chapter 25 - A day at the Zoo

The sky was clear as Harry joined his family on a rare outing to the zoo. Today, besides the familiar faces of his relatives, there was a new one—a curious girl named Hermione, about ten years old, who had only just begun to sense that the world held more than met the eye. In her eyes, magic was nothing more than an elaborate trick, a mysterious performance beyond her current understanding.

Inside the reptile house, murmurs of concern filled the air. A section of the gate had malfunctioned, trapping a slender snake that writhed in mild panic. Visitors whispered and a zookeeper fumbled with a stubborn lock, growing increasingly agitated.

Harry's gaze sharpened. "I can help without drawing too much attention," he thought. Stepping forward, he approached the troubled gate. In a quiet yet focused moment, he extended his hand toward the lock, channeling his innate power. The lock clicked open, and the gate swung free, allowing the snake to slither out.

A ripple of surprise passed through the crowd. Hermione's eyes went wide as she stared at the scene, her mind racing. She leaned toward a nearby display and whispered, "That was incredible... like a magic trick."

Unsure of how to explain without revealing too much, Harry replied softly, "I just fixed it." His tone was ambiguous enough to satisfy her immediate curiosity without delving into truths she wasn't ready to hear.

Hermione hesitated, then asked in a hushed voice, "Are you an entertainer, or is that something else?"

Harry offered a gentle smile and said, "Maybe one day I'll explain, but for now, it's just something I can do."

Her brow furrowed in puzzled wonder. "It all seems so mysterious... I wish I could understand it better."

Harry's eyes sparkled with unspoken secrets as he replied, "Some mysteries are meant to be discovered in time. For now, just know that there are things in this world that go beyond ordinary explanations."

As the commotion settled and the zookeeper secured the area, Hermione lingered for a moment, still absorbing the inexplicable event. Though she lacked the knowledge to call it magic, a spark of wonder had been kindled within her—a spark that promised future revelations.

For Harry, the day was not just about quietly fixing a minor mishap; it was also a reminder that even those uninitiated into the magical world could feel its allure. As the family moved on, Harry cast a final, thoughtful glance in Hermione's direction, silently vowing that one day, when the time was right, he would help her uncover the secrets hidden behind what she now only called "mysterious magic."