A/N – Kind of shorter than I wished for it to be, but family problems and muse unwilling to cooperate forced me to make it shorter.

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Harry dressed into Hogwarts robe and joined Oliver. "So you are a mutant?"

"Yes," Oliver said with a small smile. "I don't show my powers, but I have them, pretty nice at times."

"What are they?"

"I can see far further and clearer than it is possible for a wizard and there are few small gifts that go along with it," Oliver said and paused. "But generally they are connected with eyes and sight. Pretty useful when you are playing in the rain and need to see something through those meters of water in front of you."

"Isn't that cheating?"

Oliver laughed and made Harry look at him. "As long as nobody proved that I used it, it is as legal as it gets, it's not like other teams won't play dirty. They will also use it as much as they can, so we also can use it."

"Cool, I guess," Harry said, a bit surprised, he knew that Oliver wanted to win, but didn't think he wanted so badly. "So what can I expect from the Institute?"

"A lot of fun, nice people and an opportunity to learn how to control your powers," Oliver said and looked at him. "Your claws are one of more common mutations so they will know how to teach you quickly, in most cases we need to see what is a maximum reach of our powers."

"They look kind of cool," Harry said as he extended claws in his right hand.

"And are dangerous," Oliver quietly said. "Also people will look here at you and some discretion would be good."

"Sorry," Harry mumbled as he saw gazes focused on them, he looked at his hand and his claws slipped into their proper places between bones of his hand. "It just happened on its own."

Oliver chuckled lightly. "It's better than what happens to one of X-Men when she is embarrassed or annoyed, she falls through the floor, so you have nothing to worry about. You just need to learn control over your mutation."

"Cool, I guess," Harry said and looked at his knuckles, there was no sign of his claws. "How did it happen?"

"Lack of scars?" Oliver asked and Harry nodded. "If I had to guess I would have said that it is thanks to the regenerative powers, other two mutants with those claws are able to heal almost any wound they suffer, so you might be similar."

Harry nodded and steeled himself as they stopped in front of the door leading into the common room of the Gryffindor House, also known as the House of the Brave. He looked at the Fat Lady, said the password and portrait moved out of his way.

"Here we go," he muttered stepping inside, be felt Oliver's presence behind and was glad that he was here. He had a feeling it could turn ugly really quickly, he walked across the room towards the spot where he saw Hermione and Ron.

"Harry!" Hermione shouted as she launched at him. "You are alive! We were so worried about you."

"I'm fine," he wheezed, feeling his ribs protest as she hugged him. "Air, Hermione, I need air."

"Sorry," she mumbled and looked at him. "Where were you and why Professor McGonagall said that she can't tell us."

"Because you don't need to know everything," Oliver Wood cut in. "There are reasons why she is a member of staff and why you are a student, second year student at that. If you were a Quidditch Captain or Prefect she might be willing to tell you. But you are just a second year student that doesn't need to know everything."

"Oliver!" Harry sharply said.

"She deserves it," Oliver said and ignored Harry's glare. "For past two years you were know-it-all that annoyed too many people, so don't be shocked if staff tells you to shut up and let them live."

Harry saw tears form on Hermione's cheeks, he felt his claws extend and pointed his right hand at Oliver's throat. "Apologize to her."

"No," Oliver said and pushed away Harry's hand. "Harry, those are harsh words, but someone needs to tell it to her. Or she will get into one kind of troubles or another, besides, I said something similar to you or the rest of the team when you did something wrong."

Harry growled and jumped at Oliver who moved out of the way and extended his leg, Harry tripped on it and landed on the ground, tumbling forward.

"Don't do it, it's not worth the trouble," Oliver said and helped him to get up. "Can you listen to reason for a moment and ask your mind if those words weren't true. Oh, hide those claws as they are watching us."

Harry blushed a bit and noticed that people looked at them, most of them with curiosity, however not everybody had that look in their eyes. He noticed Ron look at him with a look of hate and something more. He followed Ron's gaze and discovered that it was focused on his claws. One move of his hand had them slid back into their hiding places.

Closing his eyes Harry focused on what Oliver told him about Hermione and as Harry did it, through his mind flashed memories of Hermione's behavior throughout the year, her annoying comments and know-it-all attitude that annoyed him. He also thought about Ron and felt that this friendship could be over any time soon.

"You are right," he quietly said with a look at Oliver. "I was too blind to notice it."

"Or you got used to it, both are as probable," Oliver said with a shrug. "Do you want me to tell them or are you going to do it?"

"I will do it," Harry said and looked at Hermione. "While I will still consider you a friend I won't have so much patience for your behavior."

She looked at him and later at Oliver. "You are mutants, both of you are mutants."

"Mu-what?" Ron asked.

"Mutants," Hermione said with a sigh and a look that asked how idiotic someone needed to be to be unable to pronounce that word. "Humans with powers that are unexplainable through logic or reason, magic to a degree can be, those powers cannot be."

"Not the worst definition," Oliver nodded. "I've heart worse, but not many better, so maybe there is some hope for you."

Harry was about to say something when Ron growled. "What is he? A freak?"

"Don't call me that," Harry snarled, but stopped when Fred and George approached them.

"Go on, Oliver, take him to Professor and Wolverine, we will speak with our brother and tell him to keep his mouth shut when it should be shut," Fred said as he pushed past them and walked towards Ron. "I think it is a good time for a family moment, don't you think Forge?"

"I agree, Gred," George nodded, grim expression on his face, one that didn't look too good for Ron.

"Let's go," Oliver said as he placed his hand on Harry's shoulder. "Pack your trunk and we can catch up with Professor."

Harry nodded and both of them hurried to the dormitories. Harry started to throw into his trunk all of the things that were his, he paused when he was unable to find his Cloak, he looked back and arched an eyebrow looking at Oliver.

"Here it is," Oliver said, throwing it at him. "I took it to hide from people on the night when X-Men arrived, normally I wouldn't have taken things without your permission, but you were asleep and I needed to have a way to disappear."

Harry nodded and stuffed it into the trunk, he slammed the lid shut and locked the whole thing. He frowned looking at it and later glanced at Oliver. "How are we going to drag it out?"

"Try on your own," Oliver laughed. "If you have claws you probably also have strength that goes with them."

Harry looked at Oliver, then at the trunk and once more at Oliver. He felt that his friend was not joking so giving the trunk a look he grasped it and easily lifted of the ground.

"See?"

"Yes," he nodded as they walked out of the room. "How it should be at the Institute?"

"Good and nice," Oliver said. "You will like it, there are some people that you should come to like and I will be there once school year is over and I spend a week or two with my parents."

"Cool," Harry said as they made their way through the school. "So Wolverine is kind of important?"

"He is field leader," Oliver said and seeing Harry's confusion explained. "One that leads the team when we are to rescue mutants or bring them to the Institute, so if you get assigned to any team he will be one you will need to listen to."

Harry nodded and when they approached the group of mutant he took a good look at Wolverine, who was short, yet he looked like a person that shouldn't be underestimated unless one wanted to end in a really bad position.

"You look scrawny, kid," Wolverine said, taking his trunk from him. "Yet you are able to lift it, mutation?"

"Most likely," Professor nodded. "We will be sure once Beast can confirm it, are you ready to go?"

"I guess," Harry said and looked at them. "How are we getting to the Institute?"

"By plane," Cyclops said. "Two hours or so."

"Plane? Muggle tech doesn't work around magic."

"Muggle?" Jean frowned.

"Non-magical," Professor said as they made their way out of the castle. "It works because my friend, Doctor Strange placed on the plane enhancements that allow it to work around magic. They are also present at the Institute, so you will be able to use all of the wonders of modern technology without any of the issues caused by magic."

Harry nodded and stopped in his tracks when he saw the plane used by the mutants to get to Hogwarts, it was huge and looked dangerously. As he looked at it, he had troubles believing that it was their plane, it was completely different from the planes he had an opportunity to see.

"SR-77 Blackbird," Cyclops said, pride visible in his voice. "The fastest plane on Earth and impossible to detect on radars."

"You will have time to boast when we are in the air," Wolverine roughly cut in. "Now get on board and Cyclops take us of the ground."

Cyclops grumbled something, but nodded and motioned for Harry to follow him, from the belly of the plane ramp lowered and walking up it they entered the plane. Cyclops showed Harry how to put on safety harness attached to every seat and walked to the cockpit. As Harry sat in his chair and felt tremors passing the hull as the plane took off he felt eagerness to explore new opportunities, yet he already kind of missed Hogwarts.

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Reviews:

ObsessedWithHPFanFic – Indeed he is, honestly speaking his development in canon is really shallow and predictable.