Dumbledore appeared in the factory as quietly as always, his robes barely whispering against the floor. Harry looked up from the pages of ideas and questions spread across his desk, green eyes calm and precise.
"It's time," Dumbledore said simply, and Harry nodded once, folding his hands. Curiosity was present, but there was no rush in him—he had learned long ago to observe first, decide based off information given.
In a soft swirl of magic, the space around them shifted, and the air changed. One moment they were in the factory; the next, they were stepping onto the cobblestone of Diagon Alley. Harry's eyes scanned the street, taking in the signs that moved, the shop windows that shimmered, and the crowd of witches and wizards weaving through the alley.
Dumbledore guided him carefully, pointing out locations without pushing.
"Gringotts," he said, nodding toward the towering white building guarded by goblins who moved with a precision Harry found fascinating. "Observe the security, the organization. Even here, order is not by chance."
Harry's eyes tracked every detail—the patterns in the cobblestones, the subtle gestures of the goblins, the way enchanted signs shifted when passersby glanced at them. It was all information, all potential.
They passed shop after shop. Clothing stores, tool shops, apothecaries. Harry noticed the hierarchy in movement, how people avoided each other's magical aura, how certain objects seemed almost to have rules of their own.
"Not Ollivanders yet," Dumbledore said lightly, as if reading Harry's mind. "You're not yet ready for that. You will go when the time is right."
Harry inclined his head. Dumbledore explained what Hogwarts was and that he still had a year before he can attend, and he didn't argue. He was taking in the world like he did his own—the systems, the patterns, the potential.
Time passed quickly. By the time they were ready to leave, Harry had observed, cataloged, and silently theorized about ways magic and the block world might intersect. His mind was already weaving plans for integration, analysis, and experimentation.
Back at the factory, the familiar hum of machinery welcomed them. Harry moved to his console, and the System blinked to life.
Quest Complete: [Explore the Magical World]
Reward: 1 Mod Token
Harry tried immediately to access the Mod Shop, imagining what he could do with the token. Unfortunately for Harry a notification appeared instead.
"Mod Shop locked. User must reach 11 years of age to utilize. Body not yet strong enough to handle mod functions."
Harry's green eyes narrowed as he stared at the screen. "What…" he muttered, the word escaping almost involuntarily. It was rare for him to be caught off guard.
The token sat ready, useless for now. But the experience itself — the observations, the cataloged knowledge — was valuable. Harry leaned back and considered possibilities.
Then, quietly, the System updated again:
Witchery Mod able to be Unlocked [yes] [no]
The words appeared without fanfare. Harry studied the interface, taking in the new information. The Witchery Mod offered the potential to merge magical mechanics with his understanding of the block world. It was a tool, a system to master, and a bridge between two worlds he now had firsthand knowledge of.
After a long moment, Harry nodded. He accepted the mod, mentally outlining how he might experiment, combine knowledge, and better understand how magic could integrate with the systems he already controlled.
The magical world had given him knowledge. The System had given him tools. And Harry, ever methodical, already knew exactly how he would begin to bring the two together.