The Rise of the God-Emperor

CH 40: Into the Muggle World Again

Harry carefully adjusted his Disillusionment Charm, making sure he was fully concealed. After the close call with Ron and Hermione two weeks ago, he couldn't afford any more mistakes. This time, he triple-checked to ensure he wasn't being followed. There was too much at stake, and he needed to stay invisible.

As he walked through the bustling streets of the Muggle city, Harry's mind was sharp with focus. He had a clear list of things he needed to collect. The scientists' labs—especially the ones he had overheard rumors about—were still out there, and every day they remained operational was another risk to the magical world. He couldn't waste any more time.

The first stop on his list was a quarry, tucked away on the outskirts of the city. It wasn't the kind of place magical folk usually visited, but Harry needed stone—and lots of it. Heavy, durable stone for fortifications, for traps, and for new defensive structures around Hogsmeade and the Ben Nevis fort.

The man behind the counter at the quarry, a grizzled old fellow with a thick beard, barely gave Harry a glance as he processed the large order.

"That's a lot of stone for someone your size," the man muttered, squinting as Harry counted out the Muggle currency.

"I'm doing some... renovations," Harry replied vaguely, his tone clipped. "Fortifying an old place."

The man grunted, uninterested in prying further, and handed over the paperwork. "It'll be delivered to your location. Make sure you have enough people to unload it."

"Not a problem," Harry assured him, thinking about the house-elves who could easily manage the task back at Hogwarts.

His next stop was a hunting store, the kind of place filled with gear for outdoorsmen—camouflage clothing, tents, and most importantly for Harry's purposes, traps. He browsed the aisles, carefully selecting muggle traps of various kinds: bear traps, snares, spike traps, and even tripwires designed to alert hunters when someone had crossed a perimeter. These, when enchanted, would add another layer of protection to the magical world he was working to defend.

"Big hunt coming up?" the clerk behind the counter asked as Harry piled the traps onto the checkout.

"Something like that," Harry replied tersely, his thoughts already moving to the next part of his plan.

As he paid and left the store, Harry couldn't help but feel a prickle of unease. The world was so much bigger than Hogwarts, and yet, here he was, gathering Muggle tools to protect their hidden corner of it. The weight of responsibility settled heavier on his shoulders.

His final stop was at the adult store—the same one he had visited during his last trip. Harry's face burned slightly as he stepped inside, but he forced himself to stay focused. This wasn't about embarrassment; it was about necessity. The collars, leashes, and whips were made of strong, reinforced materials—ideal for containing magical creatures and reinforcing protective wards.

The shopkeeper raised an eyebrow as Harry approached the counter with a new collection of items: heavier chains of varying lengths, sturdy collars, leashes, and a set of cuffs that looked strong enough to hold a dragon.

"Back again, huh?" the shopkeeper said with a smirk. "Looks like you're planning something serious."

"Yeah, something like that," Harry said, trying to keep his tone neutral. He paid quickly and left, making sure his purchases were securely packed in his enchanted satchel.