Chapter 3: Hogwarts Bound
After dinner, Kakashi stayed downstairs with Mr. and Mrs. Weasley when the students went upstairs to pack.
"Straight down to business then," Arthur began, clearing his throat. "Sirius Black is after Harry. The Azkaban guards stated that Black kept muttering, 'he's at Hogwarts' in his sleep."
"There's no one else he could have meant?" Kakashi asked.
"No one that anyone knows of," Arthur replied.
"I'm not sure why you and your team need to be at the school. Harry's not in any danger from Black at Hogwarts, not with Dumbledore there," Molly said. It was clear from the first what Molly Weasley thought of the guard, and his age. Now she voiced her opinion with a certainty that Kakashi knew all too well. He took a deep breath.
"Dumbledore's the one who hired us," Kakashi pointed out as neutrally as he could.
"I'm sorry dear, it's just we were expecting someone older," Molly fussed. "Someone with more experience."
"I can assure you that I have plenty of experience in this area," Kakashi responded. His tone had become sharp but not impolite.
"I'm sure you think you do dear but-" Molly began.
At the risk of seeming disrespectful, Kakashi interrupted the witch. Still looking at Molly, Kakashi raised his voice and said, "Harry, come in here please."
Harry, hiding around the corner, froze and then walked guiltily into the parlor.
Kakashi couldn't tell what Mrs. Weasley had found more shocking, that Harry had been eavesdropping or that Kakashi had noticed when she hadn't. She kept looking from one to the other.
"H-H-Harry," the witch sputtered.
"I'm sorry," Harry said. The look of betrayal in Mrs. Weasley's eyes hurt him. "It's just, I heard my name and I- I just want to know what's going on!"
"Of course you do Harry," Mr. Weasley consoled him. "We just don't want you to worry. Black will be caught by the Azkaban guards and since you'll have more protection," Arthur nodded at Kakashi, "you'll be perfectly safe."
"So Kakashi's team is here just to protect me?" Harry looked like he was about to be sick. Dumbledore had written that the team was to protect the entire school. Harry didn't think he could stand any more attention.
"No, we're not," Kakashi said firmly. "We will be there to provide extra security in the castle and on the grounds. We can go places Dumbledore will not allow the dementors to go. We can also do things the dementors, or wizards for that matter, can't do." He said this final point while looking at Molly.
"Are you satisfied Harry?" Mrs. Weasley asked but she directed the venom in her voice at Kakashi.
"Yes Mrs. Weasley," Harry replied, properly cowed.
"Then run up to bed." Mrs. Weasley's voice was gentler now that she was looking at Harry. "We have an early start tomorrow."
000000
Some of the party considered it to be an early morning, but Kakashi was not one of them. After he'd slept as late as was possible for him, Kakashi dressed for the day and left his room, pack over his shoulder. In the hallway stood Mr. Weasley, still in his pajamas.
"Good morning Kakashi," Arthur greeted him.
Kakashi nodded.
"I'd get some breakfast now if I were you, before everyone else is up." He raised his mug of coffee in farewell and went back into his room.
An hour later, Kakashi was glad he'd taken the man's advice. A typhoon made of Weasleys swept downstairs to eat and then back upstairs in a flurry of packing. Kakashi spent the next hour helping someone or other locate this or that.
Amazingly, they got downstairs to the Ministry cars on time. The drivers kindly loaded the luggage into the trunks while the students scrabbled into the seats. When a driver offered to take Kakashi's bag, Kakashi gave him an eye-smile and said he'd keep it thank you.
When Kakashi got into his car, Fred and George were eyeballing him again. "Is that all you have for the whole year?"
"It's all I need," Kakashi replied flatly.
George and Fred mentally added, steal Kakashi's bag, to their list of things they wanted to try to figure out about/do to the guard.
Kakashi did not notice their scheming. He was trying to figure out if the way this car expanded was normal for an automobile. Do cars normally manage to fit this many people? Storage scrolls are one thing but this is something else. Normally this was a question Kakashi would direct at Harry, but he was in the other car.
When they arrived at the station, everyone piled out and made for the platforms. Kakashi was told to walk through a metal barrier between platforms 9 and 10. Sensing the magic coming off of the indicated spot, Kakashi did what he was told and wasn't disappointed in his faith. He walked straight through onto another platform that was crawling with wizards and witches.
Kakashi didn't bother trying to sense the chakra of his team. With all the wizards and witches packed onto the platform, their magic slowly pulsing through their bodies, it'd be difficult to notice the fast rush of chakra moving through the bodies of his team. Besides, he knew they were there.
Mr. Weasley and Harry popped out of the barrier when Kakashi heard a familiar voice, "Oi Kakashi!" There was Guy, in all his green glory. He wore his olive chunin vest over his leaf green spandex jumpsuit. Kakashi covered the only visible part of his face with his hand in exasperation.
Ebisu was with him but, while Guy ran over to Kakashi, making his way through the wizards like oil in water, Ebisu followed at a slower pace in Guy's wake. The older genin wore a dark blue shirt and pants. His sunglasses were perched on his nose and his forehead protector was on a bandana, proudly facing front.
When Ebisu joined them, Kakashi asked, "which one is Kurenai?" He scanned the crowd of students, nearly all strangers to him. A tall, blonde girl in wizard robes stepped forward out of the throng. Kakashi was pleased when he spotted her. Usually the familiar manner in which Kurenai moved gave her transformations away. She'd clearly been practicing to better suppress her familiar traits. Kakashi eye-smiled in greeting and she dropped the henge.
The team captain wasted no time. "We'll spread out on the train, taking different sections. Kurenai, Guy, you stay toward the front, Ebisu and I will stay in the back. Dumbledore has informed me that our radios will not work here, so we'll be using hand signals or sending clones to communicate." Kakashi scanned the bustling platform. The students were getting onto the train in earnest. "You can brief me about the castle and grounds either on the train or once we arrive. The chain of command will be in order of rank and then seniority of promotion."
Kakashi raised his eyebrow at Ebisu. Ebisu was the oldest but the only one who hadn't yet made chunin. Ebisu gave Kakashi a forgiving nod. The young jonin had been concerned that Ebisu's pride would be a problem. Kakashi was pleased that Ebisu had taken his decision so well.
"Ebisu, Guy, get on the train now. Kurenai and I will follow when it's about to leave."
"Yes sir," they chorused, and scattered.
"Kakashi," he turned, it was Molly Weasley. "Was that your team?" She gestured at the retreating figures.
Kakashi nodded.
"You're all so young," Mrs. Weasley began. Her brow was creased in worry as she watched Guy and Ebisu head for the train.
Kakashi bristled, "we've just finished a war Molly, there aren't that many of us to spare. Besides, I have complete confidence in them. I've been told that you understand the trust between brothers in arms."
"You didn't let me finish," Molly said, straightening. "You're all so young, but if you let anything happen to those children…" A fire glowed in the witch's eyes. The train whistle blew.
"Since it's my job to keep the students safe, I have no intention of letting anything bad happen to them."
"Your intention?! Now see here young man…"
Kakashi held up a hand. "Mrs. Weasley, if I am half as good at my job as you hope I am, would I be worried about any kind of threat coming from you?"
Mrs. Weasley didn't know if she should be relieved or annoyed. She frowned at him. "Just keep them safe," her words came out clipped. The witch turned on her heel and marched back to her husband.
Kakashi waved once with his right hand at Arthur Weasley. He then turned, weaving through the crowd of well-wishers. Kurenai was right next to the train, waiting to board with Kakashi. He hopped on and pushed through the students hanging out the doors, waving at their parents. Kurenai followed suit and headed toward the front of the train.
Definitely going to be a long year.