a record-time update! i am so proud of myself! ((looks proud)) alright, so the chapter may not be a prime length, but you gotta at least give me kudos for having another chapter made from scratch a mere two days after the last upload.

please note: this chapter is titled what it is because everyone (including Kenshin) starts to find their inner Rurouni...and because of the extreme Rurouni Kenshin-ness that permeates the end of this chapter. you know, those moments where Kenshin's talking and being all guru-wise and stuff, with his eyes shining and the wind tossing his hair. and my true feelings toward the Golden Trio (as people have called them) come out some in this chapter...because...quite frankly...i sometimes feel as if they think the world revolves around them a liiiitle too much at times.

Chapter 7

Find Your Inner Rurouni

Lupin looked up in slight surprise as his office door opened and Harry stormed in, Ron and Hermione following behind closely.

"Shouldn't you three be in class?" he noticed that all of them, especially Harry, looked a little bit upset, and judging by their heavy breathing, had either run here or walked very quickly. "What's the matter?"

"How come you never bothered to mention," Harry said, walking straight up to his desk. "the fact that we've been staying with a mass murderer for over two months now?"

Lupin's mouth opened slightly in surprise, before thinning into a grim line. He stood up and closed his office door behind them.

"Well?" Harry demanded. "Is it true?"

"I know that the three of you tend to like taking matters into your own hands whenever you encounter something that you don'tunderstand." Lupin turned to them. He seemed almost angry. "But I must tell you, this time, I'm afraid you've gone too far with your need to stick your nose into anyone and everyone's business. You're treading in dangerous waters here, Harry. Did it occur to you even once the entire time you were jumping to conclusions that there might just be a reason for why you weren't told?"

Harry was surprised, even taken aback, by Lupin's harsh words and the tone he had phrased them in.

"And why not?" he said, recovering. "After all, if I was ever told anything at all, there wouldn't be any conclusions to jump to! Though I can't see any remotely feasible explinations for bringing an assassin from over a hundred years ago into the Order of the Pheonix and putting him in with all the unsuspecting Gryffandors..."

"Please, Sir." Hermione said. "We just want to understand. Is it only a coincidence that...?"

Lupin sighed heavily, sitting down at his desk again. "No, no, I'm sure you've already figured out that coincidences that big just don't happen. It is true."

"Then why?" Ron said.

"Snape was tailing us one time when he saw Kenshin around me alone." Harry said. "Sirius didn't like him either. I can see why- he's forced to stay locked up because a murder he didn't even commit, while Himura goes around freely- and you put him in the Order! The group that's fighting Voldemort! And he's probably Voldemort's biggest hero!" He didn't want to call him Kenshin.

"It was Dumbledore's decision to bring him here." Lupin said sternly. "How much do really know about the Hitokiri Battousai? Have you even heard of that name before now?"

"I know he's one of the most famous assassins in history, who took the lives of countless people without a shred of pity or remose!"

"Really? Did you overlook the fact that he single-handedly foiled an attempt by a band of Dark wizards to control the world? Did you know that everything he ever did was for his comrads and for the overall good of the people? Did you discover the fact that I had to intervene in order to keep him from killing himself? Pity, remorse? It would be better for him if he had none."

"But it's still a huge risk to be doing this, what was Dumbledore thinking?" Ron said.

"He's still a killer!" Harry exclaimed.

"I already told you, Dumbledore did it, and he has his own reasons. Kenshin has sworn off killing ever again, and it just so happens that Dumbledore trusts him- and so does Sirius, now. And so do I." he looked Harry in the eye. "It doesn't matter how much you hate him or what he did, how much it repulses you, or how much you can't understand why we do trust him. Because any of those feelings you have about him now that you know the truth would be overshadowed by what he's felt about himself the past six years of his life since he became an assassin."

None of the three could think of what to say to that.

"You're really angry because you've liked him this whole time, and you feel tricked. Hermione probably feels especially so, since she's supposed to be the one who saves you all with her knowledge of every danger lurking nearby. After all, she discovered that I was a werewolf pretty easily. Plus I think she might have fancied him a little, too."

"Professor!"

"But you, Harry, you of all people should be able to see that he is truely sorry for what he's done, you've seen first hand the terrible effect the dementors have on him. Can't you understand why? It is one thing to see someone killed in front of you, quite another to actually be the killer youself. He's one of the strongest people I know, yet, like you, the dementors are a huge weakness. Often, the strongest people are made that way because of the things they've experienced. Think about that."

Lupin dismissed them from his office very soon after that. Harry left feeling as if he hadn't got to say all he'd wanted to say; it wasn't okay to just not be mad about it anymore, and besides, he had so many questions he hadn't got the answers to. Lupin had advised Harry to take up any further concerns with Kenshin himself- and told him that he could probably find him at Hagrid's house, since that's where he usually went when he didn't have a class to attend to.

Surprisingly, Harry decided to take Lupin up on that request. He was still a bit unsure. Ron wanted to go along, too, and Hermione cautioned that soon it would be time for their next class- but Harry went alone, and told them he'd meet up with them next period. When he walked across the familiar grounds down to the gamekeeper's cabin, he found Hagrid himself sitting out front, stroking a jet-black owl Harry instantly recognized as Kage. The creature turned its yellow-greeny eyes on him and hooted softly.

"Oh, Harry! Good morning! So, you were another lucky one that got out of Snape's class, eh?"

"Yeah. Hagrid, have you seen Ken- Professor Himura around anywhere?"

"Oh, sure, he's out back feedin' the threstles. Got a natural way with 'em, he does. Why, just the other day, I was telling him he ought to be able to make a pretty good living, trainin' them and all, but I don't really think he'd go for that kind of thing. A shame, really."

Harry nodded absently. "Thanks." he patted Fang, who in turn got up to follow him into the woods. Harry hoped it wouldn't be too far, but one couldn't be too cautious when it came to the Forbidden Forest. After all, it was called Forbidden for a reason.

He also wasn't exactly sure what he was going to say if he did find Kenshin. He knew that, thanks to what Hermione had said to him, that he probably knew that they knew about him now. And he hadn't wanted to have a reason to hate Kenshin for any reason- after all, he really was a good person, and become almost one of the group after all the time they'd spent with him. But Lupin had been dead right, the worst thing about feeling that your trust was betrayed was that they had your trust in the first place. Harry felt that, if he'd let himself be as easily duped as he had last year with the fake Moody, it really was amazing he'd lived this long. For a moment there he'd been so sure that they had on their hands another bad guy who'd fooled all the good ones- and made it all the way to the Order. But everybody had already known about it, eveybody but him. As usual. And he still couldn't understand why they'd brought Kenshin here- but now that his anger was cooling off, he was finding it harder and harder to believe that he really was a bloodthirsty, merciless killer. One couldn't easily attach a title like that to someone who smiled so genuinely about the simple activity of a busy school, or who was rendered helplessly confused by Hermione yelling at the twins...or someone who so completely lost all of their senses from just two dementors.

Before long Harry caught the sound of rustling movement nearby, and he veered off toward the sound until he found what he'd been looking for. Four or five threstles stood in a small clearing, snorting and tossing their dragonish heads. They'd obviously just finished eating, because the large skeleton of what was probably a cow lay nearby, picked clean. Kenshin stood with his back to Harry, petting one of them, the creature standing very still with its wings half-unfurled, obviously enjoying the petting very much. Hagrid was right- they seemed to like him. Harry wondered if, the more death you've seen, the more the threstles liked you. That was probably a ridiculous notion, he decided. He stood there, still having no idea why he was here or what he thought he was going to say. Luckily, though, Kenshin spoke up first.

"I lost my parents when I was very young, just you did, though I wasn't quite as young as you were. I do have some surviving memories of them." he said softly.

Harry stiffened. How had Kenshin known he was standing there, let alone who it was?

"But, I did have a Master who found me and taught me how to use a sword- and he became like my father. He was vulgar, arrogant, and loved to call me an idiot, but despite all that, he was the closest thing to family I had." Kenshin turned so that Harry saw the small smile on his face. "You're lucky to have Sirius as your godfather. He may be reckless sometimes, and a little rough around the edges, but I can tell he really cares about you."

"Yeah." Harry said awkwardly. Not knowing what else to do, he came over and touched the threstle's strange skin, stroking it too.

"So. I suppose you've found out, haven't you." Kenshin said quietly.

Harry nodded. "You can trust us, though- we won't tell anyone."

"No." Kenshin said. "If you weren't trustworthy, I expect this time would be doomed already, wouldn't it? Of course, there are many adverse effectsa person can cause, despite how good their intentions may be."

"Sorry." Harry mumbled.

Kenshin looked at him, surprised. "Oh, I wasn't talking about you. Just thinking out loud, really." he lowered his gaze. "In a war, both sides believe that they are the ones that are right. That is why there is a conflict in the first place. War would be much easier if it was always so clear as to who was in the right and who was in the wrong. Right now, in your battle, it isn't quite so difficult yet to decide. But if it continues to go on, to spread, and grow like a black disease, things will change. You've seen the start of it already, haven't you? Innocent people who get involved with the enemy against their will, and enimies you think you can trust to be for the good. If full war happens it will only get worse and worse. Before you know it you won't even remember who your fighting against or what you're fighting for."

Harry's brow was furrowed. The prospect of such a thing was a very suffocating and mind-tangling thought. Yes, so far a few innocent people had been involved, but hadn't the mission always been very clear? To stop Voldemort?

"But listen, Harry." Kenshin continued. "If that ever happens to you, if you ever forget what you're fighting for or even doubt if you're on the right side, you will become so vulnerable that you will die. Either your enemy will see that weakness, and kill you, or you will waste away, or you will end it yourself. In the Bakumatsu there were many factions, all with their own differing needs and goals, so it wasn't very cut and dried. I hope that this conflict that you are in never grows that large, because in chaos like that, the only way you can keep fighting is to not think about it. I just got my orders, and I followed them. I ceased to be human, but became a tool. Here killing is a horrible thing, but only because everyone has their human minds. If real war happens, that could change. What I'm saying is, end it as quickly as you possibly can. Don't let other things, small things, hold you down. People like that Malfoy boy will only make the situation worse."

"You don't have to tell me that." Harry said. "He's been no good from the very beginning. His father is even one of Voldemort's close supporters." a slow smile took over his face. "Has he got out of the hospital wing, yet?"

"Last time I checked, no." Kenshin said, and he couldn't help it, he smiled too. "At least he can't use his father's influence to get me fired- for all he knows, I'm not even officialy hired! I spoke with Dumbledore about it, though. As far as he's concened, it was a simple, honest mistake caused by inexperience and a faulty Translating Charm." his face turned into a full grin, the same one he'd had earlier when he pulled the prank.

"Snape'll probably be not too happy about it, though." Harry said. "Malfoy's one of his favorite students."

Kenshin shrugged, a gesture that seemed very out of place for him, since he usually moved with such deft, calculated movements all of the time. It seemed to be a habit he'd picked up. "Snape is never happy, so it won't change much. Besides." he gave an almost pained look. "He will more likely go straight to Dumbledore rather than me, if he does anything at all. You see...well...I don't know if you've noticed, but he doesn't like to be near me very much..."

"Yeah, I bet he's scared of you." Harry said. "He probably heard bedtime stories about you when he was a kid, seeing as how he's always been so into the Dark arts."

"Dumbledore thinks..." Kenshin hesitated, as if unsure if it was okay to reveal this information, "he thinks it's possible that the enemy, if they discover that I am here, will either hesitate more in making a move, buying more time for our side; or they will approach me directly, either to challenge me or to offer me to come to their side. Either way, the intention is to provide a distraction, so that you may be able to get through more of your education without being interrupted. During Christmas break I will most likely be sent on some sort of scouting mission- to make myself known gradually, appearing here and there to spook them. That is why I can't let myself seem anything more than a student teacher at the moment."

Harry tried to picture Kenshin, on a scouting mission, appear before a Death Eater and try to spook them. The result was that he flat-out could not imagine it.

"That sounds risky." Harry said. "After all, you're just a Muggle, aren't you? Voldemort's supporters have dangerous magic at their disposal that they don't mind using on somebody no matter who they are."

Kenshin smiled. It was amazing how much younger it made him look. "Things here really are strange, if you're worried about me. It's alright. After all, they think that I can do magic too...mysterious Dark magic nobody knows the secret of. And I won't go alone- there will always be someone there with me, ready to send me back to my time if worst comes to worst. Trust me, Moody's already thought of every likely situation- and a good deal others a bit less likely. Anyway..." he looked up to the sky, then to where Harry had come from. "It's really about time we should both be getting back to our classes. It would not do to be late on top of everything else." he gave the threstle one last pat, then started back out of the woods. Harry followed suit.

"No matter what happens, though, Harry- I'll always be glad that I got to come here. This has been an experience I'll never forget. It's very heartening, to see how things have become in this time. People no longer relate swords with death or terror anymore. To me, that in itself is amazing. I can see why they chose to wait until after the war to bring me here. I'm not sure that I'd make it, after growing so soft here!" his face was a mixture of pride and had he become so easy to read? "I am more motovated than ever to help peoplewho, even in my time, are able to find this peace. Not simply out of atonement, but because this era that you live in is, indeed, possible. And the best part is- I will never be able to stray from that belief, no matter what the cynicism of my age may say, because I've seen it with my own eyes, so I know that this world is possible."

And with that he and Harry walked up to the castle together. It felt like a new start, a new determination- at least on Harry's part- that, no matter what happened, he would win. He would not let Voldemort spread the dark misery he was inching closer to producing in the minds of the Wizarding world- and, if he wasn't stopped- the whole world in general. The world Kenshin spoke of, that war created, must truely be hell if someone that came from it found the struggles going on here a peaceful paradise. Voldemort would not win. War wouldn't swallow the world whole.

Harry wouldn't let it.

hm...it almost kinda feels as if i could end the story here, doesn't it? no worries, i wasn't intending on it. i will, however, be making up some plans for whatever happens next, and if that doesn't go well, i might just do hey, i'm sure i can come up with something. i do have a vague idea for Kenshin's "mission" around the Christmas holidays...and a glimmer of something having to do with Sirius at the end...i'll just have to see how it all pans out.

anyway, since i was nice and updated so quickly, please leave me a nice review!