The curious Harry couldn't help but ask:
"Hagrid, you're so tall, why does it seem like no one notices you?"
Hagrid carefully stroked Harry's hair with his rough hand:
"That's the Confundus Charm, Harry. You'll learn it in your fifth year, but it's too difficult for you right now."
Harry nodded thoughtfully.
He quickly thought of many clever uses for this spell and decided to learn it as soon as possible.
As for the difficulty Hagrid mentioned, Harry completely ignored it. He was the future Sorcerer Supreme, no magic in this world could possibly challenge him!
Soon, the two arrived at Charing Cross Road in the London borough of Westminster. On one side of the street was a grimy sign with the words "Leaky Cauldron" written on it.
The sign was so dirty that grease had obscured parts of the letters.
This made Harry frown slightly in discomfort.
This pub was seriously lacking in hygiene. Kamar-Taj was spotless, didn't wizards have cleaning spells?
Entering the Leaky Cauldron, the messy environment made Harry even more uncomfortable. He looked around curiously. The pub seemed stuck in the Middle Ages, with no modern items in sight.
This realization made Harry's expression shift. He suddenly realized that the wizarding world might be very different from what he had imagined.
What was wrong with the wizards of this world? Why hadn't they adopted modern conveniences? The Sorcerer Supreme had always advocated continuous progress and integrating the technological advancements of ordinary people.
In fact, Kamar-Taj had been among the first to adopt WiFi when it was invented.
Did the wizards of this world think magic could solve everything?
No!
Stagnation only led to ruin. Protecting the Earth required using every available resource, and technology was undoubtedly one of them.
Speaking of which, Mr. Tony Stark, who had been kidnapped not long ago, was a well-known figure in the field of technology.
Hagrid seemed very popular. When the patrons of the Leaky Cauldron saw him, they greeted him warmly.
However, what happened next took Harry by surprise. After Hagrid introduced him, the pub's customers surrounded him as if he were a treasure, staring curiously and greeting him one by one.
Harry recalled what Hagrid had told him on the way, that he had once saved the wizarding world and was the prophesied "Boy Who Lived."
Harry wasn't surprised at all. It was only natural for an exceptional wizard like him to be a savior. The Sorcerer Supreme had long told him he was destined for greatness!
But after seeing the reactions of the wizards, Harry realized just how significant the title "Boy Who Lived" was to them.
He even saw an elderly witch, around sixty years old, faint from excitement upon meeting him.
Then, another wizard shook Harry's hand.
He looked rather odd, with a turban wrapped around his head like an Indian.
But there were plenty of strange people among wizards, so Harry didn't pay it much mind at first.
However, the moment Harry shook his hand, his pupils suddenly contracted sharply. His young eyes flashed with a chilling killing intent.
The wizard in front of him was still introducing himself:
"P-P-Potter, n-nice to m-meet you. I'm Quirrell, the D-D-Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher at Hogwarts."
Unlike before, Harry didn't respond politely. Instead, he considered whether he should immediately summon the Sword of the Vishanti and behead the wizard in front of him.
Even if only thirty percent of his magic power could be mobilized, enhancing his body with magic would still allow him to easily decapitate this frail professor at such close range.
As for why he would do this, it was because he had sensed an evil soul at the back of Professor Quirrell's head. The aura of this soul felt familiar to him, those traitorous mages who had betrayed Earth and sided with the Dimensional Demons also carried the same vile souls.
They had committed endless slaughter, their souls long tainted beyond redemption, making them the perfect currency for demons.
However, Harry quickly suppressed his killing intent. He had just arrived in the wizarding world and was still unfamiliar with everything.
Perhaps there was some hidden reason behind this. After all, no matter how chaotic the wizarding world might be, it was unlikely they would allow a dark wizard to serve as the Defense Against the Dark Arts professor.
Harry decided to investigate quietly. If Quirrell was confirmed to be evil, he would not hesitate to eliminate him!
So Harry flashed a bright smile, treating Quirrell no differently from anyone else:
"Hello, Professor Quirrell. It's a pleasure to meet you."
After shaking off his admirers, Harry followed Hagrid to a wall behind the Leaky Cauldron.
Hagrid looked down at Harry and explained:
"Watch closely, Harry. Count up three bricks, then two across, there, it's about to open!"
The wall quickly parted, first revealing a small gap before widening into a passage large enough even for Hagrid to walk through comfortably.
The two stepped forward, and before them stretched a bustling, lively street packed with people. The scene matched the descriptions of wizards in fantasy novels perfectly.
Hagrid winked at Harry:
"Well, Harry, this is Diagon Alley. Do you like it? Welcome to the wizarding world!"
Hagrid had expected Harry to jump with excitement, but instead, the boy showed no enthusiasm, only disappointment.
Hagrid was taken aback and asked worriedly:
"What's wrong, Harry? Feeling unwell? Maybe you need a Pepper-Up Potion."
Harry shook his head, declining Hagrid's offer. He gazed disappointedly at Diagon Alley, the heart of Britain's wizarding world:
"Hagrid, I don't understand something..."
Hagrid met Harry's striking green eyes and motioned for him to continue.
"Why is the wizarding world so backward? Muggles have already developed advanced technology, yet the wizarding world hasn't adopted any of it. And why is Diagon Alley so cramped and run-down? Hasn't it been developed or expanded at all?"
Hagrid clearly hadn't anticipated such a question. The big, rough man couldn't come up with a proper answer and simply scratched his head:
"It's always been like this. Guess you'll have to find the answer yourself. Come on, Harry. First, we need to go to Gringotts to withdraw the inheritance your parents left you. Then we can buy the rest of your supplies."
Harry sighed and followed.
By now, his expectations for the wizarding world had dwindled significantly.
No matter the reason, any society that refused to reform and progress would inevitably be left behind. Even Asgard from the myths had learned that lesson, let alone the wizards of this world.
Harry quietly resolved that once he had a better grasp of the wizarding world's rules, he would do everything in his power to change it, if he had the ability.
(End of chapter)