Hogsmeade, believed to have been founded ih or 11th tury around the same time as Hogwarts, is the only wizarding vilge in Britain where witches and wizards freely use magic without w about Muggle interferes residents are said to be entirely of magical in, making it a weling pce for the wizarding unity.

  It is also a special pce for the students and teachers of Hogwarts. Located close to the school, it serves as a retreat where young witches and wizards, under certain ditions, are allowed to visit on weekends.

  It is also the final stop for the Hogwarts Express, where students disembark before making their way to the school's front gate. Of course, first years are an exception, as they have a different journey awaiting them.

  "First-years... First-years please follow me! e on, First-years, this way!"

  Maverick heard a loud voice calling out as he approached the trai. Ahead of him, students were hurriedly disembarking one by oo the Hogsmeade ptform, and the train was quickly beiy.

  The children soon began to separate. The senior students headed off toward another area, likely to meet another professor or staff member who would guide them through the main gates of Hogwarts, while the first-years stayed gathered near Hagrid.

  Maverick saw the half-giant holding a ntern, greeting and ting the young first-years as he walked up and dowform, ensuring everyone was ated for before leading them to their destination.

  From what Magall had told him, Hagrid was in charge of the first-year students and would be taking them to the school using a different form of transportation. It was a traditional method meant to give them a feel for how students traveled to Hogwarts when it was first founded by the four founders.

  Of course, Maverick already khis from the story's memories. So far, everything seemed to be happening just as it had iale.

  Gng around, he saw many of the first-year students were staring at him. It was to be expected—after all, he was much older and not even wearing a school uniform. Some looked at him with curiosity and fusion, while a few showed btant disdain, likely because of his attire. He sighed inwardly, suspeg those few to be noble, so-called pureblood fanatics.

  Just then, Maverick heard a mog voice cut through the hum of the crowd.

  "Look who we have here... Are you a lost squib?"

  Maverick turo see a blonde boy walking toward him, a smirk on his face. Two others followed closely behind, almost like bodyguards. He didn't need ao tell him who the idiot and the two bigger idiots behind him were—it was obvious.

  The three of them walked with a sense of superiority, looking Maverick up and down with obvious disdain. Maverick raised an eyebrow but didn't respond, slipping his hand into his pocket. He wasn't going to eh them—this was just childish drama, and he had no i iertaining it.

  As expected, when Maverick didn't react the way they had hoped—presumably showing timidity or some kind of respohey scoffed and shifted their attention elsewhere.

  The blonde boy's gaze then happeo nd on Daphne and Tracy, who stood behind Maverick.

  "Greengrass, so you're here as well... and I see you're still with your—"

  "Ah... if it isn't Daddy's little princess..."

  The blonde boy, who Maverick assumed was Draalfoy, s Daphne desdingly. However, whatever insult he was about to finish was smoothly cut off by Tracy, who shot back with eveer mockery.

  "You! What did you just call me, you stupid mud—"

  "Shut up, Malfoy," Dapherrupted sharply, looking more like a little dragon than Draself. "Who I am with with is none of your business... Bugger off with yoons and find someone as idiotic as you to bother."

  Maverick watched the brief exge and pared the two young heirs. Daphne Greengrass carried herself with impressive maturity, embodying the demeanor of a true noble, while young Malfoy acted like a typical spoiled rich brat.

  However, he uood that their behavior was a refle of their early upbringing, and as their teacher, it was his responsibility to educate them, rather than judge or discriminate based on their current as. That said, he wasn't going to show the extreme patience of Dumbledore, nor would he act like Snape.

  "You!" Draco huffed, pointing a fi them, but couldn't even e up with a ter.

  The boy's behavior reminded Maverick of the arrogant young master characters from ese novels—only worse. At least those characters had the guts to excim "c death," while little Malfoy couldn't even hawo sentences in a frontation he had started. He stomped off, his followers trailing behind him.

  While briefly distracted by the children's drama, Maverick failed to notice the giant man approag his way.

  "Professor Caesar!" Hagrid's booming voice called out, snapping his attention as he turned his head toward him.

  "I see you took the Hogwarts Express with the little ones. Are you taking the boats as well?" Hagrid asked with a friendly smile.

  Maverick sighed. He had po, but now that his identity as a professor had been id out in front of everyone, he ged his mind.

  "Wait, so you're not an assistant teacher?" Tracy asked, looking up at him. Mavericed over and saw that both she and Daphne seemed taken aback.

  "I had a feeling that name sounded familiar. The master alchemist's surname is Caesar, but since your first name isn't usually mentioned in the neers or by the public, I didn't reize it," Daphne said calmly, looking at him.

  Maverick pyed i, them both a sheepish smile. "Sorry kids, I didn't mention it earlier..."

  "Don't worry, Professor, and it's not like you lied..." Daphne responded politely, with no trace of childish rea.

  Maverick sighed inwardly at her response. Her behavior almost seemed programmed at times. The Greengrass family's method of education too seemed to have some fws, but he believed a smart witch like Daphne would find a bance as she grew older.

  He shrugged the thoughts aside and turo Hagrid, who was now standing beside him. "Good to see you again, Mr. Hagrid."

  "Professor, so will you take the boats with us as well?" Hagrid repeated his earlier question.

  Maverick shook his head, a polite smile to the half-giant man.

  "No, I'll go with the senior students. You should take the first years to the school quickly. I'm sure Professonagall is waiting outside."

  "I see..." Hagrid said, nodding his head. "Well, I'll see ya at school then, Professor."

  Maveriodded iurn, gave a quick wave to Daphne and Tracy, and then headed toward the older students, who were now a little farther away.

  But after c a little distance, he turned and walked in another dire, ing to a stop near a quiet er. He therieved a bck long coat from his ste spad draped it over his shoulders, presenting himself in a more wizarding fashion.

  Then, casting an invisibility spell on himself, he flew toward the castle, aiming to arrive before anyone else.

  A short while ter, he ehe Hreat Hall and found most of the professors already gathered aed at the long teacher's table. Magall and Ronda Hooch were absent, likely because one had goo greet the first-years while the uided the seniors.

  Walking steadily, he climbed up the elevated stage, giving a polite nod to his colleagues. The only one among them he hadn't met and wasn't familiar with was Quirrell, the new hire, just like himself.

  "Ah, Professor Caesar! Wele," Dumbledreeted him warmly, "I thought you said you would be arriving with the freshmen," he added with a curious smile.

  "Thank you, Headmaster... well, I ged my mind and decided to wele the students like everyone else," Maverick said with a shrug.

  "I see..." Dumbledore replied, pausing briefly before turning his head to the right. "Please, allow me to introduce you to Professor Quirrell," Dumbledore said, gesturing toward a timid-looking man wearing a turban who was seated o Professor Snape. "Our new professor for Defense Against the Dark Arts."

  Maverick turned his head, meeting the man's eyes, and gave a polite nod. "It's a pleasure, Professor," he said, keeping the greeting short.

  Quirrell offered a nervous smile, stumbling over his words as they exged brief pleasantries. Maverick didn't bother to ent on the man's attempts to appear humble. He pretended not to know anything, and after the brief exge with the man, he walked behind the table aled into a seat between the Headmaster and Professor Flitwick.

  However, somethi off to him. His sharp magical senses didn't pick up anything unusual from Quirrell, as if the man were pletely ordinary. For a moment, he wondered if the plot had ged, but then quickly dismissed the thought. It wasn't hard for someone skilled and knowledgeable to hide their presence, and if Voldemort was anything, he was certainly both.

  heless, Maverick was certain Voldemort had some e to the man. His eyes flicked briefly to the rge turban on Quirrell's head, noting the faint smell of garligering in the air. It wasn't as strong or exaggerated as described in the films, but it was unmistakably there.

  Shaking off the thoughts, Maverick settled fortably into his seat. He engaged in light versation with both Flitwid Dumbledore, who inquired about his experien the train and how he found the journey overall.

  Time passed slowly, and about ten mier, Madam Hootered the hall, followed by students from sed to seventh year. The quiet atmosphere of the hall ged instantly from that point as their chatter filled the room while they took their seats at their respective house tables.

  Many students cast curious goward the staff table, particurly at Maverid Quirrell—two new faces among the familiar ones.

  The news of Hogwarts starting alchemy course had spread across the English wizarding unity, and the hiring of a master alchemist had geed even more buzz. It was clear that the students' curious gazes were mostly because of that.

  Maverick didn't mind the attention and tihe light versation with the two professors on his left and right. Meanwhile, Madam Hooch made her way to the stage, giving him and everyone else a nod before taking her pce at the staff table.

  Another fifteen minutes or so passed, and Hagrid ehe hall, making his way to the staff table and taking his seat as well. Moments ter, the rge oak doors swung open once again, and Professonagall came in, leading the first-year students.

  She walked all the way to the elevated stage, climbed the few stairs, then stopped and turo face the group. "Please wait here," she instructed, signaling for the first-years to remain still.

  o her on a stool was the famous S Hat. Maverick had entered it before and even checked its extraordinary characteristics. It wasn't anything special, with a basic-grade ste ability and a basic-grade mind-reading characteristic. He had no iion of replig any of that.

  As he looked down at the group of first-years, Maverioticed Daphne and Trag up at him. He gave them both a smile and a polite nod iurn before fog on Magall.

  He saw her take a part, hold it vertically, and address the students. "Now, when I call your name, you shall e forth. I will pce the S Hat on your head, and you will be sorted into your houses."

  She gave the young ones a brief moment tister her words, then g the part again and read out a name.

  "Hannah Abbot!"

  Maverick watched as a familiar young witch walked timidly up the stage and sat oool beside Magall.

  The deputy headmistress thehe S Hat on the girl's head. After a brief moment, the hat called out loudly, "Hufflepuff!"

  Gng at Dumbledore beside him, Maverick murmured, "Headmaster, is there any ce I could study the S Hat? I just had a very iing idea."

  Dumbledore, his eyes fixed oudents, responded after a brief pause, "That, I'm afraid, you will have to ask the Hat itself, my boy."

  He sighed and refocused on the ceremony. He uood that the old wizard had politely deed his proposal, but he po do exactly as the Headmaster had suggested, and would ask the Hat itself. Perhaps he could vihe thing, he thought.

  Moreover, it wasn't a lie that he had a very iing idea for a new iion after seeing the Hat again today, something that could bee very useful and practical fir him iure.

  The names were called one by one, and slowly the first-years were sorted into their houses. The only noticeable moment came when Harry Potter's name was called. The hall fell into silence, with only hushed whispers filling the air, creating an atmosphere of anticipation as if the lottery numbers were being drawn.

  After the Hat's decision, the hall erupted in cheers, especially from the Gryffindor table, with the se unfolding almost exactly like in the books. Hermione was sorted into Gryffindor, and so was Ronald, while Trad Daphne were pced into Slytherin. With everything following the script, the entire s ceremo a bit bnd to him.

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  Author's Note:

  Just a quick update — up to Chapter 105 is already avaible on P AT r30n!

  PAT r30n [.] / RyanFic