Hermione couldn't help but stare in amazed glee at Alex; Alex who was sitting up in bed with tired yet oh-so-wonderfully aware eyes. She shouldn't have been so giddy (it had worked, it had really worked!), after all, she had both her headmasters staring down at her with disappointment clearly evident in their faces.

"Hermione," Professor Xavier began. "While I am, of course, pleased to have Alex back with us, your actions were inexcusable. Although I applaud you for taking responsibility for this scheme, I am still in shock concerning your overall disregard."

It was all going in one ear and out the other. The view of Alex looking back at her, with Constantine clinging to the dark haired telepath's hand so tightly it was surprising Alex could take it, encompassed all of Hermione's mind.

"Miss Granger," Now Dumbledore attempted to get her attention. "Look at Mr. Potter. I daresay he could not rise from the chair he is so feebly slumped in if there were a rogue hippogryph barreling towards him. And he is lucky that a temporarily weakened state is all he suffered."

Now Xavier cut in again. "To attempt what he and Matthew did, instead of leaving any such ventures into Alex's mind to those far more trained such as Jean or myself…it is a miracle Albus and I aren't looking at en entire room full of our comatose students."

"You should have come to us." The headmaster's eyes were sad; absent was his normal twinkle.

"I'm surprised Matthew is even able to maintain consciousness. He could have been as lost, if not more so, that Alex. He could have never woken up. So yes, Hermione, it all turned out well." Professor Xavier halted momentarily. "But are the ends always worth the risks it takes to get there?" He sighed. "Do you even fully grasp the danger of what you just undertook? Do you realize what could have happened?" The two professors shared a look, and Dumbledore looked sternly at her.

"We won't punish you," he sad. "However, know that we are both extremely let down. You have lost our trust in this foolhardy gamble. We'll be keeping a close eye on you."

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"Wait," Alex looked at his boyfriend in amazement. The adults had finally left so the teens had a chance to talk amongst themselves. "Constantine. Broody, reserved, non-communicative, emotion-rejecting Constantine. You spilled your guts to another person willingly? To –no offense Harry- essentially a stranger?! I didn't think I'd ever see the day."

Constantine looked down at his feet, blushing slightly –The fact that the ice elemental was able to blush just attested to Alex's point of the whole thing being entirely uncharacteristic.

"I didn't see it as a voluntary action," Constantine mumbled. He paused but then looked up sharply to lock eyes with Alex. "I had to get you back. The teachers weren't doing anything and Hermione had a plan. I didn't have a choice. I needed you."

As Constantine spoke, Alex's eyes softened. The telepath reached out to cup his boyfriend's cheek. The moment was so tender that the room's other occupants felt as if they were almost intruding, all shifting their eyes or turning away.

"Hermione," Alex broke the silence so abruptly almost everyone had a start.

"Er, Alex?" Hermione was suddenly nervous, more so than she had been even when the adults had been lecturing her.

"I know you got a lot of shit for even suggesting this crazy idea. The risks were extremely high but it all turned out okay, so thank you. I owe you quite a huge debt of gratitude."

"No you don't," the girl muttered. "If it wasn't for me you wouldn't have been in here at all."

"What?!" Alex all but shouted. Harry almost fell out of his chair and Constantine jumped about a foot in the air this time. It didn't help that Alex hardly ever raised his voice.

"You have GOT to stop making us all start," Constantine gently scolded.

"Sorry. But Hermione? What on earth is wrong with you?" Alex's face was less than amused.

"W-what?" she managed to splutter.

"How could you think for even a moment that this was your fault? I vaguely recall Harry mentioning as much but I didn't really grasp the severity of his words."

"If it wasn't for me, you never would have thrown in your lot and you never would have ended up overexerting yourself! How could I not feel guilty?"

"Hermione," Alex's tone was extremely harsh. You could tell he wanted to brutally admonish his pupil and was just barely holding back. "For someone so incredibly smart you are unbelievably moronic sometimes."

Hermione opened her mouth to protest but Alex didn't give her the chance, he just whizzed on ahead.

"Even if you hadn't pitched up that barrier, I would have. The difference being that I would have been considerably more screwed far more quickly. You didn't do anything I wasn't planning on. You certainly didn't land me in this bed. If it wasn't for you then, and now, I might not have ever woken up."

"I-I didn't realize…I'm sorry."

"Are you quite finished blaming yourself?" Alex glared at his fellow telepath.

"That isn't fair! It isn't that easy you know. I-," the girl stamped a foot, clearly uncomfortable.

"Yes or no, Hermione?"

"Yes. Fine, yes!"

"Good."

-------------------------------------------------

"Alex!" Joy all but shrieked. It was clearly an effort for her not to tackle said telepath bodily.

Everyone had gathered into the hospital wing. News of Alex's return to the land of the living had traveled fast, largely in part to communication from telepath to telepath that went faster than many would've considered possible.

Every mutant Hermione considered herself even remotely close to, along with a few she didn't, had congregated at Alex's bedside. He was still weak and he looked it; a sickly pallor to his face and inability to sit up for long periods being evidence of just how long he had been out. He looked terrible, absolutely terrible; there was no getting around it. Well, awful and frail but content.

He wasn't the only one. Joy was bouncing up and down ecstatically, Artemis was still crying blissful tears, Will was affectionately clapping Matt on the back, and Lee enthusiastically kept shaking hands with Harry.

The atmosphere was practically euphoric; you could get drunk from it. There were so many overjoyed students, mutant and wizard alike, barely stopping themselves from shouting their glee for all to hear. Not to say they weren't loud. On the contrary, there was so much noise coming from the hospital wing that it could be heard well down the corridor.

Madame Pomphrey, who was twittering about agitatedly, had developed a twitch above her right eye. She had given up trying to shush the collected students when it became clear only more would be joining them. She didn't have to be pleased about it though.

"To Hermione!" Will cheered above the dun, punching a fist up into the air.

"To Harry," added Constantine, winking at the boy. Harry just ducked his head, as always being uncomfortable with an abundance of attention.

"Don't' forget Matt," a furiously blushing Hermione managed to get out. "He helped even though he thought the whole thing was too hazardous. If he hadn't agreed to his part, no one else would have been able to pull this off."

Before anyone else could respond there was a loud clunk. Looking towards the source of the noise, Hermione could see that Harry had fallen out of his chair. Oh no! Hermione began to panic internally. What else can happen?!

The room erupted into an even more deafening chaos as its occupants tried to figure out for themselves what was happening. As Hermione began fighting her way towards her prone friend she saw Ron trying to do the same.

Harry was twitching on the ground, Joy and Sarah kneeling at his side.

"He just went limp and sort of, like, fell out of his chair. Then he started moaning and twitching, clutching at his head." Joy said as Hermione approached.

Hermione's eyes went wide as she and Ron locked their gazes. If she was honest with herself, Hermione had half expected this would happen. She had worried all along that if Harry's mental state was compromised, Voldemort would notice the opening and take it.

"Sarah," Hermione began in a rush. "We need to shield Harry's mind. I think someone is trying to breach Harry's thoughts…to take him over. We have to stop it."

The blond telepath just nodded, placing a pale-white hand over Harry's own.

"Hermione, I don't want you trying to help. You aren't trained for this sort of thing yet and I don't want you to get hurt."

Hermione nodded. As much as she hated to admit it, Sarah was right. Hermione wasn't ready for this sort of cerebral battle.

Harry stopped twitching as the calming waves signifying Sarah's mental presence washed over him. Almost as soon as he stopped however, Sarah gasped, nearly doubling over.

"The intruder is too strong." Marianne seemed to appear out of nowhere, but at the least she was calm, much calmer than Hermione felt. "Someone get Professor X!" There was the immediate sound of what Hermione could only assume was Eve departing.

Marianne knelt at Harry's other side, putting one of her hands on top of Harry's remaining free one.

Silence stretched over the room. Beads of sweat appeared on Marianne's forehead. By this point Sarah was shaking, her face pulled into a grimace as she continued trying to put forth more effort.

Hermione felt the strain, but that was the extent of her discomfort. The other two were making sure that she did not feel the Dark Lord's invasion as acutely as they themselves were. Still, Hermione could feel that the girls' hold was slipping. Voldemort was just too powerful.

Barely in time it seemed, Hermione could sense Professor Xavier coming towards the wing. His power was amazing, that he could exert so much control without even touching someone was a strength Hermione wondered if she would ever possess.

Students shuffled to the sides of the room to provide a path to the struggling telepaths.

"Ronald," the professor asked as he rolled towards them. Ron looked up, startled. "If you would," the professor continued. "Sit Harry up straight so that I can reach his forehead."

Ron did as he was bid, albeit clearly reluctant.

As soon as the elder telepath connected to Harry, the pressure that had felt to be building up in the room disappeared. Sarah fell back into Joy's waiting arms and brought a quivering hand to cover her eyes. Marianne let out an "oof" before she too, disengaged from the lifeless Harry.

Just like that, it was over. It took the professor mere minutes to block off Harry's mind from its enemy. He had finished well before Dumbledore and Snape arrived, Professor McGonagall at their heels.

"I am pleased to say that your Dark Lord was not able to gleam much. Largely thanks to the swift actions of the students," Professor Xavier addressed the entering adults. "However," he continued. "If Harry had not been in the company of mutants, I doubt he would have fared so favourably. His attacker was looking for something, something he didn't find." Xavier paused, probably trying to best phrase the unsaid words that still hung in the air. Dumbledore did it for him.

"But Voldemort will try again."