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.
Letter is in italics.
Edited in March 2021 during lockdown.
"Alright class, tomorrow we are going on a field trip. Most likely we will stop by at local museums and do other enjoyable activities. As you know none of you will need consent from your parents, the professor has cleared you all for the trip," Emma said to the group of teenagers that applauded loudly. The witch could feel the teenage enthusiasm in the air and it was obvious that it wasn't just her that looked forward to getting away from the mansion for a short trip.
"Miss Winter?" Bobby called, getting a glare from Rogue as he did so. The teenage girl had not hidden it from Emma that she very much disliked her, especially after Logan and Emma had arrived at the mansion hand in hand a few days earlier after their passionate weekend away. After witnessing the happiness in Logan's eyes, Rogue had detested Emma Winter.
The witch smiled pleasantly at Bobby, Emma had always liked the quiet young man that seemed so smitten with Rogue, "Yes Bobby?"
"I was thinking that ... hmmm ... that..." he stuttered horrified at the look of anger that came over the face of his girlfriend. Even though Miss Winter wasn't much older than the kids in the class, she had an air of authority about her that made all the students forget her age. There was never any thought that Emma was considered a normal human in the mansion, she gave out detentions without a second thought but was never unfair in her judgement.
The level of dislike that Rogue had for Emma Winter had made Bobby very uncomfortable in her classes. As the boy turned toward Rogue, he noticed that she was glaring at him with a murderous look. That snapped Bobby from his trance, Rogue was formidable when crossed.
Finally, Bobby remembered what to ask Miss Winter, "Do you want us to bring something on the trip or read up on the history of the neighbouring towns?"
"Good question Bobby," Emma replied before dropping the bomb on her student knowing she would win no popularity points with her next words. However, she was there to guide the students onwards and challenge them on their way to graduation.
"I want individual assignments from each of you; they will include a brief history of any of the museums, the founders, and how far you think the influences of the museum have spread locally. That's the first part..." Emma said turning to get the photocopied papers she had prepared with the job descriptions and ignoring the sighs of the group while she handed out the papers.
"... As you can see the second part is to make your imaginary museum based on a historical event within The USA. You have a week from Friday to turn it in and all the descriptions are on the paper in front of you".
"Why does it say here that it will be 30% of the final grade?" Kitty asked cheekily, always trying to figure out how to outsmart her teachers.
"Because it is," Emma answered truthfully, "I won't accept late assignments, those that deliver after the deadline will get an F, no exceptions."
Emma knew full well that she was tough when it came to her students, but she knew they would appreciate it further down the line if they would continue their education elsewhere. Discipline was the first principle of a student, a lesson most students at Hogwarts had learned the hard way by being in detention with Severus Snape. Emma had been a constant subscriber to Snape's detentions throughout the years she was a student at Hogwarts. She and the trio had had a problem with authority, but it was her that got into constant troubles with the Slytherins because they lost house points because of her.
Emma smiled at the disgusted looks on her student's faces, then she added the last torpedo knowing full well how much the teens would disapprove of her teaching methods, "and no internet references, only books. Class dismissed."
When the students had left the room Emma sat behind her desk. Her mind was filled with thoughts of her friends back home, how she missed the trio. After being with them all those years at Hogwarts it was so strange not to be able to talk to them whenever she wanted to.
She had been planning on writing Hermione a letter and since she had nothing to do for the next hours, she decided to spend some time writing a draft of a letter for her friends back home.
Dear Hermione (and Ron, Harry and Ginny that I'm sure are reading this over your shoulder).
I am hiding at the moment as you might have guessed and therefore cannot send you this letter until the storm blows over. However, I had an overwhelming need to write down my feelings to you all and let you know how I like this new life of mine. When I return to Hogwarts, I hope that all the four of us, plus Ginny, of course, will finally sit down and share stories of what has happened while I plus Harry and Ginny were away.
Firstly let me say that I miss you all so much. Even though I very much wanted to get away from Hogwarts I had never planned on being unable to talk to you all. Without you, it's strange to see the world as I have become so dependent on your company. I guess it's healthy for me to stand on my own feet without you but even thinking of the banter between Harry and Ron over Quidditch is making me nostalgic, you all know that's saying a lot as I cannot stand the sport.
I got work at Xavier's school for gifted youngsters; your imagination might now be suggesting that the children might be one of us. No, they are not witches nor wizards, but neither are they normal either. Even though they can't do magic there is something wonderfully magical about them. They are called mutants and that is considered a gift or a curse depending on whom you talk to. I had never heard of something called a mutant before, except herbology and that term does not explain the modern term. (I suspect that at least Hermione and perhaps even Harry had heard about mutants, but Merlin why didn't you tell myself and Ron? I sounded like a charlatan when I came here having no clue what mutation was).
To clarify the term at least to Ron and maybe all three of you I will try to explain this muggle term. Right, a mutant is a person that is born different, someone that is born with an ability that is not considered normal by modern society's standard. I realize that at first glance that explanation might be about us magic folk but that's where the similarities end. Mutants usually are born with on specific gift (most prefer that term even though some call it power and even fewer call it a curse); that usually comes out at puberty even though there are examples of younger than that and older.
Studies have suggested that the reasons why mutants exist are because of some kind of evolution in human DNA over time. Just like Homo sapiens took over from the Neanderthals, there are suggestions that the mutant gene is stronger than normal people's gene. So if a parent has what has been called the X-gene, even if dormant, the child almost always inherits the gene in its DNA. The gifts that the mutants have are so individual that no two are the same. Some can manipulate fire, others teleport, walk through walls, the list is endless and the possibilities mindboggling.
I can easily imagine a future when we will have magical mutants, I'm sure it has happened or is about to happen shortly. I presume that their magic would make their mutation even stronger, or perhaps magic would just become a part of the X-gene. Would that make a whole new species of advanced humans? It might very well be, I think the Ministry of magic should consider this because the likelihood is too high to ignore (hint to the ministry staffer who is reading this).
Mutants are feared and even hated here in the United States and Xavier worries that soon something really bad will happen that will ruin the balance between normals and mutants. That somewhere, someone will lose their temper and injure both normals and mutants alike, that there will be war. There have been fights all over the world and I worry that one day some of my new found friends or the children, my students, will get injured or even dead in the process. I have seen enough death at Hogwarts, I don't want these young children to suffer the same fate as so many of our own did.
Thank you for the internet lessons 'Moine, I couldn't have read all these reports on the unease in the world without the knowledge of the World Wide Web. Albeit small, my knowledge has allowed me to read up on the muggle world in this wonderful way. Surfing online was something I didn't do much of before coming here to Xavier's. I have to agree wholeheartedly with Arthur Weasley you have to love Muggle technology.
Now as I was saying about mutants; they are unique, every one of them. It's not like it is with us when one is better at defence against the dark arts while somebody else is better at healing. The first mutant I met could control the weather; she had power over the weather elements. When she is sad it rains, when she is cheerful the sun shines brightly even though the forecast predicted snow. Most impressive of all is when she has to defend herself for then she uses powerful lightings that she can control with eerie precision. I would not want to be on the receiving end of them, that's for certain.
Her name is Ororo, and she is one of the most impressive people I have ever had the pleasure of meeting. She is stubborn as a mule when it suits her (something that you Gryffindors should appreciate), wonderful with the children who adore her and so proud of being a mutant. She is so strong mentally and I look up to her, she is the first female role model that I have ever had.
There are other mutants here of course. Xavier who runs the school is a formidable psychic who is probably the strongest mutant at this school or even in the world. He reminds me a lot of Dumbledore, in the sense that he loves his students and hopes to teach them how to respect themselves and others. However, there are so many muggles here that are terrified of mutants; afraid of what they do not understand. Even though most mutants are peaceful, everyday people there are still some that are lethal to be around and so likely to stir trouble wherever they go.
There is a mutant organization here that reminds me of the Death Eaters in the way that they attack and ask questions later, often killing many in the process. They believe that the mutants are the next step in evolution and that muggles should be destroyed as they simply stand in the way of the natural development of the species. I thank Merlin that Voldemort is dead and most of his lot in Azkaban, if not these two groups would most certainly have rallied together and who knows what the outcome would have been. It would have been genocide for sure. The fear that the muggles have is for what they do not understand is often based on nothing. However at some level, I understand that they are alarmed by the mutants, the government is doing nothing to educate the muggles about mutants and that one doesn't have to fear them in general. It is likely if something happens, that it will happen very quickly as that is the usual deal when things go pear-shaped in the muggle world.
Ororo might not have been too charming the first time we met but I understand her concerns. As society is today, she had every right to worry about me, a normal, starting working at a school filled with mutant children, teenagers and even teachers. The danger of the children hurting me was and still is a concern to her, Ororo worries that one of the teens will lose control of their power and accidentally hurt me. I would never willingly use my magic against children as my reaction could be just as unpredictable as theirs. However I do worry about what would happen if one of them would attack me for some reason, I hope that I could keep my temper in check and do nothing drastic. That way I could make myself proud and it hasn't been often that it has happened.
Another teacher here is Scott. He is a friendly man, albeit aloof, dark, moody and quiet introvert. The others speak of times where he was different and carefree, but I guess love changes us all into fools, happy fools. Unfortunately, his fiancée died in an attempt to save the other mutants here. It worked; Jean saved them all and is dearly missed by the whole school. It's like most of them are suffering from survivor's guilt, like they can't believe they made it when such a powerful mutant as herself didn't. It is evident how much they miss her, even her seat at the dinner table remains empty as if they are still waiting for her to walk through the door and take her seat.
As Jean was the residential doctor there had to be someone to fill that vacancy when she passed away. Xavier hired Hank who, if only half the stories the children tell me are true then Hank is a wonderfully talented physician. The children adore him but the faculty gets along with him brilliantly. He is very well mannered, quick to tease to lighten the atmosphere and if I'm correct completely enamoured by Ororo who seems to be mulling it over if she should take the plunge.
Hank's mutation is a bit different from many as he is blue, he has blue fur from the top of his head to the tip of his toes so if you ever meet someone looking like that, well the chances are quite high that it's Hank. He isn't all fur and happiness as I cannot imagine the heartbreak of being brought up looking so different in a mutant fearing society. But he is a very good man and I hope that he and Storm will end up hooking up, they both need someone to lean on and to love.
I have been helping a fellow teacher and mutant to gain his memories through legilimens. I know what you are wondering if I am rather destroying his memories than helping. Even though these lessons didn't work as glamorously as I would have wanted when I was a teenager you also have to put things into perspective. How on earth can anyone learn anything when during private lessons with Severus Snape? Surely not me since the man hated me since the day I stepped foot onto school grounds. Harry should sympathise, Snape was even worse to him during his lessons.
As much as I had worried about hurting Logan, I didn't at all. I didn't do brilliantly either; rather mediocre to be honest but at least slowly he has been gaining some of his memories back. At first, he only remembered what I helped him dig up but now Logan says that he has starting to remember on his flashes from wars long past from times he hadn't remembered before.
I felt sorry for him even though he doesn't want nor needs pity from anyone. Logan was born such a long time ago, in what is now Canada, before the American revolutionary war. That makes him older than any wizards I know of (besides Nicolas Flamel of course but he cheated with the Philosophers stone), which is quite an achievement for a mutant. There are only two mutants in the world that I know of that share this longevity. That is him and his old companion Victor who Logan hates due to constant clashes as far as he can remember.
Besides being so old Logan has the gift of healing he can heal in mere seconds most injuries he suffers from. Quite impressive, would have loved to have that gift when we were back at Hogwarts instead of having to go to Poppy Pomfrey every single time I got injured. One would imagine that he looks older than Dumbledore due to his age, but he looks somewhere in his thirties and so very handsome that my heart flutters every time I see him.
It gives me a lot of satisfaction to be able to help someone as tortured as Logan is. Since I probably won't even send this letter, I can pour out my thoughts here on the page without worrying that I am breaking confidentiality. If I ever send this letter, I will edit it a lot both for Logan's privacy and for the very bored minds of Ron and Harry that are most likely yawning with boredom by now.
It feels like I have known Logan forever. You all know me and how secretive I am; it is simply part of my nature. With Logan I want to open up, it feels good to tell him things, he never judges me, and he never is shocked by anything I say or do. He simply accepts who I am and that is very disarming to me. I have been judged my whole life at Hogwarts but never more than in the last three years and it felt that everyone had an opinion of me. Usually, a bad impression or pity since my parents died. I don't know what's worse, to be honest. Judged for associations with people you had no control over or pity for the death of my parents that I would give everything to meet but just a moment.
But as nice as it would be to be the saviour of such a good man as Logan is I cannot take the whole credit for this friendship. Logan has saved me just as much or more than how I have helped him. We made a deal early on that I would show him some of my memories instead of helping him, that we would help each other to make peace with our pasts. I think I needed an outlet for all the pent up emotions that have been filling my heart and soul ever since I was a young child.
Remember we always said that Filch's cat Mrs Norris was feral because she hated everybody but her owner and she tried to attack every one of the students? Here they have feral mutants like Logan for example. It took me a while to understand what it means since Logan sure doesn't behave like Mrs Norris.
Logan is almost like a split personality, the man Logan and then the feral animal side that he calls the wolverine, on a bad day he calls it the beast. The man in him seems to be always fighting the wilder side and refuses to accept that both sides are him. He is bound by his feral side in ways I will never understand and when there is danger somewhere on the horizon the wolverine takes over.
The wild side is unforgiving, dangerous; lethal in many cases, calculating and an expert at surviving. From what I have seen in his memories not only is Logan almost ancient, but he cannot be killed. At least not by anything I can think of as he has been shot thousands of times at no avail. The healing factor in him fixes him right up even though it pains him as if it would us if injured. Another formidable thing he has are three metal claws on each hand that come out of his control. They are made of super-hard metal that seems to go through most things like butter and I would hate to be on the receiving end of those as I doubt anyone would survive that, not even with Pomfrey's help.
I know you are surprised to hear that I picked a gruff, snarly, hot-tempered mutant as my confidant and lover, but he is just what I needed. He doesn't suffocate me with chatter when I don't want to talk about something, he isn't constantly bantering me about my feelings but rather makes me concentrate on the facts of things.
Okay, I'm ranting up a storm here but there is so much I would love to tell you all and you are so far away and unreachable to me until Dumbledore contacts me that it's safe to return home. Until then I'm stuck here and honestly, I'm starting to like it here. I like my staff members Storm, Hank and Scott. I enjoy my relationship with Logan, and I love teaching history to teenagers, even if they are not always very interested in what I'm talking about.
I am happy here even though I miss you all dreadfully. Everything would be perfect if I could disapparate to you every weekend for a visit but as things are now that's impossible. I hope that I can soon, but for now, I can't be in any contact with you and that makes me a little sad.
Besides worrying about the future I am doing quite well, I feel better than I ever did after the war with Voldemort started. I even manage to sleep through the night on occasion and for me, it's a miracle as you all know how it was for me in the last year or so. Zombie would be a good description. I needed to get away from Hogwarts and all the bad memories I had of that place, it had become a place of nightmares and horror for me. I look at it with a little more positivity now but I'm still far from wanting to return there. Too much has happened that I need to sort through in my head before I can go back but I know I will at some point go back to the magical world.
You are there my dear friends, Dumbledore and Minerva as well and I care deeply for you all and miss our talks. I know that Harry and Ginny more than deserved a long break from everything and everyone, but I can't help feeling a little annoyed at Albus for interfering yet again in things that don't concern him. Everything he does he does out of love; it is still frustrating to still have the feeling that he is a puppet master and us pawns in his game. None the less I adore the old man and he knows I will never get angry at him for a long time; I simply love him too much to blow up at him. I have a sneaking suspicion that he wouldn't even bat an eye at me having a temper tantrum; Dumbledore is too used to angry people to get upset over a trivial thing like that.
Even though I miss Hogwarts and you all; I still have to admit that I am enjoying my life here. Even though I occasionally saw the muggle world with Mrs Ashbrook I still never really experienced it. If I got hurt auntie fixed me right up, invincibility not something one usually associated with muggle children, so I learned early on to not mention potions and wands to anyone outside the magical world. Living here at Xavier's is the first time that I've been in the muggle world alone and I'm loving it. I blend in, to the mutants I'm simply one of the boring, normal people. There was a misstep on my behalf earlier in the semester resulting in two colleagues, Xavier and Logan, finding out what I am. Fortunately, they are men of their words and I trust their promise of silence even though I wish that I hadn't messed up like that. It seems I'm not good at being incognito, a real embarrassment to the house of Slytherin.
So I guess I have told you everything that has happened so far, and people are in my life up to this moment. I wish I could visit you on the weekends as I did ever since we graduated. I hope that you are well and that everything is going well at the ministry (Yes, of course, I hope that Harry, Ginny and Ron are doing marvellously as I can almost hear their complaints about my choice of words).
Do not worry about me; I am happier than I have ever been. Things might be looking up for me; at least they are heading in that general direction.
I love you all my little family of friends and I hope you will all stay safe until my return. Send my best to Albus whom I adore as you all know.
All my love
Emma.
The witch sat and re-read her letter a few times while battling with her tears. It had been good to write the feelings down on a paper, but it made her miserable as she knew she could never send it. As she read it, she was startled to see how much of it was dedicated to Logan, he was a dear friend and important figure in her life but almost half of the letter was about him and his feelings. The witch knew she was falling deeply in love with Logan, who had done everything he could to make her feel cared for and wanted ever since their fateful day at the cottage.
Emma couldn't send the letter, there was no way she could do that. She had become a secret guardian for Harry and Ginny, there was no way she would do as stupid of a thing as sending a letter with a postmark to give out her location.
Leaving the letter in her drawer until she could send it was not an option either. The chances of someone finding the letter were too high to risk it. What if one of the children would find out that she was a witch? They would probably think she was ridiculous, but some might fear her and that would be more devastating to her than any other reaction imaginable.
After carefully weighing her options she decided to burn the letter, there was too high of a chance that someone would find the letter and her secret would be out. Emma crumpled the letter together in her fist and walked to the fireplace in the common room that was always lit during the winter months. Emma threw the letter quickly in the flames and watched burn to ashes; she wasn't satisfied until every page had turned into dust. Then she reached for the poker and struck the dust with it, scattering it all over the fireplace.
Some stories were better kept as a secret, at least until she would return back to Hogwarts.