***FILE ENTRY**

Name: Demeter, a.k.a Leah Hamilton

Age: 34

Appearance: Non-visual mutation. Human female, light skin, dark hair, green eyes.

Mutation:

Demeter's chief mutation consists, as her alias indicates, of an ability to make most forms of life grow at significantly accelerated rates.

Her mutation has the ability to affect plant, animal, bacterial, and viral life, but will "max out" at a certain level once available food sources to fuel the enhanced growth are exhausted. In general, Demeter is able to use her powers on plant life with the most freedom.

Demeter can also affect her own body, and as such, possesses a healing factor similar to Wolverine's. However, her ability differs in notable aspects: she must be conscious to effect significant repair, and she must know, in a general sense, what needs to be done. The extent of her ability's operation on a subconscious level seems to be restricted to preventing her from aging, and a small acceleration of her body's natural recovery process.

Demeter is very close to Storm, as their abilities complement one another in an altruistic sense. The two women have been responsible for several large-scale efforts at reversing desertification and enhancing third-world countries' farming abilities.

***END FILE ENTRY**

Leah stood staring down into her duffel bag, which had yet to contain any clothes, although she was in theory supposed to be packing. She wore a silly grin, and was having a very hard time focusing on the task at hand.

There were reasons for that.

"Leah Hamilton?"

Hank frowns, his brow furrowing. "Yes, I know her. Not well – really only by reputation – but she's a horticulturist. She's done some very interesting work with natural hybridization as a method of increasing disease resistance."

Charles Xavier peers at the sheets of paper in front of him: a cover letter, a resume, and an impressive CV. "Well, she's very qualified to take the open professor's job, but I don't really see why she wants to work here. Is she a mutant?"

Hank sits upright in his chair. "Wait a moment. Leah Hamilton? University of Minnesota?"

Charles glances at the resume again. "Yes. Well, until recently…?"

"That's right." Hank taps his fingers on the desk. "She is one of us. She was forced out due to her mutation. Something about research – I did hear about her."

"And her mutation is…?"

Hank shrugs. "I'm unsure."

"Hmm. Well, that certainly explains why she wants to join us. And a horticulturist would be a nice addition. Would you call her and arrange for her to visit?"

Leah stands in front of the private plane feeling very small and very unprepared.

She clutches the handle of a small rolling suitcase, leather laptop backpack over her shoulder. The plane is sitting on the tarmac all alone; a staircase has been rolled up, and the boarding door is open, but there is no evidence of anyone else there.

Just when she is about to assume she is in the wrong place – though the invitation from Dr. McCoy had been very detailed – a blue figure emerges from the boarding door. Leah relaxes, smiling and waving.

"Doctor McCoy!"

He descends the stairs and extends a large hand for Leah to shake. "Doctor Hamilton. Pleasure to see you again – that conference in Long Beach, wasn't it?"

"Yes, that was it. Please, call me Leah." She grins. "The "doctor" is still a little newly-minted for comfort."

Hank grabs her suitcase and starts heading back up the stairs. "Then please call me Hank. Shall we?"

She is startled to find that she isn't alone in the cabin. Hank stows her suitcase and goes forward into the cockpit, while Leah regards the bald man sitting comfortably in one of the plush leather seats.

Every crease of his suit is immaculate; every detail from tie pin to cufflinks in place. He regards her with bright-eyed curiosity. "Doctor Hamilton, I presume?"

"Yes. Professor Xavier?" She crosses the cabin to shake his hand. "A pleasure. I wasn't expecting you to meet me here…"

"I enjoy surprises."

Leah is startled into laughing. She takes the seat across from the professor, buckling up as she feels the engines of the plane engage.

"So, Doctor Hamilton –"

"Leah, please."

"Leah. Tell me about yourself."

That had been six months ago.