Harry lay facedown on the carriage. So Dumbledore had hired Ninja to protect him? Harry laughed mirthlessly.

Ninja…it seemed impossible that such Ninja could exist. But then again, compared to witches and wizards, it didn't seem so absurd after all…

Harry made no movement to get up. He wanted to, but his body screamed with aching and exhaustion.

"Are you tired, brat?"

Harry sat up quickly, his face burning in embarrassment, to meet the eyes of the cruel Kisame.

Harry did not respond.

"Show some respect around superiors stronger then you, brat. Unless you want to save your neck, you better answer when you have to!" Kisame's voice grew threatening.

"No, I'm not tired." Harry answered viciously.

Kisame sneered at him, showing two long rows of sharp, shark teeth. Harry swallowed a nervous lump in his throat.

"Did you have your fun?" Kisame asked.

Harry growled, and shook his head grudgingly. "Why are you here? Why are you attacking us? Why are you showing me this?" He bellowed at Kisame, who grinned wider.

"Now, now, it's us who does the questioning, but since you've been so good, I'll let it slip just once." Kisame answered, tapping his chin lightly.

"First, we are here to check up on you. You're being…well, I'd rather not say. But you know what anyways if you're smart. We're not attacking. Although I want to," Kisame added, noticing Harry's relieved breath of air.

"We're merely testing if you can withstand pain. But if we really wanted to hurt you, you wouldn't be talking right now, brat. And about the memory thing, it's best if you don't let others know, or you'll pay for that in blood." Kisame said, his eyes growing wide at the word blood. "Originally, those little bratty exchange friends of yours didn't want it mentioned. But we decided to foil their plans, seeing we are enemies. And -"

"Kisame! How much more are you going to reveal to him? The leader won't be pleased with you; he might give me a reason to kill you." Itachi suddenly appeared next to Harry, kneeling down and peering at him. Harry felt a jolt of fear shoot through him; his captor was talking about murder without the slightest bit of emotion in his voice or eyes. Voldemort normally killed when he didn't get what he wanted, but these men talk about it as though they actually like killing…

"Sorry, Itachi. Got carried away, but he won't mention it, or Samehada will have more blood staining it tonight, and I just finished cleaning the blood from several women and children from yesterday's assassination mission." Kisame said cheerfully, as though he and Itachi were merely exchanging weather news.

"Be quiet, or he will know everything!" Itachi said warningly; Kisame fell silent. Harry was now really terrified. School didn't even start yet, and he was held custody in the moldy old school carriage with deranged ninja murderers.

"Potter, if you spill one word, we will not hesitate to kill you. We are not Lord Voldemort with polished and carved sticks. We are the akatsuki, or the Red Moon organization to you. We have ways to track you, so watch your mouth." Itachi said, his eyes now turned the most crimson red, with commas swirling in them.

Harry nodded, fear striking his every nerve. Deep down inside, he knew he feared these people even more then Voldemort; and that was saying something, since he had met, talked with and fought Voldemort for four years, and yet, he had met these people for probably not more then 15 minutes.

The two killers stood side by side, making signs with their hands and fingers, until they whispered something Harry could not understand, and disappeared.

"Ugh….Harry? What are we doing on the floor? Good lord, my face's covered with mud…." Harry heard Ron say, but his eyes were fixed on the spot where the two captors had disappeared.

"Harry, what happened?" Hermione asked, waving her hand in front of Harry.

"Hermione, you can't disapparate in Hogwarts, right?" Harry cut across her, summoning his every bit of strength to move his scared-frozen lips.

"Of course not! But why the sudden question?" Hermione looked impatient, then bewildered.

"Oh, it's…nothing…" Harry whispered, flapping a hand at her.