned to her charges.
  
  "Let's go!" Mystique barked, and Toad, Blob, Avalanche, and Quicksilver followed her out the door, without another word.
  
  "I can't believe that we actually were on the same side," Rogue commented, shaking her head at the very thought.
  
  "Hey, you know what they say, the enemy of my enemy, is my friend," Kurt said, and the entire team just stood by their sides.
  
  "I did hope that Cain would learn to let his rage go, but it appears that his imprisonment had caused it to fester even more," Xavier said, in a voice filled with regrets. Between both his and Harry's assaults, Marko would be down for a very long count.
  
  The assembled group just stood by, and tried to figure out what had happened, along with the lessons learned from today's adventures. It was a long day for them all.
  
  "So Logan wants us in the Danger Room in ten minutes."
  
  "Apparently, so," Kitty replied, holding hands with Harry, with the two walking down the hallway. "We should kind of give it a run through after what the Juggernaut did today."
  
  "So, if I got it right, he wants us to throw all caution to the wind with our powers, no rules and no limitations, both him and the Professor said that," Harry replied, and a look of interest spread across his face, his mind dancing wildly with the possibilities at what he could do.
  
  Rogue stepped out in the hallway, and looked at Harry at that moment. She shifted on her feet, and stared at him, before speaking. "Hi, Harry."
  
  "Hey, Rogue," Harry told her, and Rogue grabbed his hands, and held onto them, tightly.
  
  "We need to talk," Rogue said, and she looked at Kitty, before she amended. "All three of us."
  
  Kitty and Harry responded with a nod, and Rogue stepped back, to allow the three of them to step into the room. Rogue stood, and looked both of them, before deciding to speak.
  
  "Now, let me just ask a couple of questions about this," Rogue remarked, her eyes locked on both Harry and Kitty. "No one is pressuring anyone into anything?"
  
  "No, no one is pressuring anyone," Harry replied, withdrawing his hands from Rogue's and putting one hand on her cheek, and one on her waist. Rogue once again shifted from the contact, although she was quite pleased with it. "But, you don't really need much pressure, do you, Rogue?"
  
  Rogue stepped forward, and peered into his eyes. She cursed those eyes, they had to be the downfall of many women, but naturally Harry would have other attributed. Harry held her tightly against him, and Rogue just shook her head. She looked at Harry, with a look of pure need, but seemed reluctant to actually articulate what she had felt at the moment.
  
  Harry reached forward, and suddenly, and surprisingly, Rogue had been pulled into a kiss. The girl was surprised, and the content had been intimate, with the two of them on each other's mouths. Harry pushed Rogue against the wall slightly, the small of her back hitting the cool surface. Instinctively, Rogue grinded on his crotch, and she reached around, intertwining her fingers through his hair.
  
  Kitty watched the action, and could not believe that she was getting so turned on from her boyfriend kissing another woman. Yet, they were all friends, so the three of them seemed to be comfortable with this.
  
  Rogue slumped against the wall, breathing heavily. She looked at Harry, and gave him a light squeeze.
  
  "So, I suppose that we can't do anything quickly before we head off, can we?" Rogue asked in a husky voice.
  
  "Trust me, with Harry, quick isn't an adjective I would use," Kitty replied, licking her lips at the thought, and now Rogue was worked up.
  
  Both of the girls were worked up, along with Harry, but unfortunately, the Danger Room awaited, and Harry tried to get his thoughts back in order, before the three of them joined the rest of the team.
  
  'Only in my life would this actually be considered somewhat normal,' Harry thought to himself, but he smiled, he was not complaining in the slightest. After being denied affection for most of his life, Harry felt that a lucky break was in order, and he could tell the girls appreciated the benefits as much he did.
  Downtime
  
  Chapter 15: Downtime
  
  The latest session in the Danger Room or rather the session where Logan had tried to make sure the room was still in one piece had concluded. As it turned out, the Juggernaut did not damage the Danger Room as much as he had previously thought. That was a good thing, and Logan watched the group approvingly as they ducked and dodged. Everything appeared to be in working order, and the six of them inside the Danger Room seemed to be able to handle what it threw at them.
  
  "Follow my lead!" Scott yelled to them, and he turned around to face the danger ahead, motioning for the team.
  
  Harry just deferred to Scott at this point, to allow him to let his leadership skills grow. Xavier did tend to pick him as the team leader for these sessions, even if there was much that Harry did not agree with. Kitty and Rogue however were a bit less docile to their leadership.
  
  "You nearly lead us into that wall!" Rogue yelled immediately, and she clutched her fists to her side.
  
  Scott took a deep breath, and tried to calm himself. In reality, leadership was not as seamless as everyone made it out to be, it had to do with trying to maneuver everyone around the room, to keep his focus on both what he was doing, or on what every single other person in the mission was doing. The problem was one moment of indecisive lead to the entire team missing.
  
  "Just...try and improvise if you can," Jean chimed in at that point, and she had blocked the attack with a telekinetic shield.
  
  "Jean, you might want to focus your shield a bit to the right, and Kitty you can slip around, and Rogue you follow, and Kurt you go to the left."
  
  Scott looked at Harry, mouth a gap at that suggestion, but he had to admit that it was a good suggestion to make given the circumstances. Harry might have often talked about how he was not a team player, but at the same time, he paid attention to his surroundings, and managed to adapt to every situation. Harry used his powers to blast through the room and had caused everyone to stop, before they nodded.
  
  'Who needs the Juggernaut,' Logan mused, when he continued to watch everything, eyes narrowed.
  
  Harry lead the team through, and directed them. It was to the point where he did not say any words, for they were not needed. Rather he implemented little subtle cues that directed every single person around the Danger Room, and caused them to keep moving forward, not giving up for one instant.
  
  The simulation was nearly complete, and Scott tried to regain some control of leadership.
  
  "Right, we're right through to the final course, keep it up!" Scott yelled, shifting his expression, and wondering if he was right to make such a suggestion.
  
  Harry, Kitty, and Rogue lead the way, followed by Kurt, and Jean tried to blast through.
  
  Suddenly, Harry managed to direct them a bit differently, avoiding the lasers. Kitty phased through the ground, and disabled the grid.
  
  The team had made it to the end of the training session, and all of them seemed to be a bit winded, or at least most of them did anyway.
  
  Harry staggered just a little bit, and turned to Logan. Logan just looked at Harry for a moment, before he offered his assessment.
  
  "You were holding back just a little bit in there, weren't you?" Logan asked Harry, and Harry just responded with a nonchalant nod. Ororo and Professor Xavier watched in the background, with appraising glares and widened eyes.
  
  "Yeah, maybe," Harry replied to Logan, but he just blinked.
  
  Kitty leaned forward, and kissed Harry on the lips, nice and softly. Harry enjoyed the lingering kiss, before Kitty pulled away from him, smiling at him. "You were awesome in there, Harry."
  
  "Yeah, you really were," Rogue answered, and she leaned forward at that moment, and kissed Harry on the lips. Harry returned the kiss, and that had caused more than a few raised eyebrows from the team members.
  
  There was silence for a matter of moments, as everyone tried to figure out what happened.
  
  Kurt was the one who was brave enough to bring up what had just happened.
  
  "Um, can anyone just tell me what happened?" Kurt asked, looking rather confused. Last he checked, Harry was dating Kitty, and she kissed him, which was something that he was used to seeing. Then Rogue kissed Harry, and that was not a friendly peck on the lips, but rather a full blown kiss.
  
  "Elementary, my dear Nightcrawler," Kitty replied, with a teasing grin on her face. "We're both dating Harry."
  
  "At the same time?" Kurt asked, and his eyes widened at the thought.
  
  "Yes, at the same time," Rogue confirmed for him, and the look on Kurt's face was priceless, that the girl could not resist cracking a smile.
  
  Ororo just stood there, blinking for a moment. "Well, this is most unconventional."
  
  "Quite," Xavier replied in a dry voice.
  
  "Saw it coming a couple of weeks ago," Logan remarked, in a casual voice.
  
  Logan knew that Harry would treat them both right, or they will be having words. Then again, perhaps he should be offering some words of wisdom to the young man. Given the fact that Logan had a few wild nights in his time with multiple women, where they often ended involving chains and whip cream.
  
  But that was another story for another time.
  
  Scott just looked at Harry, and saw his arms around both of the girls, who just seemed content and okay with this. He really did wonder about this sometimes. Perhaps it was some cultural thing back from where Harry was from.
  
  Jean just watched Harry, and the interactions with the two girls. He seemed to care for both of them, and Jean was intrigued to see how this would play out, not to mention a bit curious about how it would work. She just hoped that it didn't affect the team dynamic too badly if things had gone south with either of them.
  
  Scott watched Jean watch Harry, and a couple of alarm bells went off his head. He was sure he was just being paranoid, but Harry did have a certain bad boy allure that could be potentially problematic. Harry did attract danger, and some women were attracted to that.
  
  Or so he heard.
  
  "So, you all did well today," Xavier summarized, and the group nodded. "Harry, I must commend you on your ability to improvise in there. Scott, you have some marked improvement as well, but you tend to freeze up when you are greeted with a problematic situation. Remember, improvisation is key."
  
  Scott toed the line and nodded at the words of wisdom from Xavier.
  
  Harry turned around with Rogue and Kitty on either side. The two girls understood the benefits of being in such a relationship with Harry, but also knew that they needed to learn how to take turns.
  
  Rogue was itching to get a piece of Harry, but after the morning they had, it was best for them to get out for a little bit and stretch their legs.
  
  Toad screamed when he was hurled across the room in a sparring room session. The Brotherhood Boarding House was a ram-shackle place in one of the worst parts of the city. The only room in the house that looked halfway decent was Mystique's, and even that was not by much. Other than that, the roof leaked, the floor creaked, there were infestations, and it was hard to get any kind of hot water at all.
  
  Right now the Brotherhood were being trained by Mystique. Even though trained could be considered an extremely loose term for what was happening. Right now, the entire lot of them were being knocked around. Toad mostly, and he rolled over, and groaned.
  
  "I don't know when I became the designated punching bag for this team," Toad groaned under his breath, and Blob staggered just a little bit, out of breath from the drills Mystique was making him do.
  
  "She can't catch me," Quicksilver yelled triumphantly waving his arms around, but Mystique tripped him up, the moment he paused, and knocked him on the ground, before pinning his arm behind his back.
  
  "The first lesson and the most important lesson you should learn is use your powers more and your mouth less, Pietro," Mystique replied, folding the speedster's arm behind his back, not breaking it, but at the same time, giving him a great deal of pain to remember this lesson by.
  
  Quicksilver rolled over, and Avalanche just looked at Mystique, anger flooding his eyes. The woman must have gotten up on the wrong side of the bed, or they caught her at the bad time of the month, or something. The shape shifting mutant hammered Avalanche in the face with a vicious roundhouse kick. He flew across the room, and landed with a deafening thud. Rolling over, Avalanche nursed a split lip and a cracked head.
  
  "I don't know what your problem is," Avalanche grumbled, as the floor rumbled from his frustration. "But why did I sign on..."
  
  Mystique knocked him down again. She could not budge the Blob, so she had him do physical activity, and her eyes narrowed.
  
  "You want to know what my problem is" Mystique asked them in her most deadly voice, eyes flashing with fury. Her face contorted slightly, making her look positively demonic. "The fact of the matter is your sloppy teamwork nearly got yourselves all killed. If mutants are to thrive, then you four need to shape up your act, and get motivated, or else."
  
  "Yeah, or else what," Toad replied, sounding braver than he really was. The mutant swallowed a lump in his throat, and twitched just a tiny bit.
  
  Mystique grabbed him around the head, and flung him to the ground. She jumped up, trying to punch him, but Toad rolled out the way. He hopped madly for the exit, but Mystique rolled in front of him, and blocked him.
  
  "Again!" Mystique barked, no sympathy in her voice for the Brotherhood. "All of you, you made an utter disappointment out of yourself in front of Xavier and his students. I won't have the Brotherhood embarrass me like that again, especially in front of the X-Men."
  
  Avalanche immediately jumped to the defensive. "Hey, I don't know where you get off telling us we did horrible out there, because the last time I checked, we held our own against the Juggernaut, and wasn't it you who busted him out in the first place?"
  
  "Yeah, that's what the lady said, that's what I heard," Quicksilver remarked, but Mystique had rolled around, and flung them around a bit, with savage fury.
  
  Mystique stood on the ground, and even the Blob collapsed. The entire Brotherhood was on the floor, breathing heavily at their training session, which honestly could have been classified as torture. She put her hands on her hips, and Mystique spun around to look at them. Her nostrils flared, when she looked down at the Brotherhood.
  
  "Holding your own is not good enough when there is a war going on out there," Mystique told the entire Brotherhood, who had groaned and moaned on the floor, their injuries obvious. Her eyes flashed with malice. "It's my responsibility to make you shape up or ship out. Magneto wants you all ready for what's to come."
  
  Toad, Blob, and Avalanche all grumbled at the thought of Magneto. They had never met this guy, and likely did not want to, for even Mystique was cowed a little by his larger than life presence.
  
  Mystique turned around, absolutely frustrated how useless this entire lot was. Magneto had expected her to train this team into something decent, but they lacked discipline and motivation. No matter how many times the woman drilled it into their heads, with her fists, they refused to listen to her.
  
  And now her role as principal of the school had been compromised, because there were a couple of government agents coming in to ask questions. She wondered who blew the whistle on her, even if she had her suspicions. Magneto was less than pleased, and had been on her like a nagging spouse. That caused Mystique to re-double her efforts with the Brotherhood, and in some ways take her frustration out on the troubled teens.
  
  The result was on the floor, moaning and groaning, but Mystique thought she was going rather easy on them. A bit too easy, and a bit too soft, and she would have to step up the training to whip them all into some kind of fighting shape.
  
  "Two minute break, and then we commence with our drills," Mystique barked like a drill instructor.
  
  The Brotherhood wished they were back at that camp, with that drill instructor. At least he was bright and sunny compared to what Mystique was. The boys wondered if they had caught the woman at the wrong time of the month.
  
  The crisp Autumn breeze blew through the face and hair of Harry Potter, as he reflected on the day that was. He had a notebook in front of him. From this notebook, the dark haired wizard had hoped that he would be able to piece together his thoughts in a coherent manner, and get together his mind.
  
  Kitty sat across from him on the grass underneath a tree, and Rogue sat on the other side of him on the grass. Both girls just enjoyed the beauty of being outside, after a long and hard Danger Room session.
  
  Harry took a moment to reflect on many things, including his lesson with the Sorcerer Supreme, and realized how much magical knowledge he had already. There was a brief hint of where this came from, and something Dumbledore told him all those years ago had clicked in his head.
  
  Voldemort had put a little bit of himself in Harry, unwittingly, that had explained the Parseltongue abilities. Harry had used that ability to great results, and he offered a shifty glance towards Kitty at this point. People thought the ability was evil, because it had only been used for evil by those who had lacked the imagination to see the good in it, and what it could really accomplish.
  
  Or they were jealous of the oral skills of the people who mastered Parseltongue, that seemed likely feasible.
  
  Imagination was the key to mastering powers that was observation number one that Harry had scribbled down in the notebook laying across his lap. Harry took a moment to close his eyes, and to get together his thoughts. Not so much clear his mind, but to collect his thoughts all together so he could shift through them.
  
  He figured that if he could isolate his most familiar memories from his not so familiar memories, then he would be able to figure out what was his, and what was not his.
  
  It was hard to do on his own, but Harry rather found a few isolated strands and found that when time went on, he would be able to pick together more. One particularly interesting memory was of a dark haired boy at an orphanage, watching as several of the children were adopted, yet he was passed over every time. Most children would consider this to be a sad experience, but the boy in the memories regarded this with disdain and said that these children obviously needed someone, to coddle and protect them, while he needed no one. He considered them weak, and worthy of his contempt.
  
  That was just one memory that really hammered home who Tom Marvolo Riddle was. He had no empathy for his fellow humans, be they magical or mundane. Harry was reluctant to delve too deep into the memories right away, as he suspected that he had a bird's eye view of every single death Voldemort caused by his own hand.
  
  "Harry, are you alright?" Kitty asked, breaking the silence, a concerned expression swimming in her eyes. Harry had been oddly quiet, like he was in another dimension.
  
  "Just getting my thoughts together, Doctor Strange told me that I should do it, it would help me focus more on my spell casting," Harry told the two girls, who nodded, and turned around, agreeing about it.
  
  Harry just looked at both of them, and came to another observation. He found his mind more focused after sexual intercourse, oddly enough. That was one thing that Hogwarts glossed over a little bit. Then again, Harry wondered if that was something that was known among pureblood wizards and witches, and everyone else was kept in the dark. Harry heard faint whispers about some rather seedy goings on in the Slytherin Common Room, and some pureblood wizards had multiple witches at times.
  
  Of course, these were just rumors, and not something that Harry had experienced first-hand. He scribbled in another observation into the journal.
  
  'Sex is essential for powerful wizards and witches to sustain their powers.'
  
  Okay, Harry could have explained it a bit better, but that was his story. He crossed his arms, and looked at both girls. In one way, he matured a lot, for a year ago in his mind, he could barely handle one girl. Now that he had two, and his powers were growing.
  
  "So, tonight's going to be the night, Harry," Rogue remarked, scooting towards him. "The first time between both of us right?"
  
  "If you want it Rogue," Harry responded, taking a look at her, and putting an arm around her.
  
  "Of course I want it, I'm half tempted to take you right here on the lawn," Rogue told him, and she looked at Harry.
  
  "We better wait a little bit, my minds still a bit foggy due to all of the recalling that I've done," Harry replied to them, but he looked over the fence. "There's a little park just a ways away from here. Let's move away from the Mansion, and hang out there."
  
  "I'd like that, Harry," Kitty replied, a smile crossing her face.
  
  "I would too," Rogue answered, grabbing Harry's arm. Kitty copied Rogue's motion, grabbing his other arm.
  
  "Then it's settled, it's a date," Harry responded to the pair of them, a grin crossing his face, and the three of them walked off towards the park.
  
  The wind continued to blow outside. Logan sat outside, working on his bike. After a mishap, it had been banged up pretty bad. Scott, Jean, and Kurt were all inside, and Ororo sat above at a balcony, tending to the flowers. Xavier was busy following up leads on potential new recruits, and hoping to get to them before Mystique did.
  
  None of this was any of Harry's concern. Right now he enjoyed being out there with his two girls, and just taking a moment to enjoy nature.
  
  In the shadows, Clint Barton arrived, noticing them they had arrived. The SHIELD agent practiced the stealth that he had been trained with, and tailed the three lovers closely.
  
  It did not go unnoticed by Barton that Harry seemed to be in a relationship with both girls, and they were okay with it.
  
  A part of Barton really wanted to know his secret, but there was a job to do. He also did not want to stick around for here too long, because Logan was nearby and he would catch onto him before too long. The archer remembered Logan and his talents all too well from the few SHIELD missions that they had gone on together.
  
  The weather continued to be nice and pleasant, perhaps a bit warmer than the autumn season would normally be. Not that Harry minded, and he doubted Kitty and Rogue did either. At the very least, the nice weather allowed them to be outdoors, and not cooped up at the Institute at this moment. There was a moment, where Kitty and Rogue looked at each other, and knew that they needed to talk.
  
  "We're going to have to come to some kind of arrangement you know," Kitty answered, a smile on her face, and Harry looked at both girls. "Fair is fair, and so we get our equal share of time with Harry."
  
  "I get him all to myself tonight," Rogue protested, and she looked at Harry, leaning up against him.
  
  "Yeah, that's fair, but after tonight, we're going to have to alternate between the two of us, and maybe others," Kitty answered, and Rogue just looked at her immediately, raising an eyebrow. "Given Harry's charm, don't you think there might not be other girls who would want him?"
  
  "Yeah, but I'm not sure about letting just any girl into this relationship," Rogue replied, and Kitty just nodded.
  
  "I agree," Harry replied, and he pulled both of them tight into it. "The entire relationship thing is still mostly new to me, but there are times where it can get out of control, and I don't want people who would rip each other's hair out because they don't know how to share."
  
  Rogue and Kitty would have to agree. Kitty was intrigued about the possibilities if this new relationship, and Rogue was as well. She cherished the little touches Harry had given her at that point, and the fact was that after that kiss, she had thought about them in certain situations even more. She could hardly wait.
  
  "You're thinking about sex right now, aren't you?" Kitty teased Rogue.
  
  "Am not!" Rogue snapped, frustrated, and Harry just placed an arm tighter around her.
  
  Harry just sat with both of his girlfriends in the park. Rogue rested her head on Harry's right shoulder, and Kitty laid her head on Harry's lap. The three of them were content, and Harry just looked up. Suddenly he waved a charm that would prevent anyone eavesdropping on the conversation. All they would hear were angry bees, and Harry suspected he knew that charm from a memory he got from someone, perhaps Voldemort.
  
  "What is it now?" Rogue asked Harry suddenly.
  
  Harry just tried to act natural, and stroked Kitty's hair, as her head rested on his lap.
  
  "The janitor from our school, he's lurking around," Harry whispered to both of them.
  
  "Well, he does have a life outside of school," Kitty suggested, rolling her eyes just a little bit, but Harry was visited by a strange thought.
  
  "I don't think that janitor is really a janitor," Harry whispered to both of them.
  
  The two of them perked up, and were suspicious at this, but Harry shook his head, telling them to act natural.
  
  "I wonder who sent him after you," Rogue answered, taking a moment to look at him.
  
  Harry on the other hand, was not about to let some janitor intimidate him, not at the slightest. He wondered who had sent him, and more importantly who was he working for. There was a moment where the dark haired wizard paused, and decided to slip a subtle monitoring charm on this so-called janitor.
  
  It was so subtle that it would take an expert wizard who knew what they were looking for to pick it up. Whoever this person was, and more importantly whoever they were answering to, Harry would know more before too long. The tracking charm would lead him back to the archer.
  
  Harry acted like nothing happened, and continued to sit outside in the park, with these two lovely young ladies, until the time came for them to return home for a nice dinner. He actually had been looking into more lucrative ventures for his money. There were several uncovered treasures that had been rumored to be lost at sea. The right spells could potentially uncover them, providing they existed of course.
  
  Harry thought about this, and realized that to allow himself to be more self-sufficient, he was going to have to plunder some booty so to speak.
  
  It was at this point that Rogue got up to stretch, and Harry looked at her. Speaking of some booty he would like to plunder, and there was a grin on Harry's face when he thought about that. The truth was he was having a few naughtier thoughts than he normally would have. This trip had opened up new doors in his mind.
  
  Meanwhile Clint Barton decided to give this up as a failed mission, at least for today. There was nothing interesting that he could report back. Unless one would count that Harry Potter had somehow had two girls wrapped around his finger, but really that was not something that Fury would be interested in, all of the teenage dram and that, and all.
  
  Barton shook his head, and he wondered where all of these bees were coming from. It was rather strange, because there did not seem to be a beehive anywhere around.
  
  Then again, he had seen stranger things in his time, and Barton just took a deep breath, before stepping forward, and moving off. The three had been leaving anyway, and once they were inside the Institute, it was not going to be until Monday he saw them.
  
  'Time to report back to Fury,' Barton thought, and he picked up the few notes he had been able to take, before he set off for the roach motel that Nick Fury had told him to meet him at.
  
  No one would really expect a secret government agent to meet there.
  
  Rogue sat at the edge of the bed in her and Kitty's room. The two of them had wanted some time alone, for some girl talk, and Harry obliged, saying that he would be back in ten minutes, after he made some more notes based off of what he got together in his mind. Both girls were a bit curious about what Harry was writing in that notebook, but were not about to pry.
  
  "So, first time," Kitty told Rogue, and Rogue looked at Kitty at that moment. She tried not to show any first time anxiety.
  
  "Does it hurt?" Rogue asked suddenly, and Kitty looked at her. "I heard it hurt the first time, but I never thought I'd actually experience it."
  
  Kitty just smiled, and offered a girl a reassuring pat on her gloved hand. "It does sting a little bit, but Harry is good at making the pain go away. He used a charm on me, and it worked...well kind of like a charm."
  
  Rogue just offered a little roll of her eyes at Kitty's little cheesy comment.
  
  "That's good to know," Rogue replied, and she turned around, counting down the seconds mentally for Harry's return.
  
  "If you aren't quite ready, Harry will understand," Kitty replied, trying to reassure Rogue.
  
  Rogue sat up, she did not want Harry to think she was indecisive. Whilst she understood that Harry would not pressure her into anything, the fact was she wanted him, and was willing to go all of the way.
  
  "No, I'm ready, I'm more than ready," Rogue answered, determined after she felt like she was going to be resigned to a life of celibacy because of her inability to touch anyone. That could drive anyone potentially insane, and Rogue was glad Harry was there.
  
  Kitty hummed, and tapped her fingers on the side of the bed. She looked at Rogue at that moment, and nudged her briefly.
  
  "So, um, do you want me to be there with you, or do you want to go through this on your own?" Kitty asked Rogue, and Rogue just looked at her friend. "It's up to you."
  
  "I would prefer my first time with Harry to be one on one," Rogue replied, but she found that she would not mind if anyone had watched, if she had an audience. The truth was she just wanted the first time to be a special time between her and Harry.
  
  "Fine, that's fine, I understand," Kitty replied, a sympathetic look in her eyes, and a soft knock on the door.
  
  Harry entered at that moment. Kitty got to her feet, threw her arms around Harry's waist, and greeted him with a kiss to the lips.
  
  "Knock her socks off, Harry," Kitty told him with a smile, and a playful nudge.
  
  Harry just stepped forward. Rogue swallowed a lump in her throat, and Harry placed his hands on her legs, and looked in her eyes, before doing the contraceptive spell to make sure she was nice and ready.
  
  Smut/Lemon Begins.
  
  Harry reached forward, and pulled Rogue into an embrace, smashing his lips against hers in a long kiss. Rogue returned the favor, sliding her tongue inside of Harry's mouth. The kiss made her want more, and Harry began feeling her up. Rogue felt a trembling feeling in her very being, as Harry squeezed and massaged her covered breasts, and then his hand snaked around, before reaching down the back of her pants, to cup her ass. Rogue moaned, and grinded against Harry, allowing herself to be lost to the pleasures of the kiss.
  
  The dark haired wizard enjoyed the taste. His tongue scraped the inside of her mouth, and Rogue pressed against him. He could feel her decent sized breasts against his chest, and Harry felt her rear. It was so squeezable, and he pushed Rogue down on the bed. Harry teased her breasts a little more.
  
  "How's that for a touch?" Harry asked, and Rogue looked up at him, before she reached forward, and gave his package a tight squeeze. "Oh, keep doing that, see how hard my dick is getting?"
  
  "It's so big," Rogue whispered, feeling the bulge in Harry's pants, and Harry reached around, pulling Rogue's shirt off of her. She wore nothing, but a black bra from the waist open, showcasing her wonderful bust. It would be the envy of many girls her age, and Harry put a finger down in her cleavage, sending jolts of pleasure towards her. Rogue gasped, and stated one simple word. "More."
  
  "More of what?" Harry asked, playing it innocent.
  
  "More of that," Rogue begged, and Harry decided to work his way down her stomach muscles, tracing patterns around them. Rogue kept herself in good shape, and he slowly worked off her pants, to reveal her thong covered ass.
  
  Harry flipped Rogue over, causing her to be surprised by the unexpected act. He took a good long gaze at her shapely rear, and drooled at the sight. He squeezed and molded it, and gave it a good slap. Rogue stopped at that moment, biting her lip in surprise, but she felt her pussy convulse at that movement.
  
  The little moan of ecstasy did not go unnoticed by Harry. Harry placed his hands on her ass, nearly taunting her, and massaged it.
  
  "Do you like that?" Harry asked Rogue.
  
  "Please keep doing that," Rogue moaned, unable to believe that she was getting so wet.
  
  Harry squeezed her ass, and rolled her over. With a quick movement, Harry unclipped the bra, allowing her firm and round breasts to burst free from their confinement.
  
  "Your tits are so hot," Harry said, and he squeezed Rogue for emphasis.
  
  Harry was still completely clothed, and getting this reaction out of Rogue. She must have had some pent-up sexual frustration within her, and Harry had released it all in a flood.
  
  Harry reached down, tracing down from her breasts, to her stomach, and then between her legs. Rogue's moist and juicy pussy could be felt, and Harry skimmed her panties, before rubbing her slightly, and teasingly just a little bit. With a tug, Harry pulled her panties down over her legs, and saw her womanhood for the first time. It was damp, and Harry reached over, using his fingers to manipulate her folds, and also rub her clit.
  
  Rogue's heart beat against her ribcage, and suddenly wondered what more Harry could do to torture her.
  
  Harry flickered his tongue at her. "Do you want it, Rogue?"
  
  Rogue had overheard Kitty talking about that thing Harry did with his tongue, and the way she talked about it, it caused Rogue to get excited. It had caused her to wake up in a cold sweat, along with other bodily fluids.
  
  "Yes, stick it in me," Rogue begged, and Harry obliged her.
  
  Harry placed his tongue into Rogue's juicy cunt. Her pussy was so wet, with desire for him, that it inspired Harry to work his tongue against her. His tongue scraped around the inside, lapping up her moisture, and he slowly offered subtle hisses. Rogue cupped her breasts, playing with them, when Harry had dove in to her pussy, eating her out, and randomly hissing within her.
  
  "Oh god," Rogue managed, feeling her heart thump against her ribcage, and each passing moment, Harry dove into her.
  
  The marathon Danger Room sessions became a boon to Rogue, because it were not those, she would not be able to survive the experience of Harry driving his tongue deep within her, and licking her out. Rogue gave sensual sounds , in the throes of passion.
  
  Harry just grinned, looking up from her pussy briefly, before he dived down into it. If this is what his tongue caused, he would have her moaning and thrashing, when he had stuck his cock inside her.
  
  Eventually, Harry's fun had ceased, and he gave Rogue's pussy a few more licks, and a few more hisses into it. The stimulation had caused Rogue to lose it. Thankfully, she did not black out, because she wanted more.
  
  Rogue wanted more, and she would get more.
  
  Immediately, when she had come down, Rogue bounced Harry, slamming him onto the bed, and slamming her tongue into him with a kiss. She grinded herself against him, gyrating and straddling him. Rogue could taste herself on Harry's lips, and she always wondered what she had tasted like. Now she knew.
  
  Rogue had saw Harry was overdressed, so being the resource girl she was, Rogue quickly relieved Harry of his shirt. She took a moment to run her hands down his chest, and abs, stroking the underside of his stomach, and reaching down his pants.
  
  Harry's pants were then slid off, and forgotten. They flew, and landed on the floor. Rogue pulled off his boxers, and saw his cock, throb, and twitch before her. Rogue found herself looking at it, mesmerized, and she stared it.
  
  A cough broken the silence, and Rogue snapped her eyes towards Harry. "Are you going to look at it, or are you going to do something about it?"
  
  Rogue grabbed Harry's cock, and did not care if it hurt the first time. She needed that thing inside her right now, the sooner the better. With primal fury, Rogue pushed herself down onto Harry's cock.
  
  The pain she felt had been beyond anything that she felt before, but Harry offered a charm to numb it, and she felt nothing, but pleasure. Harry's cock pushed into her tight canal.
  
  "So tight," Harry commented, and continued to use his cock to stretch and push against her walls.
  
  The exercises Rogue did every day made sure her pussy stayed tight, for the right guy, and her right guy was Harry. Harry's cock pushed into her again and again, going deeper with each spot. Rogue's pussy burned with the desire for him, and her eyes fluttered back. She bit on her fingers, and gave a long moan.
  
  Harry explored the inside of this new pussy, and felt what Rogue liked. She liked it when he gave three slow strokes, followed by a long and hard one; this pattern seemed to give her the most response. Rogue was playing with her nipples, and Harry decided to help. Rogue gave a low moan, and bounced on Harry's cock.
  
  "So wet, you like that, your nipples are so sensitive," Harry told her, as Rogue bounced up and down him on. "I'm barely touching them."
  
  Harry cupped her breasts, and Rogue nearly lost sense of what she was doing. Harry reached around, and grabbed her hips, reminding her about what was coming. Harry's cock thrust up, and into her pussy. Rogue felt it hitting her, and she lost herself to the sensations.
  
  "Fuck me harder," Harry encouraged Rogue, and Rogue sped up at that moment, riding Harry for everything he was worth.
  
  Rogue's heart beat sped up, and she was feeling so good right now. Harry continued to play with her, and Rogue felt herself squeeze him, and wonder how long Harry could go. She needed his cum inside her. The southern belle felt that she would die without it.
  
  "Damn it, fuck me, harder," Rogue moaned, and Harry speared up into her pussy, feeling it around it. "That's it, sugah, fuck this tight twat, you know you want it."
  
  Harry obliged her, and continued to spear into her.
  
  "So tight, squeeze me harder," Harry encouraged her, and Rogue matched him motion for motion.
  
  Harry felt at home inside this pussy, both of these girls had wonderful pussies, so tight and so warm, around him. A part of him hoped that Xavier would find a few new female recruits, so he could show them the ropes. But that was for later. Right now, he pushed into the pussy that he had on top of him, riding him hard, and long.
  
  Rogue felt her peak coming, and Harry pushed into her hard, and long. Given that this was her first time, Rogue felt like this was nothing better in the world, but there was no doubt room for improvement. She could feel Harry twitch and tighten.
  
  "Ah, I think you're getting tired," Harry whispered to her, and squeezed her tits, along with her ass.
  
  "Not getting tired," Rogue told him, but her eyes glazed over in heavily lidded pleasure. "Just cum for me."
  
  Harry obliged Rogue, reaching the end of his tolerance, which had been getting slowly longer with each passing round of intercourse. His balls tightened, and the flood of semen had flooded into Rogue's pussy. Rogue screamed out loud, and nearly fell from the rush of Harry cumming inside her.
  
  Harry caught her around the waist, and pulled her into at tender embrace, giving her a few light pecks on the mouth, and rolling her over on the bed.
  
  Smut/Lemon Ends.
  
  Rogue rested herself in Harry's tender embrace, coming down from the sex that she had. It was absolutely amazing, wonderful, mind-shattering, breath-taking, Rogue could come from the adjectives all day and all night long. Harry wrapped his arms around her, pulling her into a brace. The feeling of their skin touching each other was great, bare and naked. Rogue felt like she could fly if given the proper motivation.
  
  Oddly enough, she was in a bit cheerier mood, and the aches and pains she suffered from today's adventure had mostly faded. Kitty seemed to be a lot better off then she could a lot of the time. She turned, so she could look into Harry's eyes.
  
  "You're amazing," Rogue replied, and Harry pulled her in close. "I feel better, but at the same time, I lack the motivation to really move."
  
  Harry just offered a smile, and pulled Rogue in closely towards him, and gave her a light kiss on the top of her head.
  
  "Yeah, but this is Kitty's bed, so you might have to move," Harry replied.
  
  Rogue just stopped, and looked at the mischievous expression on Harry's face. "You just fucked one girlfriend in another girlfriend's bed."
  
  "Yeah, and you don't mind at all, do you?" Harry asked, without fear.
  
  "No, it's actually kind of kinky," Rogue whispered to him, and she ran her fingers towards Harry's hair.
  
  Kitty entered the room at this point, and saw the two of them.
  
  "Damn it, I was a bit too late," Kitty replied, a grin spreading across the girl's face.
  
  "Sorry, you missed your chance to be a voyeur," Rogue teased back, and Kitty just smiled.
  
  "Well you're a bit more chipper than normal," Kitty replied, putting her hands on the bed. "And I noticed you two ended up in my bed."
  
  "It was Harry's idea," Rogue said, pointing at the boyfriend in question.
  
  "Oh, that's nice, throw me under the bus," Harry replied to Rogue, and Rogue just laughed. "Keep that off, and you might get cut off before you even begun."
  
  "Actually, it wasn't completely Harry's fault," Rogue replied, but she knew Harry was just kidding.
  
  She hoped he was just kidding.
  
  "No problem, but we're so returning the favor next time I get my time with Harry," Kitty answered, and she sat on the bed.
  
  "Fair enough," Rogue answered. She shifted. "Sorry, I just don't want to move right now."
  
  "That's fine, Harry will just have to act as a buffer zone between the two of us, won't he?" Kitty asked, and Harry just looked at them. "I'm sure he'll get over it."
  
  "Oh no, sandwiched between two gorgeous young women, how will I survive?" Harry asked in mock sorrow.
  
  Kitty just kissed Harry, and tasted Rogue on his lips. It was not a bad taste by any means.
  
  The three had gotten into bed, with Harry in the middle. Harry wrapped his arms around Rogue, as she pressed against his front, and Kitty wrapped her arms around Harry, pressing against his back.
  
  "You two might have to take care of any morning conditions," Harry teased them, and the two girls just laughed, before offering him kisses goodnight.
  
  To Be Continued in "Family Ties."
  Family Ties
  
  Chapter 16: A Family Affair.
  
  Nick Fury, the commander of SHIELD, stood in the roach motel where he had arranged the meeting with Clint Barton. The grizzled SHIELD commander puffed on a cigar, and stood rigid, whilst he tapped his foot on the floor, and was ready for anything. Rocking back and forth, Fury saw Barton walk up, and spoke without any preamble, eyes snapped towards the face of Barton whilst he spoke.
  
  "Status report!" Fury barked towards his agent, his one eye boring into Barton's face like a drill, a sensation that the archer felt very often, given he had dealt with Fury for many years.
  
  Clint Barton cleared his throat, and read the status report, or rather what passed as a status report. "So far, the only peculiar thing about Harry Potter is the fact that he has two girlfriends."
  
  "Good for him," Fury replied in a gruff voice, but he waved it off, not really interested in the teenage drama that young mutants had enjoyed. "Is there any tangible information that you've uncovered Barton?"
  
  "No, Commander Fury, and I have studied his movements day and night, trying to find any kind of pattern whatsoever," Barton replied, in a nearly apologetic voice, and Fury just responded with a stiff nod, before inviting Barton to continue. "The fact of the matter is that Potter does seem to be a normal teenager for the most part."
  
  Fury slammed his hands down on the desk, turned, and looked his agent straight in the eye. "Except he's not, he has powers, and the way that he arrived here was not conventional. You did report that he has been taken lessons from the Sorcerer Supreme."
  
  "Yes, I have, and I would have to conclude that he is a magic user of some sort," Barton replied, and Fury just turned to one of his top field agents, before nodding.
  
  "An amazing leap of deduction, but one that is true. What about the other one that you've been tracking, Magneto's top lieutenant, what has she been up to?"
  
  "Other than terrorizing students at Bayville High School, and recruiting those misfits to the Brotherhood, and subsequently terrorizing them, nothing that we should be too alarmed about, at least for the moment, or at least nothing we can't handle," Clint replied, realizing that this entire mission was going to be one for the record books of how little information he had uncovered, but he tried to save face with an explanation. "And it isn't for any lack of trying. Mystique leaves, returns to that boarding house, and then trains those students."
  
  Fury just stepped forward, and stroked his chin in a thoughtful manner, placing a hand to his chin whilst he pondered. There was a moment before he spoke in his own way, his voice gruff, and where he carefully calculated each word he spoke.
  
  "Magneto is gearing up for something big, SHIELD has spotted him at least three times in the past week," Fury replied, but frustration mounted on the face of the Director of SHIELD. The grizzled agent looked Clint in the eye, and spoke once again. "The problem is he has eluded capture every single time. And Xavier isn't willing to lift a finger against his old friend, yet he is training students at that school. Both of them are mobilizing for some kind of battle, the question is what kind of battle?"
  
  Fury had pondered this question, but at that moment, there was a minor crash that caught the attention of the eagle-eyed government agent. It was not an accidental crash either, but rather something to grab the attention of any SHIELD agents who had listened in the vicinity.
  
  The two, Barton and Fury, spun around; their eyes peered forward, when fiery writing began to materialize before their very eyes. The two of them stopped, and stared at what was before them, or rather what was burning in the air.
  
  You seem to want to talk to me so bad. Well it is a common courtesy to talk face to face instead of trying to spy on someone.
  
  Fury motioned for the other agents who had been posing as hotel employees to move in, and they did. They were armed, and ready to fire at anyone who had made the slightest wrong movement.
  
  Hello, Fury, you've been watching me ever since I had arrived here. And I must say, surely a super-secret government agent has better things to do with their time then spy on someone. Your flunky is not as good as he thinks he is, because I've already caught him several times. How I'm onto you...well wouldn't you like to know?
  
  "Flunky!" Barton yelled in an incredulous tone, clutching his fists, but Fury placed his hand up to silence his subordinate and Barton slowly fell back into line, but his gaze remained irritated.
  
  You want to meet me face to face, well Fury, here's your chance. You and me, one week from now, we have a little meeting. A little Q and A session, but I cannot guarantee that you will like the answers that I give you. Regardless, those answers will be given, when I arrive. Leave your friends out of it, and I'll leave mine out.
  
  Fury was torn about what to do. On the one hand, he really wanted to know what this young man's game and origins was. And it was not like he could not get any more information later, for that was his game. On the other hand, Fury could not help, but think that this young man was trying to goad him into doing something that the SHIELD commander would end up living to regret.
  
  Then again, Fury had one week to plan, and to plot. There were far worse outcomes to what Fury was up to. The SHIELD agent stepped forward, and offered a grizzled nod at what this young man was stating, but suspicion swam within his eyes.
  
  "I accept, Mr. Potter, but I don't think that you'll be getting out of this building, without a few words," Fury replied, and his men and women were ready for anything.
  
  Oh, but I already have. Keep one eye open Fury, if you can spare it.
  
  Without another word, the writing disappeared, and Fury figured it was some kind of pre-recorded message done by magic. Fury did not pretend to even understand the base essentials of magic, but that much he could determine and knew that he should expect the unexpected.
  
  All he knew was that Harry Potter had promised to be back here in one week for a meeting. Fury doubted that it was going to be the easiest thing in the world, and he expected the unexpected when dealing with this enigmatic young man.
  
  If there was one thing that Nick Fury relished was a challenge, and he relished this meeting; he would get to the bottom of this entire situation. Cracking his knuckles, Fury prepared to give his men the orders. He debated the merits of watching Potter now, but given that Potter had some way to determine that one of his best agents had been watching him, the point was moot.
  
  Fury had to plan, and had to plot, but there was one thing for sure, he would not rest until he knew plenty more information before it was all said and done.
  
  Everyone was sleeping peacefully in the mansion, at least until the moment where Rogue had woken up in a screaming fit. Rogue had been shaken awake, for she had a nightmare, and it was one that she did not remember all of the details of.
  
  At first, Harry scrambled in, thinking that it was one of his memories that did it to Rogue, and concern ramped up at this moment, along with guilt, a lot of guilt.
  
  Rogue shook her head, but there was a moment where she bit on her lip nervously, and thought about everything that had transpired in that vision, trying not to let herself get rattled.
  
  "Are you sure it wasn't one of my memories?"
  
  "No it was something else, I think something that I got from Kurt," Rogue replied, as everyone walked into the hallway, Jean, Scott, and Kurt had all joined Kitty, Harry ,and Rogue, wondering what was occurring. Kurt's ears perked up suddenly, when Rogue mentioned his name, and his interest increased at these words.
  
  "What, how would you have a memory about me?" Kurt asked in a confused tone of voice.
  
  Rogue just offered a shrug; she really had no idea what had just happened, just that it did happen. The young woman shook off her head, and made her way towards the study, where Xavier was waiting.
  
  "Professor, I had a nightmare, and I can't make any sense of it," Rogue answered, and she sat down, with Harry holding her hand. She appreciated the gesture, and it allowed Rogue to really just draw breath and get herself together, before continuing to speak to the Professor. "It wasn't a nightmare, as much of a memory..."
  
  "At times, repressed memories can lead to a great nightmare," Xavier responded in a crisp voice, and he stroked his chin thoughtfully, taking a moment to reflect. "I can peer into your mind, and see what happened, with your permission."
  
  Rogue just paused, and looked at Harry, offering him a questioning, and kind of tentative gaze. It was not just her memories or anyone else's memories that were in there, it was some of Harry's memories.
  
  She had no idea what they were half the time. Rogue's mind was a muddied mess, but Harry just allowed Rogue a smile, a nod, and squeezed her hand, to allow her to continue. Rogue turned to the Professor, set her jaw, and offered a stiff nod.
  
  "Have at it, Professor," Rogue encouraged him, taking a deep breath, and waiting for the Professor to enter her mind, feeling the gentle, and mostly subtle prod. If Rogue did not know Xavier was there, she would never have thought he was ever in her head, and reading her mind.
  
  "Just relax Rogue, and allow the memory to flow to the front of your mind, it will allow me easier access."
  
  It was at that moment where Xavier delved into Rogue's mind. There was a lab in the mountains, and a baby crying. A woman showed up in the doorway, yelling at what he was doing. The man stood, and the scene became rather garbled at that point. The woman was running off, with the baby in her arms, and the man stalking her, with the woman yelling that he won't get away with this.
  
  Then at that point, the baby flew off of the side of the cliff. By a sheer miracle, they landed in the water. The baby went down river, and that's where the memory cut off.
  
  Xavier pulled out of the memory, it was fuzzy and patchy, but he got the gist of it, and understood that there was a cause for concern.
  
  "I believe it has to do with your mother, Kurt, and you," Xavier responded in a crisp voice, snapping his eyes towards one of his students, a serious expression on them when he looked at Kurt.
  
  Kurt got all excited and folded his arms, before looking at the Professor. "My mother, my birth mother?"
  
  Kurt had always wondered what happened to her, it was a wonder of all children who had been adopted, they always were curious. His adopted parents had been great, despite his less than conventional appearance, but the fact of the matter was that the fuzzy mutant wanted to know where he came from.
  
  "Yes, that does seem to be the case," Xavier responded, in a serious voice.
  
  "Really, she just threw you off like that?" Kitty asked, in a skeptical voice.
  
  "She didn't throw me off, she tripped," Kurt replied, and looked at Kitty, trying to get her to understand everything. "Did you not hear what the Professor said?"
  
  Kurt turned to the Professor at that moment, and collected his thoughts, before once again speaking, making an inquiry towards him.
  
  "Do you think you could go deeper....see if the memory could be clearer, maybe?"
  
  "No, we don't want to overwhelm Rogue's mind," Xavier responded, waving off Kurt's question. The fuzzy mutant's face fell, and he was genuinely disappointed at this brush-off form the Professor. "Let us try and get some sleep, we have a few more hours before the morning."
  
  Kurt wondered if he was going to be able to sleep, thanks to the excitement. Harry walked by him, and felt as if he had to add some insight, offering Kurt some genuine advice.
  
  "Kurt, I know you're curious about your parents, but be careful about the Pandora's box you're opening," Harry replied, and he looked directly at Kurt at this moment, offering his team mate the benefit of his knowledge. "There are some things that we are not meant to really know about our birth parents."
  
  Harry thought about the memories that he uncovered regarding Snape of James Potter and his bullying tendencies, during their time at Hogwarts. It really did sour his image on his father, even if Sirius assured him that James had changed. Sirius was another problem for Harry, as it was becoming very clear to Harry that Sirius might not have made it through the veil after all. He had used every scanning spell, but Harry had uncovered nothing.
  
  "Wouldn't you want to know?" Kurt asked, the innocence in his voice still prominent.
  
  "Curiosity is not a sin, but we shall be careful how often we exercise it," Harry said in an evasive voice, and he turned towards Kitty and Rogue, a smile spreading over his face.
  
  "Rogue, are you going to be alright?" Kitty asked, looking at her, and Rogue paused for a moment.
  
  "Yeah, I'm fine," Rogue replied, inclining her head slightly. Rogue took a moment to reflect, and stood on the ground. Her heart beat across her chest, and Harry put an arm around her.
  
  "As someone who said they were fine many times, and weren't, I know when someone isn't fine," Harry answered, and he pulled Rogue in. "I won't press you..."
  
  "No, I did see a few flashes, a man in robes, sending green light at two people, and trying to send green light at a baby, and it backfired," Rogue answered, looking Harry in the eyes. "That was you."
  
  Harry paused for the briefest moments, but he decided that there was no point in lying.
  
  "Yes."
  
  "Wait, your parents were murdered?" Kitty whispered in a horrified voice, and Harry nodded slowly, not really wanting to talk about it.
  
  "It's not like it's something I talk about in casual conversation," Harry replied, and at that moment, both girls stood on either side of him.
  
  "Yeah, I understand," Rogue replied, and she would not bring up the other memories she pieced together, including the one of a young boy in a cupboard, wondering if he would ever be loved, and the pain suffered when he was alone on Christmas morning.
  
  Rogue did not want to dwell too much on these memories, for they made he depressed, and they likely would have had an effect on Harry as well.
  
  Harry turned, and kissed both of his girls, before they went to bed. They would try to get back to sleep, at least what passed as sleep, with all that was on their mind.
  
  Quicksilver sped up his movements, blowing past the gate of the Xavier Institute, and agitated flickered through his eyes, with the teeth of the speedy mutant gritted in pure distaste. He really felt demeaned that he would have to play super powered courier for Mystique, but the woman and the higher up had both convinced him to do so.
  
  While Pietro was willing to defy Mystique, his father was another matter entirely. Pietro barely saw any of the old man, yet his larger than life personality still threatened him, and made him intimidated.
  
  Not that he would ever admit it to the face of anyone, for the speedy mutant had a certain amount of pride, and a bit of an ego.
  
  Pietro pinned the note to the door, knocked on the door, and zoomed off, before he was caught. Kitty opened the door, confused, and Harry followed. Jean and Scott were on the scene next, and Scott took the note off of the door, before taking a look at it.
  
  "Kurt!" Scott called, and Kurt appeared almost instantly, teleporting next to Scott. His eyes flicked curiously to Scott, and the X-Men turned, handing the note to him. "It's for you."
  
  "Me, who could it be from?" Kurt asked, and he tore open the note, to read it, and his hands trembled when the mutant did. Kurt read the note, and his expression became more and more intrigued when he got to it, and saw who it was from. "It's from my mother."
  
  Everyone stared at each other, and that piece of news was slowly settling in with each, and every one of them.
  
  "That's just too much of a coincidence," Jean remarked, after the silence had occurred for at least a moment. "Why would your mother..."
  
  "Does it really matter?" Kurt asked, trying to shake off their words. "It's my mother and..."
  
  "It matters, Kurt, for the security cameras caught who sent the letter."
  
  Xavier rolled up at that point, and he looked his young charge in the eye. Kurt shuffled around on his feet, a bit impatiently, as he waited for Xavier to speak. There was a moment of silence before the leader of the X-Men elected to speak, and let Kurt in on the news.
  
  "The mutant who delivered it was the member of the Brotherhood known as Quicksilver," Xavier added, and Kurt just stopped, and stared at that moment.
  
  "That does explain how he managed to get past the security so fast, without really tripping it," Harry chimed in, and there was just something about the entire set-up that seemed fishy. Perhaps Harry was being paranoid, but the words "constant vigilance" rang out in the back of his mind. "What did your mother say, Kurt?"
  
  Kurt was prompt to answer. "She wants me...she wants me to meet her, in the junkyard, tomorrow after dark, you know the one that is downtime, by the docks."
  
  "Yes, I do recall the one," Xavier admitted, but his tone was impassive and there was a bit of warning lingering in it.
  
  Scott felt compelled to give his two cents at this point. "Kurt, you do realize that this could be a trap?"
  
  Harry did not feel it prudent to speak up about that fact, for he thought that much was obvious. Kurt held the note in his hand, and shifted on his feet. His mouth opened and shut, with the fuzzy mutant trying to gain some level of coherence at this point.
  
  "But still, if it's my mother..."
  
  "Then we will do everything that we must to arrange this meeting goes on without you getting hurt," Xavier replied, a part of his psyche sympathizing with Kurt's need for closure.
  
  Kurt just shuffled on his feet, and he had felt the need to enlighten Professor Xavier about a very key part of the letter, and he leaned forward to speak to him.
  
  "The letter writer, they said to come alone, and bring no one, especially not my teammates."
  
  It was at this point where Xavier had become very skeptical about the intentions of Mystique, not that the X-Men leader needed many reasons. There was a plot to lure Kurt, but if he did not allow Kurt to leave, there was always a chance that he would sneak off. If Xavier learned one thing about teenagers was they could obsess in their quest for information, and often did reckless things in that quest.
  
  "Yes, Kurt, if you feel as it is necessary, then do depart at the intended time, but make sure to take your communicator, and summon for help if it is a trap," Xavier warned Kurt, and Kurt just stood, nodding his head up and down, resembling a wind up toy.
  
  "Thank you Professor, and I will," Kurt answered at that point, before he counted down the moments to the meeting.
  
  Kurt disappeared, holding the note. Scott just turned to Professor Xavier, and Xavier motioned for him to come closer.
  
  "Tail Kurt, and make sure he does not come to any harm, discreetly and from a distance," Xavier replied, in a low voice so no one could hear.
  
  It was his fear that the Brotherhood would be involved, whether by Mystique's intentions or not, he had no idea. There was a chance that this was going to happen. Xavier knew that this could happen from the time where Kurt had signed up for the Institute.
  
  Harry got the sense that Professor Xavier knew far more than he was letting on. He did give out some information to the students, but only when needed and Harry found himself a bit irritated by that trait. Keeping secrets was something that Harry was not too much of a fan of, especially if there were lives on the line. Harry would just have to wait and see what would transpire.
  
  Xavier had pretty much expected that the Brotherhood would attack, that much Harry had gotten from his body language. And that meant he knew Kurt's mother was Mystique. Harry wondered if Kurt had made that connection. Somehow he doubted that, given the circumstances, and Kurt's joy. Harry hated to be the one who had to burst Kurt's bubble.
  
  "We should prepare for tomorrow night," Scott said, and Rogue popped in, a bit late, confused about what was happening.
  
  "Why, what are we going to do tomorrow night?" Rogue asked, a look of confusion on her face.
  
  Kitty was the one who could not resist chiming in. "The same thing we do every night, try and take over the world."
  
  Some people laughed, even if Harry was clueless on the reference, but pretended to go along with it. Kitty began to fill Rogue in on what had gone down seriously.
  
  "And Mystique might be Kurt's mother," Harry told Rogue, and suddenly Rogue stood up a bit more rigid, and her fists curled, as if she imagined them around Mystique's neck.
  
  Rogue still seemed to have a bit of an ax to grind with Mystique, and Harry really hoped that she would not get distracted from the mission at hand because of that, because when things got personal, it was when they tended to go south.
  
  Kurt dropped down to the ground, but now that he was here, the fuzzy mutant had no clue what to say, words had failed him. There was so many things that he could have said to the woman who had given birth to him, and the woman who had not seen since he was very young.
  
  As he arrived at the junkyard, it hit him that this was not an ideal location for a happy and cheerful family reunion. There was a moment where he dropped down, and a robed figure walked out beside him.
  
  "Are you...her?" Kurt asked, his voice shaking when he spoke, and he leaned forward so she could hear him. "Are you...are you...my mother?"
  
  The woman nodded, and Kurt could see the figure step forward. She had blue skin, and red hair, and these were traits that Kurt recognized immediately.
  
  "Wait, you're her," Kurt replied, jumping backwards nearly.
  
  "Do not be alarmed, Kurt, I had my reasons for what happened," Mystique replied, and Kurt kept his eyes on her. He would not take his eyes off of a potential opponent, even though that opponent could have been his mother. "You lived with a loving family, did you not?"
  
  Kurt nodded, he would have to admit that this was true, and there were no complaints right there, with him staring forward until the woman spoke.
  
  "Then there should have been no problem with what happened," Mystique replied in a crisp, and clear voice, and he stepped forward. Mother and son stepped towards each other.
  
  "Is this just a family affair, or can anyone join the party?"
  
  Quicksilver, Blob, Toad, and Avalanche popped up at this moment, and stared down Kurt, bad intentions in mind. Kurt slowly spun around, and clutched his fists. He had assumed that they were meeting alone, and decided to call Mystique out on this fact.
  
  "You lied to me," Kurt replied, not in an angry voice, but a hurt voice, and Mystique turned away, spinning around. The Brotherhood would have paid for interfering on this situation, but Mystique figured out who put them up to this.
  
  "Hey, no sweat, Wagner, the more the merrier," Quicksilver replied, and he rushed forward.
  
  Quicksilver's feet suddenly were knocked out from underneath him at that point. The member of the Brotherhood fell down onto the ground, and rolled over. The speedster groaned, and the Brotherhood stepped up.
  
  The X-Men arrived, with Arcane, Cyclops, Rogue, Shadowcat, and Jean showing up, to engage them in battle.
  
  "Hey, six on four, that's not fair!" Toad groaned, and he pointed to Harry, jumping up an ddown, eyes bugging out frantically. "Especially with that guy, it's like it's twenty on four or something."
  
  "We can handle them," Avalanche stated, and he was ready for revenge, and ready to rock. And so was the ground, with it rocking and rolling, ready to knock the X-Men off balance.
  
  The ground stopped rocking, with Harry standing there. This time he was ready for his tricks, and the ground continued to rock at that moment. Avalanche was propelled backwards up into the air. The Blob stepped forward, and Rogue dodged Blob's slow charges, and Shadowcat dove into the ground, grabbing the ankles of the large mutant.
  
  Blob staggered into the ground, sinking like he was in quick sand.
  
  "Come back, and fight," Blob managed, but Cyclops used his visor to send an optic blast at Blob, once he pushed back up.
  
  The Brotherhood's training seemed to not be that good. Toad turned around, and saw the X-Men surrounding him.
  
  "Um, I come in peace," Toad replied, realizing that the other members of the Brotherhood had been taken out.
  
  Toad had been knocked off to the side, smacked around like an afterthought. Mystique spun around, and took a step back, incensed.
  
  "You ruined this, you ruined this all!" Mystique yelled, and she turned to Kurt, malice flooding her eyes. "You ruined your only chance to find out the truth by getting your friends involved."
  
  Rogue opened her mouth, about to note the hypocrisy of what Mystique was talking about. However, there was a swirl of metal from the junkyard, and the sharp jagged edges threatened to pierce into all of them. It appeared that another figure had turned up, and that was Magneto, who had looked in the shadows. Mystique took that as her cue to leave, and she turned into a bird, before flying into the sky, becoming a face in the crowd.
  
  Harry would have tracked her, but he was too busy repelling the debris with his spell work. The Brotherhood was on the ground, and Quicksilver was the first one to run off, as fast as his legs could go. Toad followed him next, with Avalanche taking a look, and trying to decide whether or not to take a shot at Harry whilst he was distracted.
  
  "We better go, when the getting is good," Blob grunted towards him. As much as he would have liked to stay and smash the X-Men, even Fred knew an opportunity where he saw one.
  
  Harry tried to push the limits of his magic, but there was so much metal in this junkyard that it was hard to push back, and gain control. The dark haired wizard had no choice, it would not be denied, and took a deep breath, summoning more power.
  
  He summoned his power, and suddenly the metal all fell to the ground. The moment had been lost, and Magneto was gone, along with Mystique and the Brotherhood.
  
  Kurt took a step forward, and took a deep breath, a conflict of emotions washing over the young mutant. He appreciated the X-Men backing him up, and he could almost tell that Mystique was a bit surprised to see the Brotherhood. There were so many conflicting emotions going through his mind, and it was hard to keep that in mind.
  
  The team returned to the Xavier Institute at this point, and the entire group gathered around, to reflect on the events of the battle today. The fact of the matter was that Harry had taken charge, and knocked the Brotherhood around, turning every single attack against them. That fact was not lost on Scott, and he sat back, arms folded, and he sat back, with a sigh. Xavier wheeled forward, and Kurt just sat in the background, in the shadows.
  
  "I wouldn't blame yourself for anything that happened, Kurt," Xavier told him, trying to convey his theory on what had occurred, at least from his observations. "Mystique likely engineered the attack, and a potential kidnapping."
  
  "It was almost like she was surprised," Kurt offered, trying to hang onto that little fact, for it was the only thing that gave him hope.
  
  Kurt folded his arms, and just nodded. Harry took a moment to walk forward towards Kurt, but Kurt just looked up at him, before sighing.
  
  "Harry, you were right about everything," Kurt told him, and he sank back into the chair. "I can't believe that I was so..."
  
  "No you wanted to know, and there were times where I wanted to know about things that happened in my past," Harry responded, but there were no words that he could say. Kurt took this in stride.
  
  The fact Harry had gotten so close to getting his hands on Mystique, after her near escape last time frustrated him to no end whatsoever. He figured that given the choice between protecting the team, and going after the criminal, Harry knew what the answer was going to be every single time. He took a deep breath at this point, and turned to walk off, without another word.
  
  Kitty and Rogue followed Harry down the hallway at that point. It was Kitty who at this point who was going to be the one who spoke up. A smile crossed her face, and Kitty grabbed Harry.
  
  "You, aren't too pleased because of how that mission went, are you?" Kitty asked.
  
  Harry shook his head at that point. To be honest, he was a bit frustrated, but failure was part of the learning process. Kitty grabbed Harry and pulled him into the next room.
  
  "Hey, wait up, some of us have to use doors," Rogue stated in an agitated voice, and Kitty laughed when the door was locked, preventing her from entering. "You're not going to leave me hanging, are you?"
  
  Kitty stepped forward, and walked inside, at that moment, before taking pity on Rogue, and allowing her inside. Harry was on the bed, and the two girls were ready to cheer Harry up, after what happened today. The dark haired wizard understood what was about to happen, and it was only second nature that he had performed the contraceptive spells on both girls.
  
  "So, I wonder who's going to get a piece first," Kitty answered, a smile crossing her face.
  
  Smut/Lemon Begins.
  
  The two girls played rock, paper scissors, and Rogue won. Kitty slid back, holding her hands back, and propped herself up on the bed, allowing Rogue to have her fun for once. The next time they should have a race through one of the training missions in the Danger Room, to see who would get Harry first, to make things more interesting.
  
  "Ready," Harry whispered to Rogue, grabbing her tight towards him.
  
  "Born ready for your cock," Rogue answered, her Southern accent making her voice that sexier, and Harry pulled Rogue into a long kiss. Rogue opened her mouth, allowing full access into her lips, and Harry groped her breasts, rubbing them through her shirt, feeling them in their full roundness, and molding them within his hands.
  
  Rogue felt Harry play with her, but she wanted to give her boyfriend as much pleasure as he gave her. The mutant got down on her knees, and worked off Harry's pants, pulling them off. Rogue stroked him through his boxers, and felt his length harden just a little bit.
  
  "So big, and so hard," Rogue remarked, eyes widened, and she pulled Harry's boxers off. She licked her lips at the thought of his large cock.
  
  "Make it bigger," Harry responded to Rogue, challenging her with the expression in his eyes, and she reached for his length.
  
  Harry leaned back, and Rogue stroked Harry's length. She gave him slow strokes, that allowed Harry to savor the moment, he swelled and twitched, growing with each passing moment in Rogue's hand. Rogue licked around Harry's cock, and then placed her mouth on his balls. She gave a slight suck, and gave him pleasure, before Rogue shoved the cock into her mouth.
  
  Rogue felt Harry's length go down into her mouth. She was trying to get it deep down, knowing that Kitty had not managed to get the entire length into her mouth as yet. Harry's cock was delicious, and she could taste it all day.
  
  "That's it baby...suck it, suck it hard," Harry whispered, and he grabbed Rogue's hair, stroking his fingers down the white stripe in the front, into her auburn locks, stroking her. "Such a great fucking mouth, love your lips on me."
  
  Rogue continued to spear her throat onto Harry's length. She felt it hit the back of her throat, and Rogue managed to remember that she could breathe through her nose. Harry hammered into her throat, and Rogue used her mouth, tongue, and throat to stimulate Harry's member.
  
  Harry waited for Rogue to continue to suck him off. "That's it, make me cum, going to shoot it down your throat."
  
  Harry pushed it forward, and Rogue snaked her hand around Harry's balls, stroking, and fondling the balls. The dark haired wizard felt his balls tighten up, and he sprayed a thick stream of his cum down Rogue's throat.
  
  All of the way, Kitty had her hand down her pants, and was slowly playing with herself, getting herself worked up. The brunette's fingers pumped in and out of her pussy, matching Rogue's bobbing on Harry's cock, and she groaned with disappointment when she stopped, being left hanging.
  
  Rogue pushed off, licking her lips, and Harry squeezed her breasts, and pulled her shirt over her head, to find her fleshy, and pale globes. Harry dove into her breasts, and began to suck on them, blowing on them, and feasting on the buffet of flesh.
  
  "That's it, sugah, suck on my tits," Rogue whined, pushing Harry's face into her tits. His mouth and tongue stimulated them, and Harry's hand made its way down her panties, diddling with her pussy for a bit, feeling the heat around her mound.
  
  Harry pumped his fingers in and out of Rogue's wet cunt, trying to feel it around his fingers, and he felt her glorious tightness, pressing against his fingers. Rogue could get so wet as well, with Rogue pushing her hips up. Harry continued to push in and out of her, with Rogue whining when Harry also stimulated her clit. It was sensitive, and Rogue's moans led that through.
  
  Rogue screamed out, racked with an orgasm, and she panted from Harry's efforts. Harry stripped off the rest of her clothes, and flipped Rogue over on the bed, and Harry moved down, with her legs spread from behind. The dark haired wizard teased her from behind, stroking her.
  
  "You're so wet," Harry whispered to Rogue. "Maybe I should plug that leak."
  
  Rogue nodded, and Harry teased Rogue's opening with his member from behind her. The girl's body felt like it was on fire, and Harry pushed his cock into her tight opening. Rogue screamed, and Harry pumped into her, with slow and deliberate strokes at first.
  
  "Harry, fuck me like you mean it!" Rogue begged, and Harry's strokes sped up, going in and out of her tight hole.
  
  "You got it, I'm going to fuck you, and you're going to like it!" Harry yelled, and he continued slam into her, pushing into her.
  
  Rogue's pussy hugged his prick, and Harry pushed himself up, before slamming his fleshy pole into her. He got himself off on her tight pussy, and his hands found her breasts, finding them to be sensitive and responsive to his contact. Harry slammed into her, pounding his thick meat into her tight hole.
  
  "You want more?" Harry asked, his balls slapping against her thighs, and Rogue clutched the sheets.
  
  "Yes!" Rogue begged, clutching the bed sheets tightly in her hands.
  
  Kitty got herself off, pumping more furiously. Her eyes were heavily lidded. She nearly went intangible and slid through the bed. Harry was balls deep into Rogue, and soon she would be fucked like that. Harry hammered into her, and Kitty tried to match his motions, but he felt herself being driven to glorious orgasm after glorious orgasm, she panted, and played with her nipples.
  
  Rogue clutched the sheets, and whined, and moaned, feeling his expert work, his prick pushed deep into her. Harry was driving into her, and he was fucking her hard, harder than she could ever be imagined. Rogue felt the love, and the pleasure that Harry pounding into her offered. Her mind was foggy, and this was contact that was more intimate than ever before. Rogue had lost track of the time.
  
  Harry felt his balls tighten, and continued. "So tight...fucking you...cumming!"
  
  Rogue barely had a chance to scream out, as her latest orgasm racked through her body. The Southern Mutant fell down on the bed, and Harry unleashed a steady amount of cum deep into her waiting pussy. Rogue was filled to the brim with her lover's seed, and she collapsed, satisfied, at least for now.
  
  "That was amazing," Rogue panted, eyes widened, and her body feeling warmth from her head, down to the tips of the toes.
  
  "Damn right it was," Kitty answered, and without warning, the moment Harry pulled out, she tackled Harry's cock, putting it in her mouth, and slurping on it, using her talented mouth to bring Harry back to full mast.
  
  "Feels good, get me back up," Harry responded, with Kitty's mouth working on him. "Such a good mouth, so warm, suck me, keep sucking me."
  
  The sooner that she got Harry ready, the sooner that Kitty could have him stuff his cock right into her willing and waiting pussy. There was a feeling between her legs, and Kitty could hardly wait to have it inside her. She tingled with desire, and could hardly wait what was to come. She spent a few minutes slurping and tasting Harry's cock.
  
  Then Kitty pushed herself back on the bed. Harry moaned at the loss, but Kitty had already pushed herself out. Her slender body, B-Cup breasts, flat stomach, and mouth-watering legs, along with her spread and wet pussy were out for him. Kitty motioned towards Harry with a perfect "come fuck me" look in her eyes.
  
  Harry obliged Kitty, and shoved his length deep into her, slamming his cock into her tight body.
  
  "How do you stay so tight?" Harry managed.
  
  "Not sure, training, maybe," Kitty managed, as she laid back so Harry could slam his cock into her tight body. Harry's cock shoved into her, its full length pulsing in the inside. Kitty moved her hips up, matching his moments. It always gave her a workout, as Harry had so much stamina, and might not burn out.
  
  Harry allowed himself to savor the moment. He had blown two loads with Rogue, but was not the least bit tired, or done. Rogue remained on the bed, watching, and playing with herself, just like Kitty had. Harry forced himself down into her.
  
  "Who does your pussy belong to?" Harry asked to her, eyes narrowed once he looked at her.
  
  "You Harry, all yours, keeping fucking me," Kitty moaned, and Harry speared into her, his flesh pull stretching her insides.
  
  Kitty felt Harry know his way around her body, and he knew what she liked. Harry was careful to strike every pleasure point, not too fast, and not too soon. She could be rendered into a pile of jelly by his actions, but Kitty Pryde would be the happiest pile of jelly ever.
  
  "Never stop fucking me, keep going," Kitty whined, her pussy clenching.
  
  "Don't worry, like this pussy, like both of your pussies," Harry answered.
  
  Kitty was determined to make Harry like her pussy a little bit more, and she pushed back, before squeezing his cock, pushing her walls against him. Harry managed to push back into her, and the two of them continued the dance, both of their bodies drenched with sweat.
  
  Rogue slammed her fingers into herself, eyes heavily lidded. Her heart thumped against her chest, and the Southern goth had never thought she'd be turned on by something like this. Then again, the passion Harry showed, it was hard not to get turned on.
  
  "Keep fucking me," Kitty whispered, locking her legs around Harry's waist, and Harry pushed into her pussy.
  
  "So tight, squeezing me, almost there," Harry whispered, and he sped up his thrusts, preparing for the coming releases.
  
  Harry did not slow down, and Kitty's eyes fluttered shut just a little bit. Harry played with her nipples.
  
  Harry came, Kitty came, and Rogue came by playing with herself. Kitty felt herself get splattered full of the thickest cum she ever thought she would know. It filled her up, and Harry had pumped into her, and she had pushed up into him, milking him until both had seen stars after coming down from their mutual orgasms.
  
  Smut/Lemon Ends.
  
  The three of them remained rather satisfied. There was really sometimes where one had gotten pleasure, and there was really nothing to say. The three members of the X-Men found that this was the best way to unwind after a long day of battles. Some people might disagree, but it allowed them to focus, and get a good night of sleep.
  
  Harry remained with his arms around Kitty, with Rogue resting on his on other side. The three of them did not need to say much, or feel compelled to move. In case, they wanted to get a midnight snack, it would be best if they remained close by, just in case.
  
  
  
  Mystique folded her arms, returning to the Brotherhood Boarding house. That entire meeting could have gone rather better. The again, it had to be the X-Men who showed up. Xavier would have never allowed her to reconnect with her children. The Brotherhood showed up, and Mystique suspected that Quicksilver had put them up to it, and Magneto had put Quicksilver up to it.
  
  She wanted to punch a wall, or at least take her aggressions out on something. Today did not go as planned, and very nearly she got caught. And the worst thing of all was the fact that she was in the debt of Magneto, and that stung the worst of all. That cut him immediately, and Mystique spun around, taking a deep breath, before putting her hands through her hair.
  
  The tapping echoed from outside, and Magneto arrived at this moment. Mystique could barely look at Magneto, and there was a moment where the Master of Magnetism responded.
  
  "The X-Men once again humiliated your team," Magneto remarked in a crisp voice, showing not one bit of empathy whatsoever to her plight.
  
  Mystique clutched her fists, and glared forward, trying to keep her temper in check, despite the situation. When the Brotherhood failed at something, they somehow reverted back to being her team.
  
  "It wasn't just the X-Men, it was one of them in particular," Mystique answered, his eye completely on Mystique, and there was a moment where the two mutants stared down at each other. "You do the know the one that we're talking about, don't you?"
  
  "I do know," Magneto replied, not even giving her a moment to speak. "You will take a sabbatical from your role as the principal of Bayville High School, for in three weeks, my plan come to light, for mutant kind."
  
  Mystique had known the plan, and there was no need to speak about it. Magneto had been preparing it, setting everything up, and smuggling the intended equipment past the Earth defenses. Even SHIELD had been tricked, and that was something that Magneto should have considered a feather in his cap.
  
  Yet, the Master of Magnetism was not too pleased, for there were too many unintended variables that had been thrown into the plan that threatened to throw everything off kilter. One of them had been Harry Potter. Magneto still thought that there was a potential for the boy for his revolution, although that potential had not been realized. He seemed to be too fiercely independent for his own good.
  
  That fact in itself was a double edged sword. One hand, Potter was not going to accept his word. On the other hand, Potter was not going to accept Xavier's blind and wide eyed idealism. It was something where Magneto was just going to wait, and see what happened, whilst he calculated the plan.
  
  "The Brotherhood will need to step up their game if they hope to join this revolution, and you will as well," Magneto replied to Mystique, and Mystique leaned forward, gritting her teeth, and an incredulous expression flickering through her eyes.
  
  "Of course I will join this revolution," Mystique answered, unable to believe that Magneto could state anything to the contrary.
  
  Yet Magneto just leaned forward, and peered at Mystique from behind his helmet. The tension between the two mutants could be cut with a knife.
  
  "The only thing that is for certain is nothing is for certain, do remember that, and don't grow complacent."
  
  Mystique was left in the dust, and Magneto disappeared into the night, giving the shape-shifter much to think about.
  
  To Be Continued in "Old Wounds Part One."
  Old Wounds Part One
  
  Chapter 17: Old Wounds Part One.
  
  It was the morning at the Xavier Institute, Sunday morning, quiet, and peaceful all things considered, or at least what passed for quiet and peaceful. Kitty sat herself down at the table, to draft her latest e-mail to her parents, giving them all of the details of what has been going on at the Xavier Institute. Well most of the details, there were a few of the more private bits that Kitty had been leaving out, but she gave them the general overview of what was going on her life.
  
  A loud scream had brought Kitty out of her concentration, and ruined her focus, causing the moment to be lost. Kurt had teleported out of nowhere. Scott and Jean had arrived at that moment, and Rogue was right behind them. The chaotic sounds of the morning echoed along with a combination of sounds. Kitty offered a bit of a grimace, perhaps this was not the best time to attempt to draft some kind of letter.
  
  One could not blame the girl for trying, and, at that moment, Kitty tried to move her letter writing to a more private venue. The living room was fine, and Kitty had stopped at that moment, when Logan was watching something on the television. There was news of a wild animal going through. Kitty could tell that Logan was intent at what he was watching, and did not want to be disturbed.
  
  "Are you troubled, Logan?"
  
  The voice of Professor Xavier cut through the air, and Logan spun around, but he relaxed, completely on edge at that point.
  
  "Yes, one could say I'm a bit troubled, Chuck, but do you blame me after what's happened?" Logan asked him, and Xavier shook his head, no one could not blame Logan for being the slightest bit frazzled, and he clutched his head, feeling the buzz throughout his mind. Logan growled at the sensation he had felt. "It's been happening for the past three days...now I've seen that place before."
  
  "Could it be that your memories are coming back to focus?" Xavier asked, and Logan just responded with a grunt, noncommittal.
  
  Kitty walked off, before this conversation could go any further. Harry stepped forward, and stood beside Kitty at that moment, startling her briefly, but the brunette mutant recovered quickly.
  
  "Oh, hey Harry, sorry if I'm not in the mood to chat right now, but I've got a letter to type, to my parents, I'm so behind," Kitty answered, holding out the laptop she had for emphasis Harry nodded in understanding.
  
  "It's quite alright, I'm actually sneaking off in the confusion to have a meeting with my stalker right now," Harry responded to Kitty, and Kitty just tensed up at that moment, before she grabbed Harry's hands, tightening her grip, and peering directly into his eyes.
  
  "That's today?" Kitty asked, and Harry responded with a nod. "Well that's up to you, but just...just don't get in over your head."
  
  Harry placed his hands on his hips, and a winning smile on his lips, a warm expression in his eyes once he looked at Kitty. "Come on now Kitty, when have I ever got in over my head?"
  
  Kitty was not going to dignify that comment with an answer, but she got on her tip-toes, and gave Harry a kiss goodbye. She watched as Harry also exchanged a goodbye with Rogue, before he slipped off to the mansion. He had learned a neat trick where he could blend into his surroundings, practically becoming invisible. Kitty had to admit, it was kind of useful for stealth, magic really was cool when one really thought about it.
  
  At that moment, Kitty really did need a private place to think, and what better place to think would be out in the hanger, sitting in the back of the X-Jet. Nothing could have gone wrong right there, and Kitty quickened her steps, before reaching it.
  
  Kitty pulled herself into the back of the hanger, and pulled out her laptop, before she began to fight. Kurt popped up beside her before she could really get going, and Kitty nearly elbowed him in the face.
  
  "Sorry," Kitty replied, but her face crossed into a frown and her eyes looked at Kurt, taking a moment to regain her bearings before she spoke. "But you really shouldn't be teleporting behind people without warning them, because it so totally freaks them out."
  
  Kurt nodded, but he had some news that he needed to tell the brunette mutant. "Logan is....well Logan wants you to know that we're skipping Danger Room practice."
  
  "Logan never cancels a Danger Room training session," Kitty replied, absolutely flummoxed, and given how weird Logan had been acting this morning, Kitty wondered if something was up. The brunette mutant racked it over in her mind, over and over until she just shrugged her shoulders.
  
  "I know weird, huh?" Kurt asked, and Kitty just offered a brief nod of her head.
  
  "Yeah, weird," Kitty agreed, and she placed her hands on her chin, preparing to type, when suddenly, the X-Jet managed to take off, with both of them inside. It had gotten off the ground, before any of them could react.
  
  Kitty thought that she could phase through, but found out that would be too risky, with the X-Jet off the ground. Kurt just looked through the window, and saw Logan flying.
  
  "He's a madman," Kurt remarked underneath his breath.
  
  Kitty rolled her eyes. "Yeah, got that the moment where he took off the ground, without buckling up, I mean healing factor or not, that's still kind of reckless."
  
  Logan turned around, and saw the two teenagers sitting in the back. His eyes widened at that moment, and his teeth gritted, practically snarling at them.
  
  "What are you doing here?" Logan snarled, but suddenly a ringing echoed through his ear. Logan locked the door, his feral instincts returning, but the mutant tried to suppress them, struggling and shutting his eyes, thinking that if he did not see anything, there would be no potential targets attacked.
  
  "He's fighting something, something painful," Kitty replied, trying to look forward. "Maybe you can teleport us out of here..."
  
  "Are you nuts, from this high up?" Kurt exclaimed, and he shuddered at the sound.
  
  "Okay, okay, fine, my powers can't get us out of this mess, your powers can't, so...we're going to need some back up," Kitty remarked, finally catching her breath, and whipping out her communicator. It was all about keeping cool under pressure, and she tapped it, before activating it. "Um, Harry, hi, it's me, we have a problem, get here is soon as you can."
  
  Kitty tried hard not to freak out, but Logan's breathing was not something that was normal. He continued to fly reckless, serving around in an erratic and random matter.
  
  "The way he's flying, I hope we don't crash," Kurt replied, and Kitty sat rigid, hoping so as well, and hoped that Harry would answer soon, and soon enough she got her wish.
  
  Nick Fury waited in the background of the meeting place, watched and tapped his foot in an impatient matter. The SHIELD director took a long drag from the cigarette that he was smoking. According to his watch, the mysterious Harry Potter had agreed to a meeting, and he was close to being late. Fury waited and watched, impatient, and he did not enjoy waiting for someone, but it turned out he did not have to wait for long.
  
  "I'm here, right on time, just as promised."
  
  Fury paused, and looked forward, before his hands clutched at that moment. The grizzled government agent took a step forward, and folded his arms, his voice gruff. "I'd feel a lot better if I could see you."
  
  "And I'd feel a lot better if there weren't a half a dozen SHIELD agents waiting to nail me in the back of the head," Harry answered at that moment, and there was a long pause, before both had stared each other down. Technically Fury was staring in the general direction where Harry was, but the sentiment was in fact there, and Fury still tried to gain some semblance of control.
  
  "Very well, just who are you and where did you come from?" Fury demanded, and he stepped forward. Fury was very much on edge, he did not like someone he could not see, because that just left the government agent opened for some kind of attack.
  
  "As you well know, my name is Harry Potter, and I moved over from Britain, in case you couldn't tell from my charming accent," Harry replied, and Fury surveyed Harry at that moment.
  
  "You came directly over from Britain?" Fury asked, not believing him for a second.
  
  Harry just paused, before he answered in a slightly casual tone of voice. "It was a very long trip."
  
  "I see, but how long is the question?" Fury asked, and there was a long moment where both paused. Neither had really given the other that much information. Both stared each other down, and they waited, watched, and just paused, Fury getting more annoyed by the lack of answers. "Well?"
  
  "It's a deep subject," Harry answered, and Fury looked at Harry, like he grew two heads, or like he had finally gone insane. "Sorry, inside joke."
  
  "Look kid, if I wanted some kind of comedy act, I'd hang around Spider-Man," Fury responded in a dry voice, and there was a moment where Harry just paused, and snickered. "One day, I could find you, and we could have serious problems."
  
  Harry just shuffled on his feet, and just responded with a slight smile that crossed his face. Fury continued to stare intently towards the direct where he thought Harry was, and both of them had really nothing to say right now. It was an intense battle of wills, and while Harry was stubborn, so was Fury; something had to give, but the real question was what. The two had their eyes on each other, with Fury narrowing an eye on Harry and focusing on him.
  
  "When you really think about this, I've done nothing more than come here, but the real question is, how?" Harry asked, and Fury just responded with a nod.
  
  "That's the problem, no one pops up, not without a reason," Fury answered, and he stepped forward towards Harry. "So how did you do it?"
  
  Harry responded with a smirk, even though Fury could not see it. It was the principal of the matter.
  
  "Fury, I've given you some information, basic details, have fun trying to figure it out, the folder is right there on that box," Harry responded, and the box glowed to give Fury a sign, since Harry was not about to give up his exact location to Fury.
  
  Fury took a step forward, and grabbed the folder, flipping over the information. A shadow of a smile crossed his face, and he flipped through the information, just vowing to study it at his next possible opportunity until he could verify the validity of it, which he had doubts on. Fury took a look at the boy's grades in school, and realized that he was not stupid, even if the grades of Harry Potter was not the most stellar in the world.
  
  Harry Potter had promised to give Fury information, but never once promised accurate information would be given.
  
  "So this is what you're going to give me?" Fury asked, taking a threatening step towards where he perceived the voice to be.
  
  "Did you expect a full account of my life, and my goals?" Harry retorted, and once again his voice held a tiny hint of a taunt. "No trust me Fury, I'm not going to give you something like that, not that easy. It's something that you got to earn, and perhaps I may trust you with more information. Who knows, maybe we'll work together."
  
  "Maybe," Fury answered, and he cracked his knuckles in a knowing manner. The truth was if he was skilled, and on the level, perhaps Fury might have a place for this young man in the future, or at the very least, he could work together. "We're just going to have to wait and see what happens."
  
  "Yes, we shall," Harry answered, and there was a brief pop, where Fury understood that Potter had left.
  
  Containing someone like Harry was going to be a headache. That was the fact of the matter, but Fury had to take this information. He would continue his watch of Harry, and hoped for another hint. Perhaps Fury needed to go for more unconventional methods, and it was at this point where he walked off.
  
  Harry stepped out, hoping that would get Fury off of his back. He doubted it however, the man seemed determined, and rather tough to shake. His communicator went off, and Harry answered it at this moment.
  
  "Yes, what is it?" Harry asked, to the person on the other side.
  
  It was Kitty's voice that answered. "Um, Harry, hi, we might have a little problem."
  
  "What kind of problem?" Harry asked, feeling a sense of impending doom.
  
  There was a loud growl and Kurt's voice chimed in at that moment. "Um, yeah, it would be a problem like that Harry."
  
  'Of course it was,' Harry thought to himself, and he shook his head, before taking charge of the situation.
  
  "Just try and keep calm, and stick by, I'll track you, and get there as soon as I can," Harry answered, and he tried to figure out how to track them through the communicator. Harry was still a bit rusty with the technology aspect, but he managed to find a way to track, and once he tracked, he could get there.
  
  One of his girlfriends, and one of his teammates were in trouble, but there was something wrong with Logan, and Harry was determined to find out what, moving towards the location quick as his feet could carry him.
  
  Trying to fly a plane, along with keeping one's head about themselves was extremely hard, but that's what Logan tried to do. Yet, he was losing himself and his mind to everything else, to the beast within side. Wolverine was a name that was very appropriate right now, and he tried to fight it, yet the beast within would not allow him to fight.
  
  He struggled, the will power he suffered. Logan rubbed his temples, and immediately, the plane was going down. He felt compelled to land it. Why here, in the middle of nowhere, he had no clear idea? Logan landed the plan, and jumped out the windows. His head continued to ring, and his claws popped out, whilst he stalked into the woods, feral and mean.
  
  Carefully, Kitty popped her head out of the plane, and landed on the ground. Kurt followed her with a pop, teleporting into the scene, and let out the breath he had been holding.
  
  "I don't think that's normal, not even for Logan," Kurt remarked, eyes widened when he watched Logan stalk forward. Kitty just took a step forward, and knew that Harry would be here at any minute, now that they were stationary. All Kitty had to do was wait, and be patient. Something that was a virtue for her, but suddenly, her heart thumped across her ribcage.
  
  Kitty stopped, and stared. She did not have the super heightened senses that Logan did, or the ability to sense trouble that Harry did, but one did not need to when the noises that were being made in the woods, were made. They were in the wilderness, and very prone to anything.
  
  "What was that?" Kurt asked, taking a step back, and nearly jumping in a frightful manner. Kitty shook her head, and took a deep breath.
  
  "I don't know, but something tells me that it isn't big foot," Kitty responded, and she looked forward.
  
  There was no noise at the moment, but that did not relax Kitty at the slightest. In fact, if something was too quiet, that was just going to make her a bit more nervous. The brunette mutant took a few steps forward, and waited for the other shoe to drop. Harry should be turning up at any moment.
  
  The problem was that the figure that swooped down next to them was not Harry at all. Then they heard the growls suddenly. Kurt just barely teleported out of the way, when Wolverine charged them, claws popped up. Kitty sunk down in the ground, and Logan stumbled around, shaking his head, growling, and slashing at the air out of his feral, most base instincts.
  
  "Get out of here!" Logan demanded, trying to not hurt the children.
  
  Harry flew through the air, and Logan dodged his attempt to attack. The dark haired wizard flew around, circling Logan, and the mutant tried to stab at him with the claws. Harry created a shield around him, Kitty and Kurt, managing to block Logan from gutting the entire lot of them.
  
  "Logan, just snap out of it!" Harry yelled, trying to get through to him. "I don't want to hurt you but...if I have to, I will."
  
  Harry flicked his hand, and Logan felt a ringing go through his ears, that was not like the other ringing. He moved away, for his hearing was super sensitive, and he growled at that moment, before moving away, crashing into the woods.
  
  "We got him off of our backs, now we need to figure out what went wrong with him," Harry replied, taking a deep breath, and Kitty sighed in relief.
  
  "Logan's never acted like this before," Kitty responded, and Harry just gripped her hand.
  
  "Yeah, but it's likely a side of him he would prefer that none of us sees at any given time," Harry responded, trying to figure out what he was going on against. "Was there anything that either of you saw that could have pointed towards why Logan was acting like this?"
  
  "Unless you count the news broadcast Logan watched this morning, it kind of made him act weird," Kitty said, and Harry just understood everything right now. "Do you think..."
  
  "I think someone might have lured Logan here, yes," Harry responded, and there was a moment where he paused, before peering out to the woods, and figuring out his next move.
  
  Harry managed to slip a tracking spell on Logan, but his instincts kept him moving, never staying in the same place more than once. This fact made everything much more problematic, and Harry just mentally prepared himself for what had to be done. Slowly, he turned to Kitty and Kurt.
  
  "You two got your communicators, still, right?" Harry asked them, and Kitty and Kurt responded with two brief nods. "Use the communicators if you see anything, and stay on the path. I'm going to see if I can figure out who is doing this to Logan."
  
  Harry had left no room for argument, making sure his communicator was secure. There were any number of spells to subdue Logan, but it would not solve the problem of who was doing this to him. That was something that Harry would have to find, and he had a feeling if he would have seen some kind of settlement, he might be getting that much closer.
  
  There was no time to delay, Harry had to focus on the task at hand, and looked over his shoulder, to make sure Kitty and Kurt were safe on the path. His first instinct was to get them back to the Institute, but it might have been useful to have a little bit of backup.
  
  Harry sensed that there was something, or someone out there that should not be. The problem was finding out who, and now tracking down Logan. Who as Harry noticed, was very close to his current location.
  
  The dark haired wizard had to keep moving, and so he did.
  
  Doctor Abraham Cornelius watched as his property moved closer, just as he had been lured. The doctor was part of the Weapon X project years ago, that had created the weapon known as Wolverine. He had worked for a higher backer, someone who paid him big bucks to use these mutants as weapons. The project had been mostly shut down, but the backer had returned with more interest, and there was time for one more round with these mutants.
  
  Cornelius tapped his fingers, and clicked his pen. The fact of the matter was that everything had gone smoothly, a bit too smoothly come to think about it. He had allowed the news report, hoping that would trigger Logan, and lure the Wolverine to him. Then once Logan was in range, he could activate the implant that was in his head. He marveled at the technology that had been created, and would be used to condition the weapon, the weapons, for their intended goal. They had deviated a bit, but now that Cornelius was back in business, he was ready.
  
  "I trust you have reclaimed the asset," a voice stated from over the other end of the line, garbled and unable to make out.
  
  "Yes, sir, both of them are en route here, Sabertooth has been dispatched into the woods as we speak," Cornelius replied, and the man on the other end of the line had remained silence, before he spoke.
  
  "Just make sure both weapons are in one piece. Leshnerr and Xavier have not spotted the implants in the minds of either of their pets, which makes it all the better. All will bow before the supreme rulers of the world. Heil HYDRA."
  
  "Yes, heil HYDRA," Cornelius replied in a swift voice, and the call was disconnected in a matter of moments. That allowed the scientist to continue to go forward, and continue to monitor his weapon. "Yes, Logan, you are quite a marvel. You make it worth every dime I have invested in you, and soon you will be right before my feet. Just think, the magnificent Wolverine right at my fingertips. You got away once my friend, but now I have you."
  
  Cornelius spotted something peculiar at that moment, and his eyes snapped towards the view screen. He saw Wolverine, and he spotted Sabertooth, but there were three other guest, and they were not invited to this party. Two of the guests remained stationary on the path leading to the woods, so they were not an immediate threat, even though Cornelius could send Sabertooth and Wolverine to take them out immediately. The third guest was on the move and Cornelius had to admit his resourcefulness.
  
  He very nearly eluded tracking, and kept a few steps ahead of everything. Whoever this young man was, he was smart enough to stay three or four steps ahead of any scientific equipment that could track him. Cornelius wondered how anyone could move so fast, but he would allow himself to get some more professional help.
  
  Well professional might not have been the correct word to use to describe this particular individual, but qualified would be a better word. Never the less, he could get the job done, for the most part.
  
  "I require your assistance," Cornelius said, and sure enough the assistance was granted when a figure approached in the shadows.
  
  "You rang, Abe, my boy!"
  
  "Yes, I did, there is someone in the woods who could pose a threat," Cornelius replied, use to the eccentric behavior of this particular individual by this point.
  
  The individual in the shadows offered a gasp of mock surprise, shock, and awe. "You mean to tell me that there are some nefarious doings that are countering your nefarious doings. Well, isn't that a kick in the pants."
  
  "I need you to find out who this threat is, and neutralize him immediately," Cornelius replied, not really missing a beat, but knowing that he had to deal with a potential wildcard. If his plans for Sabertooth and Wolverine, along with the plans of his employers, would go without a hitch, he would need to trusty this man.
  
  "I'm on it, don't worry, Abe, we're going to have a lot of fun in the woods tonight."
  
  "Just make sure you get the job done," Cornelius remarked, and the man just acted like he was outraged.
  
  "I always get the job done, in a fashion. I mean, who do you think I am, some Johnny come lately, fly by night act? Just put me in coach, and I'll take care of the boy who lived to have his name be hyphenated in no time flat."
  
  "I'm trusting you on this, Wilson, don't disappoint me," Cornelius said, but the man had just disappeared, and the Project Weapon X doctor resumed his tracking of Wolverine and Sabertooth. The two other guests were near on the path, and he offered them a suitable reception.
  
  "Of course, there's no need to fear, Deadpool is here!"
  
  A malicious expression spread over his face at that moment, and Cornelius amped up the volume on the implants, to make sure his little pets obeyed their master's orders.
  
  Harry remained in the woods, and if he was honest, there was only a slight bit of intimidation to him. Intimidation was something that should not be concerned with fear, for Harry had entered the Forbidden Forest in Hogwarts many times, and lived to tell the tale. However, there was just something about the unknown, and the uncertainty that made Harry stand up, and take notice, prepare himself for anything.
  
  The words constant vigilance rang in his mind.
  
  There was a slight thump, and Harry held his hand, scanning the woods for any signs of life.
  
  So far, there was nothing, at least nothing of value.
  
  Yet, Harry did not ease up on what he was looking for. There was many times where Harry wanted to be alert, and there were instances where he knew the dangers of letting one's guard down. Moody, the fake one at least, drilled that into their head, and while the man was an imposter, he spoke wisdom. Harry took a swift step forward, ready to engage anyone who had showed up.
  
  Another thump, and Harry had sent a spell through the trees, but it had not connected with anything. Harry thought about calling out for Logan, but realized the sheer potential danger that invited. He wanted to retain somewhat of an element of surprise, even though it would be difficult to. The mutant slipped into the woods, and Harry had a feeling that he was just biding his time.
  
  The time had been bided well, and Harry felt his heart thump against the side of his chest. Time ticked on once again, and a growl could be heard. It could have been a wild animal, or it could have been the person Harry was looking for.
  
  He was not going to take any chances, and Harry looked forward, when he saw a figure move forward in the shadows. It was not Logan, which made Harry even more inclined to blast him. A jet of purple light was sent into the shadows, but the figure just dodged with skill, and determination. The movements of the figure were random and helter-skelter, and Harry noticed that he would have to focus extra hard to pick up a pattern.
  
  "Be careful with that thing, you'll shoot your eye out kid!"
  
  "Just who are you?" Harry asked, but he saw the figure step forward. He wore a full red and black bodysuit with a mask, and he had two guns on either holster, along with a pair of swords in his hands.
  
  "Don't you read the Internet, kid?"
  
  Harry wondered what this would have had to do with anything. He looked over his shoulder, and waited.
  
  "Since you asked so nicely, I'm the Man with the Plan, whose name isn't Stan, Lee or otherwise. I am the one and only, Merc with the Mouth, the one, the only, Deadpool!"
  
  Harry just stood in the shadows, and just looked at him, unimpressed, and shaking his head. It was at this point where Harry was trying to figure out whether this Deadpool was a threat, or a nuisance.
  
  "Not even a comment, not even one, really?" Deadpool asked, and suddenly the Merc with the Mouth turned his head a half of an inch to the side. "Can you believe this kid? I really think that he's unbelievable."
  
  Harry began to perform scanning spells, as it was obvious Deadpool was talking to someone. So he had hidden enemies somewhere, but the question was where? The Boy-Who-Lived tried every scanning spell that he had picked up, but there was nothing, other than a few squirrels.
  
  "You know, we're just sitting here, shooting the breeze, but I think we're supposed to fight now," Deadpool remarked, and without warning, he shot Harry. Harry blocked the bullets with a spell and fired him back. Deadpool was struck hard, and he staggered. "Oh dear, woe is me, cut down in the prime of my life, oh the agony of it all, oh the pain, oh the suffering, oh and all of the fried chicken."
  
  Deadpool shrugged it off, and leapt at Harry. Harry dodged Deadpool at that moment, and the two of them circled each other. Deadpool's sword was blown to bits.
  
  "Hey, I went all the way to Japan, and had that custom made from a part of a soul of a long dead Samurai!" Deadpool shouted in an indignant voice, and Harry tried to blast him again. Deadpool stopped. "No, wait, I bought it off of EBay for thirty dollars, but the other story just sounds so much better."
  
  Harry really had no idea who this guy was, and Deadpool teleported himself out of the way. Harry spun around and turned his daggers into harmless paper airplanes. The dark haired wizard stepped forward, and used every spell that he could think of, but Deadpool seemed to not be there.
  
  He could not pick out a fighting pattern.
  
  Did this guy even have any kind of defined fighting pattern?
  
  "So, you're starting a harem, are you?" Deadpool asked casually, and he dodged an attack from Harry, who refused to answer. He just wanted this guy to shut up, and fast. "Hey, I sympathize with your ambition kid, I've had a few harems in my time too."
  
  Deadpool ducked another attack, and pulled out another gun, trying to get Harry, but it blew up in his face, and knocked him back. With a swift motion, Deadpool sprang up to his feet.
  
  "No, that's actually all of the dead nuns I keep in my basement, I tend to get the two mixed up."
  
  "Do you ever shut up?" Harry asked, trying to use a silencing charm on Deadpool, just so he could focus on a way to kill him.
  
  "No, don't sew my mouth shut, people hate that when I don't talk," Deadpool said in a mock dramatic voice. The Merc with the Mouth continued to dodge and duck. "Can't touch this!"
  
  Harry conjured flaming spikes, but Deadpool screamed and dodged out of the way.
  
  "Hey, careful with those things, you're going to kill someone with those things, likely me!" Deadpool shouted, shaking his fist at Harry, and waggling his finger at him like a stern parent.
  
  "Why won't you go down?" Harry demanded, and Deadpool just raised his hands, and shrugged his shoulders.
  
  "Hey, if I go down in one spell, it wouldn't be that entertaining, now would it?" Deadpool asked in a nonchalant voice, before he tried to attack Harry. Deadpool knocked Harry off to the side, and the Merc with the Mouth was blasted hard.
  
  'Ah, he's pulling out the big guns,' Deadpool thought.
  
  "Why are you attacking me anyway?" Harry said through gritted teeth, sending another spell, which Deadpool dodged.
  
  The mercenary just rolled his eyes at Harry, and stated in a matter of fact voice. "Well, for the lolz mostly, and because I need to distract you so Sabertooth and Wolverine can run amuck and tear your little friends to ribbons."
  
  Harry was not impressed with that, and he tried to go in.
  
  "No, you can't stop now!" Deadpool yelled, and he sent flash powder at Harry. "You know, there are fifteen different ways to kill me, seven of them involving rabid rabies infested gophers, but that wouldn't be fun or dramatic, even if it would make a lot of sense."
  
  Deadpool jumped forward, and threw himself at Harry. Harry momentarily was knocked to the side, where he hung onto the edge of the cliff, his legs kicking.
  
  "Now, that's a good spot for a Cliffhanger!" Deadpool cheered as Harry hung from the cliff, just about to pull himself back up.
  Old Wounds Part Two
  
  Chapter 18: Old Wounds Part Two.
  
  For a normal person, hanging over the side of a cliff, about ready to plummet to their demise, it would be a bit of a problem, but Harry Potter was not most people, far from it. There was just one simple thing that made him able to get back up, and back into the battle rather quickly, as he gained flight velocity, and smacked Deadpool hard, knocking him backwards.
  
  Harry was back firmly on his feet, and Deadpool staggered backwards, trying to regain his footing, with the Merc with the Mouth dodging another attack. The young mutant continued to move forward, attacking, and sending spell after spell towards him.
  
  "Man, I liked you better when you were with the hot blonde alien chick," Deadpool remarked, and there was a moment where Harry did not say anything, by this point he had learned to block Deadpool's words, as inane as they were, out of his mind. He kept firing back, dodging and ducking, pivoting and spinning, and he rushed forward, with Harry not backing down not for an instant.
  
  For if Harry backed down, Harry would suffer for this, and the dark haired wizard understood that much for sure. The dark haired wizard blasted him, but Deadpool spun around, before dropping to his knees, and raising his hands for the universal sign of begging off, when he screamed.
  
  "What did you send at me?" Deadpool screamed, shooting the rodents that had been transfigured from the rocks.
  
  "Rabid gophers," Harry responded in a dead pan voice, without missing a beat, and he moved in, before going after Deadpool, before pushing him back, but the Merc with the Mouth teleported out of the way, and landed behind Harry. The two circled each other, but there was a loud crash and a growl.
  
  Sabertooth arrived from one side of the forest, crashing through the woods, and landed on the ground, cracking, a feral growl echoing from his lips. From the other side of the clearing, Wolverine sliced through the leaves, and turned towards them. Both of them stood on either side, stalking them, and snarling at them, their sense of smell heightened, with Deadpool slowly turning his attention towards Harry.
  
  "So, Harry, I was thinking..."
  
  "What were you thinking?" Harry asked, almost afraid of what Deadpool had on his mind, because in Harry's experience there was only one conclusion that could be made. This man was completely and utterly nutters beyond anything Harry had ever known."
  
  "I was thinking we should work together against these guys," Deadpool started, and Wolverine dove at him, trying to claw his face out, but Deadpool blocked his claws with a sword, before pushing him back. "Back you swine, back I say!"
  
  "Work together with you?" Harry asked, sounding out each word slowly, and not really believing what was said. "You must be kidding."
  
  Deadpool winced, and was nearly sliced into ribbons, he had enough scars on his body without this lot adding to it. The Merc with the Mouth backed off, trying to take a deep breath, and bent his knees, before blinking his eyes. He had a resolved look underneath his mask, even though one could not see him due to the mask.
  
  "Come on, that's just how all of these things go between two super heroes, we meet, and fight each other for a while, and eventually we decide to work together. It is in the handbook, surely you've got your copy?"
  
  Harry really wondered about this guy sometimes, but he had no time to think about Deadpool and his insanity, for here was Sabertooth. Sabertooth was blasted into the air, flying backwards, crashing through several branches, and landed hard to the ground. Harry stood on his feet, and Sabertooth was once again ready to fight, with Harry cursing the durability of both of these beasts, deciding to step up his attack.
  
  "So, what do you say?" Deadpool asked to Harry, trying to gauge his reaction, and Harry just decided to work together with him, given that he seemed to know more about this. "Because, I think I'm being sold up the river by good ol' dishonest Abe in there."
  
  "Who is Dishonest Abe?" Harry asked, and he tried to use a sonic spell to rattle Wolverine, and the mutant staggered around, before dropping to his knees. The clawed mutant gave a primal scream, but Harry reflected him back, turning around, slashing, and firing back at Wolverine with his magic.
  
  "I'll throw down some needless exposition later, if we get out of this alive, just stick around," Deadpool answered at that moment, and there was a moment where Deadpool grabbed his guns, before he fired him. "Don't know why I'm doing this, maybe you can magically amplify my bullets to actually break through the healing factor. I know, nutty and off the wall but...."
  
  "It just might work," Harry snapped back, before waving his hand and Deadpools guns glow, before he fired, catching Sabertooth, staggering back, and running off. Wolverine moved off the other direction, and Harry's legs buckled, before he adjusted his stance.
  
  "That was almost too easy," Deadpool remarked, and Harry's eyes snapped towards the face of Deadpool, trying to take a good and long look at him; just trying to figure out what his major malfunction was.
  
  "Easy, really, I think you might need to revise your definition of easy."
  
  "No, I mean those two are not going to go down without a fight," Deadpool said, and slapped his hand down on the side of his desk. There was a moment where the Merc from the Mouth stood by, and Harry grabbed the communication device, firing it up, and with another motion, put it up to his ear.
  
  "Kitty, are you there?" Harry asked to her over the communication link, but there was a moment where he tapped on it. "Kitty, hello, give me a sign..."
  
  There was a moment where Harry stood there, and took a deep breath, before closing his eyes, knowing that if Kitty was not answering, then something would have happened. Harry tried to focus on any sounds, isolating them, before he closed his eyes, and with another effort popped to the closest sound, leaving Deadpool standing there, whistling.
  
  "I guess he doesn't need my help, oh well, that was fun," Deadpool replied, walking over, and reaching into a clearing of bushes, before pulling out explosive devices, and he began to whistle a merry tune, practically skipping as he did. "Time to let ol' Abe know the price of trying to double cross Deadpool."
  
  Deadpool hummed the theme to the Golden Girls as he prepared to get himself some good old fashioned revenge.
  
  Kitty found that her communicator device was given off a lot of static when she was frantically trying to get it to work, slamming her hand on it, trying to get it to work. The brunette mutant found herself getting more and more hysterical by each passing moment, and she took a deep breath, trying to figure out where she would go from here. Kurt stood on the path, eyes widening at the sounds he heard, and he reached over, really tugging Kitty by the sleeve, causing her to spin around, eyes snapping open and wide at the moment.
  
  "What, Kurt?" Kitty asked, snapping, but then she realized what happened, when she saw the two charging them in the clearing. It was Sabertooth and Wolverine, standing together, and rushing forward them. Kitty went through the ground, and Kurt teleported out of the way, avoiding the attacks of the two mutants. "Sabertooth, Wolverine, this isn't right, those two are mortal enemies."
  
  "Yeah ours," Kurt gasped, trying to get out of the way, but Sabertooth rushed Kurt, trying to grab him, claws extended and teeth bared. Kurt teleported out of the way, dodged the attack with expert precision, and landed on the back of his head; with Sabertooth grabbing him, but Kurt avoided it.
  
  The attack was avoided again and again, with Kurt trying to get Sabertooth into a compromising position where he could be easily defeated. Kitty was having her own problems, and Wolverine charged the brunette mutant, sadistic intentions in his eyes. Kitty took a deep breath, waiting for Wolverine to go after her, waiting for the attack, and she just barely became intangible at that moment.
  
  "Logan, snap out of it!" Kitty yelled suddenly, and Logan just stopped at that moment, his eyes glossing over, before his teeth gritted, and he stepped back, staring at Kitty. "Whoever this is, it isn't you, just..."
  
  "Get out, now before...argh!"
  
  Logan was bombarded by unbearable pain in his cerebral cortex, with the mutant moving around, swinging his arms, and slashing his claws in mid-air. The mutant's eyes were glazed over, and Kitty took a step back, watching in horror as Logan's face contorted into an angry, nearly scary scowl. The best way to describe his face would be that of a slasher smile, and his claws being out indicated that was what he intended to do.
  
  Kitty knew when it was time to duck, and like a corkscrew, Harry flew through the air, blasting Logan with another sonic vibration spell once again, rattling him, and it also appeared to cause havoc with whatever was controlling him.
  
  "Kurt's fighting Sabertooth off in the woods, go help him," Kitty managed, and Harry nodded, hearing the sounds of Kurt teleporting out of the way.
  
  Harry saw that Sabertooth was under some kind of control as well, although it was obviously less strong than Logan's, and the creature liked what he was being told to do, relishing at the chance to rip, tear, and shred anyone to pieces that got in his way. The dark haired wizard picked his spots wisely, staring in the woods, and then he understood what was going to do.
  
  With a swift motion, Harry fired a spell that caused Sabertooth's vision to be rattled by sensations that caused him to nearly go blind. Sabertooth staggered around, clutched his eyes and staggered from side to side, smashing into the trees. Suddenly, he jumped into the air, and reported back to the lab.
  
  "Are you alright?" Harry asked, Kurt, and Kurt nodded, trying to regain some degree of sense and coherency.
  
  "Yeah, who doesn't enjoy getting killed several times a day," Kurt answered breathlessly, but he took it in stride, and several breaths later, the fuzzy mutant climbed himself up to a standing position; where Kurt had shaken the cobwebs loose.
  
  It was a moment later that Kitty had rushed forward, frantically breathing, and shaking her head. Harry grabbed her around the waist, and held her steady, giving Kitty a chance to calm herself, before Kurt had chimed in with the question that was the most likely to be asked.
  
  "So where is Logan?" Kurt asked, and Kitty's eyes snapped towards Kurt, her pupils wide, and she tried to regain her bearings. Harry pulled her in tightly, before Kitty got over her nerves, and began to speak.
  
  "I don't really know," Kitty replied, waving her hands in an apologetic matter, and taking a moment to regain her bearings, even if this was a situation that was taxing her nerves today. Then again, she was in good company. "He managed to run away, and he went that way."
  
  "Right, of course he went that way," Harry answered, taking a moment to try and pick out the tracking charm that he placed on Logan. "He's going right to the source, while he still has some kind of bearings to himself."
  
  Kurt nodded his head, but Kitty chimed in with the obvious observation, her frown crossing over the face. "You know that there is some kind of implant in Logan's head, and it's making him act...well you know kind of off."
  
  Harry and Kurt both nodded, this did not escape their notice, and Harry was making plans to try and deal with the implant, without cooking Logan's brains. The problem was that kind of technology was something that Harry was not comfortable with messing with; unless of course he was completely sure, and knew that such a thing could not be screwed up without any consequences.
  
  The three mutants moved around, carefully sticking to the shadows as they tracked, and Harry activated the tracking spell. Despite the fact that tracking spells could be very imprecise, and have a slight margin for error depending on how fast the target was moving; but it was better than nothing, so the three mutants moved off.
  
  Little did they know that Deadpool was also getting into position, and the Merc with the Mouth was going to make things rather interesting, not to mention explosive.
  
  Cornelius tapped his fingers on the console, and a blip echoed on the screen, getting closer and closer, with the mad scientist knowing that one of his pets were coming. One of the properties had moved in closer to the lab, and Cornelius placed his hands down, with the door being cut up.
  
  The morally depraved scientist spun around, coming face to face with Wolverine, with all of his fury, and all of his bloodlust. Cornelius tapped his fingers on the edge of the console, and Wolverine stepped forward, moving and making strides.
  
  "You!" Wolverine growled, spit flying from his mouth, but the doctor was not afraid, he was in control, and he picked up a remote control device, before twisting a knob, moving the setting up from a five to a six.
  
  "You're not in control, not this time Logan," Cornelius stated, a smug expression on his face, and he continued to torment Wolverine, just twisting, but he tried to reach forward, another twist of the knob. "Your little friends are outside, I want them dealt with. Do you hear me, you mongrel, I want them dealt with?"
  
  Wolverine snarled, before pushing his claws out, and tried to stab Cornelius, but the knob was twisted again, while Kitty poked her head through the door to check if the coast was clear. When the coast was clear, Kurt teleported in, and tried to make a mad snatch for the remote control that was controlling Wolverine.
  
  An explosion rattled outside of the lab, and caused everyone to stagger, with Kitty and Harry popping in. Harry summoned the remote control away from Cornelius, and Wolverine staggered around, growling, and snarling, but suddenly another explosion rattled them.
  
  "Who is doing this?" Kitty demanded, shaking her head, and trying to regain some semblance of herself, but the door cracked up, and Sabertooth flew in, being knocked down, with Deadpool entering at that moment. Harry braced himself for more trouble, but Deadpool reached over, and grabbed the form of Doctor Cornelius.
  
  "Thought you could double cross me, didn't you?" Deadpool asked, and he shoved Cornelius into the wall. The doctor cracked against the wall, and Deadpool stood over him, walking each and every step of the way, a cracked grin appearing underneath his face. "Abe, I tell you, you're not going to double cross me right then..."
  
  "I made you, Wilson, I made you!" Cornelius yelled.
  
  "No, that was Mr. and Mrs. Deadpool, and a couple of bottles of Jack, behind a Porno theater, but that's beside the point," Deadpool answered, shaking his head, and Harry just waited, the remote control device in his hand, with Kurt reaching over, and tugging on his sleeve. Harry spun around, inclining his eyebrow at that moment, and then Kurt just cleared his throat a bit.
  
  "So...um do you think we should get involved?"
  
  It was Kitty who chimed in with an answer, rolling her eyes at this point, and seeing Wolverine slowly come too. "No, I want to see how this pans out, I don't know about you, Harry."
  
  "Yeah, let's just wait and see," Harry agreed, standing with the remote control in one hand, and his hand on his hip, before watching the situation. Wolverine growled, and Harry managed to figure out the device, toning it down just enough not to overwhelm Wolverine.
  
  Logan placed one hand to his forehead, snarling, and growling, but it was less pronounced, and less prominent. Harry took a tentative step forward, and decided to break the silence, with Logan just gritting his teeth at that moment. "So...we're back to normal."
  
  "Yeah, if you want to call it that," Logan growled, and he staggered, a bit cross eyed, but he turned to them. "You kids better get out of here, it's going to get really messy, really quick."
  
  "What, and miss the show?" Harry asked, but he noticed that Deadpool was still slapping Cornelius around, almost as if he was stalling for dramatic effect. Logan's eyes narrowed at this point, and Kurt, Kitty, and Harry took a few steps back, before Logan walked forward, grabbing the Merc with the Mouth around the wrist.
  
  "One side, Wilson," Logan growled, and Wade Wilson stepped back, Deadpool's expression somehow becoming prominent underneath his mask, and he turned to Logan, just nodding, understanding that someone is going to get it. Logan then turned around to Cornelius, and backed him into the corner. "It's just you and me now..."
  
  "I helped make you, I made you who you are today, I helped make you...."
  
  Logan grabbed Cornelius around the wrist, when suddenly another explosion had rattled every single person inside the lab, and Cornelius just smiled, a sadistic expression curling around his lip. The mutant popped his claws, but stopped short of gutting him, morbid curiosity getting the better of him.
  
  "What are you smiling about?" Logan demanded, and it was at this point where Cornelius responded in his own way, a grin cracking over his face.
  
  "You're not going to get out of here, not that easily, not without this entire lab blowing up over your..."
  
  Logan heard just about enough, and Cornelius gave a pained grunt, slumping to the ground, blood dripping from his stomach, pulling his blood stained claws about of his stomach. This was the same doctor who had turned him into a living weapon, so Logan found his sympathy in limited supply.
  
  "Project Weapon X is terminated," Logan growled, allowing the doctor to slump to the ground, and the blood splattered on the floor.
  
  With a pained grimace, Logan staggered, his eyes flickering in and out, before Harry used a spell to slow his descent, and then he turned around to the other two members of the X-Men, using a spell to slow the explosion, just long enough where they could teleport Logan out, and get their way to the X-Jet.
  
  Whether Sabertooth actually managed to get out, or had perished in the explosion that was not something they would be concerned about right now. Logan eventually passed completely out on their way to the X-Jet, with his knees slumping to the ground. Lighting cracked through the sky, with raining dropping down from the sky, but they loaded Logan onto the jet. Harry sat himself down on the Jet.
  
  "Can you fly it?" Kitty asked him, looking at him with impassive eyes, but Harry just shrugged in response.
  
  "First time for everything, I guess," Harry answered, he had been trying to pick up some pointers.
  
  As it turned out, he did more than okay. Deadpool just watched them leave, nodding, before walking into the shadows. He stopped, turned his head, and began to speak to no one in particular in his usual insane manner.
  
  "You might have won this round, but I may or may not be returning, at some undetermined point in the future, I don't really know, it depends."
  
  Deadpool disappeared into the night, as the team sprinted Logan all the way back to the Xavier Institute, and the Weapon X facility burned to the ground all around them.
  
  With a pained growl, Logan sat up, and it took him over a few minutes to realize that he had been in a bed. The last thing he remembered, the entire Weapon X facility was blowing up around his ears, and he was there with Arcane, Nightcrawler, and Shadowcat, with no idea if they had gotten out alive.
  
  Logan settled himself, and tried to calm himself down, just in time to see Professor Xavier wheeling into the room, with a relieved expression in his back.
  
  "Good you have to back, Logan," Xavier responded, breaking the tension in the air, and he wheeled up to the bed.
  
  "Wish it was good to be back, but it feels like the Juggernaut decided to use my head as a super ball," Logan grumbled, shaking his head, and he slumped back onto the pillows, barely able to move his head. "Did they get back alright?"
  
  "Yes, fine, not even a scratch on any of them, but we were very fortunate not to lose you, thanks to that implant that had been put in your head," Xavier responded, and Logan's eyes snapped towards him, his expression demanding more information, and Xavier was prompt to give more information. "The implant has been removed, and we tried to trace the signal back, but with the facility blown up, it appears that we can't trace back much of anything. Although I feel that this Weapon X may not have been working alone."
  
  "So you think there is some higher power?" Logan asked, and Xavier responded with a swift nod. The mutant just responded with a grumbling, "Great."
  
  "It seems as if it was a mystery that will have to wait for another day, but I will inform the other students that you were out of the rooms," Xavier responded, and Logan's eyes spun around. "Harry has taken over your normal Danger Rooms sessions, and I must say, he has a certain knack for teaching. It is almost like he was done this before."
  
  "Maybe he has," Logan said thoughtfully, and Xavier allowed Logan a moment to get piece. "Tell them all that I'll be back, and worse than ever in a couple of days. We're going to make up for lost time."
  
  "I'm sure they'll be relieved to see that you are back on your feet, and ready to go, old friend," Xavier responded, and he turned around, wheeling out of the room. Just as Xavier left, it was Harry who walked in.
  
  "So, I heard you picked up the slack," Logan remarked.
  
  "I guess you're back to your old jovial self," Harry answered, and he turned to Logan, a bit of an expression on his face. "You know, as much as we bitch and whine about your training sessions, it wouldn't be the same without you."
  
  "Glad to know I'm appreciated," Logan responded, and he put a hand to his temple, rubbing it. Harry opened his mouth, but Logan waved it off. "It's nothing, nothing at all, just a ringing in my ears, guess it's going to be hard to really get my head together after everything that's happened."
  
  Harry nodded, really there was nothing much more to say, and Logan was not the conversational type, so Harry turned around, quickening his movements and leaving the vicinity of the hospital wing, taking a few steps at a time when he left, and Logan seemed to appreciate the solitude. The mutant rested on the bed, and just kicked back his feet.
  
  He really wished that someone would bring him a beer, but that was just a minor quibble, and one that Logan would have to deal with. It was a slow recovery, but one that Logan would weather the storm of and come back, meaner and stronger than ever.
  
  As for Harry, he had other things to do with his time, quickening his strides when he moved down the hall. Kitty was going to meet him at the Danger Room, and the two of them were going to train, and spar, brushing up on their physical fighting skills. Harry found that his powers could be a crutch if he relied too much on them, and whilst he did want to refine his magic, he wanted to refine his body as well.
  
  Harry realized how many battles he could have won against the Death Eaters if he had simply kicked them in the face, and took their wand away. What were they going to do?
  
  Live and learn, that's what Harry thought when he had moved closer, and closer. He thought about a spell that he was researching, if he had mastered it, it would allow Rogue to touch people other than him temporarily, for at least an hour. If he could find a more permanent version, then that would be good, but right now, baby steps were important.
  
  Kitty and Harry faced each other in the Danger Room, which had been shut down, so it could serve as a normal sparring room. The two mutants stood across from each other, and peered into each other's eyes, before Kitty was the one that broke the silence.
  
  "So what are the rules?"
  
  "Normal sparring session, no powers, just hand to hand," Harry said, and Kitty nodded at that moment. "And the winner gets to do what they want to loser. But we warned, I play to win."
  
  Kitty put her hands on her hips, and offered a smug expression, before she spoke. "Well, so do I, Mr. Potter."
  
  "We'll see who is better, Ms. Pryde," Harry fired back, and the two of them surrounded each other. "So best of three?"
  
  "Yeah, that'd be fine," Kitty replied, but she stopped when she realized something. "Hey, wait a minute, don't you have powers that can read body language? How is this a fair fight?"
  
  Harry just smiled, this would be a test of Kitty's ability to improvise, and hopefully be creative, even though he spent more time studying her and Rogue than he did than anyone else at the Institute. The buzzer went off, and Kitty immediately tried for a quick kick, knocking that the only way she was going to have a fighting chance against Harry, was to strike hard and early.
  
  The young mutant stepped to the side, and Kitty landed on the ground, before she tried again, but Harry pivoted and spun around, avoiding her attacks.
  
  "So not fair," Kitty responded, but she was determined to at least put a good showing.
  
  "Do you think our enemies are going to be fair?" Harry asked her, with a raised eyebrow.
  
  Kitty gritted her teeth, she hated when Harry had to be right, which happened more often then she cared to admit. The brunette mutant struck hard, but Harry dodged the attack again, and Kitty felt herself get dizzied. At this rate, Harry was not going to have to lay one finger on her, and Kitty was just going to burn herself out at this rate.
  
  Kitty tried for a different tactic, going low, and sliding through Harry's legs, but Harry grabbed her around the waist, brushing his hands on the underside of her breasts, and causing tingles to go down her spine.
  
  "Hey, no fair, that's cheating," Kitty responded through the wave of pleasure that she felt.
  
  "No powers, all is fair in love, and war," Harry answered to her, and pulled Kitty up, before flipping her back to the ground, and then straddling her, whilst pinning her to the ground. Kitty struggled, but she knew that she was licked. "And I believe that first fall goes to me."
  
  "I still got two more," Kitty answered, shaking her head. "You know, it would be fairer if you would do this blindfolded."
  
  "Again, would your enemies offer you the same courtesy if they had these powers?" Harry asked, unable to figure out the exact point where he channeled the spirit of Mad-Eye Moody, but he was just going to go for it. "Again, ready when you are."
  
  "I was born ready," Kitty said, trying to adopt a confident expression, despite the fact that Harry had flustered her. The brunette mutant rushed Harry, but Harry ducked, and Kitty rolled, trying to use some form of agility to bounce off of the walls of the Danger Room.
  
  Harry caught her in his arms, and he flipped Kitty over onto her feet. Kitty tried to sweep the legs, taking out the wheels from underneath him, but Harry jumped into the air, did a cartwheel, and landed on his feet.
  
  "Oh, now you're just showing off," Kitty responded, and Harry just offered a bow. Kitty tried to nail him why he was bowing, but Harry caught the foot, and flipped it over onto her feet.
  
  Kitty was not down yet, and she managed to scissor the leg, before taking Harry down to the ground. The brunette mutant popped up, pumped her fist in a heroic pose, and offered a bright smile. "Yeah, I got one!"
  
  Harry just smiled, really he was proud of his girlfriend for getting a shot in on him, and also took it as a chance to improve with his stance. Of course, Kitty had let up on him a little bit, just grandstanding, and Harry swept the legs out from underneath Kitty, before taking her down to the ground, and Harry pinned her shoulders down to the ground, straddling her once again.
  
  "I had you though," Kitty responded, eyes widened in surprise, but Harry just grinned, offering a smile that caused Kitty to get weak in the knees.
  
  "Yeah, you had me, but you didn't follow up on the advantage, it's easy enough to get caught up in the moment," Harry responded, reciting something that he told the members of the DA during one of the last meetings, and that was getting the advantage was the easy part, it was keeping the advantage. "And I believe that I've won."
  
  Kitty's eyes snapped up, both of them focused directly on Harry's face, whilst he still had her pinned down, and Kitty's chest rose and fell as she exhaled. "I believe that you have won, but what are you going to do about it?"
  
  Harry just grinned, bending down, and planting his lips upon hers, before he proceeded to kiss the breath out of Kitty, tilting her head up slightly so the two pairs of lips could meet in a fiery passion.
  
  Smut/Lemon Begins.
  
  Harry wasted little time pulling Kitty's shirt over her head, and saw her breasts contained in a small black bra, but otherwise she was naked from the waist up. Harry's shirt was pulled off next, and he pulled Kitty into a tight embrace, kissing her, before Harry unclipped the bra, and it fell between them. Kitty's breasts smashed against Harry's chest, and Harry continued to kiss her, working her skirt off over her knees.
  
  The skirt fell to the ground, and Kitty moaned, when she felt Harry tease her a little bit, running his fingers off of the edge of her stomach, feeling around her panties. His fingers touched everywhere, her face, her arms, her side, her stomach, her legs, but Harry seemed to be avoiding her legs and ass in an attempt to get her riled up.
  
  Harry felt his hands over her beautiful body, and pushed her against the wall, before pressing his lips against Kitty's further, and Kitty rubbed against him, encouraging him to go faster. Harry reached over, and pealed her panties, revealing her pussy. Harry backed off, feeling the dampness that rising from her, and the heat from between her legs.
  
  "Wow, you're wet already," Harry remarked, rubbing his fingers around her, tracing against her lips, and Kitty was back against the wall. "Do you want something?"
  
  "Your fingers, your tongue, your cock, just pick one, and put them in me," Kitty begged, and Harry's thumb stroked her clit until Kitty's eyes closed, and she was firmly pressed against the wall, offering a soft moan, when Harry pleasured her. Harry scooped up Kitty, and walked her over, placing her on the ground.
  
  Kitty was laid on the ground, and suddenly, she found herself chained to the ground. She tried to shift out of the binds, straining, and trying to get out, but Kitty found that it was hard to get out, and she was at Harry's mercy, as he stood over her, slowly unbuckling his pants.
  
  "Please Harry," Kitty begged him, feeling an unbearable heat coming between her legs, and Harry sat her up, so she was still chained, but in a sitting position.
  
  "Suck my cock," Harry commanded, and Kitty did as she was told, licking around the head like a lollipop, before her wet tongue trailed around the base. Kitty tasted Harry's cock, feeling every throb, twitch, and every vein it had with her tongue, feeling the pinnacle of manhood, with Kitty leaning forward, and putting her mouth on Harry's cock, before giving him a long and deep suck. "You love sucking my cock, don't you?"
  
  Kitty moaned in response, and bobbed her head up and down on Harry's member, pushing it against the back of her throat, taking as much into her mouth as she could. Half of the cock was in her mouth, and Harry grabbed her hair slightly, giving it a tug.
  
  "Better get more of that in your mouth, or I'll pull harder," Harry ordered, and Kitty sped up her motions, getting off on Harry ordering her around, it just made her feel all different. It was not without benefits. "That's it, a good cocksucker, you suck a good cock, keep doing that, yeah, oh yeah."
  
  Kitty bobbed up and down, to keep sucking on Harry, feeling him harden more and more in her mouth. She speared Harry's cock down her throat, trying to get more and more of the member down her throat, and she sped it. She loved sucking Harry's cock, and it would be done all day long.
  
  The sensation of her hot mouth around his hard rod was bringing Harry and Harry closer, and closer to his completion.
  
  "Going to blow, I want to see your load on your pretty face," Harry said, pulling out of Kitty's mouth, and releasing her hands, so Kitty could jerk him off. "That's it baby, jerk it, jerk it off."
  
  "Cum Harry, shoot your load on my pretty face," Kitty encouraged him, giving several hard tugs, and immediately, Harry's balls tighten, and he shot a thick load into Kitty's face. His cum splattered against her face, and chest, sending several streams out, painting Kitty white. The brunette slid back, with cum dibbling down her face and chin. She caught it in her hand, and began to shovel it into her mouth, eating his cum.
  
  "You dirty girl, you like eating my cum, don't you? Harry teased Kitty, and Kitty just smiled, the semen dribbling down her face.
  
  With the contraceptive charm on, Harry grabbed Kitty by the hips, and pinned her to the ground, before penetrating her with his stiff member without warning.
  
  "Oh, such a tight cunt, keep going, don't slow down," Harry breathed, and Kitty moved her hips up, matching Harry's movements.
  
  "Stretch me so much," Kitty breathed, Harry's cock slamming into her pussy, going in and out. "I love a big cock, keep fucking me, fuck me harder, oh the fact we're doing it in the Danger Room, that's so hot."
  
  Harry would have to agree, and his cock kept slamming into Kitty, before roughly grabbing her hair, and then squeezing her breasts, feeling them. They were small, but they were sure sensitive, and Kitty moaned deeply, with Harry continuing to plow into her with each passing step, the moments ticking by.
  
  The large cock penetrated her tight pussy, and Kitty's eyes flickered shut, feeling the thick girth of Harry penetrating her.
  
  "Such a tight pussy," Harry groaned, with Kitty pushing her hips onto his fleshy pole while he continued to fight her, and Harry grabbed Kitty's rear end as it rose off the floor, stroking it, and fondling it. "Who does this pussy belong to?"
  
  "You Harry, only you, oh fuck me baby," Kitty moaned, eyes flickering open and shut, heart beating steady, and the fact was this made her feel so good, the long and hard fucking Harry was giving her. His cock went further and further into her.
  
  The two continued their sex session, better than any Danger Room Session, and Kitty moaned, breathing heavily, with Harry penetrating deep into her, his cock hitting every spot inside her, feeling her up with so much that she could hardly stand it.
  
  "Cumming, so hard," Kitty breathed, feeling her pussy clench and convulse, and Harry just slowed down. "Don't you dare..."
  
  "You want me to fuck you harder?" Harry asked, slowing down his strokes to torturous crawl, and eventually Harry sped back up when Kitty whined, grabbing the back of his head with her freed hands. "So close."
  
  Kitty sped up her motions, raising her hips down, and letting them fall, until they met Harry's motions. The two of them continued to make love to each other on the floor, and eventually Harry's balls tightened. Kitty felt the end was coming, so she looked in Harry's eyes, talking in a husky voice.
  
  "Cum for me, do it."
  
  "Going to fill you up with so much cum," Harry managed, and sure enough, he unleashed his load into Kitty, who screamed out to the heavens, with the semen splattering the inside of her walls. Harry felt the sweet sensation of releasing his cum into another girl's pussy, feeling said pussy wrap around him, and tugging on him, with it flooding into her waiting womb.
  
  Kitty collapsed, with a goofy grin on her face, about an hour later, she felt nice and fucked.
   Smut/Lemon Ends.
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