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"So let me get this straight, you really don't remember what happened right after the Quidditch match. You only remember the guard casting some sort of foreign spell and killing the Dementors." Hermione repeated, looking at Harry oddly. They were in the Gryffindor Common room that Sunday evening after Harry and the guard had been discharged out of the hospital wing, their backs to the fire. Nearby, the guard was sitting in his own squishy armchair looking very uncomfortable as if he was not used to sitting in a squishy armchair.
Ron's eyes hadn't returned to their normal look. They were still wide and disturbingly sparkly at the thought of the incredibly cool spell the guard had performed. He had bothered the guard a few minutes earlier, but he had been shoved aside as the Weasley twins wrapped their arms around the guard and began to badger the guard in a relentlessly happy manner.
"Well, my man, I never knew you had it in you to cast a spell like that." Fred began, shoving the guard playfully. The guard looked disgruntled. Obviously, he was not used to being treated like a squish toy of sorts. He felt quite similar to those things they called 'teddy' bears. Speaking of which, he wondered if the Fourth's son would like one. They were oddly….'cute', maybe a more masculine animal, but not a fox. Definitely not a fox, foxes bought bad memories.
The lack of response annoyed Fred and George. As a result they became a bit too 'touchy-feely' which did not make the guard happy at all, after he'd snapped out of his wondering. Finally the guard had to push them off him, unable to give an answer due to his shinobi ethics, the guard attempted to retreat to the portrait hole, looking rather wistfully at the hall beyond. By then, every soul in the common room was looking at him, mostly because they were discussing what he had done earlier and had only caught sight of him now due to Fred and George's persistent peskiness. The guard looked like a cornered rabbit, his unseen eyes flickering, looking for an escape from the relentless gazes of his charges.
This didn't do him much good. The guard attempted to avoid the questions by answering abruptly that he wasn't allowed to talk about it unless given clearance by Dumbledore or one of his superiors. This led to a most disgruntled group of Gryffindors who saw their chance to learn new spells slipping away like the guard did as stealthily as a shadow sneaking away to the portrait hole.
After a few hours outside the portrait hole, Kakashi exchanged his place on the seventh floor with one of his Henge'd Kage Bunshins, with him patrolling the fourth floor. It so happened that the Malfoy brat had his father in tow, probably regarding the 'Buckbeak' incident. Kakashi caught sight of them, and suspicious of their motives, decided to keep an eye on them while they were there, which was considerably easy because Malfoy apparently wished to talk to him as well.
"Well hello there." He drawled. "May I congratulate you on your swift rescue of one of the students?"
Kakashi noticed that he didn't refer to the Potter boy by name or by House. Apparently, this fellow was as bigoted against people not of Slytherin as his son was. Now Kakashi could clearly see where Malfoy's arrogance came from.
"Don't mention it." Kakashi replied gruffly.
Malfoy cleared his throat. "My name is Lucius Malfoy. This is my son Draco and your name would be?" He asked, raising an eyebrow.
Kakashi thought of it, and then he replied shortly while tapping his mask. "Wolf."
Malfoy's eyebrows both rose. "Are you named after your mask or is that your rank?"
Kakashi smirked to himself behind the mask. "No."
This left Malfoy with more questions. Had the guard said no to the first question or the second question or both? But the guard did not seem to be too talkative, so Malfoy decided to try and take another approach and change the topic of the conversation.
"Was that type of magic you cast yesterday common among your people?" He asked mildly, seemingly interested in an academic manner which did not fool Kakashi at all. Kakashi narrowed his eyes. He did not like this man.
"I am not allowed to discuss such things without clearance from my superior officer." Kakashi replied shortly. "You were on your way to Dumbledore's office, weren't you?"
"Who is your superior officer?" Malfoy asked, deliberately ignoring Kakashi's last question.
Kakashi thought of it for a moment, and then he shrugged. "Dumbledore, for the time being."
Malfoy apparently did not know how to break off questioning. "Why for the time being?"
"I am hired to protect Hogwarts." Kakashi replied. "I am not allowed to give further information regarding that unless you have permission from my normal superior officer."
"And who is your normal superior officer?" Malfoy asked.
"Sandaime Hokage-sama."
The befuddled look on Malfoy's face was entirely worth it. Behind his mask Kakashi was smirking, again.
"And how do we get in contact with this Sahn-dye-meh Hoh-ka-jeh-sahma person?" Malfoy struggled to pronounce the title.
Kakashi winced at the mangling of his language and curtly replied with a mental grin.
"The highest ranking operative already here or the operative that will be sent here carrying further instructions…" Kakashi deadpanned, but his lips in a maniac grin behind the mask. "He will arrive here during Christmas break."
Malfoy wondered briefly which of the operatives here, since it seemed there were five people speaking this man's language. It was this guard, the other three guards, or the DADA substitute teacher. Maybe it was this new operative arriving this Christmas.
When Lupin arrived in the classroom that day, he certainly looked ill, tired and gray. However his face brightened when he saw Harry and the Gryffindors. They burst out in varied sentences, complaints, compliments and uproarious laughter as they discussed the more amusing parts of the lesson last meeting.
"I can't believe he made us work with the Slytherins!"
"He kept rambling on and on about teamwork!"
"We had to learn to work with them----"
"Really Professor, I don't see the point."
"But he was so cool!"
Lupin laughed and cleared his throat.
"Since the Dementors are attacking everyone indiscriminately…" The disapproval was clear in Lupin's voice. "I will, for now, teach your entire class how to cast a decent Patronus to drive the Dementors away. I know that some of you would prefer the other spell our friend has demonstrated before…" Lupin gestured to the guard standing at the back of the classroom. "But unfortunately, I don't have the spell our friend here used to kill Dementors. I can only teach you how to drive it away and I hope it will be enough. The incantation is Expecto Patronum. This magic is way beyond O.W.L level, so don't be disappointed if you don't get it the first time around."
The guard looked most disgruntled as Lupin kept referring to him when he obviously wanted to be kept out of the discussion completely. However, Kakashi listened to Lupin-san's discussion intently and the first time Lupin-san did his Patronus; a shining silver horse, Kakashi was so sure he had copied it with the Sharingan.
"Alright, now all of you please think of a happy thing." Lupin spoke, gesturing to them all. Each and every one of the students scrunched their faces up in thought.
Kakashi fingered the wand in his pocket. He'll try it with the Sharingan first, maybe it'll work?
"And then recite the incantation, with wands this time."
Kakashi took out his wand. The rest were still taking out their wands as Kakashi pointed the wand somewhere near the corner of the classroom.
"Expecto Patronum."
A puff of silver smoke appeared. Kakashi looked at the end of his wand quizzically. The Sharingan was supposed to be able to copy any technique, save Bloodline. Did this mean this was another Jutsu similar to that of McGonagall-san's? User specific perhaps…
Kakashi thought hard. It had been so long since he had felt remotely happy. Finally, he decided on his graduation day from Academy student to Genin.
But then again, his father killed himself on the same day. Kakashi locked the memory up once more and thought of another one.
When he became Chuunin perhaps? That day was fun. It was the day when Rin and Obito were so angry at him for going ahead and Sensei decided they needed more teamwork and gave them a D rank mission babysitting the Hokage' grandson.
Kakashi chuckled. Those nearest to him looked at him, disturbed. Kakashi waved a hand in dismissal. Holding his wand, he tried it again.
"Expecto Patronum."
This time, he was so sure something came out. The silver being ran about the classroom, caring other students as they tried to dive out of the way. Lupin looked at him, shocked at the fact he was able to master the Patronus charm so early. Kakashi chuckled, watching his Patronus playfully nip at some Slytherins' feet. The Patronus dove about, yipping happily until it came to a stop at Kakashi's feet.
It was huge, maybe as big as his Father's summoned creature. It had maybe white fur, as it was difficult to tell with the silver mist about it. Two misty yellow-gold eyes stared at him, and Kakashi found himself reaching out to touch it when it vanished in a puff of silver smoke.
"Bravo, well done!" Lupin called out, clapping his hands. "That's the first time I have ever seen the Patronus charm mastered in one day. Brilliant display of magic, my friend." He pat Kakashi on the back, smiling. "That's a Patronus for you all. Here's homework. Please fill out an essay wherein you will tell me the importance of knowing what spell to use on a Hinky-punk."
Kakashi shivered out in the Quidditch Pitch. It was an early December morning, with the Gryffindor Quidditch team out practicing. With his last accident, Kakashi felt he was getting weaker, with all this waiting. With Gai coming around this holiday season, Kakashi felt relieved. At least someone would check up on him. He wasn't just an ANBU stuck in a boring school somewhere. They cared, at least.
Maybe with Gai around, Kakashi could finally put his taijutsu to use.
Practice ended and Kakashi escorted the Potter boy back to the school.
"He would be staying this Christmas?" Kakashi asked, his mask abandoned on the arm of the chair. Dumbledore nodded in reply. They were in Dumbledore's office, partly on the Headmaster's invitation. Kakashi had long finished the mug of hot cocoa in his hand, to Dumbledore's surprise.
"And you?" Dumbledore asked, eyebrows raised, blue eyes twinkling. Kakashi looked to the side before nodding.
"It's my job. Beside, one of my comrades will be arriving. Have you organized transport?" He asked, setting the mug aside and scratching gingerly at a spot under his chin where his mask bunched up.
"Of course, I will be using Portkeys." Dumbledore replied.
Kakashi saluted, put his mask back on and left the room. Snape entered as Kakashi left.
"From his build, he's too young." Snape growled darkly. "He's like what..?"
"Eighteen, Serverus." Dumbledore replied. "But you saw how he killed those Dementors."
Snape grimaced. "Yes I did. And I tell you, it was dark magic."
Dumbledore smiled. "I'll keep an eye on him then. He is bound to us with a contract."
Snape frowned. "But it's breakable. I have…doubts on your relationship with this…Who-kahge."
Dumbledore laughed. "It's Hokage, Serverus. And I trust the Third with my life."
A Hogsmeade trip meant that Dementors would be stationed at the Castle entrances. Kakashi knew this and made a note to tail the Potter boy.
But there was no Potter boy. He looked everywhere, the Common room, the Great Hall, even asked Lupin-san where the boy went. But Lupin-san said he hadn't seen him lately, and Kakashi was beside himself with worry.
Forming seals, Kakashi summoned Pakkun.
"I can't find the boy." Kakashi growled. "I hate this weakness. Can you find him?" Kakashi shoved a tie in Pakkun's direction. The Nin-dog sniffed the tie, and then ran off.
Kakashi followed. If this boy was lost somewhere….Kakashi hated to think what Konoha would do if the contract was broken.