AN: I've always wanted to do a fic with Shikamaru and show how awesome he is, but I'm afraid that my intellectual ability isn't on par with his so I don't know how it'll turn out... I'll try to come up with "genius" ideas, but keep in mind that I don't have an IQ over 200. This story takes place in a peaceful time that is non-existent where Naruto already defeated Pain, but the village is in perfect shape and there is no war coming up. It does not fit into the Shippuden canon.

Note that I am Canadian and therefore, use Canadian spelling.

Troublesome was only the tip of his thoughts as he stared blankly outside the window. Countless trees rushed by in blurred lines of dull green along with the brownish hues of the countryside. The evening sky was a dark grey, with no clouds in his line of sight. Nara Shikamaru sighed and leaned back heavily into his scarlet bench in the single train compartment, no bigger than an average bathroom. The groaning sounds of the engine was enough to prevent him from falling asleep, so he did what he could to pass the time and read the inch-thick mission report for the 8th time. This new client had decided to enclose a lot of details about this new environment into the package. Yes it was helpful to a certain extent, and it'll greatly improve the chances of success in this mission, although one might question how much of that information will actually be useful. But that did not make it any less of a pain in the ass. Apparently, only he could handle this mission. It made sense as he thought back on it, but still, that wouldn't make him want to do it. Going back to school was never good...

He could feel the smooth wood pressing into his back as he crossed his hands behind his head. Looking past the overhead slate, the cerulean sky was generously decorated with puffs of white. A breeze tousled his spiky ponytail. He wished he could live like those floating cottonballs: without worries or responsibilities, to be so free...

Daydreaming in his usual spot, the young chuunin lazily gazed at the drifting clouds until a shout dispersed his thoughts.

"Shikamaru!" yelled Sakura as she sprinted over. Her soft pink hair, held back by a red Konoha forehead protector, waved over her face as she came to an abrupt stop a foot into the shade. Not winded in the slightest, her strong stature casted a firm shadow over his figure. As an accomplished kunoichi and a skilled medical ninja under the tuition of Tsunade-sama herself, Haruno Sakura was a esteemed chuunin of their village. With a temper that matched her master's, her strength and double personality were not to be challenged. She had completed many valuable missions and spent some of her free time helping around the hospital and the Hokage's office. As the Fifth's student, she often went on errands on her behalf for important messages.

He slowly sat up, victorious against the protests of his lazy side, and his head swung limply in his characteristic slump.

"What now? Wait, Tsunade-sama wants me for that mission briefing right?" His right hand came up in an attempt to rub the lazy out of his face. Not working.

"Yes," she nodded briefly with tight lips. "But hurry on over. She's not in a good mood."

Her mouth twitched to the side as she threw down a sideways glance. "Shizune-senpai just confiscated her stash of sake." Her amused green eyes flickered tiredly to his shadowed form, which was still struggling to full consciousness. Spinning sharply to her right, she took a strong leap that carried her to the roof of a nearby building.

"Come on!"

"Right... What a drag." He exhaled and managed to stand up. Spotting the blazing orange emblem of the Hokage tower, he jumped the roofs behind Sakura's retreating form.

"Shikamaru!" bellowed Tsunade with furrowed brows. She sat twitching in her plush crimson seat behind the polished desk. The mini city of paperwork had been moved to the ground behind her, almost obscuring the wide windows in the circular office. A small plant seemed entirely suffocated behind the towering piles; he had no idea how it managed to stay alive at all.

"I'm right here. You don't have to scream so loudly." sighed Shikamaru. He stood leisurely slouched with his hands hung loosely in his pants pockets. His eyes were threatening to observe the wonderful clouds outside, but her voice brought him back to reality.

"What did you say?" growled Tsunade. She slowly crossed her fingers beneath her chin and her clear brown eyes shone fiercely under the sunlight. Already plagued by the elders' requests and oscillating political issues, the added effect of missing sake was visibly not helping much. Shikamaru was wise not to tempt the woman suffering from sake withdrawal symptoms.

"Nothing, nothing, just continue with your mission report..."

Her eyes narrowed and her nostrils flared dangerously. "Shikamaru. This will be your longest mission yet. It is almost a year long. Do not interrupt!"

He stopped with his mouth half open as his favourite phrase died in his throat.

"I selected you because you are the appropriate age with a chuunin rank and you have the intelligence to complete the mission while staying on top of your school work."

The implication of the phrase almost missed him. In fact, after he graduated the Academy, he was ecstatic thinking that he would never again step a foot into that tortuous establishment. He raised an eyebrow. "School?"

A slight smirk creeped up onto her features. "Yes Shikamaru, but that is not all you will be worrying about. You are going to the secret world of wizards and magic."

Well, she didn't beat around the bush there.

"Our client is the esteemed Headmaster Albus Wulfric Percival Brian Dumbledore of Hogwarts School for Witchcraft and Wizardry."

Now that name is way too troublesome to remember.

She slid the papers and photos across the desk for Shikamaru to see. He noted a long beard, a pair of shiny metal glasses, some colourful clothing and a happily crinkled face.

"He is a famous wizard, well known for fighting on the "Light" side," Tsunade stated.

"So another hidden world like ours? I'm betting that he kept in contact with the Third," he said absentmindedly while dipping his head to study the paperwork. Beside the Headmaster's photo, there were also documents written in code and another photo of a young 16 year-old boy. His bold green eyes looked back at him defiantly through his perfectly round spectacles. Underneath his unruly bangs, there hid a lightning-shaped scar.

She gave a curt nod. "He even contacted the Second and the First-" His eyebrows raised at that. How old was this client? "-though he had never needed our services until now. Your mission will be to protect the subject as well as the rest of the school against, what they call, 'the forces of evil'. Investigate the going-ons in the school for any suspicious behaviour. The Headmaster has acknowledged the fact that there are potential spies in the school that might bring harm to the students and that is in fact his greatest concern. Your priority will be to ensure the safety of the innocent students."

He knew disapproving would be futile, not while she's in a bad mood.

"The catch," she continued, "is that you must not let the subject know that you are protecting him. Befriend him and earn his trust. Do not attract unnecessary attention. No one other than Dumbledore, his Deputy Headmistress, Minerva McGonagall and his trusted subordinate, Severus Snape, can know of your true mission. You must make sure of that."

"The subject will be harder to protect if he didn't know the true story," prompted Shikamaru. He could tell already that the boy was a trouble magnet.

The Hokage sighed and rubbed her fingertips against her temple. "I know, however those were the client's specific requirements. Something about the teenager not wanting to be protected. He did however pay a handsome sum for the troubles."

"Figures." Ninja were often given difficult missions, sometimes more difficult than their rank, solely based on the reason of a higher payment. Yes, they were bribed, but they were paid to do the job - a little complaint, a little more money, and the problem would be resolved.

"Anyway, the details of 'their world' are compiled in this booklet. It's in written in 'Konoha classified code 3'. Tell your family and friends that it is only a regular guarding mission but for long term. You leave tomorrow. Questions."

Her auburn eyes stared at him with scorching intensity. He responded hesitantly.

"How is this world of theirs hidden? We are isolated and have so many strong wards around the Hidden Continents that we've lost count, but somehow, I don't think that is the case with them."

With an acknowledging nod, she answered, "That is true. They are magical. You will see things you'd never expect. They have charms and spells and wards and the like to keep the non-magical folk from noticing."

Interesting... Hiding in plain sight. "How about the fact that I am also non-magical and will therefore not be allowed in or however they do things?"

With a careless wave of her hand, she answered. "According to Dumbledore, you will have no problem with that since you are also magical. Apparently, shinobi can count as wizards since we are able to use chakra. I am assuming that their magic is based on channeling the natural chakra through the magic core of their wands in order to use that energy for spells. We weave hand signs in order to channel our own inner chakra stores. And by switching sources, you'll be able to do magic as well. It will be much more easier to control than Naruto's Sage Mode because you'll have an adapter in the form of a wand. Eleven year old wizards and witches with no shinobi training are capable of doing it after all."

"Makes sense..."

"Final note. You have to catch up on five years of school material and you have to keep up with the school work! That is a key aspect of your mission. Stay on top of your classes. I have given you time in Diagon Alley to practice your magic. Think of it as training and you must perfect it. You are adjourned."

Her gaze held an unspoken threat of and he knew best not to defy her orders. They both knew in silence that by learning this new magic business, it could benefit the village as a whole in the future. If he mastered everything perfectly, he could bring back the useful techniques and teach it to the more able-minded shinobi. He could already sense the secondary mission that would follow after completing this one. His lazy side knew that arguing to send another person would be pointless and it would be too troublesome to attempt it anyways.

After sensing a sort of defeat from her subordinate, the Hokage dismissed him with a flick of her hand and swiveled her chair to view the picture-perfect scene of the village..

Frowning, he pivoted on one foot to leave the crowded room.

The sun was still blazing high up behind the clouds by the time he had finished. Strolling out of a neighbourhood shinobi store, Shikamaru checked the necessary supplies that he bought for the year-long mission: weapons and scrolls - the standard equipment. He sighed as he recalled the Hokage's strict orders. School. The Academy was so boring and he only went there to sleep anyways. Assignments and tests alike, it was too troublesome to move the pencil to write. And there'd be no point in writing the thing if he didn't study. Which of course involved lots of meaningless reading through thick tomes and scrolls and actually concentrating during class time.

"Oi Shikamaru." A continuous crunching sound accompanied the familiar voice.

"Hmm?" He centred back on reality as he found his way out of his thoughts. "Oh Choji. What's up?"

His best friend and fellow teammate from the Akimichi clan crunched on his favorite barbecued flavoured chips. His brown hair draped over his grey armor and red outfit. They've been friends ever since they were kids, from their parents' friendship and their own team bond. Shikamaru had helped him through tough times during their childhood and now they knew virtually everything about each other.

"New mission?" he asked amiably, eyeing the supplies.

"Yeah, long-term too. 11 months."

"11 months?!" screamed Yamanaka Ino with her long blonde ponytail flying out behind her. So much for saying hello.

"Whoa, don't scream. I'm only a metre away from you." He rubbed his ear. Women always scream at him, and him alone: Sakura, the Fifth, Temari, Ino, his mom... He suppressed a shiver and refocused on his friend's complaints. As the final member of the old Team Asuma, she was a fashionable kunoichi and was rivals with Sakura. When she was still a genin, she used to dislike her teammates, but training, surviving missions and completing the chuunin exams as a team drastically altered her opinion. The three of them formed the second generation of the infamous trio combination of special ninjutsu: Ino-Shika-Cho.

"That's way too long! You've got things to do here. What type of mission is it anyway, since it's so long? Reconnaissance?" Her slender hands were positioned at her hips and her deep blue eyes narrowed.

"Not really, more like guarding." He grimaced.

"Can't Tsunade-sama send someone else?" She was practically whining at this point.

"She doesn't pick people randomly for missions. You know that." Choji looked nervously between a wild Ino and an insensitive Shikamaru. A couple of seconds ticked by.

"It's okay, Ino. It can't be that bad. Plus he'll get lots of experience and stuff while he's over there." Choji said soothingly, deciding to calm down the seething Ino.

"Why're you so mad anyways?" commented Shikamaru. Not that it didn't happen often, but her anger usually had a reason.

Her fury faded and her expression changed. She looked down furtively at her fallen hands and said, "Well, it'll be the longest we've ever been apart."

"That's it?" Her head snapped up with a glare. Her blue eyes were sparkling with tears.

"Whoa, no I didn't mean it that way. You'll still have Choji and everyone else. Plus it's not like we're not going to see each other ever again," he consoled.

"No, not that... It's just... It'll be the first anniversary of Asuma-sensei's death day in a couple of months so I wanted to commemorate it together as Team 10."

A moment of silence fell between the three of them as they remembered their fond memories as genin under Asuma-sensei: Various training sessions, the missions they've went on, the barbecues they've eaten, the earrings they got... He was a cool adult and he put up with them during their genin days. He taught them the essentials that they didn't learn at the Academy and guided them into becoming successful chuunin.

"There'll be other years," said Shikamaru quietly, fingering his left earring. "It won't be the only year. Plus, I'll find a way to contact the two of you. We won't be cut off completely." he added, lightening up. "Don't worry about me. I'll be fine. If anything, it's you two I should be worrying about."

"Heh, you shouldn't worry either. Concentrate on your mission. I'll take care of Ino." chuckled Choji.

"Hey!"

"See you guys in 11 months!" laughed Shikamaru, lifting a single hand in farewell.

Smiling lightly at the memory, Shikamaru briefly shook his head to clear his thoughts as he glanced back at the coded information packet in his hands. Back to the basics. He was going to the world of magic, where he could say a few funny words, wiggle a stick and make magical things happen. Where ginormous spiders, giants and soul-sucking Dementors existed. Where pictures were pretty much alive, ghosts were actually real and people flew on broomsticks. It was kind of hard to swallow. However, perhaps in a civilian's perspective, shinobi seemed magical too since they could clone themselves, transform themselves, manipulate the elements, etc.

He had been enrolled in Hogwarts to attend his 6th year as a transfer student (who would diligently study and stay awake during classes). He will be "sorted" into Gryffindor as an undercover guard to the subject, Harry Potter, who also happened to be a student celebrity and a boy of a mysterious prophecy (contents unclear and classified. In other words, none of his business). Since he was undercover, he was not to tell anyone of his mission details (exempting those who hired him) nor any clue of his real identity as a shinobi. Jutsus and weapons are only to be used in dire emergencies to protect a student. The alleged subject had overcome trials every year from saving a Philosopher's Stone to facing Voldemort himself in his latest attempt to invade the Ministry of Magic. He caused and attracted a wide variety of trouble, creating all kinds of stress for his friends, teachers, headmaster and will create, for his new guard. Potter's mind was mentally unstable, caused by his connection to Voldemort and by the most recent trauma of watching his godfather die last June.

Two words could summarize this upcoming babysitting escapade from the Village of the Leaf: "How troublesome..."

Hope you enjoyed it! Please go on and read the second chapter! It's way better! Please review =)