"You lost, kid?"
"Nah, just hungry." I told the barkeep as I stepped into the bar. "Obviously, I'm not drinking."
"Can you pay?" I shrugged and fished out a rather nice wallet I'd gotten back in London from my back pocket. I plucked out a hundred-dollar bill and slapped it on the bar as I slid onto a stool. "Alright then. What can I get you?"
"Water for now." I sighed as the man nodded, sliding me a rather brief menu.
"Alright. But just between you and me? Stay away from the hot dog. I'd the runs for a week last time I had one."
"If the burger's better than McDonalds, that'll be fine."
"Eh, they're decent. They bring in a few bucks on the side, beer ain't cheap."
"Nah, it's not." I grinned as the man slid a glass of water in front of me.
"How'd you want that? Cheese, ketchup, mustard?"
"Cheese for sure and mayonnaise if you have it."
"Comin' right up, kid. 'Ey, Vigo!" The barkeep shouted as he stalked toward the kitchen. I shook my head, picking up my cup as I went. God, I wish I could have gone back to London… Or home. Home would have been nice but that's a literal world away. I sighed again, taking a drag of my water and putting it down on the shined oak with a thud. Fucking hell, Karah said I should stick around for a few days until she could get Sirius a trial date but she didn't know how long that could take. I mean, we'd just destroyed Horcruxes together, didn't that mean anything to the woman? I shook my head. It probably meant a whole lot to her, that's why she was working so hard on this when she was practically the magical equivalent to the director of the Marshals.
I swirled my glass while staring at the grain in the bar's wooden counter, wondering just how this would all play out when the bell hanging on the door rang again but I didn't pay it any attention. This was a bar in Manhattan, and it was getting close to lunch hour. I was actually surprised at the lack of people here but considering what the dude just said about the hot dogs? Maybe it wasn't such a big surprise.
"Little young to be in a bar alone, ain'tcha, bub?" I froze, looking up slowly as the voice registered. I blinked once, then twice as the man nodded. "Yeah, I'm talkin' to you."
"Um, yeah. Just a bit." I stammered as Logan (yes, that Logan) snorted, already puffing on a cigar as he took a seat a few down from me. "Godfather's in a meeting and everywhere else looked too crowded."
"Yeah. So, godfather, eh? What, your parents not around?"
"Mom's dead and dad gave me up. Just found my godfather recently." Logan nodded.
"Huh. Ain't heard that one before. Sorry, kid."
"Don't be." I said, and the conversation lulled. "I'm sorry, but do I know you?"
"Be surprised if you did, bub, but I can't say I'd know if you did or not. Gotta bit of a memory problem, see."
"I see." I pursed my lips, draining my glass. "What'd you say your name was?"
"Logan."
"You sure about that?"
"No."
"Ah. Well, you look exactly like a guy these crazy Canadian fuckers trained me to be like. His name was Weapon X." Instantly, the man was on his feet. I didn't even see him move before his hand was around my throat and slamming me into the wall. His fist was at my belly, and I knew he could tear me from balls to brains in a heartbeat.
"Talk." He growled. I smirked and put my own fist against his side, letting my claws out just enough to poke him. His eyes widened as he looked down at his now bloodstained white shirt.
"I'm Weapon L."
"No."
"Yeah. There won't be a Weapon LI, though."
"You don't know that."
"Oh but I do. I blew their whole compound to Hell."
"How?"
"Probably not a conversation for here." I said. Wolverine sniffed but dropped me all the same.
"Alright kid, then let's go."
"I'm eating first." I said, turning to the shell-shocked barkeep who had the burger in his hand with his mouth hanging open. "I'll let you keep the rest of that Benjamin if you keep your mouth shut about all this." The barkeep nodded rapidly and put the burger back in front of my place at the bar. Then he put another glass of water up.
"T-thank you." The barkeep said, turning to Logan fearfully.
"Give me a stout and put it on him." Logan threw a thumb in my direction as he took his seat again, picking his cigar off the bar. The barkeep didn't say a word, just went about pouring the beer as I ate mechanically. Hm… It was actually a pretty good burger.
It only took a minute for me to inhale my food while Logan drained his beer. He finished first and never took his eyes off of me. Like he could keep me from escaping if I really wanted to. Eventually, I got up, tossing the paper plate in the can as Logan slid off his stool too, keeping close behind me as we walked into the hellishly busy Manhattan streets.
"You know somewhere we can go?" I asked, crossing my arms over my chest. He nodded and waved for me to follow him. Together, we bobbed and weaved through the mass of people in the streets. It wasn't hard for me to keep up with him but he could have lost me if he wanted to. He wasn't exactly a tall guy; in fact, we were almost the same height, with him only being about five-three. This was definitely a more comics or show-accurate Logan than Hugh Jackman's portrayal, but there was some resemblance there. We kept walking for a while, eating up the miles and passing dozens of landmarks (including a strangely shaped tower sort of designed like Λ that was strangely familiar, but I couldn't put my finger on why) until we came across a building labeled The Surrey. I blinked in surprise as Logan threw the doors of the incredibly nice hotel open and strode in like he owned the place.
"This way." He grumbled as we headed for the elevator. He smacked the up button and we waited, and waited, and waited… Then the door finally opened and we stepped inside. He smacked the button for the top floor. "Talk."
"Mom died, dad gave me up to my mom's sister. Well, mom's sister's husband sold me off to Weapon X for a few year's worth of his salary when I was three or four. They did something to me and I got these." I loosed just a bit of my claws while I waved my hand, hopefully they would just look like shadows on camera. "Then they decided that what they did to you was so successful that they did it to me."
"How'd you kill 'em?"
"I don't just have your powers, I'm a pyro and fulkinetic."
"A what?"
"I can control fire and lightning."
"Ah. They kill you, too?"
"Yep." We fell silent as the elevator kept climbing and I noticed something about both of us. I blinked as I looked down at what I was wearing and then up at what he was wearing. "Really?"
"I wore it first, kid." Wolverine smirked as he glanced down at me. "But I like your style."
"Mine's better." No, I didn't pout!
"Sure kid, whatever you say."
"It's bulletproof." I said, unzipping the leather coat.
"Is it? Alright then. Not that it'll do you much good against what we can do, now will it?"
"I don't think I'll be fighting you."
"Whatever you say, kid." Logan grunted as the elevator came to a halt. The doors opened, letting us off into a very nicely decorated hall. Not that Logan cared for the decor as he stalked down the hallway like a man on a mission. He stopped in front of one of the doors and knocked on it three times. I stepped up beside him while we waited for the door to open. There was a click from the deadbolt being thrown then the handle was pulled down. Logan pulled open the door but didn't step through.
"Logan? I wasn't expecting you back until this evening." An Englishman's voice asked as Logan and the door blocked my view. 'Oh shit…' I thought, 'an Englishman with Logan? Wonder who that could be?' The sarcasm in my thoughts was rampant while I straight up thought about bolting.
'Be not afraid, Fledgling.'
"We guard your mind. Any fool enough to invade it without your permission will find themselves begging for death."
"Found someone I thought you'd like to meet, Chuck. I needed a quiet place to talk to him but he's already answered most of my questions."
"Oh?" Charles Xavier asked from behind the door. "Oh, I see." He said, and I was pretty sure he'd just read Logan's mind. "Please, child, let me have a look at you." The professor said as I stepped around the door and Logan to come face to face with the master of the mind himself.
"Afternoon." I nodded as the professor smiled.
"Good afternoon, young man. Might I ask your name?"
"Harry, Harry Noir. Nice to meet you…"
"Professor Charles Xavier. You recognized Logan immediately and you seem to know who I am too. You are an interesting boy, Mr. Noir. Please, come inside, we have much to discuss."
"I feel like there's a joke about two old men luring the little boy inside their lair here." I smirked as Logan snorted but the Professor sighed.
"I assure you, Mr. Noir, we have no ill intentions toward you."
"Oh, good one! I almost believed that. What's next, gonna offer me some candy?" Logan snorted as the Professor frowned. "Sorry, prof. Logan just dragged me four miles through Manhattan, I'm more pissed at him than anything." I said as I stepped inside.
"That's perfectly understandable, young man. You claim that you are Weapon L, yes?"
"I don't claim anything, it's what they called me." I shrugged as I fully unsheathed my claws for the first time. Logan and the Professor looked at them but Logan cocked his head to the side.
"Why're they black?" He unsheathed his own and put them next to mine for comparison. "And why only two?"
"I have three." I smirked as I gestured toward the floor. Xavier gasped as Logan lifted an eyebrow.
"Huh. Handy."
"I thought so too. As for why they're black, well Project X used a Vibranium-Adamantium alloy on me instead of pure Adamantium like they did on you."
"Why?"
"I don't know. Variety?" Wolverine snorted as the Professor ran a finger down the side of my claw.
"Perhaps a small test wouldn't be out of the question?"
"What do you got in mind, Chuck?"
"Would both of you retract your claws, please?" We both did as he asked as Xavier looked at our hands. "Excellent, your healing factors are both excellent but it appears Mr. Noir's is just the slightest bit faster, Logan."
"Yeah, but he has the better metal," I said, but Logan just shrugged.
"Maybe."
"Yes, the properties of Vibranium are not well known but it is known to be quite light when compared to steel at almost a third of the weight. Adamantium, conversely, is denser than lead."
"Really?" The question slipped before I could reel it back in.
"Yeah." Logan crossed his arms over his chest. "I'm three hundred pounds."
"But you look great!" I quipped, getting the Professor to smirk at least. "Alright, what next, prof?"
"Please extend your claws." Snikt! "Hm… Interesting. Mr. Noir, did you feel that?"
"No? Why?"
"Because it hurts like a bitch to pull these out." Wolverine grumbled, looking down at his claws.
"Ah… Right."
"Press one claw against one anothers', if you would."
"What are you trying to see here, Chuck?"
"If the adamantium in the alloy coating Mr. Noir's skeleton is a match for the pure substance." I looked at Wolverine and shrugged, resheathing my outer claws while leaving the ones near my index finger out. Logan did the same but with his middle claw. He smirked as I rolled my eyes.
"Classy."
Yeah, because that's definitely what we are, bub."
"Logan."
"Alright, alright." Logan sighed, holding his hand up as I did the same. Our claws touched then he started applying pressure. Logan kept putting pressure on, and I knew he was about to overwhelm me. He didn't disappoint. Before I knew it, he was pushing me backward until Charles called for us to stop. We did and held out our claws for him to examine.
"Not a mark… How interesting. It appears the alloy can endure against the element. Now, to confirm this, Mr. Noir, I have one last request but this one may be the most dangerous."
"What do you have in mind?"
"I'd like Logan to strike your claw with his. I understand if you do not wish to do this as it could very well cut through yours'." I paused but nodded. Heaven help me, I was curious too. I turned to Logan and held my hand out.
"Do it."
"You sure?"
"I am. Do it." Logan nodded and swiped his hand down. There wasn't a ring like you'd expect from metal striking metal, instead there was a dull thud as Logan's hit was stopped dead. I blinked and stared at the Wolverine in disbelief. He shook his arm out and looked down at my claw. "Not a mark, bub… Damn, it is Vibranium. Should have known that would've happened."
"What happened?" I asked, not quite getting the full picture here.
"Vibranium absorbs kinetic energy completely, that and vibrations." Charles explained as I looked down at my claw curiously. "Any strike on your claws without a significant amount of weight behind the stroke will probably result similarly to Logan's attempt. It is quite fascinating, indeed."
"Yeah, pretty cool, I guess." I said, sheathing my undamaged claw. "So what do you do?"
"Oh, pardon me, I am a telepath."
"A mind reader?"
"And telekenitic, I am able to move objects with my mind alone."
"So… You're a Jedi in a wheelchair?"
"Ah, unlike the Jedi, I am afraid I'm no great shakes with the sword." The Professor grinned. "Harry, would you like a place at my school? I am afraid it is upstate but it is a haven for people like us."
"Like us?"
"Mutants, bub."
"Ah, thanks Logan."
"Don't mention it."
"So you made a mutant school. What do you teach?"
"All of the subjects one would expect from the standard New York middle and high school curriculums as well as a few classes offered nowhere else in the state."
"Hm… Tell you what, prof, I've already got plans for this year. If those don't pan out, I'll join up."
"Might I ask what those plans are?"
"Ever heard of Hogwarts?"
"My, my, you are full of surprise, Mr. Noir." Charles smiled while he shook his head. "I did not know you were a wizard."
"Wizard? Like Harkness?"
"Similar, but Harkness uses a different magic than Harry here is capable of wielding. If you join my school, I promise you I will find the best tutors in the United States."
"Thanks, prof. We'll see what happens. Right now you're the third offer behind Hogwarts and Illvermorny." I grinned as the professor sighed.
"Am I? A shame. I do hope you keep my offer in mind though."
"I will, prof. I'm actually tempted to take it now… But I have a brother I need to meet and a father to defenestrate."
"Ah, I understand your desire, Harry, but I implore that you do nothing rash when you meet the man. Perhaps he had reasons to separate you two?"
"Maybe… We'll see. My brother was forced into being a celebrity so he's either going to have a head the size of Times Square or be a social turtle. James though? He's an unknown right now." I sighed as the professor stiffened.
"Harry, a celebrity brother, James's son… You wouldn't happen to be Harry Potter?"
"Right in one, prof." I grunted, pushing my fingers through my hair, revealing the now much-faded scar. "Yes, I know, I'm dead."
"You look alive enough to me, kid." Logan grinned as he sat down on the edge of one of the two beds.
"I feel pretty alive too." I shrugged. "But for all intents and purposes, Harry Potter died a few days ago. I dropped the name."
"Why?"
"I had a better opportunity. You know how there are some really old families in the wizarding world?"
"Yes." Charles said.
"Well, my grandmother on James's side was the last member of the Noirs. They were one of if not the richest family in the Wizarding world, the Potters are pretty well off but taking the name Noir emancipated me."
"Truly? You're an adult in the eyes of the wizards now?"
"Legally, yes. I'm the head of a family with all the rights and privileges."
"Do not forget the responsibilities that come with that, Mr. Potter."
"Are you going to give me the whole With Great Power Comes Great Responsibility spiel? Because I really expected that to come from someone else. Oh, and it's Noir." Charles' eyebrows were in his non-existent hairline.
"You are an interesting young man, Mr. P- Noir."
"I like ya, kid." Logan chuckled. "You got a way back?"
"Yeah, I do." I nodded, transforming into my eagle form. Charles' jaw hit the floor while Logan just laughed.
"I fear I should not even question how this is possible." Xavier sighed as I changed back to my human form.
"Magic, professor." I smiled as he shook his head. "How can I get back in touch with you?"
"Ah, yes, my school is at 1407 Graymalkin Lane, Bayville, New York. You can usually find the two of us there. We are just here on business for a few days." Charles smiled as I had Sol burn the address into my head.
'Worry not, fledgling, this location is no trouble to deliver you to.'
"Alright, thanks prof. I've got a feeling I'll be seeing a lot of both of you soon."
"The pleasure was mine, Mr. Noir. Good day."
"See ya, bub." Logan grunted as he readjusted himself on the bed, settling into the pillows. I rolled my eyes but turned around, walking out of the room while mentally I was freaking out.
"You did not believe us when we told you the X-Men existed, boy?"
'No, I did, I just didn't expect to run into Wolverine in a fucking bar in Manhatten and then get dragged directly to Professor X less than a week after getting here. What was Logan even doing that far away from here?'
'The tavern you chose was quiet, empty. Perhaps it is always that way.'
'Maybe… Who am I kidding, that place was right up Logan's alley. It's probably his go-to dive in the city.'
"Indeed. Sol, get us out of here."
'Aye. We have lingered too long.' Sol said and the next thing I knew, we were in an alley with the Woolworth building in sight.
'Damn it, Sol! You probably just scared the shit out of someone!'
'My apologies.' I rolled my eyes and stepped onto the sidewalk, joining the crowd of people moving in the Woolworth's general direction.
'Yeah, yeah. Just next time wait until we get outside the fancy hotel, yeah?'
'I cannot make that oath, fledgling.'
'You are so going to get us caught one day.'
"There were no cameras, boy. With Sol's vision you would have seen them. Even my eyes saw nothing."
'Your eyes are different from each other's?'
"Look and see." Radin said as the world changed around me. I blinked a few times to try and figure out just what the hell I was seeing before I got it.
'Heat signatures? You can see heat signatures?'
"I command fire, what is fire but heat given form?"
'Point… So you can see fire, turn into fire, and… Am I missing anything?'
"If I so wish, your hide will be as impenetrable as mine, though I must concentrate to do this. I have been making efforts to make this process unconscious on my behalf."
'That's badass…'
'And I can teleport you as if you were carried by lightning, have enhanced your vision but to see as I do you must concentrate, and with my help you can hear a single conversation in the middle of a throng.'
'So you can filter out a crowd of voices and pick out just one?'
'Aye, fledgling, and with your hearing enhanced to that of the Wolverine's I estimate that you could hear a conversation from up to a mile away as if you were standing next to them.'
'That's useful…' I thought as I looked up at the Woolworth and frowned. 'Damn it. Sol, let's get out o-'
"'Ey, Noir?" Interrupted me from my thoughts. I looked over my shoulder to find Tommy Kowalski standing there with a cup of something that smelled sort of like coffee in one hand and a hot dog in the other. "Howard wants to see you. They've got your godfather sorted out." I blinked a few times before I nodded.
"Thanks, Tommy. But where'd you come from?"
"'Ey now, I might just be a squib but I've got some tricks too, ya know." Tommy grinned, taking a sip of his coffee while strolling off down the street. "I'll see ya around, kid. Take care."
"You too," I called as Tommy lifted his cup in the air without ever turning around to face me. 'Scratch that, bud. Apparently, we've got a man-child to go take care of.' I shook my head and shoved my hands in my pockets.
'A shame.'
'Yeah, you're telling me.'