4

That evening Harry had Emma, Lorna and Dani round up all the females and bring them down to the infirmary. He had Scott and Logan guard the door in case there were any nosy parkers about. Hank was the only other male present.

"Ladies, I remembered earlier today that I am no longer the only male in existence and Jean is no longer the only female." Harry addressed the assembled double-x brigade.

"I want to tell you a story, about my adopted sister, Luna. We first met when she was 11 and I was 12. I found her locked in a room in the castle where our school was, naked, surrounded by three much older boys and about to be raped."

Harry's blunt story was met with gasps of horror.

"Fortunately I arrived in time and rescued her.

"The event affected me more than her. She was highly resilient and was loved by all of us. But, always in the back of my mind was 'what if next time I can't get there in time?'

"So, I eventually developed the ultimate defence. I found a charm that actually hides a secret within a person and can actually remove an object out of phase with our universe.

"The charm I created is called the Lily Charm, named after my birth mother who died to save me when I was a baby. The male version is called the Stag Charm after my birth father who died trying to save both of us. The Lily Charm does not remove your female genitalia from our phase."

Harry's use of clinical terms caused a few of the girls to giggle, titter and blush. Sometimes all three. Harry just smiled indulgently.

"This charm will remove the knowledge of the location of your female parts. Anyone who doesn't know your secret will know you have those parts, but will not be able to remember where they are supposed to be on your body.

"Try not to think too hard about this as this is magic and it takes a whole lot of learning to actually grasp what is happening when magic works."

"That is amazing!" Hank said in awe.

"The peace of mind it gives a person to know they can not be violated that way is often huge. I believe it is also more prudent considering the current situation. The people campaigning against mutant-kind are animals, they have no morals, despite what they claim.

"Any questions?"

"Will we have to be naked?" Laurie asked nervously.

"No, I can perform the charm without seeing what I am doing, but you will need to… expose yourself to someone just to make sure it is working. But you can choose anyone you want, male or female, just remember that that person needs to be told your secret, you can revoke the permission later.

"Jean has offered to be our model for today so I can give you a demonstration. I would also appreciate a couple of volunteers as I want Dani and Lorna to learn how to do this so other females won't have to have a man doing it."

"I don't mind Lorna experimenting on me, as long as it's private." Dani offered.

"Likewise." Lorna offered, though she was slightly more timid. "Shouldn't MJ learn this too?"

"That's a good point. Would you go get her?" Harry asked.

As Lorna vanished, amazing the younger ones, Amara spoke up. "I'll help Dani, she wants to help me, and it's the least I can do." It was clear she was still hurting, but hopefully she was closer to making a decision.

"The 'least' you can do is accept my help, but thank you." Dani said as she gave her friend a hug.

"Any other questions?" Harry asked as MJ and Lorna reappeared.

"Will it hurt and will we need to do anything when we… urinate, also, what about sex?" Emma asked, she realised that there were questions the girls needed answered but would be to embarrassed to ask. She had no such qualms.

"Nope, no pain and no special measures needed for your day to day life. This charm also protects your bottom, your anus. You will need to reveal your secret to your doctor, in this case, Dr. McCoy and Dr. Grey." Harry indicated the red head and blue… head.

"As for sex. When you meet the person you love and you want to move to a more physical level you can reveal your secret to them. But you have to be very blunt and clinical, so say something like: 'My vagina is between my legs.'"

This caused a burst of embarrassed laughter.

"I know, hardly a romantic phrase, but it is much better than the alternatives." He said seriously.

"We aren't going to do this tonight. I just want you to know about it, we will hopefully begin tomorrow night, for now, would any volunteers who are willing to help me teach MJ, Lorna and Dani please stay behind, the rest of you head off and enjoy your evening."

When they had left, there were several volunteers remaining including Emma, Sofia and Amara. There was one woman who stayed behind but seemed unsure.

"Shan! You don't need to do this." Dani said as she approached the young Asian woman.

"I want to… I… I…"

"You were raped." Harry stated quietly. He walked over to her slowly and waved a hand. "Check your left hip."

Shan's eyes widened as she lifted the hem of her sweater and carefully pulled down the hem of her skirt. Embedded in her skin was a white lily. She looked up at Harry with wide eyes.

"Never again." Harry stated quietly. "Dani, take her behind a curtain and help her see if it worked."

As Dani gently manoeuvred Shan away Harry sat down on one of the other beds.

"You ok Harry?" Lorna asked worriedly.

"An example of me being too late." Harry sighed. "OW!"

Harry rubbed the back of his head as Jean glared at him.

"You can not save everyone!" She admonished. "And I thought Nev was exaggerating."

"Nev?" MJ asked.

"One of Harry's adopted brothers. A fellow Phoenix who grew up with Harry and Fawkes. Harry has issues, he believes he has to save everyone, it's impossible as some people don't want saving." Jean said in annoyance. "Times like this I wish I had Neville or Fawkes as backup to deal with Harry."

"God I miss them. I wish Nev or Fawkes were here too." Harry sighed sadly.

"Ask and you shall receive!" Jean declared happily as a flash of flame appeared and a beautiful gold and red plumed bird landed on her shoulder.

"Fawkes!" Harry cried happily.

To the horror of the assembled females, Harry leapt up and grabbed the bird by the wings and began swinging it around like a ballroom dancer.

"HARRY!" MJ screamed.

Harry stopped cold. "Yes?" He asked nervously.

"Aren't you hurting him?" MJ asked worriedly.

"Ha! This old geezer? It would be more likely for him to hurt me!" Harry scoffed.

At this the bird lit on fire causing Harry to yelp and shake his hands.

"DAMMIT FAWKES!" Harry yelled.

"He says: 'That's what you get for calling me an old geezer.'" Jean told him.

"Well he is older than me!"

In response Fawkes landed on Harry's shoulder and cuffed him with a wing.

"I missed you. Any chance of Neville coming along?" Harry smiled as he stroked the bird's head.

"No, the only reason Fawkes could come is because he is a Companion Phoenix and you called him. Although, wishing is pretty much pushing it." Jean explained.

"Does that mean you are something else?" Emma asked curiously.

"I am a Guardian Phoenix. Like Harry's friend Neville. Guardians take a more active role on a greater scale, we actively combat evil. Companions like Fawkes, they provide comfort and support to an individual."

"Fawkes was my adopted dad's companion for nearly three thousand years."

"It worked!" Came Dani's excited voice as she and Shan emerged from the curtain.

Shan came up and grabbed his hands in hers tightly. "Thank you, thank you so much." She said sincerely. "I know it is a lot to ask, but could you do the same for my sisters?" She asked seemingly ashamed.

"I'll gladly do it for your brothers too." Harry told her as he looked her straight in the eye.

"Why for boys?" Dani asked curiously.

"Males can easily be raped, what do you think paedophiles do to the boys they abuse?" He asked with a dark look.

"Will you be offering this to the boys here as well?" Hank asked.

"Yes, but we might want to do it on an individual basis. I found that boys are far more reluctant than girls to speak about their genitals, unless they are bragging… which they usually are.

"Anyway, let's get this lesson started and move onto happier things." Harry declared as he gave Shan's hand a squeeze.

The following day was quiet, Hank, Scott and Harry started discreetly calling the boys in one by one. There weren't many refusals, but there were requests for other body parts to be hidden, especially those that had extra appendages or didn't look fully human.

Harry promised them he was working on it and hoped to have a solution soon.

At the Sanctuary, Emma was struggling to keep the peace. It seemed that Val was being ignored and the tags would be going ahead. It was being called 'voluntary'. But you couldn't leave the compound without one.

In the end she gave up and called for Harry, Scott and Hank.

"Alright, this is disgusting." Harry spat.

"Agreed." Hank stated stiffly.

"Hank, make the call." Harry ordered.

Hank moved away and activated his communicator, meanwhile Harry just stared at Val and Colonel Reyes emotionlessly and unblinkingly.

"We have our orders, sir." Colonel Reyes stated stiffly.

"Orders can change." Harry retorted.

"He's on his way." Hank said as he rejoined them.

A few seconds later the guards snapped their weapons up as a shaft of light appeared seven feet in the air and shot into the ground, starting from the top the light spread out in an arch, a second later several people emerged, most recognisable was Captain America and TV news reporter Trish Tilby.

What was not so good for Colonel Reyes was the cameraman who followed along with a high-ranking General.

"Colonel, I have just heard a disturbing report from Captain America and Dr Strange that the US Army is party to experimentation on American citizens. I'm hoping I am seriously miss-informed." The General snarled angrily. The military did not need this kind of bad publicity, he was extremely pissed as Dr. Strange had insisted on bringing Tilby and her shutterbug cameraman.

"Sir! No Sir!" Reyes said snapping to attention. "No experiments are being performed at this location, Sir!"

"So you weren't going to try and implant experimental equipment into the people seeking sanctuary here for the purposes of control and tracking? Equipment that was deemed too unethical to use on convicted criminals?" Emma snapped.

"Well Colonel?" The General prompted.

"Sir! Our current orders are to offer the tags to anyone wishing to leave the compound, sir!"

"And those that don't want the tags and still want to leave?" Harry asked.

"Colonel?"

"Sir! No Tag, No Exit. Those are our current orders, Sir."

"That sounds suspiciously like compulsory volunteering to me." Harry shrugged.

"Interesting turn of phrase, Dr. Potter, but accurate." The General growled. This was all being caught on camera. This was not what he fought for when he was a grunt. "Who gave you these orders, Colonel?"

"Sir, General Lazer, Sir."

"Lazer." The General muttered with an eye roll. "General, these are your orders, they will not be overridden except by my voice to your ear. You will guard these walls and all within them. You will keep them safe and well. Should a crime be committed within these walls you will hand the perpetrator to the appropriate authorities through The Xavier Institute and Doctor Potter.

"The inhabitants of this compound are free to leave when they wish how they wish. However! Should an inhabitant leave this compound and he or she has committed a crime, they will be arrested and handed over to the appropriate authorities through the O*N*E."

"General, we granted immunity to all inhabitants." Scott objected.

"Yes, Mr. Summers. You did. Not the US Government. You should be grateful we aren't hauling you in, you are harbouring fugitives and criminals. What's worse is you are keeping them with vulnerable innocents. If this isn't a case of loosing wolves among the sheep…" He trailed off leadingly.

"But they are at risk out there."

"They are humans first, criminals second, mutants third. They are not above the law, not with some of the crimes they have committed."

"I agree with the General, Scott." Harry said quietly. "I didn't realise the situation was so bad. It will be rectified before the day is out."

"Harry!"

"You gave your word Scott, and I won't break it. But I will be segregating the criminals from the innocents. It is completely unacceptable, especially as Lorelei, Peepers and Leech are in there. Lorelei has been through enough, she is well protected by Absolom but she deserves better than to be looking over her shoulder."

"They're right, Cyclops. Your intentions were noble, but your execution is fatally flawed." Captain America added.

"Could you at least offer 24 hour amnesty so they can leave if they wish without making me into a liar and traitor?" Scott begged. If this happened his reputation would be ruined, mutants would never trust him again, neither would any sentient being.

"The most I could offer is 12 hours." The General stated firmly. "Take it or leave it."

"General, sir, with respect, there are murderers and rapists in there." Colonel Reyes objected.

The General raised an eyebrow at the Colonel's sudden change in demeanour, but decided to let it pass.

"There isn't much we can do about it. Despite what the press believes of the government, the X-Men are respected as experts in handling mutant affairs. Mr. Summer's would be rendered useless if his guarantee of amnesty was disregarded."

"Give me the files on the criminals. And I will interview them as you release them. Any who are guilty on of non-violent crimes I will give a warning, any guilty of something more I can either deliver to the authorities or deal with them myself after 12 hours." Harry offered.

"And by 'deal with', you mean?" Captain America queried.

"Kill them." Harry said bluntly.

"You can't just go around killing people." Scott objected.

"Yes, I can. I am Death, this is my responsibility." Harry retorted.

"He speaks the truth." Dr. Strange said solemnly. "It is his duty and his right."

"I'm sorry, but what do you mean when you say you are 'Death'?" The formerly silent observer, Trish Tilby, asked.

"Oops, I forgot you were there." Harry grinned sheepishly. "Find me later and I'll give you a full interview."

Captain America grimaced at Harry's bald-faced offer. His personal experience with the press was not good. He dreaded what the Daily Bugle would do when they got their hands on the story. It was hard enough trying to get J. J. Jameson on board with the new Avengers and to lay off Spiderman.

Trish nodded with a frown and stepped back. She would definitely get the interview, even if she had to beg her ex-boyfriend Hank.

"The United States Government would prefer you hand them over for trial and justice." The General said carefully. Dr. Strange had given him a breakdown of what Dr. Potter was capable of, it was hard to believe, but he knew better than to start a conflict with such a powerful being.

"Fine, but if they escape, they are mine." Harry warned. "Scott, take Dr. Cooper and tell the people in there what the deal is. I'm heading back to the institute."

The next few days fell into an easy routine. All the women in the institute and the sanctuary were given the Lily Charm. They slowly worked their way through the males at the institute.

Harry was surprised that very few took up the offer to leave the Sanctuary, those that did where usually guilty of minor crimes, often just as a means to survive. Harry advised those individuals to remain at the Sanctuary whilst he tried to arrange something with the government.

Some of the major criminals seemed to be of two minds, highly indecisive. They would approach the tent where Harry held interviews only to turn around. Although he did notice an unusual energy surrounding them. He was unfamiliar with it but didn't think it was worrisome for the time being as both Val and Scott had the same energy. He dismissed it as a quirk of the inhabitants of this universe although is was more focused on one individual.

Harry returned each day to offer the chance for them to leave. In the meantime he had created a wall of steel, which partitioned the sanctuary. Two thirds for the innocent and a third for the criminals.

By the third day Harry, Scott, and Emma were called in for an emergency. A mutant called Jazz had been murdered, he was a low level drug dealer. He was found in the bathroom, strangled.

"There appears to be literally no evidence." Val explained, she was highly irritated. "Even the security cameras show he went in alone and no one was in there before him. No one here is a teleporter or invisible or can phase."

"There is a foreign energy around his neck. It was definitely murder." Harry mused as he knelt by the body. "I've seen it before. Johnny Dee has this same energy in his chest."

Harry teleported them all across the barrier to the non-criminal side. They headed to the tent assigned to Johnny Dee.

"Hey Dr. Potter, have you figured out how to make me human yet?" The young green skinned boy named Leech called out as they walked.

Harry stopped and approached him, kneeling down to speak to him. "You really want to be like all the other humans?"

"I want to play with other children."

"You are always welcome at the Institute Leech." Scott said sadly. He remembered when Leech and his friend Artie stayed with the X-Men for a while, they were a definite ray of sunshine.

"But they still look at me funny."

"They look at me funny too. And you should see how they look at Emma!" Scott said with a straight face, this earned him a glare from the blonde section.

"If it's what you want, it's what you'll get." Harry promised him.

Val looked on sadly as she watched Harry place a hand on Leech's head causing the young boy to glow. It was a sad story that reminded her of Guido's childhood story, she would have to catch up with Jamie and the X-Factor gang at some point. If the world ever decided to slow down and avoid a crisis.

After a few seconds a young black haired boy with green eyes stood before them.

"Harry… is there a reason he looks like you?" Scott asked warily.

"Yes Scott. You see when his mummy and daddy made him they each put a bit of themselves in, mummy pu-"

"It's his own genetics, thank you Harry." Scott interrupted hastily. The last thing he needed was Leech being reminded of when he had to give Leech and Artie 'The Talk'.

Fortunately the newly human Leech just giggled.

Suddenly there was a flash of fire and Jean was standing there.

"Jean!"

Jean Grey suddenly found herself with a new appendage as Leech threw his arms around her waist.

"Jean, you remember Leech?" Scott prompted.

"Leech!" She cried back and started to return the hug. "You look so different."

"Harry fixed me!"

"I changed you Leech, there was nothing to fix, I just changed you." Harry corrected.

"Sabertooth won't be able to hurt Mr. Logan because of me again though, right?"

"Erm…" Harry looked to the others for help, he didn't know what Leech was referring to.

"It was never because of you Leech. And Harry has removed your powers." Jean assured him.

"Well… I replaced them. Jean, take him to Dani and tell her she's got another one." Harry requested.

"Sure, come on Leech, you'll love Dani, she's a real live Indian!" Jean enthused as they flamed out.

"Huh… does she ever play cow-"

"No!" Came the chorus of replies from Emma, Scott and Val.

"Right, note to self: Avoid cowboys around Dani." Harry muttered as he began walking again.

Eventually they arrived, but Harry didn't wait he just strode in.

"Johnny Dee, you are guilty of murder and mind control. I am sentencing you to death and annihilation." Harry stated without pause before his hand snapped out and a bolt of green light shot from his hand, Johnny Dee fell to the ground lifeless as the others stood there in shock.

Harry stepped forward and his hand snapped out again, only this time he appeared to grab something. Slowly a misty shape appeared, as it developed it was clear to see it was Johnny Dee.

"Complete annihilation." Harry growled.

The misty image of Johnny Dee appeared to scream, but there was no sound. Piece by piece the image dissolved until he was completely gone.

"What. The. Hell. Did. You. Do!" Val hissed.

"I executed a murderer and worse." Harry responded as he dusted his hands. "That's my job, my duty and my right."

"What about a trial? Due process? Didn't you have any of these things in your world?" She spat.

"Yes, but they only applied to people who weren't guilty of capital crimes and abuse." Harry shrugged. "I suppose I could have waited. Turned him over to you for trial." Harry considered as he reached down and retrieved a briefcase from under the bed. "But then you would have released him… simply because he wanted you too."

"I do not pander to criminals." Val argued heatedly.

Harry smiled as he retrieved a strange egg from the case and pried it open along the middle. "You do when they have complete control over you." He said as he held up the egg showing it's occupant. A naked figurine of Valerie Cooper.

"My god!" She gasped.

"I noticed several mutants and individuals had a certain energy around them. But I thought it might be a natural quirk of this universe. Then I met Jonny Dee and I saw the energy was localised and focused on his chest. When I saw Jazz's dead body it was localised around his neck, the cause of death, so I knew for sure what was going on."

"Who else did he have in there?" Scott demanded as he strode forward and spun the case towards him. "Magma, Emma, Me, Colonel Reyes, plenty of the more powerful and dangerous mutants, several guards, I think… Leech." Scott spun around to face Harry. "That's why you decided to make him human." He said with a hint of accusation.

Harry smiled softly. "Whenever I saw Leech, he reminded me of elves or goblins from back home. He was just a child looking to enjoy life, I forgot that in this world his power makes him a commodity to be acquired… at any cost."

"But you made him a magical." Emma pointed out.

"You've seen Dani and Lorna vanish and re-appear, there are ways to shield against it, but I am the only one who can remove his powers." Harry explained. "I made sure that his new powers will let him defend himself."

Val sat down in a nearby chair.

"Val, you ok?" Scott asked.

"What the hell am I supposed to do about this?" She asked hopelessly. "I just witnessed one man kill another man in cold blood. And I literally can't physically touch him or hold him accountable.

"Dr. Strange has point blank stated that not only do we have no ethical right to challenge his decisions, but that we shouldn't in case we anger him."

It was a little weird to have them talking about Harry as if he wasn't there, but weirdness was hardly the biggest issue of the day.

"You think this same problem didn't happen back home?" Harry asked her as he conjured another three chairs. "Up until the late twentieth century, magicals were a hidden group. Governments knew about them but were warned to avoid them. Then there were the nuclear attacks. I was forced to act and reveal the magical world completely. I executed the instigators of those attacks. The magical world already knew and feared crossing me. So I put the magical version of the United Nations in charge.

"I don't have that luxury here. Sooner or later someone is going to try and come after me, they are going to have to do it through my friends because they won't be able to touch me. I am not looking forward to that day." Harry said sadly.

It was something to think about. Harry was going to be a big target, his only weakness would be his friends and loved ones. No one at the Institute would let him leave. Even Hellion had developed a grudging respect for the man.

"The first time I annihilated a soul I was fifteen years old. The criminal was a boy my own age. Whilst attempting to kidnap a large group of girls from my school for the purposes of using them for 'entertainment', he killed my sister, Luna. Death was always going to be his punishment but we had to talk my dad down from torturing him in public. In the end I executed him publicly and I destroyed his soul as you just saw."

"Fifteen years old?!" Val gasped.

"It was war, he had made his choice. I had already removed his legs when I was capturing him."

They just stared at him, trying to comprehend one fifteen year old killing another.

"Couldn't you have just imprisoned him?" Hank asked.

"To what end? He would have been imprisoned for the rest of his natural life, and then his soul would have crossed over where he would start again and be a threat to others. I couldn't let that happen."

"And being the judge, jury and executioner is your responsibility?" Emma asked, he'd already told them this, but it was still hard to grasp.

"It is, but I always listen to the counsel of the Phoenixes." He assured them.

"All you can do is report this Val." Scott told her with a distinct amount of resignation. "Report it and let others make the decisions, you focus on the safety of the remaining mutants in the compound."