The ceramic dog stood safely on the mantlepiece, an improbable testament to a power Harry didn't fully understand. The flurry of notifications confirmed it wasn't a dream: [Subtle Item Manipulation Lv. 1]. An active skill. Costing MP. Manipulating objects with intent. Dexterity +1 permanent bonus. Level 9, 570/1600 EXP. MP now 28/33 from the activation cost.
The thrill warred with exhaustion and the ever-present tension of being at Privet Drive. Petunia was still fussing over the ornament, muttering about clumsy oafs (referring to Dudley, luckily for Harry), oblivious to the impossible thing that had just happened metres from her. Harry, melted into the background by [Stealth Lv. 5], used the opportunity to simply leave. Slipping out of the living room, leaving the bewildered Dursleys behind, felt like the ultimate demonstration of his proficiency.
He reached his cupboard, ducking inside, pulling the door almost shut for privacy. The silence was profound after the recent chaos. He sat on his thin blanket, reviewing the skill description again in his mind's eye. Subtle Item Manipulation Lv. 1. Short Range (~1 meter). 5 MP cost per attempt.
Five MP felt significant. He had 33 total MP now. Using this skill just six times would drain his entire pool, leaving him with zero MP Regen until it recovered at 2.8 MP per hour (plus whatever sleep granted). This wasn't something he could spam like practicing stealthy movement, which seemed to cost nothing beyond conscious effort and generated passive skill EXP over time. An active skill required resources. He needed to manage his MP carefully, especially for important [Observe] uses, or save it for practice.
He had to try it.
He looked around the cupboard. Nothing much to manipulate. His blanket? Too large. His old soldier toy? Maybe. He set the small, plastic soldier down about half a metre away on the floor. He took a deep breath, cleared his mind, focusing his entire will, his intent, on the soldier. Roll.
🔔 [Using Skill: Subtle Item Manipulation Lv. 1.]
[Intent Detected: Move Target Object.]
[Attempt Cost: 5 MP.] (MP: 28 --> 23)
Nothing happened. The soldier sat still. Was his intent not clear enough? Did he need more focus? The Skill Lv 1 too low? Or the soldier too heavy/gripped the floor too much? He remembered the dog, it was heavy but falling. Was 'stopping' easier than 'moving'?
He tried again, same focus. Roll!
🔔 [Using Skill: Subtle Item Manipulation Lv. 1.]
[Intent Detected: Move Target Object.]
[Attempt Cost: 5 MP.] (MP: 23 --> 18)
[Action Result: Minute physical shift in Target Object detected (Perception Difficulty: Very High).]
[Skill [Subtle Item Manipulation Lv. 1] Skill Experience Gained.]
[Dexterity (DEX) and Intelligence (INT) experience points gained via focused attempt.]
It was tiny. So tiny he almost missed it. The soldier hadn't rolled, but it had... tilted? Microscopic shift forward. Success? Barely. But the System said he gained Skill EXP for it, and even Stat EXP for DEX/INT! It worked.
He practiced sporadically over the next few days, whenever he had a moment completely alone. Weeding in the back garden, ensuring no one was watching (Stealth Lv 5, Situational Awareness Lv 4 active). He'd find a small pebble and try to nudge it with his mind. Or focus on a persistent dust bunny, willing it to slide towards his broom. Each attempt cost 5 MP. Some resulted in minuscule shifts, others nothing apparent. He learned to pace himself, not draining his MP entirely, ensuring he had enough for critical [Observe] uses or an unexpected high-tension evasion requiring maximal Skill output. Sleeping, he confirmed, fully restored his MP every night.
School became a useful practice ground too, when teachers weren't looking. Dropping his pencil case near his desk. Oops. Let me... Subtle Item Manipulation Lv. 1. Will it to nudge closer quietly. Sometimes it worked a tiny bit. He even tried influencing discarded bits of paper in the playground from a distance, slowly testing the ~1 metre range. Progress was slow, painstaking, and MP-hungry, but the [Subtle Item Manipulation Lv. 1] Skill Experience bar in his internal menu did steadily inch upwards.
This new active skill felt fundamentally different. Stealth and Awareness were about his state relative to the world. Evasion was about his movement. Pain Resistance was about his body's reaction. This was about changing the world, albeit in tiny ways. It felt like the most direct bridge yet between his System abilities and the inherent [Magical Essence] the System detected in him.
This was the start of Primary Quest Step 4: Investigate "Magic" as a System Category, by actively wielding something that felt undeniably like magic. His study of the hidden Hogwarts letter, ongoing whenever he retrieved it briefly (still securely hidden), gave him context. The letter mentioned 'spells'. Were spells just highly advanced forms of 'Subtle Item Manipulation'? Complex intentions, directed through a wand (perhaps an 'Ability Conduit: Magic Focus Item') and powered by MP? It felt like the puzzle pieces were slowly clicking into place.
His grind adjusted to incorporate the new skill.
Core Survival: Continual passive gains from chores, surviving Dursley/school threats (maintains Stealth, Evasion, Awareness, Pain Resistance Lvls; grants bulk low-mid EXP; ensures basic safety).
Intelligence/Investigation: Using [Observe] and natural wits (INT/WIS) to study his environment (home, school, rare outings), looking for PQ clues (Money, Diagon Alley details - ongoing PQ Step 2) or anomalous magic (PQ Step 4). Costs MP for complex Observe/long analysis.
Active Skill Practice: Dedicate some of daily MP pool to practicing Subtle Item Manipulation on various small, safe objects in private moments. Focus on intent, control, range. Gains SIM Skill EXP, DEX/INT/WIS EXP.
PQ Step Focus: Periodically review PQ objectives, think about next steps, plan investigations. Currently focused on Step 2 (Prerequisites/Supplies - linked to money/Diagon Alley info) and Step 4 (Investigate Magic - linked to SIM practice and anomaly detection).
Over the next couple of months, Harry threw himself into this refined grind. He still reached Level 10 within this period, gaining another set of stat bumps, more HP/MP, and his 7th Perk Point.
🔔 [TIME SKIP NOTED: Approximately 2 Months Have Passed.]
[Accumulated Experience from dedicated training and survival noted. Grind Intensity Maintained.]
[Level Ups achieved during period: 1 (Level 10)]
[Accumulated Bonus Stats and HP/MP from Leveling.]
[Perk Points Gained: 1 (Total Perk Points: 6 + 1 = 7)]
Harry reviewed his updated status near the end of the year 1989, shortly after turning ten.
📊 [STATS]
Name: Harry Potter
Level: 10
HP: 180/180 (Base 165 Lvl 9 + 15)
MP: 36/36 (Base 33 Lvl 9 + 3)
STR: 12 (Base 11 Lvl 9 + 1)
DEX: 17 (Base 16 Lvl 9 + 1)
INT: 17 (Base 16 Lvl 9 + 1)
WIS: 16 (Base 15 Lvl 9 + 1)
LUK: 25 (Base 24 Lvl 9 + 1)
CHA: 18 (Base 17 Lvl 9 + 1)
Experience: 250/2000 (Assuming Lvl 10 needs ~2000 EXP)
MP Regeneration: 3.0 MP per hour. (Increased slightly again).
Skills had advanced further with focused practice. [Stealth Lv. 6], [Agile Evasion Lv. 5], [Situational Awareness Lv. 5]. And his active skill: [Subtle Item Manipulation Lv. 2].
✨ [Subtle Item Manipulation Lv. 2 (Active)] ✨
Description: User can exert increased telekinetic-like influence over small to medium-sized non-living objects. Requires concentration. Effect strength dependent on object mass, distance, User Stats, Skill Level, and MP Cost.
Effect: Allows more reliable nudging, basic controlled movement, minor lifts/pushes of items within increased range (~1.5 meters). Reduced chance of unintended side effects.
Cost: 8 MP per use. (Cost increased with Leveling - represents more complex manipulation draining more MP).
The skill cost more MP now, but its range was better, and success was more frequent and reliable. He could make a pencil roll across his desk or nudge a light book off a low shelf with less effort, if still requiring focus and precious MP.
He had 7 Perk Points. He had improved significantly, gaining proficiency in manipulating objects with his mind. But the looming objectives remained. Understanding money to navigate Diagon Alley, finding Diagon Alley itself, understanding Magic as a System force... And preparing for September 1st.
Ten years old now. Less than a year until everything was supposed to change. The grind continued, intense and purposeful. He was Level 10, powerful in his small, hidden world, training actively, driven by the silent blue light of the System and the promise of a different life.