4 "Searching For You-know-who" 

The view in front of Cecily's eyes abruptly changed, from one of her dorm bedrooms to a familiar yet unfamiliar street. 

The sunlight shone upon Cecily's face, and the wind caressed her long hair. Her hair danced in the air as the surroundings turned noisy. 

The one-way alley was bustling with people wearing robes just like wizards portrayed in books or movies. 

"There were shops selling robes, shops selling telescopes and strange silver instruments Harry had never seen before, windows stacked with barrels of bat spleens and eels' eyes, tottering piles of spell books, quills, and rolls of parchment, potion bottles, globes of the moon…"  -Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone. 

Those words Cecily read long, long time ago, suddenly merged in her mind. 

It was a fit description of this place. 

"This…" Cecily's mind blanked for a second. She rubbed her eyes, trying to see if she dreamed or not, but the view in front of her didn't change. 

The cobblestone road, the ancient Europe-style buildings, magic, weird items scattering as displays of the shops on her left and right side…

The cheerful voice of the novice, child wizards. The voice of the shopkeepers making deals with the customers in black robes and witches hat…

The sight of people wandering around with a wooden wand poking out of their robe's pocket. 

The smell of food and potions lingering in the air. 

Everything...was real. 

"Wow…" Cecily couldn't help but gasp in admiration. She subconsciously covered her wide-open mouth. 

I...am really here– in Harry Potter World. 

[Welcome to Diagon Alley.] 

The board, who was silent all this time, suddenly popped out in front of Cecily with those words. 

The previously red board now turned black. 

The broad smile on Cecily's face froze. It slowly faded as she looked at the black panel with blank eyes. 

Ah, yes, I forgot this board is here with me. 

"Uh...mm...board– " Cecily tried to speak, but the board's content suddenly changed. 

[You can talk in your mind. Unless you want people to see you as heretics.] 

! 

Cecily clasped her mouth and nodded. Even though this was a wizarding world, talking to empty air still looked bizarre unless someone was talking to ghosts. 

[So, Mr board. What to do now?] Cecily thought in her mind, and indeed, she could use telepathy. 

How awesome. 

[Do you remember the first mission?] The board simply changed the words on its body without directly answering Cecily's question. 

[I remember. We have to make Voldemort the most handsome character in this world.] 

[Not we. You. Don't involve me.] The board shook, jeering at Cecily's remarks of 'we'. 

Cecily's body shook. The girl clenched her fists, suppressing her urge to punch the black panel. 

Calm down, calm down. I can't hit my guide. 

[Yes, yes, it's only me. Alright, I get it that we– I need to turn Voldemort to a handsome man. Then?] 

Cecily tried her luck by asking the board, and maybe since it was her lucky day, the board didn't ridicule her anymore. 

[I'll answer your question later. For now, can you not stand in the middle of the road? Do you know that you are blocking other people?] The board seemingly rolled its non-existent eyes as it floated away from Cecily. 

Cecily flinched. She instantly looked back and indeed, since she was in front of the entrance to the alley, she actually blocked other people's way. 

Those wizards, old and young, glared at Cecily, looking as if they would turn her into a cockroach in any minute. 

! Fck!! 

"S-sorry!!" Cecily immediately bowed before running after the black panel, who already left her a few seconds before. 

The girl's face turned red from embarrassment as she slid through the crowds, not paying attention to her surroundings at all. 

She bumped into people here and there, yet she didn't have time to apologise because the black panel was almost gone from her sight. 

I can't lose my only guide!! 

The girl's oversized black robe fluttered as she ran with all of her might. The navy blue wizard hat she was wearing almost fell from her head since she ran too fast. 

Holding into her hat, Cecily speeded up. If only the hat were a real magical hat, it wouldn't fall at all. Sadly, she knew that her costume was only a cosplay Halloween costume from her world. 

[H-hey, Mr board, wait! Wait!!] Cecily screamed in her mind as she finally caught up with the floating board that no one could see other than her. 

Thankfully, the board stopped flying away and paused in front of a grand-looking bank, the first place that Harry Potter visited in Diagon Alley. 

Gringotts Wizarding Bank. 

The snow-white multistoried marble building located partway down Diagon Alley, near its intersection with Knockturn Alley, that towered over the neighbouring shops.

[...the one and only bank in the wizarding world?] Cecily couldn't help but ask the board as she stood a few meters away from the grand building. 

What the heck are we doing here? Is this board trying to exchange muggle's money into the currency that wizards used?

Even though Cecily asked the board, the board didn't say anything and just kept silent, as if watching the bank with keen eyes. 

Seeing that she was ignored, Cecily finally strengthened her heart to ask.  

[Uh...Mr board. What are we doing here?] The girl with the edge of her robes swept the floor fiddled with her fingers as she looked at the board with her sky-like eyes. 

Those eyes looked like the most beautiful thing in this world would surely melt anyone's heart, except for this cold-hearted panel. 

[Ha. You are one curious yet... dumb child.] The board huffed at Cecily's question. It didn't forget to insult its contractor, before slowly answering using its body. 

[You know that we need to meet Voldemort to give him a makeover, right?] 

[Yes, I know.] Cecily nodded. She put her hand inside her robe's pocket out of nervousness, and her finger touched the phone stored inside. 

She could indeed bring her phone here. 

[Then, to meet Voldemort, shouldn't we know where he is?] 

! 

Right, that's right. 

But...even avid readers won't know where Voldemort is! Especially when I don't know what timeline is this in the novel, right? 

How do we find Voldemort then?? 

To be continued….