Seeing Gwen tilting her head curiously as she asked, Harry naturally couldn't tell her the truth and could only brush it off with a laugh:
"I learned some combat skills before. These are just techniques from my training back then."
He flexed his arms, pretending to be strong. The lean muscles under his clothes were tough as steel wires, yet they showed no visible bulk, making him appear almost frail:
"Surprised, huh? I'm pretty strong too!"
Gwen covered her mouth, giggling: "Hahaha, alright, you're the strongest! Well, it's time to say goodbye, see you tomorrow!"
Watching Gwen leave, Harry turned around and suddenly noticed his younger brother Peter looking upset. Concerned, he asked:
"What's wrong, Peter? Why do you look so down?"
Peter hesitated, struggling to find the right words, but finally spoke up:
"Harry, do I really have no talent for magic?"
As Harry's closest family member, Peter knew that his so-called part-time job wasn't about making money but about going to Kamar-Taj, the Sanctum of Magic, to learn the mystic arts.
He had once hoped to study magic alongside Harry, but to his disappointment, the Ancient One had refused him.
The Ancient One told him he had no talent for magic.
Given Harry's kind and considerate nature, he easily guessed what was troubling his brother. He patted Peter on the shoulder and reassured him:
"Don't worry, Peter. Even if you don't have a talent for magic, the Ancient One once said you have your own destiny. And your destiny is anything but ordinary!"
"But what could be more amazing than magic?" Peter said, lacking confidence.
Though the Ancient One had told him his future would be extraordinary, Peter always saw himself as an ordinary person. He wasn't some superhuman like the heroes in DC Comics, he had no extraordinary abilities.
Even today, when he tried to help a classmate, he would've been beaten up by Eugene if Harry hadn't stepped in!
Harry said earnestly, "Trust me, Peter. I have a feeling you'll become someone incredible in the future. You have qualities most people don't!"
Harry wasn't lying to Peter, he truly felt Peter was destined for greatness. He just needed the right opportunity.
Take today, for example. Even Harry couldn't say for sure whether he'd have had the courage to stand up like Peter did to help a bullied classmate if he were in his shoes.
That alone proved Peter was far more remarkable than most!
Harry always felt Peter had the potential to be a superhero. He just lacked the power to match.
At a street corner, Harry bid farewell to Peter, and under Peter's envious gaze, he headed toward the New York Sanctum.
In Greenwich Village at the heart of New York City, 177A Bleecker Street appeared to be an ordinary building.
It was a three-story Victorian-style brownstone townhouse, designed in French Baroque architecture with a mansard roof.
Apart from the peculiar circular skylight at the top of the building, everything else exuded a classical charm.
However, what most people didn't know was that this seemingly common classical stone building was, in the realm of magic, a nexus point connecting the multiverse and supernatural phenomena. It was also a crucial hub in the magical shield that protected Earth.
Of course, it was also another home for Harry in this world, second only to Uncle Ben's house in importance.
Upon entering the New York Sanctum, the space opened up dramatically.
Due to the mystical nature of the Sanctum, its interior was far more expansive than it appeared from the outside.
Harry moved upstairs with familiarity, exchanging casual greetings with the sorcerers along the way. Finally, he stepped through a fixed portal and instantly arrived at the Kamar-Taj Sanctum in the Himalayas.
Walking along the steps into the interior, he reached a spacious courtyard where the sorcerers, led by the Ancient One, had already begun their daily training as usual.
Without interrupting, Harry joined the formation and trained alongside them.
He stretched out a hand, and brilliant golden runes materialized in the air, intertwining and weaving together to form more complex runic structures.
Upon closer observation, it was clear that Harry was different from the others.
The other sorcerers wore dark golden rings, requiring two fingers to cast spells.
These rings, called sling rings, were the primary tools for spellcasting. When worn, they made it easier to communicate with other dimensions and borrow power from them.
Harry, however, cast spells without wearing these rings.
This wasn't because his magical prowess far surpassed that of the other sorcerers, but because he didn't borrow power from other dimensions. Instead, he used the magic within his own body to activate spells!
This was also why the Ancient One had taken him as a disciple, he was a natural-born spellcaster!
When the training ended, the sorcerers greeted Harry with warm smiles.
Just as he was popular at school, Harry was also the beloved favorite of many in Kamar-Taj.
"Hmph!"
Suddenly, a gloomy-faced middle-aged man walked past. Upon seeing Harry, he snorted coldly before striding away.
Harry's cheerful mood instantly soured. He couldn't understand why Kaecilius disliked him so much when he had never done anything to provoke him.
The detestable Kaecilius reminded Harry of his equally unpleasant Uncle Vernon and the Dursleys.
They were all the same, Harry had done nothing wrong, yet he was always met with their inexplicable malice.
However, when he spotted the kind-faced, middle-aged man walking behind Kaecilius, Harry broke into a genuine smile.
Fortunately, most people in the world were kind-hearted, unlike Kaecilius, who was full of hostility toward him. The Ancient One and Wong were proof of that!
If there was anyone in Kamar-Taj Harry was closest to besides the Ancient One, it was undoubtedly Wong.
When Harry was still young, Wong had patiently taught him and helped him refine his spells.
Most magic in Kamar-Taj relied on drawing power from specific dimensions. To cast spells using Harry's internal magic, the runic structures of the spells had to be modified in advance.
And Wong, the librarian of Kamar-Taj, was a master at this.
Wong watched Kaecilius' retreating figure with a heavy expression before turning to Harry with a gentle smile.
"Don't take it to heart, Harry. Kaecilius lost his wife and daughter, so his temper has always been like this. Aside from the Ancient One, he's unfriendly to everyone."
Harry nodded, accepting Wong's explanation.
Then, Wong led the way forward.
"Come, Harry. The Ancient One is waiting for you in the main hall. Your lesson today will be taught by the Ancient One personally."