Chapter 30

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As time passed and the sun just started to rise, the plane finally arrived in New York, gently landing in the backyard of the temporary refuge villa.

The first thing Hawking did upon disembarking and entering the villa was to dive into the storeroom in the basement.

The high-intensity battles had left him ravenous.

"Everything tastes good when you're hungry."

After a hearty meal, Hawking emerged from the basement with a satisfied look on his face.

He finally understood why Goku always enjoyed his meals so much—it was simply because he was really hungry.

"Hawking!"

Just as he stepped out of the basement and reached the first-floor hall, a figure in pajamas dashed towards him and leapt into his arms.

It was Wanda.

"Why are you up so early? It's only six."

Hawking patted Wanda's back, surprised, and set her down.

Normally, Wanda wouldn't wake up this early unless the sun was well up or her mother, Irena, repeatedly urged her.

"You weren't here last night, and I was worried. I heard some noises outside this morning, and Professor Ororo told me you were in the basement."

Wanda began chattering away, warming Hawking's heart.

Being cared for and worried about felt genuinely good—a treatment he had never experienced in his previous life.

"Where's Pietro?"

"Pietro is still asleep. He slept like a log last night after he stole my pudding!"

Wanda complained indignantly.

"What? Pietro did that? I'll give him a lesson for you next time. Here, I got these lollipops from the storeroom. It was supposed to be one for each of you, but now they're both yours!"

Comforting Wanda, Hawking inwardly sighed, feeling truly that sisters were the best—they knew how to cherish their brothers.

As for his brother, well, he could do without!

"Hawking, you're the best."

Wanda took the lollipops and immediately hugged Hawking's arm, tiptoeing to plant a kiss on his cheek.

"But I can't eat them now, not until after I brush my teeth, or they'll be bad for my teeth…"

Walking through the living room into the hallway and just around the corner, he ran into Magneto, who was also looking to catch up on some rest.

"Wanda, go back to your room. I have a few words to discuss with this gentleman."

With a thought, Hawking shooed Wanda away and stopped Magneto.

"Mr. Erik, do you have a moment to chat?"

"Of course, I always enjoy our conversations."

Seeing Hawking approach him, Magneto was more than willing.

Pressured by SHIELD and Captain Marvel, he had temporarily rejoined forces with Charles, but that was just for the time being—their paths would inevitably diverge again.

If he could sway Hawking to his side, all the better.

"I'd like to know, Mr. Erik, what do you think should be done with Colonel Stryker?"

Hawking broached the subject tentatively.

Magneto didn't hesitate in his response:

"My view, naturally, is that it would be best to kill him.

But your Professor Charles doesn't agree. He wants to use him to smooth things over with SHIELD, to make them think we're harmless and non-aggressive, which is naïve."

Magneto couldn't help but sneer.

If it weren't for his recent truce with Charles and a promise not to kill anyone without his consent, he would have disposed of Stryker on the plane.

"SHIELD fears our power, not our attitude. Without sufficient strength, a better attitude only makes us more vulnerable.

Colonel Stryker knows too much about mutants. He can't be allowed to live."

Seeing Erik's attitude align with his own, Hawking didn't hide his views.

"Too bad I promised Charles I wouldn't act."

Magneto shrugged.

Hawking smiled at this:

"You may not act, but that doesn't mean I can't. I didn't promise the professor anything. However, to prevent him from intervening, you'll need to help me with a small favor."

"Hahaha, excellent, Hawking, you really are something. I'm starting to admire you more and more!"

Magneto was initially stunned by Hawking's plan but then burst into laughter.

He hadn't expected Hawking to have the audacity to defy Charles's decision and seek his cooperation.

Even Wolverine, known for his decisive actions, had relinquished his chance for revenge on Stryker at Charles's persuasion.

Yet Hawking, who had no personal vendetta against Stryker, was adamant about his demise.

"I'm just looking to better protect the school."

Hawking spread his hands, feigning innocence.

Magneto, however, looked at him with a meaningful expression:

"Actually, everything I've done in my life has been to better protect mutants. Hawking, you and I are quite alike. Consider joining my Brotherhood again."

"We'll talk about that later."

Seeing that Magneto agreed to help, Hawking didn't care to listen to any more of his theories and quickly waved him off, returning to the room he shared with Wanda and Pietro.

Magneto did not try to stop him, merely muttering as Hawking walked away:

"Perhaps, if you could stay here, you might one day replace Charles."

He felt that even if Hawking didn't join his Brotherhood, taking over as leader of the mutant school could also be a favorable outcome.

Given Hawking's character, he would inevitably lead the school down a path similar to his own.

Two days later, at the mutant school's grand square.

Hawking bid a reluctant farewell to Wanda and a somewhat reluctant Pietro, and followed Professor X, Magneto, and Mystique, escorting Colonel Stryker back onto the X-jet.

Their destination was the SHIELD headquarters in the Triskelion in Washington, D.C.

In less than two days, Professor X had used his vast family influence and his psychic powers to reclaim the school from government hands and erase all traces of the incident.

The mutant school had once again returned to being just a school for gifted youngsters in the eyes of outsiders.

It seemed as though the events of the past few days had never happened.

This once again highlighted the terrifying extent of Professor X's abilities.

Honestly, if not for his high moral standards, with his powers combined with a cerebral enhancer, he could literally rewrite human history.

Casually altering and erasing memories on a large scale was indeed terrifying.

It also made Hawking take particular interest in two spells from Harry Potter's memories that could modify and erase memories: the Memory Charm and the False Memory Charm.

After the events of the Chamber of Secrets in his second year, Harry had learned about these spells. However, he never focused on them like Hermione, who could apply them adeptly.

If Harry were to use these spells, he could probably only manage to turn his targets into idiots.

Thus, these spells were also in Hawking's memory.

(End of Chapter)