Author's Note: Professor Jones is of my own creation, mostly, and is not meant to be related to any other character (cannon, fan-made, or otherwise) in the Harry Potter universe by the surname Jones. "It's a very common name, lots of people have it!"
Chapter 5: The Return
As the echo of the first of eleven chimes rang out across the Hogwarts grounds, a group of about eight people suddenly appeared just outside the front gates. The grass nearby bent as the influx of mass made the air shift about in the gloomy morning. Some of the people in the new group were crouched as if anticipating some attack. However, Luna stood calm and collected in the midst of the pack with her wand already pointing at the can to reset the spell. She ignored the murmurings of the crowd who'd assembled to meet the delegation. Spelling a portkey for interdimensional travel was not an easy trick. She needed all of her concentration on the task at hand.
Harry, Hermione, and Cedric gasped in surprise as they spied a figure who looked as nonchalant as the blond witch he stood next to. His familiar silver hair and masked face were easily recognizable and his knowing eyes singled them out immediately. His white cloak with red trim billowed about him as the air settled, a cloak that Hermione recognized as the garment that marked Kakashi as the Hokage. She noted that the official hat was missing from the uniform but the witch supposed no one knew that but the Elemental Nation delegation and herself.
Draco visually took the group in, scanning for familiar faces while also greeting the new ones with the utmost politeness. As the group spread out from the spoke that Luna represented, Draco caught sight of his old house guard. A small gasp escaped his mouth. Guy, ambitious and energetic Guy, was sitting in a wheelchair next to his rival turned Hokage.
Something twisted in the wizard's gut. He had known Guy's drive, his dreams, the way he'd challenge Kakashi to competitions to improve his skill and strength. Guy, who was ambitious like him, who always strove toward greater heights, had been stopped in his tracks. Everything's changed hasn't it? Draco thought sadly, his heart heavy in his chest. He didn't understand how it could have happened and a spark of anger developed in his heart.
Draco glared at Kakashi, jealousy sweeping through him. They were stronger together huh? Always watched each other's backs?! Then where was Kakashi when- Draco's thoughts were cut off as Guy's eye caught his. The dark featured man began to smile upon recognition but then frowned at Draco's stormy countenance. Guy's face mirrored Draco's while he attempted to account for the wizard's unset expression. Almost too quick to see, Draco caught Guy glancing down at his chair then back at the wizard's face. Guy's frown became a dry smile. He shook his head silently and flashed a different grin as bright as any that Draco remembered. Guy gave him a thumbs up and looked him in the eye. Draco understood the expression perfectly and his heart warmed. You think this keeps me down? Ha! I still give Kakashi a run for his money.
The aforementioned Hokage put a hand on Guy's shoulder and bent down to say something. Guy broke eye contact with Draco and listened, nodding to his eternal rival. Then he looked back at Draco and gave him a curt nod, we'll talk later, before he rolled himself closer to Luna's side. He grasped the can she was holding and they both vanished.
Draco smiled. He was still shocked at his friend's new situation but he felt better about it somehow. Nothing can keep that man down, nothing.
Soon enough the second group had arrived, and the third. Each group looked wary upon their arrival, quickly releasing their hold on the old tin can, and glancing fervently around. When they saw the Sixth Hokage openly talking with the wizards and witches, and specifically greeting his old friends, they relaxed somewhat.
Kakashi walked up to Harry and Cedric, who both had huge grins on their faces. They'd remained in the background, biding their time. They were hardly important political figures and waited for their old friends to approach them when they got the chance. "Well look at you," Cedric said, "Hokage!"
Kakashi shrugged, "nobody else wanted the job." He glanced at Naruto, who'd arrived with the third group, "not yet anyway."
"And what else have you been doing to stay busy?" Harry asked. Then the wizard blinked his green eyes, giving Kakashi a once over, and then again, "and what happened to your eye? We can see a whole new part of your face but I'm pretty sure your eye didn't used to look like that." Harry was staring at Kakashi's black, and completely normal, left eye. Based on previous experience, Harry wasn't expecting much of an answer.
However, Kakashi leveled a look at him and said, "my eye is a little difficult to explain. The short version is: I got a new one. As for the other question, as we hypothesized about so long ago, there was a war in our world as well. In hindsight it's a wonder the four of us are all here for this."
Cedric shifted uncomfortably, his memory failing him. "What about the other one? I never could remember his name, but he was here during the tournament. Did he-" Cedric trailed off, afraid to finish the question and of the answer he might receive.
Kakashi eye-smiled. "That would be Tenzo, or most people know him as Yamato now. He's just fine although the war was a bit rougher on him." Kakashi's countenance grew sad and he appeared to be looking very far away. Almost to himself he said, "he was captured and used against us."
Harry blinked at the man's honesty. He wasn't usually so open, especially when it came to his friends. Cedric, a little less taken aback and more gifted in the social graces than Harry, responded, "we're sorry to hear that."
This seemed to snap Kakashi back to the present and he smiled again. "Well the point is we did get him back. He was a little worse for wear and very hard on himself for a long time afterwards, but he did make it back."
"So why didn't he come?" Harry asked.
Kakashi shrugged, "he didn't think you'd remember him and he only really observed you all from a distance. Besides, I brought more than a few powerful ninja from our village and my predecessor, who I left in charge, was nervous enough of invasion as it was."
Cedric's brow darkened. "I thought you were at peace?"
Kakashi nodded, "we are, but it's hard for veterans to expect the peace to continue." He looked at Naruto and Sakura as they spoke amongst themselves. As if his gaze summoned them, the two looked up and began walking over. "It's easier for the younger generation," Kakashi said almost to himself. He glanced at the gates and then turned back to the wizards. "Speaking of which, I'd like to introduce two of my students. Come on Harry."
Although Harry was thrilled to meet Kakashi's students, oh the stories they might tell him, he was confused about why Kakashi was taking him to the side and leaving Cedric by himself. That was cleared up quickly however. Cedric was distracted by the fifth and final group that had just arrived. Harry and Kakashi slipped away from the spellbound wizard.
Kurenai had put it off as long as she could. She'd volunteered to be part of the last group, much to Kakashi's concern. Before he left he gave her a look that could have been interpreted as, you'd better not be thinking about staying behind. But no, he knew her better than that. She said she'd come and she would. Besides, the other delegates were so nervous when they were about to leave that Kakashi had split up the Leaf ninja to escort each group. There was no way the Hokage would lead his particular friends into an ambush so their worries were eased. The rumors of "friend-killer Kakashi" were long buried.
Kurenai had mentally prepared herself for this trip, for seeing Cedric again. She'd figured out what she wanted to say, how she wanted to say it. She had plans for how to react to his rejection, anger, happiness, bitterness, anything really.
It would be safe to say that over half of her plans went out the window when she actually saw him there, on the grounds, standing in the grass next to Harry and Kakashi. He had grown, obviously. He was taller and his burly, by wizard standards, frame had filled out in an athletic way. Then his gray eyes settled on her and the world stopped.
It was like she knew him, but didn't. She saw him and recognized him as Cedric, but it was also like a dream come to life, like a part of her had believed that he wasn't real. That this was just a fantasy and the person she'd come to know and respect all of those years ago couldn't possibly be contained in this form. But there was a drive in her, something pulling her towards him. She had to find out, had to know if he was in there, if he was real. She felt herself move towards him. At first he didn't move but as Harry and Kakashi drifted away from him Cedric also starting walking. They met a few paces apart, oblivious to the half-glances their friends were giving them.
"Cedric," Kurenai greeted him.
Cedric tried to respond but his throat made a slight wheezing sound instead. He swallowed and tried again, "hey there Kurenai." His usual greeting lacked all of the swagger and charm that Kurenai had come to expect from those words. They sounded flat, forced, used for old time's sake.
Kurenai's mind flooded with emotion but years of training kept her exterior cool. "It's nice to see you," she whispered out.
"Is it?" Cedric responded. He didn't feel like he was breathing properly. His face felt hot and his head light. "I mean," he stuttered out, "it's nice to see you too."
They simply stared at each other, neither able to make a move or say anything that they were thinking. After awhile Kurenai's situational awareness kicked in. She looked around at the dissipating group. "Everyone's heading back up to the castle."
Cedric glanced around at her prompt, disappointed at his own indecision. "Yeah, um, right, we'd better," he gestured to finish his sentence. The two headed up to the castle walking more than a polite distance apart.
Several paces away, Kakashi sighed and began following the last of the stragglers up to the castle. Harry, walking beside him, said, "I wasn't expecting that." They had been discussing Harry's children after Kakashi's students had gone ahead but they'd also both been half-watching the exchange.
The Hokage, stoic face firmly in place, asked, "what were you expecting?" He didn't have to ask what Harry meant.
"I don't know," Harry admitted. "After Cedric broke it off with Emily I thought that it was because of Kurenai."
"Emily?" Kakashi asked as he nodded reassuringly at one of the Stone ninja ahead of them. The man kept looking back to be sure that the Hokage was safe. Kakashi smiled to himself. Keeping an eye on an important ninja in the group was proper, but following a kage around as if they were incapable of taking care of themselves was frowned upon. Therefore, the man stayed a calculated distance ahead of them.
"Cedric was engaged to be married but he broke it off," Harry elaborated quickly. It had been so many years but it was like he'd never stopped conversing with his friend. The verbal exchange flowed.
"How long ago was this?" Kakashi asked as he lowered his voice. They were nearing the castle.
Harry shrugged, "years ago, around when James was born. There hasn't been anyone serious since then. At least none that I know of."
Kakashi hummed in response. As they crossed into the Entrance Hall, Kakashi noticed the groups that had formed. Hermione, Ebisu, and Hinata were chatting in a corner while Guy, Draco, and Sakura were near an adjacent wall. Naruto was presumably already inside the Great Hall. Kurenai and Cedric were each on their own, not looking at each other. They were all, more or less, waiting for Kakashi to arrive. The ninja among them immediately ceased speaking when Kakashi and Harry walked in. The wizards and witches, taking the hint, also hushed up.
Kakashi was about to usher them all in with a wave when a medium height, sliver of a man with light brown hair and a large nose came hurrying over to him. Kakashi paused with his hand half-raised when his focus shifted to the wizard. His hand withdrew back into his cloak and he waited. Harry drifted over to Hermione, not wanting to get in the wizard's way.
"Lord Hokage Lord Hokage," the man panted as he ran up to Kakashi, his kelly green robes settling around him as he stopped. The ninja raised an eyebrow fractionally but waited as the thin man caught his breath. After a few deep breaths the man straightened up with a smile on his face. "I'm Headmaster Jones, welcome back to Hogwarts."
Kakashi eye-smiled, "it's good to be back. I take it you were Professor Dumbledore's successor?"
"Professor McGonagall's successor actually," the teacher replied with a smile. Then the smile faltered as if he wasn't sure if he was supposed to correct the Hokage or not.
Kakashi reassuringly continued on, "I remember her well. I hope she's enjoying her retirement?" He received a nod. "I was sorry to hear of Professor Dumbledore's passing."
The new headmaster nodded sadly, his thick shock of brown hair shifting about atop his head. "I believe he would have said, 'time marches on without us just as well as with us'. Of course he would have said it better but," he trailed off.
Just then Neville Longbottom appeared at Jones' elbow. "Professor, I thought we were going to wait for the Hokage in the Great Hall?"
The man's eyes widened, "the tea, the tea! Please excuse me! I almost forgot, and the house elves might not be ready, hate to pressure them you know. Please excuse me." The man scurried away after an uncertain half-bow.
Neville turned and smiled, "how are you Kakashi?" Professor Longbottom looked similar to how he had when the ninja had last seen him. But now he was a taller, more stretched out version of the boy they'd known. The big difference being that he looked much happier, more self-assured than ever before. There was constantly a smile on his round face.
Kakashi nodded, "I'm very well thank you, and you?" Their pleasantries were interrupted by a pink-haired kunoichi.
"Sensei," Sakura broke in. She'd separated herself from Ebisu and Hermione who had proceeded inside. "Shouldn't we?" She gestured her head toward the door and the warm light beyond.
"You're correct Sakura, wouldn't want to be late," Kakashi said. He received an eye roll from his student in response to this comment.
Kakashi and Neville headed for the door and as if on cue, the rest of the ninja and the straggling wizards were attracted to his side like a magnet. "So the new headmaster, he's interesting."
Neville nodded, a smile on his face, "but brilliant in his way. He tries to micromanage things sometimes. And he was only here for one year before Professor McGonagall retired. He's still new to the ways of Hogwarts but he was easily the most suited to succeed her."
Kakashi nodded in understanding, filing the information away for later.
Upon entering the Great Hall the ninja noticed that it was set up in a way his team had never seen before. Instead of the four long tables setting parallel to each other, they were aligned end to end forming a giant square inside of the hall with individual chairs around the entire outside.
Since the ministries hadn't known how many would be coming from the Elemental Countries, they'd left them dozens of seats at the table. Most of the dignitaries from the wizarding world were already seated while others waited to sit until everyone had entered. None of the ninja or civilians from the Elemental Countries had sat but when Kakashi appeared they each remained standing but gravitated toward a chair.
Kakashi appreciated the gesture, it helped their image if they presented a united front, but he found the grandeur of it a bit embarrassing. He approached the table swiftly since all eyes were now on him. Guy and Sakura immediately flanked him on his left with Naruto and Hinata taking up positions on his right.
As the Hokage approached the table the wizards who had yet to sit also chose seats but waited. Draco pointedly did not sit down out of respect and Harry, Cedric, Hermione, Neville, and Luna followed his lead. There had been a clear division on the seating arrangements, as often were in these situations, and the former Hogwarts students tried their best to blur the lines that had been drawn by all of the empty chairs separating the two worlds. For example, Hermione and Ebisu sat closer to the wizard side of the room while Draco sat closer to the Elemental side. Still, there were huge gaps between where the Elemental Nations delegation and the wizards sat.
Kakashi nodded respectfully to the room at large and seated himself. Almost simultaneously the other ninja in the room sat with the civilians and wizards not far behind. As they sat, tea appeared magically before everyone seated. The civilians and ninja alike were surprised by this development.
Kakashi didn't react, he was looking out on the faces before him; they ranged from skeptical, to hostile, friendly, and curious. Not all of the faces belonged to wizards either. Kakashi noticed an integration of other magical beings into ministry positions that had not been apparent the last time they'd been in this world. He adjusted the constantly evolving strategy in his head accordingly. The Sixth Hokage took a deep breath, let the games begin.