Death Dealer
Harry is eighteen, a somewhat experienced Auror, shoved into an unfamiliar world with his friends, and has another snake-man after his head. But hey, at least there are some people willing to help them… even if they're even more insane than the people back home. [A different take on MOD-Harry.]
Rated T for a reason. Gen. Takes place post-HP&DH, and during time-skip. Is not OP-Harry.
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"The Ministry is insane," Harry declares loudly as he stands in front of the Veil, clutching his wand.
"Agreed," Ron mutters, looking skittish. Even Hermione doesn't have anything to say against that.
"Well… maybe we can find Sirius behind there?" Hermione offers. Harry swallows, having figured as much already. "Besides, we're pretty experienced in the danger department, so I think we'll be able to survive at least a couple minutes in this new world. And your Master of Death thing comes in pretty handy, too."
Harry grimaces. "Please don't call it that. It makes me sound like some character from a poorly written novel. Besides, I don't really want to kill anyone if we can help it."
"But it is useful," Ron points out. "It'll help us when we're trying to not die in wherever we end up."
Before Harry can reply, Hermione cuts in with a sharp, "Let's stop dilly-dallying shall we? The faster we can get this job over with the better."
Neither of them can argue with that logic, so they keep their mouths shut. Satisfied, Hermione latches onto both Harry's and Ron's hands and forcibly drags them through the Veil.
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Passing through the Veil is not unlike passing through a curtain in pure darkness, Harry thinks. For a brief moment, it's completely dark, before he's ejected out of the Veil, and filtered sunlight fills his vision. He turns to see a perfectly normal tree, but he can just feel the wave of magic surrounding it.
"This new world seems pretty beautiful," Hermione remarks, waving her wand to mark the location of this side of the Veil. Harry and Ron do the same.
"So we're supposed to document what goes on here, right?" Harry asks, just to be certain. Both his friends nod in confirmation.
"Keep your wands out," Hermione adds unnecessarily. "We don't want to be caught off guard."
"Yes, mother," Ron and Harry chime simultaneously, the former rolling his eyes, at which Hermione sighs affectionately.
"Come on, you two, let's go do some exploring."
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Hermione had been quite correct in her previous statement of this world being beautiful, because it is. The leaves are vibrant and alive, animals peeking cautiously at them before darting away. Harry is still awfully uncomfortable though, mainly because there isn't anyone around aside from them.
"Weird," Ron comments, looking around shiftily. "There aren't any people around."
"It's the middle of the forest, Ron," Hermione sighs. "Of course there aren't going to be many people. Maybe we'll come upon a town or something."
"But we should put up detector charms anyways, shouldn't we?" Harry suggests. "I mean, we can't be too careful." Hermione pauses before nodding.
"Good thinking." With that, Hermione waves her wand and suddenly Harry is acutely aware of every living thing within thirty feet, even as he moves. As per usual, Hermione's work is worthy of admiration.
With the charm surrounding them, Harry feels a lot more relaxed. "Nice work," Ron says as they walk along.
"So far, everything we've seen is trees," Harry observes after a few moments of silence. "I hope we didn't stumble upon a weird world where the inhabitants are all aliens or something."
Ron laughs while Hermione snorts, "Unlikely, Harry. Remember, the Auror who'd slipped and returned; he said there were humans here."
Suddenly there's a prickle of warning that tells Harry that someone's entered their sphere of thirty feet, and is headed for them at an alarmingly fast pace. Hermione and Ron whirl around towards the person as well.
It turns out to be a person whose gender he can't tell due to being almost completely covered up with clothes. The person drones in a monotone something that sounds like "Ah-nah-ta wa dah-lei des ka."
Evidently Hermione understands what they're saying and she enunciates something carefully in response after hissing, "They're speaking Japanese."
Then the person says something in the same toneless voice that has Hermione's mouth set into a firm line. "They say that we're to be eliminated," Hermione says hastily as the person rushes forward with superhuman speed, a blade having been drawn.
At the sight of the shiny metal, Harry swallows in fear, wand arm shaking before he quickly sets up a Protego. The blade clashes against the shield, and the person frowns slightly before withdrawing the blade. Harry almost releases the shield in relief, but then the person dodges at shouted Stupefy from both Hermione and Ron gracefully and proceeds to throw weapons he recognize as kunai and shuriken. They embed themselves into his shield, but much to his horror, they poke past it.
He's about to recast the spell when the katana is drawn again, slicing through the remains of his Protego like butter and pulling out another kunai (where is this person getting all of these weapons?), ready to bury the sharp weapon into Harry's throat when pressure builds behind his eyes and he focuses on the person, petrified with terror at the same time black energy swirls around him and before the person reaches Harry, he drops dead.
The adrenaline fades, and he falls to the ground, adrenaline wearing off. "T-These people are terrifying," Harry whispers, and Ron nods mutely, offering Harry a hand to help him up, which he takes.
"Hmm…"
All three of them turn around to a long-haired man with pale skin and reminding him eerily of a snake—even worse than Voldemort. He tilts his head, regarding Harry with curiosity that has him in cold sweat.
The man tilts his head and all but purrs something. Fear hammers in Harry's chest, and Hermione stammers out a translation, "H-he says he finds you i-intriguing."
Hermione then proceeds to ask the man something, and Harry admires her bravery. The man looks surprised briefly before laughing and answering. "He calls himself Orochimaru."
The man draws closer, and Harry's palms are sweaty. His ability can only come into play once a day, he's found from his past missions, and now, he is regretting using it.
Orochimaru hisses something, sounding positively delighted, before lunging. At the same time, Ron unfreezes, lunging for both of them and doing something.
Almost instantly, they find themselves in a completely different area, all three of them breathing heavily. "Thanks, Ron," Hermione pants. "That man… he was completely different…"
"Inhuman." Ron shudders. "We're in a different forest now, at least," he points out.
"Everything here is brighter," Harry agrees. "But we should still cast a—"
Suddenly, there's something sharp pressed to his neck. Harry's eyes widen and he gulps, feeling the presence of a dangerous person behind him. The person says something practically identical to the first person to attack them, except in a deceptively cheerful voice.
Hermione hastily says something in reply, sounding terrified; Harry hears their names in the mix of Japanese. The man, definitely male from his voice, listens politely. The hold around him loosens, and Harry breaks free, giving his previous captor a terrified look.
He has silver hair and wears a mask, covering the lower two thirds of his face, while a headband rests crooked, furthering covering another part of his face, leaving only one of his eyes exposed.
"H-hey, Hermione," Harry gasps quietly, "isn't there a language charm or something?"
Hermione nods quickly and casts it upon Ron and him. Harry sighs in relief. "So you three claim to be from a different world, hmm?" the man asks, tapping his masked cheek. "That might explain your lack of reflex… or lack of terror upon seeing me."
"Um, sir, I don't think you've given us your name yet," Hermione says apologetically. "I don't mean to be rude…"
"Kakashi Hatake of the Sharingan at your service." He sweeps a mock bow. "Might I ask why your group of Dimension Hoppers have decided to intrude upon Fire Country?"
"We just Apparated here completely by accident, Hatake-san," Hermione says respectfully. "A man called Orochimaru—he attacked us."
Interest gleams in Hatake's dark eye. "Orochimaru? How curious," he replies, looking pensive. "Perhaps I can put in a word to the Hokage-sama to shelter you three…"
"And why would you let us?" Harry asks suspiciously.
Hatake smiles at him cheerfully—or at least, Harry thinks he smiles. It's hard to tell with only one eye revealed. "Maa, so untrusting," he says with a teasing lilt to his tone. "Well, Orochimaru is a defect from Konoha, and we have been chasing him for quite a while now."
"So you want us to be bait?" Ron demands belligerently. "Why—"
"It is a better alternative to being out here alone, is it not?" Hatake shrugs. "It is your choice in the end. You will end up being snake bait no matter what, and Konoha is one of the kinder Hidden Villages."
"What do you mean by kinder?" Hermione inquires.
"As in we do not force our students to slaughter each other to graduate," Hatake answers with the same smile, which is quite eerie, considering the content of his words. "It is a friendly community as well, and the ninja get along fine with the civilian side of Konoha."
"Ninja?" the three of them say incredulously at the same time.
Hatake blinks and cocks his head to one side. "Does your world lack ninja?"
"We have wizards and Muggles," Hermione answers slowly. "Ninja were strictly Japanese and have been gone for many, many years…"
"Maa, is that so? Here, we have only been known as ninja for many generations. Our Hidden Villages have only been founded for a handful of generations."
Hermione's eyes gain a light in her eyes that Harry has figured to be her knowledge thirsty look. Hatake clearly recognizes it. "Perhaps you would find more in Konoha's library. Will you come?"
Clearly, this seals the deal for Hermione. Harry and Ron exchange looks before giving Hermione a pair of nods.
"Alright," Hermione agrees.
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a/n: a thing I wrote. Huh.
I don't know… would anyone be interested in a continuation?