The luck of Lightning
Chapter 2
A soft knock on the doorframe broke the silence, and he looked up to see Hermione and Ron standing there, their faces a picture of concern and excitement. They rushed to his side, a flurry of whispers and questions filling the air.
"Mate, we heard what happened," Ron said, his voice a mix of awe and fear. "Are you okay?"
Hermione, ever the rational one, took in Harry's unblemished state with a furrowed brow. "Your eyesight's improved and you're unscathed from a lightning bolt. This is...unheard of."
Ron's face was a mix of amazement and horror. "Harry, lightning is supposed to kill you, or at least leave you scarred for life!"
"I know," Harry said, feeling his heart racing as he thought about the bolt that had struck him. "But something... changed, let's go to the room of requirement and I'll tell you what's happened."
They exchanged a look of understanding and helped Harry out of bed, his legs feeling wobbly after three weeks of inactivity. Madam Pomfrey had given him the all-clear to leave the hospital wing, but only under the strictest supervision.
As they hurried down the corridor, Harry noticed something peculiar. His heart was racing, but not from exertion. It was as if his body was moving at a normal pace, yet his mind was processing everything at a speed that was almost overwhelming. The flicker of torches, the swish of robes, the murmurs of distant conversations - it was all beginning to happening in slow motion around him. Harry had to stop for a moment.
"You okay?" Hermione asked, her hand on his arm.
"Yeah," Harry said, taking a deep breath. "I just... I think I need to move."
Without another word, he took off at a sprint down the hallway, leaving Hermione and Ron gaping at the white lightning trail he had trailing after him in his wake. The world around him blurred into streaks of colour as he moved faster than he ever had before. It was exhilarating, but also terrifying. He could feel the wind rushing past his face, hear the distant echo of his own footsteps as if he were running in a tunnel. He came to a stop in front of the painting of Barnabas the Barney.
"Merlin's beard, Harry!" Ron exclaimed, panting as he and Hermione caught up. "What was that?"
"I don't know," Harry said, his voice shaking slightly. "Everything just... seemed to slow down." as he walked past the wall 3 times thinking of the room he wanted.
The wall shimmered and an archway appeared. Harry stepped through, followed by his friends. The Room of Requirement had transformed into a high-ceilinged chamber with a single roaring fireplace with 3 comfy seats Infront of it.
"Harry," Hermione began, her voice quivering slightly, "you were moving so fast... I don't know what happened, but it's not normal." she said as they all sat down.
Harry began to explain what Dumbledore had told him.
"Dumbledore said that the Felix Felicis potion interacted with the lightning, and now... I'm not sure what's happening to me," Harry said, his voice shaking slightly. "But it feels like everything is taking a whilst to happen, it appears I can move so much faster than before."
Hermione began to connect the dots. "The potion of luck and a lightning bolt... It's possible that it has given you some kind of enhanced kinetic physical ability, some kind of speed based on the white lightning trail you had coming off you," she mused, her brain already racing with the implications.
Ron's eyes widened at the thought of Harry being that fast, then he told them of one of the comics he had borrowed of Dean.
"It sounds like you're turning into some kind of superhero," Ron said, his voice filled with a mix of excitement and apprehension. "I've read about Muggles with powers like that. Dean had a Comic I think he called it, some person called Wally West his hero name was the flash. He was hit by lightning like you and covered in chemicals, he gained a connection to something called the Speed Force."
Hermione looked at Ron in shock after he finished his explanation, she was about to say something, but Harry was lost in his thoughts. He knew it wasn't a typical magic he had encountered before, and the thought of being connected to some sort of "Speed Force" and being a hero was both thrilling and daunting.
"Guys, I don't know if I'm ready for this," Harry said, his voice filled with uncertainty. "What if I can't control it? What if it gets me or someone else hurt?"
Hermione placed a comforting hand on Harry's arm. "We'll figure it out together," she said firmly. "But we need to be careful. We can't let anyone else know about this, not even the Order. It's too risky."
"Hermione's right Harry, don't tell anyone else, not even Dumbledore, he will only tell Snape then Voldemort will know" replied Ron with a look of concern.
"But we need to train you, to make sure you can control it," Hermione said, her mind already racing with ideas. "We need to find somewhere safe, somewhere we can experiment without being seen."
"We can just ask the room to change to suitable room to see what this power can do." said Ron, his voice filled with excitement.
"Good idea," Harry nodded, his eyes still wide with amazement.
They left The Room of Requirements. and Ron walked past 3 times thinking of Harry being connected to the Speed Force and being like the flash.
The wall shimmered once again, revealing a room that looked like a cross between a giant Quidditch pitch and a muggle obstacle course. The floor was lined a racetrack around the edge and the field was filled with various traps and hurdles, and the walls were adorned with moving images of the fastest things known to the world, from rockets to cheetahs. Harry's heart raced with excitement and a hint of trepidation.
They stepped into the room, and Harry took a deep breath, feeling the energy surge within him. "Alright," he said, "let's do this." as he started to run around the track.
Hermione and Ron watched in amazement as Harry's form blurred, leaving streaks of light in his wake. He zipped around the track, leaping over hurdles and weaving through obstacles with an ease that defied the laws of physics. The air around him crackled with static electricity, and the sound of his sneakers slapping the floor was replaced by a rhythmic thunderclap. Unfortunately, he discovered a problem with the effects his speed had on what he was wearing.
"Whoa!" Harry called out, his voice echoing around the chamber as he came to an abrupt stop, his shoes and clothing smoking slightly. "I think we've got a problem."
Ron and Hermione rushed over, their eyes wide with shock and excitement. "What's wrong?" Hermione asked, her eyes searching Harry for any signs of injury.
"Everything I'm wearing is falling apart," Harry said, holding up his smoking shoes. "I guess I'm moving too fast for muggle clothes to handle."
Ron's eyes lit up with mischief. "Better not tell your Aunt Petunia about that," he quipped, trying to lighten the mood.
Hermione, ever practical, suggested, "Perhaps we should find some magical gear that can withstand your new speed. in the meantime, the room should provide you with something to wear"
Harry asked the Room of Requirement for something that could handle his newfound speed. A set of gleaming silver boots and a sleek black suit with a silver lightning bolt on the centre of his chest with a tasteful design on it. It was a form-fitting suit appeared on a pedestal. Harry stepped into the outfit, feeling the material moulded to his body like a second skin. It was light and comfortable yet felt as if it could withstand the rigors of his new abilities.
"let's try this again" he said as he ran around the racetrack again, this time his feet barely touching the ground, leaving a trail of lightning behind him.
The fabric of the suit held firm, not even a thread out of place. The boots provided an unexpected grip, allowing him to make sharp turns without skidding. Harry felt a thrill he hadn't experienced before, a sense of boundless freedom and power. His heart was racing, not from fear, but from exhilaration. As he ran, he began so go even faster, he was quickly picking up speed.
Hermione and Ron watched with bated breath as Harry pushed the limits of his newfound speed. He was a blur of motion, a living embodiment of the lightning that had struck him. The room seemed to pulse with energy, the very air around him crackling with power. Suddenly, Harry disappeared in to a breach of light that appeared in front of Harry.
Harry didn't have time to react before he entered the breach.