Silver Claws and Cat Tails
Abby Ebon
O.o.O.o.O.o.O
Disclaimer; I do not own Harry Potter. The X-Men have been around since before I was born, and I am no time traveler – so, no, I don't own that one either.
Notice: I would like to, if you did not catch it, bring your attention to the first chapter; "As if a final defiance – his knees and legs jolted backwards – and when he peeled an eye open, he saw they were like a cats hind legs." This is wrong. Bad Abeo', bad!
It has henceforth been corrected and replaced by; "As if a final defiance – he felt his thighs tighten, the muscles bunching – the bones shortening, and strengthening in ways he had never thought to use them. The soles of his feet tingled and that was his only warning as pain jolted through him and his feet felt as if they grew, the heel arching – the toes stretching and lengthening in structure – and when he peeled an eye open, he saw they were like a cats hind legs."
Also, bring attention to; "Shakily, he stood – his tail lashing about to keep his balance as he wobbled. Impossibly, his toes took his weight with no protest, it was an odd sensation; like walking on his toes, but different, almost more comfortable – the soles, no pads - of his feet –paws? -were more sensitive, highly alert to the changes in the wood he walked upon and adjusting his weight accordingly with the added help of his tail."
Also "scent" has been corrected into "sent". Thank you, I do need correcting at times, and I am glad there to know are those who would do so even when they like the story and risk an authoress getting snippy.
O.o.O.o.O.o.O
Magic-And-Mutants
O.o.O.o.O.o.O
The only sound that could be heard was that of nails tapping on a table top. Hermione looked down at a table that was clustered with bits of newspapers and letters. The letters were addressed to her, from her parents, and if she so desired she could read them word for word without looking down. The picture on the newspaper moved, proving its origin to be magical. It was a gruesome scene – one that had stirred the hearts of many of the magical world.
A little girl sobbed, held by a young woman – a Defender, what the Council had renamed the Auror's after the Ministry had been usurped. It was a overthrowing that Hermione had approved of, but now she was regretting ever proposing it to Ron and Harry. In the wake of Voldemort's fall, this was the new worry of the magical world.
In the caption it read that a well known family of purebloods had been vacationing in America, then been attacked by "mutants". Mutants as a whole, viewed by the wizards and witches had been given the "beast" classification of highest danger rank. That had only been the beginning – when the family had retaliated with magic, they found that –somehow, impossibly – the mutants had been unaffected.
Not even the dreaded Forbidden Spells had wielded an effect. Against mutants, it was feared, magic was powerless. "Credited" theories that fought to explain this "abomination of evolution" ran rampant – that a wizard and muggle had bred, and produced a squib with resistance of magic – and that squib had bred and spawned a the race of mutants, was the most popular at the height of the hysteria. What little defense was accredited to this theory was that mutants seemed to appear with no family connection to each other, and were inherently from all walks of life.
In light of that, it was thought by many that this act was done in the primitive times, when the magical world ruled, and humanity was just beginning to come out of its caves and trees. While there were legends aplenty of wizards and witches taking a muggle to their bed, rarely did such unions result in children. It was why wizards and witches born of muggles puzzled the magical world so. In the height of panic after the discovery, it was implied all "Mudbloods" and "Half Bloods" were mutants – not true wizards and witches.
It was then that Harry stepped in, and though his own blood was mixed, his significance as savior and hero out weighed any suspicion of his heritage. If Harry had only had the wild magic change his appearance, no one in the magical community would have so much as blinked – magic had done, and what known to do, stranger things. He had called the Council to order – boldly, he had put himself in the position of the voice of the Mudbloods and Half Bloods, and had forced the magical community to see reason.
Mutants could not be entirely immune to magic – for they hadn't found them and struck them down. Over a series of tests, it was uncovered that mutants were unaffected by direct attack or defense spells – but that subtle spells, like making them overlook certain people, did still worked. It was not yet known if potions would work – for Harry had never gotten the chance to test it.
The magical world had then uncovered that Harry hadn't come into his majority – calculations had predicted he would be as powerful as Merlin, or more so – and the Council had rejoiced, for it was known that wild magic which wizards and witches were wary of, could be "harnessed" at a majority age near Harry's own nineteen years.
If anything in their arsenal could defend against the mutants, it would be a wizard who wielded wild magic.
Hermione closed her eyes, her fingers ceasing to tap out the annoyed rhythm, everything Harry had done was now a moot point – the purebloods of the magical world were in a heated frenzy, and the Council's hands were tied. Harry had renounced them – not the other way around - if they retaliated, and if Harry – who had worked with mutants and knew them best – had ties they did not know of within the mutant community, they risked war if they attempted his life. They risked war with mutants – and within themselves, for Harry – despite being the monstrous combination of wild magic wieldier and mutant, was still the once savoir.
"Hermione, this would be easier – and go faster- if you just told us where he went." Ron said softly from beside her, he had been so silent, that up till now she could have ignored him – now she could not.
"Like when I told you what he was, in truth, and had your word that you would not tell a soul?" Hermione asked bitterly, the betrayal still stinging. What was worse was that Ron had waited until she was asleep to sneak off like a rat to betray Harry out of fear.
"This is a matter of magic over word, Hermione." Ron insisted, glancing to the newspaper articles.
"So, husband mine – what happens when the Council comes for my blood?" Hermione asked, not turning her eyes to meet his. He heard him shuffle a foot back and forth nervously, and could imagine him biting on his bottom lip.
"That won't happen," he said then sounding reassured in his logic, "Harry's already proved that Mudbloods and Half Bloods aren't the same as mutants." Ron assured her, out of the corner of her eye she saw him grinning, smug in his surety. Her nails dug into her palms.
"Harry is a mutant; the Council could have that dismissed in favor of that fact." Hermione had been a fool to trust him, but being in love had made her blind to his faults and fears. She could only hope that Harry was safe – and not where she thought he was, for she could only say nothing for so long before they had the reasonable doubt necessary to use the Truth potion.
"They wouldn't do that." Ron choked out, seemingly stunned dumb by the idea. Hermione closed her eyes and fought not to yell and scream in the face of his blindness. An owl flew through the window – its black feathers tinged Council green.
We shall see husband-mine, we shall see. Hermione thought as she watched Ron reach for the owl's message, opening it, and paling a sickly white that made his freckles stand out starkly.
O.o.O.o.O.o.O
I wonder if this happens to everyone, Harry thought as he found himself on the ground and rolling away from an earthquake he could feel from the tips of his toes to the fur of his tail, or am I just special?
"Damn-it, sorry – quick - duck and roll that tail!" A voice called out as a red blast hit near his tail, blasting some of the earth he had been standing on only a moment ago – Harry was quick to turn in the direction of the blast, to see who had tried to hit him.
Only to meet a man with a red visor – his fingers hovering on a knob, as if undecided – Harry felt himself freeze up, watching in slow motion as the visor lifted, releasing a burst of red force-light.
"Shit, no – Cyclops, you idiot; get him out of here, Quicksilver!"
One moment he was watching in slow motion as he was about to maybe get his ribs broken– the next he was tucked against someone's chest, moving – then set down, a reckless grin and dancing blue eyes meeting his astonished gaze. Cockily, silver hair flicked in the direction of the man with the red visor.
"Got-to-move-faster-then–that!" Exclaimed the teenager, and proceeded to prove his words becoming a blur of silver and blue, headed next to the older teen who had been calling out orders and warnings alike.
Who are you? A female's voice within his mind demanded, and Harry looked up, to where he sensed the origin of the mind who spoke to him so boldly. A red haired woman, surrounded by flames that danced and skipped over her body observed him from behind the man with a red visor.
Tell me, or I will take the knowledge from you. She threatened, lifting her lips in a snarl, Harry narrowed his eyes, and felt his spine stiffen and ears press against his skull. A low growl echoed up from his chest, and he met her eyes and he knew his mind to be protected.
You will not, and who I am is not your concern. Harry told her, it clearly appeared that what he had done –deny her his mind and identity, which was, after all, personal - no one had done before him. She shook with anger and the flame leapt around her in response. Harry thought it impressive – for a fireworks display.
"Scarlet Witch – Pyro, attack now – while she's distracted!" The brown haired man called out, taking advantage of the red haired woman's temper tantrum. As one fire and red sparks came up, creating a wall between the brown haired red-visor man and the red haired telepathic fire starter. Harry would have felt bad about the two-to-one odds; but the two of them seemed to be more then a match for the four teenagers they faced.
"Hey – erm, you alright?" The brown haired boy, who looked the type that Aunt Petunia would have stuck her nose up at, asked in a manner that was both wary in a embarrassed sort of way. Harry liked him almost at once – and it had absolutely nothing to do with the boy saving his ass twice.
"Fine." Harry answered, wondering if he could escape – one of them could run faster then he could – one of them could do something like miniature earthquakes (for why else would he have apologized for Harry's sake if not because of that?) and the other two could form fire and red sparks together.
"Ah, we're sorry you sort of just stepped in on that…" Sheepishly, the brown haired one ruffled his own hair, looking to the woman and guy Harry hadn't yet met – he seemed to indicate they should introduce themselves.
"It was Quicksilver's fault – he pulled down One-Eyes pants – Miss Fire-Bird didn't like that too much, though it was kind of funny at the time. I'm Pyro – our brave and noble leader is Avalanche." The guy explained his hair was black and ginger, an interesting mix that didn't keep Harry from chucking when Avalanche flushed red, having forgotten to introduce himself.
"Their 'names' are Cyclops and Phoenix, Pyro. Mine's Scarlet Witch – and you've already met my brother." The woman had blue eyes like Quicksilver, but the family resemblance ended with her black hair. Avalanche was dressed in street clothes – Quicksilver in a form fitting blue and silver suit that reminded Harry of a tight gym outfit – Pyro wore an interesting mix of leather and fishnet, and Scarlet Witch wore a, well, scarlet trench coat and black fishnet shirt and jeans. None of them looked like they were organized, but they had a "group" feel to them. That and the code names were a big clue.
"Ah, enough of this nice-to-meet-you-shit, what-do-you-call-yourself?" Quicksilver demanded, coming near enough to touch Harry, and while he looked fascinated by him (much to Harry's embarrassment) he didn't quite dare. Which Harry was instantly grateful for, while he had bathed in his fur – he had no idea what it would feel like to have someone touch him – or try to pet him.
He had the sudden inspired notion that introducing himself as "Harry" likely wouldn't be such a great idea (besides the obvious teasing of hair-fur similarities) because the magical community would be looking for him, and any whisper of his name would stir interest. Harry wracked his brain for an answer, and decided on the spot "Boy" would be good enough for now – mostly because of his Aunt and Uncle, he decided he'd play the "tragic past" card (if it would, which it would eventually come around to) – ignoring that he'd been seen as a hero since he was eleven. Looking as oblivious as he could manage, he spoke.
"Haven't got one…" A frowning Quicksilver looked to his sister, who shrugged; Scarlet Witch gave him a smile and a look of honest sincerity.
"That's alright; we'll just have to find one for you!" It would have been more believable if she didn't look so enthusiastic at the prospect of naming him. Pyro and Avalanche shared a look, one that was clearly "do not get involved". They were wise – and Harry was going to give them hell.
"…you don't have to go to the trouble…" Harry murmured softly giving his best, "aw shucks" look.
"No – really, naming you would be our pleasure…" Scarlet Witch insisted, and smiling in a way that reminded Harry of a fox, she went to him and led him, rambling the whole way, to a beaten up truck that looked to have seen better days.
Avalanche was quick to take the drivers seat – Pyro taking shotgun, which left Harry squished between the twins (for they were too close in age to be anything but). Harry did learn some interesting things – Avalanche's real name was "Lance", Pyro's was better off not known for he didn't answer to anything other then his "mutant name"; Scarlet Witch was "Wanda", and Quicksilver was "Pietro", and the two of them were "the bosses" kids.
Harry could only wonder, with a bit of amusement, what he had gotten himself into.
O.o.O.o.O.o.O
Note; -clears throat- surprise!
X-Men are as follows; Professor X (Professor Xavier), Cyclops (Scott Summers), Iceman (Robert "Bobby" Louis Drake), Angel (Warren Kenneth Worthington III), Beast (Dr. Henry Philip "Hank" McCoy), Phoenix (Jean Grey-Summers), Nightcrawler (Kurt Wagner), Wolverine ("Logan" James Howlett), Storm (Ororo Munroe), and Shadowcat (Katherine "Kitty" Anne Pryde).
Brotherhood are as follows; Magneto (Erik Lehnsherr), Avalanche (Lance Alvers), Pyro (St. John Allerdyce), Blob (Frederick "Fred" J. Dukes), Toad (Mortimer Toynbee), Scarlet Witch (Wanda Maximoff), Quicksilver, (Pietro Maximoff), Mystique (Raven Darkholme), Gambit (Remy LeBeau), and Rogue (Anna Marie).
I'm shrugging off reality and sticking my tongue at it – I've never deferred to the comics, the movies I've seen and wasn't too impressed by, so the early animated adventures and "X-Men: Evolution" have had the greatest influence on me. Most of everyone is going to be about Harry's age (nineteen) and up. For Pyro/Iceman, think about that "best friends" thing in the movies, his attitude and character are based off that. For Avalanche, Toad, Blob, Quicksilver, and Scarlet Witch think "X-Men: Evolution" – only not so much for Quicksilver and Scarlet Witch, I like them as a brother-sister team; if you must have a timeline for "when" in the movies, think second movie, and that's as far as I'm going in that direction. Mystique and Magneto are to be considered "movie verse". Gambit and Rogue are there because of "X-Man: Evolution". Sort-of...
As for the X-Men, we'll get there when we get there. So, am I being "original" enough yet?
No, I'm not forgetting the fact that Logan and Harry are going to get together - but I'm not making it easy for them...