For the first time in a very long time Madam Pomfrey wasn't a hundred percent sure. She had a theory of course, but it was just so fantastically improbable. Either way, the boy deserved an answer and she was going to give it to him. "Harry... I am a very qualified healer. I'm not just some ordinary school nurse, Hogwarts pays me extremely well to be here, because I have seen it all and I have done it all... That being said... I cannot definitively explain how you're both alive and as highly functioning as you are. The best I can do for now is a theory, which will need to be verified over the next few weeks. My theory is this. You have a very adaptable magical core, unbelievably versatile magic and more power than any ten fully matured adult wizards put together. I also think you may have more potential for wandless magic than Merlin did..."
Dumbledore's face quickly swiveled toward the elderly Healer. "How do you know this?"
Madam Pomfrey gave Dumbledore a frustrated look at his interruption. "Like I just said, I haven't confirmed anything yet. I only have a theory because it's literally the only way Harry could have lived past infancy. I think Harry's magical core refused to just give up. I think it began straining against the bindings, creating a series of small, fast repairing leaks time and time again. These leaks wouldn't have lasted long enough for any noticeable amount of magic to get through at any one time. Under normal circumstances only trace amounts of magic would've been released every time a leak was created. For that reason, I believe Harry's core was pushing and straining to create those leaks at max power twenty-four hours a day, all day, every day."
Madam Pomfrey turned back towards Harry as she finished her explanation. "Harry... What I've described would be the only way your core could provide enough magic to keep you both alive and developing."
As Harry digested everything he'd heard so far, Madam Pomfrey rubbed a comforting hand up and down his back. She wasn't finished her explanation yet, not by a long shot, but there was no need to overwhelm her charge.
A few moments later, when Harry appeared to understand what she'd already explained, Pomphrey turned back towards Dumbledore. "The next impossible thing toddler Harry accomplished would be what he did when he finally managed to force his magic out of the bindings..."
Pomfrey turned Harry's chin to her and addressed him directly. "Harry... Just because your magic leaked out of the bindings and was free of your core, doesn't mean it could've achieved anything alone... At that point it would've become separated from your magical core by the bindings. The magic would've become completely directionless with nothing to guide it, becoming what is commonly referred to as ambient, free floating, magic... Any of the magic floating directionless around your body would've needed to be manually or "intent ordered" into acting on your behalf. I personally believe magic is somewhat sentient, but for the purposes of regenerating and developing your infant body it would've needed real intent based directions from a wizard. What I'm about to say is a fact and is one of the irrefutable laws of magic. Your magic would NOT have just leaked out of your core and fixed you for no reason. Ambient magic just doesn't do that... EVER. You would have to have been willing the magic to do the things it did to keep you alive. I can't begin to explain how you were able to do it Harry. You, as an infant, through will power alone, forced the separated, directionless, ambient magic floating in and around you, to do very specific jobs as you grew up. You subconsciously, wandlessly, willed magic that was separate from you, to continually repair your bones, hair, organs, skin, brain, heart, the list goes on forever and you only would've been three years old at the time! I tend to believe your young age and ignorance actually helped you survive it all. You didn't know that it was supposed to be impossible... All you knew at the time was that you were in excruciating agony and you needed the pain to end."
When Madam Pomfrey turned back towards Dumbledore again, her face held nothing but a hundred percent certainty. "If Harry can't completely master wandless magic, then no one on earth can." Turning back towards Harry, Madam Pomfrey took a very deep breath. "Harry. This is going to be a very uncomfortable summer for you."
For the length of Madam Pomfrey's explanation, Dumbledore had been staring at Harry as if he was a zoo animal, but at the Healer's newest warning his head snapped towards her, with an audible crack of his neck. "You're not saying?..."
"Oh yes," Madam Pomfrey replied, with the exact same certainty as before. "Just like how a magical child grows much faster once free of even the weakest magical binding, Harry here is about to experience some extremely rapid development. Harry, I mean no offense when I say this, but you're a fourteen year old with the physical maturity of an eleven year old."
Harry could only nod his head because what Madam Pomfrey was saying was perfectly obvious to everyone.
After patting Harry on the shoulder again, Madam Pomfrey rose back to her feet. "Well, I'd wager that by the end of the summer, you'll look sixteen at the very least. I need you to understand this, Harry. Whether or not you're physically here (she gestured to the Hospital Wing). This summer I own you, body and soul. You will follow my every command. You will eat like a madman, take my disgusting magical health supplements and work out religiously in order to ensure you develop correctly. You'll need to do all of these things despite the fact that your body is going to pain you like Skelegro is being forced down your throat every morning. Harry, I know very well that you're tough... but this summer, I'm going to make you cry."
Pomfrey smiled at this point and patted the side of Harry's face. "I wouldn't even bother if you weren't worth it."
Dumbledore started trying to interject...
With no warning whatsoever, Madam Pomfrey rounded on Dumbledore with the ferocity of an alpha predator. "NO! The boy's situation is not under control Albus, you old fool! This is no time for Harry to be starved, beaten and locked up in his bedroom Albus! I will quit your service if you push me on this!"
Hermione gasped and her hands flew up to her face.