Harry didn't know what had happened while he was unconscious. Everyone on the plane had stayed silent, not saying a word. After Professor X told Storm to fly to Washington, the quietness had gone on for a long time.
Likewise, Harry didn't follow the X-Men to meet the president. He remained asleep the whole time, drifting through strange, bizarre dreams.
He seemed to wander the universe. In those dreams, it felt as though he had the perspective of a god, watching countless alien civilizations. Some were technologically advanced, far beyond Earth. Some cultivated pure power strong enough to destroy worlds. Others were like magic civilizations straight out of a novel. Their rise, prosperity, decline, and extinction flashed before Harry's eyes, as countless and unending as grains of sand.
…
"Mm—"
Harry opened his eyes. There was no morning light this time, which meant it wasn't dawn.
He pushed himself up with his arms—but a sudden throbbing pain stabbed through his head. His strength vanished, his arms buckled, and he fell back onto the bed.
"Why does it still hurt?" Harry frowned, confused.
Logan had been fine almost immediately after Professor X's mental attack. It made no sense that Harry, who shared the same healing factor as Logan, was still experiencing aftereffects.
Rubbing his forehead, Harry sat up again and lifted his gaze, scanning the room.
Though the walls here were wooden like those in the old Osborn house, the material was a bit cheaper. But the layout was warmer and less old-fashioned compared to the Osborn family home.
"This is Academy X?" Harry guessed, recalling the moments before he passed out and the familiar style of the room.
"It really is a good place." A small smile lifted the corner of his mouth, and he nodded to himself.
The armor suit had been removed from his body by someone. Harry curled his lips, then picked up the neatly folded clothes lying beside the bed. He put them on. They fit him surprisingly well.
After stepping outside, Harry released his mental power, letting it spread out in all directions. Bit by bit, a map of the school and the positions of everyone within it formed inside his mind.
"Mr. Osborn, are you looking for me?" a gentle voice suddenly echoed in his ears. At the same time, one of the figures on Harry's mental map rippled with psychic energy. That ripple was brighter and more majestic than any of the others—an invisible, intangible force that Harry could only truly perceive at this moment.
In the Academy, there was only one person who could speak this way: Professor X.
"Yes, Professor," Harry answered in the same manner.
To his surprise, his mental power felt more integrated than ever, almost as if it were no longer resisting him. All the awkwardness from before had vanished. But at the same time, his mental strength felt smaller—about half of what it used to be.
Strange, but now wasn't the time to ponder it. Harry didn't want Professor X prying into his thoughts. Better to finish what he came for and leave quickly.
"Do you need me to guide you here, Mr. Osborn?" the professor's calm voice asked.
"No need. I already know where you are." Harry exhaled in relief. If Professor X was asking, then he clearly hadn't searched Harry's memories—otherwise he would have discovered the map forming in his mind.
"Here we go," Harry murmured.
He turned right, following the location on his mental map, climbed the stairs, crossed a long hallway, and finally arrived at Professor X's room.
"Knock knock."
Harry raised his hand and tapped on the door. He knew there were mutant children inside listening to the professor's lesson, so he knocked out of courtesy.
"Come in," the professor said aloud—not telepathically this time.
Harry pushed the door open. Inside, the children turned to look at him. He'd seen most of them before. Most who fled to Osborn Headquarters had made it out safely. Only a few he hadn't met, since he'd been unconscious. But judging by their eyes, they all recognized who he was.
"Alright, children, let's end the class here. Class dismissed," Professor X said gently.
"Yes, goodbye, Professor."
The kids here were different—much more sensible than ordinary children. Knowing the professor and Harry had something to discuss, they immediately gathered their things and filed out. As they passed, most nodded politely in Harry's direction.
"Please have a seat, Mr. Osborn," Professor X said with a warm smile, gesturing to the chair.
"Alright." Harry nodded and sat down.
Facing Professor X, Harry studied the man he had heard about for so long. His bald head gleamed under the light. His features were ordinary. His gentle eyes showed no hint of sharp intelligence—only kindness. Harry didn't feel like he was facing a leader of mutants powerful enough to shake humanity, but rather a soft-spoken, good-natured old man. Being near him simply felt like a warm breeze.
"Mr. Osborn, thank you for everything you've done for us—and for saving the children," Professor X said.
"I only did what I could. Whether ordinary people or mutants, they're all human. Helping them was simply what I should do," Harry replied.
Even if Colossus could have protected them on his own, Harry had still helped—and that was the truth.
"Heh, Mr. Osborn, you are very different from most people. If more shared your view—and Senator Kelly's—then far fewer lives would be lost in situations like this," Professor X said with emotion.
"Senator Kelly?" Harry's voice lifted slightly at the name.
"Yes. Thanks to you, we have gained another supporter," the professor said, nodding.
"That's fine," Harry murmured thoughtfully.
But since it didn't concern him, he let the topic drop.
"By the way, where is Dr. Jean? I didn't see her when I scanned the school earlier." Based on the original plot, he hadn't sensed her familiar psychic presence anywhere.
"Jean… she saved us." Professor X lowered his eyes.
Harry fell silent. The inertia of the plot really was strong.
"But things will be alright, won't they?" Harry said reassuringly.
"Yes… everything will be fine. It will be fine." As though speaking to himself, Professor X's gaze drifted toward the window. It was as if he were looking at something far away, but the faint furrow in his brows told Harry what he could not see.
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A/N: Advanced Chapters Have Been Uploaded On My Patreon
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