Declaimer: I do not own Naruto or Harry Potter. I wish I did but sadly these wonderful creations belong to others.
Author Note: This story begins the summer after Sirius dies.
The room was dimly lit with a wandless spell Harry had learned during the beginning of his summer vacation. It was a useful spell requiring almost no energy and allowing him to study of the nights. He rarely slept anymore being plagued with nightmares and guilt so instead he devoted his time to magic. The first thing he learned was how to remove the wards on his wand.
Harry did not believe he could destroy Voldemort. The dark lord was too strong and too knowledgeable for that so instead he studied to allow himself to ignore much of reality. He pushed himself into his studies so hard he had not one moment to think of his guilt or future (both of which were grim and undesirable).
It was true that he had no hope in him. He did not expect to live long and did not slow down enough to care. This constant detachment did wonders for his ability to become indifferent. He now found he could see a murder and have it not affect him at all. This ability did come in handy when Voldemort sent his nightmares of raids and suffering. Voldemort had gown particularly fond of torturing scrawny teens with black hair and green eyes and while Harry would watch this he no longer felt anything for the look alikes.
Harry did find hope though. Hope written in a few pages in an old book he found for sale in Knockturn alley. The spell the pages described was wonderful; it would allow him to gain a future. Gain a future far away from Britain or even earth and live in a different world. It was a relatively simple spell but required more energy then most people have.
A hollow laugh began to spew from his lips as his eyes danced with delight. He had a chance at a future now, no matter how small he had a chance that he would survive this and end up in a world far from this darkness. All he had to do was leave the world to burn in the hands of Voldemort. Harry didn't care who died nor did he care how they died because truthfully he believed that they would be burdened with this death with or with their precious Boy-Who-Lived. So he decided to leave and what ever hell formed in this world would be someone else's problem.
Lifting his wand his eyes set with determination. There was no incantation but instead odd movements and burst of energy were required and he greedily met these requirements.
Joy filled him as swirls of light began to surround him and wind gushed around throwing things off the shelves and breaking out the window, bars and all. Lighting began to strike randomly checking sparks before landing on a book which caught fire.
A bit of concern flared up at the fire but the spell would soon be completed so he decided to ignore it. Full panic seized him though when a burning sensation began at his wand hand and the wand exploded a fragment impaling him. He screamed as the magical fragment burned his skin and blood. The sensation increased causing him to scream even more.
Fire was consuming him, he felt as if his blood was boiling and his skin melting. Every bit of him felt consumed and if he had been alert he would have noticed the whole room was now ablaze.
His vision blacked out and he collapsed on to a patch of grass in the forest, completely unaware that he was no longer in his room.
On that night in August three burnt corpses were found. There were four people who lived in the small house but at the state of the corps found the forth was also declared dead. For years afterwards the wizarding world would morn the death of their chosen one and curse the day he died as the day the world fell into darkness.
Itachi watched as Kisame sloppily devoured the rabbit. He had already finished his own (much more neatly than Kisame) and had agreed to take first watch. The sun was slowly sinking beneath the horizon when Kisame finished his supper and wiped the blood off his chin. Itachi had already secured firewood and began a small fire (a luxury they were allowed for the time being). Kisame always liked playing with his food, slowly ripping the flesh from a still living creature and ravishing in its struggles and warm blood. Itachi just liked to eat and move on, just one more difference between the two partners.
A crazed grin indicated Kisame was hyper and thirsted for blood making Itachi think it would be better just to command he took the first watch. With how Kisame was he would be an unreliable watch tackling anything that moved so Itachi decided against this.
Kisame laid down on a grass spot, his eyes still crazed slightly, and tried to sleep and after three hours of tousling and turning along with cursing every stick and stone that ever existed Kisame fell asleep only thirty minutes before his watch. Itachi decided to allow Kisame another hour so that he wouldn't complain in the morning.
Not much time passed until something disturbed the air. Heat twisted with the cool air as the still night turned windy. Itachi noted it but mostly discarded this change until a bit of lightning struck to his left. More lightning followed and began to form into a ball. By this time Itachi and Kisame were on their guard.
A scream pierced the air as the ball grew larger. This scream died out and a large thump followed. The shadow didn't move it simply remained limp leading Itachi to believe this person was unconscious or dead.
Slowly Itachi approached the body. It was a small teenage boy, younger then him and much more scrawny but still alive. The boy was injured but in the light it was hard to tell how much so Itachi lifted him and brought him to the fire noting how little he weighed.
"Should we kill him?" Kisame asked staring at the boy hungrily imaging his skin being ripped away by his sword.
The boy had no weapons on him and did no seem to be a ninja. He was not a threat and it would be pointless to kill him so he shook his head negatively. Kisame looked disappointed and muttered angrily.
The boy's injuries were odd. His flesh was hot to the touch and heavily bruised. Three burns like claw marks ran up the side of his right arm and at the base of them a piece of wood was lodged in his skin slowly oozing blood and a greenish liquid. When Itachi touched the wood sparks shot out.
Itachi quickly decided it would be best to question the boy. He played with the idea of tying up the boy but decided against it. He wouldn't be able to run very far in his condition and if he did Itachi would just let Kisame kill him.
"What are we going to do?" a bored Kisame asked.
"Interrogate him," Itachi answered in his usual monotonous voice.
"Then can I kill him," Kisame asked eagerly.
Itachi shook his head and sighed. "Why don't you go find something else to kill while we wait, he should be out for a while."
Kisame looked at the boy brief then stood. "Ok but can I still kill him afterwards?"
"Maybe," Itachi answered knowing that killing would calm down Kisame a great deal. He was getting irritated at his hyper spells.
Kisame smiled and nodded disappearing into the night.
Itachi watched the boy they had found. Sitting he began to calculate different possibilities of when the boy would wake to fight the boredom.
Right when Itachi was beginning to regret sending Kisame away the boy groaned.
Harry found it hard to move, his whole body ached and felt stiff from the events it went through. His memory was also a bit sluggish as he found when he tried to remember the events that led to this. Slowly it came back to him. He had to bite back a scream at the memory of the pain.
While his vision was at first even more blurry then when he corrected it, his vision did eventually grow better allowing him to notice a blur standing over him. Panicking Harry fought to sit up only to find it a great challenge. After a time he managed to get in the sitting position.
Itachi wasn't sure whether he should be amused at the strange boy's attempt to rise or feel disgust at his weakness. Either way the boy was no threat, simply a curiosity.
"Name and purpose for being here," Itachi demanded from Harry who simply stared up in confusion.
He didn't know what language the man was using but was concerned at the tone so he quickly responded. "I don't understand…." He had meant to add more but found his throat raw and his voice crackled.
Itachi's brow scrunched up slightly. He was concerned with how the boy didn't understand him but it did confirm that he was from a far away area. Kisame entered the camp.
Harry's eye sight had improved enough to see Kisame clearly and he jumped back in surprise. He put most of his weight on his right arm and yelped at the pain bring it close to his chest.
Kisame smirked at the boy enjoying the feel of someone fearing him. The hunt had gone well and he was very pleased.
"So I see the brat is awake, you start the interrogation without me?" Kisame smiled at Itachi nonchalantly.
"The interrogation maybe more difficult then originally thought."
"Why?" Kisame stared at the scrawny boy. Certainly he didn't have such a high tolerance for pain, he looked too weak to.
"He doesn't speak our language."
"What! But everyone speaks this language, certainly he's bluffing."
"Hmm… it's possible but I believe he does fear us and would at least respond if he could because of this."
Harry watched the two his confidence slowly building to his usual reckless level. They were cold people, either criminals or warriors, possibly both. He knew he would not win against them, and he had no chance of even lasting a minute in his condition. His only chance was to convince them not to kill him and they spoke a different language. Life really didn't like him.
There was one chance but he didn't know if he had enough energy for a translation spell and was worried they would kill him at the first movement. Slowly he raised his arms to show he meant no harm and waited a moment.
Itachi was curious at the action but said nothing.
Slowly Harry closed his eyes and drew on his energy. The Latin was hard to say with his voice in such disarray but he forced himself to say it clearly and loudly. There was a bit of pain as his throat glowed blue for a moment and Harry found himself out of breath but he decided it would be worth it.
Itachi and Kisame grew defensive when they saw the boy's throat glow blue but did nothing noticing he was losing much of his energy.
His eyes grew glazed and unfocused and he knew he had to speak quickly before he passed out. "My name…. is Harry. Please… help." He panted in between worlds and fell forward.
Kisame stared at the strange boy wandering how he had made his throat glow blue. He might be an advantage and he was certain Itachi agreed as the dark teen checked on this 'Harry'.
"He's just exhausted." Itachi wasn't going to take any chance now that he knew the boy had an odd power so he tied him to a tree.
"I suggest we question him when he wakes. We might find benefit in the information given." Itachi decided turning to Kisame who had no conflict.
The sun rose over the horizon. Another night with no rest, Itachi sighed as he left Harry in Kisame's care as he went to find something to eat.