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He sat by the small window, watching darkness settle over Diagon Alley. The shops began closing, their lights winking out one by one. The crowds thinned to a trickle, then vanished entirely. By ten o'clock, the alley was deserted except for the occasional patrol from the Ministry's Magical Law Enforcement office.
[Ambient noise analysis: Professor Flitwick's room quiet for past 45 minutes. Breathing patterns suggest deep sleep. Pub main floor minimal activity. Optimal window for departure approaching.]
At eleven-thirty, Darius began his preparations. He changed into dark, non-descript Muggle clothing he'd packed specifically for this purpose—black jeans, a dark blue sweater, sturdy shoes. He left his wand in his trunk, knowing that any magical signature would be traced back to registered wands. What he was about to do required wandless magic only.
He'd been practicing for weeks, ever since the Room of Requirement had shared the foundational principles. Wandless magic wasn't more difficult than wanded magic—it was just different, requiring internal focus and precise visualization instead of external tools. Most wizards never learned it because wands were more efficient and consistent. But for tasks requiring subtlety and untraceability, wandless magic was superior.
[Analysis: Host's enhanced magical pathways allow wandless casting with efficiency comparable to wanded magic. No significant energy differential detected between methods. Primary advantage: Untraceability and subtlety.]
Darius stood, closed his eyes, and focused his magic internally. He felt it respond—that familiar warmth flowing through channels the nano machine had helped him map and strengthen. He directed it to his hand, shaped it with pure intention, and whispered, "Alohomora."
The lock clicked open.
He'd practiced that spell hundreds of times in the Room of Requirement, refining his technique until he could unlock standard mechanisms with the same ease as using a wand. The magic flowed naturally, without the drain or difficulty most wizards experienced attempting wandless casting.
Darius eased his door open, checked that the hallway was empty, and crept toward the stairs. Each step was careful, measured. He'd memorized which floorboards creaked during his arrival.
At the bottom of the stairs, he could see Tom behind the bar, reading a newspaper and nursing a glass of what appeared to be firewhisky. The main door to Charing Cross Road was visible through the archway—only fifteen feet away, but passing Tom without being noticed required magic.
Darius focused again, gathering his power and wrapping it around himself like a cloak. Not a true invisibility charm—those were beyond his current capability without a wand—but rather a perception filter, a notice-me-not effect that encouraged observers to look anywhere except directly at him.
[Notice-me-not effect established. Magical expenditure minimal. Host maintaining stable power levels.]
He moved quickly but smoothly, crossing toward the Muggle entrance while Tom's attention remained fixed on his newspaper. The bartender's eyes passed over Darius's position twice without acknowledging his presence. The notice-me-not was working.
The door to Charing Cross Road was locked—a standard security measure for the late hours—but a focused application of wandless Alohomora opened it with barely a sound. Darius slipped through into Muggle London, then eased the door shut behind him before releasing the perception filter to conserve energy.
[Magical energy reserves: 97% of baseline. Wandless casting efficiency optimal. No abnormal drain detected.]
The transition was immediate. The comfortable, slightly shabby warmth of the Leaky Cauldron gave way to the crisp October night air of London. Charing Cross Road stretched before him, relatively quiet at this hour but not deserted—the occasional late-night bus rumbled past, a few pedestrians walked with purpose toward unknown destinations, and the ever-present hum of the city filled the background.
The streetlights cast their harsh sodium glow, so different from the warm magical illumination he'd just left. To any observer, the doorway he'd emerged from appeared to be just another unremarkable entrance between two larger shops—the kind of detail the eye naturally skipped over.
Darius had carefully noted the locations of the electronics shops and industrial supply stores he needed to visit while walking through London with Flitwick earlier that day. Most would be closed at this hour, but that was exactly what he wanted—privacy for his task.
[Target selection: Electronics shop three blocks northeast specializing in security and surveillance equipment. Probable inventory includes components suitable for modification into required surveillance systems.]
He walked through London's streets, moving quietly under the dim glow of streetlights. The few pedestrians he passed—late-night workers, a couple of oddly dressed women, people heading home from pubs—paid him no mind. A twelve-year-old alone at midnight would normally draw attention, but Darius had cast a subtle Disillusionment Charm over himself. The faint shimmer of magic wrapped around his form, bending light and perception just enough that he appeared unremarkable. Combined with his calm body language, quiet confidence, and the assumption of legitimacy, the effect was far more effective than relying on spells alone.
The electronics shop was dark, its windows displaying various security cameras, alarm systems, and communications equipment. A sign proclaimed: "SecureTech Solutions - Professional Security Equipment."
Perfect.
Darius circled to the back alley, where a reinforced door led to the shop's storage area. This lock was more sophisticated than the Leaky Cauldron's—a deadbolt and chain—but nothing his wandless magic couldn't handle with the same ease as a wand would provide.
He focused his power, feeling it flow through his hands to the metal mechanisms. "Alohomora."
The deadbolt slid back with a solid click. The chain required a second application, both mechanisms yielding smoothly to his magic.
[Magical energy reserves: 94%. Wandless casting continues at optimal efficiency.]
Inside, the shop was dark except for emergency exit signs and the standby lights of various electronic devices. Darius closed the door behind him and let his eyes adjust. Shelves lined with equipment cases, displays of cameras and monitors, a work counter with tools and partially disassembled devices.
He couldn't turn on the lights—too visible from the street. Instead, he moved carefully through the darkness.
"Nano, activate night vision."
[Nano machine active: night-vision mode engaged. Visual enhancement providing optimal low-light detection.]
The dim ambient glow from electronic displays added context, but with the nano machine's guidance, he could make out every shelf, tool, and component as clearly as if the room were fully lit.
[Navigation assistance: Providing optimal path to relevant equipment based on visual input. Move toward left wall, third shelf unit.]
Darius followed the nano machine's guidance, finding a section dedicated to camera components. Not complete systems—those would be too large and obvious—but individual parts. CCD sensors, lenses, circuit boards, power supplies. Components designed for professional security installations, much smaller and more sophisticated than consumer cameras.
He selected carefully: two miniature CCD camera sensors, barely larger than his thumbnail. A handful of small circuit boards that could be repurposed. Several compact battery packs designed for backup power systems. Thin coaxial cables for signal transmission. LED arrays that could be modified for night vision.
[Component assessment: Selected items suitable for nano-enhanced modification into functional surveillance units. Miniaturization and integration possible with estimated 72-hour fabrication timeline.]
Darius moved to another section, finding wireless communication components. The technology in 1991 was primitive compared to what he remembered from his previous life, but it existed—walkie-talkie systems, wireless security transmitters, basic RF equipment. He took several transmitter modules and receiver units, already planning how the nano machine could enhance their range and reduce their signature.
At a workbench, he found tools and testing equipment—a soldering iron, wire strippers, a basic oscilloscope. Not things he could carry, but valuable to examine. He spent fifteen minutes studying the partially disassembled surveillance system on the bench, understanding its architecture so the nano machine could replicate and improve the design.
[Data acquisition complete: Surveillance system architecture mapped. Enhancement pathways identified. Recommend component selection finalization and departure. Time in location: 23 minutes. Risk of discovery increasing.]
Darius gathered his selected components into a bag he found under the workbench—a simple canvas tool bag perfect for carrying everything. Then he faced the question he'd been avoiding: payment.
He couldn't simply steal these components. It wasn't just ethics—though that mattered—but practicality. Theft would be investigated, potentially leading to magical detection if authorities suspected wizard involvement. Better to leave payment and make it seem like an authorized purchase.
From his pocket, he withdrew £35—all his remaining Muggle money. He counted it carefully, trying to estimate if it was enough. The components he'd taken were professional-grade but not complete systems. £35 was probably close to wholesale cost, perhaps slightly under retail value.
He left the money on the workbench in a neat stack, weighted down by a screwdriver so it wouldn't blow away if a draft caught it. Beside it, he placed a note written in carefully printed block letters:
"These components are mine! Gonna use them to change the world! Sorry for the late-night grab. – D."
[Report: Behavior unacceptable. Host displays excessive amusement at potential human confusion. Recommend moderation in emotional display to maintain operational discretion.]
Darius chuckled softly, shaking his head. "Relax, Nano. A little fun never hurt anyone. Besides, it's not like he's coming after me at midnight."
[Assessment: Payment and note reduce legal jeopardy from theft to trespassing. Shop owner will likely accept payment rather than report incident. Magical investigation probability minimal.]
"Ok, fine… let's get out of here," he muttered, hoisting the canvas bag over his shoulder.
Darius retraced his steps to the back door, carefully checking that nothing was disturbed beyond the missing components and the money on the workbench. He slipped out into the alley, then focused his magic on the locks.
"Colloportus."
The chain snapped back into place. The deadbolt slid home. Both locks secured as though never opened.
[Magical energy reserves: 91%. All systems nominal. Host maintaining excellent operational status.]
The walk back to Charing Cross Road was quick and efficient. Darius felt alert, energized even—the successful acquisition giving him a sense of accomplishment. The canvas bag with its precious cargo felt light in his hands, and he maintained his unremarkable appearance with practiced ease.
By the time he approached the Leaky Cauldron's entrance, London's streets were even quieter than before. The last stragglers had found their way home, and the city settled into that peculiar stillness that comes in the hours before dawn.
[Time check: 12:47 AM. Excellent progress. Return to Leaky Cauldron proceeding ahead of projected timeline.]
Darius was about to reach for the door when something made him pause—not a sound, exactly, but a presence. That subtle awareness that the nano machine had helped him develop, the sense of being observed.
He turned casually, as though simply looking around at the quiet street, scanning the darkened shopfronts and empty sidewalks. No movement. Yet the feeling persisted.
After a moment, he continued his motion naturally, reaching for the door handle and slipping back inside without breaking stride. If someone was watching, better not to acknowledge that he'd noticed.
Fifty meters away, concealed in the shadow of a closed shop's doorway, a figure stood motionless. The man was unremarkable—average height, average build, dressed in dark clothing that blended with the night. But on his chest, just visible when the streetlight caught it at the right angle, was a symbol: an eye within a circle, rendered in silver thread that seemed to absorb rather than reflect light.
[Image here]
The man's eyes followed Darius's path until the boy disappeared back into the Leaky Cauldron. Then he lifted his wrist, examining a watch that was far too complex to be an ordinary timepiece. Gears within gears, each one marked with symbols that would be meaningless to anyone unfamiliar with their purpose.
"October 24th, 1991," he murmured, his voice carrying a faint accent that was difficult to place.
"Maintaining observation protocol. Non-interference directive remains in effect until—"
He pressed a series of buttons on the watch's edge in a specific sequence, and the gears began to spin. Not naturally—they moved in impossible directions, rotating through angles that shouldn't exist in three-dimensional space.
The watch's spinning intensified, and reality around the man began to shimmer. Space folded in ways that would make most observers nauseous, had there been any observers to witness it.
The shimmer became absolute, and the man simply ceased to be there. One moment present, the next absent, as though he'd never existed at all.
The doorway stood empty. The street remained quiet. And no trace remained of the watcher with the silver eye symbol, save for a faint distortion in the air that faded within seconds.
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Inside the Leaky Cauldron, Darius re-engaged his notice-me-not effect as he crossed the main room. Tom was still at the bar, though his newspaper had been replaced with a ledger and he appeared to be doing end-of-day accounting. His eyes never lifted from his work as Darius passed like a shadow through the space.
The stairs creaked softly under Darius's weight, but the sounds were natural—the ordinary settling of old wood that happened throughout the night. Nothing to draw attention or investigation.
He reached his room, slipped inside, and carefully locked the door behind him with another application of wandless magic. Only then did he release the perception filter and allow himself to relax.
[Mission assessment: Complete success. All primary objectives achieved. Components acquired. Payment rendered. No witnesses. Magical energy expenditure minimal. Host performance exceptional.]
Darius set the canvas bag on his bed and began carefully inventorying the components. Each piece was exactly what he'd hoped for—professional quality, suitable for nano-enhancement, and collectively forming the foundation for sophisticated surveillance equipment.
The CCD sensors would become the eyes of his devices. The circuit boards would be stripped and rebuilt with nano-precision. The wireless transmitters would be enhanced far beyond their original specifications. And the LED arrays would provide night vision capabilities that didn't exist in any commercial system of this era.
[Fabrication timeline: 72 hours for initial prototype. Additional 48 hours for field testing and refinement. Full deployment capability estimated within one week of return to Hogwarts.]
"Perfect," Darius murmured, carefully repacking the components. "Everything is coming together."
He changed back into his pajamas, tucked the canvas bag into his trunk beneath his legitimate purchases, and finally allowed himself to sleep. Tomorrow would be another day of shopping with Professor Flitwick—mundane, visible, and completely above suspicion.
But tonight's work was the real prize. Tonight, he'd taken another step toward the capabilities he needed. Toward the security and knowledge that would keep him safe in a world that was far more dangerous than most wizards realized.
[Sleep cycle initiated. Monitoring host vitals. All systems optimal. Mission success probability for long-term objectives: Increasing.]