Harry gave them all a small, encouraging smile. "This isn't about fear or panic. It's about being ready. About knowing that no matter what comes, you can stand tall and protect what you love. That's why we're doing this. To make sure no one can take that from us again."
He then turned serious again, "Because unless it's a god, no one can harm the people I love and care for. Can you all say the same?"
Harry's word hung in air heavily. They all knew that it was true. They had seen Harry make an apex predator grovel at his feet helplessly. Would it have been their loved one that day at the dragon reserve, could they have saved them? Everyone shivered as the answer formed in their mind. No, they would have not been able to do anything.
"No," Mr. Weasley admitted finally, his voice soft but firm. "We can't, Harry. Not yet."
Harry nodded. "Then don't think of why I should train when I'm this old. Because you can never say when you would need to defend someone."
He sighed. "Because one day, someone will come for what you hold dear. And when that day comes, I want you to have no regrets about the choices you made to prepare for it."
Everyone shivered at that thought but they knew that it was true.
Harry's gaze swept over the group, his expression unreadable. He gestured for Ron, Hermione and Ginny to step aside. "The three of you," he said, his voice calm but firm, "move over there." He pointed to a side of the pitch just in front of the ward.
Hermione frowned but complied without protest. Ron looked hesitant, glancing at the rest of the group, while Ginny seemed confused but followed silently.
He then raised his hand, where Elythral had materialised in his grip. He muttered, "Draco Aegis." A shimmering golden dome-shaped shield surrounded the three of them. "You guys just watch from here."
"Why us?" Ginny finally asked, her voice tinged with frustration.
Harry glanced at her. "Because you don't even have a wand yet, and Hermione and Ron have not learned any offensive magic yet."
Ginny opened her mouth to argue but stopped when Hermione placed a hand on her arm. "Let's just watch," Hermione said softly.
Turning back to the rest of the group. "Now," Harry said, "I want you to see what happens when you gain complete control over your magic. To do that, we're going to duel."
The group exchanged nervous glances. "All of us?" Percy asked hesitantly.
"Yes, all of you," Harry said with a smile. "You'll work together against me. Use whatever spells you know, whatever tactics you want. I don't care how you do it—just don't hold back. If you don't give it everything you've got, you'll lose before you even start."
"But—" Mrs. Weasley began, concern etched on her face.
"No buts," Harry interrupted gently. "This is demonstration. I need you to see the difference between untrained magic and magic that's mastered down to a fine point."
Harry stepped back, putting at least 20 feet between him and the group. "You have ten minutes," Harry announced, "Come up with a strategy. Use what you know about me, what you know about magic, and how you think you can win. Use any means fair or unfair, I won't say anything."
Mr. Weasley straightened, his expression grim but determined. Vernon nodded, already stepping closer to the group to begin discussing tactics. The Weasley twins whispered animatedly, their mischievous energy now focused on something more serious. Even Percy seemed resolute, his usual rigidity replaced by a quiet determination.
Mrs. Weasley still looked worried but didn't protest further. Instead, she exchanged a glance with her husband, and they joined the huddle.
From behind the shield, Hermione whispered to Ron and Ginny, "Uh oh, this is going to be brutal. He's going to push them to their limits."
Ron swallowed hard. "I just hope they can take it."
Harry stood quietly as the group murmured and planned. To an outside it would seem arrogance, but the group knew that it was not arrogance but Harry's certainty that whatever they threw at him, he could handle.
By the time the group stopped their discussion, Harry was standing there just looking at them. He called Fred, George and Percy forward towards him. As the three of them headed to him, Harry extended his hand.
"Give me your wands," Harry said calmly.
Fred blinked in surprise. "What, so you can handicap us?"
Harry chuckled, "No silly. I'm not taking your wands away. I'm removing the underage magic trackers."
George frowned. "You can do that?"
"Of course I can," Harry replied. "It's a simple piece of Ministry magic, but it's restrictive. If you're going to fight me seriously, I don't want you worrying about triggering the Trace and having Ministry officials on your doorstep."
Percy hesitated but eventually handed over his wand. "How are you going to do it?"
Harry took Percy's wand and held it between his fingers, a faint glow emanating as he whispered a spell under his breath. The magic shimmered briefly before fading. Harry handed the wand back.
"There, no more trace. As for the other way of knowing, it's a magical household so they won't be able to confirm it." Harry replied with a smile.
"So they keep an eye on us by two types of trace?" Percy asked curiously.
Harry nodded as he took Fred's wand in his hand. "Yes, one is a tracker put in the wands and the other a general magic detector on wizards. And since this entire family is of wizards they have no way of knowing after I break the tracker in the wands."
He quickly broke the tracer in Fred and George's wand and handed it back to them.
Fred twirled his wand experimentally. "Well, this just got interesting."
George grinned. "Let's see how you like a fight without any rules holding us back, Harry."
Harry raised an eyebrow, stepping back. "Oh, I'm counting on it."
With that Percy, Fred and George headed back to join Vernon, and Mr. and Mrs. Weasley. Harry conjured up a blindfold and wrapped it around his eyes.
"You're seriously going to fight us blindfolded?" Fred called, incredulity laced in his voice.
Harry smirked faintly. "This isn't about sight. I don't need it."
Vernon raised an eyebrow, his wand clutched tightly in his hand. "You're confident, I'll give you that."
Harry didn't reply. Instead he let out his magical energy and let it fill out the entire quidditch pitch. Now even with his eyes blindfolded, he could still see everything through his magical energy.
"Go," Vernon commanded, and the group sprang into action.
Fred and George were the first to move. They fired off twin streams of Stupefy and Expelliarmus, their movements perfectly synchronized. As the spells rocketed toward Harry, Percy followed up with a Petrificus Totalus, aimed at cutting off Harry's mobility.
Harry smiled as he muttered, "Aegis Maximus" and two shimmering blue shields appeared to his side. One blocking the twins' spells and the other blocking Percy's spell.
Mrs. Weasley conjured a series of glowing golden chains and sent them hurtling toward Harry, hoping to restrain him. Vernon apparated behind Harry in a flash, sending a barrage of silent curses his way, while Mr. Weasley lobbed a massive Bombarda from the front, creating a deadly pincer attack.
Harry Disapparated from his position appearing behind Mrs. Weasley without a sound. He tapped her on the shoulder sending her flying backward into a conjured cushion.
Vernon and Mr. Weasley dodged the deflected spells. Percy created a maze of tripwires across the pitch, hoping to cut off Harry's movement, while Fred and George worked together to transfigure the ground into a pit of quicksand beneath Harry's feet.
For a minute, it seemed that they caught him. Then they heard his voice, "You're predictable." With a wave of his wand, the quicksand was transfigured into a springboard with which Harry launched himself into the air, spinning mid-air to dodge a barrage of hexes from Vernon.
"This isn't working," Fred muttered.
"Then think smarter," Harry called out.
Vernon's voice rang out. "Fred, George, go high!"
The twins immediately conjured brooms and shot into the air, launching a barrage of spells from above while Vernon cast a Deprimo at Harry's feet. The ground beneath Harry erupted, creating a massive crater. As the dust settled, Mr. and Mrs. Weasley sent a barrage of curses at Harry.
Harry who had Apparated and appeared behind Vernon, calmly said. "That was a bit better, Dad."
Vernon spun around but Harry had already vanished again.
He appeared in the other end of the pitch. "Don't hold back," he said calmly, his voice cutting through the chaos. "If you do, you'll lose before you even begin."
Mrs. Weasley conjured a barrage of animated chairs that rushed toward Harry with surprising speed, while Percy fired another Petrificus Totalus from the side. Vernon, his voice booming, aimed a powerful Expulso, shattering the ground beneath Harry's feet.
Harry dodged the Petrificus Totalus and redirected the chairs in front of the Expulso. Percy not wanting to accept the fact that they were losing one-sidedly, sent a barage of the Diffindo towards Harry, who Disapparated to avoid them all.
When Harry noticed that the spells would directly hit Vernon. He quickly cast a Absorbing shield on him.
"Pay attention to where your spells land," Harry called out sharply. "You could have hurt your own team."
Percy had a sheepish look but the group pressed on. The pace quickened, Mr. Weasley cast a swirling net of magic aimed at Harry's feet. Fred and George who were now flying on conjured brooms, fired spells from above. While Vernon, Percy and Mrs. Weasley sent curses and hexes at him from all direction.
Harry smirked as he Disapparated from the spot and cast multiple shield on all of the other group members so that they wouldn't catch deflected spells.
"You'll get yourselves hurt before you get to me," Harry quipped.
The group was not yet ready to give up. They tried to trap him. Percy conjured magical chains that wrapped around Harry's legs, while Vernon and Mr. Weasley aimed a coordinated barrage of spells to force him into a corner. Fred and George dropped shimmering nets from above, attempting to pin him down.
Harry smirked. With a surge of raw magic, the chains dissolved into sparks, and the nets were blasted away before they could touch him. He spun and deflected Vernon's spell into the ground while side-stepping Mr. Weasley's spell. Then he quickly Disapparated to dodge the silent barrage of Stupefy sent at him by Mrs. Weasley.
Harry twisted his wand towards the direction of the twins. The brooms they were riding disappeared as they fell on the conjured cushions on the ground.
Desperation set in, Mrs. Weasley conjured a massive flame in the shape of a phoenix, sending it towards Harry. Mr. Weasley conjured a whirlwind of debris around Harry to obscure his movements and Vernon cast a complex binding spell.
The flames swooped down, only to disappear into smoke as it came in contact with the large water ball Harry had conjured. He broke the binding spell without much effort and dissolved the whirlwind into a pile of dust.
Fred and George tried one last gambit, hurling smoke bombs at Harry while Percy sent an array of curses and hexes. Deciding that he will not dodge this, Harry stood calmly in his place and cast the Draco Aegis over himself.
When the smoke settled, they saw that Harry was still standing inside the dome-shield smiling to himself.
The group collapses onto the ground, panting and exhausted. Wands lay scattered across the pitch, and their robes were covered in dust and scorch marks. Not one of them had landed a single blow.
Percy, clutching his knees as he tried to catch his breath, looked up at Harry, his face flushed. "You… you went easy on us, didn't you?"
Harry removed his blindfold, "Yes, I did."
The words hit them like a thunderclap. Mrs. Weasley froze mid-breath, while Fred and George exchanged stunned glances. Vernon and Mr. Weasley groaned as they collapsed onto their backs.
Ron and Hermione, sitting with Ginny on the sidelines, let out simultaneous groans.
"We knew this would happen," Hermione said, shaking her head.
Ron folded his arms. "He always does this."
Ginny, however, was silent. Her wide eyes were locked on Harry, awe written across her face. Apart from the dragon incident, she had never seen Harry use so much magic. And certainly not like this. Was it even humanly possible to do magic like that?
Harry looked at the group with a calm expression. "Please know that this wasn't to humiliate you. I only showed you what lies ahead for you if you are serious about magic."
Fred let out an incredulous laugh, leaning back on his hands. "You beat us blindfolded, Harry. Not one of us landed a single spell, and you even deflected the ones we sent your way. If this isn't humiliation, I don't know what is."
George groaned in agreement. "I mean, how are we even supposed to recover from this? We've been outdone by an eleven-year-old!"
Harry's lips twitched into a small smile. "What you felt wasn't humiliation. It was reality. This is what it looks like when you learn to control every ounce of your magical energy."
The group stared at him, expressions ranging from awe to disbelief. Harry continued, "Yes, I was blindfolded. But I wasn't blind. I spread my magical energy throughout the entire pitch before we began. Every movement you made, even the smallest flick of a finger, was clear to me in my mind, as though I were seeing it with my eyes."
He lazily flicked his hand, and the shimmering barrier surrounding Ron, Hermione, and Ginny dissipated. The trio walked over, Ron and Hermione wearing resigned expressions, while Ginny's awe hadn't diminished in the slightest.
Harry turned to Mr. and Mrs. Weasley, bowing slightly. "I apologize for taking this to such an extreme, but it was necessary to show you the gap. Without going this far, I wouldn't have been able to demonstrate the potential you all have if you truly commit to this."
Mr. Weasley straightened, wiping sweat from his brow. "I understand, Harry. It's just…" He trailed off, searching for the words.
"It's overwhelming," Mrs. Weasley finished for him, her voice soft. She glanced at her wand lying in the grass, then back at Harry. "To think there's so much more to magic than we've ever known."
Vernon, who had remained unusually silent, finally spoke. "This... control you speak of... it's not just about spells, is it?"
"No, its not." Harry replied. "Magic has never been about spells, Dad. This is what most people tend to overlook."
"Remember, where magic originated from... The spells we do today are inventions of people who learnt what magic is at the core." Harry explained. "Let's make it simple, do you think that a person who has no idea how money works would be able to run a business?"
Vernon frowned. "No, of course not. You'd need to understand how it flows, how to manage it."
Harry nodded, "Exactly. Magic is the same. If you don't understand how it flows through you, how it reacts to your intent, or how to shape it at its most basic level, then all you're doing is mimicking someone else's understanding—using spells without grasping their true potential."
Mrs. Weasley looked intrigued, "So, what you're saying, Harry, is that spells are just... shortcuts?"
Harry's eyes brightened, impressed by her insight. "Yes, Mrs. Weasley. Spells are structured frameworks, designed by witches and wizards who understood magic at its core. They codified their knowledge into words, wand movements, and intent so others could replicate it. But magic itself? It doesn't need those things. It's instinctive. It's alive. It responds to your will."
Fred tilted his head, considering this. "So, you're saying we're all just parroting what other people figured out?"
"Not entirely," Harry said with a small smile. "Think of it like this—you're copying an existing painting. But does that mean you have no idea what painting is? Of course not. You have a faint understanding—how colors work, how they blend, and how to use a brush. That's the only reason you're able to replicate that painting in the first place."
Everyone nodded slowly, their attention fully on him.
Harry continued, his voice carrying an almost hypnotic quality. "Now, imagine instead of just copying the painting, you truly dive into it. You don't just look at the brushstrokes; you feel them. You see the scene through the artist's eyes. You understand why they chose those colors, that perspective, and how they blended everything together. You connect with the vision, the emotion, the essence of the art."
The group exchanged thoughtful glances, the analogy clearly resonating.
Harry continued. "That's the difference between using magic as it's taught and truly understanding it. Spells are like someone else's painting—they're beautiful, functional, and effective. But they're not yours. When you learn to feel magic, to understand it as deeply as an artist knows their canvas, you stop just replicating someone else's work. You create. You innovate. You become the master of your craft."
George scratched his head. "But how do we dive in? What does that even look like when it comes to magic?"
Harry smiled, "That's what I'll teach you. I'll teach you how to feel your magical energy and how to manipulate it anyway you want."
Vernon, who had been watching Harry intently, leaned forward. "And this is how you've... done what you've done? Dominate a dragon, fight blindfolded?"
Harry chuckled nervously. "No, Dad. Well...uh... To be completely honest... that was not control but well... raw power"
Vernon raised an eyebrow, his expression skeptical but intrigued. "Raw power? So, you're saying you can just brute force your way through magic?"
Harry sighed. "Don't think that you will be able to do everything you see me do, because sometimes even I don't know how I do what I do."
"I am not sure whether you will always be able to do what I show you because, my case is a bit different." Harry replied. "As you already know Dad, after I went through the core transformation... well you know where I stand currently." He said not wanting to delve deeper into the topic, because he couldn't just tell them about his limitless core and set an expectation for them to have something similar.
Vernon nodded as he remembered the conversation with Dumbledore. Apart from him, only Hermione and Ron understood what Harry was referring to.
"But leaving that, I can't exactly give you the exact detail of what will happen when YOU reach the extreme point of control for YOUR own magic," Harry said with a smile. "But I can tell you this, the magic you are currently using isn't even 10% of what you are capable of."
The group stared at Harry, their expressions a mix of disbelief and curiosity. Mrs. Weasley, ever the motherly figure, frowned. "Not even 10%? Harry, that sounds… impossible. How would we even begin to tap into the rest of it?"
Harry's smile softened. "It's not impossible, Mrs. Weasley. Magic isn't just about wand movements or incantations. It's about intent, understanding, and connection. Right now, you're relying on what you've been taught, what's written in textbooks. But magic goes beyond that—it's alive, flowing, and unique to each of you."
Percy adjusted his glasses, his skepticism evident. "So, you're saying the magic we've been taught to use is… limited? How do you propose we break past that?"
Harry spread his hands, his tone patient but firm. "You start by listening to your magic. Right now, you're telling it what to do through spells. But have you ever stopped to feel it? To understand how it reacts when you cast a spell, or how it moves through you when you're emotional?"
Fred snorted. "Sounds a bit touchy-feely for my taste."
Harry chuckled. "Maybe, but it's the truth. The more you connect with your magic, the more it will respond to you. It's like building a partnership. When you trust it, and it trusts you, you'll start to see what you're really capable of."
Ginny tilted her head, her voice quiet but curious. "And what about you? When did you realize this?"
Harry's expression grew thoughtful. "It wasn't all at once. I had to learn the basics of magic, clear my understanding of magic. But it was before I joined Hogwarts. I read a lot of books to clear my understanding but I'll say again, I cannot guarantee that you will be able to do whatever I do, because I suspect that its my innate ability to be able to connect with magic more easily. But I can guarantee this, once you are able to feel magic and manipulate it the way you want, you will be on another league."
Vernon crossed his arms, his tone gruff but genuinely interested. "So, what you're saying is, we've all been walking around with a Nimbus 2000, but we have only used it like a Cleansweep One."
Harry grinned. "Exactly, Dad. And it's time you learned how to ride it like a Nimbus 2000."
Everyone stared at Harry, not knowing what to say. Harry smiled and shot a collective energising charm at the group, completely releaving them of their exhaustion.
Fred and George exchanged a look, "Alright, Harry. How do we start?"
Harry clapped his hands together, "Alright, first things first—let's head inside. We've wrapped up the duel, and I don't want anyone passing out on me. The energising charm can only do so much, and I'm not looking forward to mum's wrath if you all end up worse for wear."
The group nodded, still buzzing from the magical boost but clearly feeling the lingering weight of exhaustion. They trudged back toward the mansion, some rubbing at sore shoulders or stretching their arms. As they reached the front door, Harry stopped abruptly, turning to face them with a playful smirk.
"Hold it," he said, raising his hand. "If we walk in like this, Mum's going to have my head on a platter. I don't think she has ever seen this much dirt on a wizard before."
This earned him a few chuckles. Vernon replied, "Yeah, she will have my head along with yours on that platter son."
Fred quipped, "You'd think after fighting you blindfolded, the least you'd do is let us rest in peace."
"Oh, you will hardly have any rest for a while now, my dear brothers." Harry replied with a smirk. He snapped his fingers, casting cleaning and drying charms at the entire group. Dust and grime vanished, their robes smoothed out, and everyone looked fresh again—at least on the outside. Even as they appeared pristine, the charm did nothing to erase the aches in their muscles or the weight of fatigue pressing on their limbs.
"Brilliant," George said, inspecting himself. "Can we have this spell for post-Quidditch matches?"
"I'll consider it," Harry said with a grin. "Now, come on."
Harry led the group back to the living room. As soon as they stepped in, everyone gravitated toward the couches, too drained to care about decorum. Fred and George flopped dramatically onto the floor, spreading out as if they'd just run a marathon. Percy who was always formal, just collapsed on one of the armchairs. Mrs. Weasley sank into another plush armchair, signing deeply. Mr. Weasley and Vernon took one of the long couch, each hogging half. Only Ron, Hermione and Ginny were not exhausted and just took the remaining chairs.
Harry watched the scene and chuckled. "You lot look like you've been through a war."
Percy, despite his exhaustion, managed a retort. "Some of us feel like we have."
Harry laughed and told the twins to flip over from the center.
The twins groaned in unison, shooting Harry matching glares. "You're a tyrant, you know that?" Fred muttered as he flopped over onto his side.
"Absolutely heartless," George added, dragging himself to the edge of the room.
Harry chuckled, waving his wand. "I'll make it up to you—with food."
With a wave of his wand, a long elegant table appeared in the center of the room. The couches, armchairs and all the seats shifted seamlessly, gliding into position around the table. He also made sure to bring out an extra few armchairs.
"Better?" Harry asked, grinning.
"Marginally," Fred replied, settling into his new position with exaggerated effort.
Before anyone could comment further, Harry called out, "Moppy!"
With a soft pop, Moppy appeared, bowing to Harry. "Master Harry called Moppy?"
Harry gave her a smile. "Moppy, Loppy must have told you guys about the food arrangement right? Can you bring out the food?"
Moppy nodded, "Right away, Master Harry!" She vanished with another pop.
Moments later, she reappeared, accompanied by several other elves, all carrying silver trays laden with food. Plates, cutlery, and napkins floated down from the air, setting themselves perfectly in front of each person. The smell of freshly baked bread, sizzling bacon, and warm syrup filled the room, causing stomachs to rumble audibly.
The elves worked swiftly, laying out platters of scrambled eggs, crispy bacon, sausages, pancakes, waffles, fresh fruit, and pastries. There were pitchers of chilled pumpkin juice, steaming tea, and a large carafe of rich coffee.
"Bloody brilliant," Ron said, already reaching for the nearest plate of sausages.
Ginny, seated next to him, nudged him with a smirk. "At least let everyone grab something before you inhale it all."
Harry sat down beside Percy and began eating. Hermione took a bite of her sandwich. "You've really thought this through, haven't you?" she asked.
"Had to," Harry replied, sipping a cup of tea. "You can't train on an empty stomach, and you definitely can't recover properly without eating. Food's as much a part of magic as wands and incantations."
"That's deep, mate," Fred said around a mouthful of pancake.
"It's also very true," Mrs. Weasley added approvingly. "This is exactly what you all needed. Thank you, Harry."
Harry waved off the praise. "You'll need the energy for what's coming next. I won't lie—the training's going to get harder."
Percy arched an eyebrow. "Harder than blindfolded duels?"
Harry grinned. "Oh, much harder."