[Narrative] THR Day 2: Restoration
It had been late in the day when Harry had finally allowed himself to receive the cure. He'd been busy helping Spin's team recover more of the substance, taking out those strange shields, and repelling counterattacks by Tagruato.
Finally, though, the Healers had all been restored to full power, and many others besides, and at last it was Harry's turn. Taking the needle, he took a deep breath and pushed the antidote into his veins. He waited for a moment as nothing happened, and wondered if perhaps he had gotten a bad batch. Then, just as he turned to ask the person handing the stuff out, Harry froze as there was a sudden pulling sensation inside him, as if something was trying to break free.
One second after that Harry Dresden woke up for the first time in over sixth months.
The power didn't gradually built, growing from a trickle to it's full potential. It came in a flood. Raw power burned through Harry, reaching up to him, embracing him like an old friend. Before Harry had missed his power, but he'd gotten by, not really realizing just what he had been missing. For Harry his magic was not a tool, or some outside force to be manipulated, it was a fundamental part of who he was, shaping his identity and his very existence. Without it he was lessened, as if someone had ripped out a chunk of his soul and left him to fill the void with whatever scraps he could cobble together.
He'd been wrong. The feeling of having his power back was indescribable, like he was born anew, stronger than he had been in Manhattan, or even before. The lessons he had learned in the city had not been forgotten, learning how to adapt and use what little he had to its fullest. Harry had always had tremendous raw power for a wizard his age, yet he'd always lacked fine control.
Now, while he still did not have the delicate mastery of a master, or even a protegee like Molly, but the power he called came readily to him, and he found it more malleable, ready for him to shape it with thought and will.
Blinking, it was only then that Harry realized he had tears in his eyes, and a strange smile on his face.
This was more than being able to fight, he was whole again, and he could reach out and feel the power of all those around him and know that they felt the same way. Tagruato had taken something much more precious from all of them than just their belongings and their freedom, it had take away part of who they are. Now they had that back, there was nothing they couldn't accomplish.
Holding out his hand, Harry called light into it, and where before it had always been faded and sallow, now it shone forth to fill the halls with a brilliant warm light, the kind that filled days of hope and joy.
Tagruato was about to feel the wrath of an army of people who shaped worlds. Harry almost felt sorry for them.