FicWad

Burnt Genes

Chapter 2

Mage

It has been just over a month since Harry was rescued and taken into the Xavier Institute for gifted children. Though, as the students would call it, Mutant Academy.

He's skitty around the other students right now, but other than staying too close to Jean he's doing well. Though, he still has to learn not to fly everywhere he wants to go, but they understand it's the only thing he really has to enjoy right now.

The car pulled up on Privet Drive and Ororo with the assistance of a large dark haired man, Logan helped Professor Xavier out and into his wheelchair. They looked up to number four, Ororo glaring as Logan growled while flexing his fists in his anger.

"Logan, you should restrain yourself," Xavier said with a smile. "These people will give us all of the information we want and then sign over Harry's guardianship to Ororo and myself."

"My way of gathering information is more fun," Logan retorted with a grin that would spook a bear.

"Logan," Ororo said rolling her eyes. "This information is imperative; we can not risk it or our own morals for some petty revenge. It might make us feel better to teach them what it's like being the victim, but we must have better judgement or we shall be no better than them or Magneto."

"Yea yeah," he replied not really listening as he pushed the Professor to the front door. "Lets just get this over with," he said as he turned and glared at some passing women causing them to hurry passed muttering about un-normal guests.

Ororo just sighed wondering whether he'll ever play by the guidelines let alone the rules, but knows his heart is in the right place if he doesn't always show it. She knocked on the door when she realised from his position Xavier couldn't reach and Logan didn't seem to care too.

They just waited a few minutes when a bony blonde of a woman pulled the door open looking at them with her nose upturned. "Yes, can I help you?" she forced out in fake politeness.

"We're here to speak about Harry Potter," Xavier just needed to say the boys name and the blood drained from her face with dread.

"I… I don't know who you're talking about…" she tried saying and went to slam the door closed.

'I'm sure you really do,' Xavier's voice in her head made her freeze. 'Why don't you invite us in now?' he suggested all the time smiling.

Petunia Dursley was stuck. She couldn't turn them away. They would probably just force them selves in so she shakily stepped aside and opened the door. Logan smirked as he helped Xavier into the house and into the lounge where a heavily bandaged fat lump sat on a chair watching TV.

The fatty was about to say something looking at them in anger when Ororo pointed her finger at the TV and fried it. "I think we should talk," she said as he lost the entire colour from his face. "Those bruises look pretty bad, I wonder how you got them?" she couldn't help herself as her eyes flashed with white lightning.

"They're freaks just like the BOY!" he roared out in anger, suddenly regaining his composure. "Get out of my house. I don't want any of this freakishness in MY house."

"Actually Mr. Dursley," Xavier said politely while giving Ororo a quiet reprimand for what she did to the TV. "It appears that this house belongs to a Mrs. Lily Potter, formally Evans as this house was bought by Mrs. Potter's mother and father for you to rent from them. However, the dead as well as a fair sum of unaccounted for money upon their deaths fell to Lily, their youngest.

"This is unfortunate for you as that makes this Harry's property," he said leaning forward a little. "We've found the money that never actually made it to his mother somehow floated into your accounts shortly before Lily's untimely and tragic death."

"It was our rightful payment!" Vernon yelled out. "We had to feed the brat and take care of that freak!"

"We knew he would be just like his parents, a freak, just like you!" Petunia interrupted. "Our mother and father loved her even after she was invited to that freak school!"

"School…?" Ororo asked looking at Xavier in confusion.

"A school of sorcery," he answered in curiosity. "That's why these monsters have been mistreating Harry because of their own petty hate and jealousy!"

"Y-you're not them!" Petunia cried out in shock. "Y-your different freaks… who are you, what do you want!"

"We want you to sign over guardianship of Harry," Xavier said as Ororo produced the papers and a pen. "If you don't I will personally have you before a court and in jail before you can say 'freak'!"

"B-but the old man, Dumbledore," she said looking worried and confused. "He's the Headmaster of their freak school. He won't let you have the boy!"

"That is not for him to decide!" growled Logan as his metal claws slid out from between his knuckles. "Sign the paper or I'll slice your arms off!"

She didn't need telling twice as she shakily signed it before handing it back. "Oh, by the way," Ororo said smilingly. "You have one week to vacate this house as you're being evicted. Oh, and we're going to be claiming for the full return of all of the money that was rightfully Harry's."

"But Dumbledore…" she trailed off at the three glares she got.

"Dumbledore had NO say," Xavier spoke commandingly. "Lily Potter never even knew that he had somehow stolen from her dead parents, their hard worked savings they chose to leave to her, the child who would never ask for it to give to you! It seems this man has been manipulating things, to what end I can only guess.

"If this Dumbledore ever turns up, he will only see this meeting how I want him too. You won't be able to tell anyone, and if you ever come into guardianship of a magical, or other kind of child again, whether your own or someone else's and I find out you are mistreating it. I'll let my two friends lose on you!"

Then with those words spoken and the papers signed Logan helped Xavier out of the house and to the car when they paused as they… well felt a boom rather than heard it and looked around to see a light flicker around the house then crash down.

"What the hell was that?" Logan asked looking baffled.

Xavier chuckled. "It was a 'blood' ward that this Dumbledore says protects Harry and those who live here while he lives with his mother's blood. However, I'm sure this is not true otherwise it would protect Harry from everyone but his aunt or cousin. However, it allowed Vernon to hurt him. I know little about magic, only rumours really but magic in all myth and legend takes blood seriously so I believe it is a lie.

"He may have hoped Harry would believe such lies when he goes to this school, or should I say is invited. I'm sure there are probably other schools in the world, but he may try stopping them from inviting him."

"You're not going to send him to this school are you?" Ororo asked appalled at the thought.

Xavier shook his head. "I believe now Harry doesn't live in the UK that other schools will be able to invite him too," he said thoughtfully. "However, it shall ultimately be his choice. And as his guardians we should allow him the chance to choose his own path."

"OK, I understand," Ororo agreed with a smile as she and Logan helped him into the back seat of the hire car before Logan placed the wheelchair in the trunk before getting into the passenger seat while Ororo get into the divers seat and pulled away.

"So who is this Dumbledore?" Logan asked after a few minutes of quiet thought. "He sounds like an evil bastard so far."

"I wouldn't cuss about it but essentially he doesn't seem so nice," Xavier agreed. "Petunia's knowledge on him is limited, and the letter he left for her vanished, presumably by magic. It essentially said as long as Harry is alive and able to go to school when he's eleven they can do what they like. It even encouraged hurting him, very discreetly, and without actually coming out and saying it.

"Harry's parents died by the magic of an evil Dark Wizard, the wizards and witches of the UK fear so much they can't stand to hear his name: Voldemort. He was trying to kill Harry, but Petunia doesn't know why. However, the Killing Curse backfired from Harry and from the letter only ripped Voldemort's spirit from his body, destroying his body, but the Wizarding World will praise him as a hero.

"Harry will be famous in their world. I feel that this Dumbledore wants to use him to fully rid the world of Voldemort, possibly having Harry die doing it. After all, the world can't have two heroes. This Old Man apparently scared Lily Evan's and she voiced this to her parents while still at school.

"From what Petunia had heard; Lily was worried with the fanaticalism with half of the school worshiping Dumbledore, and the other two quarters either following their parents lead and following Voldemort, or trying to stay out of it not caring one way or the other."

"So what was this Voldemort's stance?" Ororo asked in concern.

Xavier sighed. "Like with mutants, magical children can be born from non-magical, like Harry's mother. However, Voldemort and his faction were purists, and wanted non-magical people enslaved, which in this time of evolution would be a very hard feat, but I doubt they realise this. Then Dumbledore was supposedly against this, but I'm unsure to what lengths he ever went.

"From Petunia's memories 'muggle-born' what they call non-magic-born mage as well as 'muggles', what they call non-mage were being murdered left right and centre with other things such as torture too. However, this Dumbledore kept preaching about giving these pureblood mage a second chance and not returning deadly blows, or doing much of any use."

Logan snorted. "In other words they were at war with filthy terrorists and their great leader let them die while those great 'purebloods' lived to torture and kill some more… and he let them! And his people still praise him as awesome!" he growled out in anger. "Then through some messed up magic Harry survives, and then this 'great' 'wise' Old Man tortures their saviour?"

"Yes," he reluctantly agreed. "However, from Petunia's mind Lily said barely anyone who sided with Dumbledore would ever listen to anything bad against him, and those few like her who would were ignored and told are stupid. However, if Harry were free, grew up educated and strong willed…"

"People would listen to their saviour," Ororo said in shock. "H-he wanted to rescue Harry… he wanted Harry kept stupid and ignorant because given the right environment he might turn out like his mum. I guess Harry's dad sided with Dumbledore."

"Yes, from what I could see," he agreed frowning in thought. "I really need to sort through these memories. I pulled so many from that woman that I do not wish to get anything confused when I tell Harry sometime in the future."

"When will that be?" Logan asked looking at the Professor with narrowed eyes.

"For his own safety and foreknowledge…" he said sadly. "I'll have no choice but to tell him before he goes to magical school..."

0oo00oo0

Harry wasn't sure what to do as he wandered outside into the bright sun with a soft smile welcoming the warmth. He wore some creamy cargo shorts and a white tee shirt but he left his socks and shoes in his room. He would be with Jean if she didn't have homework and homework looked complicated. Though, he couldn't wait for his first ever homework. He knew from Jean that when he gets some that it will be easier because he's only young.

Jean had shoed him away as he had kept asking too many questions and it was due in tomorrow. He couldn't wait himself… Monday, the first day he'll ever go to school, he can barely wait.

He took a deep breath of fresh air as he strolled outside. He could see some other kids playing basketball on the court and Harry was a little curious.

He saw a small brown haired girl and a blue fuzzy boy with some other kids laughing at them. The girl looked a little younger than him, but the boy, though blue and fuzzy with a tail was probably his age. Though, Harry looked a little small for his age, he's on vitamin things to help him get better and hopefully reverse the damage.

"You're too small to play mutant ball," laughed one older boy rolling his eyes. "Go find a ball and play mutant in the middle or something. Look, there's another kid!" he finished off pointing to Harry as he looked at them.

"What's mutant ball?" Harry asked as he stopped by them having gotten used to larger crowds outside. In side he can manage a few people at a timed, more possibly if he knows them well enough, which isn't many people.

The boy laughed. "Its basketball, but we all use our powers," he said smugly. "The names Cannonball and you are?"

"I'm Harry," he replied with a blush to his cheeks.

"Huh, just like Kitty and Kurt," he said gesturing the blue boy and the girl. "So small he doesn't even have a code name…!"

"I want to play mutant ball!" the little blue boy said pout glaring. "Kitty does too, and I bet Harry will play. How about you three verses us," he said hopefully gesturing Cannonball and three friends, a brown skinned teen and a large shirtless one with a tone body."

They laughed rolling their eyes. "Yeah right… I'm Colossus, and I'm called that for a reason," he laughed as his skin morphed into blue metal.

"And they call me Spyke," the other said laughing as several spike like horns drew up on his right forearm. "How about you toddlers start," he said throwing the basketball to Harry as the others got of the court laughing.

Harry caught the ball looking at it confused. "Umm…" he said trying to figure out the ball and the hoop things either side of the court. "I don't know how to play."

"Its simple," laughed the metal teen with a smile being a little kinder now. "That's your net," he said pointing to one. "That's ours," he said pointing that out. "You have to bounce the ball without carrying it while on the floor and put it through your hoop while we try to stop you, and when we have the ball you have to stop us. Plus, we're allowed to use our powers to cheat, and you can pass the ball between you partners by throwing it to them."

"Oh," he said as his eyes widened as the spiky one charged and threw it to the girl. She squealed as cannonball jumped and shot at her. However, she ran after he somehow phased right through her. Colossus was right up to her as Kurt poofed away and reappeared on top of him before poofing them both away. Colossus was dropped in a trash can before Kurt poofed back onto the court.

Spyke was desperate to stop her or their manly reputation is screwed if they let them score so shot a spike at Kitty to stop her. However, in a flash of blue Harry moved. It was a feeling he would never be able to describe. He had moved and crushed the spike before grabbing the surprised girl and she laughed as they floated above the basketball hoop and dropped the ball in before returning to the ground as Kurt appeared with them, all three smirked.

"Mutant ball rocks…!" Kurt cried out mockingly as the other older kids watching laughed.

"Damn," Spyke muttered in annoyance. "Right Colossus, you mark the super kid. I'll take the phaser, and Cannonball, try to get the teleporter!"

"Yeah yea," Cannonball said as Kurt threw over the ball and teleported them to the other side of the court to defend. "These kids are good. Their powers are good for mutant ball. Strength, flight, walking through things and teleporting…"

"Yes, we walked right into this," Colossus said with a sigh. "You want to fain being ill so we can get Scott out here, with his eyes we can blast the phaser!"

"I'm fine," Cannonball muttered defiantly. "There is no way we can lose to some little kids!"

He was wrong as the three kids went on to beat them and two other teams before they were tired and decided to quit for the day. Though, Kurt did enjoy mocking them, Harry didn't mind as he could tell it isn't hurtful.

Harry was carrying Kitty back into the mansion piggy back as she was tired and she hugged him from behind as she rode, which he liked. Hugs from… friends are great… yes Kitty and Kurt are his first ever friends his own age, and he couldn't feel happier.

"Harry, what happened?" Jean asked in a panic as she rushed over seeing him carrying a little girl as they entered the mansion.

"Nothing, she's just tuckered out," Scott said as he followed them in and Jean did notice the girl's giant grin. "They were just playing mutant ball."

"And you let them?" she screeched at him. "They're just little kids."

"They won three games in a row," he answered rolling his eyes at her shocked look. "They each made friends today and had fun. You know me? I'm too much of a spoil sport to not interfere if they were going to get hurt. A lot of the others may like to show off but they wouldn't hurt them."

"We had lots of… fun," Harry said looking up at her with a smile. "Next time you should come see us beat all the older kids!"

She smiled with a sigh shaking her head. "Well I think its time for you three to get to bed, school starts tomorrow," she said and Kurt and Kitty groaned while Harry looked excited. "Well come along and I'll take you to put Kitty down first," she said leading them up the stairs and through corridors until they reached Kitty's room.

Kitty giggled as she hopped off Harry's back and opened the door to reveal two beds but one was obviously not used because there isn't that many mutants their age to fill up the younger mutants rooms so they got one each.

"Good night Kurt, Harry," she said quickly giving them a kiss on the check each before closing her door and giggling.

Jean grinned and stifled her giggle as they both looked confused. "Well, boys off to your rooms," she said smiling as she shooed them on. They walked in silence, both looking embarrassed before coming to their rooms.

"We're next door neighbours," Kurt said in happy surprise. "I guess I've been getting up so late that I didn't notice you, sorry!"

"That's OK," Harry said with a small smile opening his door.

"Wow, you don't have two beds but you get a double bed, that's cool," he replied in surprise. "I have two beds in my room."

"It's because Harry…" Jean said sighing as she doesn't want to tell the truth or lie, so she'll just omit certain bits. "He's highly claustrophobic, and because of his powers he could accidently hurt someone if he woke in a panic."

"Oh," he said looking at her knowing that isn't completely the truth, just something Harry doesn't want spread around. "Well, good night Harry," he said before slipping into his room.

Harry startled Jean as he floated at her height with a smile and look of gratitude before kissing her check before floating backwards into his room and closing the door with a snap.

Jean smiled with a sigh as she walked off back towards the kitchen to grab a glass of juice before heading off to bed her self when she turned a corner to see Scott.

He was grinning at her. "Ain't you the darling," he said as he wrapped his arms around her waits, his lips meeting hers, she was putty in his arms.

To Be Continued…