He sat down before his altar. Lying before him were three of his grandmother's lavender scented candles and a chipped bowl of water. Next to them was an old brass cup found in his attic and a printed sheet of stark white. The room burst to light with the striking of a match, but soon dulled to a warm glow as he lit the candle. Shadows clustered in the corners of the small bedroom, dancing and darting to avoid the light. Silence.

He sat serenely in the natural gloom, not a thought clouding his mind. He was ready.

Holding the bowl above his head, he slowly tipped its contents into the brass cup. Around the cups edge was an etched eye with a triangle beneath it, scored an hour ago by an unsteady pen-knife.

"As this water flows, let my powers grow, My mind is open, protect the core...." He began chanting over and over until his words filled the air. A thrumming sound filled the room and the water began to swirl in the cup, it bubbled and boiled and clouds engulfed him. The room shook and the last thing he thought would happen did. The spell worked.

"Holy sh..." he began, but was stopped as the house on unsteady foundations crumbled and started to fall. His concentration broken and he quickly opened his eyes in panic. The candle was extinguished. All was black. All was silent.

"C’mon, like, when’s he getting here?" said a girl for the fifth time in as many mintues.

"Ich weiss ist nicht!" replied an small hunched shape from behind the fridge door.

"Huh? Kurt, you totally know I don’t speak French, or whatever’ she shot back

No answer. Kurt opened a can of coke and began to drink it noisily.

"You’re so gross, you know that? You’re such an animal" burst the girl.

"Thanks a lot Kitty, I’d almost forgotten" he said through gritted fangs.

" I didn’t mean to...." started Kitty. But she stopped herself . There was no point arguing with him when he was like this. Was it her fault he had the whole fur thing going on?

She looked out through the window again. Nothing. After she’d hauled herself out of bed so early to get ready for this guy he could have least have been on time. Studying her reflection she was fairly impressed. Hair, glossy and lightly pulled back into a ponytail, clear fair skin and eyes that could control most guys. Some guys though...

"Kurt, d’you know round abouts when he’s getting here?"

*BAMF*

"...whatever" she said to her reflection.

"He’s pulling up now - can all X-men please make their way to the foyer?"

The commanding voice rang inside Rogue's head as clearly as if it had been spoken. She lay on her back staring at the ceiling above her bed.

‘Yeah so?’ she thought ‘Let him arrive, what does he want a party?

‘I’m sure your presence will suffice’ rang the voice.

Rogue climbed out of bed and walked heavily to the bathroom. As slowly as she could she began to get ready. She was in no rush to go hug the new arrival into a coma and have all his problems seep into her mind. She had enough of her own.

Xavier sat patiently in the foyer. He was feeling the usual things when he was about to meet a new student. Eagerness. Apprehension. A little fear. Always with a new student came new problems and worries. But that was his job right? Around him sat his oldest students- Scott, Jean, Kitty, Kurt, and Evan. Minus Rogue. She provided more than her fair share of worries but he was handling it.

"So Professor, who’s the new guy, what can he...do?" asked a tall athletic man.

"Well Scott I’m not entirely sure. Cerebro picked up massive cerebral activity coming from him but it abruptly stopped, so I am eager to find out why. He promises to be a powerful asset, if he can control his powers"

"Whats his story?" asked a coloured boy of about 16 perched on a skateboard.

"He’s 16 and from England. Fairly smart, I believe . The manifestation of his powers coincided with the death of his parents and I feel the two a connected. His house was destroyed. I have spoken with his uncle and he seems, shall we say, willing for us to take him on."

"And what can we call him?" asked a pretty girl with a crown of long red hair.

"Nothing" came a voice from the door.

They all looked to see a boy stood in the doorway.

"You can call me...Nothing"

I’m going to hate this. I’m going to hate them. Look at them, all clean cut with preppy clothes and mansion house. Won’t be hard to bust out. Not with what I can do...

"Hello, your Uncle told me your name was Todd so...." Began Xavier

"Yes. It was Todd and now. It’s Nothing" he said sharply

No-one spoke, only the ticking of a large grandfather could be heard echoing around the large hall. Seconds were in danger of becoming minutes untill...

"So like, you got something that makes you different from other people?" asked Kitty "Like...a power?"

After a moment Nothing turned his gaze towards Kitty and looked her up and down. Narrowing his eyes until they were mere slits he began to speak slowly.

"You read Vogue right?" he asked as if speaking to a child,

"Umm yeah..." she replied, a little uncertain of herself,

"And under your list of hobbies you’d include going to the mall and eating pizza, yes?

"well I..." she began

"And you wear superficiality like a suit of armour because you’re worried that if you look inside you might just find that there’s nothing there. But you’re hoping that if you keep your grades high enough, you get straight A’s I suppose, and you’re hair is bouncy enough that no-one will get to know you because, obviously in your mind, nobody would like the real you," said Nothing.

"So you’re telepathic?" she said quietly twisting a tassel on her cardigan

"I don’t need to be. I’ve just seen you’re type a million times before"

"To- I mean Nothing, we don’t appreciate such abrasive language here at the academy and if you wish to fit in then I suggest you respect other people" said Scott

"I don’t fit in and I don’t wish to, where’s my room?" he replied calmly.

"First floor- 1D"

Nothing turned slowly ,eyes still on Kitty and began to climb the staircase. "Maybe living here won’t be so bad after all"