Chapter 9 - Here I go

Leaving the train and seeing the Hogsmeade station, Asmodeus heard a rough and loud voice saying, "First-years, first-years, gather around me. Senior students, head to the carriages!"

"Hello, Harry!"

"Okay, all first-years with me, let's go to the boats."

Approaching the boats, Hagrid said, "No more than four people in a boat. Sit down!"

Asmodeus looked at the thoroughly wet boats and decided he had another way to get to school. Approaching Hagrid, he asked, "Hagrid, do we have to take the boat? It's dirty and wet."

"Ha-ha-ha-ha, no, not necessarily. Unless you're a senior, by the way, you look like a third-year. What are you doing here?"

"I'm a transferred student, so Dumbledore said I need to be at the Sorting like everyone else."

"Then you need to get on the boat."

"Is there no other way?"

"Only if you can cross the lake on your own, but there are Grindylows and mermaids in the lake, so I won't allow you to swim!"

"No, Hagrid, you didn't understand. If I get to the castle my way, everything will be fine?"

"I think so; there shouldn't be any problems. But I'm curious, how are you going to do it?"

"Ha, watch and learn."

Asmodeus took off the robe, leaving only the shirt underneath. He tied his staff to the robe on his back so that it wouldn't hinder his movement. Doing this, fire began to erupt from under his boots and palms. He gradually compressed it until it resembled the thrusters of an Iron Man suit.

"See you at Hogwarts!"

Asmodeus shot upward at the speed of a bullet from a gun. The other students, including Hagrid, watched in awe.

Hagrid shouted, "Stop, it's dangerous! What if you run out of mana and fall into the lake?" But Asmodeus, though hearing Hagrid, didn't stop.

"Ha, I have more mana than Dumbledore; if it runs out from a short flight, I'll feel like an idiot."

The students below whispered to each other, wondering if their parents could fly. They discovered that no one present, except for the strange boy who had just flown away, knew anyone who could fly.

Hermione, frowning, thought, "I must learn to fly and not fall behind him."

You might think that Asmodeus is showing off, but don't forget about the flying achievement - "Teach 2/3 of Hogwarts students to fly."

Even though students won't be able to fly exactly like him—lacking mana and not having the same affinity with fire—this demonstration will surely inspire them to attempt to study or create flight magic. That's why Asmodeus decided to showcase his skills.

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While Asmodeus was flying, Hagrid and the first-year students were rowing in boats, Professor McGonagall was heading towards the main entrance.

"I hope this year Gryffindor will have students who follow the rules... or at least don't roam at night. I hope the girl Granger ends up in Gryffindor; I really liked her."

In such contemplation, she reached the main entrance of the castle and opened the door, but what she saw made her lose her previous composure.

The full spectrum of emotions played across her face, from shock to anger. What do you think she saw?

She saw a human silhouette hurtling toward her like a falling comet!!!

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Two minutes ago,

Asmodeus realized that due to the darkness and his unfamiliarity with the castle, he didn't know which entrance to fly towards. So, he hovered in the air, trying to identify the entrance he needed. He happened to spot a witch in a green robe and a pointed hat.

He immediately recognized her as Professor McGonagall, who must be waiting for first-year students for sorting. Therefore, he directed himself towards her.

Throwing his hands behind his back and leaning forward, he descended sharply.

After a minute, Asmodeus slowed down and landed gently in front of Professor McGonagall, who already had an undisguised rage on her face.

"Good evening," he said. "Is the sorting taking place here?"

With gritted teeth, Professor McGonagall replied, "Yes, here, young man. Can you explain why you're not with the first-year group, and what is your name?"

"I'm Asmodeus Noren Morningstar, and I separated from the group because I didn't want to sit in a dirty boat."

"And you decided flying was a better option?" McGonagall said, restraining her anger.

"Well, yes, it's faster, and besides, I'm confident in my flying skills."

"Young man, don't talk to me about confidence. I don't know who allowed you to fly across the lake, but I will inquire with the headmaster about your punishment."

"But Professor, I haven't done anything wrong! Why punish me?"

"For instilling bad ideas in the younger generation," she said, cutting him off.

Asmodeus thought, "What bad ideas? What's wrong with flying?" But he didn't say anything; it's better to accept it and not argue for now. In any case, he doesn't think Dumbledore will be against it.

Nodding, he began to wait for the rest of the group to reach the entrance.

After 10-15 minutes of waiting,

McGonagall and Asmodeus noticed the lantern and the half-giant, followed by 30-40 first-year students.

After a couple more minutes, Hagrid and the first-years were at the entrance.

"First-years here, Professor McGonagall."

"I see, Hagrid, but I'm curious why one of them arrived 20 minutes before you?"

"Professor McGonagall, you don't understand. Who would have thought that if I told him he could swim across the lake by himself, he wouldn't need to get in a boat; he'd just fly away. I didn't even get a chance to say anything, and he was already soaring high into the sky,"

Hagrid said with an aggrieved look, glancing at Asmodeus, who looked away as if it wasn't about him.

"All right, Hagrid, nothing to worry about. Fortunately, he didn't fall."

"...Complete the sorting ceremony according to the procedure first, and then deal with this matter after the sorting ceremony is over."

Professor McGonagall opened her mouth to decide.

Many professors at Hogwarts, such as Dumbledore, have been waiting in the Great Hall for a long time. She can't keep all the professors and other senior students waiting to deal with a flying kid. She knows which one is more important.

"It is good."

Hagrid nodded and stepped aside.

"Well, welcome to Hogwarts. The house will be your home for the next seven years."

"In a little while, you'll walk through this door and join the rest of the class. But before you get to the dining hall, you need to be assigned a house—Gryffindor, Hufflepuff, Ravenclaw, or Slytherin."

"Your outstanding performance will give the house extra points, and violations will deduct points. At the end of the year, the house with the highest credits can win the House Cup. Now, let's go to the sorting ceremony with me."

After Professor McGonagall turned around, the closed door of the auditorium opened immediately, and the students followed McGonagall into the auditorium.

The sky above the Hogwarts Great Hall resembled a bright starry expanse, candles suspended in mid-air. Asmodeus gazed with interest at the enchanted sky.

"This sky isn't real; it's been enchanted to resemble the night sky, as I read in A History of Hogwarts," explained Hermione, who had appeared by his side at an unknown time.

Asmodeus gave Hermione a slight nod. It's not that he was unaware of this from the movies; he was simply once again marveling at the diverse applications of magic in this world.

You see, magic in Aang's world during the war was primarily used for battles and warfare. Only earthbenders could employ their abilities for construction. Therefore, witnessing such unique and sophisticated uses of magic in this setting sparked Asmodeus' desire to learn more, extending beyond the development of his combat fire magic.

Professor McGonagall asked the young wizards to line up. Some of the other students in the auditorium were chatting, and many wizards were also looking in that direction.

"Welcome to Hogwarts. Next, we need to determine which house you belong to before you can officially enter."

"I will call your names, and then please step onto the tall platform in the middle, put on the Sorting Hat, and it will decide to which house you belong."

Asmodeus lined up with the young wizards, gazing at the stage before him, filled with childhood excitement.

Hogwarts, here I am! Even though he's over 30 in total, the hormones of a 13-year-old body make him feel like a child again.

Especially compared to the world of Avatar, the world of Harry Potter is undoubtedly much more magical and, most importantly, much safer. Although the peak combat power, among humans, is at a similar level, it doesn't manifest in such quantities as in Avatar. Moreover, the wars in this world and the world of Harry Potter are unequal in their cruelty. More than that, the destructive power in the avatar world is much higher.

For comparison, recall the magical wars in the world of Harry Potter and the world of Avatar. In the magical world, there are only 2-3 million wizards. In the world of Avatar, the population of the four Air Temples destroyed and exterminated by the Fire Nation is 40,000, which is more than all the wizards in Britain. These losses are only among airbenders, how many ordinary people were killed is unknown

And the number of magic users in the world of Avatar is much higher than in Harry Potter. In the world of the four elements, every third person is a bender, while in the world of Hogwarts, it's every 10,000th person or even rarer.

Don't forget the difference in the population of the worlds, the Harry Potter world is in fact an ordinary world with magic, that is 2-3 million wizards and another 7 billion ordinary people. In the world of Avatar there is no so-called law of secrecy, and the total population is about 15-20 million, a third of which are benders.

That's why Asmodeus allowed himself to behave childishly.