10 Society

The next classroom was small. There were no desks, only chairs arranged in a semi-circle. Harry and Scott sat down towards the back of the room, there was no seating arrangement here.

Harry looked around and noticed that only a few students had pulled out notebooks while most were just sitting. There was apparently no homework from this class and the assignments were almost entirely discussions.

Shortly after the bell had rung and everyone had sat down, Charles entered the room. The murmuring stopped as everyone noticed him.

Charles looked around at each of the students individually, his gaze lingering on Jean and Harry more than the others.

"Good day to you all." Charles said as he finished looking at everyone. He wore a genial smile. "Now, does anyone remember what we talked about last week?"

Kitty raised her hand.

"Yes?" Charles nodded in her direction.

"You told us about the difficulties we might face in the future, alongside what caused them."

"That is correct." Charles nodded and turned to regard the entire group. "While we possess extraordinary powers, we still belong to society and as such, the same laws that govern everyone else also applies to us."

"These laws protect us as much as they protect everyone else." Charles turned to look at Harry. "Those who break them are subject to the same punishments as others."

"Yet, there exists mutants with powers that can circumvent these laws and thus bypass any restrictions society has on them." Charles' gaze moved from Harry to Jean. "That doesn't mean that those with such capabilities should take advantage of them to commit crimes."

"People are moving and lobbying for restrictions on mutants because of individuals who utilize their powers in this way." Charles sighed. "It has even spawned radical groups that break the law in their unguided attempts at bringing their misconceived ideas of justice and order to society."

"Can anyone here tell me the single event that has had the most impact on mutant human relations within the last decade?" Charles asked.

Almost everyone raised their hands. Charles nodded towards Rogue.

"Magneto attacking the president."

"Correct." The hands lowered as Charles continued. "That single attack made the world at large aware of our existence. It also created untold amounts of fear within people that amongst them existed these beings capable of doing something like that."

Charles was slowly going around the front of the classroom, like he was pacing back and forth but in a wheelchair.

"These people formed groups, communities or even organizations that persecute mutants." He said. "Yet, we must not fall to their level and use our powers against them."

"Not even in self-defense?" Peter asked.

"Sometimes, it is better to take whatever they throw at you rather than fight back." Charles said with a sad look in his eyes. "Defending yourself can sometimes only create even more hostility against mutants."

"So, we're just supposed to take it?" Kurt said with an indignant tone.

"No." Charles said firmly. "If things get too far, protecting yourself is a completely natural thing to do. But killing those who belong in these radical human factions will only make them martyrs and fuel their ideologies."

"And we're just supposed to live like that?" Jean asked. "Some of us might be able to hide our mutations but others can't."

"Currently, yes." Charles turned to look back at Jean. "Changing the opinions of others is a gradual process that will take time and decisive action to that end."

"And it's not like everyone is against mutants." He continued. "And amongst those who are, not many are as radical as to resort to violence. Most of them just fear us because we are unknown. They do not what we are capable of or even what our purpose is."

"And that is something we can affect. That is the secondary purpose of this school." Charles said. "The fact that most mutations are uncontrollable during their activation is the fuel that those against us are using to power their ideologies that we are dangerous."

Charles turned to look at Harry. "We can show them that they are controllable, that they are trainable." He opened his hands and spread them in front of him.

"We can show that not all mutants are criminals, that not all of us desire violence or their extinction." He turned to look at everyone within the group. "We can show them that, you can show them that."

The rest of the class went by in a flash. Most people seemed uninterested in the lectures the professor was telling, but they still listened. Scott whispered to him that the lessons were usually very similar. Harry guessed that the professor was worried what some of them might do if they weren't warned of the dangers residing in the world.

Well, Harry certainly wasn't going to abuse his powers to attack humans. It was hard enough with his own mind trying to delete him. Having additional enemies added to that didn't sound so appealing.

In addition, he didn't have anything against humans. Hell, he thought he was one just a couple of days ago. Even his family was human as far he knew. But then again, he had heard that there were others from human families who had been abandoned once their mutations manifested.

Then there were those who were lucky to have parents who didn't particularly care if their children were mutants. Harry had heard that some had even been thrilled to discover their child had been so special. How unfair was that.

As the class and thus the entire school day was drawing to a close, Harry reflexively put his hand into his pocket to fish out his phone to check if he had any messages before he was rudely reminded of its absence by the empty pocket.

Harry released a sigh as he alongside everyone else started to rise up from their chairs and were making their way out of the classroom.

"Harry, Jean." The professor called out to them. "If you could stay for a moment."

Harry nodded in response and sat back down as Jean did the same. Scott turned to look at him with something that he had slowly grown familiar with.

"Already in trouble?" Scott smirked. "You're even faster than I was."

Scott cackled to himself as he made his way out with the rest of the group, leaving a slightly amused Harry in the room alone with Jean and the professor.

Once Scott had exited the room and closed the door, the professor turned to look at Harry. "Could you come sit a little closer?"

Harry nodded and moved himself to the seat next to Jean and in front of the professor.

"Alright, then." Charles smiled. "Now, I've made a promise to train both of you, but my time is limited, and I cannot split myself in so many directions at once."

"I managed to move my schedule around enough to make time for a few sessions like this, but you're both going to have to be here at the same time." Charles turned to look at Harry who had raised his hand. "Yes, Harry?"

"How's that going to work?" Harry asked. "I was under the impression that it was going to take a long time for me to get powerful enough to survive."

Jean turned to look at him with a curious look on her face, likely wondering what he was trying to survive, but he decidedly ignored the question there.

"That is true, it is going to take a long time." His smile seemed to grow a little smug. "Jean here also needs to strengthen her abilities, and it just so happens that helping you could act as the practice she needs."

Harry turned to look at Jean who looked as surprised as he was at the revelation. He guessed that she had been under the same impression as he was that they would be training with Charles and not another student.

If he was going to be training his mind with another student, he supposed it was prudent to ask an important question.

"Can you keep a secret?" Harry asked Jean while staring at her intently.

"Huh?" She looked a little confused. "Yes?"

Harry turned to look at Charles. "Can she?"

Charles let out a little chuckle. "It won't be a problem, Harry."

"Oh, okay, then." Harry nodded; it wasn't like he could hide it forever anyways.

"What are you talking about?" Jean asked while looking alternatingly at Charles and Harry.

"Well, you see." Harry began. "My mind has this overgrown lizard taking up space, so don't be alarmed if you see it or something." He didn't need to tell her that it wanted to kill and replace him. It wasn't needed for the training.

He turned towards Charles. "Actually, I don't know what you will see, but the professor does."

"You might see a few of the barriers I've set up in Harry's mind to contain it, but you shouldn't be able to see it." Charles smiled before it disappeared. "If you hear its voice, it means you're too close to it and need to get out."

The confusion was still extremely apparent on her face.

"If you see cracks within the barriers, inform me immediately." The professor warned them both.

For the next hour or so, the professor instructed them on how to strengthen their minds and the methods needed for it. It would take a few more of these sessions until they were ready to start the actual training.

As Harry and Jean exited the classroom, leaving the professor behind, Jean immediately turned to look at him.

"What the fuck was that?" She asked him directly.

"You mean the thing in my head?"

"Yes!"

"A byproduct or something of my mutation that lives inside of my head." Harry recited the information Hank had given him earlier. "I don't actually know much about it, other than that it's a massive dick."

"I still don't understand." She said.

"Me neither, but could you please keep it to yourself?" Harry asked. "I don't exactly fancy everyone knowing that I have an entity residing within my mind."

Maybe once he had complete control of his mind, would he tell the others about that part of his mutation. But not now. Even revealing this much to Jean had not been a part of his plan, but it had to happen. Otherwise, how could he train his mind to resist the dragon.

"I understand." She nodded. "It can't do anything? That thing inside your mind?"

"Not anymore or at least not right now." He didn't elaborate any further. "I'll see you later." He said and started walking towards his room, leaving Jean there, staring at him.

His room remained unchanged, and he flopped down onto his bed after setting the stack of homework papers down on his desk.

School was over for the day, and now he didn't know what to do. He had assumed that he would start training himself to stand against the dragon as soon as possible but that would have to wait a few days until Charles had taught them the training methods.

He didn't have his computer, tablet or phone. There was quite literally nothing to do in his room aside from homework and he could already tell that it was going to be boring.

Maybe he could go watch TV at the lounge or something, maybe a nap. Going out to get some exercise was also on the table. He was only slightly worried that he would do something that would leave him all bloody again, since this time there were people around.

He sighed and sat up.

'Why didn't I bring my laptop to the cottage?' Harry wondered to himself.

Though, if he had brought it along with him, it would also have been destroyed, probably. He didn't exactly have the option to go get his stuff from home. That much had been made clear.

Harry released another sigh and laid back down on the bed.

'What to do, what to do.' He wondered as he raised his hand up towards the ceiling. 'This is boring.'