Harry Potter Breaking Free

At first Harry was shocked that the Healer knew all about the Dursley's particular form of parenting, but when he really thought about it he shouldn't have been. He'd been a patient of hers often enough in the past and his many, many scars weren't exactly... subtle. In that moment, while Madam Pomfrey was flying to his defense, he grew to love the woman like family.

For the last three years, Madam Pomfrey had spent the lion's share of her time completely livid with Dumbledore over Harry James Potter. She was a professional so she could easily see the signs of terrible abuse every time the boy was in her care. She'd informed Dumbledore immediately after meeting Harry for the first time, but Albus had said that it was under control and necessary for the boy's own protection. Gods only know what nonsensical plan Dumbledore was referring to, but Pomfrey was determined to finally make the man see reason.

Turning towards the stubborn old Headmaster again, Pomfrey gave the elderly man her most no nonsense look. "Look. There's a second reason why Harry can't go to his muggle neighborhood right now and it's more immediately pressing. Harry has to retrain his magic all summer starting immediately. As things stand now he has zero control over his magical aura-shroud. Even though his shroud isn't actually all that dangerous, if Harry steps foot in a Muggle populated area of Britain, he'll destroy the statute of secrecy almost immediately."

Dumbledore couldn't help himself. He looked at Poppy curiously.

Rolling her eyes at the Headmaster's willful ignorance, Madam Pomfrey gestured towards the old wizard with both of her hands. "Oh come on Albus. Isn't it obvious? Even you would find it almost impossible to project an aura shroud like the one Harry's currently releasing. Keep in mind I'm talking about maintaining this level of shroud for mere moments, not the casual way that Harry's filling this room. It's completely absurd how widespread and hungry Harry's magic has become and I'd wager it's a direct result of him surviving the binding. In order to get literally anything magical done, including living and growing, Harry's core has had to push magic outwards like it was the end of the world, all day, every day! Now that the bindings containing his magic are destroyed, this has become Harry's new normal."

Madam Pomfrey gestured expansively at the cloud of ambient magic that they were all just standing around in. "Harry Potter has no idea what it even feels like not to be forcing out every scrap of his magic, at full power, at all times. The fact that he could get out of bed in the morning, walk, talk, go to classes, focus in those classes, play Quidditch for Gods' sakes, it's all remarkable beyond measure."

Everyone in the room took a moment to fully digest just how incredible it was that Harry was alive, intelligent and sane. They all collapsed where they were, exhausted because of what they'd just learned. Dumbledore, Hermione and Madam Pomfrey just sat there, feeling like they were magically rubbing up against Harry.

After a few quiet moments passed, Harry projected to Hermione how much it'd meant to him when she'd had his back during second year. When everyone else in the school had forsaken him as the so-called "Heir of Slytherin," Hermione had been the only person who didn't shy away.

While Hermione didn't know the exact memory that Harry was thinking about, the fact that he cared about her was obvious. Over the next couple of seconds, she found herself smiling and sobbing at exactly the same time.

Turning back towards Harry, Dumbledore shrugged in an expressive way. "Well... There's three more days in the school term Harry, but I'm sorry to inform you, you're going to be staying here (he gestured to the ward). I'll find some Occlumency books for you to study in the meantime. They've just become extremely important to you, if you ever want to exist normally amongst your peers..."

"Occlumency," Harry repeated, without any recognition in his voice.

"Yes," Dumbledore replied, in a rare businesslike tone. "Occlumency is a brand of magic centered around controlling your mind and your thoughts. At a basic level it's only intended to protect your thoughts from mind reading. In the wizarding world mind reading is called Leglimency. At Occlumency's most advanced levels, you can build a Mindscape and attain broader control of your body, memories, emotions and most importantly for you Harry, your magic." Dumbledore laughed, even as he shook his head. "Well, at least you'll be motivated Harry. Unless... You don't want to walk into the Great Hall and magically rub up against all of the girls, in every house, all at once, do you?"

After turning vaguely white at the prospect, Harry laughed and shook his head. "That sounds extremely dangerous sir."

"Exactly," Dumbledore replied, with a smile.