Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto or Harry Potter and I'm not making any money off this. Clearly.

A/N Sorry this update took so long. It can be a "start of winter break" present!

(This chapter has been edited since its original posting)

Chapter 4: Of War and Politics

Honestly, Kakashi wasn't sure how he even ended up in this situation. It was supposed to be a simple guard and hunting mission. Kill the missing-nin, don't kill the kid, prevent world war- easy stuff. But if Hatake Kakashi was not one thing, it was a socialite. The sit-and-talk aspect of war was really better left to the politicians. Sure, the Jonin knew he would have to do some talking eventually, but he was sure he could handle it. The White Fang hadn't raised him in a barn after all- he wouldn't screw up very badly. He just hadn't expected the wizards to be so damn nosy.

For some reason, he had been under the impression that he would be expected to do what he normally did on this kind of mission- show up and kill on demand. It worked at home. Here Kakashi just had to play too many roles. He was an ambassador, undercover agent, assassin, and bodyguard all rolled into one. On top of all that, apparently a thirteen year old acting like an adult scared the wizards, so sometimes Kakashi had to consciously dumb down what he said. Logically, they should really be concerned if he did act his age considering the fact that their lives were more or less in his hands.

But by far the worst part was that if he failed this mission, it would do more than kill his charge- it might start a war. Battles had been started over less. The boy was important, apparently, and if he died because of a shinobi's mistake the whole Hidden Continent could be in danger. But, that would only happen if wizards thought that they could win a battle against shinobi, and that the Hidden Continent was worth conquering. That was the crux- even if he did complete his mission, if the wrong people took an interest in him and his homeland they might decide to start a war anyway.

For one of the first times in his life, Hatake Kakashi freely admitted to himself that he was not cut out for his mission. The missing-nin and protection part he could handle, but the politics? The smallest mistake, one comment, one slip of the tongue could spell disaster. What he needed was someone intelligent, strong, friendly, and who knew their way around in a political atmosphere. But, Minato-sensei was already… he shook the thought away. No. He would have to handle this on his own, somehow.

It really was the damn wizard's fault for not trusting anyone without their "special little bloodline". Kakashi was only allowed into their country because he could use magic, even though there were many other people more fit for the job. It reminded him of the stuck up Uchihas. (Sorry, Obito, he mentally apologized, even though he knew that his friend would agree with him on that matter.) They'd had a fit when they found out Kakashi possessed a Sharingan, and even tried to charge him with stealing Obito's eye. In the end it was Rin's testimony that saved him, but the hatred the Uchihas had for him remained.

But there was nothing to be done. Wizards, like Uchihas, were narrow-minded about some things and that's all there was to it. A four man squad would be nice, but beggars couldn't be choosers.

"So Kakashi, how is Hizuren? Is your village doing well?" Dumbledore said, breaking the silence of the lunch table.

"The Hokage and the village is good." Kakashi said shortly, picking at his food. Dumbledore obviously was trying to make him feel at home by serving Asian foods.

"Village?" inquired Snape. Already Kakashi didn't like the man much; first he blew up at him in the office, now he was glaring at him from across the table. That and Snape had a strong, strange scent all over him that the sharp-nosed shinobi couldn't even begin to describe.

"Village is where I live. Hokage is my leader."

"So a Hokage your Minister of Magic?"

"No. My country has two leaders. One political, one military."

Snape sneered. "So the Hokage is the Head Auror? He is the one who allows children to fight? How old are the children he sends into battle?"

Kakashi didn't answer for a moment. How would they react to the age most shinobi started training at? Would the wizards perceive a country with young soldiers as weak and inexperienced, or would it scare them into staying out of shinobi's business? They might even get some misguided idea about saving children by taking over the shinobi government. In the end Kakashi decided on a softened version of the truth.

"Some places you have to train early to compete with other countries. I am youngest Jonin. And my Hokage made a law so the age limit older."

"He raised it? What, were commanders getting tired of changing diapers?"

"Severus!" Dumbledore snapped. "We must be respectful of other cultures. It is a privilege to have someone so skilled from the Hidden Continent here."

"Don't tell me you are okay with this Albus!" Snape barked. "Now answer me, Kakashi. When does the noble Hokage send children to battle?"

This lunch was getting dangerous, and he was done eating anyway. Snape didn't strike him as the sentimental child-saving type, but he was getting riled up about this so maybe he shouldn't tell him the truth. Kakashi set down his chopsticks and stood.

"Thank you for the meal, Dumbledore-sama. I'd like to look around the castle if I could." Dumbledore nodded while Snape fumed.

"Answer me, Hatake." He growled.

Damn. Snape wasn't going to let this go. "During war, graduation age is nine. Battle starts after some months, mostly. But, war ended, so now it is twelve."

"Nine? During war? You barbaric- No sane person would let anyone fight before at least seventeen!"

Kakashi started toward the door. He'd never seen anyone get so worked up over something as trivial as graduation age. It didn't affect the children of Snape's country, so why did he care so much? It was illogical. Snape was just a schoolteacher with no political power, so there was nothing he could do about it anyway.

"Seventeen?" He threw the words carelessly over his shoulder. "You are lucky. To live here."

Hogwarts was huge. There had to be more going on that Kakashi didn't see, because no one in their right mind would build such a place and only use it as a school.

But then, wizards didn't appear completely sane. Or rather he couldn't see logic in some of the things they did. If they were so dedicated to their children, why were there so many dangerous things on campus? In the last hour he'd been attacked by a gigantic spider in the forest, a squid-like monster in the lake, and somehow a tree. Kakashi had never heard of a jutsu that could make plants move. The closest thing he could think of was the first Hokage's wood techniques, but even he couldn't control trees remotely. Why would someone go to the trouble of infusing a tree with chakra? To protect the opening in its roots? But the branches were so easy to dodge even a civilian had a good chance of making it.

The Jonin didn't get wizards. Until he figured out how they worked, he would be inefficient in fighting, protecting, and interacting with them. He knew how shinobi thought which allowed him to make effective decisions in battle. How was he supposed to predict the moves of such a different people? Kakashi exhaled loudly. His mission was becoming troublesome.

If nothing else, though, the wizards sure could build impressive things. Currently Kakashi was perched atop one of the castle's tall spires, where he could see for miles around. It was refreshing having a clear lookout point, since he had spent the last two hours or so running around trying to memorize the maze of a school. He'd done his best, what with how everything kept moving around and the talking paintings kept yelling him.

At least the layout would confuse any intruders. The castle had no other defenses, besides the barrier. There wasn't even a wall, and enemies could hide unnoticed for months in the forest.

Now that he had the castle and grounds layout more or less memorized, he had to check out the staff. Dumbledore had given him the files on everyone after lunch, and Kakashi spent a solid hour and a half going through them. It would've taken less time, but the files were all handwritten in indecipherable loopy letters he'd never seen before. After an hour of trying to decode the files Kakashi broke down and asked Dumbledore for printed copies. After that things went much smoother, even though there were many words that weren't in his English dictionary. Almost everyone checked out except for Severus Snape, a former Death Eater. From what he understood, the Death Eaters were a group headed by a powerful rouge wizard named Voldemort. They were currently in hiding, but Kakashi knew better than to assume they wouldn't attack.

The biggest question was why Dumbledore hired Snape in the first place. People with attachments to your enemies could never truly be trusted. It was the equivalent of villages letting foreign shinobi into their ranks- unthinkable. Sure, Snape hadn't done anything suspicious yet, but that didn't mean he was never going to.

After finally remembering to change his blood-soaked bandage, Kakashi headed into the castle to have a little talk with Snape.

It wasn't very hard to find the man. Kakashi simply followed his nose towards the darkest, dampest part of the castle until he came across a door that reeked of the stench that surrounded the wizard. He didn't bother knocking; he could feel a wizard chakra signature inside.

"Snape-san," Kakashi said, closing the door behind him. "I have questions for you." Snape didn't look up from his desk. Now that there were no interfering magic signatures, Kakashi smelled something off about the man. Underneath the rotten stench of whatever Snape was covered with, there was another scent. It was intermingled with his chakra and so faint he could barely detect it, but it was there, dark and sour. But the chances of Snape telling him what was wrong with his chakra signature were low, so Kakashi kept the thought to himself.

"And what would the wunderkind shinobi want with someone as inconsequential as me?" Snape muttered, not looking up from what he was writing.

Kakashi had the feeling Snape was purposely using words he didn't know. "You used to be Death Eater."

"Yes."

"Are you still?" The question sat in the air for a moment.

"I had hoped the situation would be clear. Not that it involves you in any way."

"Your file said you left them. But Death Eaters may attack Potter, so it involve me."

"If you already know that I left the organization, then why did you come?"

"Because I'm not sure of you. And you should tell me what about Death Eaters that is important." A bit of killing intent seeped into the air, not on accident. Snape inhaled sharply, obviously feeling it.

"Everything is in Dumbledore's files." He said through gritted teeth. His body language told Kakashi that Snape was scared. Good. Now maybe he would be a little less trouble.

"I hope so." And Kakashi was gone.

"Throw it into the fireplace and say 'Leaky Cauldron'."

Kakashi gave McGonagall an odd look.

"Just do it."

Among other things, wizards were the masters of weird forms of transportation. At this point he'd almost rather walk than put his life in the hands of their dubious spells. But seeing as how he had no idea where they were going, he took his chances and did what McGonagall told him. Kakashi threw a bit of powder into the fireplace.

"Leaky Cauldron," he said in his best English accent, and stepped into the now green fire. Everything went black and he felt as if he was caught in a whirlpool. The breath was pushed out of his lungs. Images and different chakras flashed in and out of his senses, and he banged is arm on something hard. After a few long seconds he was forcibly thrown out of the fireplace.

Wizard transportation managed to tear Kakashi's shoulder wound open for the second time that day. At least this time he didn't have to worry about blood getting on his white cloak and scaring people. Before he had left with McGonagall he had changed into civilian clothes. Kakashi now wore a dark green sweater over his ninja mail, close-toed winter sandals and a plain black sweatband over Obito's eye. Despite his efforts, he had only managed to conceal seven kunai and a handful of shuriken on his person. The rest of his weapon pouches were in the front pocket of his backpack in case he needed them, and is ANBU uniform and tanto were sealed safely away in a storage scroll.

The Floo powder had dumped him in a small dank room. Two similar fireplaces were on either side the one he had come out of, so Kakashi assumed this room was designed for transportation, like the portkey house from earlier. A moment later McGonagall appeared.

"You'll be staying here tonight." McGonagall said as she brushed off her skirt and headed for the door. It opened into an empty hallway, but Kakashi heard voices and smelled alcohol somewhere nearby. The witch led him through a series of doors and staircases until they reached a worn down pub. It had a bar, separate restaurant section, and another staircase that probably led to some hotel rooms. The place was packed with drinkers and diners.

"Mr. Potter is here too, and you are to go with him to Hogwarts the day after tomorrow." McGonagall said as they walked.

"He will be safe."

The witch gave him an unreadable look. Did she doubt his abilities like everyone else seemed to?

"You have a room?" he asked McGonagall.

"Of course. It's next to Harry's. So you can protect him." There was a hint of sarcasm in her voice.

Kakashi mentally rolled his eyes, took the key and unlocked the door.

The room was small and scantily furnished with a bed, a desk, and a dresser. It reminded him of a slightly larger version of the dorm he had in ANBU before he was promoted to captain.

"You are leaving, then?" Kakashi asked McGonagall. She had followed him up to his room, and now hovered just outside of the doorway.

"Yes. Harry's out in Diagon Alley right now, but be sure and speak to him when he returns. Tomorrow he'll help you get your school things."

"It safe to leave him alone when people want to kill him?"

McGonagall looked flustered. "Diagon Alley is a wizard settlement with plenty of people to look after him. Of course he's safe there!"

Yes, trust the life of my charge to random townspeople.

"I should find him."

"Kakashi, it's unnecessary." McGonagall said stubbornly.

Then Kakashi realized there was another problem. He had no idea where the place even was. "Where is Diagon Alley?" he asked casually.

"The entrance is hidden. Only wizards with wands can get in."

"Dammit." He swore in Japanese, "Can you take me to there?"

"I already told you, he's safe. You should rest, Kakashi. He should be back soon."

"It takes one second to die." Kakashi was getting a little uneasy with the situation. The shinobi was not going to let his charge be killed before he even found him! But then he heard someone coming up the stairs and knew a decision had to be made quickly.

"Will you bring me to there or no?" The older witch hesitated in her answer until it was too late. The mysterious person had reached the hallway.

"Pro…Professor McGonagall?"

CagedWolfCagedWolfCagedWolfC agedWolf

His two weeks of freedom were drawing to a close, and Harry couldn't help but be disappointed. The Hogwarts Express left the day after tomorrow, and while it was impossible not to look forward to school, he couldn't help but wish his vacation lasted a little longer. Even worse, he hadn't found Ron or Hermione yet, and while he would see them on the train, it would've been fun to explore Diagon Alley with his two friends. Harry had just finished dinner and was heading up the stairs to his room, yawning as he went. He couldn't wait to get to bed.

Harry was thoroughly unprepared for what he found at the top of the staircase. It was Professor McGonagall. She was standing just outside of the room next to his, arguing with someone inside.

"… bring me there or no?" said the other person, with an accent Harry didn't recognize.

"Pro…Professor McGonagall?" he stuttered. She turned around, looking annoyed. He'd never seen her annoyed in his life, or at least seen her show it. "What are you…" Harry forgot what he was going to say, because just then McGonagall's mysterious guest stepped out of the hotel room.

He had to be the oddest boy Harry had ever seen. He was around his age, dressed in a dark sweater and pants tucked into sturdy boots. The strange part was his hair, white-gray and spiky, and the black cloth headband pulled down over one eye. Harry realized he was staring a moment too late. "Um, hi." He said awkwardly.

"Perfect timing, Mr. Potter," said McGonagall, breaking the tension, "you saved me some trouble."

"This him?" said the boy with his strange accent.

"Harry, this is Kakashi Hatake. He's a new transfer student at Hogwarts." Harry had never heard of anyone transferring to Hogwarts before. In fact, he didn't think anyone could come in after first year. But that did explain Kakashi's accent, and possibly the reason for his strange appearance.

"Hi. I'm Harry Potter." He stuck out his hand, and Kakashi took it and almost broke it. Harry tried not to wince in pain; this kid was strong. Kakashi didn't react to his name like most people did, which was a relief. At least his name wasn't world famous or something.

"Hello." Kakashi said simply. His accent turned 'l's into 'r's and made it hard to tell what he was saying.

"Harry, I want you to bring Kakashi to Diagon Alley tomorrow and help him get his school stuff. He'll go with you to Hogwarts too."

"Wait, so I'm like… his guide?" There went his plans of sleeping in and enjoying his last day of break.

"Yes. He's your responsibility. Make sure he has everything he needs, and get him to Hogwarts on time. If you don't I shall be very disappointed." Harry saw the threat. If Kakashi was in any way unprepared on the first day of school, Gryffindor would lose house points.

Lots and lots of house points.

"Yes, Professor McGonagall."

"And Harry? I suggest taking the train this year."

Harry's cheeks burned. Last year hadn't been his fault! It was Dobby who had made him and Ron miss the train! But it was too late; McGonagall was already gone, leaving him with the strangest, most mysterious boy he had ever met.

There was an awkward silence, and Harry got the feeling that the next few days were going to be an absolute joy.

A/N: That was a little shorter than the last chapter, but I didn't want to delay this update any longer! But I wasn't just sitting on my hands the whole time. While procrastinating my editing, I added to my story outline a major sub-plot (which is now more like the main plot), that includes some romance, extra fight scenes, angst, humor, and some OCs. On top of that, I started a prequel. (It's still in the works) Hopefully now updates will be a little smoother. I'm really excited for the next few! These are just the intro chapters. I can't wait to get into the real story!

Also- I'm going to start putting polls at the end of chapters. Here's the first one!

I'm seriously considering bringing two Naruto characters into this story. Do you think this is a good idea? Bonus points if you can guess who! Hint: They are near his age, would have a legitimate reason for leaving Kohona, and are not not Not NOT Iruka!

Cookies for the person who guesses both correctly first!

Someone guessed them! Congratulations to Ookami99 for correctly guessing Anko and Yamato!

Word Count- 3,578