CH1

"Now class, who can tell me the chemical formula for hydrochloric acid and the electron levels that it fills?" A recently reformed Erik Lehnsherr asked his advanced chemistry class. After a few talks amongst the other teachers, and several threats from Wolverine, Professor Xavier had allowed Magneto, Mystique, Pyro and several others to take up residence within the mansion. Some were given teaching positions, while others were placed into the student body itself. Magneto had taken up the position of chemistry teacher as Professer Lehnsherr, while Mystique was placed as Wolverine's assistant in Danger Room exercises, much to their dismay.

"Anyone?" Erik asked the silent class. "Ms. Pryde? Mr. Trent? Mr Ngyen? No? The answer is HCl and it fills up to the 4s level," He said, turning to the blackboard and writing the answer under the equation as the bell rang, signaling the end of the class period. "Remember, read chapters 22 and 23 on the mole theory and we will be having a test over it next week!" As the class scrambled to gather their things, Magneto felt the familiar presence of his old friend at the doorway to his classroom. He turned around to find Professor Xavier sitting in his ever present wheelchair, a small smile upon his face. Magneto never asked how Charles had managed to cheat death, because he felt that some questions were better left unanswered. "Hello, Charles," he smiled. "Hello, Erik," came the reply. They had had their differences over the years, but after Magneto had felt what it was like to be human, and found that they could not be persueded by violence, he had chosen to try and see things from Charles' point of view. There were times that he found it pointless, and strayed back to his old ways of thinking, but would continually put them into the back of his head. After all, if he used the same violence that Homo sapiens used, that made him no better than them.

"To what do I owe the pleasure?" the self-appointed Master of Magnetism asked. "I am taking a leave of absence for a few days and I need someone to look over the school for a few days," Charles told him.

"Aren't you afraid that I might try to turn your students against you and take over the school if you put me in charge?"

"I never said I was putting you in charge," said Xavier. "I was going to ask if you knew where Logan was, I think that he might do well with the added responsibility."

Magneto's jaw dropped. "You're not serious."

"No," Xavier said with a chuckle. "I just wanted to see the look on your face."

"That was a dirty trick, Charles. Maybe there is hope for you after all."

The old friends shared a laugh as they headed downstairs to the kitchen area, where Storm was fixing vegatable stew for lunch. "Hello, Ororo," Erik said to the weather goddess. "Is this your famous onion soup?" he asked, leaning over her left shoulder. "Yes," she replied turning to look at him. "And if you don't put that salt shaker down, you're going to wish that Wolverine got ahold of you." The shaker in question, which Erik had been levitating over her right shoulder by its metal top began to return to its proper place in the kitchen.

"I just think it needs a little flavor," Erik said, looking like a four-year-old caught with his hand in the cookie jar. "Then you can add it to your own helping later, but until then, stay out of my cooking!" she said, emphasising her point by raising the wooden spoon she was holding like a sword.

"Better listen to her 'rik," came the voice of Wolverine from behind the fridge door. He had apparently snuck in while Magneto and Storm were engaged in conversation. "She's come after me with that spoon before, and lemme tell ya, it ain't pretty." Logan stood from the fridge holding a beer from his secret stash that he kept in the vegatable crisper. "Need I remind you that this is a school where we have underaged children living?" Erik asked the feral man. Logan stood toe-to-toe with the older man and stared at him. "And need I remind you that I keep them counted and always have a close watch on anyone that I suspect of underaged drinking?"

Xavier decided to intervine just then. "Logan, just remember, if I ever find out that anyone here that isn't of the legal drinking age is imbibing your alcohol-" "And I'll spend the rest of my life thinking that I'm a six-year-girl. I know."

"Yes, and judging by that healing factor of yours, that could be a very long time," Magneto said with a smirk, causing Logan to pop his middle claw, which earned him a "Logan!" from Storm.

The Blackbird, or X-Jet depending on who you asked, was prepped and ready for its flight into Washington D.C. where Professer Xavier was to meet with the Mutant Ambassador Henry McCoy. The professor was to be accompanied by Nightcrawler, Pyro, Gambit, and Storm during his three day stay in the nations capital. Nightcrawler and Storm were going to try and help with the human-mutant relations, while Pyro and Gambit would be going as back-up. And to see the sights of course.

Storm was saying good-bye to Logan who was sulking for two reasons. Firstly, because his girlfriend and lover was going away for three days, leaving him all alone with 'the rugrats' as he called them. And secondly because after his little middle claw incident in the kitchen, Magneto had used his mutant power to force Logan to pour out his beer, and then attached every refrigerator magnet to his skin. Needless to say, Logan was not a happy camper, but a kiss from Storm and a whisper into his ear caused him to smile before she entered the X-Jet.

"Take care of 'er, Chuck." He said before Charles wheeled himself up the ramp. "Don' worry, mon ami, Gambit watch out for Stormy." "You better, Cajan. Or else."