The Calm before the Storm

Two days had passed since the discussion at the Burrow, and in the meantime, the wizarding world had been thrown into chaos. The first day's news featured the groundbreaking Moonsbane Elixir, developed by Harry, which allowed werewolves to retain their human minds during transformation. Alongside this revelation was the announcement that Harry would be launching a program to distribute the potion for free, ensuring that every werewolf could access it. The response was mixed, with many skeptics labeling it a publicity stunt—given Harry had just gotten his Potion Mastery.

However, the following morning, an interview with Lupin, the Hogwarts staff, and Dumbledore turned the tide. Lupin passionately shared how the elixir had changed his life, and Dumbledore confirmed its authenticity, praising Harry's remarkable achievement. The magical community, once uncertain, now began to accept the elixir's legitimacy, and Harry's reputation soared. No longer just the Boy-Who-Lived, he was now a selfless prodigy, working to improve the lives of others.

July 3rd, the light of dawn, seeped through the curtains, painting the bedroom in hues of soft gold. Petunia stirred awake, and looked at the clock on the wall. It was just 6:10 AM. Beside her, Vernon was still sound asleep with quiet snores. She glanced at him fondly before slipping out of bed, carefully not to disturb him. The day had barely begun, but she enjoyed these quiet moments of solitude. 

Pulling on her robe, she made her way downstairs, intending to take a stroll in the garden. The air would be crisp, the flowers in full bloom—a perfect way to start her morning. As she reached the bottom step, something in the living room caught her attention.

Her footsteps slowed as she peered inside, and there he was—Harry. He was sprawled across one of the armchairs in the most bizarre position she had ever seen. Once leg dangled over the armrest, the other tucked underneath him, while his head drooped awkwardly to the side with his mouth open. One of his arm dangled off the chair, his fingers brushing the floor and near his hand there lay a tattered old book.

Petunia pressed a hand to her mouth to stifle a laugh. Honestly, how could he sleep like that? 

She stepped closer, shaking her head fondly. "What am I going to do with you?" she murmured under her breath. With a flick of her wand, Harry rose gently from the chair. Petunia picked up the old book before guiding him through the house, up the stairs and into his room carefully without bumping him into anything. 

Inside his room, she laid him down on the bed, tucking the blanket around him. She looked at the book in her hand, the cover was so tattered that it was almost impossible to read the title. She just put the book next to Harry and stood there for a moment, looking at him. His face looked so peaceful, so unlike the monstrous prodigy he usually was. 

Leaning down, she pressed a gentle kiss to his forehead, her voice soft with affection. "Sleep well, my little prodigy," she whispered.

Then, with a contented sigh, Petunia turned and slipped out, closing the door behind her as she headed to the garden.

The cool morning air greeted her as she stepped outside, the flowers swaying gently in the breeze. Petunia walked among them, her thoughts lingering on Harry. No matter what the world thought of him, to her, he would always be her Harry—her son.

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Harry blinked awake, the sunlight streaming through the window pulling him out of his peaceful slumber. He stretched his arms above his head, relishing the rare comfort of a long, undisturbed sleep. As he shifted, he noticed something odd—he was on his bed rather than on the armchair he had fallen asleep. 

Sitting up slowly, he glanced around his room, confusion etched on his face. How did I get here? He rubbed the back of his neck and swung his legs off the bed, catching sight of the book on Time Magic that he was reading before he fell asleep.

It sat neatly on the nightstand, its pages still open to where he had left off. It seemed that either Vernon or Petunia had brought him to his room and made sure the book stayed close. He chuckled softly. Dad or Mum must have thought it was important. Well, they weren't wrong.

He stood up and stretched again, grimacing slightly at the dull ache in his lower back. Sleeping in the armchair had left its mark. "That'll teach me to fall asleep in the middle of reading," he muttered to himself.

As he stretched his went through the day's plan. He had to get a lot of things done today—brewing the Animalis Lingua potion to training Ron and Hermione.

Then an idea struck him. Why stop with just Ron and Hermione? He could expand this training to include everyone. Petunia, Vernon, Abigail, Sirius, the Weasleys... They could all benefit from learning the skills and knowledge he'd acquired. 

A grin spread across his face as he imagined what everyone could achieve if they all went through the core transformation. The thought of Fred and George innovating even further with advanced magic was equally thrilling.

"Right then," Harry said to himself, running a hand through his messy hair. "Time to get started."

With that, Harry took a pair of change and headed to the bathroom to shower and freshen up. 

Harry changed into comfortable clothing after his shower, so that he wouldn't have any sort of restriction during training. He glanced at the clock on the wall, 9:03 AM. Hermione would definitely by up by now, probably immersed in a book, he thought. 

He headed downstairs towards the living room. After about five minutes of walking he reached the living room, where Vernon was lounging in on the couch near the fireplace, sipping tea and reading the day's edition of the Daily Prophet. 

"Morning, Dad. Anything interesting in the news?" Harry greeted as he dropped onto the other couch. 

Vernon looked up and gave Harry a smile. "Morning, son. Nothing as of now, its still buzzing with the news about the Moonsbane Elixir program."

Harry nodded. That was given considering that there has never been anything like that. "Of course, there had not been anything like this ever so they are bound to keep talking about it."

He glanced around, noticing the absence of his mom and Abigail. "Where's Mom and Abby?"

"They went shopping first thing," Vernon replied, setting the newspaper aside. "Abigail wanted some new art supplies, and your mom thought it'd be a good opportunity to pick up some things for the house."

Harry chuckled, "Well I guess Mum was quite excited to get an excuse to go shopping."

Vernon chuckled as he folded the Daily Prophet, "Yes, as you can imagine, she was quite excited."

Deciding to get a head start on his plans, Harry sat up straighter and called out, "Loppy!"

With a soft pop, a house-elf with oversized ears and sparkling eyes appeared, bowing deeply. "Master Harry, how can Loppy be of service?"

Harry smiled at the elf. "Loppy, could you fetch Sirius for me and let him know it's urgent?"

Loppy nodded quickly, his ears flopping. "Right away, Master Harry!" He disappeared with a sharp crack.

Vernon, who had been observing the exchange, leaned back in his chair. "What do you need Sirius for?"

"I'm planning to take him to Hermione's house," Harry explained. "I want him to help connect their fireplace to the Floo Network so she can visit easily. It'll save everyone a lot of time and trouble."

Vernon gave an approving nod.. "That's good." 

Harry smiled and then suddenly remembered that they had yet to get their potioneers, "Dad, why don't you talk with Dumbledore and Snape today about our plan of including students who excel at potion at Hogwarts into the program? It's better to get started on that, since it will take at least a week to get them ready."

Vernon nodded thoughtfully, "Yes, you are right. We should better get started." He shifted in his chair and raised his voice slightly. "Moppy!"

Moppy appeared with a soft pop, bowing to Harry and then Vernon. "Yes, Master Vernon?" she asked.

"Can you start on breakfast? I'm getting hungry," Vernon asked.

Moppy beamed. "Of course, Master Vernon. I'll get started with Snappy right away!" With another pop, she was gone.

Vernon turned back to Harry with a curious expression. "So, what's your plan for the day?"

Harry grinned, leaning forward. "I've got plenty to do. Once the Floo connection is set, I'll begin Hermione's training. But then I thought—why stop there? I could train everyone. Mom, Dad, Abigail, Ron, you, the Weasleys… all of you could benefit from learning."

Vernon raised a skeptical eyebrow. "You want to train me? What for?"

Harry smirked, "To get back from your rusty position." He teased, "Can you even do heavy spells anymore?"

Vernon let out a deep chuckle, setting his teacup down with a faint clink. "Rusty, am I? You cheeky brat." His eyes twinkled with amusement, but there was a flicker of challenge in his tone. "I'll have you know, I was quite the duelist in my day. Just because I'm busy running the family estate doesn't mean I've forgotten how to wave a wand."

Harry leaned back on the couch, a teasing grin still tugging at his lips. "Sure, Dad. I'll believe it when I see it."

Vernon raised a bushy eyebrow, his voice full of mock indignation. "Is that so? Alright, smart mouth, when's this training of yours starting? Let's see if you can handle some proper spellwork from an old pro."

Harry laughed, shaking his head. "Soon enough, Dad. I'll let you show off. But don't blame me if Mom rolls her eyes when I beat you in the first round."

Vernon smirked. "We'll see about that, son."

At that moment, there was a faint whooshing sound from the front hall, followed by the unmistakable voice of Sirius Black.

"Where's my favorite godson?" Sirius called out jovially as he stepped into the living room, his black hair slightly disheveled and a roguish grin on his face. He looked relaxed but curious, clearly wondering what the urgency was about.

"Right here, Sirius," Harry said, getting up to greet him.

Sirius clapped Harry on the shoulder. "So, what's the emergency? Some new project of yours?"

Harry chuckled, "No it's not. I just need your help connecting Hermione's house to the Floo Network. It'll make it easier for her to visit us."

Sirius nodded thoughtfully. "The bushy brown-haired one right?"

Harry smirked, "Yeah. That's the one. She is muggle born so I need your help connecting their fireplace."

Vernon cleared his throat, drawing Sirius's attention. "Harry also plans to start training everyone in the family, Sirius. He thinks he's going to whip me into shape, as if I've forgotten how to use a wand."

Sirius barked a laugh. "You? Training Vernon? That I have to see. Count me in for the first session—I wouldn't miss it for the world."

Harry rolled his eyes as he got up. "You're both going to regret underestimating me."

Harry straightened his clothes. "Alright, let's head out. Hermione's probably waiting, and the sooner we get this set up, the sooner I can start getting everyone ready for what's coming."

Sirius nodded, "Lead the way, kid. Let's get this done."

Harry grabbed hold of Sirius arm firmly, and in the blink of an eye, the cozy interior of the Dursley mansion living room dissolved. 

When they landed, Sirius blinked in astonishment. The neat and quiet backyard of the Granger household spread out before them, bordered by a charming garden of flowers and trimmed hedges. Sirius let out a slow, appreciative whistle.

"Well, that's a new one," he remarked, glancing around. "No tug, no spin… just here. I didn't even feel the Apparition."

Harry smirked, "Still confident on beating me?" He led the way across the neatly kept lawn, Sirius trailing behind. As they approached the backdoor, Harry suddenly hesitated, rubbing the back of his neck.

"I feel like a burglar," he muttered. "We should've used the front door."

Sirius chuckled. "Too late for that, kid. Might as well see it through."

Taking a deep breath, Harry knocked gently on the backdoor. Moments later, it opened to reveal Mrs. Granger, her expression a mix of surprise and confusion as she looked at the two of them. 

"Harry?" she said, her voice laced with curiosity. "And... you've brought a guest?"

Harry offered her a sheepish smile. "Good morning, Mrs. Granger. Sorry for showing up like this. This is my godfather, Sirius Black. I had to come by to sort something out for your family."

Mrs. Granger's brow furrowed, though her expression remained polite. "Well, this is unexpected. Please, come in." She stepped aside to let them enter, her gaze lingering on Sirius with a touch of unease.

Sirius, ever the charmer, offered a warm smile. "Thank you, Mrs. Granger. It's a pleasure to meet you. Harry's mentioned your family, and I must say, he speaks very highly of you all."

She returned his smile, though a trace of curiosity remained. "Well, Hermione's upstairs in her room. I'll let her know you're here."

Mrs. Granger led them to the living room. Harry and Sirius took a seat as Mrs. Granger went to fetch Hermione. 

As soon as Mrs. Granger disappeared up the stairs, Sirius sprang into action. "Might as well check out the fireplace," he muttered, striding over to the fireplace. 

Harry raised an eyebrow but said nothing as Sirius began inspecting the hearth with the air of a seasoned craftsman. Before long, Sirius was halfway up the chimney, peering into its depths and muttering spells under his breath to check for any blockages while also cleaning it out. 

The sound of hurried footsteps came down the stairs, and Hermione burst into the living room, practically glowing with excitement. "Harry!" she exclaimed, her face alight with joy. Without hesitation, she launched herself at him, wrapping him in a tight hug.

Harry staggered slightly but laughed, patting her back. "Good morning to you too, Hermione."

She pulled back just enough to look at him, her eyes wide and sparkling with excitement. "Harry! You—you passed your Potion Mastery? You're a Potions Master now? At eleven? Is this why you didn't tell Ron or me? Did you think we couldn't handle it? Or was it because of all the chaos you knew would follow?"

Harry smirked knowingly. "Exactly that. You're proving my point already."

Hermione's excitement bubbled over. "Harry, that potion is revolutionary! It's already being talked about everywhere—so many lives are going to change because of it! You should have told us! We could have helped, or at least celebrated with you!"

Harry chuckled. "Hermione, I appreciate it, but honestly, it was easier to focus without everyone knowing. Besides, there'll be plenty of time to celebrate later. Right now, we've got work to do."

Hermione opened her mouth to argue, but then her expression softened, her pride evident. "You're incredible, Harry. Ron and I are definitely going to talk to you about this more later, though. You can't just keep things like this to yourself."

Harry laughed again. "Looking forward to it."

"Um, Harry… why is that man climbing our fireplace?" Mrs. Granger asked, looking from Harry to Hermione with a mix of bewilderment and concern.

Harry suppressed a grin, but Hermione quickly stepped in. "Mum, Harry said they're going to connect our fireplace to something called the Floo Network. It'll let me travel to Harry's house quickly, so he doesn't always have to come pick me up. It's really quite useful."

Mrs. Granger's confusion deepened. "The what network?"

Harry stepped forward, smiling reassuringly. "It's called the Floo Network, Mrs. Granger. It's a magical transportation system that allows witches and wizards to travel between connected fireplaces. It's completely safe, and it'll make things much more convenient for Hermione and your family."

Mrs. Granger blinked, clearly processing this new information. "So… you're telling me people can just step into our fireplace and appear somewhere else? Or someone could step out of it and appear here?"

"Precisely," Sirius chimed in from the fireplace, finally pulling himself out and brushing soot from his robes. "Don't worry, ma'am, it's heavily regulated. Only those with permission can use it to come to your home. Think of it like a magical doorbell."

Mrs. Granger still looked skeptical, but she nodded slowly. "Well, if Hermione trusts you, I suppose it's alright." She glanced at the fireplace warily. "But please… no surprises."

"Don't worry Mrs. Granger. There wouldn't be any surprises." Harry smiled at her. Then he turned to Sirius, "Why don't you take Hermione's parents over to the Floo office and get things done. I'll take Hermione back home to start the training."

Mr. Granger who had just entered the room looked around confused on who was taking who and where. 

Sirius grinned, "Sounds like a plan. I'll make sure everything's squared away with the Floo office. Mrs. Granger, Mr. Granger, if you'd like, I can guide you through the process. It's fairly straightforward."

Mrs. Granger still seemed hesitant but nodded, her gaze flicking between Sirius and Harry. "Alright, if it's necessary. I'd like to understand exactly how this works."

Harry gave a quick wave to Sirius as he held Hermione's hand tightly. "Alright, take care Sirius. I'll see you later and make sure to explain everything to them."

Sirius shot him a wink, "Don't worry they are in good hand kiddo."

With that, Harry disappeared with Hermione without a sound as they vanished from the Granger household. 

The next moment, they appeared back in the living room of the Dursley mansion. Hermione looked around still amazed by the posh surrounding. 

Vernon was still sitting on the couch, twirling his wand absent-mindedly as he waited for Moppy to finish breakfast. He looked up to see Harry standing there with Hermione. 

"Ah, you're back," Vernon said with a wide smile, looking up as Harry and Hermione entered. "Good to see you again, Hermione."

"Good morning, Mr. Dursley," Hermione greeted back. "Thank you for having me."

Vernon chuckled, "No problem, Hermione. You're always welcome, make yourself at home."

Harry who was already walking over to the fireplace, took a handful of Floo powder from the jar and tossed it into the flames as he called out, "The Burrow!"

As the fire roared with green flames, Harry leaned in and saw the familiar face of Mr. Weasley appear in the flames, looking a little disheveled but smiling nonetheless.

"Ah, Harry!" Mr. Weasley greeted, his voice warm. "Good to see you! Everything good?"

"Everything's good, Mr. Weasley. Listen, I need you to do me a favor—can you wake Ron up and have him come over, along with the rest of the family?"

Mr. Weasley's eyebrows furrowed slightly. "Any problem, Harry? Why would you need the whole family to come over?"

"I'll tell you when you all are here, Mr. Weasley," Harry smiled. 

Mr. Weasley paused for a moment then replied. "Alright, we'll be there soon."

"Great," Harry replied. "See you in a bit." With that, the fire-call ended, and Harry turned back to Hermione and Vernon. 

Hermione spoke up. "Where are Mrs. Dursley and Abigail? I don't see them around."

Vernon chuckled, leaning back in his chair. "Petunia took Abigail shopping this morning. Abigail insisted on getting some new books, and your aunt couldn't resist a trip to the shops. They'll be back by lunch."

Hermione smiled fondly, but Harry had already started walking out of the living room. "I'll be back in a bit," he said over his shoulder. "Need to check on something."

Curious but used to Harry's enigmatic ways, Hermione turned her attention back to Vernon, starting a light conversation about the changes she'd noticed around the house since her last visit.

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Harry stepped out of the mansion, breathing in the morning air as he walked towards the Quidditch Pitch towards the other side of the estate. As he moved, he called out softly, "Loppy!"

With a sharp crack, the house-elf appeared beside him, bowing low. "Master Harry, how can Loppy serve you?"

Harry nodded at him as they walked. "How are the unicorns doing in the Moonstone Dunvegan? Are they comfortable, and have they been taken care of properly?"

"Oh yes, Master Harry!" Loppy said enthusiastically. "The unicorns are very happy in the woods behind the castle. Loppy feeds them, keeps the area clean, and makes sure they're safe."

"Good," Harry said with a slight smile. "Make sure it stays that way. Also, tell the other elves to prepare a much larger lunch and dinner today. We'll have quite a few guests."

Loppy tilted his head. "How many, Master Harry?"

"Just to be safe, prepare for at least twenty. Everyone will eat at least that much after I'm done with them." Harry replied.

Loppy nodded eagerly. "Loppy will see to it right away!" With another crack, he disappeared.

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After another ten minutes of walking, Harry reached the pitch. The grass was freshly trimmed and the goalposts seemed to have been weirdly polished. He surveyed the area, nodding in approval. It was the perfect space—big and open. Perfect for the training drill he was planning. 

Elythral materialised in his hand as Harry raised it and began setting up powerful wards around the pitch. These wards would absorb and contain any stray spells preventing them from causing unintended harm outside the area. The shimmering outline of the wards faded in around the pitch as Harry completed setting up the wards. 

He looked around before sending a Stupefy. The ward absorbed the spell as soon as it hit it. "This will do," he murmured to himself satisfied with his work. 

Harry began walking back to the mansion, his mind whirring with ideas. How could he tune everyone's magical sensitivity effectively? He pondered the steps, running scenarios through his mind. He finally decided that the best way to start would be to demonstrate what complete mastery over every ounce of magical energy looked like. Once they saw what was possible, they could understand the precision and effort required. 

As he walked, he muttered to himself, refining his plan, imagining drills and exercises. By the time he reached the front door of the mansion, ten minutes later, he had a solid outline for the day's session which also gave him an idea of how he could proceed with the students once the term started. He stepped inside and headed towards the living room. 

In the living room, the entire Weasley family was there—Mr. and Mrs. Weasley seated on the couch next to Vernon talking to him about something. The rest of the guys were looking at the pictures on the wall, which had Harry when he was a child; Petunia, Harry and baby Abigail sitting in the living room, with Harry playing with Abigail; Harry on Vernon's shoulders looking like he conquered a mighty mountain etc. 

Everyone turned at once when they heard Harry step in. 

"Ah, there he is!" Mr. Weasley said. "We were just waiting on you, Harry. What is it that you needed with us?"

Harry smiled. "Good to see you all here. Thanks for coming on such a short notice." He looked around the room to notice that Petunia, Abigail and Sirius were still not there. "Well, if everyone would follow me outside."

With that Harry led everyone outside and towards the Quidditch pitch. As the group followed Harry toward the Quidditch pitch, Vernon walked beside Mr. and Mrs. Weasley explaining Harry's intention with a chuckle. "He is planning on conducting a bootcamp on magic, where he wants us to further our magical abilities."

Mr. and Mrs. Weasley nodded together. "That sounds good, but we aren't exactly young anymore to go through training like this."

Behind them, the Weasley children leaned in closer to catch bits of the conversation. Fred and George exchanged excited glances, already imagining what kind of magical feats they would learn. Even, Percy was excited to learn from Harry. 

Ginny quickened her pace to walk next to Hermione. "What do you think he's going to do?" she asked. 

Hermione hesitated, her face pale. "It's... well, it's likely something that will push us all to our limits. That's just how Harry operates. At the extremities."

Ron groaned quietly from behind. "I don't think you lot realize what you're in for."

"Stop scaring them, Ron," Fred teased. "We're up for the challenge, aren't we, George?"

"Absolutely," George grinned. "This is going to be brilliant."

Hermione squeaked in. "The only reason you are excited is because you don't realise what's ahead."

As they reached the pitch, the shimmering wards Harry had placed earlier caught the sunlight, creating a faint golden glow that surrounded the area. Harry turned to face the group, his expression calm but serious.

"Alright, everyone," he began. "The reason I asked you all here is simple—I want to help you tap into the full potential of your magic. This isn't about learning new spells or dueling techniques, though those might come in handy later. This is about understanding your magical energy, controlling it completely, and pushing it to its limits."

He paused, letting his words sink in. "I am hoping that it could lead to something extraordinary—a core transformation. Expanding your magical core will not only give you more power but also make you more sensitive to magic itself. You'll be able to feel it, manipulate it, and use it in ways you've never imagined."

Mr. and Mrs. Weasley exchanged a glance before Mrs. Weasley raised a hand, her tone cautious. "Harry, this sounds… fascinating, but why would Arthur and I need to do this as well? We're not exactly young anymore."

Harry regarded her. "Why not? Aren't you curious about how far your magic could go? Don't you want to see what you're truly capable of?"

Mrs. Weasley hesitated, clearly considering his words, while Mr. Weasley rubbed his chin thoughtfully. "He's got a point, Molly," Mr. Weasley said. "When's the last time we really tested ourselves like this?"

But before Mrs. Weasley could answer, Harry's tone turned sharper, more serious. "And let me be clear," he continued, his voice cutting through the quiet. "The very reason the wizarding world keeps falling into chaos every time a new Dark Lord arises is because of this mindset."

"This complacent nature of wizards is why they have to cower in fear when even a remotely powerful individual threatens the rules." Harry spoke sharply.

" 'Why should I learn more magic? I'm not exactly young anymore.' Or, 'I'm a pureblood wizard; I don't need to know magic. I can just live comfortably with my family's wealth.' This nature of wizards is why the magical society is lagging behind so much." He continued. The weight of Harry's words hung in the air, leaving the group in stunned silence. Even the ever-chatty Fred and George had nothing to say.

Harry turned to Vernon, Mr. and Mrs. Weasley. "You all know it's true. You've lived through it. Mr. Weasley, Mrs. Weasley, Dad—each of you remembers what it was like when Voldemort was at the height of his power. The fear, the destruction, the loss."

Vernon shifted uncomfortably but nodded, his expression somber. "He's right," Vernon said, his deep voice firm. "We saw what happens when people get complacent. Those weren't good times."

Mrs. Weasley sighed, a pained look crossing her face as she recalled the past. "You're right, Harry," she admitted quietly. "We've seen what complacency can lead to."

Mr. Weasley placed a hand on her shoulder, his face resolute. "Then we have to make sure we're never caught unprepared again," he said.