Shattering the Mirror
Disclaimer: All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement is intended.
"He has been unable to track the two mutants and is growing concerned that the girl may have been harmed if not killed. He has asked me to use Cerebro to see if I can garner their identity and track them down" answered the Professor.
"Let us hope we can stop them, Professor, the last thing we need is more deaths to be laid at the feet of mutants."
Chapter 4
Harry watched the young woman walk across the nightclub to stand at the bar before he approached her.
They had spotted her by pure chance when they had observed an attempted mugging. The two men had menaced a slim, young-looking brunette on the street in front of Harry and Hannah's house. Even as Harry had been standing to leave the house and intervene the man had reached out trying to pull her bag away. The young woman simply kicked the man in the groin lifting him off the ground and depositing him twenty feet away and disappeared, only to reappear behind his accomplice. She then kicked out and swept the muggers feet from under him sending him to the footpath. Two kicks followed as she made sure he stayed down and then she had had simply walked off.
After that, it was a simple matter of donning his invisibility cloak and following the young woman. Harry could feel Hannah watching from across the room as he moved to stand at the bar.
"Hi my name's Harry, what's yours?"
The young woman didn't even turn to look at him as she answered "Miss not interested."
"Really, I think you would be very interested in what I had seen of your special abilities." Harry watched the young woman stiffen and then turn her head to look at him. Her eyes flicked over the faint scar on his forehead and the scar running down his face and across one eye. It was amazing she thought that he hadn't lost his eye.
"What do you want?" the young woman's voice was flat and unfriendly.
"Simply a business proposition, one we would compensate you well for" Harry replied.
"Oh?" the woman's voice showed a spark of interest.
"Come on I'll buy you a drink and you join us at our table" offered Harry.
"I'm no whore!" was her sharp reply.
Harry looked mortified before blurting out a hasty, "Gods no, wait let me start again please join my girlfriend and I at our table. We have a business proposition for you" seeing her narrowed eyes he clarified further "A non-sexual one I promise."
"Sarah." said the young woman.
"Sorry?"
"My name is Sarah."
"What can I get you?" asked the barman.
"Irish whiskey no ice, oh and a packet of cashews" replied Sarah.
"Any preference?" he asked with a smile.
"Top shelf, he's paying" she inclined her head toward Harry.
"And you?"
"Two glasses of red wine for me" replied Harry as he laid a fifty Pound note on the bar.
Change and drinks in hand, he led Sarah to the table where Hannah sat sipping on what appeared to be water. Harry pulled a chair out for Sarah and waited for her to sit before he sat down.
"Hannah this is Sarah, Sarah this is my girlfriend Hannah."
"Hi, so what did you want? I don't mean to be rude and you know thanks for the drink and all but really what do you want?" Sarah leant back in her chair and sipped her whiskey.
"Harry and I have recently found out that we are…shall we say gifted with some abilities. We need to learn how to use them, to train ourselves up if you like" answered Hannah.
"Why me?" asked Sarah.
"We saw you deal with those muggers earlier" replied Hannah.
"So, you saw me then what, you decided you would like me to what teach you how to fight?"
"No, we can already fight; we need someone who can explain how our gifts work. You are the first…well mutant we've come across that we have been in a position to make an offer to," explained Harry.
"I don't know if I can help you" seeing the looks on their faces she quickly continued, "mainly because I'm not all that sure what you can do or what you need to learn," Sarah took a sip of her drink.
"Look I might, and I stress might, be able to get you in to see someone I know, he goes by Brian Braddock. He's a big time player, you know the government and stuff. He's a bit preachy, but he's all right. He helped me when my parents kicked me out after, well you know after they found out, they weren't the most pleased to discover I was a mutant."
Harry glanced at Hannah who nodded.
"If you can set up a meeting that would be great, here's my number" Harry handed Sarah a business card with a single telephone number on it.
"Sarah," said Hannah "Here take this." She handed her a roll of pound notes.
"What why?" asked Sarah, there was quite a bit of cash.
"You helped us out Sarah, we always like to reward friends, even new ones," replied Hannah.
Harry and Hannah finished their drinks and left the pub walking back toward their house. They were discussing the pros and cons of Sarah's suggestion when Harry felt a strange sensation pass through him, almost like being touched with a feather. He quickly glanced around.
"What is it Harry?" asked Hannah her hand was already on the butt of the pistol concealed in her jacket.
"Something, like legilmency but it felt different. Someone was trying to read my mind," replied Harry who was still glancing around.
"Come on Harry let's get home and off the street."
They were extra vigilant the rest of the way home, but neither saw anything untoward but Harry kept glancing over his shoulder anyway.
oOoOoOoOo
Xavier Institute, Westchester County, NY
"They are in London, East London I think. A young man and woman, barely more than teenagers they have just entered a house. Wait, no, I've lost them. The house must be shielded in some way." Professor Xavier then closed his eyes and rubbed his temples.
"Professor?" asked Jean Grey concern evident in her voice.
"I've just realised where I experienced that type of shield or should I say ward before. Please call a meeting Jean I need to talk to a few people," Professor Xavier's voice was calm but Jean could sense his urgency.
"So what's the big deal? Call the Cap and he can drag their butt's in for questioning. Hand 'em over to the cops, problem solved," commented Logan.
"The problem Logan just got a lot more complicated. These two mutants appear to be connected to the magical world in some way, they were magical wards," explained Professor Xavier.
"The magical world Professor?" asked Jean.
"In the early Seventies I met a man called Albus Dumbledore whom I had originally assumed to be a mutant. Many years later I discovered that there was a world wide hidden society of magic users. I do not believe that they are a large society but they are very secretive with their own schools and government. On the whole they are a peaceful but there have been a number of them who have tried to use their powers to influence the greater world or even conquer sections of it. The worst of these was very active in the 70's and 80's in the United Kingdom."
"So they're not mutants they don't have the X gene?" asked Scott Summers.
"No they are human, just humans with an extra skill, I grant that they much like mutants who share a similar ability. Perhaps there is another variation of the X gene," Professor Xavier looked to Jean, "Regardless the two I found are definitely mutants, quite powerful mutants. It is possible they may also be mages or at least working with them."
"So what now Professor? You want me to go get acquainted with these two?" asked Logan.
"No" answered Professor Xavier "but I think we need to visit London. Something tells me we need to find out what's going on. If these two are criminals or linked with the rogue wizarding elements we need to let the authorities know. I'll contact Mister Braddock and let him know what I've found and that we are going to be visiting."
oOoOoOoOo
12 Grimmauld Place – Headquarters of the Order of the Phoenix
Albus Dumbledore was not a happy man. Harry Potter had dropped off the face of the earth as had Hannah Abbott. They should have been easy to find, both were half trained and neither was, in his opinion all that intelligent. But the worst of it was the fact that many of those not read in to aspects of his 'master plan' were starting to ask inconvenient questions, particularly Miss Granger although she wasn't the only one.
There was a knock at the kitchen door, "Albus are you in there?"
"Come in Arthur."
The door opened to admit a rather excited Arthur Weasley, "We got a trace on him Albus, just a brief one in central London."
"Well done Arthur! Gather who ever is at headquarters and we shall see if we capture our wayward Mister Potter," ordered Dumbledore with a smile.
Soon twelve order members were gathered in the kitchen. They all touched the portkey held by Dumbledore and vanished.
Less than two minutes later two figures one kneeling and one standing appeared in the same room. Both were dressed in black muggle military clothing, and both were armed to the teeth.
"Clear" said Harry.
"Clear" agreed Hannah.
"Right six minutes starting now, Hannah I'll scout you cover."
Moving quickly the searched the ground floor before slowly ascending the stairs. Grimmauld Place appeared deserted and Harry started to relax when a door opened and two very familiar faces walked in to the corridor. The tall redhead froze as he sighted the two black clad figures but the other kept talking.
"Listen Ron I'm just saying that we owe Harry and….are you listening I…oh!" she too halted in shock at the sight of the two figures carrying Muggle weapons.
"Get down on the floor and you won't be harmed, resist and we will use deadly force" ordered Hannah.
"What do you want?" asked Ron Weasley as he pushed Hermione behind him.
"Floor NOW" ordered Hannah.
More in shock than anything else Ron started to draw his wand only to have it struck from his hand by Harry.
"Down now" he ordered as he picked up and pocketed Ron's wand.
Hermione however had watched the man pick up Ron's wand. Her eyes were focussed on where gloves didn't meet shirt exposing the wrist, there was a scar there a familiar scar.
"Harry?" she whispered looking up at the masked face.
"Get down on the floor Hermione and you won't be harmed," ordered Harry.
Hermione took a step forward and encountered a gun barrel against her chest. Shocked she looked at Hannah who had her assault rifle levelled at her.
"What…Harry please we've been so worried about you," Hermione was nearly in tears.
"Who else is here?" demanded Harry.
"No one Harry everyone left in a hurry a few minutes ago" answered Hermione.
"What's going on mate?" asked Ron who was rubbing his wrist, "you disappeared after Dumbledore got you released, and it's been six months we've been terrified you were caught by you-know-who."
Pulling his balaclava up Harry turned to his second ever friend, "Is that what Dumbledore told you?" he asked in a level voice.
Hermione looked horrified as she took in his scarred face, "My god Harry what happened to your face?"
"We don't have time for this Harry, either let's do what we came to do or we need to go it's nearly time now," Hannah hadn't shown her face yet and neither had she lowered her gun.
"Go Hannah, the entire shelf. We want the red leather editions," ordered Harry. Hannah hesitated for a moment before dashing down the corridor.
"Harry what's going on? Why are you doing this, Dumbledore's going spare trying to find you….what?" Ron stopped talking as Harry glared at him.
"If I had time I'd make you understand how I've suffered Ron and what's been taken from me. But right now I'm on the clock; I'm relocating some of my belongings."
"Harry please what happened?" asked Hermione in a small voice.
"You don't need to know but do me a favour and get away from the order, there's going to be a war Hermione and as far as I am concerned the orders is on the other side," Harry's voice was cold.
"Harry please, what's going on, we want to help. My family too, dad's been going round the twist with worry," Ron was shocked by the anger on Harry's face.
"Harry I'm done" Hannah came back around the corner a canvas backpack on her back "time to go."
With a nod to acknowledge Hannah, Harry pulled down his balaclava and raised his gun.
"Harry you should wait for Dumbledore he can explain," began Hermione.
Hannah who was watching the stairs called "Harry time."
Harry grabbed Hannah's hand and activated their Goblin portkey, Nothing happened.
"Shit, anti-portkey wards are up already," cursed Hannah as she readied her weapon.
"Okay they somehow know we are here, go to our back up plan" ordered Harry.
"Weasley, Granger get inside now there is about to be a fight here," ordered Hannah in a harsh whisper.
"Harry we know you and Miss Abbott are in the house. Throw down your wands and make this easy on everyone. If you surrender Miss Abbott will live if we have to come and get you, well there are no guarantees," Mad Eye Moody's voice echoed up the stairs.
"That can't be Moody," whispered Hermione in horror.
"Now you understand Hermione," Harry paused and looked to Hannah who frowned and then nodded, "give me your hand."
Harry drew his knife and pricked her finger with it.
"Ow Harry what?" spluttered Hermione as he rubbed her blood over a plain silver disk.
"Listen if you're in trouble break the disk it will take you to a safe place. It will only work for you Hermione." explained Harry.
Hannah did the same for Ron.
"Harry my boy you can't escape fate it's your destiny," Dumbledore had arrived.
Hannah pulled out two metal cylinders and handed one to Harry. He nodded and pulled heavy reflective goggles over his eyes, a move mirrored by Hannah. Both then pulled metal pins out and silently counted to three before throwing them down the stairs.
BANG
BANG
Two loud bangs were instantaneously followed by two overlapping flashes of blinding white light. Only Harry and Hannah were protected by their heavy reflective goggles. They booth ignored the whimpers of pain behind them as they moved quickly down the stairs.
The base of the stairs was littered with stunned Order members. Harry scanned the room for Dumbledore but couldn't see him in the smoke from the flash-bangs.
Moving quickly they tried the front door, it was sealed.
"Hannah, cover me," he ordered as he quickly pulled a block of what looked like putty from his fanny pack and worked it around the door frame, roughly shaping it as he went, then he pushed a timed detonator in it. He signalled with five fingers to Hannah.
Both moved back down the corridor and around the corner before squatting down and covering their ears.
BOOM
The door blew out falling to the ground, seconds later Harry and Hannah were on the street. They both grabbed their portkeys and activated them.
oOoOoOoOo
Three hours later a very angry Albus Dumbledore was hiding his rage behind a Grandfatherly, benign expression as he questioned Hermione.
"Surely you can see Miss Granger that Harry would be much safer here."
"I don't see how when Moody is threatening to kill him!" replied Hermione.
"Perhaps you should consider your own safety Missy" said Moody from behind her.
"Is that a threat Professor?" asked Hermione.
"Professor Moody is merely pointing out how much danger we are all in if Harry is captured by Voldemort," explained Dumbledore his voice calm.
"Tell me about the coin you're holding Miss Granger," Dumbledore continued in a calm voice his eyes twinkling.
"Professor the girl doesn't know where he is, and the coin is keyed to her, probably to her magical signature. Weasley the useless cretin didn't hear the instructions and it didn't work when he tried to take his father and a strike team."
"Very well, I am sorry Miss Granger. We shall have to erase your memory. Can't have you talking to the wrong people can we," Albus sighed theatrically and raised Hermione's own wand.
With tears streaming down her face she snapped the coin and activated the portkey disappearing from Grimmauld Place.
oOoOoOoOo
Potter House – East London
Hermione appeared in a white room with a single door and thick comfortable carpet. Almost blinded by tears she couldn't see who came through the door.
"Hermione what happened?" asked a Hannah.
"Dumbledore was about to Obliviate me!" cried Hermione "and Ron was working with him, oh Ron how could you," she wailed as she fell to her knees.
"Hermione hold it together for a moment and I'll get Harry," Hannah ran from the room and returned with Harry.
"Are you hurt?" he asked as he lifted her and carried her to a sitting room and lay her on a lounge.
"No" she answered her eyes downcast.
"I warned you Hermione I just didn't think the old bastard would move so quickly," said Harry quietly.
"Harry, my parents will they be safe?" asked Hermione.
Harry frowned as he considered. Hannah almost snarled, "I wouldn't put it past the bastard."
Harry nodded.
"We can go and get them," Harry reassured his friend.
"I want to come," said Hermione.
oOoOoOoOo
The Blackbird
The Blackbird was in stealth mode as it circled London.
"We have the co-ordinates of the area but visually there is nothing there" reported Scott.
"Try heat sensing," suggested Jean.
"Ok it's pretty fuzzy, a lot of interference but I can make out what looks like three people in one room. Wait they're gone, they just disappeared," reported Scott.
"Yes I can sense the two of them, wait there is a third and they have just teleported to another house…I have them again, quickly Jean to these co-ordinates," Professor Xavier could feel the fear from the third person.
oOoOoOoOo
The Granger House
Three people suddenly appeared in Hermione Grangers room. Harry glanced around, it was empty. "Okay Hermione stay her, Hannah cover me while I find your parents, let' just hope they are home."
Harry donned his Goblin made invisibility cloak before he slowly opened the door and left the room.
Hannah turned to Hermione speaking in a low voice just above a whisper, "Be careful and use the portkey if you are attacked."
Without looking Harry knew Hannah was now on the landing and on guard. Moving as quietly as possible he descended the stairs looking for the elder Grangers. Hermione had said that the kitchen was to the right so he moved that way. Harry froze as he heard a female voice in the kitchen.
"Tom could you get me a bottle of white when you are out, I'll need it for the sauce" hopefully that was Hermione's mum.
"Okay, anything else we need?" and there's her dad thought Harry.
Keeping his cloak on Harry rounded the corner almost walking in to a tall, fit looking middle aged man.
"Mr and Mrs Granger?" he asked causing the man to jump backwards.
"What? Who's there?" asked Tom Granger as he looked around the room puzzled rather than frightened. Harry sighed and removed his cloak startling the elder Grangers.
"Please I mean you no harm, my name is Harry. Your daughter is rather worried that you are at risk sir; she's waiting for you in her room. Mrs Granger, could you come as well please?" Harry kept his voice calm and level.
Looking puzzled the elder Granger's headed up the stairs but paused as someone knocked on the door, Harry froze with one foot on the bottom step.
"Keep going" he hissed to the Grangers as he watched the door. There was a click and the door began to swing open. Slowly Harry raised his assault rifle pointing it toward the door way but there was no one in sight.
"Hello the house? My name is Charles Xavier can I come in? I believe we need to talk," Harry was stunned and silent for several seconds.
"Are you from the ministry?" he called back.
"No I do not represent any ministry, shall we talk before any rash decisions are made?"
Hannah appeared next to him, "The Granger's are away safe, who is outside?"
Harry frowned, "Don't know called himself Charles Xavier."
"Where have you taken your hostages, are they still safe?" asked the man calling himself Charles.
"We don't have any hostages," Harry called out "My friend and her family just left for a place of safety."
Harry felt a tickling sensation in his mind, right then they were wizards.
"What of the others you took away to safety, the man and girl in Dublin?" enquired the man called Charles.
"What, what man... girl in Dublin?" asked Hannah, "Do you think they mean Susan?"
"Sorry don't know who you are talking about," called out Harry.
"Harry can I enter, I am unarmed, I merely wish to talk" called Charles.
"What do you think?" asked Hannah.
Harry frowned and thought quickly, "Okay you go cover me from the landing; I'll talk with him with my bloody portkey in my hand."
"Okay Charles you can come in but no wands or guns. We guarantee your safety unless you attack us, fair?"
"Very well Harry," a few moments later a bald man in a muggle wheelchair appeared. He paused to negotiate the step in his chair for a moment as Harry watched on.
"Thank you for allowing this….?" Charles raised an eyebrow in enquiry.
"You can call me Harry" answered Harry.
"And your young friend upstairs?" asked Charles.
"You don't need to know her name, now what do you want?" asked Harry. Time was ticking and all he needed was for the Order to turn up.
Charles looked quizzically at Harry and then he felt it, a tickling sensation.
Harry's gun came up although he didn't quite point it at the man in the wheelchair "Get out of my mind, I've had enough of Snape and all you lot buggering up my bloody head."
'I'm sorry Harry I am concerned about the welfare of your hostages, I was just trying to see if you…." A loud crack next to him silenced the professor.
"Potter!" screamed Severus Snape as he appeared, he made the mistake of raising his wand and three rounds went through his shoulder.
"Okay so that's the game, delaying me till the order gets here, well you can tell Dumbledore that because he went after Hermione the gloves are off."
"Wait I...," The boy was enraged and Professor Xavier couldn't reach him with words. He tried to reach out with his telepathy only to meet resistance.
A loud crash announced the arrival of Logan who spotted Harry holding a weapon pointed at the professor and a bloody body on the ground and went straight at Harry claws extended. Moving with unnatural speed Harry avoided the attack and slammed his fist in to the back of Logan's head barely affecting the angry mutant who kicked out this time connecting with Harry. Logan drew back his fist and was thrown back as three rounds impacted on his chest, at that same moment several more cracks sounded and more order members appeared.
Harry lashed out at the first while the second went down to Hannah's marksmanship. The following two raised wands and covered Harry who was slowly backing up toward the steps.
'It's over Potter; you need to come with us, only you can defeat Voldemort and to do that you must die by his hand. None of us want this Harry but it's what must be," Kingsley Shacklebolt hadn't even noticed Xavier and the slowly rising Logan.
Harry surveyed the room with a burning gaze and slowly drew two knives.
"Come and get me Wizard," snarled Harry.
With a raised hand Professor Xavier signalled for Logan to hold off. He then closed his eyes and looked in to Shacklebolt's thoughts. He paled at what he found. These men wanted to use the boy as a human bomb to destroy their enemy. They had tried and failed and this Harry had escaped their clutches only to be imprisoned for being a mutant. Now they wanted him back Dumbledore needed his weapon.
Before he could order Logan to protect the boy several loud cracks sounded and half a dozen men appeared in the room. Logan didn't even pause to think he needed to protect the professor so he simply grabbed the nearest man and slammed him in to the wall. Suddenly it was a free for all; another wizard went down to Hannah's marksmanship even as Harry attacked with inhuman speed. Shacklebolt's wand hand and wand were pinned to the wall by a knife while the other was driven in to his chest and Harry was still speeding up.
'Professor' Jean grey was trying to communicate with him.
'Jean we need support down here it's a fire fight' he replied as Logan disabled one wizard and Harry another.
'We'll be right there'
One of the new arrivals noticed the muggle in a wheel chair and his apparent protector and raised his wand only to be struck and thrown in to a wall by a beam of red light.
Scott raced to the professor even as Ororo arrived by the most expedient route and simply tore half the front wall away with a cyclonic gust of wind.
Harry spun to his next target only to see the wizard disappear as he activated a portkey. Snarling he scanned the room the wizards were all gone even the dead. Slowly Harry turned to face the small group gathered around the professor; Logan had his claws out and was sneering at him.
"Hannah you okay" he called without taking his eyes off the four people across the room. There was no answer, he risked a quick glance and spotted her rifle at the top of the stairs.
"Hannah?" Harry was starting to panic had she been injured or worse.
"We mean you no harm Harry," began Professor Xavier "please check your partner."
"I'm not turning my back on you!" replied Harry as he tried to watch all four at once.
The standoff was broken as Jean Gray walked in through the shattered wall. Harry turned, raising his hand to tell her to stop. Unfortunately Scott saw him move and assumed he was attacking, he sent a blast of red light at Harry who almost moved in time but was clipped across the chest and slammed into the stairs which broke the silver disk in his breast pocket and activated his portkey.
Professor Xavier saw Harry move and Scott react and cursed as the boy fell back and disappeared.
"Everyone hold your fire, Jean there may be wounded upstairs. If there is get them out and let's see if we can shed some light on these events."
Jean hurried up the stairs and then rushed to where a motionless figure was lying in a rapidly spreading pool of blood.