Harry awoke the next day in the hospital wing. Someone nearby handed him his glasses, and soon he found himself staring at Ron and Hermione. Hermione looked relieved, and Ron smiled.

"We're excused, for the whole day!" Ron told him, leaning back on the chair. Harry blinked before he remembered. Professor Hatake told him to meet him at the Lake.

"What time is it?" Harry asked as he turned to look at Hermione.

"It's nearly 12 o'clock. Why?" She answered, tearing her gaze off the clock on the wall.

"Professor Hatake told me, before he knocked me out, to meet me at the Lake." Harry replied, scrambling out of bed. "Where's my wand?"

Ron took it from the bedside table. "Here mate, I'll come along. Nothing to do anyway." He shrugged offhandedly, and then stood up as Harry got off the bed.

"What about Madam Pomfrey?" Hermione asked, looking at them. "She just won't let us walk out, would she?"

Ron glanced around, and then shrugged. "If we can get away, I don't think it matters."

The three nodded to each other and left the room.

They found Professor Hatake sitting on a patch of melted snow and wet grass, hands propped up behind him. He was singing a song as the three approached. He didn't even seem to notice them as they stood behind him.

'Feeling lonely, at the brim of being alone
If you're buried, close your eyes and sing
Even if we're apart, on that same land,'

Professor Hatake turned and gave a small smile. "Oh, there you are." He gave no indication he actually heard them miles away and gestured for them to sit. "I applaud you three for your performance back at the Dueling Ring." He began as the three sat down on the wet grass and frowning as their robes turned damp.

"Don't mind the grass, anyway, that was smart of you three to use Kanashibari no Jutsu to stun me, and then follow up with two Katon Jutsus," He began again. "So, I'm going to get Wolf to teach you. I'm going away for a few days after the 26th of February, so Wolf will teach you what you need to know."

The three blinked in shock, and then Hermione blurted out. "What's your relation with the guards? I can't see how you could do Kawarimi no Jutsu like they do, nor know the name of their techniques.."

"We come from the same place." The professor said curtly. "That'll be all. For now, let me see you do your Katon Jutsus before we start on something new."

The three eagerly did so. All of them had improved, and by the end of an hour, all were able to do massive fireballs. At this time, the whole Castle had been turned loose for lunch. Most were ogling at them through windows as the three conjured fireballs out of their mouth.

Some had the guts to walk outside, run over to them after the fireballs had dissipated and asked them how they did that, with eyes full of awe and quite a lot of envy. Malfoy in particular (after walking outside) was whining about them receiving extra lessons, and that the rest of the class should've been taught that as well.

Fred and George wrapped an arm each around Harry's neck and tried to weasel the 'spells' out of him, but Harry wasn't telling, and he was too busy grinning as Ron sauntered over to Malfoy and proceeded to gloat at the expression of complete and utter envy at the Slytherin brat's face. Kakashi smiled by the sidelines.

Ron had the audacity to grin as Malfoy snapped at him.

"I don't know how you got the Defense against the Dark Arts teacher to teach you that stunt Weasley, but you can bet I'm going to have my father make him teach me that too!" Ron grinned viciously at the annoyed Slytherin. "Well good luck Malfoy, but he doesn't take bribes, he doesn't like your father, and he certainly doesn't put up with whiny, spoiled brats like you! He teaches students based on their abilities and clearly, Malfoy, he doesn't have a good enough opinion of you to teach you squat."

Kakashi frowned as Malfoy wagged a finger in Weasley's direction. "My father will hear of this!" His pale face was red with rage and embarrassment. "You're just getting free lessons because you're friends with the Potter boy! You're just a stinking freeloading Blood-traitor!"

Kakashi walked over, tapped the Malfoy brat on the shoulder and glared down at him. "I beg your pardon, I did not teach him just because he is friends with Mr. Potter. I taught him because he and his friends understand the value of teamwork. You on the other hand, only passed because your teammates pulled you through, like a sloth on sake. When you learn how to pull your own weight Malfoy, I'll start teaching you things like this. But until then, you'll put up with the fact that Weasley is better at something than you are."

Turning, he yelled. "All together now."

With impressive synchronization, the three proceeded to cast Katon: Gokakyu no Jutsu at exactly the same time.

Kakashi smiled. "Congratulations. You've learned that 'spell'. Now, I am going to teach you another one, preferably," He glanced at Malfoy "Somewhere far from bystanders who haven't earned the right to train." He gave a smile and leaned forward. Harry blinked as he told them.

"This spell is called 'Suiton: Suiryudan no Jutsu' and it summons a dragon made of water to blast away your opponents. If you have sufficient control, you might actually get them to eat them. This is a B-Rank Jutsu, and thus cannot easily be mastered."

Kakashi took a step back and formed the seals, keeping his back to Malfoy and the other inhabitants of the Castle. The three ran to him to watch the seals, eyes widening at the great number and speed.

Ox, Monkey, Hare, Rat, Boar, Bird, Ox, Horse, Bird, Rat, Tiger, Dog, Tiger, Serpent, Ox, Ram, Serpent, Boar, Ram, Rat, Ninth, Monkey, Bird, Dragon, Bird, Ox, Horse, Ram, Tiger, Serpent, Rat, Monkey, Hare, Boar, Dragon, Ram, Rat, Ox, Monkey, Bird, Ninth, Rat, Ram, Bird.

They openly gaped at the speed of his hands. Ron almost screamed.

"But, but…that's too fast! We'll never be able to—"

"Suiton: Suiryudan no Jutsu!" Kakashi said, eyes trained on the Lake.

His sentence was cut off as the Lake, bubbled as Kakashi completed his seals, rose up in a huge fountain of water, features of a dragon's head were forming at the top of the fountain before the rest of the dragon's features came into sharper focus, the dragon coiling around itself before screaming and launching itself at the frozen part of the Lake, some meters away, utterly destroying the ice and sending floes and shards of ice everywhere. The whole Castle erupted with cheers.

Malfoy squawked at the damage done. "I want to learn that!" Before he could stop himself, looking hungrily as the dragon destroyed the ice before turning to Kakashi. "What will it take for you to teach me that?"

Kakashi smirked. "When you learn to rely on yourself and learn to work well with others, instead of always whining to your father, I'll think about teaching you that. I don't base my teachings on purity of the blood, Malfoy, I base it on ability. If you cannot learn on your own, and have to keep going back to your father, I have no reason to teach you one of my 'spells'. I have no patience for weakness."

Kakashi looked thoughtfully at the Lake.

"In the world, those who violate the rules and laws are called trash
However... those who don't take care of their comrades are worse than trash."

Kakashi quoted before finishing with, "My teammate taught me that before he died saving my life. I have no patience with someone who is worse than trash."

Kakashi turned to the trio. "You're dismissed. Keep practicing the Jutsu, don't concentrate just yet. Focus on speed and memorizing the seals. I'll leave a leaflet in your trunks for you."