Chapter 3: Diagon Alley
Time flew by, and in the blink of an eye, three days had passed.
During those days, Alexander Smith continued experimenting with various firearms techniques. His Level 2 Thinking skill not only made his mind more agile but also helped him subconsciously access memories from his past life when needed.
Back in his previous life, he had grown up in an era where martial arts were wildly popular. His home had been filled with all kinds of "martial arts manuals," and now, thanks to his special talents and system panel, he could replicate any successful technique perfectly after trying it once. Hard work always yielded results here.
Combining his newly learned spells—Lumos, Fractura, Incendio, Aguamenti, and Ventus—Alexander began developing unique hybrid spells.
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Status Panel
Race: Wizard
Strength: 9 (Normal human limit: 10)
Constitution: 26 (Normal human limit: 10)
Magic Power: 16 (Normal limit: 10)
Skills:
Logical Thinking Lv.2 (77%)
Body Reinforcement Lv.3 (32%)
Alchemy Lv.2 (22%)
Charms Lv.1 (45%)
Potions Lv.1 (55%)
Transfiguration Lv.1 (15%)
Gun Combat Techniques Lv.1 (89%)
Martial Arts Lv.1 (66%)
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Gun Combat Techniques was a unique skill Alexander had developed by combining magic, transfiguration, alchemy, and martial arts. Thanks to it, he was now deadly with firearms—quick, precise, and lethal.
With the help of his Level 2 Thinking, he could calculate precise trajectories for his attacks, targeting blind spots while increasing the power of his bullets by 20%. He could calculate every possible angle of offense and defense around him—turning himself into a mobile fortress of destruction.
Together with The Black Knight, his custom magic pistol, Alexander could now eliminate adult wizards with ease.
It had been nearly three months since Alexander arrived in this world. He discovered that while his family was powerful and mysterious, they were also homebodies. Food, clothing, potions—everything had been fully automated. Even without lifting a finger, he wouldn't go hungry.
Each generation of the Smith family dedicated themselves to being self-reliant within the wizarding world. The castle was supported by various ranches for meat, textiles produced by house-elves and enchanted machines, and herbs grown on their own manors.
Even more surprising was that the Smith family wasn't entirely cut off from wizarding society. They secretly owned stakes in nearly every major shop in Diagon Alley, backed by magical contracts dating back to Ancient Greece. These ensured that no matter how others tried to overlook it, profits always flowed steadily into the Smith vault in Gringotts.
However, one issue remained—there were too few basic magic books at home. Most of the collection leaned toward high-level alchemical theory, like the Invisible Book of Invisibility.
Alexander finally made up his mind. "Jack, let's head to Diagon Alley."
The house-elf Jack appeared instantly and grabbed Alexander's hand. "Master, hold tight."
Suddenly, Alexander felt like his lungs were being crushed and his body squeezed through a tight rubber hose. His vision darkened, his ears felt like they were imploding, and his chest was wrapped in iron bands.
With a gasp, he opened his teary eyes, feeling like he'd been vacuum-sealed and spat out the other end.
"This… is the Leaky Cauldron?" Alexander muttered.
Jack nodded. "The Smiths have always kept a secret cabin here. When we leave, we'll be in Diagon Alley."
The passage avoided the main tavern and was enchanted so that others simply overlooked it—typical Smith secrecy.
Jack then pulled a peculiar hat from his pocket and placed it on his head. His form warped and expanded until he resembled George Smith, Alexander's grandfather.
"Elves prefer to stay unseen, but business sometimes requires a visible face," Jack explained. "Your grandfather invented this hat so he could work freely in disguise."
Alexander couldn't help but sigh. "Another invention? The Smiths really are geniuses."
Jack tapped the third brick above the trash bin in the courtyard. A moment later, the wall opened into a swirling, stone archway revealing a cobbled street full of shops.
Diagon Alley.
Alexander's lips curled into a small smile. He had finally arrived in the magical world.
At the entrance stood Partridge's Cauldron Shop, with a glimmering sign:
> Cauldrons of All Sizes
Copper, Brass, Pewter, Silver
Self-Stirring — Collapsible Models Available
Opposite it was Slug & Jiggers Apothecary, shelves crammed with rare ingredients: dragon liver, fox eggs, frog brains, powdered ginger root, and more.
Shops he had only ever seen in books or movies now stood before him: Flourish and Blotts, The Magical Menagerie, Quality Quidditch Supplies...
"Father," Alexander said, slipping into his child persona, "how about we take a walk around Diagon Alley first?"
Jack, still in George's form, nodded without hesitation.
First stop: Florean Fortescue's Ice Cream Parlor. Alexander ordered a cup of chocolate raspberry with crushed nuts—Harry Potter's favorite flavor.
As he wandered, he noted that while Diagon Alley was magical, wizarding fashion remained… questionable. Too many bright robes in colors only grandmothers or flamboyant artists might wear in the Muggle world. He silently cursed their lack of taste.
"I wonder," he mused, licking his spoon, "will I run into any of the original story's characters soon?"
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