Broke 300 reviews last chapter!! Enjoy!
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Chapter 25: Fight or Flight
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Kakashi winced as Ron let in yet another goal. Needless to say, the match wasn't going well for Gryffindor.
Weasley cannot save a single thing; he cannot block a single ring. That's why Slytherins all sing; Weasley is our king.
The chant floated above the cheering and shouting on both sides. The shinobi attempted to block it out and concentrate on the game.
Harry was floating high above everyone else, looking for a glint of gold. Kakashi kept his focus on him, switching to Ron every once in a while. But Harry had been mostly stationary for the length of the game, searching quietly.
He risked a glance across the field into the teacher's stands. Umbridge sat primly in the top row in a pink wool coat and mittens, a bubble gum-pink cap over her ears. The two teachers who flanked her looked like they wanted to be anywhere but there; Kakashi could tell even from his distance.
The Gryffindors erupted into cheers around him; he flicked his gaze back to the pitch to see that Angelina had scored their first goal of the game. Harry was cheering up on his broom as well, momentarily forgetting his position. Kakashi rolled his eyes. You didn't stop fighting because one of your teammates defeated their opponent. That would get you killed. Again, he forcibly reminded himself that they were students, not shinobi.
Kakashi turned back to Umbridge, she clapped politely with the other teachers, but looked about as happy that Gryffindor had scored as Snape.
Out of the corner of his eye, Kakashi saw Harry rocket toward the field, fixed on the buzzing golden ball hovering a few feet above the ground near Slytherin's goal posts. Malfoy was beside him just as quickly, shoving Harry as they flew side by side. The snitch floated a ways away from them, but maintained its tantalizingly close distance to the ground. Harry shoved back, extending his hand toward the snitch…
And caught it, Malfoy's fingers scrabbling the back of his hand helplessly.
Gryffindor roared its approval, Luna's hat literally roaring loudly. The Slytherins booed and insulted, but it didn't matter. The lion had chewed up the snake again.
Harry zoomed around the pitch to come in for a landing where his team crowded the middle of the field.
But Kakashi wasn't paying attention. If he had learned anything about competition, it was that afterwards, one should be more concerned about the losers than the winners. And the Slytherins weren't looking very happy. Kakashi tensed. A beater's bat rose in Harry's direction, ready to hit the incoming bludger straight towards the wizard.
"HARRY!" Kakashi tried yelling over the noise, but the crowd was still too raucous. Without thinking, he pulled his wand from the inside of his robes and directed it inches behind Harry's head.
"Expeliarmus!" he shouted.
The bat contacted the bludger, sending it toward Harry fast, who was still painfully oblivious.
Ping!
Kakashi's well-timed spell hit the bludger inches from Harry's neck, shooting out red sparks at contact and veering the bludger off course. It was just enough that it buried itself in the ground a few feet away instead of taking off the wizard's head.
Most of the people surrounding him were now staring at him. Kakashi hurriedly shoved his wand back in his robes and pushed his way back through the crowd, taking the steps down two at a time and coming out through one of the periodical gaps in the stands and onto the field.
Kakashi couldn't see Harry at first as he strode quickly over to them; the teams seemed to be torn between looking at him and something else that was going on. In between heads, Kakashi saw caught a glimpse of pale blonde hair. Suddenly, shouting floated over to him…
He began to run as fast as he could without drawing attention to himself towards the group.
"Harry! George! Stop it!" Kakashi heard Angelina's voice.
Kakashi shoved through the Gryffindor team where Harry and Fred were pummeling Malfoy, who was doubled over on the ground, crying like a baby. The shinobi grabbed the back of Harry's Quidditch robes and pulled him away roughly, doing the same with George. The latter gave up the fight after being pulled away, but Harry ran straight back at Kakashi, determined to get through him to Malfoy.
"Potter!" Kakashi bellowed at him, shoving him away again.
Harry fumed silently, glaring at Kakashi and breathing hard. The shinobi didn't budge. Kakashi flickered his eyes over the teams behind Harry, noticing that it had taken three Chasers to restrain Fred as well. Many of the Slytherin players were snickering.
"What do you think you're doing?!" Madam Hooch screamed as she stormed over to them. "The three of you," she pointed to Harry, George, and Kakashi, "Up to your Head of House's office. Now!"
Silently, Harry and George marched off the pitch, Kakashi following close behind. He could feel the tension radiating from them both.
They had just reached the Deputy Headmistress's office when McGonagall turned rounded the corridor looking explosive.
"In, all of you!" she pointed through the door roughly. Kakashi avoided her stern gaze as he walked past.
The boys stood in front of her desk as she circled behind it, leaning forward with her hands placed on the wood, palms down. Kakashi stood behind Harry and George.
"I have never seen such behavior! Two on one? Explain yourselves," the volume went down as she continued, but the level of anger was constant.
"Malfoy provoked us," Harry supplied stiffly.
"Provoked you?" she repeated incredulously, "Of course he provoked you; he just lost! But what on earth could he have said—"
"He insulted my family," George interrupted darkly, "And Harry's mother."
Kakashi clenched a fist. So that was what had started it. Damn that idiot and his temper! Why couldn't he get it into his head not to cause trouble?
"But instead of waiting for Madam Hooch to—" McGonagall was interrupted again.
"Hem, hem."
Kakashi's hand unclenched and twitched toward his holster, as it did every time he heard that voice. He struggled to restrain from throwing a kunai in her direction. Harry and George whirled around to see Umbridge standing primly in the doorway, wrapped in her pink coat, which only enhanced her resemblance to a toad. Kakashi turned halfway, regarding Umbridge neutrally, but watching her every move.
"I thought you might want my help," she said in the falsely sweet voice to Professor McGonagall, all but ignoring the boys.
"…Your help?" McGonagall asked.
"Yes, a little extra authority," Umbridge reworded, smiling.
McGonagall's face turned red. "Well, you thought wrong," she turned back to Harry and George. "Listen, the two of you, I don't care how many of your family members were insulted. Your behavior was disgusting, and as punishment, you are both getting a week's worth of detention. Don't look at me like that Potter, you deserve it—"
"I think they deserve more than detention, Minerva," Umbridge announced.
McGonagall paused like she was praying for the house to fall upon the wicked witch. She turned to her colleague, "Unfortunately, I am their Head of House, so it is what I think that counts, Dolores," she said stiffly.
"Actually, what I think counts more," she rummaged in her pocket, "Ah, here it is. Educational Decree Number Twenty-Five…"
Kakashi tuned it out. Whatever it was, if it pertained to him, he would most likely ignore it at some point or another. He had suddenly become aware, being the only person standing between Umbridge and his charges, that Rin was nowhere to be found. In fact, he hadn't seen her since the beginning of the match. He assumed that she had probably smartly escaped as soon as Harry caught the snitch to find Ron and Hermione.
"…I think a life-long ban from Quidditch ought to do it," Umbridge finished. Kakashi didn't have to look behind him to know that the boys' mouths had fallen open.
"Banned… forever?" George repeated.
"Yes, Mr. Weasley, and I feel your twin should be prohibited as well. I'm sure he would have attacked Mr. Malfoy had he not been restrained by his teammates. But the rest of the team may continue playing, of course. I didn't see violence from any of them … And you, Mr. Hatake."
She turned her eyes on Kakashi, acknowledging his presence for the first time. He stared back unflinchingly. She flipped on the pseudo-smile.
"Why would a student such as yourself cast a disarming charm onto the field, where your classmates were present?" she asked sweetly.
Kakashi continued his silence a moment longer, "… The truth?" he asked tonelessly.
Umbridge distorted her features into confusion, "Why, of course, Mr. Hatake. What other kind of answer would I want to hear?"
Kakashi gave a short hollow laugh. He glared daggers at Umbridge.
"A convenient one," he replied.
Umbridge looked blank for a moment before comprehension of what he was implying began to dawn on her face, but Kakashi launched into his explanation before she could say anything else.
"One of the Slytherin beaters intentionally hit a bludger in Harry's direction after he had caught the snitch. Had I not knocked it off course, it would have hit him in the neck, injuring him severely. I wouldn't be surprised if his head got taken off."
Umbridge didn't look satisfied with this information. "And in the short amount of time you realized this, you were able to react quickly enough?" she asked.
Kakashi shrugged, "Harry's my friend. If one of your friends was in trouble, wouldn't you react quickly, Professor?" he asked sensibly. She didn't reply.
Kakashi smirked inwardly. He had her backed into a corner. She couldn't say no to that. Not if she wanted to keep her fake 'I'm the good High Inquisitor' cover.
Umbridge contemplated his words; Kakashi could practically see the gears turning, trying to come up with a way to punish him without incriminating herself.
"Despite your good intentions, Mr. Hatake," she said in such a way that clearly showed she didn't believe him, or if she did, she was faking it, "You did cast a charm that could have easily hurt one of your classmates instead. It was reckless and juvenile. Two weeks detention with me, starting tomorrow."
Kakashi didn't miss the gleam in her eyes as she said "with me" at the notion of causing physical pain. He had no doubt he would be writing lines. She nodded curtly and left.
Kakashi turned around to face Harry and George, who still seemed to be in shock that they could no longer play, and McGonagall. The professor's mouth was set in a grim line. Harry recovered first, turning to McGonagall.
"No, there's nothing I can do," she said before he could say anything. "This is out of my hands."
They all stood in silence for a moment. It was a big admission. Hardly anything was ever out of McGonagall's control.
"Before long, the whole school will be out of our hands, Professor," George said quietly.
McGonagall didn't reply, the stern expression never leaving her face. "Get back to your common room," she ordered, though there was no longer any conviction in her voice.
Harry and George turned to leave as she asked, but Kakashi stayed where he was. Harry looked at him questioningly, though an air of sorrow still hung around him.
"Go," the shinobi said, "Stay in the common room and don't go anywhere until I get there."
Harry nodded mutely, too tired to argue, following George out of the office.
Kakashi watched them walk down the corridor until they turned the corner. He closed the office door quietly and walked back over in front of McGonagall's desk. She had collapsed in her chair, still turning over the recent events in her mind, but now she sat up straight and folded her hands across her desk, looking every bit the administrator.
She adjusted her glasses on the bridge of her nose, "How may I help you, Mr. Hatake?"
Kakashi unwrapped the scarf from around his neck, leaving it hanging loosely across his shoulders and shoved his hands in the deep pockets of his robes. One hand reached up to his face unconsciously to make sure the mask was still in place.
"I'll be blunt," he began, getting the professor's full attention, "Do you think Umbridge will gain control of the school?"
McGonagall looked at him intently. He continued.
"Do you think that the Ministry will grant her power to overrule Dumbledore? Do you think they'll make her headmistress?"
McGonagall's grip tightened on her folded hands.
"Should that happen," she said slowly, "I can assure you that Professor Dumbledore will not simply leave without a fight."
Kakashi nodded, "I wouldn't expect any less, but he will not openly attack members of the Ministry should he be forced out."
"I agree," she concluded.
"How long before the Ministry makes a move against Dumbledore?" Kakashi asked seriously.
McGonagall sighed, "With the rate these Educational Decrees are coming out," she emphasized the words 'Educational Decrees' with distaste, "… I really can't say, Hatake, but they do seem to be getting more and more… restricting."
"Soon, then," Kakashi surmised.
"Possibly," she replied.
"At which point, should Dumbledore be removed from his position of authority as Headmaster, our contract will be void," Kakashi arrived at his main point.
McGonagall narrowed her eyebrows, "…You will leave?"
Kakashi strode to the door and opened it. He turned back to McGonagall, who eyed him intently.
"No, Professor," Kakashi replied, "I won't leave. I'm too invested in this mission to see it fail now."
The Deputy Headmistress quickly concealed a flicker of relief. She nodded.
"Very well, Mr. Hatake."
Kakashi nodded in return and left, closing the door behind him.
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Perhaps kind of a weird place to stop, but I really wanted to update for you guys. Did you like? I am finally finished with all my make up work, so weekly updates should be on schedule from now on unless something comes up. 'Til next time, then!