Chapter 3:
The weeks leading till the first day of school had been long and tiresome. After shopping in Diagon Alley, Dumbledore had put the four shinobi up in a room at the Leaky Cauldron. Dumbledore explained to them that under no circumstances were allowed to leave the Leaky Cauldron. They weren't even allowed to go to Diagon Alley just in case Harry or the others were there. Sai took it in stride while both Naruto and Sakura had some trouble comprehending it.
So they spent the long days doing nothing in their room. Sai took to painting the various scenes both outside and inside the Leaky Cauldron while Sakura took to sitting at the bar and observing the wizarding population from a discreet eye. Only Kakashi could leave and he didn't even explain where he was going on most days.
Finally, the day to go to King's Cross came.
Naruto straightened out the robe that they had bought in Diagon Alley as they walked into the train station. He felt ridiculous; it felt like he was wearing a dress. He ran up to Kakashi who was walking ahead of them. "Hey! Kakashi-sensei! Why don't you have to wear this?!"
"Ah well, you'll see…" Kakashi said, still mysterious as ever.
Sai loosened the tie around his neck. "This outfit is butt-ugly."
Naruto had a quick remark for him, but Sakura cut him off. "Oh get used to it!" Complained Sakura. "So where is this platform 9 ¾ anyway?" She asked, looking around.
"Look." Said Sai, "People going through a wall."
"What? Don't try to act smart you dobe." Said Naruto.
"No! He's right Naruto look!" Said Sakura pointing towards the barrier between platforms 9 and 10.
"So that's what he was talking about." Kakashi muttered. "Well come along then."
They started walking towards the platform when Naruto bumped into someone. "Oh, sorry." He mumbled.
"Hey! Watch where you're going idiot! You just scuffed my new shoes! They were 150 galleons!" A cold voice drawled.
Naruto whipped around to face the idiot who just insulted him. He encountered a boy about his age with slicked back blond hair. "I said I was sorry! Who the hell are you anyway?" Naruto yelled angrily.
"Who am I? I'm Draco Malfoy!" The boy declared smugly.
"Well that's a stupid name." Naruto retorted.
The boy looked shell shocked for a moment before regaining composure. "How dare you! Who is a nobody like you to insult the Malfoy family name?!"
"I'm not a nobody!" Naruto yelled. He was about to lunge at him when Sakura held him back.
"What are you doing baka? We're supposed to not make a scene!" She hissed angrily.
"Let me go so I can kick that teme's ass!" Naruto yelled, outraged. He was still struggling against Sakura's restraining arms.
Draco laughed. "You talk real big for a guy that has a girl holding him back! An ugly girl at that! Look at her huge forehead!" Sakura immediately let go of Naruto.
Naruto backed away a few feet and held him hands up hesitantly towards Sakura. "Uhh…calm down Sakura-chan, you said not to cause a scene…"
"Look at what you did now nut-less." Said Sai who had come to watch the fight.
"WHAT DID YOU CALL ME!?" Sakura screamed.
In an instant, before Kakashi could hold her back, she had charged over to Malfoy and punched him. He went flying back and hit the floor with a thud. Everyone around them stared.
"Is there a problem over there?" Called out the voice of a train conductor.
"C'mon!" Said Kakashi grabbing hold of Sakura's arm. "Let's hurry up and get though the wall!" They quickly hurried off before the train conductor could approach them.
"You've got to be mad, coming out in public like this." Mad-eye Moody hissed.
The big black dog that was Harry's guardian – Sirius Black – just looked at Moody before jumping up at Harry. Harry just grinned as he patted Sirius's scruffy black head. Sirius licked Harry's face before whining as the train gave its final call. Sirius motioned with his head for Harry to get in before he jumped down. Harry gave one last look at Sirius before getting on the train. As he boarded, he saw a mysterious man with silvery hair and an odd mask looking at him. Harry felt a chill down his spine as he quickly hopped on the train. Harry quickly waved good bye out the window as the train started to move.
Harry turned to face his friends. "Well, I guess we should find a compartment." Said Harry to Ron Weasley and Hermione Granger.
Ron shifted his feet as Hermione ducked her head. "Well, Harry you see...we sort of have to go to the Prefects compartment."
"I'm sure we won't have to stay there the whole time." Said Ron quickly.
"Oh… Said Harry. "Well no worries, I'll just see you later..." Harry gave what he hoped was an encouraging grin as he began to walk towards the back as Ron and Hermione slowly moved to the front.
Unfortunately, as Harry moved through the train, all the compartments turned out to be taken. Harry slid a compartment door near the back of the train open to see four very strange faces staring back at him.
"Umm…I guess it's full in here too..." Asked Harry, suddenly very nervous as he moved to turn around
"Don't be silly. Of course, we have room." Said a dreamy faced blond girl.
The blonde-haired kid gestured to the seat across from them. Harry sat down next to the blond girl who first spoke to him.
"You're Harry Potter." Said the blond girl looking at him.
"That's me." Said Harry raising his eyebrow.
"I'm Luna Lovegood." Replied the blond girl.
Harry saw the pink haired girl sitting across from them exchange a glance with the two boys sitting on either side of her.
'He's nothing special.' Thought Sakura.
'That's him?! Humph, he hardly looks strong enough to stand up to an Academy student.' Thought Naruto.
"They're friends of yours too?" Asked Harry glancing at the three unfamiliar students.
"Actually, we just met." Said the pink haired girl speaking up. "I'm Sakura Haruno."
"Naruto Uzumaki!" The blonde haired kid seemed energetic enough.
"Sai." Harry looked into his eyes and quickly looked away. Sai's eyes were so emotionless it was scary.
"So are you first years or something?" Asked Harry tentatively.
Luna shook her head. "Oh no. They look too old to be first years." She said in her dreamy like voice.
Sakura gave a smile. "She's right. Were actually 5th year exchange students." Sakura said, remembering the story Dumbledore told them. "We're from Japan."
"So you're Harry Potter." Said Naruto crossing his arms and nodding his head as he looked at Harry.
Harry nodded and braced himself for what he was sure would be a bunch of gushing and asking to see his scar.
"Ah, well yeah… I just wanted to make sure." Said Naruto before turning away. Sakura rolled her eyes.
Harry stared at them surprised. No gushing? Maybe they weren't so bad after all...
"Oh how amazing!" Squealed Hermione. "Very rarely do we get exchange students and from all the way out in Japan! You must tell me all about your school customs and what type of magic they teach you there and..." Hermione started to drone on and on.
Hermione and Ron had arrived in Harry's compartment about half way through the trip and were baffled to find Harry animatedly chatting with four of the weirdest students they had ever seen. Well three actually...the dark haired kid rarely spoke.
Harry turned to Ron and Hermione to talk to them privately. "They hardly reacted to my name!" He whispered excitedly.
Ron raised an eyebrow. "Do they not know You-Know-Who in Japan?"
"Of course they do! If he takes over, they'll be in trouble too. Maybe they just don't care." Said Hermione.
They turned back to them and Hermione gave a welcoming smile.
"So is that like a wig or something, because I know it's not natural to have pink hair." Said Ron with a questioning look on his face.
Hermione gasped and glared at Ron.
"What?" He said innocently as he shrugged his shoulders.
"Hey, don't talk about Sakura-chan's hair!" Said Naruto. "How about your hair, ginger?"
Sakura cleared her throat menacingly as Ron's face turned red. "Actually, it is my natural color..." Sakura explained.
Hermione was getting ready to ask another set of questions when there was a poof. A silver haired man wearing a mask covering most of his face appeared. "Yo."
Harry, Ron and Hermione jumped back, clearly startled.
"Where the hell have you been?" Naruto yelled.
The wizards noted he had a headband over his left eye. "Well you see I was helping…"
"Eh forget it." Naruto said, rolling his eyes as he turned away.
The wizards raised their eyebrows at Naruto's behavior. Such a strange man, this guy was. He had a Hogwarts robe on, but underneath he had a green vest and blue pants. At first glance, he seemed quite old, but as they looked at what was visible of his face, it was clear he was quite young, but too old to be a student. Harry narrowed his eyes a bit as an unsettling feeling set in. This was the guy he caught staring at him earlier...
"Excuse me, but are you a student here?" Asked Hermione.
"Oh no, I'm a teacher." Kakashi replied casually.
"WHAT?!" Naruto exploded, turning back to him. "How the hell did that happen?" He dodged a hit from Sakura.
Harry raised his eyebrows. This guy was very un-teacher like and Naruto certainly didn't talk to him like he was a teacher. "Are you teaching Defense Against the Dark Arts?" He asked.
"Good heavens no, I'm teaching a new class." Explained Kakashi.
Hermione looked eager just the same.
"Well, I gotta get going, just checking up." Kakashi vanished leaving the wizards more confused than ever.