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Chapter 3

She didn't know how long it had been since the third task, but it hurt. The only thing that kept her going was the thought that she may have the chance of a new life. And she had parents! Real parents! After she had been thrown back in the basement she had come to terms with the fact that she was a girl. It was… easier in a way. After all, it made sense. How could a guy find Fred and George more attractive than Ginny? And why wasn't she making a fool of herself in front of Veela's? So the whole, she was a girl thing was easy. But the fact that Dumbledore had betrayed her so badly. The tournament was one thing, but this? It hurt. And then there was the physical pain. All those cruciatus' and cutting curses, and cursed blades. Perhaps that healing ability Snape talked of didn't work with curses and cursed blades. But Athena wished so badly that it would work. She wanted the pain to end.

Voldemort and his Death Eaters would come in frequently to torture her. Voldemort always asked her the same thing. Would she join him? She always replied with the same thing. No. All Athena wanted was a peaceful life. Why couldn't she have that? Why wouldn't he let her?

The door opened, and light landed on where Athena laid, curled up. She heard someone approach her, and crouch down. They placed a cool hand on her forehead.

"I'm getting you out of here Athena." Came the voice of Severus Snape. "To somewhere you can heal. So long as you agree to stay out of his way, the Dark Lord has agreed to let you go free. Do you agree?"

Athena nodded. "I just want peace."

"Good." Severus levitated her up, and out of the basement. He passed the wards, grabbed hold of Athena and apparated away. They reappeared in the living room of his house at Spinners End. Severus levitated her upstairs, to one of the bedrooms, and laid her down. He began to clean and dress all her wounds, adding potions to them to try and help her recovery.

When Severus was done, he left the room, and went downstairs to his study, where he began to write a letter.

Ororo held the piece of parchment tightly in hand as she and Logan hurried to the Professors office. He had called them, just after she and Logan had read the letter. A part of her believed it was too good to be true, but another was so happy.

The couple burst into the office. "We've found her!" They said just as Charles said;

"I've located Athena."

"Oh, well, you can clarify if Severus was telling the truth then." Ororo said. "Spinners End?"

"I believe so." Charles said. "Hank, Jean, go with them in the Blackbird. I'll have someone prepare the room next to yours and Logan's, Ororo."

Ororo and Logan nodded. They, Hank and Jean left the office, and headed for the lower levels, to the Blackbird. Jean and Ororo piloted the jet into the air, and headed for England.

Several hours later, they were touching down, and hiding the jet, before heading for the estate where Spinner's End was located. They hurried through the streets until they reached number nine, Spinners End.

Storm knocked on the door, and waited impatiently, her foot tapping the ground. Logan wrapped an arm round her waist, and pulled her into his side, attempting to reassure her. The door opened to reveal Severus Snape.

"Ororo, Logan and others. Come in. Quick." He stepped to one side and let the four mutants in to the house.

He closed the door behind them. "You are lucky. The Dark Lord was in a merciful mood."

"Voldemort?" Ororo asked.

"Yes. He had her. Had he not been in a good mood, then he would have found a way to kill her. Or at least break her so badly that her mind was lost. Her healing factor seems to turn the killing curse into a stunning spell."

Ororo gasped, and Logan growled. "He tried to kill her?" Logan asked.

"Several times. I think he grew bored of it in the end. I assured him that you would keep her from the war. Do not prove me wrong, or on her head be it. She's this way."

He led them upstairs, to a bedroom. Ororo and Logan immediately saw Athena sitting on a chair, staring out the window, over the back garden. "Who is it Professor?" She asked, without looking away from the window, her face expressionless.

"Your parents." Severus said.

Athena looked round, and her eyes focused on Ororo and Logan. She stood up. "Are- you really them?" She asked, fearing it to be some sort of cruel joke.

Logan and Ororo both moved quickly across the room, and grabbed her in a hug. Athena began to cry as she clutched to their jackets. With their arms round her, she finally let her walls crumble. She felt safe with them. I felt safe to let go of her walls, and cry out the hurt and pain of the betrayal of Dumbledore, and Merlin knows who else and the sadness she felt at Cedric's death, and the pain her wounds still gave her too.

Athena's knees buckled, and Logan's and Ororo's arms tightened around her. They lowered her down so that she was sitting on the bed, and they sat down on either side of her. Hank approached, and checked her over for any extra damage than what he could see with the bandages. He kept his movements slow and careful, as he could see that Logan was barely withholding the Wolverine. He didn't want to provoke an attack from the other Feral.

"She's just recovering from her other wounds. And by the looks of her, she seems to be severely malnourished." Hank said.

"That's because she is. When she was one, after Lily and James died, she was placed with Lily's sister and Brother in law. They starved her, and abused her. Even when she came to Hogwarts, she never got over it." Severus said.

"How come no one ever noticed?" Jean asked.

"I would expect that that has something to do with Dumbledore. And another thing, after he kidnapped her, he used a spell that changed her into a boy. Up until three weeks ago, she was a boy."

"What?" Ororo and Logan asked at the same time.

"I think it has something to do with the prophecy, and he wanted to keep her hidden." Snape said. "After all, you were looking for a girl, not a boy."

"Did Lily know?" Ororo asked, hoping that her dead friend was unaware.

"No, she didn't. Dumbledore used memory charms on Lily, James and most probably several others. Everyone believed that Athena was Harry James Potter." Severus explained.

"Where can I find this Dumbledore and gut him?" Logan asked.

"I wouldn't advise it. At least, not yet. Take Athena from Britain, and leave her heal. Get to know her, just stay out of the war. Keep your heads down, and don't draw attention to the fact that you have her back, or else you may find her missing again." Severus said. "I think it best if you leave soon."

Logan picked Athena up bridal style, and stood. Ororo followed suit.

"Thank you Severus." Ororo said.

"It's no problem, Ororo. Contact me if there are any problems." He paused. "The Dark Lord is calling. I must go."

"Then we will too." Logan said. The four mutants from America left the house, and headed back to the jet, Logan carrying Athena the entire way. When on the jet, he placed Athena in the seat next to his, and strapped her in. He sat beside her as Ororo and Jean started the jet engines back up.

"Where are we going?" Athena asked her voice weak.

"America." Ororo answered her daughter. "To Xaviers Institute for Gifted Youngsters."

"Is it safe there?" She asked.

"Yeah cub, it is. Your mother and I teach there, so does Jean, and she also helps Hank in the med lab."

Athena nodded, and gripped onto the arm rests as the jet took off. Logan wrapped an arm round her, and pulled her into his side. He ran a hand through her hair, trying to keep her calm.

"When we get back, we'll have to do a full examination, to see what you need to get you back to health." Jean called back.

"Alright." Athena said, as she rested her head on her father's shoulder. She yawned, and closed her eyes, before falling to sleep.