As Harry walked deeper into the stone halls of Slytherin Castle, each echo of his footsteps felt like a whisper from the past — a whisper of ambition, cunning, and secrets buried beneath layers of time and dust. The walls were etched with ancient serpentine runes, barely glowing under the torchlight, and the winding corridors seemed to shift in layout, reacting faintly to his presence.
A subtle prompt appeared before him:
[Passive Effect Activated: Parseltongue Affinity]
Slytherin Castle recognizes you as a descendant of the Serpent's Tongue. Hidden passages and sealed doors will now respond to your presence.
The goblins around him didn't care. Their sharp eyes were on everything glittering or enchanted — wall sconces, silver plates, emerald-inlaid frames, broken wands, dust-covered armors. One goblin excitedly squealed after finding a cracked chamber pot bearing Slytherin's seal, already dreaming of the auction price.
They weren't here for legacy.
They were here for loot.
Harry knew it — the only reason this entire negotiation happened, the only reason they handed him this colossal ruin, was because goblins could not legally own land outside Gringotts territory. They had bought the land as a loophole — excavate first, profit later — and dump the deed on someone once the vaults were empty.
Someone like him.
"To them, this place is just a glorified treasure chest. A historical goldmine. Not a symbol. Not a legacy. Not a home. Just another ruin to drain dry."
Harry brushed his fingers along a mossy pillar, feeling the cold echo of old magic. He had been so caught up in quests and dungeons, hotels and potion brewing, that he never thought much about owning something this huge.
Now he had one.
A massive fortress, complete with 100-acre grounds, warded walls, deep dungeons, ancient bloodline magics, and a name that made every goblin at the feast hold their breath.
[System Notification]
Asset Gained: Slytherin Castle
Location: West Ravendale, Grimsby
Estate Size: 100 acres
Condition: Damaged
Current Status: Owner – Lord Harry James Potter Blackfyre
Suggested Action: Begin Renovation (Cost: 12,000 Galleons or Resource Contribution)
Bonus: +5 to Charisma when dealing with pure-blood Wizards and Dark Factions
He rubbed his eyes. He had a hotel. A magical one. A house in Knockturn alley. Gringotts Vaults. A private dimension. And now… a castle.
What the hell was he supposed to do with a castle?
He laughed quietly, earning a puzzled glance from a nearby goblin who was dragging a half-rotted painting.
"I'm just a kid. I'm eight. I'm running around slaying dungeon bosses, negotiating with goblins, and now I own a bloody castle once owned by one of the founders of Hogwarts."
"What am I even going to do with this place? Train an army? Build a school for werewolves children? Host parties like purebloods do?"
"Or maybe… maybe I turn this place into something new. Not what Slytherin built. Not what the goblins wanted to sell. But something mine."
As they descended into the deepest basement, the air grew thick with coiled power. Harry could feel it brushing against his skin like invisible serpents — old, powerful, untouched by time.
This was no ordinary ruin.
This was a legacy. And somehow, against all odds, it now belonged to him.
The second day beneath the ruins of Slytherin Castle began much like the first — with stone, dust, echoes of history, and goblins barking instructions.
[System Notification]
Quest: "The Serpent's Code" – Day 2/3
Objective: Assist Gringotts Excavation Team in opening all Parseltongue-locked areas of Slytherin Castle.
Progress: 12/20 Chambers Opened
Reward: Reputation with Gringotts +500 EXP, 1x Rare Magical Item (randomized), Bonus Reward if completed in under 3 days.
"Open."
"Open the door."
"Reveal yourself."
"Open in the name of Slytherin."
Harry's voice echoed through narrow corridors and hollow halls like a prophet unlocking buried truths. For each command whispered in Parseltongue, ancient stone grumbled and shifted. Runes glowed faintly. Dust exploded from cracks. Secret doors and vault-like chambers were slowly revealed, some behind walls, others under the floors or ceilings.
But after speaking the command, he was always stopped.
"Wait here," one of the goblins would say, holding out a clawed hand.
Harry obliged.
He wasn't allowed inside.
They didn't trust him, even though they needed him.
And that suited him just fine.
[Observe Activated]
Silverfanf, Gringotts Vault Seeker – Goblin – Level 12
Task: Artifact Recovery
Mood: Excited | Greedy | Distrustful
Harry leaned against a cold pillar as several goblins scurried into the newly revealed chamber, voices high with excitement. He could hear the sound of levitation charms and bags jingling with coins and metal. They were looting every corner with expert hands.
And Harry?
He just waited.
Because he had already scanned the entire dungeon.
Using [Observe] repeatedly in the basement of Slytherin Castle has revealed hidden spaces...
Undiscovered Secret Chambers: 12
Classified Room: "Serpent's Archive" – Hidden Library detected
Locked Room: "Slytherin's Laboratory" – Requires Parseltongue + Magical Signature
"They only know what they can see," Harry mused, a grin creeping across his face. "But I can see what they can't."
"They're bound by stone and contract. I'm not."
His heart beat with excitement. One room, in particular, stood out. It wasn't just warded — it was hidden inside a false wall, and the stone had layers of snake-scale patterns etched into it, patterns that pulsed when he got too close. And when he focused on it…
[Secret Room Identified]
The Serpent's Archive
Description: A hidden personal library created by Salazar Slytherin himself. Contains rare books, lost rituals, bloodline knowledge, and magical research.
Access Conditions: Must speak Parseltongue command ("Let wisdom rise from beneath the scales").
Danger Level: Unknown
He stared at that last line.
Danger Level: Unknown.
Even the system couldn't scan what was behind that wall.
"Whatever Slytherin wanted hidden… he hid it well."
"I'll play along for one more day. Open the rooms they've already found. Smile politely. Let them think I'm their obedient key."
"But when they're gone… I'll open the rest."
"And what's truly valuable in this castle — the legacy, the knowledge, the magic — that'll be mine."
As he was told to open the next chamber, Harry nodded, stepped up, and hissed:
"Open, in the name of Ssslytherin."
Another wall cracked and groaned, revealing a treasure vault.
The goblins cheered.
Harry smiled.
But in the back of his mind, he wasn't thinking about gold or cursed medallions or silver daggers.
He was thinking about the library, and the secrets it still held — secrets that hadn't seen light in centuries.
Secrets meant for a Parselmouth alone.
Harry awoke before the sun had fully risen, the cold breeze of early dawn drifting in from the cracked window of his private chamber in the upper levels of Slytherin Castle. The repairs were already underway. He could hear the distant chime of spells being cast, mortar sealing itself with magical adhesive, and runes being etched into walls by wand and goblin claw alike.
Daily Quest: Dueling Circle – Declined
You have declined the challenge for the Goblin Dueling Ritual.
Note: Goblins are suspicious of your status as Lord Blackfire. You are being watched.
Reputation with local Goblins: Neutral → Tense
"They think I don't know," Harry thought as he stirred his tea.
"If I get myself killed in a duel… the deed reverts to whoever filed the original purchase... them."
They weren't fools. Neither was he. Declining every challenge may look cowardly on the surface — but he had already proven his strength. He didn't need to flaunt it anymore.
All morning, Harry quietly observed the repairs being carried out under Gringotts' supervision.
The castle walls were being reinforced with granite stone, enchanted mortar, and subtle runic stabilizers. Workers were re-warding the outer perimeter with standard alarm wards, anti-Apparition seals, and flame-resistant barriers — all spelled with military-grade magic.
But Harry wasn't just standing around idly. As he watched and focused, his system rewarded him:
[Skill Level Up!]
Goblin Warding Style– Lv. 4 → Lv. 8
By observing advanced warding construction by professional wardmasters and goblin runesmiths, your understanding of magical barrier theory has greatly improved.
Bonus Effect: You now recognize 40% more hidden layers in complex wards.
"That's going to be useful…" Harry mused.
"Especially if I ever have to break into places like this."
[Quest Completed!]
Quest: The Serpent's Code – Completed
Opened all 20 Parseltongue-locked rooms within 3 days
Fulfilled all conditions in contract without interference
Rewards:
+500 EXP
Reputation with Gringotts +40
Item: Enchanted Blade of Goblin-Silver
Item: Salazar's Ring of Resistance
The goblins approached him just after noon with a sealed wooden box. One of the elder goblins, carrying the authority of Gringotts, opened it with a swipe of his clawed hand. Inside was a beautiful, curved short sword made of goblin-silver and etched with emerald inlays.
"Your reward," he said stiffly, "as promised by the pact. And this…"
He pulled out a smaller black velvet case.
"…is from the vault marked Only to the Serpent's Kin. You opened it. The item deemed you worthy."
Harry opened the box.
[Item Acquired]
Salazar's Ring of Resistance
Type: Magical Accessory – Unique
Quality: Legendary
Effects:
+30% Resistance to Poison
+25% Resistance to Mental Control Spells
Passive Effect: Serpent's Favor – Wild magical snakes will not attack unless provoked.
Passive Effect: Enchantment Lattice – Amplifies the strength of up to 3 ring-based enchantments equipped.
Bound: Yes
Harry slipped the ring on his right hand.
It shimmered once, glowing with ancient Slytherin runes — before fading into subtle invisibility.
It was a perfect fit.
"Not bad for a job that only involved saying a few words in Parseltongue."
"Now let's see what secrets you left behind, Salazar."
The goblins gave him one final nod and walked away to complete inventory checks. They would be gone by nightfall.
And then?
The castle would be his alone.
The deed was signed. The contract complete. And the legacy… finally within reach.
Harry stood in the great hall, now partially restored, and looked out over the land.
This wasn't just a reward. It was a foothold. A foundation.
"They think the legacy ends with a ring and a sword," he murmured.
"They have no idea what's still hidden beneath their feet."
Harry stretched as the morning sun filtered through the window of his hotel. The sounds of Knockturn Alley were distant, muffled. But closer, inside the walls of the Zeus Hotel, life was already bustling. He opened his inventory with a casual swipe of magic and pulled out a clean robe before stepping outside.
Waiting near Keller's Curio were Sam and Regina—both looking like they hadn't slept well.
"You're alive," Sam muttered, crossing his arms, but there was relief in his tone.
Regina smacked his arm. "Four days, Harry! Without a word! You vanished without telling anyone!"
Harry grinned. "Found a castle. Bit of an accident."
He wasn't exaggerating. The castle now belonged to him—100 acres of ancient land and stone, once home to Salazar Slytherin himself. But all that could wait. He had something more pressing to deal with.
"You know why I came back, even when I was very much occupied?" Harry said, following them into Sam's store.
Sam nodded and handed over a magically chilled crate. "The ingredients arrived yesterday. Straight from the pack."
"Some of this stuff goes bad fast," Sam added. "You'll want to start today."
[Items Stored in Inventory]
Wolfsbane Potion Ingredients ×500
Harry arrived in front of the small, black-bricked townhouse nestled deep in the crooked shadows of Knockturn Alley. The enchanted wards recognized his magical signature and clicked open with a hum of welcome. The moment he stepped through the front door, he went straight to his personal dimention.
A brief flicker of blue flame shimmered in the glass before it swallowed him whole
The familiar feeling of weightlessness passed quickly as Harry found himself in the vast underground expanse that made up his private dimension. Massive arched ceilings, enchanted sconces, and long rows of stone tables greeted him. The potion hall smelled of old parchment, crushed herbs, and arcane residue—comforting, in a strange way.
In the center stood a brewing apparatus the size of a cart, with multiple cauldrons designed to work in sync. The magical extractor already bubbled to life as he approached.
Harry moved with precision, placing each ingredient into the correct compartment. Powdered silver, aconite roots, night-blooming mandrake extract, and dried moonseed bark—all sorted, crushed, and infused by magical automation. His hands barely needed to do more than direct the magic.
The system rewarded his continued effort with a subtle ding in his mind. Not that he noticed—he was already deep in thought.
Once the brewing process began in earnest, Harry sat down at a side table, pulling out an enchanted notebook and quill to sketch plans for the Slytherin Castle.
"Two weeks," he whispered.
That's how long he had between finishing the potions and the next full moon. More than ten days to delve into the secrets of the ancient founder, a man shrouded in myth, misinterpretation, and bloodlines.
Harry tapped the table with excitement. He had already found over a dozen hidden chambers the goblins had missed—passageways only visible to someone who could see magic, or sense snakes.
He knew he'd need more than Parseltongue to make the castle fully in his control. Perhaps… a ritual. Or a password lost to time.
No matter. The Wolfsbane came first. But once it was done, he'd pack his satchel with essentials, set up a proper fast travel location to the castle grounds, and spend the rest of his month becoming not just the owner of Slytherin Castle—but its master.
Harry stood up, checked the cauldrons, and smiled.
"Just a few days more…"