The house was silent, save for the occasional creak of the settling wood. Harry lay in his cupboard, his mind focused, his breathing steady. This was the perfect time to test one of the Phoenix Force's subtler gifts—telepathy.
He had already learned to absorb knowledge from books, but this was different. Now, he would read the minds of those around him.
Closing his eyes, he let his consciousness stretch outward, searching for the familiar presence of the Dursleys. At first, it was a quiet hum—background noise of unspoken thoughts—but as he focused, their minds became clearer.
Petunia Dursley.
Her thoughts were a mess of contradictions. Envy. Worry. Jealousy. Beneath her usual coldness, he could feel something unexpected—concern. It wasn't warmth or love, but it wasn't hatred either. She cared about him, though she tried desperately to suppress it. Because of envy. Because of fear. She resented her sister's magic, envied Lily's brilliance, and feared what might happen if Harry grew powerful.
He's too much like her, she thought once, years ago. But I can't let him think he's special. If he embraces that… if he becomes like Lily… what then? What will that mean for us?
Harry let out a slow breath. He had expected something like this, but confirmation made it all the more real.
Vernon Dursley.
Harry grimaced as soon as he touched his uncle's mind. Pure, unfiltered arrogance and disdain. Unlike Petunia, Vernon had no hidden warmth—just bitterness. He saw Harry as a stain, an unwanted obligation. His thoughts were blunt, crude, and entirely self-serving.
"That boy is lucky we put a roof over his head.""Freaks, the lot of them. If I had my way, I'd have sent him off long ago.""As long as he knows his place, there won't be trouble."
No surprises there.
Dudley Dursley.
His cousin's mind was surprisingly easy to read. Unlike his parents, Dudley wasn't inherently cruel. He was childish, selfish, and desperate to impress his friends. He wanted to be seen as strong, as the leader of his little gang. Bullying Harry wasn't about hatred—it was about power.
"If Piers and the others think I'm tough, they'll respect me.""Dad always says Harry's a freak… so I should treat him like one, right?""But why doesn't he cry anymore? Why doesn't he fight back? That's no fun."
Harry withdrew, letting the thoughts fade into the background hum once more.
So, that was the truth of the people he lived with. His aunt could care, but she let envy and fear suppress it. His uncle was simply a bitter man with no redeeming qualities. His cousin was a spoiled child playing a role he barely understood.
Before withdrawing his connection he absorbed knowledge present in their brains either it is broken knowledge of Dudley or cooking knowledge of aunt or knowledge regarding work of his uncle. It wasn't much but he was still satisfied.
Good.
This was knowledge. And knowledge was power.
But tonight's tests weren't over yet.
He turned his focus to the second ability he wanted to test—telekinesis.
A torn scrap of paper lay beside him, barely visible in the dim light. Extending his fingers toward it, Harry reached out with his mind. He had no wand, no incantations—only willpower.
The paper twitched.
Harry exhaled slowly, steadying himself. Magic was like a muscle—control mattered more than force. He visualized the paper rising, imagined the energy around it bending to his will.
The scrap floated an inch into the air.
His heart beat faster.
Carefully, he moved it forward, then back. The motion was shaky, but it was real. The more he practiced, the more natural it would become.
He let the paper drift down gently, satisfied for now.
Telepathy worked. Telekinesis worked.
This was only the beginning.
As he lay back on his thin mattress, his mind sorted through everything he had learned. The Dursleys were exactly what he thought they were, but now he had proof. His aunt was weak, not cruel. His uncle was irredeemable. His cousin was a follower, not a leader.
He had no reason to care for them. But he also had no reason to waste his energy hating them.
Instead, he would focus on what mattered. Growing stronger. Smarter. More capable.
Everything else? That could wait