Chapter 15: Gossip and Revelations

A tense silence followed Ebisu's half-joking statement. No one in the hall moved.

"Naruto," Hinata gasped, upset that he'd revealed himself on account of her.

Kakashi was holding up his hands in a reassuring gesture. "Everyone calm down, this isn't what it looks like."

"What do you think it looks like?" Professor Jones demanded. In some quick paces he had put space between himself and Naruto. He had his wand pointing directly at the blond who appeared to be on fire. However, something inside of him knew that any spell he'd try wouldn't do much good. The thought made his heart beat fast and painfully in his chest.

Desperate to maintain some of their supporters, Kakashi spoke as calmly as possible. Naruto continued to glare at the wizard who'd threatened his wife. "Now let's all just calm down. I can explain."

"I have had it with this charade! Why should we trust him?" It was Ambassador Paddock again and Naruto nearly snarled. "A killer! 'Cold-blooded Kakashi'? 'Friend-killer Kakashi'? Oh we've heard of you. Do you think we don't know how you came to power?" The Ambassador glared at the Hokage. "Why should we listen to anything you have to say? You only bring destruction wherever you go!"

Kakashi, instead of looking shocked, glanced at Ebisu. The special jonin looked very pale, his lips pressed into a thin line. Ebisu turned and met Kakashi's mask of indifference. "Kakashi I didn't- I mean, it's not like that now. Of course it isn't."

"You told Hermione?" Kakashi asked simply. It was both a statement and a question.

"I needed her to understand the kind of reputation you've had in the past. She had to know what Luna might be up against. I'm sorry! I didn't mean to-"

"It's fine Ebisu, we'll discuss it later," Kakashi cut him off. "We have another problem." Natsuko looked anxious, eyes not focused on anything in the room.

Draco's eyes grew wide as he listened to the exchange. Conclusions were drawn in his head and the already pale wizard looked ashen. He whirled on Hermione and grasped her arm, drawing her close and hissed, "who did you tell?"

Hermione's eyes were wide with fear. She was shaking her head, unable to understand what her brain was telling her. She knew what Draco was thinking but couldn't piece together how it could have happened. "No one, Draco, I swear. Just Ron and Harry of course."

Draco turned to Harry who was standing with them, not relinquishing his grip on Hermione's arm. Seemingly changing the subject he demanded, "how did Neville contact you?"

"What?" Harry asked, still confused and not following his friend's train of thought.

"When Neville told you they were coming," Draco nodded at Kakashi and his now isolated group, "how did he get in contact with you?" His voice was tense but he consciously loosened his grip on Hermione's arm. The wizard measured his words out as he said them, not because he believed that his companions were slow, but because he was conscientiously reigning in his own fear.

"He rang me, on the phone," Harry replied just as slowly, suspicion leaking into his expression.

Hermione's face had gone pasty white. "The phones," she whispered, understanding lighting up her mind. "I was talking to Harry on the phone when I told him."

Draco stared at them not in shock or even in anger, but in defeat and acceptance.

Harry looked at the blond wizard next to him. "You always use the floo system-"

"Because it's almost impossible to monitor," Draco finished. "The ministry didn't make the telephones their pet project simply to improve relations with muggle-borns. There are laws, not to mention built-in enchantments, protecting the floo system. And if Fredrickson or one of the others got the word out that the conference is ongoing-"

"Lord Hokage," Natsuko called from her place under the table. "That group is approaching the castle."

Professor Jones's eyes flicked to her and the lines on his face deepened into a decided frown at the news. He looked from Kakashi, to Naruto, to the entrance to the Great Hall.

Before the Professor could decide what course of action to take, Neville Longbottom ran into the Great Hall. Surprise overtook his face as he examined the scene before him. There were several chairs and tables that looked as if they'd been blasted apart by stray spells. Some of the wizards were pointing their wands at the ninja while others just had their own up in defensive positions. Harry, Hermione, and Neville's other classmates who were there were standing throughout, looking alarmed. The ninja were all at attention, shielding their civilians the best they could. The Headmaster was standing off to the side with his wand trained on Naruto while also trying to keep an eye on the Hokage and his Minister of Magic.

Naruto and Hinata glowed like suns in the great hall, shining bright orange. Kakashi was trying to edge between Jones's wand and his student, hands raised. Naruto quickly caught on to this movement and in an instant an orange cloak burst to life around his sensei as well, accenting the Hokage's official garment and voluminous hair. Kakashi lowered his hands, sighing. "Naruto, this isn't helping anything."

Neville's eyes zeroed in on the Headmaster and more importantly, his stance. "Professor Jones? What's happened?" He addressed his superior not with the look of a subordinate, but a friend. The Herbology specialist approached cautiously just the same, the strain on the room at a breaking point.

"Naruto, enough," Kakashi said sternly.

The Hokage-elect frowned, whether at the disapproval in his sensei's voice or at the command was unclear. The glowing cloaks vanished from around the three previously shielded ninja.

Neville had at this point crossed the hall and was speaking to the Headmaster. Something in Kakashi made him want to warn Neville to not get so close. He held back, watched, and waited.

Jones was shaking his head at Neville's words and turned to Kakashi. It was almost like they were continuing their previous conversation as he spoke up so that the ninja could hear. "What is he?" The Headmaster gestured at Naruto with a nod, still training his wand on the blond. Hinata had joined her husband and their hands brushed.

"Please," Hermione pleaded. "Naruto is not dangerous!"

"Hermione," Harry said quietly in warning. He couldn't believe how out of control the whole situation had gotten. This disbelief was almost matched by how much Draco and Hermione hadn't told him. When had things gotten so out of hand in the upper ranks of the ministry? How many of them would support this invasion?

Neville leaned in to speak to the Headmaster. He spoke quietly but Kakashi could still hear the words. "Headmaster-" then Neville stopped and lowered his voice further. "Howard, they mean us no harm, I swear it. They're our friends, as much as I am to you. Trust me." Neville's round face held a pleading but firm expression.

Jones shook his head, brown hair fluttering. He frowned. "You haven't seen them in years, how do you know what their intentions are? They bring someone that powerful into my school and he's a complete unknown? I can't let that go. I am sworn to protect anyone under this roof, be they elves, students, or Ministers of Magic."

"Need I remind you that Kakashi destroyed a Horcrux by himself bare handed? This isn't a fight you can win even if there were a reason to! They are on our side." Neville hissed back.

"Headmaster Dumbledore was never able to prove that," Jones responded as his eyes flicked from Kakashi to Naruto and back. "And 'sides' are fluid," the Headmaster added but his resolve against the ninja was weakening. He knew what the foreigners wanted, or rather, didn't want, and it certainly didn't clash with his views. Still, the wizard observed them carefully. Kakashi was speaking to Naruto and judging by his face, was not pleased with what he was hearing.

"Hinata can defend herself Naruto, you know that," Kakashi reprimanded softly. He'd taken Naruto aside so that he could talk to him while watching Natsuko and Jones at the same time. Naruto looked sullen but did not respond. "What's wrong?"

Naruto mumbled something that Kakashi didn't pick up. He raised his eyebrows and after a moment of silence Naruto spoke again. "I'm sorry sensei."

Kakashi's brow furrowed in confusion. This wasn't like Naruto, not anymore. Not only did he act out of character but now he refused to explain himself. Kakashi opened his mouth to try prompting more of a response when Hinata walked up and slipped her hand into Naruto's.

"We're pregnant," Hinata stated calmly.

Kakashi's eyes nearly bugged out of his head. His surprise was only matched by the father himself. "I thought I wasn't supposed to tell anyone until the first few months had passed?!" Naruto asked, confused and a little frustrated that his wife got to break this rule so easily. It had been agony for him not to tell his closest friends, especially the rest of Team Seven.

Hinata smiled. "You weren't, but these are hardly normal circumstances." She turned to Kakashi, "I'm sorry for causing this extra inconvenience Lord Hokage. I wasn't sure until our second week here. I did not mean to complicate the mission."

Kakashi just shook his head but then he smiled weakly at them both. He was at a loss. He took his own emotions, especially the joy and exasperation, and set them aside for now. He couldn't afford the luxury. Luckily for him, Guy had been eavesdropping and rolled over to magnanimously cover the silence with his congratulations.

I'm getting too old for this, Kakashi thought. The Hokage glanced over at the Headmaster. Jones had not lowered his wand but he was no longer pointing it at the ninja. He was still looking suspiciously at Kakashi, Guy, Naruto, and Hinata as they stood in a group. How am I going to sweet talk my way out of this?

Kakashi watched as Hermione and Ebisu walked over to Jones and Neville and decided he'd make his move as well. Natsuko was still looking rather nervous and he felt his own nerves tighten. We need to get this cleared up, fast. Together, Hermione and Kakashi explained Naruto's circumstances to Professor Jones as quickly and simply as possible.

Too soon, their time ran out.