Chapter 5: Arrival

When the train finally arrived at the school it was still raining. Wizards and witches alike scrambled to get off of the train and into the dry coaches. "First years this way," a voice boomed out.

Kakashi and his team waited for all of the students to get off of the train before exiting it themselves. Kurenai and Guy ran up to Kakashi.

"Are you alright Kakashi?" Kurenai asked. Her wide eyes saw that his face was paler than usual.

"I'm fine," was Kakashi's curt reply.

"My eternal rival, I heard that your encounter with the dementors was far more interesting than ours-" Kakashi interrupted him.

"Guy, shut up," Kakashi ordered. "Ebisu, someone needs to go in the boats with the first years. If anything happens, signal us, fire should do the trick." Ebisu nodded and took off toward the large man with the lantern. "The rest of us will follow the stagecoach convoy on foot. I'll run ahead and scout out the path, then double back and join the main group for the rest of the trail. Guy, you'll bring up the rear, make sure there are no straggling students or unwanted followers. Kurenai, you take the middle, no one approaches the road or the coaches, especially dementors."

Guy and Kurenai nodded their acknowledgement mutely. Kurenai tried to say something but Kakashi had already taken off up the road. His teammates watched him worriedly as his silver hair bobbed and disappeared into the freezing night.

The ninja regrouped in the Great Hall where all of the students had assembled for the start of term feast. While the students shouted at each other across the large space, Kakashi took the hall in. None of his teammates interrupted, they'd been pretty shocked when they had first seen it too.

Thousands of lit candles floated in the free space between the four house tables and the ceiling that looked like the sky itself. The carefree chatter of the sea of students in their pointed hats created an environment that was otherworldly. Kakashi had never seen anything like it and expected he'd never see the like of it again.

Though the sight was warm, welcoming, and spectacular, the jonin couldn't help but feel a pang in his chest. Most of the ninja this age in the Leaf Village were already battle hardened veterans…or dead.

Kakashi turned sharply away from the cheerful scene and looked at his team. They straightened immediately under his gaze. Any feeling of sentimentality had fled from Kakashi's frame. "Since there are four houses and four of us, we can each loosely attach ourselves to one. We obviously can't be with them all of the time, but it will be easier to split up the students we're focusing on when they're all together like this."

"Kakashi, I would like to guard the table of youth," Guy requested, excitement dancing in his eyes.

"The table of-?" the green banners caught Kakashi's eye. "Oh I see. Yes Guy, you can guard Slytherin House. Does anyone else have any preferences?" Kurenai covered her eyes with her hand at Guy's antics. Ebisu raised an eyebrow. "I thought not. Kurenai, why don't you take Hufflepuff House. Ebisu, you'll be with Ravenclaw House. I'll take Gryffindor House. We're not allowed in the dormitories but I assume you three know where the entrances are? I'll learn Gryffindor's tonight." Just then, Harry and Hermione entered the hall. "Scatter, we'll meet at the entrance of Gryffindor Tower after escorting the students back from the feast. You three can acquaint me with the rest of the castle then." All three nodded and then positioned themselves in various parts of the room.

Dumbledore stood to speak and the Great Hall went quiet. The headmaster spoke of the dementors, saying that they were here on "Ministry of Magic business". Kakashi wondered if Dumbledore thought his students were too thick to put two and two together, or if he was simply not permitted to state exactly why the dementors were there? Dumbledore also introduced two new teachers. When Hagrid was announced as the new Care of Magical Creatures Professor, Kakashi thought, so he's the one who assigned monster books? Interesting.

"One final thing," Dumbledore continued, after the applause for Hagrid had died. "Some of you may have noticed the new faces in our Great Hall tonight. In addition to the dementors, the school has decided to hire supplementary guards to patrol inside of the castle and on the grounds. Dumbledore looked at each of the guards in turn, "Kakashi, Ebisu, Kurenai, and Guy, will be with us all year. They are here to protect you. Therefore, if they ask you to do something, you must do it without hesitation."

After a pause where the hall was completely silent, Dumbledore finished. "Well, I think that's everything of consequence. Let the feast begin!"

After the feast was over, Kakashi saw the Gryffindors safely to their tower and awaited his team's arrival. He leaned against the wall next to the Fat Lady's portrait, arms crossed, eyes closed. Ebisu got there first. Soon Kurenai, and then Guy joined them. When Guy walked up Kakashi opened his eyes. "You know the castle, where do you think we should start?"

Ebisu, Guy, and Kurenai looked at each other. Kurenai spoke for the group, "there's one room you have to see, first thing."

"Okay, lead the way," Kakashi sighed. He uncovered his Sharingan to memorize the path. Kakashi's three team members led him down several sets of stairs and through four passages before they came to an oak door with iron fastenings. There was no keyhole, knob, or handle but Kakashi could see that the door had an intricate system of magic running through it.

Seeing magic with the Sharingan was a headache. Unlike chakra, which ninja activate or don't as they please, magic was constant and pulsing, like a heart. So where the Sharingan would usually just pick up on when someone was about to use a jutsu, magic was just there all the time, blazing into his eye like a spike.

Kurenai put her hand flat against the center of the door. Kakashi saw her release a small burst of chakra from her hand into the wood. The door swung open. The door is opened using chakra? Dumbledore must have something very secret stored in here.

Kakashi entered through the door to see a room with a large fireplace, four beds, four dressers, and a door off to the side. The room was distinctly comfortable, a place to sleep. His eyes narrowed.

"This concludes the tour for tonight," Kurenai announced cheerfully. She smiled slyly at Kakashi and headed for the other door.

Kakashi dropped his pack and rounded on Guy. The silver haired youth was surprised to see Guy's hand up, palm facing out at him, his face set in a frown. "Kakashi, you are team captain but you are not the only one on this mission. Kurenai and I were strongly affected by the dementors and all they did was walk by us. Ebisu has kindly offered to patrol tonight and sleep all day tomorrow until we get on an even rotation. As second in command, I am very strongly urging you to go to bed. You are no good to us tired."

Kakashi looked into his friend's eyes and knew there could be no argument. He nodded his assent. He felt a prick of relief in the back of his mind.

Guy went from frowning to blazing teeth in no time. "Right! We will renew our youthful tour tomorrow!"

Kakashi had to smile a little at his friend, behind his mask of course. Feeling properly reprimanded, Kakashi picked up his pack and made his way to the undisturbed bed. He began to unbuckle his armor, the familiar routine soothing his mind. He wasn't sure how he was going to sleep with Rin's voice echoing in his head, but he was going to try, for the sake of his team.