The moment Harry stepped into Knockturn Alley, a familiar chime echoed softly in his ears.
[You have discovered: Knockturn Alley]
[New Zone Unlocked – Exploration Reward: +500 EXP]
[Objective: Familiarize yourself with Knockturn Alley landmarks – 0/10 discovered]
Harry blinked at the glowing blue window hovering in front of him.
"Five hundred?" he whispered. That was double what he had earned from Diagon Alley.
More risk, more reward.
He dismissed the notification and looked around cautiously. Unlike the bright, polished streets of Diagon Alley, Knockturn Alley was dense, narrow, and cloaked in a permanent haze. People moved like shadows here—hooded, cloaked, many eyeing him with cold, calculating gazes.
Harry stuck close to Sam.
"Don't stare back," Sam muttered as they weaved through the crowd. "They'll take it as a challenge."
Harry nodded. Some of the passersby looked more like beasts than men. Wand handles peeked from inside cloaks, silver chains clinked around pockets, and a few carried what Harry was sure were shrunken heads or dried magical parts tied to their belts.
Soon, they stopped in front of a shop. A wooden sign creaked in the wind above them:
Keller's Curios – Rare Ingredients, Exotic Beasts, Unusual Finds
As soon as Harry's gaze locked onto the sign, another soft chime echoed in his mind.
[Landmark Discovered (1/10): Keller's Curios]
New Category Unlocked: Unusual Finds
+50 EXP
Harry glanced at the worn door and then up at Sam. "So this is your store?"
Sam grinned proudly and pushed open the door. "Welcome to our little empire."
Harry followed him inside—and froze.
"Regina?"
She stood behind the counter, rearranging vials of powdered root and glowing leaves, and looked up, equally surprised.
"Harry?" she blinked, then smiled. "What are you doing here?"
"I should ask you the same," Harry replied, still stunned. "What are you doing here?"
"I work here now," she said simply, wiping her hands on a cloth.
Harry turned to Sam, eyebrows raised.
Sam shrugged. "Store needed help. She needed work. Worked out perfectly."
For a moment, Harry said nothing. Then he smiled—wide and genuine. Regina working in a magical shop… it felt right. She looked confident, busy, and—most importantly—happy.
Harry knew he was very close to leveling up. One more landmark. One more encounter. And Level 13 was his.
They went to see the apartment that was on the selling list. It was a narrow two-room place above a dusty robe shop, with creaky floorboards and no proper space for potion work. Harry frowned as he looked around, unimpressed.
"It's too small," he said simply.
Sam nodded. "Knew you'd say that."
The wizard who was showing the property scratched his head awkwardly. "Well, if you're looking for something bigger for the same price, there's one further down the alley. Bit deeper in Knockturn, but spacious."
Sam immediately turned tense. "Deeper in Knockturn?" he repeated. "No. Absolutely not. That's not a place for a kid to live, no matter how many monsters you've killed."
But Harry was already walking. "I want to see it," he said. "I can handle myself."
As they walked deeper into the twisting spine of Knockturn Alley, the atmosphere changed. Fewer shops, more shadows. The people here didn't just give him unfriendly looks—they stopped and stared. But Harry kept walking, his hand close to his inventory.
On the way, they passed a narrow building with greenish windows and a crooked sign. The moment Harry looked up at it, a soft ding sounded in his ear and a glowing blue window appeared.
[Landmark Discovered (2/10): Hawthorn Apothecary]
Potion Ingredient Vendor Unlocked – Crafting Boost
+50 EXP
Harry felt a familiar tingling sensation all over his body, he levelled up.
[Status Window]
[Name: Harry James Potter ]
[Level: 13]
[EXP: 0 / 1300]
[Class: Necromancer]
[Title: The Silent Butcher]
[HP: 480 / 480]
[MP: 840 / 840]
[Stamina: 300 / 300]
[Strength: 25]
[Dexterity: 26]
[Intelligence: 35]
[Wisdom: 29]
[Endurance: 28]
[Luck: 23]
[Charisma: 16]
[Currency: £: 410 / G: 4112 / S: 8]
[Skill List]
[Shadow Veil] – Lv. 7
[Death Ward] – Lv. 5
[Soul Drain] – Lv. 3
[Bone Spear] – Lv. 5
[Wraith Flight] – Lv. 10
[Wind Step] – Lv. 9
[Poison Mist Attack] – Lv. 6
[Fireball] – Lv. 8
[Water Shield] – Lv. 6
[Observe] – Lv. 7
[ID Create] – Lv. 4
[ID Escape] – Lv. 4
[Stat Points to Distribute]: 0
As they walked further into the heart of Knockturn Alley, Harry's eyes caught sight of a narrow two-story building tucked between two crooked potion shops. A wooden sign hung over the door, slightly faded but still readable:
"Property for Sale"
Harry slowed down and pointed.
"That one. What about that store?"
The agent raised an eyebrow. "That? That's not an apartment—it's a storefront. The previous owner was arrested last year for selling illegal potions. Been empty since."
Harry stepped closer and examined the building with a curious gaze.
The storefront had a large bay window facing the alley and a chimney that suggested a working fireplace. Something about it called to him.
"Can we see inside?"
The agent sighed but nodded. "Sure. But keep in mind, it's not been maintained."
They entered, and Harry's imagination sparked instantly.
The front area had wide windows with iron grilles, letting in a surprising amount of light for Knockturn Alley. There was an old counter pushed to the side and a dusty fireplace, perfect to turn into a cozy living room.
Behind it was a back room—small, but just enough to convert into a kitchen and dining area. The worn stone walls still had the iron hooks used to hang cauldrons and jars.
They climbed a creaking staircase to the second floor, which had two modest bedrooms and a common bathroom with copper pipes and a tiny bathtub. It wasn't luxurious, but it was something Harry could call his own.
"How much are they asking?" Harry asked.
The agent flipped through the parchment in his hands. "2,750 Galleons. Since it was previously seized by the Ministry, they're eager to offload it."
Harry didn't answer immediately. Instead, he took the time to sit down at the dusty counter, pulled out his inventory pouch, and withdrew a big pouch holding his gold.
He reviewed the contract. Every clause. Every paragraph.
Then he picked up the enchanted quill offered to him by the agent and signed:
Harry James Potter
[Achievement Unlocked: Homeowner]
You've purchased your first property in the wizarding world!
New features unlocked: Home Management Menu, Furniture Placement, Ward Configuration
+300 EXP
And just like that, Harry owned a home in Knockturn Alley.
Not just any home—but one with potential. A future shop downstairs. A quiet space upstairs. A base of operations. And maybe, finally… a little peace.
After signing the deed, the very first thing Harry did was pull up his system interface and mark a new [Exit Point]—a fast-travel gateway—to his newly acquired Knockturn Alley property.
[Exit Point Established: Potter Residence – Knockturn Alley]
You may now teleport here from any accessible dungeon zone or safe house
Cooldown: 12 Hours
Next, Harry walked the perimeter of his two-story building and began placing down warding stones. They were salvaged from the goblin camp weeks ago, and even though his knowledge in warding was still beginner-level, he figured:
"Something's better than nothing."
He activated the glyphs with a whisper of magic and watched faint golden lines shimmer briefly across the boundary of the house before vanishing from sight.
[Goblin Warding Glyphs Activated]
Basic intrusion protection + cursed item detection enabled
Effectiveness: 37% (based on user proficiency)
Just then, Sam walked over from the street, admiring the structure.
"So, when are you moving in?" Sam asked, folding his arms, clearly pleased at how fast things were progressing.
Harry shook his head.
"Not yet. This place still looks like a haunted potion shop. I want it cheerful. Warm. Like home."
They headed toward Gringotts Wizarding Bank to convert some Galleons into Muggle currency. As usual, the goblins behind the counters gave Harry a long, suspicious look—but said nothing.
Harry filled out a short parchment slip, placed 1,000 Galleons on the table, and after a few moments, the goblin teller handed him back a magically shielded leather pouch.
Inside was exactly £5,000.
While they exited the bank, Sam mentioned something unexpected.
"You know… the werewolves offered to help clean and renovate the house. They insisted. Said it's the least they could do."
Harry was pleasantly surprised. Maybe Sam might have mentioned them that he is buying his own property – harry thought.
"Alright then," he said, and pulled out a folded parchment with renovation plans he sketched last night.
"I want the entire floor and staircase replaced—no more creaky wood. Paint all the walls white. Replace every windowpane with new glass. No cracks, no dust. I'm trusting you, Sam."
Sam gave a lazy salute.
"You got it, boss."
Harry handed over a pouch with enough gold and Muggle money to handle the material purchases.
And with that, he left the property—for now—already imagining the cozy firelit living room, fresh walls, and a new chapter of life hidden in the shadows of Knockturn Alley.
A week passed.
Harry stood in front of his Knockturn Alley property again, but this time, it didn't look like an abandoned shop haunted by potion fumes. From the outside, it still blended perfectly with the grim, shadowy vibe of the alley—dark bricks, an iron lantern, and a dusty wooden board. But the moment Harry stepped through the front door, his eyes widened.
Inside, it was exactly like he imagined.
White-painted walls gleamed under soft enchanted lights, and the newly replaced brown wooden floor gave the place a clean, warm feel. The creaky stairs were gone. Everything smelled like polish and subtle herbs.
But it was still missing something—furniture.
With Sam's permission, Harry brought Regina into the Muggle world. She was wearing a new scarf Sam gave her, clearly excited. Together, the two of them visited a large furniture mart just outside London.
Regina immediately took charge.
They bought sofas, curtains, carpets, rugs, beds, mattresses, and bookshelves. Then kitchenware, dining sets, lamps, wall hooks, cushions, and even some decorative plants.
It was endless.
Even Harry, who had faced goblins and griffins, looked helpless as Regina loaded another shopping cart.
Every item was directly stored into Harry's Inventory using the system prompt:
[New Item Acquired: Foldable Dining Set (x1)]
[New Item Acquired: Sofa Set – Ash Grey (x1)]
[Inventory Space: 58% Used]
The wizards handled the plumbing. Unlike the Muggle world, there were no water pipes—instead, the kitchen and bathroom had magical rune-stones that drew purified water directly from moisture in the air.
Hot water came from a fire rune array, and waste vanished through a miniature portal rune linked to a sanitation dimension. Efficient and invisible.
Once all the furniture was summoned and arranged, Harry stood in the middle of his new living room. The fireplace crackled. White curtains fluttered near the enchanted window. Upstairs, two bedrooms were fully furnished.
It no longer felt like Knockturn Alley.
It felt like home.
And even though his savings was nearly empty, Harry smiled.
It was worth it.
It was evening when someone rang the calling bell.
Harry, who had just finished organizing his some of the book he bought from Diagon alley on a shelf, walked to the door and opened it. Standing there was a familiar face—the real estate agent who had shown him the property.
"Ah, Mr. Potter!" the agent greeted with surprise, eyes widening as he glanced past Harry into the house. "Merlin's beard… is this the same place?"
Harry smiled and stepped aside. "Come in."
The agent walked in slowly, his eyes scanning the polished wooden floor, the enchanted white-painted walls, and the comfortable layout. The scent of lavender and warm wood filled the air.
"This is… remarkable," the man murmured. "Most buyers just throw a couch in and leave the walls peeling for months."
"So, what brings you here?" Harry asked as he poured him a cup of tea.
The agent reached into his bag and pulled out a sealed parchment. "I came to register your property into the Floo Network Registry and also help you understand how it works. Since you're the new homeowner, it's optional—but most magical homes prefer the convenience."
He then walked over to the fireplace.
"It's simple," the agent said, tapping the mantle with his wand. A green rune glowed briefly.
[Floo Point Activated: Potter Residence]
This location can now be used in the Floo Network.
Harry watched closely.
"You can activate or deactivate your Floo network at will," the man explained. "You can also restrict it to named individuals. Just say their name while touching the rune."
He demonstrated. "See? Now only Samuel Greaves can enter uninvited—assuming the Floo is active at the time."
Harry nodded and quickly learned how to:
Activate/Deactivate the Floo with a simple tap.
Add or remove allowed visitors.
Set the Floo to 'Outgoing Only' for safety.
A few prompts appeared as he followed the steps:
[Tutorial Complete: Floo Network – Basic Use]
+50 XP
New Feature Unlocked: Teleport Between Homes
The agent smiled, finished his tea, and asked casually, "So… when are you moving in permanently, Mr. Potter?"
Harry looked around his newly transformed home—cozy, modern, magical. It still smelled like new wood, and the magical plumbing and custom fireplace flickered gently. His safehouse marker was already set. Wards were in place. The house was quiet.
"Soon," Harry replied with a small grin.
He meant it.