"William, long time no see." Alan pushed open the door of a shop. Sitting behind the counter inside was William, his good friend from the orphanage.
"Haha, Boss Alan! After a few years, you're already taller than me." William was the same as ever, rubbing his hands together as he came forward to greet him.
"It seems you guys are doing quite well now." Alan saw that William was well-dressed in a suit and tie, looking like a professional, and smiled with satisfaction. "I haven't had a chance to thank you all for coming to help."
"When you call, I naturally come at once. The reason we are where we are today is thanks to your letters and guidance over the past few years. No matter what project or stock to buy, as long as we listen to you, we can't go wrong." William grinned.
"Indeed, we are brothers from the same orphanage, so naturally, we share our blessings." Alan smiled slightly.
During his time at Hogwarts, Alan had kept in close contact with his old friends from the Muggle world. With his guidance, these childhood friends had made a significant amount of money in the past two years, and he, of course, held a share in those profits.
"It seems you've handled everything I asked. This shop now belongs to us?" Alan looked up and surveyed the interior. Other than the counter and a few shelves, it was currently empty, looking as if it were still in a semi-renovated state.
"It belongs to you. I bought it in your name, but is there anything special about this place? I don't think the nearby street is very busy. What do you plan to sell?" William had received a letter from Alan at the beginning of the year asking him to help buy this specific shop, but he was only half-aware of its intended purpose.
"It doesn't matter what is sold, how much electricity is consumed here, or whether it even makes money. As long as it's open, it can help me." Alan smiled, not explaining the details to William. Afterward, led by William, he inspected the shop thoroughly, paying close attention to the electrical fixtures.
"Alright. Next, please contact the construction team to install the main power switch in the basement. Help me apply for a high-voltage electricity installation certificate, then purchase and install several high-frequency rheostats according to the blueprints I drew. As for the interior of the shop, just display some appliances and lights. Don't worry about business; just keep it open daily and use electricity normally." Alan instructed William point by point.
"Understood." Although William didn't follow the logic, he nodded obediently. The group from the orphanage had always relied on Alan's guidance. If Alan didn't offer an explanation, they didn't ask too many questions.
After giving William his detailed instructions, Alan parted ways with him and returned to Diagon Alley via the Leaky Cauldron. As soon as he entered his home, Alan saw Hog, who had returned earlier, struggling with the stairs.
Alan's sudden appearance startled the wolf. He had been gnawing on the staircase pillar on the first floor, but upon being startled, he darted forward so quickly that he managed to wedge his head into the gap between the stair railings. Now his neck was tightly stuck, and he couldn't pull it out no matter how much he tugged. He could only watch, terrified, as Alan approached him step by step with a dark expression.
"Master, I—I didn't mean to!" Hog looked at the approaching figure with a fawning expression. Alan ignored him and walked straight toward the stairs. This made Hog even more panicked; he quickly covered his head with his paws. "I'm sorry, Master, I was wrong!"
Hog thought Alan was angry and trembled as he begged for mercy. But after a moment of silence, he felt no movement. He carefully peeled back his paws and looked around. Alan was no longer there. He hadn't paid Hog any attention at all, having gone directly down to the basement through the passage next to the stairs.
"Master! Don't leave! What will I do? My head is still stuck! Help! Help me, Master!"
Listening to Hog's wailing from above, Alan pouted in annoyance, then closed the basement door and went directly to his alchemy laboratory. "Hog, that guy... I'll have to find a way to deal with him sooner or later, but now is not the time for trivial matters," Alan mumbled, moving to his workbench.
He spread out a large sheet of parchment. It was a street plan. If one were familiar with the wizarding world, they would recognize it as a shop distribution map of Diagon Alley—or rather, a plan of the entire block, including the surrounding Muggle areas. Alan took out his drawing and measuring tools and began adding lines to the blueprint.
Next, he explored and measured the basement wall, eventually using a charcoal pencil to outline a door-shaped pattern on a specific section of stone. "The position and depth have been confirmed by the magic locator, so there shouldn't be any major problems. As soon as that shop is renovated, we can start setting it up."
The reason he had used his Muggle connections to buy that shop outside Diagon Alley was that he had finally completed the design for the magical lathe. The lathe, powered by the Wild Lightning rune, could convert electrical energy into magic. With that magic, the lathe could automatically process, enchant, and engrave alchemical tools.
However, the lathe required a massive amount of power. Direct conversion was inefficient, and there was always some loss. Using a diesel generator in the lab would be too troublesome; he would have to constantly refuel it, and the smell and space it took up made it a poor long-term solution.
There was no electricity in Diagon Alley, so if he didn't want to generate it at home, he had only one option: steal it from the Muggle world. The Muggle world had an abundance of electrical energy, and taking a small amount was no issue for Alan. But to avoid being discovered and violating the Statute of Secrecy, he had to be very careful with his methods.