Here's the next chapter! Heh, this one was fun to write! Oh, and by the way, Dumbledore's speech (except the part about Sakura, Deidara, Itachi, and Kisame) is his exact words in the movie! OwO I don't own Naruto or Harry Potter, and please don't sue me for using Dumbledore's speech! I don't own that either!

Votes:

Itachi: 31

Deidara: 11

Draco: 5

Sasori: 3

Harry: 3

Madara: 2

Fred: 2

George: 2

Pein: 1

Lupin: 1

Hidan: 1

Ron: 1

And don't forget to vote! The 'poll' is still open, and I'll anounce when it's closed.

"Welcome! Welcome to another year at Hogwarts!" Dumbledore declared, his voice echoing in the large hall. "Now, I'd like to say a few words before we all become too befuddled by our excellent feast..."

The white-blond-haired boy from the train rolled his eyes. Draco, was it?

"No one wants to hear his pointless speech," he muttered. His two companions nodded in agreement, while Sakura watched them from the corner of her eye.

"First," – Sakura glanced back up at Dumbledore – "I'm pleased to welcome Professor R. J. Lupin, who's kindly consented to fill the post of Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher. Good luck, Professor."

The four shinobi watched as Lupin stood up from the long professors' table. As applause ensued, Sakura was once again struck with wonder at how he had disappeared on the train.

"Did you see that thing on the train?"

Sakura blinked in surprise after a moment, realizing that Draco was speaking to her. She could faintly hear Dumbledore's voice as he continued, but she replied to Draco.

"Yes," she murmured. "I fought it."

And kicked its ass.

"We saw you," one of Malfoy's comrades agreed.

"It was probably after Potter," Draco sneered. "They know that he should be removed. Potter's a danger to us all." The other two nodded. "And that Mudblood friend of his needs to be thrown out."

Mudblood? What does that mean?

No clue, but I bet it's insulting.

Really, now? I never would have guessed.

I hope you choke.

If I die, you die.

...shut up.

Sakura noted that Malfoy had finished talking and opted to tune back in to Dumbledore.

"–tunately, I'm delighted to announce that his place will be taken by our own Rubeus Hagird."

A very large man with dark brown hair and a frizzy beard stood, shifting the table slightly. An embarrassed expression crossed his face and a few students laughed, Draco included. When the clapping settled down, he retook his seat.

"Also, this year," Dumbledore continued, "Hogwarts has excepted four very special students."

That's us!

"As Professor McGonagall already said, they are from a Witchcraft and Wizardry school located in Japan, and you are to treat them with respect. They have all completed courses to learn the English language, therefore have no worries about a mis-communication." He smiled. "These students are here to aid in increasing bonds between Hogwarts and their school. I apologize, but I'm afraid I am unable to pronounce the name of the school. Could one of you possibly...?"

Sakura smiled to herself.

This is his way of saying that he has no clue what we're calling the school. "It's called Meiyo Jujutsu, Dumbledore-sama," she said, raising her voice just loud enough for him to hear.

He nodded slightly to her, ignoring the murmurs of 'What does 'sama' mean?'

"Thank you, Sakura," he said. "Meiyo Jujutsu. And pray-tell, what does this translate into?"

"Honor Magic."

Deidara couldn't hold in a small grin.

At least he doesn't butcher our names and words, yeah.

"Finally, on a more describing note," Dumbledore announced, his voice growing grim. "At the request of the Ministry of Magic, Hogwarts will, until further notice, play host to the Dementors of Azkaban. Until such a time Sirius Black is captured, the Dementors will be stationed at every entrance to the ground. And while I've been assured that their presence won't disrupt our day-to-day activities, a word of caution: Dementors are vicious creatures. They will not distinguish between the one they hunt and the one that gets in their way. Therefore, I must warn each and every one of you; give them no reason to harm you. It is not in the nature of a Dementor to be forgiving."

A light suddenly shone in Dumbledore's eyes, perking Sakura's interest.

What is he–

"But you know," the Headmaster said softly, unintentionally interrupting Sakura's thoughts. "Happiness can be found, even in the darkest of times." As he spoke, Dumbledore waved his hand above a candle. The flame suddenly disappeared.

Deidara's eyebrows shot up and Sakura's eyes widened.

Whoa. Kisame thought. I didn't know wizards could do that.

"–but only remembers to turn on the light." The candle's flame reappeared.

o o o O O O o o o

Sakura stared in shock at the piles of food that loaded the table. It just...came out of nowhere! She glanced up, her eyes wide, to see Deidara and Kisame's expressions mirroring her own. Itachi sat with his back to her, so Sakura couldn't see his face.

"What, never seen magic before?"

Sakura looked up to see Draco watching her in amusement. She blinked.

"...this didn't happen at my old academy," she replied. He seemed surprised.

"Are you serious?" he asked in disbelief.

Sakura nodded, her face completely innocent. "We had to make or bring our own bento," she continued, lying smoothly. She wasn't an S-class Akatsuki member for nothing.

"Bento?" he echoed in confusion. Sakura smiled, causing a light streak of pink to dust his cheeks. He wasn't used to pretty kunoichi smiling at him. But then again, who was?

"I suppose you could call it a lunch box," she explained.

"Oh..." He trailed off awkwardly.

Apparently, he wasn't used to any pretty girl smiling at him. Sakura studied him for a moment.

According to Ron-san's reaction on the train, he and Draco-san know each other. If they know each other, there's a high possibility that he also knows Harry-san. Draco-san could be a good source of information...hm, he seems pleasant enough. Might as well befriend him.

Yeah, just don't get too attached.

Oh, go jump in a lake.

Sakura fixed him with a sheepish, slightly embarrassed smile (which wasn't entirely faked.)

"Your name is Draco, right?" she asked, slipping a nit of nervousness into her voice fore good measure. He blinked in surprise.

"Er, yeah..."

"Draco-san, could you please tell me what that is?" she said, pointing at a plate of strangely-shaped food.

"What does 'san; mean?"

Here we go again.

"It's an honorific suffix that's added to an equal or acquaintance's name," she explained. "Where I come from, we always use these."

"O-oh." Malfoy paused slightly. "Um...what were you asking?"

Sakura smiled brightly.

"What is that?" she repeated, pointing at the food again.

He gave her a strange look.

"It's chicken."

Sakura stared blankly at the food.

"That's chicken?" Draco continued to give her a funny look. "Where I come from, chicken doesn't look like that. It's small and circular-shaped."

"Oh," he murmured, realization washing over him. "I see. Well, that actually a chicken leg."

Now, Sakura stared at him, her eyes huge.

"That's a chicken leg? As in an entire chicken's leg?!?" He nodded."So strange! What is it like?"

Draco stared at her for a moment. "What did you say?"

"Hm? Oh, sorry." Sakura grinned sheepishly. "I was saying that this food in strange."

"...oh...Well, it, uh, tastes like any other kind of chicken, really."

"Hm, interesting." Just wait until Hidan hears about this.

Yeah, he'll start killing chickens left and right.

If he can find any.

True.

Sakura hesitantly reached for a 'chicken leg', pausing for a moment. Draco simply stared at Sakura as though she had sprouted rabbit ears. After another pause, she bit into the chicken leg.

Her eyes lit up as she chewed, swallowing just a few seconds later.

"It's tastes wonderful!" Sakura exclaimed in surprise. "It's even better that the chicken I'm used to!"

Malfoy stared for a heartbeat longer before shaking his head to clear his thoughts. A flicker of movement caught her eye, and Sakura looked down.

On the table before her, sat a bowl of steaming hot rice with a pair of chopsticks resting on top. Surprise flooded her expression.

Rice! But who–?

She glanced up at Deidara and Kisame, discovering that they had bowls of rice as well. Sakura figured that Itachi also had a bowl, seeing as it would only make sense. She unconsciously glanced at Dumbledore.

He sent her a knowing smile, and Sakura nodded back in gratitude.

Have I ever mentioned that I love Dumbledore-sama?

Suck-up. "So, Draco-san," Sakura murmured, shooting him a charming smile as she ate her rice. "Tell me about Hogwarts."

She received yet another blank stare.

"...what?"

Sakura almost laughed. Instead, her smile widened. "Tell me about Hogwarts," she repeated. "I've never been here, before. What's it like?"

"Er...well, it's big, I guess..." He trailed off awkwardly. He really had n idea how to reply.

"What are the people like here?" Sakura asked, trying to help.

"Oh, well, that's what you meant." Draco seemed to be embarrassed. A few people from the Slytherin table stared at him. Draco was never embarrassed.

"How about the teachers?" Might as well start off easy.

"Professor Snape teaches potions," he began more confidently. "He's also the head professor of Slytherin. Snape is really the only one that doesn't get on my nerves."

"Which one is Professor Snape?"

"That one."

He pointed, and Sakura followed his indication. A man with chin-length black hair and pale skin sat at the professors' table, looking anything but happy. He cast grumpy glances at Lupin, his slightly-crooked nose giving him a creepy look.

"The one with the black hair?" The one that looks like a pissed off sissy-bitch? Draco nodded. "He seems to be in a foul mood."

Malfoy found himself snickering. "He's always in a foul mood, but he's a better teacher than any of those fools."

Oh, yes. Draco is definitely Mr. Happy Sunshine.

Sakura didn't reply, but inwardly snorted.

"What about Harry Potter?" she asked smoothly, changing the subject. Just play it off cool, and don't act too interested. "He seems rather odd, and you don't appear to have an extensive liking of him."

Malfoy's eyes narrowed. "And what do you think of him?" he demanded.

Whoa, someone's getting defensive.

"He's troublesome," Sakura replied bluntly. "He doesn't understand the concept of 'get out of the way' and honestly, his brown-haired friend annoys the hell out of me."

Utter silence. He obviously hadn't been expecting that answer.

"Hermione, was it?" Sakura asked without waiting for a reply. When Malfoy nodded hesitantly, she continued. "Hermione is absolutely the most annoying thing I have ever seen. She doesn't shut up, and she questions everything."

"The filthy Mudblood needs to go," Draco agreed. Sakura decided against asking the meaning of 'Mudblood', guessing that she probably didn't want to know.

o o o O O O o o o

"Do you believe the mission is going well?"

Madara glanced faintly at Pein, pausing from the scroll he was writing on.

"Yes, I believe so," he answered after a moment, scratching away at the scroll. "Why do you ask?"

Pein didn't reply for a long moment.

"...it is uncommon for shinobi to travel dimensions. And, seeing as the outcomes are astronomically numerous, the possibility that something could go wrong is extremely high."

Madara set down his pen with a sigh, deciding that he would be unable to finished his work until the conversation was over. He folded his hands together and rested his elbows on the desk, placing his chin on his hands.

"Pein, I have traveled between dimensions countless times, and nothing has ever happened to me," he said, staring intently at the Akatsuki Leader. "Why the sudden interest?"

Pein ignored his question.

"You are immortal, Madara," he argued calmly. "My subordinates are not." The eldest Uchiha's eyes narrowed thoughtfully.

"Are you, perhaps, worried about your subordinates?" he asked, his tone implying that the idea disgusted him.

Pein delivered an icy glare.

"I have lost my subordinates once, and I do not wish for it to happen again," he hissed quietly. "Five of my best were either killed or rendered useless, but I am relieved to say that they were...fixed. Akatsuki's only medic is currently participating in a trans-dimension high-risk mission, and if she dies, then there will be no one to ensure that we do not die off."

"Ah, I see," Madara consented. "If Akatsuki loses too many members, then the sealing of the tailed-demons will be delayed or possibly stopped. It takes a great deal of chakra and concentration to seal a demon, and we can't afford to take any risks."

Pein gave a short nod.

"If it becomes apparent that Miss Haruno is unable to continue the mission without extensively harming herself, she will be forced to return. Fair enough?"

"Fair enough."