Chapter 27

Charles is in his office tending to a last few items of paperwork. It was his way of winding down after a mission. Besides the paperwork was vital to keep the school open. Since the reveal of mutants it seemed the local authorities had become much more insistent on every t being crossed and every i dotted.

Charles takes a moment to reflect on the day's events. He felt partial failure in not saving Ms Lang but it seemed obvious to him there would be another opportunity. Isobel had bent the laws of life and death in her quest for the stones. No-one who endured that would very likely give up. They would have to be vigilant for her inevitable return.

Then there was Valerie Van Haaften still down in the infirmary. Beast had reported she was physically exhausted and would most likely sleep for a day or more. There was no urgent need to wake her so Charles could leave it for now. There were still many questions though as it pertained to the teenager. Beast had done a background check while they were in Smallville and found Valerie had 'mysteriously' vanished from a youth detention centre.

Can only have been Magneto that was responsible considering where she ended up and the fact she called him Uncle Erik.

Uncle.

Charles shakes his head at that. What is Magneto's link to the girl?

He had been reluctant, at best, to probe her mind again after everything she had gone through already today. Trust was important and when she woke up he hoped to earn it. After all, he had to help her with the trauma she has suffered. That takes trust above all else and when she trusts him she'll tell him what he wants to know.

It is not the only mystery surrounding her. Beast had had time to do a basic analysis of her DNA. She was a meteor mutant only that made no sense. Her background showed she had never been anywhere near Smallville so how did she become altered in that way?

Charles bet Magneto knew the answer only he doubted his old friend would just show up out of the blue and tell him what it was.

Charles rubs his eyes. Maybe it was time to turn in. It had been a long day. A day that would have ramifications for a long time to come.

Just then there is a knock on his door. Charles reaches out with his mind and senses Scott, Clark and another familiar presence he hadn't been in the company of for some time. "You may show him in Scott!" Charles shouts through the door.

Scott opens the door, that ever present frown of being creeped out when the Professor did that. "Right," he says, as she steps aside and Stephen Strange walks in.

Charles' face lights up in happiness and offers up his hand. "Stephen. It is good to see you."

"And you Charles," Stephen says back with a similar happy expression as he reaches over the desk and takes the offered hand and shakes it vigorously. "I got your message. Sorry it took me so long," he apologises for his tardiness in responding to it.

"Apologies are unnecessary," Charles assures him. "I know whatever you were doing must have been important...although this phone is not on this plane of existence?" he inquires in a wry tone at that.

Stephen chuckles lightly.

"I can take it from here Scott. Thank you," Charles says, dismissing Scott who closes the door, curious but obedient. When the Professor has something to tell them he will.

"Have a seat," Charles offers.

"Thank you," Stephen says as she sits himself down.

"You require any refreshment?"

"Thank you but it is far too late to put someone out for that," Stephen refuses the offer.

"How have you been?" Charles asks.

"As well as can be expected."

"Clea?" Charles asks after Stephen's wife.

"Still not talking to me," Stephen says sadly and the hurt in his eyes can be clearly seen at how estranged that relationship currently is.

"I am sorry," Charles expresses his sadness at the deterioration of his friend's marriage.

Stephen chooses not to dwell on his problems. "And yourself Charles? How are you?"

"Fine."

"Still not married?"

"Only to my work," Charles quips.

"Yes. I follow the news. You've been busy."

"Extremely so."

"So what do you require my help over?" Stephen asks.

"It's a bit of a story. I will summarise it as briefly as I can for the moment."

Stephen listens as Charles describes the day's events. A deep frown comes to his brow and his eyes narrow a little in anger at hearing about the possessions of the 3 girls. Such a violation of the basic rules does fall under his jurisdiction as Earth's Sorcerer Supreme.

"Are the girls alright?" Stephen asks with concern.

"Two of them are. The Countess Thoreaux escaped before we could capture her and rescue her host. I don't know if you can track her or if it is too late for that."

"Perhaps I can but I will need to investigate into her first. It takes much power to do as she has done to defy her fate."

"I believe we have weakened her with the destruction of her spell book."

"I have no doubt you have. Your description does seem to indicate she used it to reinforce her power."

"There are also other issues. It seems one of the girls, Wanda, has real magical powers and that Madeleine attempted to use them to cast a spell that as far as we can tell didn't work as she intended."

"What was the intent?"

"She wished to erase the memory of the existence of a student here."

Stephen frowns. "I felt a...disturbance earlier. As if something fundamental had been restructured. I was too far away at the time and engaged with other tasks."

"You believe it was this spell?"

"Possibly but it didn't work?"

"Not the way she was intending. No-one close to him here has forgotten him but at least one other has and this person's memory of him wasn't erased precisely. Certain aspects of it were forgotten and others altered. I do not know how far this has spread."

Stephen reaches into his pocket and pulls out a circular stone. An amulet with the image of a closed eye upon it. "Eye of Agamotto show me the girl called Wanda," he commands and the eye opens and glows with mystical energy.

Inside the eye the image of Wanda appears, as she sleeps, crashed out on a couch in the mansion. Through the eye Stephen can see her in ways well beyond visible sight. "By the Vishanti," he says in a hushed, shocked, whisper with wide eyes.

"Stephen?" Charles inquires.

Stephen pulls himself back to the here and now. "Forgive me."

"What did you see Stephen?"

"I cannot be certain."

"Stephen," Charles warns sternly. "This is one of my students," he points out so Stephen does try and avoid answering him.

"I will answer if you answer something for me first," Stephen lays down a condition.

"Go on."

"Who are her parents?"

"Magneto is her father."

"Oh dear," Stephen reflects sadly, knowing what kind of man Magneto is. "And her mother?"

"I did not know her well. Magneto and I were not on the best terms even then. Her name was Magda Maximoff."

"Maximoff," Stephen murmurs as he tries to think of the origin of that name. "Do you know her heritage at all?"

"She was a Romany Gypsy."

"Was?"

"She died many years ago."

"I see...and since Wanda is here I assume she has a mutant power."

"She can alter the laws of probability and generate what we refer to as Hex bolts that effect anything they interact with in unpredictable ways. When she loses her temper she can disrupt everything around her with little control over it."

"She has a temper?"

"She has issues with Magneto. I would rather not break her confidence on that further."

"I understand."

"What did you see Stephen?" Charles asks him to answer now.

Stephen stands up and walks over to the window and looks out. "As you know the eye allows me to perceive a person on many levels. On a mystical being I can see the flow of magic around them. Only around Wanda it isn't flowing it is focussing and twisting around her. She is a focal point for mystical energy. She is that very rare entity; a nexus. Potentially that makes her one of the most powerful beings on this planet if not the entire universe."

"There is a difference between potential and realisation."

Stephen smiles a little. "Indeed. In fact if this witch had not possessed her I could have easily never noticed her. Magic exists because you know it does. If Wanda never realised she had magical power it would have remained dormant inside her for, possibly, the remainder of her life."

"But she is aware," Charles points out.

"And that is the problem," Stephen says warily.

"What problem?"

"To some extent all magical beings bend the laws of physics but we do not in reality break them. A nexus being can take those laws and rewrite them to their will. Reshape the universe to their will. Wanda can be all but a living God if she fulfils her full potential."

Charles frowns, moves out from behind his desk and rolls next to Stephen. "What else aren't you saying?" he asks.

"It is the type of magic I saw around her. I believe it is her x-gene that allows her to tap into it."

"Tap into what?"

"Chaos."

"I remember you saying even sorcerers had myths and one of them were stories about chaos magic and Gods of Chaos," Charles recalls a conversation from many years ago.

"When I said it I believed it but I was a young apprentice back then. My teacher, the Ancient One, taught me different. It's a lie. Like all Gods, the Gods of Chaos, must be worshipped. What is a God if no-one believes they exist? If no-one worships them? They stop being Gods. They are hundreds whose names no-one remembers any longer and because no-one remembers them they fade from this plane of existence, never able to return. As for the Gods of Chaos by saying it is a lie we keep those Gods forgotten and banished from this world. If they found a way back...well there is a reason they are the Gods of Chaos for that is what they bring forth."

"Why not just purge all memory of them completely and ensure they could not return?" Charles asks.

"The last worshippers of the Elder Chaos God Chthon had a prophecy. Of the birth of an avatar of his power that would bring about his return. Now prophecies are tricky and often cryptic but this one was quite clear. Therefore the prophecy was told down the line of the Sorcerers Supreme so we would be ready to find this avatar and prevent Chthon's return. You can't do that if there is no memory of him."

"You think Wanda is this avatar?"

"From what I saw she could be. That being so I must do what was the decreed policy and prevent her ever using her power to bring Chthon back to this world."

"Prevent it how?"

"Best I do not say," Stephen says in a grave tone.

"Stephen. You can't possibly mean...?" Charles says outraged at what he suspects Stephen is hinting at.

Silence.

"Stephen if you think I will allow you..." Charles starts to warn him but is cut off.

"It was never my policy Charles but I cannot let this lie either. Wanda is dangerous. More so than you can imagine."

"So am I. So are you. In theory. Just because one has power does not make them dangerous. It is the use to which this power is put to. The choices that we make. Can the same not be true for Wanda? Can she not use this power to do good if she so desires?"

Stephen looks at Charles as he considers this...as if he had never considered this before. "Possibly. No normal sorcerer can wield this power for the outcome of its use is random as is the nature of chaos. However Wanda, as a nexus, may be the only mortal person who can bend this magic to achieve what she desires...with the proper training."

"Can she be trained?"

"The source of the power may be different from what I use but the basics of control are the same. Still it would be hard and the outcome is not certain."

"The outcome in life is never certain," Charles says softly, underlined with memories of his own life whose outcome is full of painful things that he never saw the outcome of.

"Too true," Stephen agrees with his friend.

"Will you train her?" Charles asks in relation to Wanda.

Stephen brings his hand to his chin and strokes his beard as he thinks. "It would be a fascinating challenge," that part of any person that relishes a challenge says. "It would also not be without risk."

"Again such is life."

"I will meditate upon this and make a decision," Stephen decides.

"Thank you. Now about this possibly failed spell?" Charles asks returning to that issue since they never cleared it up.

"Can Wanda remember what transpired?" Stephen wonders.

"Most of it from what she says. Why?"

"The simple answer may be to, for you and I, to enter her memories and see what this Madeleine did."

"We'll need to ask her permission and discuss that with her in as a gentle manner as possible," Charles immediately points out because he knows Wanda is sensitive about anyone entering her mind after what Magneto tried to do in altering her memories.

"I suspect there will be a lot both of us shall need to discuss with her if I agree to train her," Stephen points out.

"Indeed but not tonight. Forgive me if this seems rude but we have had a long day and we require sleep."

"I understand. I shall return tomorrow if that is suitable."

"It is," Charles confirms. "Wanda does not attend school like the others. Hank, Storm and I home school her here so if you can come during school hours it will in fact be quieter and easier...assuming Wanda agrees."

"That is fine," Stephen agrees.

"Then I shall see you tomorrow and perhaps afterwards we can catch up?"

Stephen smiles lightly. "I would like that." He turns and shakes Charles' hand. "As always Charles a delight to see you again."

"As it is to see you. Take care."

The two men share a friendly nod before Stephen makes his departure. As soon as he is outside he lifts gently into the air. Cloak of levitation until he decided to alter its appearance to the coat he is wearing so it blended in more when he was out amongst the populace. He felt like flying rather than teleporting in the same way he arrived to give him time to think and clear his head a little. A night of revelations he had not expected.

He quickly flies towards New York until he reaches a 3 storey red brick manor style building sitting at a junction of several roads. It is the Sanctum Sanctorum, built at a focal point for supernatural energies and at a juncture of many realities and dimensions. As Sorcerer Supreme it is Stephen's job to make sure nothing untoward enters this world from any other. He and the other sorcerers are its guardians.

Stephen lands outside, hidden from mortal sight by a simple cloaking spell, and heads inside. Upon entering the lobby he finds waiting for him a fairly tall, athletic-looking Asian man, in his late twenties, with a shaved-bald head, and dark eyes, clad in simple white pants and a green silk shirt.

"Wong," Stephen greets his apprentice and friend.

Wong smiles slightly. "Dr Strange. A productive evening I assume," he jests at the intense look on his friend's face.

Stephen takes the humour for what it is. "Much to meditate on my friend," is all he will say at the moment. He will discuss Wanda with Wong in time after he has thought on it. He turns his attention to another matter briefly. "Our students?" he inquires after his current crop of apprentices.

"Asleep," Wong informs him of their current state.

"Good. Good. That'll give me time to meditate in peace. While I am I require you to do a task for me," Stephen requests of his friend.

"Of course," Wong agrees without any hesitation. He is sworn to serve and assist the Doctor in anyway he can.

"Our archives stretch back centuries yes?"

"Many, many centuries Doctor," Wong confirms.

"Can you see if there is any reference to a Countess Margaret Isobel Thoreaux? She would have been born in France around 1574," he relays the details Charles gave him. He is hoping if there is a record it will give him more details on the Countess' magic and therefore a basis on which he can begin to search for her.

"I shall look."

"Thank you Wong."

Wong bows slightly before departing for the the archives.

Stephen then makes his way to his study to meditate on the issues at hand. The walk there, as always, is a rather unique one in a house that is larger on the inside than it appears and whose perception constantly shifts and changes. It was designed to be a useful lesson for all those learning magic. It took weeks before Stephen himself stopped getting lost when he first started learning the mystic arts.

He enters his study and moves to a portrait of his teacher, the Ancient One. "The day you warned me about has come," he says in reference to Wanda and what she potentially is. "Now I must choose whether to obey or defy you," he says, his voice strained at such a difficult decision. He either follows the policy laid down and ends Wanda's existence as it is or does not and trains her with all the risks that brings. That is what he must meditate on...and not just that.

Stephen had not asked Charles about it but there is the boy. Not the one in the red glasses who opened the door for him. The tall one with curly dark hair that stood behind him. The power Stephen had sensed radiating off him in waves was like nothing he had ever sensed before.

A nexus and an unknown being of great power both under the same roof. Only Charles could manage that feat Stephen has to wryly think to himself.

At the Institute...

Long day. That is the tired thought going through Charles' mind as he rolls his wheelchair next to his bed as he prepares to end this night. Tomorrow will most likely be a long day as well so he needs to get some rest.

He is just preparing to go through the effort of getting out of his wheelchair and into bed when the chair suddenly slides across the floor so violently Charles has to hold on or risk falling out. He stops by the window.

Charles takes a moment to regather himself when he spots the flash out of the corner of his eye of a purple cape flapping in the breeze. Charles pushes his window open. "Hello Erik," he greets his old friend, a little surprised to see him but not completely, as the Master of Magnetism floats outside his window.

"Charles," Magneto says back in acknowledgement.

"Miss Van Haaften?" Charles assumes what brings Magneto here.

"Yes," Magneto confirms what took him awhile to discover that the police had allowed Charles to take Puzzler.

"She is down in the infirmary."

Magneto's body tenses slightly in worry. "Is she hurt?"

"Physically she will be fine. She's just exhausted."

"What has transpired here today Charles? I know magic was involved in some way."

Charles' eyebrows rise slightly in surprise at how Magneto knows that.

Magneto folds his arms across his chest. "I have my sources," is all he says.

"Let us be honest for one minute Erik. If you are genuinely concerned for the girl I will not stop you taking her if that is what she wants. You know I will not hold anyone here against their will."

"Very well," Magneto concedes for 1 minute and he informs Charles about Mystique.

Charles ponders. "I wonder. Mystique's mind is formidable. It is possible rather than go through the effort of trying to control her they just put her to sleep."

"Who is they?" Magneto wishes to know. He agrees with Charles' postulation about placing Mystique to sleep.

For the 2nd time tonight Charles summarises the story as briefly as he feels he can get away with and omitting any detail he does not want Magneto to know. For example that Isobel escaped because Charles knows Magneto would not hesitate to hunt her down despite the innocent person whose body she has taken over. Charles will not allow Lana to be harmed when there is still the possibility of saving her.

Under his helmet Magneto's face darkens. "My daughter was possessed?" he almost accuses and blames Charles.

"She is fine now. We defeated the witches and freed her. She is sleeping at the moment."

"How is Wanda doing?" Magneto asks, in a slightly softer, more fatherly concerned, sounding tone.

Charles sees no reason not to inform Magneto of his daughter's well-being. "Better. Her control over her powers has improved. Her temper is not quite as severe and she has made friends. I believe she is happy here."

"Good," Magneto says, genuinely meaning it. He has no desire to see Wanda unhappy. Really the opposite. He returns to the issue of Puzzler. "I wish to see Valerie."

"Very well," Charles consents.

Luckily being very late it is not too difficult to get Magneto down to the lower levels without being seen. Charles is thanking the heavens that Wanda is asleep. Her temper is not as severe, true, but her rage over her father has not lessened that much. If she saw him they will have to rebuild the mansion once more. Wanda's temper and rages are still something Charles is working on but it is taking time as she has a lot of hurt to work through.

The two old friends enter the infirmary where Beast is working late into the night assisted by Martha who, wishing to help out more, had taken a refresher on a first aid course she took years ago. Both freeze instantly at seeing who is accompanying Charles.

"It's alright," Charles assures both of them. "He is simply here for Valerie."

"I am," Magneto confirms as she walks over to the bed and looks the sleeping girl over.

"Magnus," Hank greets him using the name Magneto used when Hank first knew him.

"Henry," Magneto greets him back. "I am glad to see you have stopped fighting what you are," he says as a compliment that Hank stopped trying to repress his mutation.

"I am saddened to see you have stopped trying to fight the darkness inside you," Henry retorts.

"I simply have to come realise the truth."

"Which is?" Martha dares to ask.

"Must this human be here," Magneto complains in some distaste at being in the company of one.

Charles can feel Martha's ire rising. "Martha. I know you have a few choice words for him but the girl is more important. Please not here," Charles telepathically requests of her.

Charles can feel Martha's anger stew. She has had more than a few opinions she had wished to share with Magneto about his parenting skills...or lack of but she will stow them for the girl's sake.

"Please excuse me," Martha says. "I suddenly have a wish to be in better company," she adds before taking her leave, glaring at Magneto as she does so.

Hank blows out a breath. Martha Kent is not someone you mess with.

"I do not understand why you allow these people to stay here Charles," Magneto says, perplexed by his old friend's choices.

"I do not understand where you forgot your manners Erik," Charles fires back sternly. "You are a guest. Martha is part of the family and has been helping look after your daughter amongst much else. You must stop painting all humans with the same brush. Most are good and kind. Martha and Jonathan Kent are amongst the best and most kindest I have ever met."

"Then there are in the very small minority."

Charles pinches the bridge of his nose. This is an argument he and Erik have had to death.

"Tell me is their son a friend of my daughter?"

Charles looks up. He wonders...the way Magneto said with the same slight disdain as if Clark is human too. Has Erik's memory been altered like Lex's? "Yes," he says honestly. "Clark has been a very good friend to her as is he a good friend to all the students and they are his friends." Charles then takes a gamble here to test something. "And Clark is not the only human friend they have."

Magneto 'humphs' at that but doesn't correct Charles over Clark.

Charles makes a mental note of that for when he sees Stephen tomorrow.

"Tell me of Valerie," Magneto asks to know, looking at Hank.

Hank adjusts the small round glasses on his nose. "She is suffering from exhaustion. Her powers were forced beyond anything they naturally can do."

"Not to mention the mental trauma of having her body hijacked and transformed as it was," Charles adds, speaking softly out of his concern.

Magneto raises a hand and gently brushes some of Valerie's brown hair off her face.

"Hank could you give us a minute alone," Charles requests, wishing to be alone with Magneto.

"Of course. I am certain I have something else to do," Hank putters on aimlessly as he departs.

"Care to tell me who she is?" Charles asks Magneto.

"You remember my mentioning of Gijs?"

"Gijs? Your friend from the camp?" Charles recalls that to be.

"Yes. Gijs Van Haaften," Magneto gives the full name unsure if he ever told Charles it or if his friend needs a reminder.

"She is his...granddaughter?" Charles guesses as he does the sum in his head.

Magneto nods to confirm that. "Gijs and I had a pact. Should one of us not survive we would watch out for the other's family. Even though he did I still feel obligated to look out for his kin now he has passed on. Valerie is the last of his family...and I always keep my promises. Whatever else you now think of me Charles that has not changed."

"I have questions."

Magneto can guess what questions those are. "I have no doubt but I shall not answer them," he tells Charles and means it.

"Just the one then. Are you her legal guardian?"

"Yes."

"Then I won't stop you taking her but if you use her to promote your agenda then my X-Men will not hesitate to stop her and you."

Magneto smiles slightly, odd as it sounds, at the blunt truth Charles gives of the situation that now exists between them. "Always clear where we stand now aren't we," he says sadly.

"I wish it were different," Charles says with a little longing but he knows Magneto won't change his views and neither will Charles.

"As do I," Magneto returns the sentiment. He turns his attention to Valerie. "Val," he speaks her name sternly.

Valerie's eyes flutter open barely. "Uncle Erik?" she queries through tired eyes in tired tones.

"I am here. I will take you home now," Magneto promises her.

Valerie manages an exhausted smile at that.

"Only if you wish Valerie," Charles adds. "It's up to you. You can stay here at my Institute if you desire or go with Magneto."

Val looks at the Professor with a tired, puzzled expression. "You said you were friends?"

"We are. We have some disagreements which you probably know about."

Well yes. Uncle Erik had told her about the Professor obviously. She has been living here in Bayville for months.

Valerie thinks, her mind fogged up with messy, sketchy memories of her transformation. That experience drives her to want one thing. "Uncle Erik is family. I want to be with my family."

Charles smiles kindly at her. "I understand."

Valerie smiles a little in return before exhaustion takes over and her eyes flutter shut one more and she falls back asleep.

Magneto slides his arms under her and gently lifts her. "Thank you Charles," he appreciates his friend's care. The fact Charles tried to recruit her was to be expected so Magneto was not particular annoyed at it. It is in Charles' nature.

"Thanks are not necessary," Charles says with his usual modesty. The girl needed help. He provided it. Simple as that.

"I will tell you that you no longer have to concern yourself with the Brotherhood. They are leaving with me tonight. This place has outlived its usefulness to me."

Charles wonders what Magneto means by that but he can't do anything to stop him. Anyone who comes to the mansion must be there because they choose to so if the Brotherhood choose to leave town, with Magneto, Charles will let them and hope one day they will see the rightness of his cause instead of Magneto's but, as he said, if Magneto tries to instigate a war Charles will be there to stop him...so in a way he won't stop being concerned about the Brotherhood.

Instead of heading back up through the mansion Charles escorts Magneto to the hangar so he can leave that way.

"Farewell Charles," Magneto says.

"Farewell Erik. Any chance I can persuade you to change course?" Charles asks with a wry smile.

"This is the only course that ensures the future of our species which you, of course, will refute."

"Of course."

"We will see each other soon Charles only, once again, on opposing sides," Magneto says regretfully.

"In the meantime please take care of yourself. I would hate for someone else to beat me to your inevitable defeat," Charles jokes.

Magneto laughs, a sound Charles has not heard in years. He can still hear it as Magneto rises into the cold night sky and vanishes from sight. If Magneto can still laugh then perhaps, Charles muses to himself, just perhaps his old friend is not a completely lost cause just yet.

Author's Note: I thought it might add some spice if there was a prophecy around Wanda that threatened she would bring about a great threat to the world. Magneto's appearance just ties up the loose end around Puzzler. Thanks to everyone who wrote reviews. Next up; Dr Strange returns to help investigate exactly what happened with the spell Madeleine cast.