Hex Factor

A.N / I’m back!! I know it’s been a while (Last July!! Holy crap!), my only excuse is that I got

distracted by ALOT of other really good stories. Shame on you!!! How dare you write fanfic?

LOL, kidding!! You all deserve cookies!!

Revelations

            “Hermione? Is that you?” It was readily apparent to Kurt that Moira recognised the

young girl before them. It was also clear that the girl – Hermione – was a mutant and

seemingly unaware of Kurt’s presence. She looks almost exactly like me and...she’s

shadow-blending?? How? Kurt subconsciously moved towards the girl before him, unaware

that in doing so, he was moving out of the shadow of a tree and into the moonlight.

            Hermione was startled by the sudden appearance of the demonic-looking man, but

unafraid as she herself looked almost identical. Wait....why does he look like me? Did they

do this to me??

            Fear and confusion flitted briefly across Hermione’s face, before being quickly

replaced by determination as she reached into her pocket. Gun. “Moira, get down!” Kurt

leaped forward, tackling the girl as she drew a short stick of wood from the folds of her

clothes. Not a gun, though clearly shaped by somebody and from the look in her eyes it IS a

weapon of some sort. Unwilling to take any chances with a strange mutant using an

unknown weapon, Kurt kept the child pinned beneath him whilst using his tail to shatter the

small stick. A focusing object for an offensive power perhaps? Wouldn’t be the first the

X-Men have encountered. “Kurt, stop it! Let her up. Hermione, it’s ok. We’re not going to

hurt you.” Unlike Kurt, Moira appeared completely unconcerned by Hermione’s reaction.

Choosing to trust his friends instincts in the matter, given her apparently greater than his

own understanding of the situation, Kurt released the girl and stood, offering his hand.

            Hermione stood, deliberately ignoring the offered assistance. My wand! Well, there

goes any chance I had at defending myself, though given how quickly ‘Kurt’ reacted to it, I

probably didn’t have any chance anyway. “Who are you? Where am I? Did you do this to

me?” Hermione’s questions tumbled out of her so rapidly, even she wasn’t sure she’d heard

them properly, leaving her to wonder if the three strangers had. Wait...three? Turning

quickly, Hermione discovered a short man in a dark grey and black outfit, a strange mask

obscuring his hair and most of his face. “Which of those do you want answering first

Darling?” The man Hermione was now facing scared her far more than the two behind her.

Though somehow, Hermione didn’t think it was the mask, which was admittedly, very

intimidating. “How did I know you were there?”

            “I’ve got no idea kid. I can be damned quiet when I choose to be. I do know that

we’ve not done anything to you though. Moira, you called her Hermione? You know the girl,

want to wade in?” Hermione turned back to face Moira and Kurt, clearly confused. “I don’t

understand, I’ve never seen you before. How do you know who I am?” Poor girl, she’s so

confused and the answers I can give her may confuse her even more. Moira’s heart went out

to the girl before her, only a little older than her own daughter. At the very least, they’ll

complicate her life. “I delivered you Hermione. You were born on this Island.”

            “I was born here? But how can you possibly recognise me? I wouldn’t recognise

myself right now!!” Hermione practically screeched, not understanding a damned thing,

which was a rare and truly un-welcome experience for the young witch. “You mean that you

haven’t always looked this way?” Kurt asked. “Of course I haven’t! Wait, have you?”

“Yes fraulien, I have. My friend Logan and I are mutants. You are at a laboratory dedicated

to the understanding of human evolution and to helping mutants cope with their powers.”

            “Why was I born here?” To Kurt, it was clear that Hermione had assimilated the

information of where she was and the nature of the people whose company she found

herself in. What surprised Kurt however, was the utter lack of judgement or concern in her

expression. If, indeed, Hermione didn’t usually resemble himself, it was an extremely

unlikely reaction. Though one he found instantly endearing.

            “Your mother came here in the dead of night with two others. They claimed that

they had no where else to go, that your father’s friends would kill your mother and yourself

if they knew about you.” I don’t understand “What do you mean, they were running from

my father? My mum and dad have been happily married for 15 years! Why would Dad want

either of us dead?”

“Oh, Hermione. I really shouldn’t be the one to tell you this. You’re adopted, the couple that

raised you aren’t your birth parents.” Oh my god! I don’t want that to be true.....but I don’t

think she’s lying!! “W-who were they? Who are my real parents?”

            Oh god! How do I tell her this? How do you tell a child her mother’s a monster? “I

think we should go inside. I don’t know about the rest of you, but I reckon this might be

better discussed on a couch.” Logan didn’t have to add the silent ‘with beer’ but those that

knew him heard it.

            Hermione followed the mutants and her Doctor? Midwife? into the scientific

complex, ruminating on what she’d heard and wondering what Moira was so reluctant to

tell her. It was clearly not going to be good news. Though Hermione was less than thrilled

with what she had already heard. I’m adopted. They never told me. Oh, god! Am I a pure-

blood? They still haven’t told me why I look like Kurt. Glancing around at her new

surroundings, Hermione was significantly surprised, she’d considered herself rather

knowledgeable about the muggle world, but she had no idea what most of the equipment

was for and quickly realised it was a number of magnitudes more advanced than anything

she’d seen before. Deciding not to bring up the subject in case it would expose some sort of

lack of muggle understanding, Hermione simply continued to follow Moira and Kurt into

what appeared to be Moira’s sitting room, or at the very least, a break room containing

several couches, a television and five more people. “Uh? Hello?”

            Aware that the five were looking intently at Hermione, Moira quickly made the

introductions. “Hermione, these are my friends: Brian Braddock and his wife, Meggan, they

also live here on the Island; Brian’s sister Betsy and Kitty Pryde are colleagues of Kurt and

Logan; and this is my daughter, Rahne.”

“Everyone, this is Hermione.”

“Wow, Kurt. Something you want to tell us?”

            “That’s real funny, Betsy. Though I’m actually wondering about that myself.” Turning

to Hermione, who now was wearing a slightly worried expression. Why would...? Mien Gott!

I’m such an idiot!! “Don’t worry Hermione, I don’t believe I am your father. For one thing, I

would never wish to kill anyone, especially the mother of my un-born child. For another, I

was nowhere near the U.K. thirteen years ago.” Kurt could have kicked himself for so glibly

suggesting he was Hermione’s father, though he’d rather kick Betsy since she brought up

the possibility. “Though I’d be very surprised if our similar appearance is mere co-incidence.”

Turning to Moira, with a sudden suspicion, Kurt asked: “It was her wasn’t it? Mystique is

Hermione’s mother.” She’s my sister....

A.N. / I can only apologise if the german in this chapter (and future ones) is terribly

incorrect. My excuse is that I’m simply re-using the most commonly used phrases uttered

by Nightcrawler in the comics. Chapter three coming much quicker than this one took, I

promise!! Imaginary cookies for anyone who reviews. And don’t forget to rate this monster

either!