Chapter 7: A Rocky Start

While Ebisu explained Naruto's story, across the room Cedric Diggory was worrying a piece of his robe in his hands under the table. Since their initial greeting, he and Kurenai had not spoken. The wizard kept looking at the kunoichi but she appeared to be pointedly looking in the other direction, every single time.

Cedric felt like he was going insane just sitting there. Even though they were in the Great Hall he felt claustrophobic. He had to get out, go for a walk, confess his love for Kurenai, something! Maybe not that last bit. Did he love her? He mentally shook his head. He wasn't sure.

The kunoichi was always on his mind, somewhere, even before Draco's announcement. The last few years it had been like a dull ache in the back of his psyche. Most days Cedric didn't really notice it. The majority of his friends were married but it didn't bother him. Cedric was happy. He had his work, friends, hobbies, etc. Then something would happen, like Claire from the International Quidditch Association asking him out on a date. He'd say yes and have a nice time but then this feeling would creep up his spine. It was like mud in his shoes or a sinking sensation in his stomach. It just felt wrong.

Wrong like marrying Emily would have been. Cedric mentally shook his head again. He had loved Emily and when she'd proposed they marry he hadn't been initially against it. But the more he'd thought about it the more he realized he couldn't do it, not to her, not to the both of them. He'd broken the engagement off within days. Emily thought he'd just gotten cold feet and was willing to let it slide. Cedric was not, he couldn't do that to her.

Cedric had remained relatively alone after that. He'd have dinner with Harry and Ginny or with some of his old pals from Hufflepuff. He'd see them with their spouses but never felt jealous because they were right together. Him not finding his fit was no reason to be upset at them. Then the little voice inside of his head would whisper her name and he'd shove it back into the deep spaces of his mind where there was no light. Because she was gone and his chance was similarly gone.

Once, years back, he'd plucked up the courage to ask Hermione if Ebisu had said anything about how Kurenai was doing. He'd dreaded the answer and when it came he'd gasped for air. Kurenai had married and was pregnant.

There you go, he said to himself, she moved on and so should have you. He'd dated a little after that but the same old feeling plagued him. He tried to forget, to let it go. Then a few weeks later while having dinner with "the old Gryffindor crew", as Cedric called them, Harry had asked Hermione if Ebisu had any news. The witch's fork had stilled halfway to her mouth.

At her silence Ron had spoken up, bringing his wife out of the rumination she'd dropped into. Hermione had looked up quickly and stared directly at Cedric. Then she'd glanced at Harry, who could give her no answers about what the right thing to do was. Finally she had spoken, "Kurenai's husband was killed."

A clatter had followed as Harry dropped his fork. He'd busied himself with picking it up, fighting to keep his eyes away from his boss. "That's horrible," Ginny said, stating what they had all been feeling. Ron had openly stared at Cedric until his sister kicked him under the table. Hermione had just gazed at her plate while his grey eyes stared at her.

Cedric was neither happy nor unhappy to be single. But that particular day he was a little happier to be unattached, because he couldn't tear his thoughts away from Kurenai for the rest of the week. He wondered how she was doing, if she was okay. He hoped her friends were there for her. There was a part of him, that he didn't like to acknowledge, that wished he could be there to comfort her as well. Impossible, he reminded himself again, and shoved the thought away.

Now here he was, with his second chance, and he didn't know what to do with it. Kurenai seemed like she wanted nothing to do with him. He hadn't dated seriously in years and his knowledge in the wooing department was seriously lacking. It was like their final breakfast at Hogwarts all over again. He needed a sign, anything, but she just sat there and ignored him.

"Ladies and gentleman," the sound of a foreign voice broke Cedric out of his musings. Even Kurenai looked up.

Naruto was standing up at his place at the table. His hands were spread on the tabletop, supporting him. His voice had broken through the ongoing argument and now all eyes were on the orange-clad ninja. Well, almost all eyes. Kakashi, who was sitting next to Naruto, continued to look at the middle distance in front of him, carefully listening for what his student was about to propose.

"Ladies and gentleman," Naruto said again once it was quiet. He half-glanced at Kakashi for permission but then thought better of it and pressed on without feedback. "There seems to be a misunderstanding between us. Although my sensei," he gestured at Kakashi, "and his teammates have lived here for almost two years and made friends of some of you, that leaves the rest of us kind of left out doesn't it?" Nobody answered the rhetorical question. "But the way things have been going so far, we don't really seem to respect each other, at least not on a power level."

"That's because you have no power here," drawled a British Official. Minister Greyford, a severe looking man with earned gray hair, narrowed his eyes at his employee but did not disagree. "Everyone knows it; I'm just saying it out loud. If we wanted to keep you here as hostages, there is nothing stopping us from doing so. Your transport back is completely under our control. If we find we want something from you, we'll just take it." At the looks from the other members of the magical community he said angrily, "I'm just being honest."

"Fredrickson," Draco ground out warningly from his corner of the room. He was ignored.

"Is that a threat?" Guy intoned carefully, drawing Fredrickson's attention. The wizard raised a mocking eyebrow at the Leaf's Green Beast.

Luna looked at Kakashi. Her face was white with indignation. She was standing off to the side where the head table normally would be. The blonde witch opened her mouth to protest but the Hokage silenced her with a slight shake of his head. He knew she'd never let them be detained against their will but drawing attention to herself now would be unwise. Luna withdrew into a shadow and waited as the tension increased.

Kakashi spoke, "I do believe you could keep us here." The Hokage rose slowly and the Elemental Nations delegation rose after him, "but I also believe you would regret it."

At some point Professor Jones had appeared at Kakashi's elbow. Several of the ninja noticed his presence but, correctly concluding that he was not threatening them, didn't turn. The Headmaster's eyes were narrowed at the wizard across the hall from him but he did not draw his wand, refusing to show aggression. "This is getting quite out of hand," he muttered.

Some members of the magical delegations had risen along with the foreign delegation. Muttering broke out among them but Fredrickson ignored this as well. He raised his voice. "I'd like to see you try. All I've heard so far about your 'power' is ghost stories about things that only look like magic. I bet you're not much better at dueling than the average squib."

Kakashi pointedly turned his head away from Fredrickson to look at Naruto. He spoke still looking toward his student, "if that's what you believe then my student is very much correct. There is a lack of mutual respect here regarding jutsu verses magic."

But the wizard wasn't listening. Fredrickson's eyes bulged when Kakashi looked away from him. By doing so, Kakashi was openly disregarding the wizard as a threat. The enraged wizard shouted, "the first rule in dueling is never take your eyes off of your opponent!" The wizard jumped to his feet and drew his wand. Before Malfoy or any of the other wizards could draw their own wands the man had shot off a spell directly at Kakashi.

Naruto, eyes wide with shock, moved to intercept the spell on instinct. Kakashi grabbed his arm, holding him out of the way. "Wait," he said. His eyes were on the man across the room from him and the spell he'd cast. None of the other ninja made a move. They couldn't feel the Hokage molding any chakra. In fact, Kakashi didn't look concerned at all.

As the beam of light raced across the expanse between tables, Kakashi grasped a corner of his Hokage cloak in one hand. He thought to himself, this had better work Hermione and ducked beneath the folds of fabric. There was a resounding crack as Fredrickson's spell rebounded off of the shield charm that saturated the cloak. The ricocheted spell slammed into the opposite table, shattering it into splinters at the point of impact. The wizards sitting behind that section jumped up in indignation. Just as quickly as it had started it was over and Kakashi let his spelled cloak flutter back into place across his back.

Like thunder after a lightning strike, shouting boomed out all over the hall. Draco was furiously barking orders to the civil defense wizards stationed outside the hall. The British Minister was on his feet and personally shouting at Fredrickson. Said wizard was being restrained by the witch and wizard who'd been sitting next to him. Meanwhile Fredrickson was shouting accusations of treachery at every wizard that he laid his eyes on. "Someone spelled his cloak," he insisted as he was handed off to the civil defense wizards. "We need to find out who! There's a traitorous wizard amongst us."

All of the ninja looked alert and grim while the civilians looked suspicious. Viktor attempted to approach Kakashi but was blocked by a wall of unmoving Sand ninja.

Kakashi, glancing back at the Headmaster, saw that Jones had his wand out and cool steel in his eyes. All traces of the smiling, good-natured teacher were gone and replaced by the look of a wizard who'd gained his experience of dark arts during the war. The green clad wizard leaned in and said, "I do believe Mr. Krum is simply trying to escort you out of harm's way."

Kakashi glanced over at the Bulgarian and waved off his concern with a genial look. Viktor withdrew with a nod as the room began to settle.

The voice of one of the Fire Lord's ambassadors rose above the mutterings that still lingered in the room. "This is outrageous! An attack on the Hokage at a peaceful meeting? We have half of a mind to leave this instant!" The man sounded bold but lying underneath his words was a probe. Could they leave now if they wanted to?

The room grew quiet, no one wanting to say anything one way or another. Then Kakashi spoke and all eyes turned to him. "That could be arranged Ayumu. However, I believe we still have more work to do here." He turned and looked at the room at large. His eyes fell on the British Minister, who stiffened under his gaze. The minister was hardened by his years of service but his official had just made a grave error. He was prepared to suffer any consequences that may fall his way as a result. "As Naruto said, there's a great misunderstanding of power here in this room. Perhaps we should clear that up?"

Several of the civilians nodded in agreement, talking amongst themselves. They understood what their fellow country folk were capable of but were curious about what the wizards could do. By contrast, several of the wizards suddenly became nervous and shifted in their seats. Their positions were not usually based on their magical ability but on politics. Hardly any of them were brilliant spell-casters. Even though their society had recently been through a war, most of their personal efforts had been on the home front with logistics, not in the field.

Draco cleared his throat and all eyes turned to him. "Minister if I may?" He looked at Greyford who gave his leave for Malfoy to continue. "I believe my classmates and I always found Guy's defense lessons most instructive." Guy blushed. "Perhaps all of the ninja could give a similar demonstration out on the grounds?"

Harry and Hermione couldn't help themselves from nodding in agreement. Hermione had only seen bits and pieces of what the five guards had been able to do but from what Ebisu had described, their defense lessons had just scratched the surface. It would be fascinating to see the ninja do something closer to what they'd consider to be a normal use of their abilities.

"If I could make a suggestion, I believe the delegates from our side would enjoy seeing some Quidditch." Kakashi knew the international soft spot for Quidditch well and almost every face brightened. One of the few faces that didn't perk up, Draco's, drew Kakashi's attention and he said, "I believe we have several old players among us, right Draco?"

Draco's glower turned to a look of surprise. He hadn't thought about Quidditch in years. Despite this there were several wizards who were up for either playing or watching some Quidditch. "By all means, let's begin with Quidditch then," Professor Jones said, back to his animated self. He was more than happy to referee, though he'd never done it before, and hurried down to the pitch to see what broomsticks were available.

Author's Note: For those of you who have been reviewing, I do try to respond to most reviews via private messaging. So if you've reviewed and are wondering why I don't put any responses at the end of my stories, you may want to check your inbox.

Hope you guys are enjoying it. Quidditch next chapter!