Oh great god, nearly 10K after half a year...Hopefully this will show you that I haven't forgotten about this story!

„See you later," Harry said dully to Ron and Hermione as he made his way out of the Great Hall alone, doing everything he could to ignore more whispering, staring and pointing as he passed. He would have liked to just switch with either of his friends, guiding curious Firt Years through the halls and to the tower. But as it was he moved through the crowded Hall and up the marble staircase, evading the masses. After passing through a couple of concealed shortcuts he abruptly came to a stop. His anger at the situation and the other students dissipated in a second and curiosity emerged instead.

Right in front of him, just down the empty hall were Shikamaru and Hanabi. A lit cigarette stuck in Shikamaru's mouth as he solemnly watched a painting. Harry wasn't sure which one it was but he was pretty sure that it wasn't captivating enough to stare at it for more than a minute.

"Why exactly are we standing here?" Hanabi's irritated voice reached his ears.

"Wait for it."

"How long?" We're standing here since ages, doing nothing but staring at empty air."

Harry could practically hear Shikamaru's eyes roll. "Remind me to tell Naruto to teach you patience."

The candles in the hallway flickered as if going out any moment. A silent shadow appeared around the corner. Shikamaru turned his head. Harry wished that he could see more in the dimly lit hallway. It was one of the guards that had stood at the entrance of the Great Hall during dinner.

"I need to talk to you," a male's voice sliced through the air. "Now."

Shikamaru shook his head. "I'm waiting for Hanabi to be picked up. We don't have an assigned room here, so Fox will come over shortly. We can meet in about ten minutes. You know where my office is."

The guard didn't answer but obviously had picked up on the dismissing tone in Shikamaru's voice as he walked away. After he'd turned the corner Hanabi talked to Shikamaru again. Harry had to strain his ears to catch the words at all.

"Why don't we have a room in the school building?"

Shikamaru shrugged. "We hadn't actually thought about asking. The ANBU will switch shifts and head for Hogsmeade and I'll .. I dunno yet. I can't let you go of to Hogsmeade all by yourself right now, though. Fox volunteered to pick you up. I just hope he hasn't accidentally fallen asleep."

What a strange guard Fox must be. Harry had often seen him at Grimmauld Place, talking with Lupin, Sirius or Tonks but his head had been busy with different matters half the time. So he hadn't watched the Captain too closely. Obviously, though, Dumbledore and the other adults held big respect for him. Even Snape had seemed civil, which was a wonder in itself.

A flash of yellow blinding light caught his attention. A yawn broke through the night.

"I'm sorry guys. I was kinda – uh – caught up."

"With what, sleep?" Hanabi snarked. She took a step and stood beside him. "Let's get going sleepyhead, before you drop dead right here."

"Oh, har har," Fox said, putting a hand on her shoulder. "See you later, Shikamaru."

Another yellow flash and they had vanished. Shikamaru lit his cigarette and started walking towards Harry. The boy ducked even deeper in his dark corner. If he was seen it would only raise questions and he didn't need that. He should have totally gone straight to the Gryffindor tower and then to bed. Sometimes he just hated to be so curious.

Shikamaru passed him without any problems. Harry allowed himself to breath. Unexpectedly though the Shinobi stopped right in the middle of the hall.

"If only there was someone listening," he said, his hand flicking off ash in a practised movement. "I would tell them to forget what they heard and saw and to never linger when they see more than one guard in one place."

He then continued his walk as if nothing had happened, vanishing into darkness soon enough. Harry gulped. The little hairs on the back of his neck were tingling and he felt like a ghost had passed right through him. He rushed out of hiding and down the hallway, straight to the tower.

Harry had reached the Portrait of the Fat Lady before he realised that he didn't know this years password.

"Uh," he said.

The Fat Lady looked at him sternly. "No password, no entry," she said loftily.

"It's Mimbulus Mimbletonia, Mr Potter."

Harry started, turning to face the newcomer. A dishelved Fox stood behind him, scratching his head.

"T-Thanks," Harry mumbled.

"No problem," Fox said, his voice sleep riddled. He looked and sounded even more tired than before. "I was around anyway."

"Aren't you like – off shift right now?"

"Am I ever?" Fox said. He stepped back. "I'll leave you to rest Mr Potter. I've heard you have the habit of leaving the dorm during night times. Do me a favour and stay in bed … at least tonight."

Harry stared after him. How did they know this, who told them? He frowned. Everyone was against him, even the guards. That, too, had to do with Dumbledore's strange behaviour.

"Mimbulus Mibletonia," he told the Fat Lady who huffed and swung open towards him like a door. Harry climbed though the circular hole in the wall.

There weren't many people around. Harry hadn't looked at the clock yet but it was quite obvious that it was already late. A handful of tired-looking first years were hovering near the fireplace. Had he even missed Ron and Hermione in his anger?

"You alright Harry?" Fred and George stood next to him suddenly. "Ron's already gone to bed, if you look for him. He probably thought you were already there, too."

"Thanks."

"You look out of it, Harry," George said, trying to get a better look at his face. "Something happened?"

Harry shrugged. "We're back at Hogwarts. I forgot how much people like to stare and gape at me. Especially now, after..."

"Oh Harry," both of them pulled him in a strange sideways hug so he was squished between them. "Soon enough they'll stare only at the guards and forget all about boring old Harry Potter."

Some First Years swivelled their heads towards them once his name was said out loud. Harry groaned and pulled himself free from the twins' embrace.

"Thanks for your – uh – help but I'll head up to bed. It was a long day."

They returned to whatever they were doing before he had come in. He shook his head and went up the stairs. The scene that greeted him in the dorm room was of a bizarre nature. Seamus was standing in the middle of the room, his fist raised. Ron, standing more than a head taller, was less than a foot away from him. He was red in the face and it looked like he was only that far away from yelling.

"What's going on here?" Harry asked.

Seamus was taking in a deep breath, going pale in his anger. His mouth opened and closed like he was a hairbreadth away from yelling something in Harry's direction. With nothing but a noise of contempt he turned on his heel, vaulted into bed and pulled the hangings shut with such violence that they were ripped from the bed and fell in a dusty pile to the floor.

"See what you've done now, Potter? Not only do I nearly get pulled from school because of you -"

"What?" Harry interrupted. "How's that my fault?"

Ron stepped next to him. "Harry...I've cleared that with Seamus..."

Harry turned his anger returning and snapped at him. "What, I can't even clear my own problems?"

Ron frowned at him. "You weren't here to clear it. Otherwise you would've."

"Yeah, with lies," Seamus added.

Both boys turned to him, glaring. Ron held up a hand. "I already told you, if you don't stop you'll get detention if you don't watch your mouth!"

"I'm on Harry's side, too," Neville said. "And so is my Gran. She says that whatever the Prophet writes is absolute rubbish."

Harry felt instantly grateful towards Neville.

Seamus huffed, pulling out his wand, repairing his curtains and shutting up. Ron turned to Harry and whispered so Seamus wouldn't hear. "Come on, Harry. I'll tell you tomorrow."

Harry shook his head, sighing. "I can already guess what this was about. Thank you for standing up for me, Ron." He turned to Neville, smiling. "Thanks to you, too. I mean it."

Fox watched from the shadows as Potter vanished into the hole hidden by the portrait. He had seen the expression on the boys face when he had confronted him with his nightly departs. He had been surprised but there was also anger hidden under the surface. If that anger was solely directed at Fox, he couldn't be sure. Both Hanabi and Shikamaru has reported the sour mood the boy had been in since arriving at Grimmauld Place. Fox didn't know the whole story of the boys life. There were rumours within the student body as well, he had heard enough of those on the train and of course he had read the papers, portraying Potter as a delusional boy that had, under mysterious circumstances returned from some kind of tournament earlier that year. Fox hadn't really cared about all those titbits of information, it was Dove's and Shikamaru's task to do so. Now, though, it suddenly dawned on him that he should have been more inquisitive towards Dumbledore and other members of the Order. Some things didn't add up and he wanted to know why that was.

A yawn escaped his lips. For now though, that would have to wait until tomorrow. Or even later.

Raven stormed into Shikamarus office, a rattling breath coming from under his mask. He glared at Nara and was pretty sure the man was feeling it too.

"Why weren't we informed of a ministry official in the rooster for teaching here this year? Dumbledore must have known!"

Shikamaru's eyebrows were raised as he answered. "I can only tell you of what I know. Neither the Captain nor I knew of it. I can assure you, that -"

Raven interrupted him. "I know Shikamaru. That is why I am angry about this. How can such a wise man like Dumbledore want us to protect his precious school when he doesn't even tell us what the Ministry is doing."

He made sure the room was safe and ripped his mask from his face. His eyes were on the verge of flashing red but he kept his mouth wisely shut. He took a deep breath, sitting on the edge of the desk.

"We should keep our heads low anyway. Let's talk to Naruto and inform him. You know how he is, maybe he just forgot to tell us."

Sasuke snorted. "Yeah, right. Even someone like Naruto wouldn't forget to tell us that."

Shikamaru watched Sasuke pace the room, dragging on his cigarette. His head was already working through every kind of contingency plans there were. The very slim chance of Naruto knowing and not telling had crumbled to nothing before it could form into perfection. It was an impossibility. Either Dumbledore hadn't known, had known and forgot or plain didn't tell. All three choices were troublesome and problematic in their own right. The Hokage would have to be informed immediately.

His cigarette burned out with a last cloud of smoke. Shikamaru dragged his hand across his face. "I'll write up a report for Tsunade. You go and talk to Naruto."

Sasuke spun to a stop, looking at him bewildered. "What are we going to do about our little problem?"

"We will face it once we know more. You're getting riled up far too quick, Uchiha. Stay level-headed and take a breath to calm yourself if necessary," Shikamaru told him, already pulling the next cigarette from his pack.

"Don't tell me what to do," Sasuke said. He pulled his mask up to cover his face and flashed out of the room.

Shikamaru's eyebrows rose and he sighed. "Troublesome."

It was barely ten minutes later that Raven returned, dragging a tired-looking Naruto with him. He wore basic black pants and a dark shirt. He looked ready to drop dead.

"I had just fallen asleep," Naruto complained with a light slur. "So what's the matter?"

Now that Shikamaru looked closely he could see the red spot on the blondes forehead. "Did you fall asleep while working on seals again?"

Naruto crossed his arms. "What if I did?"

"Nothing," Shikamaru shrugged. He took a deep breath. "Did the stuckup bastard give you any information at all when he brought you here?"

Naruto turned to glare at his best friend standing behind him. "Of course he didn't. So what is this all about?"

Shikamaru exhaled through his nose. "Ok...Let me ask you a question first. Do you know the full rooster of the teachers here at Hogwarts?"

"Yeah," Naruto agreed. "Let Ino check them beforehand, as well. They seem legit."

"What about Defence Against The Dark Arts?"

"That spot was open 'till the last second, but I had a basic look at the possible candidates, too. Why do you ask?"

The brunette frowned. "Dolores Umbridge. That name on your list?"

Naruto took a moment to answer. "No, not that I know. Who is she?"

"A ministry official. She's the current DADA-teacher," Raven supplied. "She was at the opening ceremony. Talked to Slug and I at the end of it. She's a horrible person, Naruto."

"We wanted to know if Dumbledore had informed you about her. Obviously he didn't."

Naruto shrugged. "Maybe he wanted to see if we could find out on our own. He's an old man, Shika. And she's a nobody."

"Is she?" Raven snarked. "What if she isn't? The Minister can't just send someone here without reason."

"You're just irritated because she got into your face," Naruto said, his eyebrows drawn. "I don't see a problem."

"Because you're – you're irritating. And unreasonable! Maybe you should get back to your sleep, deadlast."

Naruto straightened. "As much as I love you, dickhead, don't talk to me like that!" He turned back to Shikamaru. "I'll go talk to Dumbledore tomorrow morning. Find out what's going on. You try to set up patrolling schedules." He dragged a hand through his hair. "I don't want this mission to go down south on the second day, so we should all take a step back and relax."

Naruto left in a yellow flash that illuminated half of the room.

"You should apologise, Sasuke."

"Later. I'm off to nightwatch."

Before he could leave the room, though, Shikamaru called him back. "He knows you are right, Sasuke. So be a nice best friend and go with him, tomorrow."

"I wasn't planning on not going, either. He's not getting rid of me by playing stupid. I've known him long enough for it."

Shikamaru nodded but Sasuke was already out of the room.

"That's going to be interesting."

The next morning, after Ron had told Harry about Seamus problem with him they had left the dormitory. Fred and George had hung up a pamphlet late last night after Harry had gone to bed, advertising for a 'simple, part-time, virtually painless job'.

"They are the limit," said Hermione grimly, taking down the sign. "We'll have to talk to them, Ron."

Ron looked at her, alarmed. "Why?"

"Because we're prefects!" said Hermione, as they climbed out through the portrait hole. "It's up to us to stop this kind of thi-"

She stopped short in front of them so they nearly collided with her. When they looked around to figure out why Hermione had suddenly stopped walking Ron gaped. There was a guard right beside them. Harry vaguely realised it was the same one from last night. Dark eyes scanned them from behind the white mask. The guard had his arms crossed. Hermione was still staring at him like a present come early for Christmas. It was the same look she had given Fox and Dove back at Grimmauld Place.

Harry looked at Ron and the taller boy nodded. Both of them hooked their arms under Hermiones and they pulled her along.

"Hey!" she complained.

"Not 'hey', you were staring Mione," Ron told her.

She didn't react to that. "What was he doing there?"

"Dunno," Harry said. "Maybe they are guarding the dorms, too."

"But there was noone here last night when we arrived. Which makes me think – Harry, where were yo last night? You weren't in the common room when we arrived with the First Years."

"Nor in the dorm," Ron added.

They looked inquisitively at him. "I was angry and run around in circles all over the school. Nothing important."

He was pretty sure that they could tell he was lying. Hermione picked up on a different fact, though.

"You do look aweful, Harry. Still angry."

"Seamus reckons Harry's lying about You-Know-Who," said Ron when Harry did not respond.

Hermione answered gloomily. "Yes, Lavender thinks so, too."

Harry's anger was rising. Before he could snap something, a voice beside him responded. "If people think stupid stuff about you because they've read it in a paper instead of trusting their heads and the truth, then they are stupid. That's what my sister says anyway."

All three jumped, turning to face Hanabi. The girl looked bored out of her mind, like whatever happened next had nothing to do with her. And that was only the first day of the school year.

"Your sister sounds really clever," Hermione amended.

Hanabi waved her off. "She's the heiress of the clan. It's her task to be all wise, leading our family in the near future."

Ron wondered. "How much older than you is she?"

"She's four years older. Eighteen. That's why she has yet to take over fathers post. Sure it's a lot of responsibility but she's known she would get there since years."

"Does she know how it is to be stared at and gossiped about?" Harry said, the anger still raging in his blood.

But that did nothing but make Hanabi's blood boil as well. "Yes, and her boyfriend knows as well. Because he is out of clan and that's not acceptable for someone of her standing. And he's the village pariah, having failed graduation exams like two or three times. You wouldn't believe the gossip..."

They didn't need to know how much she had twisted the truth in a handful of sentences. "Your situation might be different, Potter, but it surely isn't the worst it could be. You should have a look at some of Konohas Shinobi and you'd feel happy to just be Harry Potter." Seeing Harry's inquisitive look she elaborated. "When people stare at you because you decided to rescue your teammates instead of completing a mission. Or when you see your best friends who has just saved your life beeing crushed by boulders..I mean, people might talk about you and gossip but they are just talking. They are curious, but they don't actually do anything."

"Words can hurt too," Hermione said, wanting to know where this was going.

Hanabi scoffed, pointing a finger at Harry. "It's not like they call him abomination or demon, right? Cause there was this guy at home who called that all the time just because of something his parents did before he was born...He had never once hurt anybody in his life, but people still loved to make him feel their hate."

Harry was left speechless by that. Hanabi just smirked at him smugly.

He ducked his head. "Sorry. I've been a brat."

"That's quite alright," said Hermione. She shook her head, clearing her thoughts after that story. "Don't you remember what Dumbledore said at the last end-of-term feast?"

Hermione sighed, seeing Harry, Ron and Hanabi's blank looks. "You can't know, Hanabi, but you two should! About You-Know-Who. He said his 'gift for spreading discord and enmity is very great. We can fight it only by showing an equally strong bond of friendship and trust'," she took a breath, ignoring Ron's frustrated look. "Even the Sorting Hat's been warning the same!"

"And Harry's got it right last night," retorted Ron. "If that means we're supposed to get matey with the Slytherins – fat chance."

Hanabi's snicker interrupted their bickering. "You know, that's what everyone thought back home as well. Until the biggest threat possible emerged and the five big villages that had always waged war with each other before became united. And I think if they can do that you might just as well."

She split off from them at that, down the marble staircase and passed a line of fourth-year Ravenclaws.

"She is right, you know," Hermione told the boys.

Ron scowled at her. "She was probably just making that up, anyway. Like that story about that demon dude."

They all followed the Ravenclaws that had been huddling together as if they were scared of Harry. They instinctively looked at the staff table as they entered. Hagrid was still not present. Instead Shikamaru had taken up residence up their off to the right.

"I guess he really is important to all that guarding and stuff," Ron said. Before any of them could comment, Angelina had come rushing at Harry.

"Hi, Angelina."

"Hi," she said briskly," good summer?" And without waiting for an answer, "Listen, I've been made Gryffindor Quidditch Captain."

"Nice one," said Harry, his anger having been blown over, a grin on his face. He listened as Angelina instructed him on tryouts on Friday, then smiled and left after he had dutifully nodded and said 'Yes'. Hermione had sat herself beside Ron and was just pulling a plate of toast towards her as Harry took his place opposite them. They talked about the tryouts for a second before they were interrupted by the post-owls.

Harry was barely paying attention when he saw, between hundreds of owls, a guard appearing visually out of nothing right beside Shikamaru. As he didn't have to look for Hedwig, his only correspondent being Sirius, he tried to follow the situation at the teachers table. It was the only guard he'd seen only once before, the one from last night that had been guarding the door together with the one he'd seen this morning as well. This one was fully hooded, unlike Fox, who'd been running around with his blonde hair being seen by everyone for days. The other thing Harry noticed was a ribbon of some kind tied to the upper arm of the uniform, just below the shoulder. None of the other guards had it so it struck him as odd, especially since this one was not the Captain of the force, either.

He looked to Hermione, only to find her eyes also clued to the guard. There was the gleam in them again, just like this morning. "Mione, what's that thing on the guards arm?"

She shrugged, not even glancing at him. "I don't know. Maybe a status symbol or something. We could ask Hanabi later on..?"

Ron snorted and pieces of food flew around. "What happened to visiting the library?"

"Don't talk while eating, Ron!" Hermione scolded him. "Obviously I won't find something like this in the library, so the next possible source would be either Shikamaru or Hanabi."

She wanted to say something else, but stopped short when McGonagall came around to hand out the time-tables.

Ron was the first to groan when he saw the one for that day. "Binns, Snape, Trelawney and that Umbridge woman all in one day...That's the worst Monday I've ever seen!"

McGonagall didn't scold him for that but warned them instead. "Please be aware that the guards may turn up in or between your classes. Treat them with respect, just like Professor Dumbledore demanded yesterday night." She looked towards the Weasley twins at that who had just started arguing with Hermione about their Skiving Snackboxes. They sheepishly smiled at that but decided to dive straight back into the matter as soon as their head of house was out of sight.

Shikamaru sidled up next to Hanabi, a hand straying to the breast pocket where he kept his pack of cigarettes. He had done so earlier as well until McGonagall had reprimanded him. With pinched brows she'd reminded him off how this was a school and not some bar or pub. He'd grudgingly put his smoke back, promising not to light one indoors. His mother would've probably smacked him upside the head if she knew anyway.

"What are we doing now?" Hanabi asked him.

Shikamaru turned his head to look at her. "You've got your tasks, don't you? The ones that Fox gave you?"

She bit her tongue so as to not respond to fast with unnecessary anger. Those papers were stupid and mundane. If she had wanted to she would have solved all the problems on them within a day. Or less.

"Mh," she hummed. "Anything else, though? I'd rather not waste my day with that. Can't I train?"

Shikamaru smirked at her. "Running from your duties like that? You've got a hot head on your shoulders."

She glared at him. "And you've got a lazy butt. I don't know what the Hokage sees in you. Or that girlfriend of yours."

He snorted, righting his ponytail. "You sound a lot like Ino, you know. Girls are so troublesome. You should cool down a bit, Hanabi. We still have something up our sleeves for you. Didn't think you'd only have to write sentences, did you?"

"I hope so," she admitted grudgingly. A huff of breath escaped her lips. "What do you want me to do?"

He rolled his shoulders, sticking his hands in his pockets. He watched her for a moment before answering, seeing the impatient look. "Fox and Raven have a meeting with Dumbledore this morning. You'll escort them. Watch and listen."

Her mouth opened and closed in rapid succession.

Shikamaru steered them towards a statue sitting in an alcove in a wall. She didn't know what they could possibly want there until Fox appeared up beside her. "Hey Hanabi."

"Morning," she grumbled. "Is this meeting right now or what?"

"In a moment," Shikamaru corrected her. "Raven has yet to arrive. But there are two minutes left anyway."

Half a minute later Raven walked around the corner, back straight but one lock of hair slightly askew. He didn't wear the standard ANBU cloak, instead he'd chosen to only wear the uniform underneath, short shirt and armour. Him and Fox were contrasts this way, with the blond looking just like a normal Jonin with a porcelain mask. The sleeves of his long-arm shirt were pulled up to the elbows, exposing his bandages. Hanabi couldn't imagine how his arm looked underneath. She'd only heard the stories of his fight with Sasuke Uchiha and how it had ended for the both of them.

Now that that thought had invaded her mind she started when Raven walked past her without a greeting and she could see the back of his head. It looked just like – no it was - Sasukes' hairstyle. Longer than he had worn it years ago, but still easily recognizable. She barely resisted a groan. Of course, how could she not have recognised the Uchiha until now?

Hanabi realised that she could probably look at every one of the ANBU agents with them and know who they were as soon as she saw their hair. She also realised that none of them were safe against identification – not at home in Konoha – as long as there was one other person that knew what they looked like off duty. Probably every single person in the Elemental Nations could recognise Naruto Uzumaki by his hair alone. There weren't that many sunny blondes running around after all.

Soon enough there was a hand on her shoulder, guiding her towards a staircase – were did that come from? "I always told him to grow out his duck-butt, but he just never listens," Fox low voice complained beside her. Obviously he could guess just where her thoughts had drifted in the last minute.

Soon enough they had reached the top were a broad wooden door was already open and waiting for them to enter. Fox entered first, Raven just half a step behind him. Dumbledore didn't smile this time they saw him. He looked somber and sad. Like he knew something they didn't, yet. He offered them a nod and a wave of hand though. His eyes lingered on Hanabi just a tad too long.

"What can I do for you this fine morning, Captain, Raven. I was informed that there was a topic of discussion between us?"

Raven stepped off to the side, letting his Captain pass. Fox build up with broad shoulders while Hanabi was left to sit on the single chair in room, right beside a half of a globe filled with licorice dragons. She eyes them with disgust and returned her attention back to Fox who had yet to answer Dumbledore. The headmaster folded his hands, waiting for the answer.

"I guess you already know, Professor."

Hanabi was surprised how calm and quiet Fox was. Downstairs he had appeared his usual self, boistorous and happy. It was unusual and just served to show her how important this meeting was. Even though she had no idea what it was about.

"My boy," Dumbledore said. "I hadn't thought Umbridge would make such problems. I thought she might be able to hold her tongue at least in you presence."

Umbridge? The point of this meeting was Umbridge, that ugly pink toad? Just by looking at that woman Hanabi had wanted to snap. That lady just rubbed her the wrong way. She wondered, though, what Umbridge could have possibly said that got both Fox as the Captain and Raven as another high-ranking agent go to Dumbledore. Fox cleared that question for her.

"Did you know she'd be the one to come here? Sent by the Ministry I mean."

"Not until after Mr. Potters hearing, I'm afraid."

Raven looked ready to pounce at that moment but Fox kept his calm. He only crossed his arms in front of his chest, shifting his weight to one side.

"That's still some time you knew, Professor. I would've appreciated it, would you have told either me or one of mine. But you did neither. Strictly speaking, this circumstance prooves for you to be holding back critical information that could stunt our mission objectives, headmaster. I could abandon this mission because of this, you know. Go back home and leave you be."

Dumbledore sighed. "I am truly sorry for this, Captain. I should have told you -"

"Yes, you should have," Fox agreed. "But you didn't. And that was a serious mistake. I willing, though, to give you the benefit of the doubt. You're a foreigner and I am to believe that you can't know how strict we are with this. YOu wizards are silly people after all, ain't you.."

Hanabi had no idea what game Fox was playing here, but she found it ingenious. She hadn't believed him to be capable of this.

"No doubt we are," Dumbledore said with a hint of a smile.

Fox nodded. "Good thing we understand each other, Professor. But here's something I don't understand. Why is it that the Minister of Magic would send an abominable person like Dolores Jane Umbridge to teach the next generation of witches and wizards?"

Dumbledore pushed his spectacles up his nose, his eyes straying from Fox to Raven, who stood off to the side, not having moved at all. "You see, Captain, Cornelius knows how inquisitve his neior secretary can be. With overthrowing his plans during Mr. Potters hearing I am afraid I have finally crossed my boundaries. He send her to anger me, to draw me out, to force my hand, so to say. You understand? Cornelius isn't a bad man but he is frightened of loosing his position, his political power. He tries to stalemate me."

Fox snorted. "I doesn't work at all."

"Why you?" Raven asked. Hanabi wanted to know that, too.

Dumbledore sighed. "As you might know by now I am handled as one of the most powerful wizards of all time. With that my word is valued nearly as high as that of the Minister. And since he denies Coldemorts return and I stand by young Harrys side, well, let's just say I am a bigger thorn in his eye than ever before."

"Mh," Fox hummed. "What are you going to do with Umbridge?"

"I'm stying quiet of course. That way he cannot do anything. I fear for my school in a quiet different way than what I called you here for. I am afraid should I do anything to force Umbridges hand in turn, Cornelius will have me suspended from my position as headmaster. Without that Hogwarts students, my students, are left at the mercy of one vile woman and Cornelius distrust. Whoever his on my side, or Mr Potters side, or even worse against whatever Umbridge beliefs is the true path of magic will be punished."

"And sadly," Raven injects, surprising them, "most of the parents are already pitted against you in this."

"Voldemort has always know how to draw people apart. And be it by his presence alone. People are afraid, you see, and i can't even deny them this, with what happened during our last war with him. People disappeared and were killed under mysterious circumstances...We can't have that happening again. I need to at least keep my school drawn tightly together."

Fox turned his head to Raven, beckoning him to come closer. "If," Fox said to him," we had a teacher sent to Konohas academy by the Firelord, who stunted our students grow forcefully, what would we do, Raven?"

"Kill this teacher and bury her six feet deep. Or in the case you are refering to, we'd make this teacher want to go back to were she came from. Willingly."

"Shame we can't kill her," Fox mumbled.

"She might be missed," Raven said.

Fox waved him off, much to Hanabis amusement and Dumbledores astonishment. "Yeah yeah."

A short silence spread through the room as they mused over possible ways to keep Umbridges moves as restricted as possible. So far no ideas had come forth. Fox decided to change the topic.

"Professor, before we leave, I wanted to ask you something."

"Out with it, whatever it is, Captain."

Fox scratched the back of his head. "I know that the fate and state of life of single students has nothing to do with our overall mission, but I remember you asking me to keep an eye on Mr Potter if I could spare it. And, uh, last night he was quite riled up, filled with anger to the brim. The way he looked at me did nothing to assure me that his anger wasn't also directed at me and my guards..."

Raven turned his head to him and Dumbledore short the Captain a thoughtful look. It was Hanabi, however that filled them in. "I've met him this morning and it seems hes just fed up with how people tend to talk about him and gossip right in front of his nose about what happened at the end of last year."

"Ms Hyuuga, I hope he didn't offend you in this state. Harry can get quite emotional," Dumbledore said.

She shrugged. "All boys are idiots. I got him to calm down."

"That's good," the headmaster smiled, but it was bittersweet.

"You care a good deal for him," Fox pointed out.

"I've known his parents when they went to this school and it was me who gave him to his aunt and uncle the night his parents were killed by Voldemort. I always held great respect for him, even more so when at the end of his first year he had faced and defeated Voldemort yet again. With every year that he came hear another trial waited for him and my respect grew. He's so young yet he has already gone through so much. I understand your culture is different and you are trained for battle but those children aren't."

"So we've noticed."

Dumbledore nodded. "They are prepared for finding a job after gratuating, they are trained to make the world better if they wish to do so and to control their magic, to pursue their interests..they should never have to fight another."

Hanabi swallowed. It felt like a stone had settled over her heart. How would a world without fighting look? How would it be to wake up to go to a job that didn't involve killing others and fighting for life? She couldn't imagine it. Fox movements were stiff, like he had been hit over the head with a huge stone.

"Then we shall look after your students. All of them."

"Thank you."

"You are paying us for it, headmaster. There's nothing to thank for."

Hanabi stood from her seat, ready to leave as Fox and Raven had simultaniously turned at the end of Fox' sentence.

"Just one more thing, Captain," Dumbledore called him back.

The Captain turned on the spot, half a foot between him and the door Hanabi had opened for him. "Yeah?"

"How far would you go for this school?"

Fox stood stock-still.

Dumbledore elaborated. "What if I asked you to do something that didn't stand in the contract."

"Like what?"

Dumbledore smiled. "Like retrieve something for me."

A door to his left flew open and Professor McGonagall emerged from her office looking grim and slightly harassed.

"What on earth are you shouting about, Potter?" she snapped, as Peeves cackled gleefully and zoomed out of sight. "Why aren't you in class?"

"I've been sent to see you," said Harry stiffly.

"Sent? What do you mean, sent?"

He gave her the pink note from Umbridge. McGonagall took it, read it and waved him in.

"Come in here, Potter."

He followed her inside her study. He was more than surprised that he wasn't the only one in the room beside her. At her desk sat Captain Fox with a ginger biscuit in his gloved left hand. He nodded to the boy.

"Got kicked out of class?"

"Captain, please," McGonagall scolded him. Fox rose a hand to symbolise innocence. She rounded on Harry. "So, is it true, Potter?"

"Is what true?" Harry asked, rather more aggressively than he had intended. "Professor?" he added, in an attempt to sound more polite. He thought he'd head Fox snort at that behind his mask but couldn't be sure of it because the guard didn't indicate anything.

McGonagall's lips were pursed. "Did you yell at Professor Umbridge?"

"Yes."

"You called her a liar?"

"Yes."

"You told her He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named is back?"

"Yes."

McGonagall watched Harry closely as she sat behind her desk.

"Have a biscuit, Potter."

"What?"

"Sit down, Potter, and take the biscuit," Fox told him, pulling the chair out for the boy. "It's not every day you hear a teacher being called a liar."

"Don't make it sound like I am rewarding him, Captain," said McGonagall.

Fox shrugged. "Didn't say anything, Professor."

"Potter," McGonagall turned back to him," you need to be careful."

Harry sank into his chair, even if the anger was still bristling in him. He watched as Fox leaned back, as if enjoying him getting lectured. Not scolded, though, as Harry had expected. Her tone was low and anxious and somehow much more human than usual.

Fox wasn't particularly focusing on the conversation itself, but he did pick out keywords and phrases of what McGonagall told Potter. The professor was right, of course, the boy had been careless but how should he have known better. He had yet to learn that evil could come slow and in less obvious forms.

"For heavens sake, Potter! Do you really think this is about truth or lies? It's about keeping your head down and your temper under control!"

"I'd say the same to you, Professor."

At first Harry had thought that it had been Fox talking. But as he looked back at McGonagall to gauge her reaction he saw her looking behind Fox into a corner of the room he had passed on his way in.

Shikamaru had papers spread all over the table in front o him, a pen in hand and a cigarette stuck in the corner of his mouth. He looked as interested in the whole conversation as Fox did.

"Calm down a bit, Professor, you're giving a bad example."

Harry had expected McGonagall to be offended by this but she didn't. She only took a deep breath and shot the young man a hard look.

"if you want to join this talk, Mr Nara, you should come over and not just throw in your opinion once in a while from safe distance."

Shikamaru took one last glance at the paper he was working on before sliding his chair back and standing with a sigh. McGonagall watched him the whole time he took to come ver. There was a pen stuck behind his ear, as if he'd forgotten it was there and black smudges showed her how much he'd worked the last hours. Shikamaru looked tired but Harry could only guess how much work went into the preparation of guarding an entire castle and everyone in it.

"What would you like to tell Mr Potter if you were in my position?" McGonagall asked him. The mediator stapled his fingers together on his lap, looking over the boy sitting between Fox and him.

He took half a minute before answering. "I'd tell him the same I heard experienced Shinobi tell their hot-headed students and the same I tell Hanabi, because out of her family she's the only one I know that is this emotional. Keep a level head, Potter. Umbridge wants to get under your skin and she counts on you to answer to her insults. She wants you to react violently because thats the only way for her to dish out detentions and other punishments. Ignore what she says, so as long as you believe you're right just leave her be."

McGonagall looked at him, surprise evident in her features. "That's very wise of you, Mr Nara."

He barely shrugged. "Like I said, I only repeat what I've heard before."

"Though I can't rightfully say that I can see a hot-headed youth in you. Someone you know?"

"As you know, Professor, we are trained in teams of three with one mentor to guide us. My team was fine. There wasn't that much fighting, besides the usual and out mentor was always very laid back. But the year we graduated there were other teams, too, of course. As far as I know their mentors had to do a fair share of damage repair within their teams."

"They are you age, yes?" McGonagall raised a brow. "What kind of posts do they have now?"

Shikamaru frowned. "They are nor mediators between our and other worlds, if that is what you mean. But they grew up to be great Shinobi and even greater people." He could practically feel Fox' grin behind that stupid mask. How much he wanted to slug him.

"Did they have to learn under a stup - uh - person as Umbridge?" Harry asked bitterly, changing the sentence halfway because McGonagall glared at him.

"No," Fox answered this time. "But enemies that try to kill you often use provocations as an act to get one to open up and present weak points or make mistakes. It's hard sometimes but you just have to ignore them. Keep focused on the important things - like getting out of the situation alive."

The way he just so casually said it rattled McGonagall and Harry all the more. Shikamaru could see the distress in their eyes. The subject of ones death was viewed much the same and yet so different. Both Fox and Dove had discussed it with him many times during their stay at Grimmauld Place. One day, they had decided, they might have to talk to the wizards about it, if it was needed, of course.

"Keep your head low, Potter, that's all we say," he told the boy.

"Oh, okay," Harry said, nibbling on a ginger cookie. There was still anger painfully obvious in his voice, but at least now it had a submissive tone to it. Maybe it had helped that someone his age had told him to calm down and to stay there.

"Potter," McGonagall said.

He looked up. "Yes, Professor?"

"You can leave if you want."

"Thanks, Professor." He got up, slinging his bag over his shoulder but barely a foot from her desk he spun around again, eyes wide. "What about my detention, Professor? Angelinas gonna kill me if she hears about it. Can' t you do anything about it?"

She sighed. "I'm very sorry, Potter, but for how much we dislike Professor Umbridge, she is a teacher at this school. She has given you detention for misbheaviour - and no, you yelled at her, Potter - and it is in her rights to do so. Maybe for the next time, remember what Mr Nara and Captain Fox told you and you wont have to sit in detention with her."

Harry shuffled his feet, angry but still answering quietly. "Yes, Professor."

"Good," she allowed, "now off with you."

"I'll leave as well, Professor," Fox told her, standing. "It was nice talking to you."

She actually smiled at him then. "Make sure to come back if you have questions regarding any of my subjects."

"The introduction to transfiguration was quite enough for the beginning but thank you for the offer."

Shikamaru watched them out of the corner of his eyes. Potter knew Fox, so he didn't look too uncomfortable leaving with him. It also reminded him of what Ino had sait to Naruto. Don't you see how similar you two are? You are reminded of how you used to be.

"Maybe I should schedule a consultation between the Weasley twins and the Captain. He seems to have a way of swaying youths."

Shikamaru raised his eyebrows at her. "You don't want to know what riot ANBU agents can get up to. All of them know how to make explosives from scratch."

"Fox is a level-headed man, though. And as far as I've heard from Dumbledore and Snape he can be talked to, like any normal person, if even a bit spaced out or closed off from time to time."

"That's because there is a person behind that mask, no matter what people like to believe. But who knows what kind of person it is."

McGonagall pinched her lips. "I'd hope only highly qualified ones, capable of fulfilling their tasks, Mr Nara."

"Surely," he said evenly. "But ANBU usually go to dark places, handling situations there. I, for one, haven't heard of ANBU guarding a school before."

"You know them, though? They are to be trusted? With children, I mean."

Shikamaru sat up straight. "I cannot speak for all of them, as I don't know the people behind those masks," he lied, "but I can speak of ANBU in general. They are highly trained and professionally prepared for the task at hand. There won't be any harm coming to the students. Our lady Hokage has chosen only the best."

McGonagall rightened her tarkan hat. "That's good to hear, Mr Nara."

He sensed that the conversation was at its end. "I'll be going back to my paperwork."

Harry hadn't wanted to talk to Fox at all. The guard was okay and all that but Harry was still angry at the situation and about the whole weeks evenings filled with detention. But Fox walked where Harry walked, basically dogging every one of his steps since they had left the room.

"Are you guarding the dorms at night?"

It was a question that Hermione had raised in the morning, after they'd run into one of the agents. Fox barely turned his head at that. He's studying me, Harry thought.

"You've run into Raven this morning?"

It wasn't really a question, not with the way he said it, but Harry nodded anyway.

"We are doing night shifts around the school, they last well into the morning. Raven had probably just crossed your path."

"The the question would be why you don't watch the common rooms. Something might be happening in there as well, for all you know."

The blond shook his head. "Just believe me if I tell you that I - and all of the others for that matter - will know if we have to come to the rescue. It would be creepy for us to stalk you through the night. Plus, safety doesn't demand for such measures, yet. Once it does, we will rise to the task."

Harry frowned. After the events of last summer he had thought that Dumbledore had learned - but how could he know. The headmaster ignored him all the time now.

"Have you heard of the crazy stuff happening around here? You'd probably be guarding all the common rooms if you had."

Fox perked up at this, striding closer to him and Harry instantly understood that Fox did not know anything about those things. "In my first year, "he said," Voldemort had kind of latched onto a teacher. Like a parasite, so you could see his face at the back of the head of Quirrel. He couldn't control him but Quirrel listened to him and followed his orders anyway."

They turned around a corner, scattering a handful of Hufflepuffs who were staring wide-eyed at them. It probably looked like Fox was escorting him more than anything.

"In second year a basilisk was let loose."

"A basilisk?"

"Yeah and it turned students to stone. Hermione was petrified, too."

"Who let it loose?"

Harry shrugged as if it wasn't such a big deal. "Voldemort had this diary when he was still in school. A part of him must've been still residing in it, because it could to a certain degree control the people writing in it. It got destroyed at the end of the year, though."

"Those still aren't reasons to patrol through the common rooms at night, Mr Potter," Fox reminded him.

"In third year," Harry continued, " we found out that a dangerous criminal got into our dorm - for the past years - because he had been an Animagi - a wizard able to transform himself into an animal. McGonagall can do this, too, usually people have to register at the Ministry, but obviously there are people out there who don't..."

"Mh..I will take that into consideration. Thank you for the information."

Hermione would love to hear about that conversation. But if she were here Fox would've already tried to get away thanks to her asking him question after question in rapid succession. Harry looked at the blonde, watching for any signs of vanishing and leaving him to his own business. Instead he had a frontal look at Fox# bandaged forearm and hand. Up until now he'd only ever seen him wearing long-sleeved shirts and gloves, much like the other members of his team.

"Were you hurt?" he asked, pointing at the arm.

Fox looked surprised, following his gaze and finger, as if his own arm wasn't part of him. "Happened a while back," Fox shrugged it off. "But it ain't as bad as it seems. Thing is - its not pretty and especially at a school filled with kids barely over the age of ten, I wouldn't want it to be openly seen."

"What happened?"

"That's secret, sorry," Fox said, tugging at a fraying edge of the bandage. Seeing Harrys frown he added, "And I mean it. The document even got big fat 'Secret' stamps all over it."

Harry wasn't really mollified by that asnwer, but it helped to keep him calm.

"I'd rather keep the reason for that scar-," he pointed to his forehead," secret as well, but here in the wizarding world everyone knew of it before I did. And it's in plain view. I can't even hide it behind a bandage, like you do."

Fox chuckled, so softly and deep that Harry could feel the vibration more than he could actually hear it. "You could, but you'd probably look stupid with it..I had a bandage across my forehead once or twice..doesn't look any better on me, either."

They crossed another gaggle of students, but those didn't scatter. Harry frowned. They didn't even look at him, instead whispering and pointing in the other direction. Harry craned his neck, but couldn't see anything. Fox, though, obviously could. He slowly pushed his way through the crowd, nearing its center.

The first thing Harry saw was pink and he immediately knew that whatever Umbridge was doing right now wouldn't end well for her. Fox, who stoold half a foot in front of him didn't do anything, though, he was just watching the scene unfold. Harry drew a bit closer so that he could see the one opposite Umbridge. It wasn't a guard as he'd thought it would be, but Hanabi. The brunette was livid and red in the face, just like Harry had been before. But unlike him she wasn't yelling at the professor. Umbridge said something. Harry couldn't quite understand, but from the soft and sweet voice of hers it couldn't have been anything overly qualified.

"Harry," Neville greeted, pushing himsled to Harry's side.

"Neville. What's going on here? What's Umbridge doing?"

Neville grimaced and Harry could feel that Fox had put parts of his attention on the two of them. "She's been at it for minutes already. I don't know the girl really well, but its a miracle she hasn't been strangling Umbridge yet. The toad," he whispered," has asked why she'd been walkinga round alone, even though she's a stranger and blind at that. The girl said something about her familiy and about honour - I didn't quite get that - and since then Umbridge's been insulting her and her family with pretty words. It's disgusting, really. How can a person like her be teaching here?"

When Neville ended his explanation Harry noticed the soft growl coming from Fox. Or at least he tought it came from Fox, he couldn't be sure, it sounded more like an animal than anything. The guard stepped through the last row of students before him. That was the moment Umbridge noticed him, a sugary sweet smile on her toad-like face.

She'd been waiting for one of them to turn up.

"Oh, how nice to meet another one of you. What's your name?"

Fox completely ignored her in a way Harry never could. He only walked straight past her without a sound, all his attention focused on Hanabi. He walked straight up to her, but stopped when Umbridge spoke up to him, this time sweeter and slimier than before.

"I wouldn't ignore me if I were you. I'm not only a teacher but the undersecretary of the Minister himself, you see."

Fox turned his head ever so slightly, parts of his mask visible over his shoulder. "I'm Captain-Commander Fox."

"The name of an animal. Are you an abomination under the mask as much as above? Hiding your faces, scaring the students and looking like murderers."

Under the murmur of the students all around them Fox fully turned his body, shielding Hanabi from view and dwarfing Umbridge. His broad shoulders cast shadows across her face that made her look even more evil.

"I am sorry if my looks are not of your likes, but it is standard dress," he retorted with a forced calm. "But I wouldn't like for you to adress people under my tutalage like you just did a second ago." He gestured behind him. "If you would like to learn about our culture you either ask nicely or you don't ask at all. I wouldn't want for problems to arise because of insensibility."

Harry gaped. He'd seen Fox don't talk at all. He'd seen him joke or be serious but this last weeks he had never threatening anyone before.

"He's as scary as Professor Snape," Neville gulped beside him. "And he didn't even do anything in particular."

By now it was Umbridge who looked livid. She'd obviously not expected such a response. She pointed one stubby finger directly in his face. "You may not know it because of your barbaric civilization, where even children are sent out to kill each other, but here, in our world, there is respect to pay."

Fox didn't twitch at that but there was a muffled answer coming from behind him. "Only to those who earn it."

Umbridge tried to catch a look at Hanabi but Fox stepped up to her, directly poking her pointing finger into his breastplate. Umbridges yes swivelled up to meet his but instead she looked into endless darks of the holes in his mask.

"Share your concerns with either the headmaster or our mediator. Good day, Professor Umbridge."

With that he turned on his heel, through the parting mass of students and with Hanabi following behind very closely. They passed by Harry and he could see the shit eating grin on the girls face.

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