neef! a new chappie! hurrah!

skenshingumi- yeah, you can bet that i've already got something planned with how Snape reacts to him, as well as maybe some other people. thank you for your helpful and well-thought out comments!

plutobaby494- that's a good prediction! heh ((shifty eyes))

soccergirl13- update for yous!

Paws1020-here's your update!

Wydinel Sheergale- i hope you like this chapter as much too!

Lady Nephenee Ranulf- i get in those kinda moods too. i really have a thing for crossovers, you know.

Wolven Spirits- yeah, that's one of the things that i was trying for, to make all the characters as accurate as possible to themselves. thanks!

Peacebunnie- good! i hope you continue to read and review.

MikaylaMae- Yep!

Chapter 3

Lord Battousai

The Great Hall rumbled with the sleepy murmers of hundreds of students at breakfast. There was more movement than usual in the hall as students greeted one another and compaired schedules.

"We have Potions with the Slytherins, as usual." Ron siad gloomily, piling up on toast. "At least we can drop it after this year."

"Where are the owls?" Hermione said, practically bouncing around in her seat straining to look. "They are usually here by now..."

"A little early in the year for mail, don't you think?" Harry said. "There probably isn't anything new to hear about..."

"Oh no, it's just- oh, hey Kenshin!" Hermione aid brightly. Kenshin inclined his head in a small bow.

"Good morning. It's hard to believe how many students are here, de gozaru!" he sat down across from them. "The Great Hall is much livelier with people here."

Today Kenshin was dressed in full Gryffandor attire; and the black, gold, and scarlet garments clashed splendidly with his hair. As he sat down a few nearby girls giggled and whispered amongst themselves.

"So, what classes are you supposed to visit today?" Ron asked. "Anything good?"

"Actually, I'm supposed to go to Dumbledore's office first." Kenshin said. "There are probably a few more things that need to be worked out. After that, though, I think I'm to go to Professor Lupin's class."

"We have that today too!" Hermione said excitedly. "Maybe we'll have it at the same time."

Just then the owls arrived. Three owls approached their end of the Gryffandor table. One was a package for Neville with all the things that he had forgotton to pack, one brought a newspaper for Hermione, and the last was a puffy, jet-black owl that bore no mail, but swooped low and landed on Kenshin's shoulder. Kenshin smiled and stroked its feathers. The owl cooed.

"I didn't know you had an owl, Kenshin." Harry said.

"I only recently got him." Kenshin said. "I was helping Hagrid with a lot of the work around the school, so Dumbledore insisted on paying me somehow. I liked the school's owls, so I got one for myself. His name is Kage."

"Whoo, whoo." Kage agreed, staring them all down with his yellow-green eyes and bobbing his head as if nodding. He spread his wings and flew off after the other departing owls.

"So, you're adjusting well to the wizarding world?" Hermione said happily.

"Yes, it's very facinating." Kenshin said. "I wish a little that I had been able to come here earlier."

"Is there even a magical school in Japan?" she asked.

"I don't know." Kenshin said thoughtfully.

"I thought that you'd know something like that, Hermione." Ron said slyly. She ignored him.

"Listen Kenshin, about yesterday-"

"I am sorry to have worried you." he said instantly, bowing his head. "And you missed the feast. I hope that I did not get you into trouble."

"No, Lupin sorted it out, and people here are used to it by now anyway." Harry said. "Listen, I really have to ask you-"

"Sorry Harry, but I must be going. I really can't miss my appointment with Dumbledore. Later, okay?" he stood up and strode away. He had tucked his arms inside of his cloak so that the sleeves drifted out behind him.

"Good job, Harry." Hermione said. "Very subtle."

"I thought...I didn't expect him to just brush me off like that."

"Well yeah, he's a nice guy, but he probably doesn't want to talk about it!" Hermione insisted. "You never liked people harassing you about your scar, right?"

"I know..." Harry said reluctantly. "It's just...wouldn't you want to know too? I mean, my whole life I've never seen anyone with an odd mark on their face, that I'm the only one to survive Avada Ked-"

"Yes, but like you said, there are other curses that could cause it, and his mark's different from yours anyway."

"Then what else could it be?" Ron asked. "Not any of the Unforgivable Curses, because we would have known."

"Yes, seeing as how I'm the one person who has had all three put on me and live." Harry agreed dryly.

"So then, what could be worse than those?" Ron finished.

"I...don't know..."

"You're on a roll, Hermione. I think some of our idiocity is rubbing off on you." Ron snickered.

Hermione pursed her lips together and stood.

"I've got to get ready for class." She said shortly, and left.

"You wished to see me, sir?"

"Indeed." Dumbledore said. They were in Dumbledore's office. Fawkes had greeted Kenshin with a musical chirp, but Kenshin remained standing at the door. He was a little bit nervous at being called at such short notice, especially after the fiasco the day before.

"Himura-san." Dumbledore started. He always spoke in Japanese to Kenshin. "I have called you here for something concerning the Order. Have you enjoyed your stay here, so far?"

"Very much so, sir." Kenshin said quietly. "Though, sessha still wonders if he will soon learn why he was given such a privlege, de gozaru."

"Ah." Dumbledore said. "Right to the point, then." he paused, seeming to get his thoughts in order. All of the portraits on the wall were straining to make some sense of what was plain gibberish to their ears.

"You know that Order is dedicated to apprehending the dangerous Dark wizard, Voldemort, and his followers." he started.

Kenshin nodded.

"You have been allowed into the Order and stationed here under the supervision of Remus Lupin, Minevera McGonagall, Severus Snape, and myself. Because of your appearance you are able to blend in with the students, and because of your skill you can hide and obtain information more effectively than any wizard with an Invisibility Cloak."

"So, it is a spy you want from me?"

"Not only that. I trust you have met Harry Potter? You have to help us keep him from harm. Established in his House, it's a measure of security the enemy will not be able to see. It would be an honor for you to take an integral part in the Order."

"Sessha understands how he could be helpful, and this cause is indeed a worthy one." Kenshin said. "But, as always, there will be a continuous disagreement between us if you are suggesting a reward for skills learned through murder."

Dumbledore nodded, but Kenshin kept speaking. "Why sessha anyway, out of people...out of all time? When he's merely a muggle?"

Dumbledore looked at him for a moment, then stood up. He walked over to a bookshelf and pulled out a thick, faceless book. Kenshin watched mutely as Dumbledore sat back down at his desk and started flipping through pages. He stopped at a point, then looked up at Kenshin very seriously.

"Before Voldemort," he said softly, "there was but one person who was able to strike fear with a mere name. His name was even more potent than Voldemort's, for it was feared among magic and muggle alike. He was known as Hitokiri Battousai." He offered the book to Kenshin. He stepped foward and took it, but still did not say a word.

"Himura-san. You do not know this, but during your time there was a band of Dark wizards who wanted to control the world so as to kill as many muggles as possible, extremists who wanted to purify the Wizarding race. They targeted the fragile, unstable places first, festering old conflicts. There was an American civil war about the same time as your own Bakumatsu. The Shogunate was littered with Dark wizards provoking anger in the lower classes. Nobody could stop them, it seemed, except for the Hitokiri Battousai. The demon that was bathed in blood toppled their efforts with ease. In the process he gained his scar, as well as a reputation that would never go away. There were whispers, rumors in the magical world, that you yourself were a powerful Dark Lord."

Kenshin dropped the book as if it was an angry, hissing snake. "I'm not even a wizard, though." he said, a note of near panic in his voice. "How can they compare me to-"

"But, can't you see how they thought so? Can you see now why it is you that has been brought here?"

"No." Kenshin said stubbornly.

Dumbledore sighed. "Himura-san...is it enough, for now, to understand your usefulness? Will you agree to stay on and help, at least, without needing a reason?"

Kenshin's eyes grew dark. He could remember selling his soul just like this, once before. Dumbledore interpreted his silence correctly.

"There will be no need for you to kill." he said gently. "This is a modern world. We are always encouraged not to kill unless absolubtley necessary."

Kenshin relaxed slightly, and finally nodded.

"That is good. Now, there is something else I need for you to do as well..."

"Now then." Professor Lupn said, pacing about with his wand in hand. "Due to recent events, the Ministry of Magic has been careful to take a bigger hand in your education. They have set strict new policies that have made it nearly impossible for me to come back here. Yet, here I am, and I'm sure most of you are wondering why."

The class broke into mutters, some excited, some less so.

"Well, firstly," he gave them all a warm smile, "I'm sure you've noticed the prescence of dementors around the school. In the event that I attack any of you, they will be allowed to consume my soul." his cheerful tone betrayed this grim statement. "In addition, to ensure that you will have as regular of classes as possible, for the days when I am unable to teach I will be training a live-in substitute that will also assist me on regular days. This will allow the sub to get to know you all, and be able to carry on regular class when I cannot. I have also heard that he will be a substitute for the other teachers as well. Professor Grubby-Plank can'tdoit all, you give a warm welcome to- well, come on out, boy, these students won't bite..."

Harry was just in the middle of boredly scratching the top of his desk with his quill when he recieved a huge shock. Now standing in front of the classroom, looking very pink in the face, was Kenshin.

"This is Professor Himura." Lupin said pleasently, ignoring the tirade of whispers from the class. "Some of you may have met him before."

"Is this a joke?"

"He's a student!"

"He looks like a first year! What is he supposed to teach us?"

"Silencio!"

The class gaped soundlessly. Professor Lupin had used a Silencing Charm on them.

"Now then." he said calmly. "Professor Himura, now that the class is attentive, you may introduce yourself."

Kenshin's eyes widened. He had not anticipated any of this.

"P-Professor Lupin, I-"

"Oh, of course, I'll go sit down. You need their undivided attention. I quite understand." Lupin sat down at his desk and gave Kenshin an innocently expectant smile, but a laughing expression was in his eyes nevertheless.

"Um..." Kenshin said, facing the class. "My name is Kenshin Himura, and I am here at Dumbledore's request." he paused. "As Professor Lupin said, there is a greater watch over education by the Ministry this year, so I am here to ensure that class continues as smoothly as possible for all the teachers. Um, also as he said, I am living on the premises to interact better with the students and the subjects I may have to teach at any time. Hermione?"

Hermione lowered her hand. "Kenshin- I mean- Sir, if you really are supposed to be a teacher, then why are you rooming with the Gryffandor seventh years? You're even wearing a Gryffandor uniform..."

Kenshin winced. "Ah, yes, I know. I am not an official teacher, so I will be living the life of a student for the most part. I am merely supposed to assist any of the staff that need me- from Professor Lupin to Mr. Filch."

"How are you good enough to teach if you're not even out of school?" someone called out.

Kenshin looked hurt. "I am not a first year like everybody keeps saying- I'm not any year! Sessha is twenty."

"Twenty?" the muttering started again.

"And the fact that he's in Gryffandor..." Lupin stood once again. "Will not mean that there will be any favoritism in his classes. It's merely that," he gave an exasperated sigh, "Professor McGonagall was the one who placed him, and she believed that the Gryffandor uniform fancied him the best." he motioned for Kenshin to sit at the desk, and he did so gladly, turning red from a spurt of girlish giggles that had resounded at Lupin's comments. He know that Lupin couldn't tell them the real reason why he was placed in Gryffandor- but surely he could have come up with a better, less embarassing explination!

"Now then." Lupin said, pacing about in front like a restless wolf. "As I was saying, the Ministry is very interested in your education this year, particularly in Defense Against the Dark Arts. Due to recent circumstances, there are strict new rules in place that state that I cannot teach you defensive magic."

"What?" Harry said, outraged. "What is this class even for, then? What're they playing at?"

There was a general murmur of agreement and confustion.

"We are to study defensive theory." Lupin said, no small amount of scorn creeping into his voice. "The feeling is that that in itself should be good enough, unless you plan on being in danger anytime this term." he shot a warning look at Harry to keep him silent. "However, it is Dumbledore's philosophy that every good wizard should be a well-rounded individual- and to always be prepared for anything." He walked over to where Hermione was sitting and held up her book. "So on the days that a Ministry official comes to review the class, you will be taught this waffle. The rest of the time, we will follow the syllabus that Dumbledore has provided for us."

A grin was growing on nearly every face.

"Are you sure that tricking the Ministry is such a good idea, Professor?" Hermione said anxiously as most of the class filtered out the door. "I mean, you could get in a lot of trouble. What if they sacked you?"

"Well, they'd have a rather hard time doing that." Lupin said, a hint of a laugh in his voice.

"What do you mean?" Ron asked suspisciously.

"Well, you know how it's always been that no teacher can keeep this job for more than a year?"

"Yeah, I've kinda been wondering about that." Harry said. "Isn't the job cursed?"

"Actually, it is." Lupin raised an eyebrow. "But I'm not the registred teacher for this class. Kenshin is."

"Kenshin?"

"He just has to teach sometimes, and be evaluated ever so often." Lupin said cheerfully. "And since he doesn'tknow any magic anyway, it's just as well for him to teach on the review days, since he'll just have to read from the book."

Hermione didn't seem to know whether to congradulate or scold him.

"I can't believe you found such a big loophole." was all she said.

"Coming from you, I'll take that as a compliment." Lupin said. "Now hurry along, you three, or you'll be late for your next class."

And so they left, turning back to close the door behind them only to see Kenshin, looking somewhat sheepishly in their direction.

end of another chapter. fufufu. i think i'm going to try for a more regular updating schedule from now on...i'll be updating more or less every week, as close to the beginning as i can. i can't always get online on the exact day that i plan to, because i have to do it when nobody else is home ((sweatdrop)) i'm kinda not allowed online. groundation and all of that. but no biggie. see you next week!