Title: 1989 - Letters

Summary: Hogwarts letters come to different people in different ways.

Rating: K+

Author's Note: I know, uploading another WIP is bad manners but I am so crazy blocked, the only way to get around it is to write something. That something being an HP/Naruto crossover. A fact of life is, if I love two things, I will try a crossover. This is a fusion fic as opposed to 'ninja in Hogwarts' type fic, so I hope you enjoy.

March 9th, 1989

Edinburgh, Scotland, UK

Tenten was by nature an early riser, and had been most of her life. A gloomy winter morning was no exception as she sat watching her family get ready for the upcoming school day. Tenten was already dressed, ready for a day trip at a local farm, though the same could not be said for her brothers who were running back and forth, yelling.

"Tao!" her youngest brother shouted up the stairs, "where are my boots?"

"Under the table Shun," her mother said as she packed several bags worth of lunch. Tao sat at the table, struggling with his socks. "Ting, please finish that toast if nothing else. Fan, stop playing with your porridge and eat it. We bought it for you specifically."

Tenten wrinkled her nose at the use of her real name, but finished her jelly covered toast dutifully while Fan began to eat his now cold porridge in large, dramatic bites. Shun and her eldest brother clomped downstairs together, Shun looking sheepish, Ling looking annoyed.

"Mama," he said, "Shun's been yelling and Bo won't wake up." Tenten's mother sighed, pinning her youngest with a stare.

"No. Yelling. In. The. House." She enunciated each word slowly, "understand me Shun? Your father needs his rest." Shun, who was naturally loud and boisterous, flushed and nodded. Tenten's mother, Jinghua being her proper name, looked at her children before pinning Tenten with a stare. "Ting, please go wake up Bo, and check to see your father is still sleeping. The come downstairs, you still need to put on your outer wear."

"Yes mama," the eleven year old said, stepping as quietly as she could as she mounted the stairs. As it turned out, Bo, who had a sixth sense for when she was about to get in trouble, was now up, shuffling about with a toothbrush in her mouth as she hunted for her hairbrush. Tenten sat down on the older girl's bed, handing the pink handled brush to her sister who grunted in response.

She watched as the older girl quickly braided her long hair and lined her dark eyes in kohl with an almost professional hand. Tenten was about to ask Bo how she did it – Tenten always smudged her makeup, when her mother's voice came from downstairs. "Ting! Come here!"

Bo eyed Tenten. "What did you do Ting?"

"Nothing," she said defensively. "And call me Tenten." Hopping off the bed she headed over to the door, calling "coming mama!" as she walked. Tenten stopped only very briefly to see what her father was doing – reading it turned out – before she skipped downstairs, back into the kitchen.

Her brothers were gone, a brief glance out the window verifying that they were outside roughhousing in the snow. Or at least, Fan, Shun and Tao were, Ling was reading in the mudroom. Her mother was standing at the kitchen table, frowning down at something in her hand. "You've got a letter," she said, sounding more confused than anything. "From a school."

Tenten frowned in confusion, taking the letter. The writing on the thick envelop was green and read Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. She looked at her mother in alarm, wondering if it was some kind of joke. "Mama?" she asked and her mother shrugged.

"Open it," she said, "maybe it's a school activity you forgot about."

July 5th, 1989

Finchley, London, England, UK

Neji could not help but feel somewhat apprehensive when he woke up at five am. on his birthday. The sun was not yet up though he could here someone out in the hall, but other than that the Hyūga household was still asleep. Slipping out of his bedroom Neji took time getting dressed, going so far as to brush his teeth in his bathroom before he finally headed downstairs.

The England branch of the once famed Hyūga family was as old and pureblood as their native counterparts, something which showed in the sprawling mass of their home. Making his way down the white halls of the large estate decorated with enough ancient calligraphy scrolls, paintings and prints to make a museum weep in envy, Neji did not even encounter one of the servants.

He was, however, somewhat surprised upon entering the kitchen to find not only his uncle, who was always the first person up, but his aunt and cousin as well. Hiding his shock with a practised half bow, he could not hide his curiosity as he turned to Hinata. "Did you have trouble sleeping?" he asked the younger Hyūga, and was not terribly surprised when she flushed pink.

"No," she said, "I slept quite well niisan. I just um, well I wanted to be here when you got your letter," she looked hopefully at him.

Suppressing a grin at her obvious interest in the Hogwarts letter, Neji nodded. "Of course," he said. "I'm a little surprised Hanabi isn't up too." From her spot at the casual dining table his aunt tutted lightly.

"I've half a mind to send the both you back to bed for at least another two hours," she said. "So don't going jinxing the good luck that has Hanabi still asleep." Across from her Neji's uncle sighed.

"Don't tempt fate, any of you," he said, peering up from the papers he was working on. "And I am not waking Emi to make you breakfast," he pinned them with a severe glare. Neji nodded his understanding, but Hinata blushed more and ducked her head.

"O-of course father," she said, "I-I wouldn't want that." Hiashi did not respond to her beyond a dismissive grunt, and Neji rolled his eyes at his uncle's aloofness. Ignoring Hinata's stuttering and the disapproving looks his aunt shot her husband he walked over to the kettle, checking for water.

"Sorry Neji dear," his aunt said, "we weren't expecting you two for at least an hour," she smiled at them and stood. "Here, let me make breakfast and tea, it is your birthday after all." She walked over, ruffling Neji's long hair as she did so. With Hinata she smoothed the sleep tousled locks and kissed her on the top the head. "Now, go do something fun you two," she said. "Which means absolutely no meditation or preparation studying,"

"Yes mother," Hinata said. Neji nodded in thanks before exiting the kitchen, not bothering to check if Hinata followed. She did of course, coming up to him with a brief jog, lingering near his shoulder. "Where are you going, Neji?" she asked, twiddling her fingers nervously.

"Stop that," he told her, "everyone always knows what you're thinking when you do that." Hinata flushed once again, clasping her hands in front of her. "And I am going outside to the garden." Hinata frowned.

"Mother said we shouldn't meditate," she said and Neji shook his head.

"We're going to watch the sunrise," he told her. "That's all." Outside they settled in two crooks of a large tree at the far back of the garden, both high enough to see over the top of the estate. People were starting to mill about on the street, unaware of their watchers as the sun crept over the horizon. The cousins themselves failed to take note of the owl who swooped above their heads, a letter attached to her leg, too busy watching the skyline through hooded eyes.

"Niisan," Hinata asked sleepily. "What house do you think you'll be in?" His mother, after all, had been a proud Gryffindor, while his father had been a Slytherin. Neji hummed in response.

"Probably Slytherin," he said, "I don't think I have the temper for Gryffindor," Hinata giggled as she remembered their cousin Azami, a hot headed little ball of anger, and their only cousin currently in Gryffindor.

"Maybe you'll be in Ravenclaw like Tokuma-niisan," Hinata said. "I think that would be nice." She sighed, "I'll probably be a Hufflepuff." Neji raised an eyebrow and looked down at her.

"And what would be wrong with that?" he asked, her mother's side of the family had a very long and proud history in Hufflepuff.

"Hoshu-niisan said that Hufflepuff is where the weak Hyūga go," she admitted after a moment of silence.

Neji frowned at that. "Hoshu is a jerk," he told her, ignoring her gasp of shock at his blunt assessment of one of their eldest cousins. "He won't even be there by the time you start going anyway, so don't bother with his opinion." Smiling, he added, "maybe if we're lucky he'll fall off his broom this year."

Hinata gasped to cover up a giggle, "Neji-niisan," she said, voice chiding, but was interrupted by the very high, very loud voice of her sister.

"Ane! Neji-niisan! Mother won't let me have my tea until you come down here and read your letter!" Neji blinked in surprise.

"It's already here?" he called back to her, even as he and his cousin hopped down the tree branches.

"Well it's almost six!" she cried, "now hurry up! I wanna eat!"

"We're coming Hanabi," Hinata cried, racing behind Neji, "don't worry!" To Neji, more quietly, she said, "you shouldn't worry either niisan. You'll be amazing no matter where you go." Neji smiled at her trust, just a small one, but thanked her as they entered the house. A new life was coming.

July 24th, 1989

Sholing, Southampton, England

Lee was woken up by a 3 stone, hyper excited five year old jumping on his chest and shouting. Granted, this wasn't particularly unusual but it was never all that welcome, though he loved Ben dearly.

No, really.

"Up up up!" the little boy shouted, "it's parent day Lee! Get up!"

"M up Ben," Lee said, gently pushing the freckled child off onto the unused part of the bed and rolling into a stand. Two more children stood in the door way, both slightly older than Ben. The girl, dark skinned and tall for her age looked a little embarrassed, while the boy looked unimpressed.

"Knock it off Ben," he said. "Lee's eleven now, no one's going to adopt him." Lee felt a pang and the girl smacked him upside the head.

"Noah," she said, and the boy, blond and scrawny, shrugged.

"It's true," he said, "we're only eight and no one wants us either," he eyed Ben. "You're the only one with real shot at getting adopted," he came fully into the room, taking a seat at the foot of Lee's bed as the boy pulled on a plain blue tee shirt and tried to decide between his three pairs of pants.

"The black ones," the girl said, "they don't have any stains on them," Lee noted this was true and shot her a giant green.

"My thanks Tianna," he said, "did I miss breakfast?"

"No, Stephen and Andrea aren't even up," she said, "it's only seven thirty after all." Lee blinked in surprise and looked at his clock.

"I slept in," he said and Noah groaned in disgust.

"You three are insane," he said. "I'd still be in bed if not for this madwoman," he glared at Tianna who smiled serenely back at him. The potential for bickering was cut off by a knock at the door and an older woman pocking her head in.

"Honestly you three," she chided Tianna, Noah and Ben, "do you have something against letting poor Lee sleep? And staying in here while he's dressing," she wagged her finger at Tianna "especially you!"

Tianna rolled her large, dark eyes at the familiar argument. "Why? It's not like I've never seen him in his swim trunks before," she said, "it's just Lee!" Lee chuckled at her, patting Ben on the head and smiling at the orphanage's matron.

"Good Morning Mrs. Locke," he said, "I hope everything's okay?" She smiled at his manners.

"I need to speak with you, Lee," she looked at the younger children, "alone." Grumbling they clambered off his bed, Ben giving Lee a thumbs up.

"Something good's gonna happen to you today Lee," he said firmly, "I can feel it in my big toe!" He'd broken it three months past, and since it healed insisted the mended bone could sense good luck. Noah thought he was being silly, Lee thought it was cute and Tianna didn't much care.

"Well then," Lee said, "how can I doubt you?" Mrs. Locke waved the little kids off, closing the door firmly and gesturing for Lee to sit.

"Now dear," she said, settling in beside him. "You've been with us a while now, and I love you as dearly as anyone else here, you understand that right?" Lee nodded at that, fear stirring in his gut. Mrs. and Mr. Locke had taken him in after his parent's death when he was six. Though not technically an orphanage, the Lockes were not foster parents, but rather more like a small scale group home. Once a month parents came by with the children's foster workers to see if they worked well together.

Lee's social worker visited often, but he hadn't brought a family with him in three years.

"Yes well," Mrs. Locke looked a little sad, now that Lee actually looked at her. "Well this is for you," she smiled. "A girl I took care of for a few months got this letter once," she said, "it made her very happy." She set a strange looking envelope down next to Lee and patted his hand gently. "Read it, and then come down for breakfast, alright deary?"

"Of course Mrs. Locke," Lee said slowly. He didn't get the chance to ask what was going on, as she disappeared, closing the door behind her.

Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry

Headmaster: Albus Dumbledore

Order of Merlin, First Class, Grand Sorc., Chf. Warlock,
Supreme Mugwump, International Confed. of Wizards

It took Lee a few minutes to read the three pages of information within, and then read it a second time to make sure he wasn't hallucinating. His first reaction was, of course, disbelief. He was Lee Rock, resident weirdo and unwanted orphan, not a wizard. Of course, it explained little things, like the time his broken finger healed over night or the fact he managed to outrun bullies at seemingly impossible speeds, but it seemed unreal.

Then again, Mrs. Locke seemed to think it was real, and after a moment he headed downstairs. In the dining room a sleepy Stephen and chipper Andrea had joined the other three children, and Mr. Locke was seated between Ben and Stephen, listening raptly as Ben explained the plot of some show or other to him. Mrs. Locke was standing in the door of the kitchen, looking nervous, and she waved him in.

"Mrs. Locke," he said, "is there someone I can talk to about...this?" he waved the letter and she smiled.

"Of course, of course," she said. "Someone you know, actually." Lee frowned.

"I do?"

"Good morning Lee," a deep voice said from the door to the garden, "I'm terribly sorry for keeping this from you so long." Whirling around Lee was greeted with the large somewhat sheepish, green clad figure of his social worker.

"Gai?" he asked, feeling like he'd just been hit with a two by four. "You're magical?" the idea seemed ridiculous, though no more ridiculous then Lee being magical. Gai Vass, his social worker for the last four years, as his first had retired two years after he first joined the system, scratched his head.

"Afraid so, Lee," he said. "Milton gave me your case file when he retired," he smiled at Lee. "Why don't we sit down over some tea and talk about this?" Lee nodded weakly in agreement, letting Mrs. Locke guide him to his seat. "Now," Gai settled down across from him. "Where should we begin?"

Author's Notes:

A very important note about ages. In HP canon, Hogwarts has a cutoff date for birthdays - anyone born after Sept 1st goes a year later. This means, for the sake of the combined canons, some people are a year older than they are in Naruto. These people are:

Lee - starts at 11, but is 12 by November

Shikamaru - starts at 11, is 12 by the end of September

Ino - same as Shikamaru

Hinata - starts at 11, is 12 by the end of December. This also means Hinata is no longer one year younger than Neji.She's still the year under his, but age wise is only five months younger.

Naruto - starts at 11, turns 12 in October.

As such, all these characters will graduate at 18, not 17, but remain in the 'rookie 9' or 'team Gai' years they belong in.