Wands and Claws
Disclaimer/Plot/Author's Note: SEE FIRST CHAPTER
Recommended Reads: Apex, Damaged Raven, Widow's Vengeance, Bonded, Magical Spider, Silver King and Hydrus Black by JustBored21, Ruby Tinted Glasses by StormyFireDragon, Shattering the Mirror by arturus, Child of the Storm, Ghosts of the Past and The Phoenix and the Serpent by Nimbus Llewelyn, Lightning, Part 1 and Lightning, Part 2: An Eventful Fourth Year by The New York Bear, Harry Potter The Protector of Magic and The Protector and the Four Guardians by TigerSwarm9122, Harry Potts and the Infinity Stones by samhaine and Ascension, The Son of Storms and The War of Titans by PerseusPeverell092
Key Pairing: Eventual Harry/Jean/Emma; Eventual Laura/Wayne;
Other Pairings: Logan/Ororo; Erik/Raven; Others TBD
Normal Speech
'Thoughts'
'Telepathy'
/Parseltongue/
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INSTEAD:
For fans of JB's original work, you should know that this chapter introduces a change to the original that, before anyone asks, YES, I have the original fan-writer's permission to put into the adventure. I just hope the idea works as well as I hope it does, both for me, the writer, and you, the reader;
Ororo didn't say it aloud, but, like Logan, she found herself thinking that the words no shit, Sherlock couldn't have been any more appropriate here, especially with what Charles was saying about testing Harry's metal and his powers.
"You don't have to ask," replied Ororo, again trying to mask her feelings behind her thoughts for her charges as she explained, "Whatever it takes, I am helping that family be a family, and I think we can both agree that this starts with helping that boy realise he can be a boy."
"You always were the best of us, Ororo." Professor Xavier smiled.
Chapter 4: A Power Trip
"This place is nice." Laura said as she sat on the bed, her knees placed against her chest with her arms hugging them closer, while she also looked around the room that she now shared with her twin.
"I suppose it'll do…for now," Harry frowned as he lay down on the other bed, staring up at the ceiling while he let his arms fall to his side, making him look like he was making a bed angel on the duvet covers.
"Why don't you like it here, Harry?" asked Laura, a hint of curiosity, as well as sorrow, lacing her words as she asked, "They rescued us, fed us, gave us these nice new clothes. It doesn't matter whether it's Stryker or the other people: this is more than we've ever had, so…so why, big brother? I just…I don't understand."
After a moment listening to his sister's argument, Harry sighed, rubbing the bridge of his nose with one hand before, sitting up, he looked down at his baby sister as he explained, "It's not that I don't like it, I just…I just don't know if we can trust them."
"Why? I mean, they said that the Logan man was our grandfather, so that means he is family," said Laura, earning a scoff from Harry.
"Maybe, but Aunt Petunia and Uncle Vernon were family as well," Harry reminded her, his voice tinged with hatred when he identified the former relations for who they'd been, earning a slight flinch from Laura as he did so.
Seeing her flinch, Harry sighed, running a hand through his short-trimmed hair before, flexing his fingers, he eyed his knuckles where his claws would come out, a contemplative look in his young eyes as he continued, "On the other hand, Sabretooth did say that they were going to be nice, so…I suppose I…I can be willing to give them a chance."
While Laura smiled in response, Harry paused suddenly, sniffing at the air curiously before letting out another scoff as he muttered, "Here, let me get the door."
While Laura watched in curiosity, as well as a small amount of relief at her twin's choice to try and let some nice people into their lives, Harry walked towards the door, which he opened to reveal Logan who had his hand raised, clearly about to knock.
"Yes?" Harry asked just as Logan lowered his hand.
"Right…so this must be what being on the other end of that feels like; a bit awkward," Logan said to himself before he took a deep breath and began speaking to his heirs apparent. "All right, so, you know how I'm your grandfather? Well, I was hoping we could spend some time together."
"Doing what?" Laura asked as she walked over and stopped next to Harry, taking his hand for emphasis as though sensing he might lash out again.
"I don't know," Logan shrugged, sticking his hands in his pockets as he added, "I don't spend much time with kids unless I have to, so I don't know what to suggest: what do you two kids like to do?"
"We…don't really know," Harry admitted, though not before he released his hand from Laura's, silently assuring her that he was going to be okay.
"Huh?" Logan blinked in surprise, a note of disbelief in his voice as he asked, "What do you mean you don't really know?"
"What? We don't: it's not our fault!" Harry said in a defensive voice.
"He…he's right, Mr Logan…I mean, between the Dursleys and Stryker, we never got to do anything fun," Laura said in a bitter voice.
"Right...well..." Logan paused, not sure what to say.
"There you are, Logan," Ororo said suddenly, earning a relieved sigh from Wolverine as she arrived, taking a place next to Logan where, looking to the kids, she then smiled in what she hoped was a compassionate air as she explained, "I apologise for eavesdropping, children, but, if I might offer a suggestion to your dilemma? I am going to go shopping now, and I would like some help if that is not a problem."
"I…I was going to…you know…" Logan trailed off as he gestured to Harry and Laura.
"I know, and that's my point," Ororo smiled, a part of her wondering how Logan, as their grandfather, could seem so dense when the kids seemed so observant. "Perhaps you two could join us?"
"Join you?" repeated Harry.
"Yes, Harry. I was wondering if the two of you would like to come shopping with us?" Ororo asked with a kind smile.
She watched as Harry and Laura looked at each other, the two appeared to be in a sort of silent conversation that was likely possible either because of telepathy or simply knowing each other very well.
Given they were twins, she erred on the side of the lesser.
After only a moment's pause, their small non-verbal conversation ended with Laura nodding, while Harry sighed before he turned to Ororo and nodded, indicating his consent to go along with her suggestion.
"Excellent, we'll be going in ten minutes." She nodded to them before winking at Logan as she walked away.
"She's a nice lady: is she your girlfriend?" Laura asked once Ororo was gone.
"No, she's not my girlfriend." Logan said, resisting the urge to roll his eyes at such a classic little-kid enquiry coming from such dangerous souls as those standing before him.
"Uh-huh," drawled Harry, earning a scoff from Logan as he not only heard, but smelled the disbelief radiating off of his grandson.
"Look, you kids get ready and stay here, I'll be right back, then we'll go shopping." He said before he walked off to find Ororo.
WsCs
"What was that about?"
"I am merely helping you." Ororo answered, earning a scoff from Logan.
"Helping me?" Logan blinked owlishly.
"This is a delicate situation, Logan," Ororo replied, earning a nod from Wolverine. "I mean no offence when I say this, but you need help in dealing with these particular kids. Sure, you may teach some of the other kids here, but you don't really get close to any of them, nor do any of them see you as anyone or anything more than their rebel-without-a-cause teacher."
Logan smirked at her choice of words, but his amusement vanished just as quickly as Ororo went on, "However, Harry and Laura are different, and not just because you are their family. They've suffered through things that no child should have to suffer through, and, especially in Harry's case, he is at least at a stage where he doesn't trust any adult. They need our help and they need you: I simply want to help you help them."
"Fine," Logan sighed, running a hand through his wild hair as he added, "But perhaps give me a little warning next time before you suddenly decide on a plan for my day."
"Oh? And what were you going to do with your day anyway?" Ororo snorted, folding her arms defiantly. "Go in the garage and work on your vehicles or spend the day drinking beer?"
It was several minutes of uncomfortable silence before Logan finally replied to her.
Though not before turning his back on her, if only so she didn't see him blushing.
"Shut up."
WsCs
"Harry," Ororo asked as they drove to the shops using one of the cars from the garage.
As was pretty common knowledge at the school, Logan preferred to drive on his motorbike, but knew that he couldn't really get away with driving on a bike with three other people, two of which were kids, at least not in this country.
Instead, Logan was driving the car so he was naturally in the front, while Laura had wanted to sit in the front.
Meanwhile, Ororo and Harry didn't care either way so Laura was sat at the front with Harry sat behind her and Ororo sat behind Logan, which made it easy for her to speak to her more-defensively-minded charge directly, "Can I ask you a question?"
She was tempted to not say anything and just enjoy the peaceful silence, mostly because it was rather amusing to watch the two children react to the change in surroundings and the open air that blew through the windows – which she'd insisted Logan open if he was going to smoke in the car.
Laura was practically bouncing in her seat with excitement and her face was filled with wonder as she looked out the window at the various cars, buildings and people they passed along with the environment around her. Things that seemed mundane to most people but clearly not to Laura.
Harry, on the other hand, was equally as interested, even if he did try and hide it, though his own awed feelings vanished, only to be replaced by a familiar defensive air as he shrugged before looking back to Ororo, "Um…sure; if you want to, Ororo."
"Your sister has bone claws but you do not," She commented in a casual voice, earning a curious look from Harry, while even Laura glanced in the rear-view mirror, taking an interest in this conversation. "Your claws are apparently made of metal, just like Wolverine here, but when we brought you in, we did an X-Ray and saw that there was no metal in your body, do you know why that is?"
"Really?" Logan groaned, scoffing in disbelief as he asked, "So, the Professor and Bigfoot try to think up ways to bring it up, but you just straight up blurt it out? Really tactful, Storm; you should be a policewoman with that level of subtle detective skills."
"I find honesty is the best policy," argued Ororo, though she also noticed both kids looking at her and Logan in confusion, albeit only momentarily.
"Why do you want to know?" asked Harry.
"For many reasons, one of which, as Logan so casually hinted at, is that I am a bit nosey," She said with a wink, earning a soft giggle from Laura, while Harry scoffed before returning his attention to the view out the window. "Second of all, at school, we help young mutants and that is much easier for us and them if we know what their powers are. In your case, Harry, the fact that your claws are metal is interesting but what if the metal is harming you in some sort of way?"
"I don't feel sick, if that's what you mean."
"Maybe not now, but it might make you feel sick in the future." Ororo argued, a small part of her wondering what Harry might be thinking in coming out so aggressively with that particular remark, but she took the string and held on tightly regardless, steering the conversation in a way that she hoped would help the kids open up as she added, "We don't know if the metal is magnetic, or if it can be burnt or broken: in fact, as Wolverine here can tell you, there's a lot of things that could be bad or good depending on why you have metal claws. So, if you are fine with telling me, then can I know why?"
"Hmm…I don't know why, but…hang on…" Harry said after a few moments.
Here, he raised one hand and closed his fist, prompting his three claws to come out, but they weren't metal like before: they were, in fact, bone claws...or at least they were for a few moments before Ororo watched as the claws suddenly changed into metal.
"Well, that is impressive," She said as she raised a hand, though not before Harry pulled his hand back, causing her to stop. "Sorry, Harry: may I?"
Even though Harry hesitated at first, he did nod, earning a thankful smile from Ororo as she slowly reached out and placed her hands on his claws; she only did so for a few moments before removing her hand, not wanting to make him too uncomfortable.
"I feel kind of jealous," Logan admitted. "He comes with his own metal claws, I had to go through an experiment to get mine."
"Hmm, does that hurt you at all?" Storm asked Harry.
"Only when they come out." Harry admitted as his claws went back into his hand.
"Meh, take it from someone who knows, kid: you get used to it," said Logan.
"Have you?" asked Laura suddenly, earning a shrug from Logan.
"It's just sort of like a small sting now."
"Mine don't feel like that," said Harry, earning a curious look from Logan, before he indicated Laura as he added, "What I mean is…when my claws come out, they hurt, but…but it's not my hands or…or bones, Mister Logan. It…it hurts me a little in…in my arms, and in my heart…like there's something in my blood, which makes it happen…even the metal."
"Really?" asked Ororo, earning a nod from Harry.
Laura, meanwhile, frowned, "You never told me that, big brother!"
"I never noticed it until after Stryker," argued Harry, gesturing to both Logan and Ororo as he added, "It feels funny, but…but also a little achy; kind of like stepping into a really hot bath after I've been out in the cold too long. Yes, it hurts, but it's not a bad hurt…not for long, anyway."
"Is that so?" asked Ororo, looking to Laura before she asked, "What about you, Laura? When your claws, including the one in your foot, come out, do you feel that same hurt?"
"Actually, mine just feel like they're being pushed through slimy clay," admitted Laura, before she rubbed her knuckles as she giggled softly. "It kind of tickles, actually, but…but Harry; why would your claws make your blood feel weird?"
"How should I know?" demanded Harry, earning a shocked look from Ororo and Logan, before Harry sighed softly as he added, "Sorry, Laura; I just…there's still so much neither of us know, not even about our powers. I mean, we're only young, but, thanks to Stryker's madness, we're smarter than normal kids our age, stronger too and…and now…what? We're…what are we? Students? Prisoners?"
"Family?" asked Logan, and Ororo couldn't help but hear a glimmer of hope in his voice.
Harry just scoffed, "We had a family…look what happened!"
"Maybe Harry should have a little nap," suggested Laura, earning another scoff from Harry as he turned his gaze on the window, while Laura, trying to help her brother deal with the animal that had surfaced thanks to this new line of inquiry, tried to make a new direction show itself.
"So…why do you and Miss Munroe call each other Storm and Wolverine, anyway, Mister Logan?"
A short Chapter 4 and it looks like there might be more to Harry than meets the eye, but can he tame his inner animal long enough to let his new family help him find the answers?
More to the point, will they like what they find?
Keep Reading to Find Out
Next Chapter: Time passes and, just as it looks like there may be no hope, a mysterious new friend's first encounter with the X-Men brings out a side of Harry that's only ever been seen with one person: Laura! Also, we catch a glimpse of what happened to the three morons responsible for darkening our hero's soul in the first place;
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