More 'outsider' pov - I love doing those.
Weeks pass.
Severus Snape has already forgotten about the dreadful 'ninja' affair. Though that might not be entirely true. He has tried to forget.
After all, ninjas are not easily forgotten.
But as time passes and there is no reply to Albus' heartfelt plea for assistance, he slowly allows himself to believe that maybe that was the end of it. Of course things never work out in Severus Snape's favor; so as soon as he has convinced himself that maybe these people have long since managed to kill each other off, there is suddenly a new spring in Albus' step that speaks of disaster approaching fast.
"Severus, my dear boy!" the Headmaster calls to him, striding into the staff room with the gait of a much younger man, "Good news have reached me. Do this old man a favor and collect Minerva for me. I will need to speak to you two in my office."
Privately Severus doubts that Minerva would appreciate being 'collected'.
"Can't say I'm not a little envious," Filius remarks from his place across Severus.
"And curious," Pomona adds. "Why does he only ever speak to you two?"
"If you are so eager to be Albus' sounding board," Severus states snidely, "you're welcome to take my place. I am curious whether you will still be so enthusiastic when he pulls you from your bed at two at night, because he's just had an idea."
And with that he departs, cloak swishing around the corner.
"He's not wrong," Filius admits.
"Yes," Pomona agrees, "he's just an assh-"
Minerva does not like to be collected, gathered, rounded up, summoned, or otherwise.
Especially so by Severus, and particularly not when he is wearing that sort of expression. Years before it would have meant she'd have to take points from James Potter and Sirius Black for stringing him up by his underpants. Nowadays it mostly seems to be connected to Albus' more out there ideas.
She's not entirely sure which scenario she prefers. Sometimes she thinks he isn't either.
They make their way to the headmaster's office in prim silence. It feels like beginnings of a storm; suspiciously calm, but with a certain undercurrent. Fear maybe. Fear for her sanity, most assuredly.
"Minerva, Severus, please come inside!" Albus voice calls cheerily from inside, even before either of them can lift their hand to knock.
Wary of having yet again to talk Albus out of the whole ninja business, Minerva throws open the door. What she didn't expect, was for said ninja to be already there. She stares.
It's a tall man. Taller certainly than Albus who is standing right next to the stranger, childishly fascinated by a multitude of paraphernalia spread out on his desk. For a second Minerva's eyes are glued to the sheer number of knives stacked right next to Albus' kitschy tea set, then they snap back towards the owner of those monstrosities.
It's obvious that he just changed a few moments ago into the customary wizard robes, as he's still plucking at his cloak and mustering the simple black tie in his hand, as if not quite sure what to do with it. He's also still wearing a ghastly mask over his mouth and nose, as well as a strange looking headband that appears to have slipped over his eye by accident. He makes no move to right it.
"Albus –" she chokes out, only marginally aware of Severus frozen behind her.
The headmaster smiles genially at them.
"Do come over! Let me introduce to you our companion for now. Kakashi Hatake. Kakashi, this are Minerva McGonagall and Severus Snape. I dare say you will see quite a lot of each other."
The man's one eye crinkles and he raises a lazy hand in greeting.
"Yo."
"I'm feeling a little faint," she admits distantly, as his sleeve slips down and reveals yet more knives.
"Don't you dare, Minerva," Severus hisses, quite suddenly revived from his stasis. "Don't you dare faint and leave me to deal with this … - disaster. Some Gryffindor you are."
"Now, now," the headmaster chides. "Please have a seat and a cup of tea. It's all not as bad as it looks, I assure you."
It is as bad as it looks.
Neither the headmaster nor 'Kakashi' himself can offer any sort of detail about his person.
"If I told you, I would have to kill you," the man says pleasantly, with a hint of a smile around his eye. Despite his friendly demeanor, Albus' serious face indicates this to be meant quite literally. Without officially initiating Kakashi into the Order there is also no way to give him any details about the war apart from what is freely found in the Hogwarts library.
So in the end, nobody knows anything about anyone.
"Well," Severus snipes, "this has been enlightening. If you'd excuse me, I have classes to prepare."
"Not so hasty, Severus," the headmaster stops him. "I thought one of you could show Kakashi to our new headquarters. I know Sirius is getting quite anxious all by himself; a little company would surely be a welcome diversion."
Severus, who has barely re-taken his seat, swiftly rises to his feet again.
"I believe this excludes me from that particular conversation. In no possible universe Black and I will ever be a welcome diversion to each other."
Albus casts him a reprimanding look, but says nothing. Maybe he hoped that the Head of Slytherin would at least take an interest in their resident ninja – sneaky and sly as they are both supposed to be. He should really know better by now, she thinks in bemusement. Two snakes do not make friends; they bite each other's heads off.
"Very well then," she says, resigning herself to her fate. "I assume we are leaving immediately?"
Albus nods.
"That would be ideal. Kakashi, all you will need is already prepared in your room; Sirius will show you where it is."
Kakashi takes the flooing with an expected minimalist attitude. A little uncomfortably she offers her hand, reminded of the yearly ordeal getting of muggleborns to Diagon Alley.
"Thank you, but I don't believe our relationship is quite at that point yet," he says. "I'm shy, you see."
There is a suspicious noise coming from behind them, but when Minerva whips around, Albus is calmly sipping his tea.
"Yes?" he enquires, eyes twinkling.
A little miffed she throws a pinch of floo powder into the flames.
"The Hog's Head."
Then she steps into the flames.
To say Molly Weasley is a little skeptical might be an understatement. It was already a difficult decision to move her family into Grimmauld Place as it is – if it were just Arthur and her, gosh, it would be different of course. She remembers the last war so clearly; really, the pictures will never completely leave her. Most of her family died during those years. And yet, she'd do it all over again, because it was the right thing to do.
But now she has her children to think about; Ron, whom she raised better than to leave poor, dear Harry to his fate; Fred and George, who she'll have to put on a leash once they hear about the Order; and dear little Ginny or course, young and overly enthusiastic as she is. She tries not to think about Percy, so far out of their reach now, but no less in danger because of them. Instead she thanks every god out there that Charlie is near untouchable in Romania, and that Bill has more sense than all of his siblings put together. Despite what the earrings may suggest.
It's irrational of course. The war has already begun; officially moving into Grimauld Place will not make it begin more or harder. They are in danger wherever they are. A place under Albus' protection is much safer than what most other families will have. And yet … this is a step that will make the Order – the war – the most prominent part of their lives. So the headmaster will forgive her if she's not too happy to invite yet another reminder of this into their new home. 'A soldier' Albus called him. A ninja, whatever that may be. And while the thought of a trained professional assisting them is somewhat of a relief, this man is also a complete stranger.
Albus has assured her repeatedly that there is no way he could be on the Dark Lord's side, but a stranger is a stranger, especially during times like these. So yes, she is skeptical. And curious.
It's an endless source of entertainment to Arthur that the twins' sneaky, troublemaking ways are in fact not a Weasley trait, but a Prewett one. While Molly's brothers were the most undeniable proof of this, the Weasley matriarch herself cannot quite hide her own proclivities either. And so, as soon as the news reach her that said 'ninja' has arrived, she goes to sneak a peek at him.
Nerves may have made her a little more snappy with Ron as she sent her children to bed, but she couldn't help it. If Albus' enthusiastic praises are to be believed this person could very well turn the tides in their favor. Also, this evening is not promising to be very enjoyable, strange ninja aside. Tension between her and Sirius has been running high for a while now – that man does not quite have the measure of Harry that he thinks he does. She quietly suspects that Azkaban affected him in ways that he himself isn't entirely aware of.
Harry does look like his father. Sometimes even she walks into a room and has to pause, because she could swear it's James Potter standing right there. It startles her every time and makes strange sparks of nostalgia and regret bloom in her chest. It must be especially hard for Sirius. Molly pities him for that; something that makes her a little ashamed and Sirius even more furious with her.
The vague premonition that it will probably be Severus bringing the man does not help the entire thing. She respects the man – he has earned that much from her – but she does not like him. Severus does not make it easy for anyone to like him. Privately she thinks it's a defense mechanism as much as it is simply his prickly character. Combined with Sirius' perpetually bad mood and an armed stranger the situation has potential to become explosive.
Of course one does not simply sneak into Grimmauld Place.
The wards will throw Sirius out of bed as soon as she steps a foot into the street. It'll be better if it's her, she thinks. The last thing Sirius' temper needs is to be woken up by Severus. Though to her astonishment Molly is not the first to arrive; when she opens the door the ugly umbrella stand is shoved into the far corner – a sure fire sign that Nymphadora has passed by recently. The young woman's voice is coming from the living room, high and excited, intermittedly shushed by a much older, much gruffer one. Mad-Eye?
Dora sticks her head out into the hallway to grin at her.
"Wotcher, Molly! So you couldn't wait either? Come up, come up!"
Next to Molly Mrs. Black lets out a sleepy groan. Dora makes a face. 'Come!' she mouths, beckoning her with exaggerated gestures.
It is indeed Mad-Eye. He has taken up residence in the armchair with the best view over the room, back to the wall.
"Molly. Nice to see a little bit of reason around here."
His eye quivers with tension. Oh yes, she thinks a little uncomfortably. The only reason around here.
"Where is Sirius?" she asks instead. "He's not gone back to his room, has he?"
"Oh please," Dora snorts. "Not if there's a chance he can have a go at Snape. Been terribly wound up lately. Honestly, I'd rather he blow up at someone who probably deserves it before he starts tearing at the wallpaper."
Mad-Eye hums in agreement. From downstairs she can hear Sirius' heavy footsteps approaching, accompanied by the sound of clacking porcelain. When he enters the room Molly feels another shameful bout of pity. He's paler than usual – not as thin anymore, since Kreacher at least prepares regular meals – but the sort of unhealthy that stems from depression. It takes a second before he notices her.
"Molly," he acknowledges with wan smile that fades quickly. "So the headmaster's tall tales lured you too."
She huffs.
"Of course not. I am … appropriately concerned about the complete stranger we're bringing into our headquarters."
Which is not even a lie and therefore allows her to keep her stern face. Does it matter if she has other minor reasons? Of course not.
Sirius makes a noise that's part annoyance, part surprise. He sets a tablet of teacups down on the rickety looking sofa table with a clang.
"It's Minnie," he grunts, seconds before the door opens downstairs.
Snippets of conversation float up the stairs, sending Dora into a giggle.
"… - at least right the headband? … awful mask - …. please, Mr. Hatake! … first impression."
The calm answer is too low to make out; Minerva's huff of exasperation isn't.
A ghost of a smile is making its way onto Sirius' face. Mad-Eye's eye has swiveled down, flashing the white in her direction.
" 'nother nutjob," he grumbles.
A peculiar mixture of dread and resignation rises in her. If even Mad-Eye thinks him strange …
Dora is out of her chair in a matter of seconds, bounding down the stairs before either of them can stop her.
"Professor!" she chirps. "You brought the new guy?"
"Obviously, girl!" Mad-Eye barks. "Come back up, by Merlin's saggy underpants!"
More footsteps follow and Minerva sweeps into the room. For a moment Molly is stunned by her fierce scowl and flaring nostrils. Then the stranger steps in behind her.
"Oh my!" she squawks, before clapping her hand over her mouth.
"Hello," the stranger intones, flashing them a peace sign.
Somewhere to her left Sirius starts to laugh.