Note: Someone challenged me to write a scene with Iruka becoming a professor at Hogwarts. It's just a oneshot, but it was fun to write. ;D Set during Prisoner of Azkaban.

Iruka raised voice to be heard over the sound of the group of excited students. "Okay everyone, I want you to line up in front of the crates. Hurry up now, single file line…. That's it. "

There was a good deal of grumbling and shuffling of feet – Iruka mentally marked down the expressions of the kids most likely to give him the most trouble later. They shouldn't be complaining, it was only a little rainy this afternoon. Really, a shinobi would be expected to work in much worse conditions.

It was a shame these kids weren't ninja.

Finally the kids had arraigned themselves to his liking and Iruka plastered wide smile on his face, resisting the nervous habit of pushing up his forehead protector. This was his first class of his first term. He was determined it would go well.

"My name is Iruka Umino," he paused a moment, waiting for the traditional. 'Hello Iruka-Sensei' he got from properly polite classes. This group just stared at him, and after the pause Iruka doggedly went on, "Because of the, er, recent unrest, your headmaster thought it best that he bring me in. I'll be taking over your defense against the dark arts lessons until the end of this term."

There was even more grumbling about that. Iruka expected it – apparently their previous teacher had been popular.

One boy, blond with a pointed nose, sneered at him. "Iruka Umino? I've never even heard of you. Where's your wand?"

"Ah, yes. About that." Iruka clasped his hands behind him, rocking lightly on his heels. It was hard not to grin. "I'm not actually a wizard."

If there was grumbling before, it was a near uproar now. Several students shouted questions at him, but only one raised a hand. Iruka nodded to her. "Yes? What's your name?"

"Hermione Granger, sir," the girl said, crisply. "Excuse me for asking, but I had read that Hogwarts had spells and wards in place against muggles."

"Yes, that is true, but I am not a muggle." Iruka paused, "I am a fully trained shinobi." He received blank stares in return, so he continued, "My goal this term is to teach you that while your magic will allow you to do extraordinary things, you do not need a wand to defend yourself."

"This is ridiculous!" It was the blond sneerer again, and this time Iruka had definitely marked him.

"What's your name?"

"Draco Malfoy, and as soon as my father hears about this—"

"Then prove me wrong, Draco Malfoy." Iruka said, with a slightly crooked smile. "Hit me with one of your spells. If you can."

He expected the boy to hesitate – Dumbledore told him that these kids were not the trained killers Iruka was used too, and quite frankly they seemed a little soft. But to his credit, the boy had pulled out his wand without pause, casting a spell almost before the challenge had left Iruka's lips.

But an unprepared shinobi was a dead shinobi. In truth, Iruka had baited the class a bit, hoping for just this chance. His fingers flashed through the familiar seals.

"Stupefy!"

The spell hit the teacher dead center in the chest, throwing him flat back into the sodden grass. The moment his body hit ground, though, there was a puff of smoke, a slight pop and Iruka was gone. A log lay in his place.

And suddenly another presence stood by Draco. Some of the girls shrieked in surprise, but Iruka had already snatched Draco's wand away with his left hand, the right pressed the sharp tip of a kunai to the boy's pale throat.

"You missed." Iruka said, simply.

The boy made a choked, half gasping sound. His skin went from pale to deathly white in fear. Iruka took pity on the kid and stepped back… but kept the wand. He had to make an example out of someone in this class, but rudeness would only be tolerated up to a point. Draco would have to wait until after class to get it back.

Iruka strode in front of his students again, and this time he felt their focused attention. "Today I will be teaching you the basics of throwing a kunai. Please open the crate and pick up your weapon – No, no, not by the blade, please…."

Maybe teaching these wizards a thing or two would be good for them, after all.

~ Fin ~