Harry Potter and the Way of Things

Chapter 2: Discovering Magic

Original AN: Hey guys. I see that you liked the first chapter. Hope the second one is not a dissapointment. A special thanx to my beta Rafessor, who I have not heard from in a bit. Chapter 3 is on its way

My An: Rafessor is my Fanfic Account. I usually go by Anony. Check it out if you want.

I've done it! I've finally done it! I can unlock the cupboard! Harry peaked through the crack of his cupboard door, making sure no one could see him, despite the fact he knew all three of his 'family members' were asleep upstairs. That first night Harry had eaten as much food as he dared, more calories than he'd ever eaten at once. He had two apples, core and all, two pieces of bread, with peanut butter, and a piece or two of lunch meat.

Harry started to do this daily, even daring to leave the house more and more often, taking increasingly longer jogs around the neighborhood. It was on one of these late night/early morning jogs that Harry came across the library of Little Whinging. His Primary school teacher had a personal library that she lets students borrow from, but only storybooks occupied her shelves. This though, this was a whole building full of useful books! Books that, if he played his cards right, he could take back to the cupboard. No more long hours of endless boredom.

Harry did not step foot inside the library for a whole two weeks after he had discovered it. Instead, he spent his time behind the park, on the ground, sitting perfectly still. Whenever a small rodent would come by, he would try and reach out with his mind and his energy, focusing it for a purpose. Come closer he would push the thought, the command, at the rodent with all of his mental fortitude. Results varied, wildly at first, then becoming more consistent.

He established a link with a small fox one day. At first the command was simple. Stay, he thought at the fox. He had practiced this for hours a day, days a week, for three months. This would be the final test of his "thought thread", as he called it in his mind. He altered the command, Come Closer. The fox trotted over to his cross-legged form. Balance on your back legs. Spin around.

The fox rose up on his hind legs. A little clumsily it wobbled in a circle, and fell back onto all fours. Harry blinked a few times and released the "thought thread". The fox shook its head and trotted off into the forest. Success.

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Harry entered the library for the first time and looked around. The place was filled to the brim with books. Not scattered around haphazardly, but neatly organized on bookshelves, in rows upon rows. Harry was happy to have finally come here. His patience was wearing thin with his 'training', and so he was quite happy to have part one accomplished. Now came part two. Part two's end goal was to obtain a library card.

He knew neither Uncle Vernon, nor Aunt Petunia would sign for it. So he had to 'convince' the librarian otherwise. Harry was aware that human minds were much more complex than the minds of animals. So, after his success with the fox, he was moving onto people. He thought about trying it on the librarian first, but decided against it. No need to risk discovery.

So Harry spent the next few days in the library, sending 'thought threads' at people who came in. The suggestions were simple, though more difficult than with the fox. He would send thoughts like 'pick the book up' or 'ask the librarian for help'. They were much harder to get through to people then animals. He tried to keep his suggestions within the realm of things you do in a library. There was no need to make someone cluck like a chicken or something equally ridiculous, even though it would be entertaining.

Eventually, he got them to comply with more complex suggestions such as 'ask the librarian for the tale of two cities' and 'check out these three books'. He assumed they were harder to send because it's not something those people might have done otherwise.