Disclaimer: I don't own any of the Marvel characters or any of the X-men. The same can be said of the wonderful world of J.K. Rowling. I am not making any profit, but simply having fun. I did however create Emma Winter.
Memories and dreams are in italics.
Edited in March 2021 during lockdown.
It was Friday and Emma felt completely drained after teaching during the week. The teens had been unusually rowdy, and it had drained the witch to try to maintain control of the class. The witch wanted nothing more than to go straight to bed but knew she had to meet Logan later that evening. As she sat in the kitchen making herself a sandwich Logan came looking for her.
The man smiled widely at her and grabbed half of her sandwich for himself. Logan knew that the witch wouldn't get too angry at his familiar gesture. Still, Emma surprised him with a punishing slap on his hand for stealing her food, but instead of getting her food back, the witch got a possessive growl as he bit hard into the bread.
"Hey kid, can we meet up tomorrow night instead. I was thinking of cage fighting tonight to get a bit of cash," Logan asked while munching on the bread.
"So the big bad wolf goes cage fighting?" Emma snickered at his reaction to her words, he blushed. Not very noticeably but Logan looked slightly uncomfortable at her words.
"Sometimes, it's good to blow off steam," He tried to explain without telling the kid that she was the reason for the steam he needed to blow off. The electricity that had started to slowly build up between the two needed to be let out some way before the Wolverine would want to come out to play. Logan realised that the witch didn't have too much experience when it came to men and he didn't want to scare her off by jumping her. The mutant hoped that the witch would in time realise that she had feelings for him, as he had for her.
"Sure it's not a problem to postpone it until tomorrow," Emma said feeling quite tired and wanting nothing more than to get to bed and sleep. Logan ruffled her hair affectionately when he realised that the witch looked exhausted.
"You wanna come and watch?" Logan offered, feeling guilty for breaking their plans.
"Some other time perhaps?" Emma asked tiredly and rubbed her face, "I think I will go early to bed tonight."
"All right, your loss. See ya tomorrow," Logan said and kissed the top of Emma's head as he prepared to head out. It would be a few hours drive to the seediest bar in the state where he would be able to fight until he felt better.
"See you tomorrow and have fun tonight," Emma said smiling at him before heading towards her room. Only a few moments later she was fast asleep and would be until the next morning.
The day after, on Saturday evening, they were back at the cottage trying yet again to open up Logan's memory. Even though Logan remembered some vague snippets from his past after the legilimens sessions, they were never enough to tell him anything of value. Emma had learned not to push him too hard as she knew that Logan would tell her when he was ready.
"Remember to try to clear your mind. The more you try to hide something the likelier it is that it will be the first thing I will stumble on when I enter your mind," Emma said hoping that it wouldn't be too bad. The sheepish look on Logan's face made her suspicious of what she was about to see. Logan had been preoccupied all evening and she wondered what his mind would show her. Emma wasn't surprised when the first memory she encountered was of Logan kissing a gorgeous red-haired woman that was dressed in the X-men outfit, but the ache in her chest did surprise the witch as jealousy washed over her.
"Women marry the good guys," the woman said giving Logan a soulful look.
"For you, I could be a good guy," Logan said stubbornly to the red-haired woman who was standing in front of him, her large, green eyes looked so dreadfully sad at that moment as it pained her to reject him.
The woman just shook her head, it was obvious she had chosen, and it wasn't Logan.
The memory shifted and the next thing Emma knew was that Logan was standing in the Blackbird that was the private plane of the X-men.
As the witch looked around, she could see most of the X-men all dressed in their leather outfits that meant they were on a mission. Ororo was there, so were Scott, Logan, Xavier, Bobby, Rogue and a blue-skinned man that Emma didn't know.
Ororo was trying to start the Blackbird and let out a frustrated sigh as nothing seemed to work, "it won't start, I have tried everything."
"Where's Jean?" Scott yelled frantically sounding extremely upset as he desperately looked around the plane trying to figure out where Jean was.
"She's outside," Xavier replied worried as everyone watched Scott running to the back of the plane trying to get out to his fiancée. Emma watched in fascination as the lights turned on and the Eagle started moving upwards.
"She won't let me out!" Scott roared while trying to rip down the door of the airplane with his bare hands.
Xavier seemed in a haze as he started to speak and it only took a moment for Emma to realize that Jean was speaking through him, "it's for the best. Goodbye."
Emma watched Logan's reactions with curiosity as he tensed up and stared at the door that Scott was banging on. The mutant looked as if he too wanted to break down the door to get the woman that was sacrificing herself for the greater good. Logan looked stricken with grief and Emma felt immense empathy for the solitary mutant that was losing someone he cared immensely for.
The eagle lift by itself as an enormous wave of water came crashed into the valley from the damn. The crew looked with shock as Jean disappeared into the water. The shouts of shock were drowned by the roaring sound of the Eagle as it burst up into the air carrying the X-men into safety.
The looks of pure horror on Scott's and Logan's faces showed their heartbreak and made Emma realize that Logan had indeed loved Jean even after she broke his heart.
When Emma returned Logan was not impressed with her seeing one of his most carefully protected memories, the mutant snarled at her, "that was stuff I remember. I didn't need to see that. Nobody needs to see Jean die. "
Emma didn't quite know how to answer as Logan looked as if he wanted to pick a fight with her. The witch realised it was because he was hurting from seeing such a difficult memory again, Emma was sorry for the pain he had gone through and still felt. Finally, she answered as diplomatically as she could.
"You tried to hide your pain, that's why the memory came up," Emma said with a sigh and feeling emotionally spent after watching Scott's fiancée disappear like that. The witch was so very sorry for Logan and all of the X-men for having lost someone so precious to them, but it was clear that her dear friend didn't want comfort as he struggled to regain control after seeing Jean's death mere moments earlier.
"It's not something I like to relive," Logan grumbled before leaving the cottage to chop some wood with his bare claws. Emma had a feeling it would be quite a while before he would return. Meanwhile, she could decide on what she would show Logan to come anywhere close to such a painful memory.
A few hours later Logan finally returned to the cottage having blown off steam and feeling a lot calmer. He had been embarrassed to have Emma see the vulnerable side of him, the side that had grieved Jean's loss so much. Logan was certain that Emma thought he was heartbroken because of a loss of a love but it was not that, the heartbreak came from losing a dear friend that he had admired. He had adored Jean from the first time he met her, to Logan she had been everything a mutant wanted to be. She was incredibly intelligent, in control of her powers, and filled with the desire to help the mutants of the world.
As Logan looked around the cottage, he couldn't help but smile affectionately when his gaze landed on Emma who had gotten tired of waiting for him and had laid down on the sofa to rest. Her peaceful face showed that the witch was fast asleep as she hugged tightly a small pillow to her chest. Logan hadn't expected that he would stay out for so long but had been thankful that Emma didn't find a need to talk to him while he was working through his pain. It seemed the witch knew instinctively to leave him alone when his mood was aggressive, and for that Logan was more than thankful.
After getting himself a strong cup of coffee he walked to where Emma was laying. After making sure that her wand was sufficiently far away, the mutant stroked her curly hair softly to gently wake her up. The mutant didn't want to startle the witch from her peaceful slumber, nor did he want to be blasted by her wand to fly into the next wall.
Soon enough Emma woke up with a start but smiled upwards when she saw it was Logan that was touching her curly hair. The feral mutant was quickly becoming one of the most important people in her life and his friendship was helping her loosen the chains of the past and for that, she would be forever grateful to him.
"I don't want you to spend the night on the sofa," Logan said quietly. Emma stretched and looked out the window, it was pitch black and the witch wondered how long she had been sleeping.
"What time is it?"
"Midnight," Logan said as he handed her a cup of coffee that she was more than happy to accept. The mutant had even remembered to put half a mountain of sugar into her coffee, and she smiled with appreciation at him when she felt the strong sugar flavour mixed with the coffee.
Her best efforts of controlling her wild mane had not worked, her dark curls had escaped the rubber band that usually kept it out of her face. Logan couldn't help smiling as Emma stubbornly tried to brush the dark curls out of her face with an annoyed scowl on her face.
"Leave it as it is, I think it's beautiful," Logan murmured and pulled on a wild curl that sprung back as soon as he let it go. The witch blushed brightly at his words and the warmth of his voice.
"What you want to do now?" Emma asked as she sat up quickly to try to change the topic, "do you want to go back to the mansion or go out for a drink before we head off to bed?"
"I'd like to head off for a drink after we watch one of your memories," Logan said decisively and saw a look of surprise coming over Emma's face at his words. The witch had not expected him to want to see any more memories tonight.
"You are surprised that I wanna see your memories?" Logan stated as he watched her sipping her coffee.
"Well yes I am surprised," Emma murmured, not wanting to push him over what they had seen. Clearly, it was a sensitive subject and the witch didn't want to upset the mutant more for one evening.
"How come?"
"I thought you had had enough for one evening," Emma pointed out honestly hoping that Logan wouldn't take it badly.
"It's never fun to watch people die Emma. You might be too young to realize that but I'm not. I have watched too many good people die and Jean was a very good woman that didn't deserve to die like that," Logan said in more of a lecturing tone than he had intended.
Emma felt a spike of annoyance at Logan's words, the mutant had no idea if she had seen people die in her life. The witch had lost her parents at an early age, and it made her more than qualified to realize that it was no fun to lose someone close. The other deaths she had witnessed in her life had only intensified that feeling and Logan being patronising toward her made her want to say something she would probably regret.
Logan watched Emma with surprise as he felt her temper flare at his words. Her eyes had narrowed, and she was eyeing him as if she was about to say something spiteful. Emma looked furious and Logan had a feeling that he deserved her anger.
"Just say it kid," Logan pushed her and wanting to know what he had said to bother her. Logan was not one to play games, let alone with Emma whom he respected greatly.
"Very well. I think age has nothing to do with the pain of losing someone, but I'm not going to sit here and compare battle scars with you tonight," the witch spat angrily at Logan and the mutant nodded, Emma had a point and he knew it.
The mutant draped one arm around Emma's shoulders and squeezed her to his side.
"Come on Emma, let's not fight," Logan said feeling her body tremble, making him instantly regret having accidentally riled her up. He knew there were many emotions pent up inside of her, many things that Emma had to come to terms with if she ever was going to live a happy life. Logan instinctively knew that helping her with her past was the key to her anger subsiding. The witch needed to come to terms with her past just as he needed to come to terms with his and the two needed to work together for that to happen.
"I would want to see what memory you prepared for me," Logan said kissing the top of her head to soothe her. Her anger seemed to disappear at his affection and Emma seemed to melt into his embrace giving up the anger for a softer emotion. Logan sighed dramatically, every gesture of the witch was binding him tighter to her and the mutant wondered if the witch felt the same about him.
"It's nothing as dramatic as your memory, I'm not in the mood for more drama for one night," Emma said apologetically and looking at him with so much affection that it melted the mutant's heart.
"That's fine with me, I could do with a little less drama for the rest of the night," Logan chuckled.
"Good, this one is about the time Dumbledore threatened to kick me out of Hogwarts," Emma said smiling at the memory and chuckled when she noticed the surprised look on Logan's face.
"What? You were a rebel?" Logan asked feigning surprise and looking at her with a big grin on his face. It was funny to think that the strictest teacher at Xavier's had herself been a rebel not too many years earlier. Emma snorted at his words, if Logan only knew how bad she had behaved as a student he wouldn't be surprised that Albus had threatened to expel her.
"I rebelled and was quite good at it most of the times," Emma replied smiling before walking from Logan and heading to the pensive. Emma quickly retracted the memory and pointed at Logan to come to watch. He came quickly to her side, took her hand in his and together they dove into Emma's memory.
Emma was in an office talking to Albus Dumbledore, the witch looked deflated as the old wizard was scolding her in a fatherly way. It was unusual for Dumbledore to scold anyone, let alone his ward who looked chest fallen at the stern look on his face.
"Now you have collected yet another detention, that's more than Harry and all the Weasley's combined. That is quite an achievement for a witch your age, I'm sure your parents would be very proud of how you are throwing your education away," Dumbledore scolded her as he knew exactly what words would make the young witch feel the most guilt, the most humiliation for not behaving like her guardian wanted her to.
The young witch blushed crimson and started playing with the collar of her robe wishing she was somewhere else.
"Let me see here, I'll read some of the comments of the faculty to you. 'Not delivering assignments on time, arguing with students and even fighting with a member of the faculty.'"
Emma snorted at that and mumbled something under her breath that sounded suspiciously like "Snape is an idiot," before silencing at the stern look she got from Dumbledore.
"This is not funny young lady," Albus said seriously as if Emma was on trial, not at the headmaster's office that also happened to be her foster father.
"I have noted that you have a serious problem with authority, any authority even mine. Are you so unhappy with us?"
"No Dumbledore, it's not that."
"What is it then?"
Emma seemed to be fighting with tears before finally mumbling almost too low for Dumbledore to hear, "I'm lonely Albus, I miss Mrs Ashbrook. I miss having a family. Harry, Hermione and even Ron have become like a family to me and even though I get into trouble with them, it's still wonderful to be a part of a family."
"Oh my dear," Dumbledore said looking sadly at her, "I realize that you must have been feeling lonely since Mrs Ashbrook passed away but there are only a few years until you will be free to do whatever you wish. We, the faculty, have tried to keep you as safe as we can but you have been making it almost impossible for us with your antics. How on earth are we supposed to keep you safe when you spend all your free time with the trio and do your best to rile up all the Slytherins?"
A ghost of a smile went over her face at the mention of the trio; she loved those three Gryffindors. Other Gryffindors she didn't care for but those three were her steadfast friends.
"If not for the trio I would be alone Albus. They are my only friends here at Hogwarts and I adore them."
"Is it that's why you are so willing to take the blame when you are all caught breaking the rules?" Dumbledore asked as if he knew already. There had been no secret in the faculty room that Severus Snape was furious with Emma Winter for all the point deduction off Slytherin she was personally responsible for.
"Yes, after all, why not? Everyone in Slytherin hates me so why can't I enjoy spending time with others that like me for who I am?" Emma replied stubbornly and sounding like she didn't regret her actions in the slightest.
Dumbledore sighed and rubbed his beard deep in thought, "Severus Snape is not happy with you Emma. You realize that you are single handily running the chances of the house of ever winning the house cup."
"I don't care, and I care even less about Snape. He is a greasy git" Emma answered quoting her friend Ron. The witch quickly realised she had stepped over the line when Albus Dumbledore stared sternly at her.
"I cannot tolerate this kind of talk in my office. No matter how much you think he deserves it, Professor Snape is still your teacher and head of house. Do you realize that Severus could ask me to fire you from Hogwarts? If he gets support behind him from other faculty members, I might be forced to do just that?"
The young witch seemed to pale at the words of her guardian as if the reality of the situation had finally hit home with her. The young witch realised that she was in serious trouble. Where could she possibly go if she was expelled from Hogwarts?
"I had no idea Albus. I don't want to leave here; I wouldn't know where to go or what to do."
"Can you at least try? I know it's typical for teens to rebel, but I would hope it's out of your system now. At least try to stay more under the radar as muggles say. Don't take the blame every time you or your friends are caught out of bed after curfew."
"As long as I don't have to leave the school and I won't have to stop being friends with Harry, Ron and Hermione," Emma said confidently at Dumbledore. If she could keep the people that were the most important to her in her life, she would be fine.
"Good my dear. I'm glad that's settled," Dumbledore said smiling fondly at the teenage girl in front of him. Albus looked as if he wanted to discuss something else but at the last minute he seemed to change his mind.
As an afterthought, he added, "Lemon drop?"
Emma nodded smiling and reached out for the bowl he had nudged in her direction.
The vision faded.
They were back at the cottage and standing by the pensive. Emma looked to her side and grinned at Logan. He laughed at her mirth; she looked much younger when she smiled so carefree. Unfortunately, it happened too rarely at the mansion that the witch let her guard down like that.
"That wasn't too bad," Emma chuckled at the old memory of her old teenage angst that had usually been quite uncalled for and had gotten her into many more meetings with Dumbledore before her education had finished at Hogwarts.
"No, not at all," Logan replied studying Emma with curiosity. He had been concerned about having her come to his cottage to work on his mind, but it had worked out better than he had ever hoped for. The witch was giving him some answers and didn't seem ruffled when she saw his cage fighting, bar brawls, women, or endless battles.
"That Snape guy seemed to ruffle your feathers quite a lot as a kid," Logan asked as he remembered him mentioned another time in Emma's memory.
Emma's eyes got darker, and the mirth left them, "you have no idea. Perhaps one day you will see the reason why I dislike him so."
"I'd like that," Logan said honestly before waiting for Emma while she got her things and walked to the veranda. It had become a habit of theirs to sit there for a moment before they left the cottage.
Logan closed the cottage door and then sat down on the veranda next to the witch. He was getting used to having her scent in his nose. The strong cinnamon scent that was constantly at the cottage felt comforting when he came there alone; it reminded him of Emma and the affection he felt for the wild witch.
"I think the sessions are working," Logan said deep in thought. "For the first time in forever, I feel peace with myself by admitting who I am and what I've done in the past."
Emma smiled tenderly at him, the special smile that was just for him, an open expression without any armour or detachment, "You know what? I feel the same. I have even gotten fewer nightmares."
"I noticed. No more screaming for help in the middle of the night," Logan said teasingly and reminding her of the night he had stomped into her room razing havoc. He had learned from that experience and the first weeks after Emma used her wand on him, Logan had learned to politely knock on her door if nightmares were torturing her. That method had worked, no more magical blasts or flying into walls for the Wolverine.
"Ah yes, no more strange men with their paws all over me," Emma laughed wickedly quoting how she had explained his presence to the professor. Logan stared at her in shock, his hazel eyes greener than ever and the witch wondered what had awoken the Wolverine that seemed very close to the surface.
"They better not put their paws on you; I would throw them out on their asses with claw marks in vulnerable places," Logan said darkly not finding Emma funny at all. The possession in his heart burned brightly, the Wolverine deep in his being clawed at his ribcage at the thought that his girl, their girl, would ever be touched by another.
"Is the Wolverine getting protective over me?" Emma teased and had no idea just how close she had come to the truth.
"Don't get too flattered kid," Logan said dryly trying to distract the witch so she wouldn't dig even deeper into what the Wolverine side of him thought of Emma the witch, "I don't think that many would come out of your room unhurt. Not at least in the same way you greeted me."
The witch just laughed louder at his words. Logan was hilarious when he wanted to. It was a pity that not more people realized that this side of him existed.
"I have discovered a pattern," she said smugly as a distraction to Logan as he was all huffy about paws and her bedroom. She put on her coat and waited for Logan to ask what the pattern was, she knew he would at some point.
"What's that?"
"You like the redheads," Emma said chuckling at his startled face.
Logan laughed heartily at that. He knew most of the women he had hooked up with in later years had indeed been redheads. And unfortunately, Emma had witnessed most of them through the connection they had shared.
"Perceptive of you, especially after seeing that first hand in my head. Your education was clearly not wasted," Logan said sarcastically as he watched her trying to hide a snigger and failing miserably. He had noticed that she liked to end the often difficult legilimens session with silly humour. It was as if it was a way to get rid of the stress from whatever they had been working on. He had to admit to himself that it worked, goofy jokes were so much better than angst and torture.
Emma sighed dramatically, "so I guess there is no hope for me with my dark hair?"
"All you have to do is ask darlin' and I will give you anything you want," Logan murmured and grinned widely at the witch when he could scent her want in the air. He was not alone in his feelings and it was extremely flattering to feel that the witch lusted after him, just as he did after her. A little while later Emma placed her head on his shoulder and Logan sighed in content as they sat together in silence for the longest time.
"Come, I'll buy you a burger," Logan said dragging Emma to the bike that she wasn't afraid of anymore. For the first time in forever, Logan felt happy with his life and it was all thanks to an odd little witch that had melted his heart.