A Greeting from Grandma Strawberry: Hey guys! Those of you who are familiar with my other work (Harry Potter-sama! Wtf?) must be curious as to why I'm not updating for that story, and instead, starting a new one. To put it simply, I've grown tired of that story. Sorry. And I'm not sure if I'm ever going to get back to it. Who knows though? As of now, it is currently on hiatus. I'm still very into the whole HPNaruto crossover, just not the way I wrote it in my first fan fiction. So I've developed this story, Definitely Not Their Cup of Tea. I hope none of you are too upset, and I hope that you'll like this as much as the other one, or even more so.
Furthermore, I'm still into the anime version of Naruto (and no, not the one that is aired on television with the English voice actors. The JAPANESE one), so I'm not very "updated". I've gotten only parts of what's going to happen in the anime from other fan fiction, but I don't have the whole idea, so no flaming for me being inaccurate. And anyways, this is my story. So please, suck it up and let's be mature about it, shall we? :)
A brief overview of what happened before this fan fiction: Sasuke came back to Konoha after escaping Orochimaru (who as it turns out, is still alive and kicking, the horrible pedophile-like-man) and killing Itachi (he had no reason to remain a missing-nin, as he had accomplished his goal). His punishment has been fulfilled, and he, Naruto, and Sakura (and other various members of the Rookie Nine in addition to Team Gai) climbed the ranks and became ANBU.
I don't think I'm going to focus much on relationships due to the fact that I'm not very confident with my romance-writing skills, but I might add a bit of romance here and there. But be aware that this fan fiction will mostly consist of the following pairs: Sasuke and Sakura, Naruto and Hinata, and Tenten and Neji. Shikamaru is also going to be in this story and he will be in a relationship with Ino, who will be remaining in the Naruto world. So don't expect any lovey-dovey things involving Shikamaru. I apologize for the ShikaIno fans out there in advance.
Also, Harry, Ron, and Hermione will be in their sixth years in Hogwarts. My story will not be revolving around the same plot as the sixth book and I am warning you in advance: there will be differences. Such as the fact that Umbridge (that despicable toad) will be remaining as the Defense Against the Dark Arts professor. Snape will remain as the Potions professor, much to his discomfort, so Slughorn ceases to exist. Harry and Ginny will not have any sort of romance in this fan fiction (let's just pretend that they become a pair in the following year). As I said before, this fan fiction will not be following the plot of the sixth Harry Potter book at all, but instead, be very different. So do not flame me and say that my story is not following J.K. Rowling's Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince's plot. Thanks in advance.
All I have left to say now is…READ AND ENJOY! (People are welcome to review, of course, and do keep in mind that I am no J.K. Rowling! For instance, she is a fantastic writer, whilst I am not).
Oh. Also another thing to keep in mind. The Rookie Nine are all the same age as Harry, Ron, and Hermione, so they're fifteen to sixteen years old (making Team Gai seventeen) at the start of the term.
Disclaimer: I am not a male, so therefore you can conclude I am not Masashi Kishimoto. And from that, you can get that I do not own Naruto in any way. Which is fine with me, because I'd rather sit back, relax, and read Masashi Kishimoto's work, wouldn't you? I am also not J.K. Rowling, although I am female. I am not a super-cool, fantabulous British writer. So I do not own Harry Potter. Which again, is fine with me. Although it'd be pretty fantastic to be a cool British woman (with that accent and all. Yes, I am being the stereotypical American by finding the British accent attractive).
Something Readers Should Take Note Of:
"Blah"- characters are speaking in English (except in this chapter, which takes place in the Naruto world. I don't think you guys will appreciate it if I wrote in bold the majority of this chapter).
"Blah"- characters are speaking in Japanese.
"Blah"- there is an emphasis on something or a spell or jutsu is being said.
'Blah' - character is thinking.
Definitely Not Their Cup of Tea
Chapter One
"Hello! How may I help you this morning - ah, Forehead, nice to see you again!" Ino greeted as she stepped up from behind the counter. She grabbed a buttery yellow apron that hung on a wooden hook behind her and tied it snugly around her slim waist.
"The usual?"
Sakura nodded, following her friend to the back of the Yamanaka's flower shop. As Ino selected from a bundle of flowers that had been neatly arranged in a glass vase to showcase their beauty, Sakura took in her surroundings, inhaling the crisp, sweet scent that the small shop had to offer.
"Here you go, that'll be -," Ino started, but got cut off as Sakura handed her the necessary coins.
Grinning, Ino led the pink-haired girl back to the front of the shop. After popping the coins into the cashier, she turned to her childhood friend.
"It's been a while since you last came to visit me, Forehead," Ino teased, pretending to be offended.
"It's been hectic at the hospital lately, especially because Naruto and Sasuke have been bursting in every few seconds with a fresh injury. They haven't received any ANBU missions lately, so they've been training together twenty-four-seven," Sakura sighed. Her green eyes brightened momentarily. "I have this afternoon off though! Care to meet up with me at Ichiraku's, Pig?"
"I can see that Naruto's been rubbing off on you."
Sakura raised an eyebrow.
"Ichiraku's in a humid day like this? Not a chance -"
"Picky as ever, I see. Then we'll meet up for lunch at that new restaurant that just opened across the weapon shop! I heard that their pasta is scrumptious from Tenten and I've been absolutely dying to try it out. And it's air-conditioned, so it'll be nice and cool for our Princess Ino," Sakura said, her voice thick with sarcasm. "Meet up at twelve o'clock, all right?"
Ino leaned on the countertop and waved her hand, as if shooing the fellow kunoichi away. "I'll talk with you later then! I have customers now, so my dad will kill me if he finds out that I've been chatting with you instead."
Sakura smiled and stepped out into the heavy and sticky air outside, so different compared to the cold of the climate-controlled store she had just left. She nodded politely to a young couple who had side-stepped her to enter the Yamanaka's shop.
"Hello! How may I help you two on this lovely, hot and humid day?"
Sakura bowed, then gently placed the red gaillardia flowers she had just bought on the tops of each of her parent's grave. She folded her legs beneath her, neatly arranging her casual navy blue skirt around her knees.
"Good morning, mother, father!" she started, then stopped, musing. "Actually, I take that back since the weather's been absolutely horrid lately."
Sakura brushed away a stray lock of shoulder-length hair and gently skimmed her calloused fingertips against her mother's weatherworn grave. She remained silent, listenening to the musical laughter of children playing in Konoha's busy streets.
It had been about a year and a half since her parents had died. They had refused to visit the hospital, stubbornly thinking that what seemed like a "common cold" was actually nothing. Instead, her parents had chosen to wait for Sakura to come home from a month-long ANBU assignment.
Although she had barely seen her parents after entering the shinobi academy and becoming a kunoichi and a medic-nin (they were regular Konoha civilians; Sakura was the first of the Harunos to become a shinobi), Sakura missed their warm presences at home: her father rustling the neighborhood's local newspaper in the small living room, occasionally glancing up at the television screen, and her mother bustling around, clanging pots and pans in the kitchen.
But most of all, she missed their "Welcome home, Sakura! How was the mission?" or "Welcome home, Sakura! How was your day?" when she came home tired and haggard from work, and their "Goodbye, Sakura! Have a nice and safe trip!" when she left the house for another mission or for another day of work at the hospital.
Sakura sighed and picked at the green blades of grass tickling her right thigh.
For a few weeks after her parents' deaths, she had moped around Konoha. Her pink hair had gradually lost its healthy shine and dark circles had rimmed the bottoms of her dull eyes. She devoted all her time to training and ANBU missions silently, and even her beloved Team 7, Sai included, rarely got a word out of her pretty mouth.
But as time crept along, Sakura's grief slowly dissipated. She had made the decision to quit ANBU, and instead, chose to devote her time to the hospital, where she felt her skills as a medic-nin (she was third best in Konoha, after Tsunade and Shizune) would be more needed.
After she finally stopped wallowing in her misery, Sakura had realized that even more obstacles stood in her way. Without her mother, Sakura had no one to cook her meals for her. She had grown up slightly spoiled, never having to wander into the kitchen except to get a snack from the refrigerator, so her cooking skills were awful (or "not very satisfying", as Naruto politely put it).
But Lady Luck just happened to being strolling along when she heard Sakura's desperate pleas, and feeling pity, dropped off a Hyuuga Hinata on the young Haruno's doorstep. If not for Hinata, Sakura was sure that by now, she would have already been laying below the ground next to her parents. A pretty pathetic way to die, she thought, as she was a full-fledged shinobi, and shinobi often left this world from wounds obtained in battles, not from such simple things as lack of nourishment.
Sakura broke out of her daze and her fingers stopped tracing slow patterns on the stone of her father's grave. She glanced at her white-gold watch, which had been a gift from her team (Sai and Yamato included) for her sixteenth birthday. They had insisted on her keeping the expensive gift, and at the end, she had reluctantly agreed, promising to lavish them with expensive gifts on their birthdays in return. It was one of the few pieces of jewelry she owned, but it was the most important, along with the simple silver necklace that her parents had given her when she was younger, and an elaborately designed ring that Tsunade had tearfully bestowed her after Sakura recovered from a near-death experience.
Since Sakura was the only female of Team Seven, Naruto, Sasuke, Yamato, Kakashi, and even Sai spoiled her just a bit. But even though she may have been the only female in the male dominating group, she "ruled with an iron fist", as Kiba put it, when he once watched the entire team - both original and "new" members - interact with each other.
"I think it's about time I meet up with Ino. Bye, mom, dad! I'll try visiting as soon as I can!" Sakura got up, brushing dirt and grass off her clothes. She bowed respectively once more and walked off with a slight bounce in her steps, humming softly.
"What are you waiting for? Take a leap and don't be afraid to fall, or you won't get anywhere. I'll even carry you there when life gets too hard," she sang under her breath. She entered the restaurant and walked over to where Ino was busy eyeing a thick menu.
The blonde girl looked up as she heard the chair across from her being pulled back. "Hey, Sakura. What was that thing that Tenten suggested again? I can't decide what to order since there are so many options to choose from."
"I think it was sautéed mushroom and shrimp pasta," Sakura replied, slumping into the cushioned wooden seat.
"Mmm. That sounds delicious! My dad's been a total tyrant lately, not even letting me get a small break to go and get something to eat," Ino scowled as she waved a waitress over.
"That's because your 'small' breaks usually take more than two hours, and you tend to come back with at least six bags of clothing. I think that your dad has caught on after the first five times, Ino."
Ino rolled her eyes, then turned to the waitress who was waiting patiently next to their table.
"We'll have two of the sautéed mushroom and shrimp pasta, please."
"Would you like any drinks with that?"
"I'll have a glass of water with ice."
"Same here!"
The waitress nodded as she scribbled into a small pad. As the pretty waitress walked off after placing a cup of green tea in front of each of the girls, Ino giggled and leaned towards Sakura.
"I heard that she's been infatuated with Genma after he stopped by here two weeks ago."
"Ah, so she's been struck by his charm, huh?" Sakura scoffed, taking a careful sip of her green tea so not to burn her lips.
Ino's blue eyes glinted mischievously. "I know that you've been struck by it too, Sakura-chan!"
Sakura sputtered and quickly dabbed her mouth with her napkin. "Are you kidding me, Pig? That was you! And the last time I checked, I was the one with the awesome photographic memory, and I recall you saying all dreamily, 'I've been totally checking out Genma after the Chuunin Exam'!"
Ino stuck her tongue out and waited for their waitress to set down their orders and leave.
"That was a long time ago. And you have to admit, Genma is pretty hot, especially with that senbon. His tongue must be talented to handle a senbon without stabbing the back of his mouth…I can imagine what he can do with his tongue during -"
"Do not finish what you are going to say, unless you want to leave here with noodles hanging down your nostrils," Sakura glared. "What are you trying to do, ruin my appetite?"
Ino ignored her friend's threat. "Genma probably slept with more than half of the female population in Konoha with those looks and charm. So he's got the experience too," she sighed, cupping her glowing cheeks with the palms of her hands.
"You have Shikamaru, so shut up about Genma, will you?" Sakura scowled at Ino and hastily shoved noodles into her mouth.
"You," Naruto breathed out heavily, "are a bastard."
Sasuke clutched his kunai knife, his face remaining stoic.
"You really are a bastard," Naruto repeated once more, wiping his sweating brow with his arm.
"And you are stupid for falling for that genin-level trick," Sasuke retorted, placing his kunai back into his weapon pouch.
Naruto slumped onto the cool grass and gazed at the blue sky. "It's so hot," he whined, then glanced at his left hand. "I think I sprained three of my fingers again."
Sasuke took a swig of water from his water bottle and grimaced at the lukewarm liquid. "Time to visit the hospital again, dobe?"
The Uchiha's sparring partner groaned, his face turned to the ground. "Sakura-chan's going to be so pissed," he mumbled into the grass.
"Not my fault that a grandmother with arthritis could dodge better than you."
Naruto chose not to respond and instead stood up suddenly and dashed towards Konoha's hospital. "Person who reaches the hospital first gets a free meal in Ichiraku's from the loser!"
Although Sasuke did not remotely care about the prize, his competitive side urged him on, and the sole survivor of the Uchiha clan translocated to the hospital, leaving the training grounds empty once more.
"You," Naruto started, "are a cheater."
Sasuke smirked. "You said first to reach the hospital. You never said anything about how exactly we were supposed to reach it."
Naruto mumbled something incoherent under his breath, then turned to face the lady behind the counter. "Is Sakura-chan in?"
The young girl shook her head as she checked her clipboard. "I'm afraid not. Haruno-san's last shift for today just ended thirty minutes ago."
Sasuke frowned. "Do you have an idea where she would be?"
The young intern blushed and shook her head side to side once more.
"Argh, where's Sakura-chan when I need her?"
"She's probably already tired of healing you, idiot."
Naruto punched Sasuke's shoulder lightly. "Sakura-chan loves me and anyways, she'll never leave her favorite teammate hurt."
"Very ironic, considering the fact that she's always beating you up for something stupid that you've said."
"But Shizune-san, Tsunade-sama said to -"
Naruto's eyes brightened and he dashed towards the source of the voice. "Shizune-neesan!"
Shizune turned around, startled, but relaxed when she spotted an overly-ecstatic Naruto and a quiet Sasuke. "Yes, Naruto?"
"Heal me?" Naruto grinned, thrusting his three swollen fingers forward.
Shizune sighed at the exasperated looks her fellow colleague was shooting her. "Just a moment, Kawamura-san," she said, a green glow already emitting from her fingertips.
"Is that all, Naruto-kun?"
"Yeah, thanks Shizune-neesan," Naruto replied, waggling his now-healed fingers at her brightly.
The man named Kawamura shot Naruto and Sasuke glares, then started to walk off with the hokage's assistant down the hall. "As I was saying, Shizune-san, Hokage-sama told me to inform you that -"
"I told you, Kawamura-san, not to believe everything that Tsunade-sama says when she is highly intoxicated and sleep deprived. Even so, I think she was just pulling your leg when she said that cutting off the man's right arm would stop the swelling of his kidneys."
Shizune's colleague sputtered.
"What a stupid man," Naruto said, looking at the retreating backs of Shizune and Kawamura.
Sasuke rolled his eyes and was about to reply when a shinobi appeared before them.
"Tsunade-sama asked for you two to report to her office immediately," the messenger informed them.
Naruto's face brightened and he pumped a fist into the air. He turned to Sasuke with a grin. "You know what that means, teme," he said in a singsong voice. "Our days of boring sparring has finally come to an end!"
"Sakura-chan, there you are!" Naruto crowed, hugging his friend, his tan cheek rubbing the top of her pink head affectionately.
Sakura patted the blonde's head warily, shooting Sasuke a confused look. The boy just shrugged.
"So what's this mission about, Tsunade-shishou?" Sakura asked, turning to look at Konoha's hokage after Naruto released her from his arms.
Tsunade shook her head. "We're still waiting for the rest to arrive."
"The rest?"
"Yes, Uchiha, the rest. Now just be patient and shut up, especially you, Naruto. I have a massive headache because of stress."
"More like from a hangover," Naruto muttered under his breath. Sakura stepped on his foot and Naruto whimpered in pain. Sasuke smirked. He never tired of seeing Sakura deliver a blow to his blonde teammate.
"Ah, finally! Come on, hurry along now, we don't have all the time in the world," Tsunade said impatiently, tapping her fingernails on her desk.
"Uzumaki Naruto, Uchiha Sasuke, Haruno Sakura, Hyuuga Neji, Hyuuga Hinata, Tenten, and Nara Shikamaru. You seven will be working as a team for your upcoming mission. I expect excellent cooperation and good results," Tsunade said, looking sharply into each of their eyes.
The teenagers had grown a great deal both physically and mentally compared to their genin-days. Naruto, Sasuke, and Neji towered over the girls (the three were the same height), Shikamaru just being slightly shorter, gravity-defying ponytail not included. Hinata was the smallest of the girls, Tenten being the tallest, and Sakura being the in-between at 5 foot 4 inches.
Sakura had kept her bubblegum-pink hair short after Team 7's memory-packed first Chuunin Exam. Her forehead was still slightly larger than the average size, but the rest of her facial features had grown into it, making the size less obvious. Her body didn't fill out as curvy as she had hoped, but her thin, muscled body was almost feline, giving her an even more exotic look with her unique hair color and her large, almond-shaped, apple green eyes. On her right shoulder was the standard ANBU tattoo, indicating that she had once been in the top ranking elite before she had chosen to step down.
Sasuke, who stood beside Sakura, stood at a solid six foot one. His raven hair remained in the same "chicken-butt" style as it had been when he was younger, only slightly longer and his dark eyes contrasted sharply against his pale skin. At first when he had returned to Konoha, he had been ostrasized, and looked upon as a traitor. But everyone had come to accept him once more, and the Uchiha Sasuke fan-club was restored to its high glory. Team Seven was even closer than ever, and no one dared to question the sole survivor of the Uchiha clan on where his loyalties lay. He had even warmed up to Sakura, recognizing that she was no longer foolishly infatuated him, and was often startled to see her strength, forgetting that she was not the weak girl he once knew.
Neji had also grown taller, his dark brown hair tied back in a low ponytail as it had always been, his handsome facial features rivaling Sasuke's. After the segregation in the Hyuuga clan had been renounced, he had taken the role of an older brother of Hinata's, always looking out for the best for his cousin.
Hinata had a petite frame and she had chosen to grow out her hair, which stopped at the middle of her back. She had overcome her fears of not fulfilling the high expectations of the elder Hyuugas, and had entrusted her younger sister, Hanabi, with the role of heiress. Hinata no longer stuttered and fainted in Naruto's presence, and after Sakura and Ino's interferences, she and Naruto had started to date. Perhaps it was Naruto's influence, but the pale girl was even more determined than before to prove that she was worthy of her status as a loyal Konoha shinobi.
Tenten's chocolate brown hair remained in the Chinese-style buns. She was known throughout Konoha as the weapons-mistress, and it was rumored that she and Neji had a "thing", but the rumors had never been verified as many of the gossipers found themselves in Konoha's hospital the next day, stammering "threatened", "white eyes", and "sharp objects".
Shikamaru remained the same lazy, cloud-gazing genius, but he had become more serious after Asuma's death. Chouji insisted that his best friend ask out Ino, and Shikamaru finally agreed after accepting his feelings for his family friend (he had been in denial before, which absolutely infuriated Chouji). The two were now going steady, and after suffering Ino's bickering, the pineapple-haired boy had given up smoking.
Naruto probably matured the most. He had grown from being the last of his class and a prankster to one of the top shinobi, and along the way, gained the trust of Konoha's many civilians. His perverted antics had calmed down (although they were not completely non-existent; he and Jiraiya made quite the pair), but he remained as loud as ever. There were times he was serious, his cerulean eyes sharpening and his voice losing its childish charm, but other times, he remained the same immature, loud, and spontaneous ninja that everyone had come to love. His handsome looks also helped in creating a fan club of his own, its member-capacity rivaling the Uchiha and Hyuuga fan clubs.
"You will be going on an A-rank mission. My client had requested ANBU-level shinobi," Tsunade stated.
"But shishou, I'm not in ANBU -"
"Hokage-sama, I am only a jounin -," Hinata said, a look of bewilderment upon her face.
Tsunade put up a hand, signaling for them to be quiet. "Sakura, you're an ex-ANBU, so you already meet the necessary requirements. We also need a medic in this group, and Yamanaka Ino will be busy soon with a mission of her own. Hinata, you'll be assisting Sakura if she ever needs an extra pair of hands. I am aware that you have been taught the basics of medical jutsus and that your skills are up to par with a regular ANBU."
Hinata's cheeks flushed and she looked at the floor, her long, dark indigo hair framing her face. Naruto put his arm around his girlfriend's shoulder and grinned encouragingly. "Hinata-chan, you're strong! So you don't have to worry!"
"Shikamaru, you'll be acting as head leader in this mission," Tsunade informed the spiky-haired teenager.
"Hyuuga," at this, she nodded at a solemn Neji, "will be acting as co-leader, as you two are ANBU captains, so you two have prior experience. Uchiha Sasuke will act as the team's interrogator if necessary, and as I said before, Sakura will be the head medic with Hinata as her assistant."
"But baachan, what exactly is this mission?" Naruto said impatiently.
Konoha's hokage's eyes glinted. "Your client's name is Albus Dumbledore and your mission will be in another world."
A sharp crack broke the silence and all the shinobi in the room , excluding Tsunade, took a fighting stance, preparing to assail the intruder, who happened to be a rather strange looking old man dressed in rich midnight blue robes covered with silver stars, high-heeled buckled boots, and a pointed cap.
Neji and Hinata had activated their Byakugan, Tenten had taken out a rather large scroll that stored a vast number of weapons, Sasuke had activated his Sharingan, Naruto had two kunai knives in his hands, Sakura grasped her poison-tipped senbon, and Shikamaru just stood there.
"No no!" Tsunade exclaimed, waving her hands around to prevent a fight from commencing. "Don't be attacking our client. Naruto, put away the kunai!"
Naruto frowned, but did as he was ordered. "I thought he was a threat!"
Albus Dumbledore nodded understandingly, his pale blue eyes twinkling behind his half-moon spectacles. "That is logical, especially since you wouldn't expect an old man garbed in such outlandish garments to appear spontaneously in the Hokage's office ."
He caught Shikamaru eyeing his pointed hat strangely. "It's quite comfortable, despite the strange shape. Would you like to try it on, young man?"
Shikamaru declined politely and Sakura and Tenten stifled their giggles.
"You," Naruto started in disbelief, "you speak Japanese?"
"That's a bit obvious, isn't it?" Sasuke said sarcastically, rolling his dark eyes at his teammate's lack of common sense.
Naruto glared at the raven-haired Uchiha, then turned once more to Dumbledore, who was picking at a loose thread on his sleeve. "But…you're not Japanese!"
Sakura punched the blonde's head. "That's rude, you idiot!" she hissed.
"Ow, ow, Sakura-chan that hurt," Naruto complained, leaning his head down so that Hinata could soothe the dull ache.
"Quiet, you," scolded Tsunade. "It's time you learn to act like a professional in front of your clients. This is Albus Dumbledore. He was a good friend of the Sandaime, so be respectful. He's here to debrief you seven on the mission that you'll be going on in a month's time."
"Really? Ne ne, old man, this mission better be interesting. I've been in Konoha way too long and -"
"Respect, Naruto," Tsunade ground out, clenching her hands into fists to refrain from throwing the boy out of the window.
Albus Dumbledore looked at Naruto with amusement. "It's quite all right, Tsunade-san. But first, why don't all of you get settled with some tea and dango? I've taken quite a liking to the Japanese treats myself."
The wizard took out what appeared to be a long stick and waved it in the air. Eight armchairs seemed to appear out of nowhere, along with a small coffee table and a tray filled with cups brimming with green tea and dango. Hinata smothered a surprised gasp with her hand, Neji's eyes widened, and the rest jumped, startled.
"Sit down and please don't hold back, there are plenty of dango for everyone. Tsunade-san, would you care for some sake?"
Tsunade instantly brightened, thanking the man as he handed her a bottle of the warm liquor. Sakura's face darkening went unnoticed.
"So, Dumbledore-san, the briefing?" Tsunade questioned after taking a sip of the delightfully delicious alcohol.
"My name," Albus Dumbledore started after everyone settled into the chairs, "is Albus Dumbledore."
"We already know that, old man."
"Shut up, Naruto!"
"Ow, that's the foot you already stomped on, Sakura-chan!"
"Naruto-kun, I think it's best for you to be quiet," Hinata murmured, glancing at an agitated Tsunade.
"Okay, but only for you, Hinata-chan."
Dumbledore chuckled. "I come from another world; a world that consists of two mini-worlds, one can say- one in which regular civilians live in, and another consisting of magic. The normal world without magic does not know of the existence of the other, but the magical world is quite aware of its counterpart. These two mini-worlds co-exist in the world that your mission will be in."
"Is that what you did earlier when you waved that stick around? Magic?" asked Sakura.
"Yes, my dear. Although what I waved is not a simple stick, it is a wand. Wands are common in the magic world. It is an instrument used by wizard and witches in order to create magic. Without it, it is extremely difficult to mold the necessary energy into what we wizards and witches want."
"So it is a bit like our chakra then?" Neji folded his hands in his lap, his clan's trademark pale eyes meeting Albus's blue ones.
"There are similarities, yes, but there are also differences. Your chakra is made from the energy within you, while our magic is made from the energy around us- nature's spiritual energy, to put it mildly," Dumbledore answered, after chewing thoughtfully on a dango.
"So what's the mission?" Shikamaru asked, setting down his empty cup. Dumbledore immediately waved his wand, and the pineapple-haired boy's cup filled once more with green tea. Shikamaru nodded his thanks to the wizard, who smiled in return.
"In the world you will soon be visiting, there are schools that teach magic to those they allow into its premises. I am the headmaster of but one of these schools, called Hogwarts, which is located in England."
Naruto snorted at the school's odd name and Albus chuckled. "I too find it quite a delightful name.
"The past month when Hogwarts was preparing for the upcoming school year, there were five incidences that seem to be linked to each other," Dumbledore started again, but this time, his eyes lacked the glint of humor it held before.
"There were sightings of a dangerous beast on the school grounds, and one of our professors kindly informed me that the beast seemed to be immune to magic. I myself encountered the beast once, and its aura seemed quite similar to the auras of the animals that I have encountered in this world. Its power was raw and extremely strong, and it seems to be quite intelligent, as it had escaped my attempts at capturing it. The reason I asked Tsunade-san for her help was because I believe that only chakra will be able to harm it. That is why I have asked for Tsunade-san to send seven guards: to protect my school and my students. Food, boarding, and other necessities will be taken care of, and of course, I will be paying the mission fee. I am sure that we will be able to come to an agreement on the cost, Tsunade-san."
Tsunade nodded. "Of course, Dumbledore-san. You have come to the aid of the Sandaime numerous times in the past, so it will be my pleasure for Konoha to repay that debt."
"So we can assume that our ultimate goal in this mission is to kill this beast?" Sakura asked.
"And, if possible, to find out what exactly created it. It is unlike anything that I have encountered before," Dumbledore added. "And another thing…I'd like you to keep an eye out especially for one of my students. He is going into his sixth year in Hogwarts and his name is Harry Potter. He's had quite a background."
"Hah-ree Pot-tur?" Naruto hesitated, struggling with the foreign name.
Dumbledore nodded. "Our world is currently being threatened by an extremely powerful dark wizard named Voldemort and his followers, who call themselves Death Eaters. He has been after Harry ever since the boy was a baby, which resulted in the unfortunate deaths of Harry's parents. Harry has faced Voldemort and his followers several times before and survived, but I fear that this year he might not be so lucky and survive unscathed, because I have a suspicion that Voldemort is somehow connected with the beast that has infiltrated Hogwarts."
The atmosphere in the Hokage's office was heavy as Dumbledore waved his wand once more, the empty tray and cups disappearing. None of the shinobi showed any signs of bewilderment, although the looks on their faces showed that they were still intrigued about Dumbledore's magic.
"Who here knows English?" asked Dumbledore.
"English?" The shinobi looked at each other, puzzled at the unfamiliar word.
"As I suspected. It is the language spoken in the region where you will be heading soon, in a month's time," Hogwarts' headmaster explained kindly. He waved his wand once more and seven leather-bound books appeared in the hands of the shinobi.
"A Magical Guide to Aid the English-Impaired: Japanese Version. Even a Baka Can Learn!" Tenten read.
Sasuke and Naruto eyed the book with distaste, while Sakura, who sat next to him, was already skimming through its pages with interest.
"Knowing how to speak English will make your mission much easier, so it is important that you read those books and at least learn the basics before the start of the school year," Tsunade ordered.
"Well then, I will be taking my leave. I still have some things that must be taken care of back home," said Dumbledore to Tsunade. "I will come by later to discuss the money issue with you, if that is all right?"
The busty woman nodded in agreement, and with an ear-splitting crack, the man was gone.
"Well that was strange," Sakura mused.
"I have a feeling that this mission will be the strangest yet," Tenten grinned.
Tsunade rapped her knuckles sharply against her desktop to gain their attention. "As I said before, I want each of you to study the book that Dumbledore-san was kind enough to give you. By the end of next month, I want each of you to be able to hold at least a decent conversation in English. Each of you will have a break from any further missions, and Sakura, you'll be also having a break from the hospital. Hinata, Shizune is waiting outside to take you for a fitting."
A look of confusion flitted across Hinata's face.
"You'll be needing the standard ANBU outfit and a mask," Tsunade explained.
"Okay, by the end of next month, you should have packed all the things you think you will need for the mission. Oh, and Shikamaru and Neji, you'll be needing these," Tsunade handed two scrolls to the two boys. "Those are communication scrolls. Write in those every once in a while to update me on how the mission is coming along."
The team's leader and co-leader nodded and slipped the scrolls into their pockets.
Tsunade smacked the palm of her hand against the top of her desk. "Dismissed!"
When all seven shinobi had left the room, Konoha's hokage turned in her chair to face her village.
'This is going to be a long and stressful mission for them, isn't it, teacher?'
Tsunade looked up at the carved face of Konoha's Sandaime and took a swig out of her magically-conjured sake bottle.
Ichigo here! So…how was the first chapter of my new story? I hope you enjoyed it!! Since you already did the first part of what I asked (reading), why not do the second part? Which is to review!!! That'll make me extremely grateful, especially if you tell me how I did, because I'm not so sure how I did myself.
The part when Dumbledore talked about the differences between chakra and magic, I made up as I went along, so don't bombard me with insults if that is inaccurate.
Another thing worth mentioning…I hope that this story doesn't sound plagiarized or like I stole someone else's idea. I needed a good reason as to why Dumbledore needed shinobi, since I realized that just "protecting Harry" was stupid. After all, I think Dumbledore realized that Harry is perfectly capable of protecting himself, and if that's the reason why he needed shinobi, then why would they stay for only a school year? So I asked my friend, and she came up with this idea. Or ripped it off someone else, I'm not sure. And if there is someone out there who is offended with the fact that my plot seems similar to another author's, I apologize. Especially to the author, who hopefully will not mind and let me continue with this fan fiction.
It'd be great if you guys reviewed, really. I'd appreciate it!
And...HAPPY FOURTH OF JULY!!! I hoped you all enjoyed the fireworks! Even now, the fireworks are still going off. The sounds are rather annoying actually, and I wish the people can just CALM THEMSELVES AND STOP HAVING A HAY-DAY WITH THE FREAKING EXPLOSIVES. But whatever, Independence Day comes once a year, so I'll just let them be. Aren't I nice? :) Actually, now that I've finished this chapter...it is now the fifth of July. So I'll correct myself. HAPPY BELATED FOURTH OF JULY!!!** Or if you like...HAPPY FIFTH OF JULY! Why not, right?
Grandma Strawberry, out!