Kakashi was beside himself with worry. He had only left the Great Hall for a few minutes to head up to the Headmaster's Office, but the Potter boy had already shaken him off. He was ANBU. Losing his charge meant the failure of the mission.
Kakashi was not one who could stand failure. It was not an option to him.
Kakashi hurried through the halls, hand forming seals even as Pakkun ran in front of him, sniffing out the Potter boy's scent. He felt chakra running through him, as spiritual energy and physical energy combined.
"Kuchiyose no Jutsu!" Kakashi yelled and halted momentarily to slam his hand on the floor. There was a puff of smoke and seven more Nin-dogs appeared. Kakashi scratched the huge bulldog behind the ears for a moment before he let them sniff the Potter boy's tie.
"Call me if you find a trail." Kakashi spoke. "He'll probably be in a public place, so try to howl somewhere discreet."
The seven Nin-dogs nodded and disappeared. Pakkun ran back, looking for the reason why Kakashi stayed behind.
"Calling for backup?" He asked, scratching his ear with his leg. "We have a lot of ground to cover."
Kakashi nodded mutely. "We have to hurry."
Pakkun nodded and ran off, Kakashi behind him.
One of the Nin-dog's howls came some twenty minutes later. Kakashi and Pakkun had been in the Gryffindor Common Room when the unmistakable howl of a Nin-dog pierced the cold winter air.
Kakashi formed a seal and nodded to Pakkun. "Round up the others. I'll find Kiyoshi." The small brown pug nodded and disappeared. Kakashi finished molding his chakra and concentrated hard on one image.
Sensei, Obito and RIn.
"Henge no Jutsu!"
Another puff of smoke and Kakashi the teacher stood in the Common Room, goggles on his face and a black winter coat over his Jounin uniform. Noting the weather, Kakashi snatched some Gryffindor's red and gold scarf before walking over to the window, mismatched eyes, blue and green, looking for the village of Hogsmeade where he was sure Kiyoshi's howl originated. He quickly leapt out of the window and, molding chakra to his feet, stuck to the walls as he ran down the castle wall.
Kakashi found Kiyoshi in an alleyway between the Three Broomsticks and a small shop. Before him, Kiyoshi was sitting down obediently; tail wagging as he stared at his master with his mouth wide open. Kakashi gestured vaguely to the Three Broomsticks, watching as Kiyoshi's head bobbed up and down. The yellow-haired dog barked happily, wagging his tail harder.
Kakashi gave a relieved smile. From what Kiyoshi was saying, the Potter boy was in the inn. He felt relieved now. The contract wasn't broken. He scratched Kiyoshi behind the ears as well before sending him off in a puff of smoke.
Kakashi adjusted the goggles on his face slightly before winding the Gryffindor's scarf around his neck. He puffed on his hands for a moment, regretting the fact that he didn't have any gloves on. He rubbed his hands together for a few seconds before heading out of the alleyway and entering the inn.
It never snowed in Konoha so Kakashi wasn't used to the cold weather. He rubbed his hands together and then looked around. There was a roaring fire in the fireplace, with a nearby Christmas tree covering a booth. Kakashi noted movement underneath the table, but made no move to investigate.
"Professor Hatake!" McGonagall-san's voice caught his attention. Kakashi waved sheepishly. The Transfiguration professor waved at him from the bar. "Do take a seat." Beside her were Flitwick-san, Hagrid-san, and an oddly dressed little man in a weird outfit, meaning who in their right mind would wear a lime-green bowler hat.
Kakashi nodded and took a seat. There was a small gasp somewhere behind him. Kakashi figured it was the Potter boy. There was a pretty woman who was behind the bar. She smiled at him, probably finding his borrowed image attractive. Kakashi gave a small timid smile.
"Um hi. Can I have," Kakashi thought hard of a drink. The third years were talking about it lately, Kakashi decided to try it. "…A tankard of butterbeer please."
Madam Rosmerta giggled and blushed slightly as she turned away and went to get the drink. There was a slight cough beside him, and Kakashi found himself staring at the four people beside him. McGonagall-san, Flitwick-san and Hagrid-san were smiling, while the Minister of Magic was snickering as he drank his red currant rum.
When he had been with Sensei, he had often asked why the local girls would always blush and giggle when they saw Sensei. Kakashi knew Sensei had reserved his heart for the lady who always visited during the training sessions to 'talk' to Sensei. He acted like a good sport and flirted back to the girls. Sensei had called it his own special 'charm'.
Kakashi figured that even if he had only borrowed Sensei's face, it still damn worked.
Kakashi shrugged like Sensei used to and gave a sheepish smile. "That always happens."
When Kakashi's drink arrived, the others had by now resumed their conversation earlier. Kakashi simply listened in as he finished his drink in a flash. The heat of the butterbeer ran down his throat and he gave a small satisfied sigh.
"Quite the double act, Sirius Black and James Potter!" said Rosmerta. Kakashi listened intently. He could've told them about his own encounter with Sirius Black, but he chose not to do so. After all, only Dumbledore or the Third could make him talk.
They went on about Sirius Black until McGonagall set down her glass. "You know, Cornelius, if you're dining with the headmaster, we'd better head back up to the castle."
Fudge agreed. McGonagall paid for her drink and stared at Kakashi. "You're not coming?"
Kakashi glanced behind him. He was sure the Potter boy was here now. He could smell him amongst all the other foreign smells.
"I'll stay behind." He whispered, and gave a smile. "Have a good evening, McGonagall-san."
The other teachers and their guest left. Kakashi paid for his drink and turned as he got up from the stool. He picked up the Christmas tree and set it aside and he didn't need to look down to find the Potter boy; his friends were stooping down to talk to him, apparently they didn't hear him come.
"Ahem." Kakashi coughed, bringing one hand to his mouth. "Did I interrupt anything?"
The two of them lifted their head up so fast, the red haired one, Ron, hit his head on the table. Kakashi chuckled and kneeled down to Harry's level. He grabbed Harry's collar with both hands and lifted him up clear off the ground.
"You have some explaining to do."
Kakashi lugged Harry by the collar all the way to Hogwarts. He managed to distract Filch with a minor genjutsu, so they passed through the so called security check without any further mishaps. He made it all the way to the doors of the Entrance Hall until he dropped the Potter boy.
"You could've been killed." Kakashi spoke softly, imitating the way Sensei used to scold them. It was the cold and painful disappointment that came from Sensei that made them regret whatever they had done wrong. Apparently that way worked on the Potter boy too, who was sulking, but obviously listening.
"Look, I know Sirius Black betrayed your parents, I know that you feel angry at everyone for not telling you." At this sentence, the Potter boy raised his head, unshed tears shining. Kakashi cleared his throat. "But they think it's for your own good so that you can stay out of Black's way since they think you can't take him down before he kills you. They're just trying to look out for you. Personally, I think you had to know sometime. No matter what you decide, I just want you to know that we're all here for you, to support you. Just promise me you will think before you act. If you feel sad…your friends are here for you." Kakashi gave a sad smile. "Be thankful for that. Not everyone has that luxury."
The Potter boy gave a small nod. Kakashi ruffled his unruly hair in the way Sensei used to; fatherly and affectionate.
"Good." Kakashi's mood brightened. "If you're in Gryffindor Tower in the next ten minutes, I never saw you in Hogsmeade. Got that?" At the three's nod, Kakashi smiled. "Now go."
After the three left, Kakashi put his hands in his pockets and hummed a small tone. The butterbeer was surprisingly addictive. He decided to get another one, after all the Potter gaki needed a head start.
The next morning, most of the students were home. Only a few stayed behind in Hogwarts. Harry saw the guard relaxing by the fire, apparently he was getting used to the fact that he could sit, permission or not. The guard gave a small nod at Harry's arrival, but turned his head back to the fire, as if expecting to see something to come out. Hermione had spread her homework on three tables, and Ron was currently swallowing a Peppermint Toad.
"Where is everyone?" Harry asked, looking around. Ron smiled as he massaged his stomach. "It's the first day of the holidays, remember? They're all gone!"
Harry grinned. Hermione smiled in relief. "I'm glad Professor Hatake talked to you."
Harry's grin faded a bit, but he nodded. "Yeah, me too." His voice sounded like the tone was faked, and he slumped into a chair next to the fire. Hermione and Ron stared at him, worried. Even the guard had craned his head over to look at the three of them.
"You don't look well you know." Hermione spoke, looking at him anxiously. Harry opened his mouth to reply, but the guard cut him off.
"You clearly do not look fine." Kakashi put in. The Potter boy scowled and finally snapped. "What do you know? You don't hear your mother screaming and pleading to her killer! You didn't find out that someone betrayed your parents!"
Bad move.
Kakashi felt his temper explode. He felt himself shake. This boy did not know true pain. This boy had the guts! He had the damn guts to tell him he didn't know anything!
"You're telling me about your mother and your parents, how she saved your life, how they were betrayed by their best friend. I'll tell you something about my own parents. My mother died in childbirth…" Kakashi paused, willing himself to talk. The shock in the three gakis' faces was evident. "…my father killed himself when I was five. My country was at war in that time, so I had only graduated from the Academy when my father killed himself and I came home to find the body lying on the floor. And then I joined a three-man cell. I was learning new things you know…" Kakashi trailed off, letting the suspense hang.
The girl, Hermione opened her mouth. "And then?"
Kakashi allowed himself a grim smile behind the mask. "I killed my first man. He was older than me, actually. He was quite stubborn. Gave me my first scar, you know. It was huge, ran from my shoulder to my chest. Quite a deep cut. And let me tell you something, killing your first man is nowhere near as easy as you expect it to be, vengeance or no vengeance. It takes something out of you each time, like a part of you dies. If you keep killing, you become a monster like Voldemort himself. So it's better not to take the first step. Let me take the burden for you, I'm used to it anyway."
Harry tried to protest. "But what if he kills you? Won't your friends miss you?"
Kakashi gave a grim laugh. "All my friends are dead. My closest friend died protecting me, and all I have left of him is this eye." Kakashi tilted the mask to the side to show his closed eye, and the long jagged scar running through it.
"He was crushed under a rock bigger than he was, a trap rigged by an enemy. By then, I had lost my left eye. Later, I was able to kill the person who set the trap but it didn't bring my friend back to life, and it didn't make me feel any better. It won't make you feel any better either and it won't bring the people who you love back."
Harry was quiet. Kakashi gave a small nod.
"I thought so."
Harry, Ron and Hermione stared at the guard in shock. The silence stretched on for a while until Hermione managed to speak.
"I'm…sorry."
Kakashi reclined further into the armchair. "Don't be. It had nothing to do with you. Anyway, it's been five years since his death. I think I've gotten over it as much as possible. Why don't you three go outside? It's a lovely day."
Harry, despite all the pain he felt yesterday, was not inclined to leave the guard alone quite yet. He could see all too well how upset the guard probably was and he could feel an odd sort of kinship with him because they were both orphans. He swallowed a bit before speaking awkwardly.
"I'm sorry I bought it up."
Ron looked awkwardly from the guard to the door, as if asking what to do. The guard waved a hand. "I'll be fine."
Awkwardly, the three left the Common Room, murmuring amongst themselves about the new information, glancing back every so often as if to reassure them to see if the guard was really alright.
"Why don't we visit Hagrid?" Hermione suggested still uncomfortably attempting the conversation to less depressing matters.