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 April 2021 during lockdown.
Emma was enjoying a relaxed Sunday morning at the mansion not long after the parking lot attack. The witch rarely got the opportunity to read but was finally catching up on the stack of books that had been waiting for months at her desk, it was a rare treat for her after working throughout the school year. The witch felt better than ever, the phoenix tears had completely restored her as if nothing had happened and she felt optimistic for her future with Logan.
The children were playing outside, through the open window laughter and splashes in the water echoed into the room. Emma sighed contentedly, Xavier's might be an odd place, but it had certainly started to feel like home, especially after the staff were informed that she was a witch. Emma had no reason to hide anymore, and it was liberating. Also, the reveal had shifted the witch from the category of a normal person into a category akin to mutants in the eyes of the residents at the school.
A few moments later there was a knock on Emma's door, she grudgingly stood up from her book to answer the door. Outside was Ororo, her startled face the first thing that the witch noticed when she opened the door.
"Hi Ororo," Emma said smiling friendly at the woman in front of her. It didn't happen often that the goddess of weather looked startled, but she certainly did as she stood outside Emma's door.
Ororo, always the direct one, went straight to the subject at hand, "A man is asking for you downstairs."
"A man? What man?" Emma asked curiously as she stepped into the hallway and closed the door. Who could be asking for her at the mansion? Absolutely no one to ask for her the entire year and Emma couldn't imagine who would be showing up at their doorstep for a friendly visit.
"I don't know how to say it, he looks like nothing I've ever seen before," Ororo whispered self-confidently, her eyes wide with wonder at what she had seen.
"Hang on a second," Emma said as she went back inside her room to get her wand just in case. The witch had promised herself she would never be parted from her wand again and knowing that a stranger was at the door asking for her made her need her trusted wand. After all the house was full of children that needed protecting, even if they were mutants.
Curiosity pushed Emma faster towards the foyer. By the look on Ororo's face, it had to be a wizard, she couldn't think of anything else that would perplex her friend so much. As the witch reached the top of the staircase she saw her old guardian, Albus Dumbledore, standing below in the foyer. The old wizard stuck out like a sore thumb and it was bizarre to see Dumbledore in his purple wizard robe in a modern non-magical home. As with most wizards, common muggle objects interested him greatly, as was proven by him intensely studying a toy from one of the children.
"Albus!" Emma called happily while rushing down the stairs towards the old wizard. It was a surprise to see him at the mansion, she never expected anyone to visit Xavier's, let alone Dumbledore who always was so busy.
Dumbledore put down the toy and laughed merrily at the sight of the young witch. Emma looked as if she was about to fly down the stairs while having the largest smile Dumbledore had seen in years. Being away had done the witch good, she looked happier than ever before.
Emma gave Dumbledore a tight embrace showing him clearly how much she had missed him. The wizard wrapped his long arms around her and squeezed her tightly. How relieved he was when Minerva had told him that the witch, and her child, had been saved.
"Albus, I missed you!" Emma said snuggling her face into his wiry beard and smiling when the scent of lemon drops engulfed her. It was amazing that the most famous wizard in the world, apart from perhaps Harry Potter, smelled like cotton candy. Perhaps no surprise to those that knew his obsession with sweets, but it made Emma feel momentarily nostalgic.
"Dear child," the wizard said warmly and patting her lovingly on the back. It was indeed joyous to meet the young witch again and feel her so moved by his visit. Albus had wanted to give Emma a wide berth while she was finding her direction in life and had therefore not visited her earlier even though he had wanted to. The war had destroyed the spark of life in her, something he had never wished upon anyone, let alone the child he had raised as his own.
"Is everything all right back home? Minerva is...?" Emma asked as she released Dumbledore, it would be a cruel fate to meet again only to receive bad news from home.
"She's fine, we are all fine. I came here because I was concerned about you."
"Me? Why?"
"Alas, not here. The walls have ears here where so many have special abilities," Albus said, his eyes twinkling merrily at the sight of a few students that were curiously looking at the old man from the living room door.
"Come child. Let's take a walk," Dumbledore rumbled mysteriously and the two went arm in arm out the door. The old wizard steered her towards the vast grounds of the property and away from prying eyes.
When they had gotten quite far away from the house Dumbledore pointed towards a wooden bench where the two sat down. The wizard looked at Emma with a serious expression his blue eyes studying her carefully.
"The Fidelius charm changed its course to the next one in line and that only happens if the prior secret keeper dies. But here you are alive and seemingly very well."
"It did? I had no idea it would do that," Emma said trying unsuccessfully to hide her relief of having that burden lifted off her shoulders. The new secret keeper was Dumbledore, he had been the only one in the room besides Harry and Emma.
"Indeed it did. Tell me what happened," Dumbledore pushed gently, he had heard Minerva's story and was beyond curious about Emma's life and how it had changed in such a short time. Never in a million years would Dumbledore have believed that Emma Winter would end up happily married to a mutant. Had the witch even known about mutants before moving to the mansion? Hardly, they were not discussed openly in the wizarding world.
The witch told him the story in as much detail as she could. Emma didn't want to stand in front of Dumbledore, a man she admired immensely to complain about an attack that could have been thwarted if she had taken her wand with her. The witch realised that she had made a mistake that had almost killed her and her unborn child, she would never go anywhere without her wand in the future.
"So you did pass away and the muggles managed to get you back? That is truly astounding that the muggles could keep you alive long enough for Minerva to arrive," Dumbledore said as if it had been an extraordinary fairy tale Emma was telling him and not an event that happened only a few days prior.
"Fawkes didn't only save me, he also saved this one," Emma said softly and took his hand and placed it over her bump. Dumbledore looked at the witch with twinkling eyes and patted her little bump with affection.
"Congratulations dear one," the wizard murmured tearfully and kissed Emma on the cheek. The witch was so young but seemed to be so happy and that made Dumbledore feel relieved.
"Thank you, Albus, I'm sure Minerva told you everything," Emma said teasingly, and Dumbledore gave her a coy smile before shrugging.
"Naturally. You left Hogwarts broken, now you are married and expecting. Change often comes unexpectantly," Albus said happily, he knew that the witch would be a wonderful mother. Emma always had so much love to give to those she cared for, the wizard knew that the child would be spoiled beyond measure.
"I want you to meet Logan later on," Emma said warmly, and the wizard nodded enthusiastically. Dumbledore was most curious about meeting the mutant with the wild eyes that adored the witch so. Minerva McGonagall had given the mutant the seal of approval and that was a rare thing indeed for the distrustful witch.
"I wish to meet him too, it's not every day that a man learns he has a son in law," Dumbledore said teasingly, and Emma blushed when she realised that the wizard must have gotten startled by the news.
"I'm sorry Albus, I should have told you," Emma said apologetically and feeling remorse eating at her insides.
"Hush, you did the right thing as a secret keeper. Instead, allow us to celebrate when the girl enters the world," Albus said, and Emma grinned widely. Logan was in for a show if her magical family was going to throw a celebration. It would be days of magic and joy.
Emma laughed merrily before saying, "naturally, that would give me great joy. Logan bought a large land for us in a Canadian forest. We can have a magical gathering there without worrying about muggles seeing."
"You wish to live a quiet life, my dear?" Dumbledore asked curiously, he had always wondered where Emma would drop anchors and it surprised him to see that she wanted to live a quiet life with her husband and child. No surprise really after the trauma she had gotten in the wizarding war.
"I always wanted a quiet life," Emma murmured, "it seems that it wasn't written in the stars for me. I hope things will be quiet from now on."
"Quiet life you say, that's why you were arguing with Severus every chance you got and doing mischief with your Gryffindor friends," Dumbledore said teasingly to the witch that blushed crimson at his words. For someone that desired a quiet life, Emma had certainly lived vigorously and left her mark on the magical world.
"I'm a magnet for trouble it seems," Emma said laughing with Dumbledor who looked at her teasingly. Dull would never be a word used to describe the fiery Slytherin who resembled her parents so much.
"So it seems, you have kept Fawkes very busy through the years," the wizard teased, and the witch laughed at his words. It was true, without the wonderful aid of Fawkes, Emma knew she would have perished very young.
"If you want me in one-piece Albus I better be subscribed to Fawkes' tears since I am prone to trouble and cannot heal myself. Thank you so much Albus, you saved my life, you saved our lives," Emma said smiling affectionately at Dumbledore knowing well how lucky she was to be under the wizard's protection, and Fawkes for that matter. If she had survived the attack with only help from the mutants, she would most likely still be in the infirmary making a painfully slow recovery.
"Oh you don't have to thank me dear one, we would do anything for you," Dumbledore said thoughtfully before looking curiously at her and adding, "but the muggles seem to be taking very good care of you, you are thriving here."
"They did the best they could and I'm still thriving," Emma said affectionately thinking of the friends she had acquired while staying at Xavier's. In many ways, the year had been a difficult one but still one of the happiest ones she had ever lived thanks to a selective few that she adored. It was not easy to make new friends in a new place but little by little Emma had gotten the hang of letting people closer to herself.
"Indeed you are, I am immensely happy and thankful for that," Albus said smiling at her broadly. It gave him great joy to see his ward so content and peaceful. His little Emma had grown up into a charming woman that had no idea of the trail of broken hearts she had left behind at Hogwarts.
"However, I came here to tell you that you can now apparate and disapparate as you wish. You will be able to visit us at Hogwarts whenever you wish no matter where you will end up in the world."
"I will as soon as Logan and I have settled in Canada."
"You are happy and that's all that matters to Minerva and me," Dumbledore said warmly. The wizard had supported Emma wholeheartedly when she decided to leave for her own good but in his mind there had never been a question about her returning to Hogwarts when she would be ready.
That time was further away than he had originally thought. For almost a year would have been more than enough time to gather one's thoughts. The witch had made decisions that showed clearly that Emma might never return to Hogwarts, and that hurt Dumbledore deeper than he cared to admit.
"Yes, I am," Emma replied feeling quite guilty when she noticed the look of sadness that had come over Dumbledore's face. The last thing she ever wanted was to upset the only father she had ever known.
"If you could be persuaded to come back to us at Hogwarts I would very much like to offer you the Defence against the dark arts position."
"But Albus why?" Emma asked startled. It was the teaching position she had always wanted, and at one point in her life, the witch would have jumped at the chance. Dumbledore knew how much she had wanted it; Emma had even requested it at some point but at that time Albus and Minerva had decided that the witch was not strong enough yet to take on such a difficult task.
"What do you mean?" Dumbledore asked innocently, too innocently for someone who had lived for 150 years and seen as much as he had.
It was a lure; he knew that and clearly, Emma realized that as well. He could also see the gleam of temptation in her eyes as soon as he mentioned the position. Emma would be the youngest teacher ever to teach that position if she agreed to it.
"You know what I mean. There is only one person in the faculty that has very much desired that position and he has certainly earned the rights to teach others to defend themselves from the dark arts."
Dumbledore's eyes twinkled merrily at her words and Emma knew instantly that she had walked straight into his trap.
"Ah yes, Severus. You would want him to get that post?" Albus asked cunningly not admitting that Severus had been offered the position and had suggested Emma for it. Somehow those two were attempting to be civil to each other, a difficult task indeed after all that had happened between them.
"He is more than qualified Albus," Emma said reasonably and tried to keep her voice blasé knowing that the old man was fishing for something. What he was looking for was beyond her. Dumbledore's mind worked in mysterious ways and not many besides Minerva were lucky enough to be able to follow his train of thought.
"Indeed he is. I will give it thought my dear," Dumbledore said mysteriously as someone who had already planned the entire thing and had just left to tell the pawns.
"Albus please no plotting to get me to return to teach at Hogwarts. It won't work. That chapter is closed," Emma said warningly knowing how sneaky the headmaster could be. He had fit much more into Slytherin than she ever had. For the life of her, she never understood why Albus Dumbledore had been sorted into Gryffindor and her into Slytherin.
"Me? I assure you I would do no such thing," Dumbledore said chuckling merrily. The wizard was highly entertained by the fact that Emma had never been afraid of calling him out on his scheming. It was rare that people did, and it was refreshing to have Emma there to point out to him when he stepped a little out of line.
"Of course not," Emma said teasingly, trying not to fall for the headmaster's feigned innocence. Emma might be young in years, but she was no idiot. It was never a good thing when Dumbledore's plots involved her, the witch had learned that the hard way.
That evening Dumbledore ate with the staff in the kitchen. Emma had introduced him to everyone and as she knew would happen Dumbledore charmed everyone, including Xavier. The two men were so different on many levels but had in common being leaders within their circle and were relied upon to keep the youth safe while giving them time to develop their talents.
Logan had been silently observing Dumbledore for a while when the wizard looked at him with curiosity. The two had met briefly before dinner and Logan stared at the wizard in silence wondering if Dumbledore was plotting something to get Emma back to Hogwarts. Even if Logan knew that Emma didn't want to return, it still irked the mutant to think that her family wanted her to return.
When Dumbledore had thought of a future son in law he had never thought of a mutant as a possible mate for the wild witch. Someone on the lines of Severus Snape had been more of what Dumbledore had preferred, and the old wizard had approved of the Slytherin marriage even though it was clear that it had not been a happy union.
Emma needed someone that was intellectually stimulating her, someone that challenged her and supported her. The young woman had not found that at Hogwarts but by some fortune, it seemed that she had found that with a rough mutant that looked more than a little tough. Logan certainly was more than capable to face whatever challenges that the witch would face in her future and Dumbledore knew for a fact that Emma's life would be filled with adventures.
The silence between the two pillars in Emma's life became electric as they sized each other up. The staff didn't seem to notice or were too polite to say anything but instead were busy chatting while eating.
"Nice outfit," Logan finally said looking at the purple robe with golden stars scattered haphazardly around the rich fabric. The old wizard was beyond strange to Logan and in all honesty, the mutant wasn't so sure he liked Emma's guardian that much. The wizard knew how to work a room and charm people but for Logan that was not a plus. Being able to manipulate people into doing one's bidding was not an attractive quality.
"Thank you very much, it's my favourite," Dumbledore said happily ignoring that Logan had been sarcastic. The mutant snorted rudely at the wizard's words while chewing annoyed at his cigar, there were so many things he would love to say but it was not his place. His mate adored Dumbledore and for her, Logan knew he wouldn't meddle in her family dynamics. Logan after all couldn't point his fingers at other families when his closest relative was Victor Creed.
The wizard wasn't stupid, he knew very well from Minerva's stories that Logan might have a distorted view of him from Emma's past. It would take time for the two men to see eye to eye as so often with dominant characters, but Dumbledore hoped with time that would change. After all, both of them had Emma's best interest at heart and she was about to have a child that was bound to unite the unlikely family.
Albus didn't realize that he stuck out like a bull in a china store. Everything about the wizard was odd, from his wizard hat to the silken shoes that curled on the toe. The mutants had never seen anyone like Dumbledore before and he was simply too odd to ignore.
"So as I was telling Emma that I had decided to offer her a position at Hogwarts next winter. That was of course before I knew that she was not only married but also expecting her first child," Dumbledore said chattily to Xavier hoping that Logan would say something revealing but at no avail. The mutant didn't utter one word, but the old wizard almost chuckled internally when he saw the livid scowl that came over the mutant's face.
Emma saw Logan grind his teeth and give her a soul-searching gaze and the witch shook her head in refusal. She would never leave her husband, no matter what would be offered to her and Logan had nothing to worry about. Emma's hand touched Logan's under the table, her fingers stroking his skin in reassurance to not take the old wizard too seriously.
Dumbledore continued "...she always was wilful and not one for being told what to do. I know she does not wish to return to Hogwarts but to raise her family in peace with Logan. After what Emma has seen, we understand and support her decision."
Emma smiled warmly at Dumbledore and said, "thank you Albus, hearing you say that means the world to me."
The wizard smiled warmly at Emma and noticed her hand was interlocked with Logan's. Dumbledore nodded to himself in agreement, the witch was indeed where she belonged with her husband and, most importantly, Emma was happy at long last.
Shortly after dinner, Dumbledore said, "alas it is time for me to leave. It's late at Hogwarts. I enjoyed meeting you all."
The wizard smiled at the group of teachers and eyed Logan with curiosity. How he wished he could have a one-on-one conversation with the mutant. Perhaps later down the line if things went as Dumbledore hoped they would.
"And we you, remember you are welcome at any time," Xavier said saddened he couldn't spend a longer time with the strange wizard. He was an odd man but frighteningly intellectual who engaged all in stimulating chatter. In short, Dumbledore had come in like a breath of fresh air for the staff at Xavier's who had never seen a real wizard. Dumbledore hadn't disappointed them; he was everything they had imagined a real-life wizard would be.
"Thank you for taking care of our Emma. She tends to be a magnet for trouble," Dumbledore said affectionately, looking pointedly at Logan while stroking Emma's hair lovingly. Emma did not understand the not-so-subtle hint and if she had she would not be impressed. Logan on the other hand nodded faintly to the wizard who smiled kindly back at him. The two had reached a delicate understanding of sorts, at least when it came to the wellbeing of the young witch and that was all that mattered to either of them.
"We will do our best," Xavier said smiling at the obvious bond between Emma and Dumbledore.
"It was a pleasure to meet you Logan and welcome to our magical family," Dumbledore said patting a very surprised mutant on the back.
"Likewise Dumbledore, you are welcome to visit us up in Canada whenever you wish," Logan said friendly, and the wizard nodded eagerly.
"I shall, thank you. Until next time," Dumbledore said, and Logan shook the wizard's hand with a vigour that surprised the wizard.
"I bid you all farewell. Come child, walk with an old man," Dumbledore said locking arms with Emma and walking out of the front door. The staff watched the two leave, the old wizard towering over Emma though she was far from little.
"Logan seems to care deeply for you," Dumbledore said merrily to Emma as they walked. The witch hummed happily by his side and the old wizard was relieved to see her so happy and content.
"I was lucky to have met him."
"Even though I missed you, I have to admit that you seem to have found peace here. You have grown up dear one," Dumbledore said smiling at Emma warmly. It was true. The child was gone and instead, there was a young woman that had found her way in life. It made the wizard proud to see how independent the witch was, it was a testament to her character that Emma had overcome her obstacles to become a force to be reckoned with.
"I needed to expand my mind and it's been stretched in all directions here. It's often been quite mindboggling to see the power of the mutants. It's also been quite an effort for me to be mostly without magic for a long time. It was odd in the beginning, but it was also good for me to realize that not everything can be solved by foolish wand-waving or silly incantations," Emma said and both grinned when she quoted the notorious potions master who abhorred when magical folk solved everyday problems with the help of magic.
"I have to admit that I was concerned about how much you were hurting when you left Hogwarts. Nonetheless, it is not healthy to run from one's problem. You can't hide from your dilemmas nor can you hide from us."
Emma sighed but admitted grudgingly that at some level Dumbledore was correct, "I know Albus, and I simply needed to have a fresh start, to feel without being as infamous as I was at Hogwarts. Here I was not known and that gave me the berth I needed to heal. I needed to discover myself and I did in the most unlikely of places."
"Alas normalcy does not seem to be written in your stars," Dumbledore said his eyes twinkling with humour wondering if Emma would catch up on his little hint. He had missed the teasing between them and the wild temper that sometimes exploded from the witch.
The young witch didn't disappoint him with her quick mind. She stared at him in horror, her dark eyes boring into his, "oh no Albus, tell me you didn't?"
"Did what dear?" Dumbledore said innocently hiding a smirk. He had indeed missed the delicious banter with the young witch.
"Trelawney? You went to her with questions about my future?" Emma asked suspiciously with a tone of disgust. Dumbledore had to know what Emma felt about the witch, everyone knew. It was no secret that the young witch thought Trelawney was foolish and certainly without any magical talent.
Emma had been excused from her Divination classes after a row over dream interpretations that the young witch had been disgusted by. Ever the opinionated witch, Emma could not be silent about her opinion that had started a serious argument with Trelawney in front of her class. It had been one of the more important bonding experiences with Hermione, the two of them being the only two students to be loathed by Trelawney who was thought by many to be the most untalented seer in the magical world. Later it had come out that the woman had had occasional bursts of talent, but Emma refused to acknowledge it.
"I might have asked what your future had to hold," Dumbledore said fleetingly sounding almost convincingly apologetic but Emma knew better. The wizard was uncontrollably curious when it came to those he loved, it was immensely uncomfortable to the young witch even though she understood on some level that Dumbledore simply had wanted to know if all would be well in Emma's future.
"Just the way you say that sounds so morbid," the witch said sullenly.
"Don't worry dear. Your path is an interesting one, but I will say no more since you don't believe in these things," Dumbledore said smiling teasingly at her a chuckling at the annoyed sigh that came from Emma.
The witch groaned inwardly in frustration. It was characteristic of Dumbledore, he waved a lure in her face and then snatched it away to see if Emma was willing to change her opinion.
"That's right, I don't believe in these things," Emma said stubbornly trying to hide the curiosity in her voice. Emma would never admit that a tiny part of her had gotten curious by Dumbledore's words.
Dumbledore chuckled; the young witch made him laugh often with her rebellious nature. How he had missed her, and he hoped Emma would at least consider visiting Hogwarts occasionally with her family. It would be joyous to have her back at the castle, even for a moment.
"It's time my dear," Dumbledore said, his blue eyes twinkling down at Emma with affection.
"Please send my love to Minerva, the trio and Ginny."
"Of course my dear, that will be my pleasure," Dumbledore said fondly before he kissed her cheek as a farewell.
Emma smiled sadly at her guardian; it had been a pleasure to meet him again after almost a year apart. Dumbledore took a step away from her, a loud crack sounded and then he disappeared as if he had never been there.
For a moment she stared deep in thought at the place where Dumbledore had stood mere moments before. It was getting dark, and Emma wasn't ready to go home to face the questions from the staff. By instinct, Emma walked down the path to Logan's cottage that was hidden in the woods. The witch wrapped the old quilt tightly around her and laid down on the sofa, a short while later her husband found her fast asleep with a small smile on her face.