Chapter 9 Experiments and Echoes
Harry woke before dawn. The gray light seeped through the cracks in the boarded-up window above the cupboard under the stairs. The house was quiet. Even the usual groans and mutters of the Dursleys had not begun. He stretched his cramped limbs and slipped silently out of his cupboard. The worn wooden floor felt cold beneath his bare feet. The black cat waited at the edge of the hallway, tail curling in an impatient flick. Harry crouched low and whispered a greeting. The cat's eyes glimmered knowingly.
The garden outside was covered in dew. Each blade of grass shone faintly in the early light. Harry crouched behind the flowerbeds. He observed the subtle tremors of the leaves and the shivering petals. His pulse hummed, a quiet vibration beneath his skin. It tuned him to every shift of air and shadow. Today, he decided to attempt rudimentary healing.
He knelt beside a small patch of wilted daisies near the hedge. Gently, he rested his hands above them without touching. The pulse of energy beneath his skin guided him. He whispered soft, rolling words that had no meaning in any language he knew but felt right. The petals shivered, lifted slightly, and straightened. A faint glow lingered around the flowers. Harry's heart thumped with exhilaration.
Nearby, a beetle crawled along a leaf. Harry traced a careful circle around it with his fingertip in the air. The insect paused and tilted its tiny head as if sensing him. Slowly, he extended the same warmth he had sent to the flowers. The beetle crawled along the leaf with renewed energy. Harry let out a small breath he had not realized he had been holding. He had healed life without touching it.
The black cat circled him, tail high, watching his every move. Harry spoke softly to it in habit. Do you see if it is responding? The cat's ears twitched, but it did not move closer. It seemed to understand that this moment was his alone.
Emboldened, Harry turned to a wilted patch of grass along the path. He focused and felt the pulse ripple stronger beneath his skin. He whispered the same words he had used before. The blades shivered, swayed, and slowly lifted as if stretching after a long sleep. A few loose drops of dew rolled down the blades and caught the light. Harry's mind raced. Each success demanded control. A single mistake could disrupt the fragile balance he had begun to master.
Hours passed. The sun rose higher. Harry remained crouched in the garden. He alternated between experiments and careful observation. He traced intricate symbols in the air, sometimes with one hand, sometimes with both. He sent his pulse outward in complex patterns. Leaves and petals responded subtly. A small bird landed near the hedge, eyeing him warily. Harry held still. He let his pulse ripple gently toward it. The bird cocked its head, then hopped closer. He had never attempted to influence a living creature of that size before. The success thrilled him.
Suddenly, a loud crash from the kitchen startled him. Dudley had woken early and dropped a plate. Harry froze, heart pounding. The cat hissed softly and crouched low. Harry felt the pulse beneath his skin falter for a moment, then he steadied it. He allowed a quiet shield of magic to flow around him. The Dursleys remained oblivious. The bird scattered without realizing why. Harry exhaled and returned to his work. He noted in his mind the need for stronger wards around the garden to prevent interruptions.
By midday, Harry tested his influence on multiple creatures simultaneously. He guided beetles, insects, and a small frog with subtle gestures, feeling the ebb and flow of their energy beneath his hands. He experimented with combining environmental manipulations. A gust of wind carried the warmth of healing small vibrations encouraged growth. Each trial brought unexpected results. Sometimes the grass lifted too high, sometimes a flower shivered violently. Each failure taught him more about control, patience, and observation.
The afternoon was spent in daring experiments. Harry traced wards around the garden, invisible boundaries that shifted subtly with his pulse. He moved objects, a cup, a stone a small garden tool without touching them, guiding them slowly through the air and space. The black cat followed every movement, occasionally tapping a paw or flicking its tail as if testing the magic. Harry laughed softly. Even when he failed, the lessons were immediate and visible.
As dusk approached, Harry lay down among the flowers, exhausted but exhilarated. The garden glowed faintly with residual energy, leaves trembling, petals slightly raised, and small creatures moving with renewed vitality. The black cat curled beside him, purring a comforting presence.
Harry traced one final symbol in the air, letting his pulse hum outward in a broad, steady rhythm. The garden responded not dramatically but enough for him to feel its acknowledgment. He closed his eyes, feeling the energy settle and flow back into him. Each day, he was growing stronger, more confident, more capable.
Tonight, ht he would return to the house and practice further refining the movements, the whispers, the pulse. Tomorrow, he would push the boundaries again, attempting more subtle control over life shadows and the environment. The world around him was awakening to his presence, though no one noticed yet. That was exactly how he wanted it.
For Harry, these experiments were not merely practice. They were the first steps in something much larger. He did not yet know the full scope of his potential nor the legacy that awaited him. But with each shiver of a leaf, with each flicker of a shad, and ow each tiny pulse of life, he was learning that the world would bend to his focus, and he was ready to discover how far he could take it.
By the time the house was dark and silent again, Harry sat quietly in his cupboard under the stairs as the black cat curled beside him. He traced symbols in the air one last time, me feeling the pulse beneath his skin settle into a steady hum. The experiments of the day had been a success. Tomorrow, he thought he would go further. And the magic, the life, and the world around him would respond.