Hiya guys! Sorry for the wait. I hope you guys like this, I actually have up to Chapter 5 written so I should be able to post the next installment sooner rather then later. I also wanted to know what you guys think about something. Now, I wanted to know if I did the language correctly. In other words, the mutants (besides Hermione) sound American, and the HP lot sound British and so forth. Please tell me what you think! Well, here 'ya go. CHAPTER THREE!

Eclipse

seperations between parts of the story or points of view are indicated bylines points below

blahblahblahblah ...thoughts

blahblahblahblah ... telepathic speech (aka mind speak)

Hermione looked up and down her table, and up and down all the other house tables trying to locate all of her mutant friends. She had already located about five mutants from the twin's institute and also a number of foreign looking mutants. This surprised her slightly. Generally, at least one school in every country had opened their doors to the mutants so every mutant academy in that country should have a magic school to feed into. So why are they at Hogwarts, and moreover why did Dumbledore admit them? He admitted Artemis and Constance and everyone else from their institute because I went there and I knew them. Plus, there's only one very small magic school in America. If all the mutants in the US had gone to that one school it would have become terribly overcrowded. Suddenly it hit her. Durmstrang! Judging by the reactions of the Slytherins and the glares thrown at the mutants from that table Hermione judged it was safe to assume that purebloods didn't like mutants any more then muggles; perhaps less so.

After a bit more looking about Hermione brought her attention back to her own table. Next to her were Ron and Harry on her left side. Both looking half asleep as Dumbledore drowned on about the mutant situation and the changes their enrollment meant for Hogwarts. On her other side was Artemis and Will. Hermione was fairly sure Will was asleep, with his hood on over his head and said head lying on the table. Artemis winked at Hermione when she caught her eye and Hermione was reminded forcfully just how much she would usually be missing her sister by now as normally at this time Artemis and Constantine would be on a plane back to America after the summer holidays. Across from her was her brother and next to him Alex, who they had managed to find in the crowd. Joy had gone off to the Hufflepuff table and Lee seemed to be deeply engaged in conversation with a fifth year Ravenclaw. Alex's head was in his hands and he was bent over, propped up on his knees. His hair, long and naturally black, was tied into a ponytale about an inch away from the nape of his neck with escaped strands almost completely obscuring his features. Even without being able to see his face Hermione had a feeling something was off. Usually, Alex would have been sitting completely straight, (he had amazing posture) and listening attentitvely to Dumbledore, ever curious about other people's presentation of mutants.

Hermione managed to get her brother's attention and gestured at Alex, tilting her head in an inquiring fashion. The ice elemental immediately caught on and he too looked at his best friend. He shrugged at Hermione and his brow crinkled concernedly. He gently put a hand on the boy's shoulder only to have his brow crinkle further as a small moan escaped the empath's lips.

"Alex?" Too worried to care about listening anymore, Constantine allowed the whisper to escape his lips. Alex lifted his head from his hands and blinked dazedly at Constantine before wincing and bringing his hands up to cradle his head. "Hey, you okay buddy?" Alex blinked a few times more and shook his head as if to clear it before answering.

"I'll be fine. It's just been awhile since I've been around so many people at once. Emotional overload, way too many people sending emotions off like waves. Plus I do believe I'm hearing snatches of what everyone in the school is thinking." Alex sighed and Constantine wrapped an arm around his shoulders.

"Ouch, I guess that's the price you pay eh? You could tell me what someone's thinking back in America and what they're feeling but with this many people so close it's like they're all shouting in your ears."

"Something like that."

Dumbledore had (to all the students, and even a few of the teacher's relief) ended his speech and everyone was now eating happily. Will was talking animatedly to Dean about soccer with Ron shaking his head at intervals "Quidditch is so much better" written clearly on his face. Alex, Hermione and Constantine were glad to see, seemed to be feeling at least slightly better with food in his system although if she tried Hermione could feel the pain he was still enduring. For once, I'm glad I'm not as strong as Alex. I would be going through such hell if I was. In Hermione's opinion this was one of the best times of her life. All her friends surrounding her and becoming friends themselves. Everything in the open. She didn't have to hide her powers from Harry and Ron anymore. At that thought, she turned to look at Harry suddenly realizing her hadn't said anything for the entire meal. The young Gryffindor was eating his food silently, staring at nothing in particular. To Hermione's eyes he seemed rather depressed, usually he and Ron would be having an eating competion and scarfing down everything in sight. Yet there Harry was, sitting dejectedly and eating slowly, almost as if he didn't really want to but knew he needed the food. Well of course he needs the food! Those thrice accursed muggle relatives of his practically starve him! I don't think I'll ever get used to seeing him come back after the summer holidays with his ribs poking out.

Hermione was just about to make an attempt to engage the seeker in conversation when she noticed Alex staring at him intently. She knew that stare. Alex was doing what had been dubbed "reading" him! He was looking into his mind and heart. Hermione immediately flared up in anger for her friend. It was an unspoken rule among telepaths not to read people's minds unless given permission or on special circumstances. It was the worst sort of invasion of privacy. She mentally growled.

"ALEX!"

"Ssh."

"What exactly do you think you're doing?"

"Do calm down, your friend here was broadcasting so loud and clear I don't need to read his mind! I'm doing him a favour by actually figuring out what's going through his head and telling the other telepaths here to stand down instead of attacking him. Unless you want them to think he's a murderer and mentally tear him apart?"

"WHAT?"

"I would hope you could tell me. He's "thinking" so loud he's actually louder then the rest of the din you guys make! On and on about how he's a murderer and the feelings of guilt and anger aren't helping his case any. I only just managed to stop Sarah and Marianne before they made a joint attack! They thought he was feeling guilty because he was going to kill YOU or something."

"B-but Harry's not a murderer!"

"Tell him that. It would seem to me he's feeling guilty about deaths that he couldn't really help but in a 'bout of depression has managed to convince himself he could."

"Cedric and Sirius."

"Who?"

"Two people Harry knew. They were killed by the person I've told you about."

"You mean that Voldie-whatsit?"

"Yes, Voldemort. Will you leave him be though? Like you said he's just depressed."

"Of course. You know I hate reading people I just figured it wouldn't do for someone to suddenly become a vegetable the first day we're here. Just try and get him to calm down or something. I really wasn't kidding, he's LOUD. I've never met a non-telepath that could broadcast that strongly."

"Will do, thanks Alex."

"No prob. But let's stop talking this way; my head still really hurts."

"Are you sure you'll be okay? I mean you sure you'll be able to adjust."

"Yeah, it'll be cool. I'll just be kinda out of it for a while."

Hermione turned back towards Harry. Now that she knew what she was looking for she could hear Harry too. Alex and the other's were right. The way he was going on he did sound like some sort of bloody killer!

"What's up Harry?" Said boy started and looked from side to side before realizing it was Hermione who spoke.

"Wha-? Oh, nothing."

"Really? You're not very talkative tonight." Hermione could sense Alex listening to every word and realized he, in his own way (aka doing the whole empath thing and sending calming waves) was trying to make Harry feel better.

"Eh, I guess I'm just not talkative."

"You know, about earlier, I'm really sorry about what I said. I just wasn't really thinking." Again, Harry seemed to withdraw into himself.

"I said it was okay Hermione. Don't fret about it."

"All right I guess. But Harry?"

"Yeah?"

"You know it wasn't your fault right? I mean you know there wasn't anything you could have done. You can't blame yourself for Sirius or Cedric. There's only one person to blame and that's Voldemort."

"Thanks Herm."

"But you don't believe me."

"It's just hard to think that way."

"Well no matter what. You've saved people to. Keep that in mind." At that Harry smiled. A weak smile it was true, but genuine one all the same.

"You really are something you know that?"

"Oh pish posh. Now, who do you think will get Quidditch captain?"

"Well, Katie's still here even though Angelina was the captain last year. Of course you also have to remember - " and he was off. Hermione smiled and glanced at Alex who nodded in affirmance. It was good to know that her powers could be used to help her friends, not just random mug victims she saw in the street.