6
Harriet went home with her dad. As soon as she arrived, Harriet immediately went to the family library and searched for books that contained these concepts: Occlumency, Legilimency, Animagus, Wandless and Wordless Magic, Apparition. Anything that could help her in the near future.
Apparition was one thing where Harriet needed a demonstration, but her mother had shown her the night before, so she was all set.
If anything like what she faced today or worse happened again, Harriet would be ready. She doubted the damned Potter luck was finished with her yet. No - this was only the beginning of something much bigger.
The television blinked on. The news channel was depicting the scene of the bank Harriet had in for her first big crime a week prior. "New York police has given a statement of the arrest of four men who allegedly robbed several banks prior to their last stop on Park Avenue.
"It has been speculated that one criminal will be getting a less harsh punishment due to his testimony in court, giving the reason of his involvement, which was in order to pay for the expenses of his younger brother's hospital fees accumulated to a large amount as there were no other living relative to do so. The other three men involved will be getting 10 years in prison for robbery and hostage-taking. However, it is said that they will likely receive more jail time.
"As for the strange things that happened to the criminals, resulting in their unconscious forms when the police arrived, no one is certain as to who the hero was. It is suspected that the hero was either in the scene of the crime or one of the onlookers outside. Some witnesses presume it was a mutant with the ability to make imaginations turn into reality. Many others took to social media to debate whether it came from the powers of a recent up-and-coming superhero; Lady Phoenix. However, no one is certain."
Harriet switched the channel. She supposed that she was glad that Travis got a lesser punishment, believing that Travis was only dragged into a ghetto path because he had no choice.
The other channel she switched to was showing the recent interview Lily had about her studies in genetics. It was just starting.
"Ladies and gentlemen, please give a round of applause for Dr. Lily Evans!" The interviewer sat down as Lily did as well. "Dr. Evans, I must congratulate you in publishing the most successful research publication. Many scientists who study the field of biology are very impressed with your discovery."
"Yes. Genetics is an interesting topic of study, especially today," Lily answered, "but I must correct you. I didn't make the discovery. It was Dr. Severus Snape, a good friend of mine. I only expanded the doors to more research, is all."
The interviewer looked surprised, "Well, if he was the person to discover about the MM-gene, M1-gene, and whatnot, why isn't he included in your work?"
"I only said he made the discovery. He and I drifted apart, and he wasn't a part of my researches."
"So, you're saying you alone managed to -?"
"Yes," Lily smiled proudly.
"Wow. I - More than a few hundred pages of research dedicated by one powerful woman. Ladies and gentlemen, Dr. Lily Evans!" The crowd cheered. "I have no doubt you'll make it to the front of the 'Top Powerful Women' magazine."
Lily chuckled. "Well, I wouldn't mind the publicity."
"Now, I'm wondering, how long did this amount of work take? I'm assuming lots of notes, preparations, money, resources, went into making this."
Lily nodded, "Most of the money went into the amount of coffee I needed." The audience laughed on cue. "A lot of thinking and a lot of experimenting contributed as well."
"Okay, so tell us why we should buy your book." The interviewer raised a large book and showed the cameras the cover of it.
"Well, this book only covers the basics of my research and all the interesting things that some of us were capable of. It turns out that many of us have a little bit of magic inside us."
"Excuse me?"
"Magic can be described as some sort of abnormal energy that can alter natural law or something like it. Dr. Snape named it the M1-gene. Those who have the M1-gene have magical abilities, subtle or not. And then, there is the mutant gene. The kind that enhances a human in some way, shape or form. That's called the M2-gene.
"However, as human evolution goes, our genes must change in some way to adapt to the environment. This may result in an extinction of a species. It's the same thing with the MM-gene, the M1-turned-M2-gene if you will. Over the last century or so, I found evidence that in many cases, the M1-gene attacks and evades the M2-gene, and vice versa, in order to adapt to the changes in the human body. This turns the M1 or M2 genes into MM-genes, and their powers become more controlled."
"So, wait. You lost me when you said 'magic'. I was just nodding along to make everyone think I understood a word of what you said." The audience laughed at the Interviewer's remark. "So, if these people have the M1-gene, do they actually have powers?"
"So far, I came to the conclusion that, yes, all people who hold the M1-gene have powers and the ability to do things that no others can. If they're given the proper knowledge, and if they have the proper control, they have the potential to destroy a thirty-floor building or use their powers to heal the worst disease. It can either be a good thing or a bad thing. However, it all depends on how moral the person is."
"How come we don't see a lot of these people? There must be some of them left in the world, right?"
"There are only a few beings left on Earth who still have the M1-gene. I've studied a couple of people who have had the M1-gene, from children to young adults, and I found that people lose their M1-gene in their early teens.
"There are a few cases when children remember what they could do, and that could possibly lead to them becoming mentally disabled. Anxiety and depression are very common among those. Another case I've seen is where an individual kept hallucinating and hearing voices in their heads."
"There's one last thing I'd love to talk to you about the support you have from the mutant community. Dr. Evans, with your work and all of your campaign, you've helped cancel the law that would take away the rights of every mutant and you also helped raise awareness that mutants aren't dangerous, evil men are." The audience cheered at that. "There are a few of those who disagree with your, uh, politics? Am I right in saying 'politics'?"
"It's not politics. I just said what was on my mind when that law was being considered and shared through word of mouth and the internet. I think everyone should be entitled to their own individual rights and freedom, and that includes mutants as well. I guess my researches helped people see that mutants are human just like us. But I don't speak for just the mutants, I also speak for gay people, people of color, and for women who don't get the same rights as men." A louder cheer erupted from the crowd.
The interviewer smiled, standing up, "ladies and gentlemen, this has been Science Daily, and I'm here with the wonderful Dr. Lily Evans! Please give a round of applause!" He shook Lily's hand. His voice faded in the background music as he said to her, "I hope to interview you again, Dr. It's been a pleasure."
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