It was the most awkward silence Rachel had ever experienced. She didn't know how long the silence lasted. It couldn't have been more than thirty seconds. It was likely it had only been about ten seconds. She didn't know. To her, it felt like an eternity had passed.

"Come on, Rachel. Say something. Say anything. Apologize. Ok. How do I do this? Do I apologize for reading his mind without permission, or do I skip that and just apologize for talking about him behind his back? This is what I get for gossiping. Oh man, I bet he's ticked."

"I'm so sorry. I didn't mean for you to overhear that."

"You just meant to talk about me behind my back?" Erik asked, unimpressed with her apology.

"No. I just got carried away. I'm sorry."

"It was my fault. I pressed her."

Rachel shot a smile at John and mouthed the words "Thank you." He didn't have to stick up for her, and, frankly, she wouldn't have expected him to.

Erik sighed. This hadn't been the first time he had experienced the curiosity of others regarding his childhood. It seemed to be especially common with young people. He knew he would never understand it. Why would people want to talk about or think about something so terrible? It was obviously important to know about. He thought if all mutants truly understood what had happened, they would all understand the necessity of fighting. They would know he was right. They would recognize the signs of genocide around them. They would be ready to protect themselves. He wanted mutants to understand that. But he would never understand the curiosity. He took a deep breath. These conversations were always hard on him. And he couldn't afford to have the children to know how hard it would be on him.

"It's alright. It's not something I like to talk about, but it is important to understand. I trust Charles taught you about the camps in your history classes."

"Of course. I swear Rachel only told me what you overheard. I pressed her. Please tell me she was messing with me. Please tell me you weren't...you know."

"Sadly, she was telling the truth."

"I'm so sorry. That's just messed up."

"Everything about those camps was messed up, to use your phrase, more than you could possibly imagine. You children shouldn't have to think about those things."

"We're not children. She's sixteen, I'm seventeen."

Erik let out a little laugh. "You'll forgive me. At my age, you think everyone under the age of 25 is a child. Regardless, you both should understand my goals. My main goal in life is to do whatever it takes to make sure mutants never have to experience what I did when I was a boy. No one should experience anything like that ever again. Which is why, while I don't want you to forget it, I don't think you should have to think about the depths of the horrors that occurred. You should be protected from even thinking about such things. Do you two understand that?"

"Yeah," John and Rachel said simultaneously.

"Good. Now, Pyro, will you excuse the two of us? I would like to speak to Rachel privately."

Rachel was hit with fear and guilt. She should have known Erik wouldn't let her off that easily. John glanced at Rachel and mouthed the words "Good luck" at her before leaving.

"I'm sorry, Magneto. I know I shouldn't have been talking about you behind your back."

"I also requested that you not read that specific part of my mind. Do you know why I requested that?"

"Because it's none of my business?"

"You're a telepath, my dear. Your mutation makes everything your business, and that's beautiful."

"So, it's because it's so painful for you to remember?"

"Yes and no. It is extremely painful to remember those things. But it's more than that. Rachel, do you know what the key to any victory is?"

"No."

"The key to any victory is to know your enemy's weaknesses. Everyone has a weakness, Rachel. You have discovered mine."

"How is it a weakness that you survived Auschwitz? The way I see it, it took great strength to survive something like that."

"It was more luck than strength."

"But it made you stronger. I don't see it as a weakness."

"In some ways you're right. After all, I learned to use my powers there. I learned survival there. So, in those ways, it made me strong. But it's also my greatest weakness. It's not the pain that makes me hesitant to allow you in my mind. It's the effects that pain has on me. If you're anything like Charles, I'm sure you've seen my nightmares, have you not?"

"I have. I can't control it at night. I'm sorry."

"You don't have to apologize. Your powers are magnificent. But then you know what power those memories have over me. You know how fear still grips me, how pain still torments me. You're a smart girl, Rachel. You could figure out how to use that to your advantage."

"I wouldn't do that. I wouldn't do anything like that to anyone."

"It seems you share a weakness with Charles: an unwillingness to sacrifice your principles. There will come a time when it may be necessary to sacrifice your principles, my dear."

"Torturing a person with their worst memories?"

"If that became necessary, I would encourage you to do so. But there's more you could do than pure torture. Manipulation, confusion, suggestion, the possibilities are endless."

"Well, it's moot anyway. You're not my enemy. I wouldn't use that against you."

"I trust a girl like you wouldn't. But I can't have the members of my Brotherhood knowing my weaknesses."

"Understood. It won't happen again. I'm sorry. But I don't think you have to worry about Pyro. He's cool. And I sensed he was too disturbed by the little I told him to think about it too much. He doesn't like to think about stuff like that. Whenever he thinks about something unpleasant, he distracts himself pretty quickly."

Erik smiled. "I love working with a telepath. You can find anyone's weakness without even trying. It's the key to any victory, and you have it written in your genes. Magnificent, my dear."