Chapter 3: When Harry Met Kitty
Harry eyes slowly fluttered open and he rolled over to see the digital alarm clock on his night table beside his bed.
3:29 A.M.
"I hate this bloody time zone …" Harry sighed, curling up in a ball in the warm blankets and attempted to go back to sleep. Just as sleep began to overtake him, the room was filled with loud noise and fireworks.
Harry jumped and literally tumbled out of bed still tangled in the blanks. Harry wrestled out and stood up looking around the room. He saw his dorm mates with the a similar surprised expressions, and at the door of the dorm room stood a Chinese girl in a red leather X-Men uniform under a long yellow trench coat, red sunglasses resting on her head, and a smirk on her face. And beside her stood Logan, only in a black leather X-Men uniform with yellow trim.
"They're up, Wolvie," She smirked, leaning up against the door.
"You can go on, finish getting ready now, Jubilee," Logan said coldly before turning his attention to the four boys in the room. "Alright, runts," He growled hatefully, "It's time to play a little game called King of the Hill."
Logan walked in, "Alright, you will be broken in two groups of five, Group A will be Mage, Nightcrawler, Dazzler, Shadowcat, and Morph. Group B will be Colossus, Iceman, Multiple Man, Jubilee, and Avalanche. The objective is to get through an obstacle set up outside the mansion, make it through the obstacles without the aid of your mutant powers, and be the first on top of the large hill in the center of the estate. I'll be waiting, first team to get there and make me move off the hill is the winner." The X-Man turned and walked toward the door, "You have twenty minutes to get ready, good luck … you'll need it."
"This doesn't sound that difficult," Harry mused, gaining shocked looks from his dorm mates.
--
Harry and Kurt slowly walked down to their starting point slowly and stiffly. "Cool uniform, Harry," Kurt said with a yawn.
Harry glanced over at Kurt's, his was black, but with two large red strips going from his shoulders down forming a V over his stumach, and white gloves and boots. "Yours is cool too, Kurt," Harry complemented.
"Thanks," Kurt said, a blush barely visible on his blue fuzzy checks, "Harry, who's Hermione, is that your girlfriend?" Kurt asked, a hint of mischief in his yellow eyes.
"Wha?" Harry asked, taken back, "how?"
"You were calling out 'Hermione! Hermione!' in your sleep," Kurt said with a smirk, "So, who is it?"
"She's a friend of mine from my old school," Harry explained with a blush of his own, "I did dream of her last night … but not the kind of dream you're thinking of you little blue git," Harry said with a glare at his companion.
"So, what was it about?" Kurt said, with a curious expression.
"She … she was in trouble," Harry sighed, "someone else was there, I couldn't see her face, but she was tying her up. Hermione was panicking and calling out to Ron, her … boyfriend, and me but Ron never came and it felt like something was holding me back. It was weird. When who ever it was tying her up started to put a gag in her mouth, I woke up."
"Weird …" Kurt said, rubbing his chin.
"Too Right," Harry agreed.
"We'll it's about time you guys got here," a brown haired boy with basic X-Men uniform complained, as Harry and Kurt walked up to them.
"Yeah, you girls have to get your makeup just right?" a blonde headed girl, in a dark blue uniform, but with a bomber jacket over it, and sunglasses, smirked.
"Oh, you two, leave them alone," another girl said walking up to meet the two boys with a gentle smile, "Don't mind those two, guys, they're grouchy this early in the morning. Oh, Is this the new guy, Nightcrawler?" She stood about the same height as Harry, and was in a blue and black uniform, and her long brown hair was pulled back in a pony tail, with two large strands falling at the sides of her face, "My codename's Shadowcat, the guy over there's Morph, and bleach blond is Dazzler."
"His codename's Mage," Kurt introduced.
"Pleasure to meet you," Harry said politely taking Shadowcat's hand.
"Oh, you're British," Shadowcat said with a blush, "I love the accent."
"Um … yeah …" Harry said shyly, finding the ground interesting.
"That's cool …" Shadowcat said, doing the same thing, "After we finish this thing, you … maybe … wanna go get breakfast together? Ya know, get to know each other better. I remember what it's like to be new here, and it can be hard sometimes to make friends …" She said nervously, seeming to talk faster by every word.
Harry started to answer when another voice grabbed his attention, "Alright, everyone's here." Phoenix said floating down to stand before them. Harry looked at her and suddenly lost all strength in his jaw, and his mouth flew open. Phoenix was wearing tight leather slacks, a jacket similar to Cyclops' uniform top unzipped, a gray undershirt that showed off her toned belly, and had her long scarlet hair flowing down her back. "Just follow this map," She instructed handing a folded map to Shadowcat, "Wolverine has given you instructions on what to do, so get to it. Sooner you complete this mission, the sooner you get breakfast."
Phoenix looked over the group, "Ok, good luck, and may the best group win," She said as she flew back toward the mansion.
Morph then took the appearance of John Wayne, "Alright, Pilgrims, lets head um up and move um out," He said, before changing back to his normal form, chuckling.
"Alright, Mage," Shadowcat said with a warm smile, "Shall we show the other team up?"
"Lets do," Harry said with a wink and the five teenagers began their hike.
--
"What do you mean you can't tell us where he went?" Ron snapped at Prof. McGonagall, with Hermione by his side looking slightly bored.
"Do NOT take that tone of voice with me, Mr. Weasley," McGonagall replied testily, "I can not tell you where he has gone, but I can tell you he is currently no longer at Hogwarts and will be returning in a few weeks."
"Don't worry, Ron," Hermione purred rubbing up against his arm, "I'm sure Harry's fine, and with him gone … who are we going to hide our relationship from?"
"Her-Hermione," Ron stuttered blushing the color of his hair, "This is serious! Harry could be in trouble. What if it's You-Know-Who?"
Hermione traced circles on Ron's chest, "Come now, Ron, I'm sure Prof. Dumbledore or Prof. McGonagall would tell us it was that serious. What do you say lets go back to your dorm room, no one's there and we can … talk …"
"I think I'll just take a little walk, Hermione," Ron said pushing her away slightly "Just need to get my head clear."
"Oh ok, Ron," Hermione said with a disappointed sigh, "See you later tonight then, Love?"
Ron nodded and gave his girlfriend a kiss on the cheek, "Wouldn't miss it, but I'll have to sleep tomorrow night," he said with a wink.
Hermione giggled girlishly as Ron walked off, but as he disappeared from sight an evil smile crossed her lips, "If I can't have fun that way … I'll have to find it somewhere else."
--
"What now?" Morph complained as the group stood at a gate attached to a long tall fence.
"Well we can't use our powers, so we can't open this lock, it's pure animantium," Shadowcat sighed, "We've got a long walk around …"
"No we won't, we can't use our mutant powers …" Harry said pulling his wand form his pouch, "nothing mutant about this."
Harry then pointed his wand to the lock, "Alohomora!" a beam shot from his wand and went into the lock, a second later the door swung open.
"Wow, Mage," Shadowcat awed looking at the lock, "That was cool!"
"You can thank Hermione for that one," Harry said walking through the gate, "come on, I'm ready for breakfast."
--
The group made their way up the steep hill on to the large tree on the very top.
"Ok, we're here," Nightcrawler said looking around, "Where's Wolverine?"
"Don't look at me," Morph said with a shrug.
"He said he'd be here, so be ready for everything …" Harry said when a strange 'snikt' sound came from the tree, "LOOK OUT!"
With a roar of a wild animal, Wolverine dove from the tree slashing at Morph, missing him by a fraction of an inch. "Holy …" Morph gasped falling on his rear.
Shadowcat turned just in time to see Wolverine leaping at her. She started to scream but ended up only grunting as another tackled her out of the berserker's way. "Are you alright?" Harry asked looking down at the girl under him.
"Ahuh …" She replied with a bright blush.
"This guy's crazy!" Harry said jumping up from the girl, and turning his attention back to Wolverine. Not noticing the look of disappointment on her face.
"Ok, lets get see you get us from the air," Harry said drawing his wand again, "Wingardium Leviosa!"
Wolverine then cried out as he rose into the air, sprawling and slashing around.
"Hey! That's not fair!" Jubilee complained running up the hill with her teammates close behind, "No powers!"
"That's enough, Jubilee," Wolverine said seriously, sheathing his claws back into his hands with a 'snikt', "That's not his mutant power, so it was aloud. Group A is the winners." The Feral X-Man then look down at a smiling Harry, "Now … get me down before I carve you to bits!"
"Oh dear …" Harry said looking up at Logan, with all colors fading the boy's features, "I have a small problem …"
Harry then sighed and looked up at Wolverine, "Remember sir, you wanted to come down …" Harry said with a gulp, and caused a strange look from Wolverine, "Finite Incantum!"
Wolverine then dropped like a rock and hit the cold hard ground with a sickening thud. He laid there for almost a minute leaving the teenagers to stand there in shock. Then in a split second he was on his feet, and was holding Harry off the ground by his collar, snarling like a lion.
"I … I'm sorry … sir …" Harry stuttered nervously.
Wolverine moved his face to where it was less then an inch from Harry's and held it there for a few moments. "I like your style," He said with a frightening smile, "You're alright, kid."
"T-Thanks …" Harry whimpered as Logan dropped him to the ground and turned his back.
"Alright go get your grub, good job."
Harry walked quickly to catch up with Shadowcat and started to walk by her side, "The offer still stand for breakfast?"
"Why, of course, Mage," Shadowcat said a slight pinkness to her cheeks.
"Ok, by the way, my name's Harry Potter," Harry said smiling friendlily at her.
"Nice to meet you, Harry," Shadowcat greeted, "My name's Kitty Pride."
"Well, Kitty," Harry said stretching slightly, "I think this is the beginnings of a grand friendship."
--
"Jolly good day to you!" Hermione said cheerfully, opening the cell in an old unused dungeon deep inside Hogwarts castle, smiling down at her hostage: her exact duplicate.
"Awe what's the matter, your gag too tight?" she asked adjusting the gag and chains holding the girl down in the corner of the cell.
'Hermione' removed the gag and smiled down at her, "There that better?"
"Who are you?" Hermione asked angrily, "Why are you doing this?"
"I was just sent here to infiltrate and find something that is not of your concern," 'Hermione' said with a smirk, "And I saw the resident hero and thought I'd screw his life up a bit."
"W-What?" Hermione asked blinking with confusion.
"I've had a lot of fun with your secret boyfriend, Ronniekins," 'Hermione' said stretching against the wall seductively.
"What have you done?" Hermione asked, feeling her heart drop.
"For a first timer, the kid was very, very good," she said with a blissful sigh, "then I made sure the hero and best friend, who you were so afraid of hurting, that you barely kissed your boyfriend, managed to see you riding the boy like a stallion!"
"Oh god …" Hermione whispered, feeling ill at the revelation.
"Oh you should of see his face!" 'Hermione' said with a chuckle, "I think he was about to cry! He even told me to your face, that he hates you, and that he never wants to see you or Ron ever again. He left two days ago, transferred to a new school in the States, you know. He said he felt you and Ron had betrayed him, that any true friends wouldn't keep something like sleeping together behind their best friend back. He was really upset. So sad …"
Hermione, who was on her knees anyway, couldn't find the strength to stand even if she wanted to, "How … how could you …"
"How could you?" 'Hermione' asked with a smirk, "You could of told him, you know, if he knew about you I would of never been able to use your and Red's relationship as a play toy. But no, you couldn't face up to the almighty Boy Who Lived, could you? Oh wait I get it now!" she squealed, her eyes lighting up in realization, "It isn't Red who you want to be with at all is it, you want Harry, don't you? HAHA fat chance for that now, little girl!"
"You … You …" Hermione breathed, hear shoulders rising and falling more rapidly by the second, then with a cry of rage she dove against her restraints in a futile attempt at attacking her duplicate.
'Hermione' laughed evilly, before raring back, and backhanding Hermione across the face sending her down to the ground hard. "By the way, the name's Mystique," 'Hermione' said, as Hermione's world slowly faded to darkness, "as if it really matters …" Last thing Hermione heard or felt was herself being flung over someone's shoulder, and Mystique's voice, "Come on, lets go for a little ride."
To Be Continued …
C. Cowboy: first off, Jackey, yes I am the same Classic Cowboy who wrote pokemon fics on ff.net, most notably Time of Destiny, Pokemon: Crystal, and Spinarak-Man (they're my babies ^^)
Next time: A few weeks have past and Harry's test's have been completed, now he must face one last test, and it is the greatest yet. Can Harry, as Mage, stand along side the X-Men and face Magneto and his Brotherhood of Mutants? And I'm sure many wonder the situation with Hermione, what's happened to her? How long has Mystique been pretending to be her? How did she get past Dumbledore? And where is Mystique taking Hermione? All those questions will be answered very soon.
Next Chapter: Baptism of Fire