By the time Mord regained his senses, he found himself standing inside a bustling, noisy pub.
Old, worn-out tables and chairs filled the room, while dim lanterns cast a warm glow over the lively crowd.
None of that seemed to dampen the patrons’ spirits.
Everyone was laughing, drinking, and chatting merrily.
This was The Leaky Cauldron, the famous inn that connected the outside world to Diagon Alley.
Mord barely paid attention to the surroundings.
Instead, he quickly focused on the system notification that had just appeared.
[Cursed Floo Powder]
Description: Identical in appearance to ordinary Floo Powder.
However, anyone who uses it will be transported to a random location instead of their intended destination.
There is also a chance the transportation will fail completely, leaving the user trapped inside a wall or another solid object, which may result in serious injury or death.
Cost: 5 Darkness Points per scoop.
Note: This item has been permanently unlocked.
You may purchase it at any time.
Mord couldn’t help twitching at the corner of his mouth.
So this was what Darkness Points were for.
The so-called Darkness System truly lived up to its name.
This wasn’t a harmless prank.
It was downright malicious.
If someone secretly replaced another wizard’s Floo Powder with this…
Even investigators from the Ministry of Magic would probably assume the victim had simply mispronounced their destination and suffered a fatal accident.
The more Mord thought about it, the more frightening the system seemed.
Fortunately, he had no use for such an item at the moment.
There was no reason to waste five Darkness Points on it.
Since it was permanently unlocked, he could simply buy it later if he ever needed it.
“Hello… are you Mord Black?”
A sweet, gentle voice interrupted his thoughts.
“My name is Hermione Granger.”
Mord turned around.
Standing before him was a young witch with delicate features and a face that still carried a trace of baby fat.
Her fluffy brown hair was slightly messy, framing her bright, curious eyes.
She wore a grey school shirt, a pleated skirt, black leather shoes, and cream-colored tights that covered her slender legs.
It was exactly as Mord remembered.
Hermione Jean Granger.
She looked at him curiously, her large eyes filled with curiosity while her slightly prominent front teeth peeked out through her shy smile.
“Hello, Miss Granger.”
“I’m Mord Black.”
Mord politely extended his hand.
[Ding! The Demon King is patiently biding his time, taking the initiative to befriend a Muggle-born witch. Such a grand scheme deserves recognition!]
[Reward: 3 Darkness Points.]
When exactly did I start ‘enduring humiliation’?
Mord silently complained while keeping a perfectly calm expression.
Hermione secretly sighed in relief.
This was the first young wizard she had ever spoken to.
Thankfully, she hadn’t embarrassed herself.
She reached out and shook Mord’s hand before remembering Professor McGonagall’s words.
Mord comes from an old wizarding family.
He must know far more about magic than I do.
I can’t let him think I’m ignorant.
Lifting her chin proudly, she said,
“I’m still unfamiliar with the wizarding world, but Professor McGonagall is taking us to buy our schoolbooks.”
“I plan to buy as many books as possible.”
Watching her enthusiastically chatter away like a machine gun made Mord smile.
Nearby, Professor McGonagall quietly observed the two children without interrupting.
Once they had become acquainted, she gently tapped both of them on the shoulders.
“Mr. Black. Miss Granger.”
“It’s time to visit Diagon Alley.”
Hermione immediately realized she had delayed everyone and blushed with embarrassment.
After saying goodbye to Tom, the innkeeper, the three walked into the backyard.
Mord smiled at Hermione.
“Watch carefully.”
“Count three bricks up from the trash bin, then move two bricks to the right.”
Hermione watched excitedly as Professor McGonagall tapped the correct brick three times with her wand.
The wall immediately began to move.
The bricks twisted and rolled apart like rippling waves before slowly opening into a magnificent stone archway.
Hermione’s eyes sparkled with amazement.
Even Mord couldn’t hide his excitement.
The magical world…
He had finally arrived.
As they stepped into Diagon Alley, Mord looked around curiously.
The cobblestone streets were uneven, and many of the old shops leaned at odd angles.
The nearest store displayed enormous cauldrons stacked almost as tall as he was.
“We’ll visit Gringotts first.”
Professor McGonagall pointed toward the grand white marble building standing proudly at the end of the street.
“We need to exchange your money into Galleons.”
Mord was already familiar with Gringotts.
He had even deposited money there a few days earlier.
The three entered the magnificent building, passing beneath towering marble columns before reaching the bronze entrance doors.
A goblin with pointed ears and wrinkled skin stood behind the counter.
Hermione froze slightly.
“Don’t worry.”
Mord smiled reassuringly.
“He’s a goblin. Gringotts is run entirely by goblins.”
He also explained the wizarding currency system.
“One Galleon equals seventeen Sickles.”
“One Sickle equals twenty-nine Knuts.”
Hermione frowned.
“That’s incredibly confusing.”
“It’s just like the old British currency before decimalization.”
“I couldn’t agree more.”
Mord shrugged.
“I’ve always hated those exchange rates.”
When it was Hermione’s turn, the goblin counted the money her parents had given her.
“The exchange rate is five pounds per Galleon.”
“The maximum exchange is fifty Galleons.”
While waiting, Hermione quietly asked,
“Is fifty Galleons considered a lot?”
Mord nodded.
“It is.”
“Many wizards rarely use Galleons in everyday life.”
“They mostly spend Sickles and Knuts.”
“Some families don’t even earn fifty Galleons in a month.”
After exchanging her money, the three officially began shopping.
Cauldrons.
Brass scales.
Dragon-hide gloves.
Potion ingredients.
Mord bought everything he needed while secretly wondering whether the Darkness System would unlock any new abilities.
Unfortunately…
Nothing happened.
Apparently, not everything had a dark counterpart.
Eventually, they arrived at the robe shops.
According to the saying, clothes make the man.
Although Mord belonged to a declining branch of the Black family, maintaining appearances was still important.
The most luxurious shop in Diagon Alley was Twilfitt and Tatting’s, but after seeing the prices displayed outside, Mord quietly looked at his wallet.
Perhaps…
Madam Malkin’s Robes for All Occasions was a better choice.
Following his heart—and his budget—he entered Madam Malkin’s shop with Professor McGonagall and Hermione.
“I’d like two robes made from high-quality fabric.”
He counted out twenty-five Galleons for each robe.
Half of the money he had brought disappeared in an instant.
His heart ached.
But it was worth it.
Madam Malkin beamed warmly.
“Of course, handsome young gentleman.”
She called him “handsome” every few sentences, making it surprisingly difficult for Mord not to smile.
Perhaps…
The money really was well spent.
Once she finished fitting him, everyone present looked pleasantly surprised.
The expensive robes were beautifully tailored.
Fine dark fabric, elegant golden embroidery along the hems, and a perfectly fitted waist gave Mord an especially noble appearance.
Combined with his handsome face and calm, mysterious temperament…
He looked every bit the young heir of an ancient wizarding family.
Hermione couldn’t help stealing another glance at him.
At the exact same moment…
Mord looked back.
Embarrassed, Hermione quickly lowered her head.
Unlike Mord, she didn’t have enough money for custom robes and simply purchased two standard school uniforms.
After leaving the shop, both of them wore excited expressions.
Only one stop remained.
It was finally time…
To choose their wands.