It was three days after killing the basilisk that Harry was summoned to Dumbledore's office. The headmaster didn't say why he wanted to see him but Harry was glad to go because he hoped to talk to Dumbledore about the weird things that had been happening to him lately. Not that weird things happening to Harry were anything new of course, but these weird things were unlike any other weird things that he'd experienced.
It had started that very same night after he killed the basilisk. During the late night feast Harry had wanted to add salt to some potatoes he was eating and looked up to where the salt shaker was. As he thought about getting it the salt shaker rose up and flew over to him. He was so surprised that he almost didn't catch it.
"What the – ? How did that happen?" he said. He looked around but nobody seemed to have noticed. He shook his head as if to clear it, used the salt and went back to eating.
Later that same night as he was preparing to finally go to bed he realized he hadn't taken out his pajamas. As he thought about getting them they suddenly shot out of an open dresser drawer and into his hand. This time he was too surprised to say anything. This was the second time something like this had happened and he had no idea why.
The next morning when he woke up he found that his pajamas and the sheets of the bed were sticking to his body and he had to peel them all off. They came off of him with a small crackling feeling.
Later on he was in the well carpeted Gryffindor common room when Seamus Finnigan dropped a book. Harry bent to pick it up at the same time that Seamus did and their hands brushed against each other.
"OW!" yelled Seamus and he jumped back holding his hand. When he and Harry touched an electric charge passed from Harry's hand to his hand. If either of them had been looking they would have seen a tiny bolt of lightning pass from Harry to Seamus.
"What was that?!" Seamus exclaimed to Harry who was also startled.
"I don't know" said Harry, "it felt like an electric shock, you know how you can get one after walking on a carpet and then touching something? And we've been on this carpet for a little while."
"Yeah but they're not usually that big" said Seamus, "it doesn't look like it hurt you."
"That's weird" said Harry, "because I definitely felt it. But it should be okay now, right?" He held out his hand to Seamus. After a few seconds Seamus tentatively touched it. This time nothing happened.
"Huh" said Seamus, "we must have been on this carpet longer than I thought."
"I guess so" said Harry, "still I could do without that happening again."
"Me too" said Seamus.
Unfortunately for Harry it would happen again several times over the rest of the day and over the next few days. Touching metal door knobs, picking up silverware, if it was conductive in any way it had the potential to make him give off electrical discharges. They didn't hurt him but he definitely felt them. In addition he had more incidents with objects flying over to him when he thought about getting them. Luckily no one had noticed anything yet and if they had Harry knew he could pass it off as magic. The problem was that it wasn't like any magic he'd ever experienced and it didn't feel like magic either. He realized that he would have to get a handle on it soon and find a way to control whatever it was. He would be going back to the Dursleys for the summer when school let out and he didn't want to think about how they would react to having these sorts of events happening at Number Four Privet Drive.
Harry arrived at the entrance to Dumbledore's office and gave the password to the stone gargoyle which barred the way. The gargoyle leaped aside allowing Harry to go through a doorway to a spiral staircase which was moving upwards. He was quickly conveyed up to another door. He knocked and Dumbledore called for him to enter.
When Harry entered Dumbledore's office he saw that the headmaster was not alone. Sitting near the desk was a bald man in a wheelchair who looked at Harry with a stern, but kind, face.
"Ah, Harry" said Dumbledore from where he was sitting behind his desk, "I would like you meet an old friend of mine. Harry, this is Professor Charles Xavier from the colonies. He's starting a special school in New York and he's come here to speak to you."
"Me?" said Harry.
"Yes indeed" said Dumbledore, "Charles, this is Harry Potter."
"How do you do Mr. Potter" said Professor Xavier holding out his hand. Harry shook it before taking the seat that Dumbledore waved him to.
"I'm fine" said Harry, "please call me Harry."
"Thank you Harry" said Xavier, "First you should know that I'm not a wizard although I do know about the magical world. Albus and I are old friends and I have some distant relatives who are magical. I'm an expert in a different field altogether, that of genetics. Tell me Harry, have you ever heard of mutants?"
"Not really" said Harry, "I've heard the term once or twice but I don't know what it means."
"Well look at it this way" said Xavier, "you know that you're a combination of your mother and father, right? They both contributed to make you what you are."
"Yes" said Harry.
"The things that make them who they are" said Xavier, "are known as genes. Everyone has them. They determine what a person is. Now obviously you don't get everything from both parents and you don't necessarily get exactly half from each one. You may have more of your father or your mother depending on how it shakes out."
"For instance Harry" added Dumbledore, "how many times have you been told that you look just like your father but you have your mother's eyes? We can probably say that where your physical appearance is concerned you got more from your father than your mother. With other things about you the reverse might be true."
"Now mutations" continued Xavier, "happen when a gene, or more than one gene, changes somehow. The change might be good or bad depending on what kind of change it is. This is how evolution works as it makes sure that living beings are able to adapt to different environments and a changing world. Every living thing that exists in the world today is the result of mutations somewhere along the line. If that weren't so life would never have gotten past the single cell stage.
"However sometimes a mutation takes place that is really big. We don't know exactly why but lately there have been examples of human mutants who have been born with abilities that normal people don't have. I am such a mutant, one of the first, maybe even the first. In my case I'm a telepath."
"Really?" said Harry. Xavier's reply, when it came, was not spoken aloud. Instead Harry heard it in his head.
"Really" was the reply, "right now I'm my projecting my thoughts into your head and thus communicating with you in that way. And that's only one of many things I can do. For instance I can also receive thoughts from others. Why don't you think your answer to me?" Harry concentrated for a moment.
"Like this?" he thought.
"Very good" was the reply "but now let's speak aloud again so we're not leaving your headmaster out of the conversation."
"Wow" said Harry, "and that's not magic?"
"It's not" said Xavier, "there is magic that can do similar things but I'm not using any magic when I use my abilities. In fact if you ever want to speak to me in the future and I'm not there just think at me and I'll hear you."
"No matter where you are?" asked Harry.
"No matter where I am" said Xavier, "even if we're on opposite sides of the world."
"That's awesome" said Harry, "it really is. But why are you telling me this – unless..." He had a feeling he already knew the answer.
"I see you're starting to realize it for yourself" said Xavier, "yes Harry, you're also a mutant and your powers recently woke up."
"We don't mean because you're a wizard" said Dumbledore, "the existence of magic has been well documented for thousands of years. This is something different and I think you know what it is."
"The Chamber of Secrets." said Harry. Xavier nodded.
"Yes" he said, "Albus told me all about what happened to you down there. The powers you used to stop the basilisk were your mutant powers waking up. Normally a mutant's powers will start showing up as the person enters puberty but that hasn't happened to you yet. It's also possible that a very traumatic event can awaken a mutant's powers early, such as your experiences in the Chamber of Secrets." Harry's eyes widened when he heard that but it made sense. He had told Dumbledore that the powers he'd used didn't feel like magic and this would explain it. Then he had a thought.
"And would this also explain the weird things that have been happening to me lately?" he asked.
"What weird things have been happening to you my boy?" said Dumbledore. Harry explained about things coming to him by themselves and the electric shocks he'd been experiencing.
"Yes" said Xavier with a nod, "those are examples of your powers acting out. From what you're telling us it sounds like you have two major powers: one is telekinesis which is the ability to move things with your mind. The other sounds like you have control over electricity."
"But I don't have control over these powers" said Harry, "I don't know how to use them and I can't stop them from occurring like they have been."
"Which is why I'm here" said Xavier, "if you'll allow it I can help you. As Albus mentioned I'm starting a special school in New York, one that will be devoted to helping mutants learn to first control their gifts and later to use them effectively. If you're interested you can come to my school for the summer."
"Really?" said Harry. This sounded almost too good to be true. Instinctively he turned to look at Dumbledore. The headmaster was nodding.
"I would take him up on this" said Dumbledore to Harry, "I've known Charles for many years. He's a good man and true to his word. If he says he can help you with your new powers you can believe him."
"I could spend the whole summer there?" said Harry, "I could go straight there after school ends? I wouldn't have to go to the Dursleys?" Dumbledore smiled.
"That's right" he said, "you wouldn't have to go to the Dursleys. Normally I might be against that as there's a certain amount of protection that you have when you're there but this is too important to wait. You can always see your relatives next summer."
A big grin appeared on Harry's face and he held out his hand to Professor Xavier.
"I'll be glad to come" said Harry with enthusiasm at the prospect of a Dursley-free summer. He and Professor Xavier shook hands.
"Excellent" said Xavier, "then either I or someone I send will meet you at Kings Cross when your train gets in from Hogwarts."
"Thanks" said Harry, "thank you so much. I really mean it."
"My pleasure" said Xavier, "there's just one request I have to make of you right now and it's that you don't tell anyone where you're going or why."
"But why?" asked Harry, caught up short by the request. It was Dumbledore who answered him.
"Harry" said Dumbledore with an unusually grave expression, "you know how we magicals keep ourselves separate from the muggles? Even in these modern days there are still a lot of people out there who would be afraid of magic if they knew it was real. In much the same way there are a lot of people out there who potentially are afraid of mutants and what they might represent to the world. I'm not suggesting that you lie to your friends and I know you don't want to keep secrets from them but this is a very real concern"
"It doesn't mean you can't ever tell them" said Xavier, "it just means that for now we have to be very cautious. You don't have to cut off contact with them – God forbid you'd have to do that – you'll just have to be careful with exactly what you tell them."
Harry had to think about this. It was as Dumbledore said: he didn't want to lie to his friends or keep secrets from them but he also understood how this could be a concern. If Xavier had been making such a request of him by himself he probably would have said no but Dumbledore was backing up Xavier and Harry trusted Dumbledore. Also he really needed help with his new powers.
"All right" said Harry, "I'll do it." Harry then left the headmaster's office. Xavier watched him go before turning to Dumbledore.
"He seems like a good boy" he said.
"He is" said Dumbledore, "a bit reckless sometimes but otherwise yes." He gave Xavier a shrewd look. "Something's bothering you" he said.
"A little" said Xavier, "that scar of his, what do you know about it?"
"He got that the night his parents were killed" said Dumbledore, "it's a remnant of the curse Voldemort used to try to kill him which somehow did not work and brought about his own defeat. Beyond that it seems to have some sort of connection to what's left of Voldemort. I learned during Harry's first year when Voldemort was possessing Professor Quirrel that whenever Voldemort was angry it would cause Harry pain. I don't know why this should be the case but thankfully he doesn't seem to have taken any other harm from it, at least not yet."
"That sounds consistent with what I sensed from it" said Xavier, "when I first found Harry I sensed an evil darkness within him. I didn't know if it was Harry himself or something attached to him. While we were talking just now I examined him and that scar more closely and I can now say that it is an outside element that is attached to him, like a parasite of some kind though it hasn't hurt him beyond what you've told me."
Dumbledore steepled his fingers as he thought.
"I see" he said, "I have often wondered about that scar and after first year I too have been trying to figure out what it is and if it could possibly be removed. Perhaps you should investigate it too. You're friends with Dr. Strange, are you not?"
"I am" said Xavier, "you want him to look at it?"
"That might be a good idea" said Dumbledore, "I was thinking of consulting him myself pretty soon. I could also call in the Unspeakables from the ministry's Department of Mysteries but I'd rather not do that. They would probably be more interested in experimenting on the scar than in removing it and who knows what would that do to Harry."
"You're right," said Xavier, "that should be avoided. I'll contact Stephen over the summer and see what he has to say. Hopefully he'll be able to help Harry."
"Thank you" said Dumbledore.