I'm Not Gifted
After the Mutant Registration Hearing at D.C. Xavier spots Magneto leaving the conference hall, and confronts him:
Xavier: Eric, what are you doing here?
Magneto: Why do you ask questions, to which you know the answers?
Xavier: Don't give up on them, Eric.
Magneto: What would you have me do, Charles? I have heard these arguments before.
Xavier: It was a long time ago. Mankind has evolved since then.
Magneto: Yes, into us. (Magneto raises his hand to his temple) You sneaking around in here, Charles? Whatever are you looking for?
Xavier: I'm looking for hope.
Magneto: I will bring you hope, old friend, and I ask only one thing in return: Don't get in my way. We are the future Charles, Not them. They no longer matter. "
-X-Men, (Film: 2000)
It's been three days since Hermione has been staying at Xavier's School for Gifted Children. She owled a gift to Harry for his birthday yesterday when she visited Magical New York City to obtain some light reading and she only hoped it would arrive before Bill & Fluer's wedding which was scheduled for the first of August. She wasn't keen on how fast an international owl service would take from New York to London, but she didn't have time to send the package until now.
Xavier's mansion was packed with students with strange abilities that they openly shared so they could help each other figure them out and Hermione has been feeling like a one man out. Sure, she was a witch and that was pretty special but the State of Secrecy has kept her lips sufficiently sealed. She had received her wand permit, so she could use magic, just not in front of those that didn't know about it. Which meant, she could only perform magic when she spent time with Professor Xavier in his office, and in her room when she was by herself.
Luckily, None of the students attending the summer classes said anything negative about not sharing her abilities. Most of them think she is an introvert because she only hangs out with Hank in the Medical Bay, with her nose in a book in the library, or with Logan in the Control Room, observing the Danger Room sessions.
Hermione stood in the control room with the hood of her thin black hoodie pulled up over her head, one hand in the pocket of her black jogging pants, and the other resting against the glass of the observatory window that looked down into the Danger Room. She leaned her forehead against her forearm as she watched Hank brief the students on their training mission: Rescue civilians from falling boulders.
"If you want this lot to respect you, Granger, you are going to have to show them." Logan placed a hand on her shoulder, as he leaned over her to observe what was going on in the Danger Room.
"I don't really belong here, Logan." Hermione's gaze turned to Logan, as she felt him squeeze her shoulder and trail his fingers down her back before he placed his hand in his jeans pocket. His other hand played with his dog tags that hung in front of his sleeveless white wife beater that hugged his herculean like muscles.
"I've had enough self pity, kid." Logan pulled Hermione away from the window by her shoulder, and turned her towards the exit. "I think it's high time, you show them who you really are and stop hiding the fact you are gifted."
"Logan, I'm not gifted." Hermione whined, as he hooked his arm in hers and left the control room. They walked down some steps, down a hall, made a turn, zoomed past the medical bay, and went directly into the center Danger Room. Logan smiled broadly as he dropped Hermione off next to Hank. There were four students in the room with him that she hadn't officially met.
"McCoy, we have one more," Logan pushed her into the center of the room. "Granger is Lead."
"Granger can't lead, she hardly knows us." A thin girl with long brown hair in a ponytail and wore a black jumpsuit with lavender racing stripes phased though Hermione as if she wasn't there. "Do you even have any powers, Granger? I'll be Lead."
"My mind, Pryde." Hermione crossed her arms over her chest as she turned her gaze to Hank, then swept her eyes over to Logan and glared at him. Also, my magic, which I am not at liberty to share with you mutants due to the Statute of Secrecy.
"Granger remains as lead, Pryde." Hank looked up from his clipboard and smiled at Hermione, as he dug into the pocket of his lab coat and pulled out a piece of unwrapped candy and popped it in his mouth. "She has been observing other teams long enough to understand how it all works. You will have nothing to worry about, she's a good Leader."
Pryde scoffed as she crossed her arms over her chest. "Some power you have there, Granger."
"Sorry it's not as extravagant as your powers, Pryde." Hermione locked eyes with Pryde. "But, I'm a pretty bossy swot, you will learn to follow."
"You need a greater power to get us to obey you, Granger." a boy flicked his zippo open, and manipulated the fire to form a ring around Hermione. "You can't boss us around with your shitty intel, Granger. It won't take much to overpower you."
Hank went to stop Allerdyce from doing something stupid, but Logan stopped him by grabbing onto his wrist and pulling him out of the way. "Let the kid handle it, Hank."
Hermione didn't flinch as Allerdyce made a ring of fire tighten around her. Her eyes locked with his, her eyes dilated and Allerdyce's eyes mirrored hers. "Your fire cannot hurt me, Allerdyce."
"My fire cannot hurt you, Granger?" Allerdyce smirked as he made a fist, and the fire circle shrank to a few inches away from her. "Are you so sure about that?"
Hermione took a deep breath in and out, as she kept eye contact with Allerdyce, her pupils expanding more as she relaxed into her stance. You don't want to burn me, Allerdyce. Put out the fire.
Allerdyce's pupils expanded as his mouth fell open when he realized Hermione hadn't moved her lips when she spoke to him. He relaxed his fist and the fire extinguished itself like it lost its ability to absorb oxygen and dissipated into a ring of smoke. "You're like Professor Xavier, can you move things with your mind as well?"
Not with my mind, no.
Pryde turned her head to Allerdyce, "What do you mean she's like Professor X, Pyro?"
"She just spoke into my mind, like she belonged there, Shadowcat." Allerdyce looked to Pryde, then turned his focus back to Hermione. "Can you do it without eye contact, Granger?"
"Not initially, I have to have eye contact to match our brain frequencies." Hermione's gaze moved to meet each of her teammates' eyes, locking onto them, making her pupils dilate and all of their irises' turned like a radio dials, fine tuning and syncing up with hers. I think I have to initially make eye contact to link us and sync the frequencies of our minds.
"Granger, I offer you my steel in service of your divine leadership." The big man stepped before her and morphed his skin into steel as he went down on one knee with a smile on his face as he made eye contact.
Hermione arched her brow, as the man who had reminded her of Viktor changed her mind with his Russian accent. "Thanks, Rasputin."
"Please, it's Colossus." He pressed his hands on his knee to push himself back as he crossed his arms over his chest and backed himself in a spot next to Pryde.
"That was quite impressive, Granger. I have to admit." A boy from behind her said as he raised his hand and cold wind escaped his fingers forming a shape in the ice, a statue of Hermione with her hands clasping her forehead like Professor X often does when he's concentrating.
"I'm not here to impress anyone, Drake." Hermione rolled her eyes as she took the ice sculpture from his hand and then tossed it over her shoulder like it was grains of salt. "That's some talent. If it wasn't a block of ice I'd keep it on my desk as a memento."
"Anyone else on our team, or is this it?" Hermione's gaze followed Drake as he walked over to Allerdyce and the two boys did some kind of secret handshake that involved a spectacular display of their powers over fire and ice.
"This is it, Hermione." Hank hung his clipboard on a hook on his belt. "Logan and I will be in the Control Room. This sequence should take no longer than an hour."
Logan took that as his cue to exit the Danger Room, but not before patting Hermione on the shoulder as he whispered in her ear. "You got this, kid."
Hank followed Logan out of the Danger Room shaking his head. "If you don't get this, you will do it again after dinner."
Hermione made sure to walk over to each of her teammates, shook their hands, locked eyes with each one of them, tweaking their brains' frequencies to match up on a secured channel she created inside her own mind. No need to yell, scream, and carry on. If you think it, we will hear it.
Whoa…Pryde's voice was softer than usual, but it was clear she was impressed.
Shadowcat…is that you? Allerdyce shook his head as he looked at Hermione.
Of course that's Pryde. Drake crossed his arms over his chest.
Comrade Granger, I apologize for my most inappropriate thoughts. Colossus covered his face with his hand, clearly embarrassed to be sharing thoughts with his entire team.
Anything you want to keep to yourself will remain in your mind alone, we only hear the thoughts you intend to share. Hermione smirked. Although, I appreciate your apology, Colossus. I did catch a glimpse of what you were apologizing over…I have to admit, that was quite…risqué.
No, No, no, you can't leave it like that, Granger. Colossus, you must share your erotic vision with the rest of us! Allerdyce chimed in as a shit eating grin slid into place. His eyes shifted between Hermione to Colossus.
Pryde held her belly and shook with laughter as she couldn't hold it in. You boys are pretty stupid, huh?
I'm no boy, friend Pryde. I am a man…a man of steel. Colossus leaned back and cracked his knuckles.
I think you are confusing yourself with Superman, bro. Allerdyce shook his head as he flipped open his zippo causing a spark to start his fire.
Now he's the Man of Steel. Drake smiled as his hands encased themselves with ice.
But he is not real, and I am. Colossus rolled his eyes.
Your perception of reality is not relevant. Hermione's voice echoed around them. Pay attention. The room's environment shifted, and the small empty room instantly became an entirely new environment. This…is…(simply magical)...When did technology become so advanced?
Technically, a mutant made this technology using their abilities. Pryde instantly phased through the boulder that was flung in her direction. Shit is about to get real.
Put your game faces on ladies and gentlemen. Drake slammed his ice into the boulder that nearly slammed into his head, blasting it back from whence it came.
The next hour and a half was intense. Hermione had directed the mission with care. Every time a new opposing force came into the sequence, she had adapted the plan of attack. First wave: rescue civilians from falling boulders, Second Wave: rescue civilians from a mutant whose powers just manifested and caused chaos. Third wave: Brotherhood arrives to interfere with X-men recruitment plans. Fourth wave: Police, Swat and Military force enter the scene to stop all mutants.
Pryde, Allerdyce, Drake and Colossus got used to having their brains synced up, the only things spoken were taunts to the enemy, as they fought in battle in tandem following the orders of Hermione, and communicating silently inside Hermione's Mind frequency.
They had managed to save the majority of the civilians from the boulders, they recruited the mutant, and defeated the brotherhood just before the fourth wave hit. Hermione managed to negotiate with the police swat and military task force to allow her and her teammates to go as they handed over the brotherhood into their capable hands. Overall, their mission was a success.
"Good work, Granger." Logan's voice came over the intercom. "Hit the showers kids. Dinner should be ready within the next hour."
The simulation vanished, and they were returned to a pristine grid room. The only evidence that they accomplished their mission was the fact Hermione and her teammate were beaten down exhausted, their clothes were torn to shreds, and they all were drenched in sweat.
Meanwhile, across the pond in Little Whinging, The Order of the Phoenix, along with Ron & Seamus (AN: as Hermione is not here & he is of age), have arrived at Potter's house a few days shy of his birthday, to retrieve him:
Mad Eye: Potter, you're underage. Which means you still got the trace on you.
Harry: What's the trace?
Mad Eye: If you sneeze, the ministry will know who wipes your nose. The point is we have to use those means of transport the trace can't detect: brooms, thestrals and the like. We go in pairs. That way if anyone is out there waiting for us, I reckon there will be. They won't know which Harry Potter is the real one.
Harry: The Real one?
Mad Eye: (waves a bottled potion) I believe you are familiar with this particular brew.
Harry: No, Absolutely Not.
Seamus: I told you, he'd never go for it.
Harry: No if you think I'm going to let everyone risk their lives for me.
Ron: Never done that before have we?
Harry: No, No! This is different! You're taking that, becoming me. No.
Fred: None of us really fancy you, mate.
George: yeah, imagine if something went wrong, we ended up a scrawny specky git, forever.
Mad Eye: Everyone here is of age, Potter. Fair warning, tastes like Goblin Piss.
George: Have lots of experience with it, do you Mad Eye? Just trying to diffuse the tension. (Takes a gulp of Polyjuice with the essence of Harry)
Mad Eye passes the potion bottle to the rest that are transforming Fred, Mundungus, Fluer, Ron, & Seamus
Fred & George (transformed into Harry): Wow, we're identical.
Made Eye: Not yet you're not. (Mad Eye dumps a garbage bag full of identical Harry outfits on the floor)
Fred: Haven't got anything a bit more sporting, have you?
George: Yeah, I really don't fancy this color.
Mad Eye: Well fancy this. You are not you. So shut it and strip.
Fred & George: Alright, Alright!
Mad Eye: You need to change too, Potter.
Fleur (transformed as Harry): Bill, look away, I'm Hideous.
Ron (transformed as Harry): I knew Ginny was lying about that tattoo
Seamus (transformed as Harry): Harry mate, you are truly blind, yeah?
Mad Eye: Alright then, we'll be pairing off. Each Potter will have a protector. Mundungus, stick tight to me. I want to keep an eye on you. As for Harry
All the Polyjuiced Harry responds: Yes
Mad Eye: The Real Harry. Where the devil are you, anyway?
Real Harry: (raises his hand) Here
Mad Eye: You'll ride with Hagrid
Hagrid: I brought you here 16 years ago, when you were no bigger than a bowtruckle. Seems only right that I should be the one to take you away now
Mad Eye: Yes, it's all very touching. Let's go!
-Harry Potter & The Deathly Hallows Part I, (2010)
Little did the X-men know that Magneto had somehow managed to hack into the control room video feeds. All their training sessions were compromised by the brotherhood. They would watch and study their sessions, and train his people how to combat the X-men based on what he learned from their sessions. It came to no surprise when he arrived at his office, and put down his fedora on the hat rack that he noticed a notification on his computer, indicating a new Danger Room Session video had arrived. He placed his suit jacket on the back of his chair and took a seat behind his desk. Raising a hand and twirling it in the air, as he made himself a cup of tea using his magnetism on the stove, kettle, sugar bowl, spoon, and tea container.
He clicked open the video and when he saw Logan dragging Hermione into the Danger Room briefing, he paused the video because he recognized her immediately. "I never would have thought Charles would come back to collect you, lil miss." Magneto leaned back into his chair as he hit play once again to continue viewing the recording. "I had wondered if you really had hurt that boy, you did, didn't you?" He shook his head, smirking. "And Charles never suspected a thing, did he?"
He narrowed his eyes as he paused the video again, zooming in on Hermione's face. "Such a talent you have, being able to lie to the man who can dig deep into your mind and pry you of all your secrets…and that was when you were still at a precious young age." He traced his finger up and down along her cheek on the screen. He sat back, deeper into his chair and closed his eyes a moment, reminiscing on the memory of meeting Hermione when she was just a preschooler. "Now look at you. My, what could have led Charles to track you down and bring you back to his school? Whatever his reasons, I will come to collect you, we can't have Charles limiting you from bringing out your full potential."