Dumbledore sat at the desk in his office, his hands folded softly in front of him. Fawkes was perched gracefully on a shelf above him, his long red tail feathers swooping gracefully down and touching the tip of the headmaster's tall wizard hat. Before Dumbledore stood two tall figures, waiting calmly and attentively for the reason of their sudden meeting.
"Professor McGonagall, Professor Snape," Dumbledore began after a short period, "Thank you for coming. If I am correct to assume that you are curious as to why I have summoned you here, then I shall not wait another moment in telling you!"
Two chairs were conjured out of thin air, and nudged gently at the professors' legs until they quickly obliged and sat down.
Dumbledore began again, calm as ever, "Although you know it quite well at this point, to make clearer my reasoning for summing you here, I'd like to iterate that indeed you are my two most trusted professors in this school, and as such, I felt it right to tell you first. As you are most certainly aware, the wizarding world is in great danger with the return of Lord Voldemort, and it goes without some saying that Harry Potter will no doubt be in greater danger in the coming term than he has been in his previous years. There is no doubt in my mind that Hogwarts is the safest place for him, as well as the other students, as long as our world continues to be threatened by Voldemort. I have confidence that I can depend on my teachers to defend our students, and I know some pupils are quite talented themselves, however…"
"Do you intend to bring Dementors back to the school?" Snape asked, in his usual drawl.
McGonagall jumped to speak at once, "To even think that the Headmaster would consider such a thing Severus, you know as well as I that he would never-"
Dumbledore raised his hand calmly, and McGonagall was silent at once.
"No, Severus, I do not intend to allow the Ministry to bring back the Dementors." Dumbledore replied quietly. "I do, however, intend to hire additional security for my students."
"Potter, specifically?" McGonagall questioned.
"I won't deny that he does pose as a particular interest in my plan. But if all goes as I expect it to, which I am certain that it will, then all students will have added protection as well."
"Do you intend to bring in an army?" Snape asked, seeming to become agitated at Dumbledore's continuing vagueness.
"That is exactly what I intend to do."
Both Professors' expressions changed subtly to confusion. Before they could retort however, Dumbledore continued. "But it is not as you think." Dumbledore waved his wand, and a large book flew slowly from the bookshelf behind him, landing on his desk with a thunk.
"For many generations, the headmasters of Hogwarts have kept steady contact with the ninjas of Japan, in a realm not much different than our own. Instead of children learning magic and potions, children of their world are trained rather as warriors that protect their delicate balance of peace."
"N-ninjas, Headmaster? You aren't serious, are you?" McGonagall was beside herself.
Dumbledore only smiled, and the book in front of him magically opened towards the two professors, pages fluttering until they stopped on a page with a few magically moving photographs. One showed a few young ninjas standing together with a taller, older looking ninja on a quiet bridge. Another showed a group of ANBU dashing between trees, and others shows further examples of shinobi combat.
Snape sneered at the photos and leaned back in his chair, looking disturbed as usual. McGonagall only peered up at the headmaster.
"And what is your plan exactly, Headmaster?"
Dumbledore merely smiled, "An excellent question, Minerva! I have been considering this for a while now, but have settled on a decision only this morning. I would like a team of ninjas from their world to infiltrate Hogwarts as exchange students, to patrol the halls under the cover of a casual walk to the dining hall, to take lessons and exchange notes under tables with friends, to gossip in their dormitories at night, to become that which an average wizard guard or professor cannot be. That is, fellow classmates with our students." Dumbledore's eyes searched his colleague's for reaction, before he brought his fingers together in front of him once again.
"It goes without saying, our young pupils always seem to come across Voldemort's whereabouts and plans before the rest of us do. Therefore, planting ninjas in with the populace should serve as a valuable tool for us as well."
Snape and McGonagall seemed to consider this for quite some time, going over the scenario in their head many times before deciding to say anything.
"And you are certain we can trust them?" Snape inquired, sounding apprehensive.
"As certain as I can trust you, Severus." Dumblefore replied knowingly.
Snape was silent, yet amidst the scowl on his face, seemed to have accepted Dumbledore's words.
"How many do you expect to hire?" McGonagall sounded confident, yet still somewhat uncomfortable to the idea.
"I think three of four should suffice. Ninjas are trained to operate in small teams, which should make things less suspicious to our students, who will believe nothing more than that they are simply what they claim to be-exchange students from a wizarding school in Japan. The staff will be informed however, if you would do the honors, Minerva. I have some rather pressing business to attend to."
McGonagall nodded, "Of course, Headmaster. But, where exactly are you..?"
Dumbledore stood up and slipped his wand into his robes, "To hire our new employees, of course!" With a clap of his hands, he jumped up, and dove straight into one of the photographs in the book. Snape and McGonagall gazed down into the open book on the desk, to see Dumbledore dusting himself off in the photo of the ninjas on the bridge. The young shinobi looked at him gapingly as he gave a friendly wave and turned to walk out of the photo.