A/N.: I'm updating so fast for two reasons: one, I've got this written; two, you guys seem to like the story so far. So welcome my longest chapter so far!
When Harry woke next, he didn't know if he should curse or laugh. The thing that woke him was a leg, more precisely a foot poking him, wonder of wonders, on his face. As it turned out, Naruto was a restless sleeper and he managed to turn around and sprawl over the bed and Harry by morning. This called for revenge! (And manhandling the kid was fun so why not?)
Naruto found himself smothered by a hug, or he thought when he was coherent enough. He tried to get out of the arms but before he could panic, he heard Harry's voice coo.
"Good morning, my little Sunshine! You want to spend the day with me? Really? I know you love me, so let's get ready okay darling?" And it went like this, and in the meantime Harry got up, the blond still in his arms, while he went to the kitchen. He thanked the deities that he bought ingredients for breakfast too.
While Harry still didn't remember how he got there, or what his circumstances were before coming here, he decided that he wouldn't dwell on it. His little blond - yes, his! - took his mind off of his previous world and prevented any panic attack he might have, and frankly he seemed to need Harry. It was a no-brainer really, after seeing the people glare and whisper, he wouldn't leave Naruto.
Naruto was happy. No matter how strange this feeling was, how odd Harry seemed, Naruto wanted him to stay. Not that he had much time to think, now that he had someone to talk to, someone who hugged him and taught him, even if it was trivial things other kids already knew, he would enjoy their time to the fullest.
After a breakfast they made together, they got ready for the day.
"Hey Sunshine! Do you have anything to do today?" Harry asked a bit unsure. He hoped the kid didn't need to work this young!
"No, but I was gonna train." Naruto peered up through his golden bangs, which made Harry almost overlap him with himself it was so familiar. He got on his knees, and smiled. He would help.
"You want to do it together? We could do things like the clans do." He said. "Hey, ninjas have to be stealthy right?" He got an enthusiastic nod. "So we could start your training with watching others, to see what they do. What do you say?"
Naruto got contemplative, but nodded slowly. "So it's training to see how to train?" He brightened up. "Okay!"
"But you'll have to help me, because I'm not really good with it." He ruffled those tufts, knowing that doing things together and above all, with Naruto helping him, he would see some errors and not make them himself. He learned while teaching the DA that he learned a lot by observing and correcting others.
"Okay, I'm good at sneaking!" Naruto was grinning by now. And so they set out. Before every clan scouting, Harry stopped Naruto, to ask about them. It proved to be invaluable, and he was amazed how much Naruto knew, mostly by seeing them.
At the Inuzuka's they had to watch out for the wind, with the Uchiha's they didn't even dare to ruffle a leaf or breath too loudly, they didn't even go near the Hyuuga, but with others they had an easy time. It turned out, that the kids mostly learned family jutsu and taijutsu. Weapon handling was also popular. This got Harry thinking.
While Naruto was capable of patience, he didn't want to use it if he could avoid. Just like himself. So Harry planned to drop the bomb when they were done with dinner. "Darling. Does this place have a library?"
"Yes, but they don't really like me there." was the hesitant answer. Harry wasn't really expecting anything else from the villagers by now. It didn't mean he liked it.
"We should go there at least for a little time tomorrow. You okay with that?" When Naruto didn't meet his eyes, Harry got the feeling that something was wrong. "Sunshine. Look at me." He pulled his little blond into his arms. "Tell me what's wrong, please."
"I…" He didn1t seem to know how to tell, but after a few minutes he seemed to steel himself. Naruto met Harry's eyes dead-on, determination shining through. "I don't know how to read." This was as far as his brave mask carried him. "I… They didn't teach me, and I couldn't just go to Jijii, he has a lot of work, but I didn't have any other to go to, so…" Ah, this cleared up the confusion.
"It's okay lovely, I'm here. I'll help you." Even if he didn't know how, because everything swam in his eyes, translating, but he would help somehow.
The next day, Harry paid a visit to the Hokage requesting a teacher for reading and writing to Naruto, and after seeing the horrified look on the third's face, they agreed on a tutor visiting every evening for two hours. Harry asked for the tutor to not be informed of Naruto's identity. He agreed, if just to see how that would turn out.
After that, they got into a schedule. In the mornings they went to the library, where Harry would alternate between reading out loud to Naruto, and studying by himself, while Naruto tried to sneak up on him as training. After a light lunch came the physical training, with lot of running, basic forms of punching and kicking, and even helping each other with weapons. While Harry wouldn't be as natural as Naruto, he could help with the blond's aiming problems, making sure he didn't injure himself, and they even started doing chakra control exercises. This last Harry found in the library, with explanations and at least ten levels of control exercise. By the evening Naruto was calmer, having spent his energy, and Harry was knackered. Naruto had a glamour placed on him, to make him resemble Harry, with black hair and brown eyes, and also hid the whisker marks. This was how the tutor saw him, and treated Naruto with professionalism.
The Hokage offered to make being with Naruto a mission to Harry, to get some pay, but he refused. The amount the little blond got was enough for two if no one knew it was him, and nowadays Harry was the one to go shopping. Funny how it wasn't enough for two when people knew Naruto was the one buying things.
After a month they got a surprise however. They were doing their routine training in the afternoon on top of the Hokages' heads when they heard a 'CRACK' sound. They both knew what it was, even if Naruto only heard it once. They abandoned their stances, because they were learning taijutsu from a scroll Harry found, even though now Naruto read some once and again too, and ran towards the sound's origin.
What, or better who they found left Harry staring like a fish. There in the middle of the forest sprawled out was no other than his invaluable, but insufferable former potions professor, one Severus Snape.
Harry didn't even think, when he pulled out his wand, and after sending a patronus to the Hokage, informing him of the new arrival, he run some tests on the man. When he seemed healthy enough, Harry came out of his daze. Realizing that he shouldn't even show his wand, he slipped it back, and after talking to Naruto a bit, they made their way back to his apartment, where no other than the third waited already for them. The picture they presented was mildly funny, Harry piggybacking Snape, while still holding one of Naruto's hands. It was a miracles he didn't sprain his own hand.
When they got in, and after settling Severus on the bed temporarily they sat down by the table, with Naruto on the lap of Harry. To the little blond's indignation, Harry got out one of his reading books, and with a few sentences coaxed him to at least try reading some when he got bored with the adults' chatter. It included a hug or two, some kisses on blond locks, and a promise for a nice dessert after supper, but he agreed reluctantly.
Sarutobi was amazed by this familiarity and trust between the two, but wisely stayed silent. He made a wise decision it seemed.
It turned out that this Sevros (1) was a poison and antidote specialist in their world. Harry said he would talk to the man, but they decided to all wait together for him to wake.
Harry also confessed that the white genjutsu like stag that carried his message was normal in their world, and he sent it by reflex, almost giving a heart attack to the Hokage and his guards, who tried eliminating the threat with no success whatsoever.
Sarutobi gave his permission to use it in emergencies and urgent matters, seeing as they couldn't harm it if they wanted, the message would be delivered even with triggering the ANBU's instincts. It would be a good training too.
After only two hours of talking, Naruto picked up shuffling from his bedroom, and Harry, already accustomed to the child's sharp senses let him down, following him to the room.
Before Naruto could start poking him though, Harry stopped him, signalling with a serious stare that he shouldn't do it. Harry went to the bed, and gently started shaking his former professor, taking care not to move him too much, still remembering how it hurt when he first woke.
When he felt momentary stiffening, and before the older man could move, he started talking, noticing with relief that he was talking English again. "It's okay professor, it's me, Harry. Don't move, your body will be hurting. You aren't in danger, so take your time. We'll be in the next room. When you feel up to it, please come out, okay?" He took care to use smoothing tones not to agitate the headache the other surely had. When he got a barely perceptible not, he led the other two out of the room, back to the table they vacated just now.
Harry had to explain that it was their home language, cementing his claim that he was from some other place or time or universe or whatever. He also told the old man and his Sunshine that he doesn't know how, but understands them, but hears the foreign tones under it and that he hurt all over when he got there, and he only woke after already being there at least five hours.
After getting the basic facts, they started talking about Naruto, and his training with Harry and Ebisu, his reading teacher. Now it was more like Naruto telling everything from head to toe, and how he felt and what interesting things happened after he met Harry. He even told of the few times there were more aggressive villagers, trying to 'help' Harry not to be in bad company. There was no question, after that Harry practically shouted down their wigs, and by the time he was done those people felt like an inch tall.
There were also some that tried talking to him while he went out to go shopping and Harry talked to them like they talked to him. The more courteous ones got some interesting questions that they could ponder on, the more forceful ones got a serious dressing down. Harry didn't tell this to either of them. It was starting to show though, because the villagers started being more curious and observing and not just hostile. Observing the little blond with a loving parent figure hammered home to a lot of people that he was only a child and by proxy caused some sleepless nights.
Naruto thankfully didn't pay attention to others now that he had Harry, and Harry did the same, even if he was aware of the change peripherally.
Naruto was in the middle of telling his adventures in the library, and how Harry always heard him, or sensed him and helped develop his stealth further when Snape slowly made his way out of the bedroom. He looked like hell.
All three turned to him, of course on Naruto's cue.
"How are you feeling?" (2) Harry asked, not that he didn't know, but it was better to ask.
He got a groan as an answer. "Like someone wrung me out and dipped in a corrosive potion before squeezing through a straw." Okay, it really was his Snape, which was good.
"It'll take time for the pain to ease, but I'm not sure if he'll understand anything you say, we1ll experiment with it okay?" Harry said turning to the Hokage, then back to Snape. "Did you understand any of what I said?"
"… Bits and pieces. Like someone was tuning in an old radio. You said something about pain and experimentation right?" was his answer.
"That's good; I think you'll understand everything with a bit of time. How's your body? When I woke it took some time and moving to get my body to cooperate."
"Moving? Just great." He didn't look enthusiastic, Harry could empathize.
"We could help Severus a bit. I think we could resume our physical training, and let Ebisu-san have a free evening. What do you say?" He looked at the little blond. It was partly because Naruto did read while the two adults were chatting. Naruto was more than happy to agree, and Sarutobi gave his blessings too, even volunteering to inform the man. Harry thanked him for this, and told Naruto that they could eat out, if he could carry the pack. He agreed, and they even gave a pack of sandwiches to the Hokage before saying goodbye. Severus was sitting in Harry's place as they made supper together. Nothing fancy, they made sandwiches with salad, got some crackers and candies for later and of course lots of bottles of juice and water.
"Okay, we're ready. We'll go train, and please don't take it the wrong way, but until we get there I'll carry you. Once there, you can try regaining your body function as you like, but please don't go far. Also I'll be happy to answer your questions as I'm sure you'll have some." Harry said, turning to Snape. He didn't even think to ask Severus about what happened, if he could go back, or anything from the magical world.
Snape looked strangely at him, not able to equate this Harry with the one he knew. He was more mature, like a real parent to that kid, and more cheerful even. It was like a new person. He finally nodded, not really processing everything Harry said, and that included the carrying part, which was why he started when said brunette squatted before him, offering his back.
Reluctantly Snape got on his back, slowly moving not to abuse his muscles more than necessary. Harry got up gently, and after making sure that Naruto had the food, they made their way out. Snape got his next few surprises when first he saw the village and then they jumped up on the roof of a nearby house and travelled on top of them towards the side of a mountain with carved faces. It was unreal. Severus could only gape a bit, and take in the most he could while not moving.
"Come on kiddo, you can choose the first exercise if you get there first, but we'll start with chakra tuning if you can't!" Harry said, knowing that Naruto didn't like just staying in his bottom concentrating on a leaf even if he knew it was necessary. As predictable, Naruto didn't need more prompting, both speeding up running up on the path at the side of the mountain. When Naruto started running vertically on the side of the path, not wanting to loose and too impatient to take every turn, Harry stopped under him, saying to Snape "Hold tight on me, I can't hold you up if I have to catch him." Severus too stunned by the gravity defying stunt just nodded, not knowing this was one of the chakra training they started not too long ago. Harry knew his little Sun could take the damage with minimal injury, even if he had to learn that lesson the hard way, but if he could prevent it, he would.
To his relief Naruto made it, jumping up to the next part of the path, and not even looking back as he continued running. This prompted Harry to take a firm hold on his passenger and start running himself, though he stayed on the path, not wanting to burden Snape's muscles by going vertically himself.
Once they made it to the clearing, Harry gently let Snape down, before making his way to Naruto, picking him up in a bone crushing hug, before throwing him up into the air, and praising him for his control to be able to go upwards so far without falling.
Naruto of course reasoned later that he was done with his chakra training for the day with that, but he couldn't get away because Harry said that they both needed it. Naruto chose to do ninjutsu training of course, which started with both of them first running through the hand signs with their names like the ABC. After that came the routine they worked out, all they jutsu they learned together, mostly low rank ones like Kawarimi and Bunshin. Harry knew now that Naruto had enormous reserves, and these were extremely hard for his Naruto, but that was the reason they repeated them every time they did ninjutsu training. Naruto could do them, but he struggled.
While in the library Harry discovered of the chakra natures, and how they worked. It turned out, that people had an affinity, but it was just an indication as to what they could learn easier, meaning you could learn everything, just some harder than the other. Naruto was a wind type, while he was lightning and surprisingly earth. Oh the irony.
And so they made a point in learning all three. Little jutsu were the first they did, for Naruto a ball of pressured air, while he learned to create a little swamp from earth. When they worked out both their first ones, they got to work first on wind, Harry reasoning that they both got the first taste of it. Getting through the wind jutsus was hard for harry, but as they worked together, they got the hang of them. Then they worked on earth and finally lightning. Now they knew at least one low class technique from each element. They wouldn't start a new one until they were at least half proficient in the ones they dabbled into already.
They also got an unexpected but greatly appreciated help from Sarutobi, when he showed up on one of their trainings with a huge scroll with 'Forbidden' written on it, and taught them the Kage Bunshin no Jutsu. He reasoned that they both had greater than average reserves, which Harry knew partly from experience, partly from knowing his own magical capacity, and claiming that it would help them train. And help it did. So now when they were done with their ninjutsu training, they both created a clone, that gone off to the side not too far from Snape to observe their sparing session. While the originals fought first without, then with weapons, the clones tried pinpointing errors in both their strategy and implementation, talking in low tones that Severus could hear, but the other two couldn't.
Severus wasn't just dallying either, even if he didn't seem it, he was working his muscles methodically, extending and straining them, slowly working out the kinks and feeling better by the minute. When the clones got next to him, he felt good enough to concentrate on bot pairs, feeling floored again by both understanding them, and the militaristic way they talked. What did he get himself into?
Just when the sun was setting, they stopped training, both releasing the clones, and taking a minute to sort out the memories. They went to Severus and the pack of food. They made their way to the heads of the Hokage and after settling down on the first, started taking out all the food and drinks they bought with Harry cautioning Naruto to drink some first while following his own advice, and handing a flask to Severus too.
"Drink first, and then we'll start eating." He said, and after recognizing that he spoke in the foreign language, he added "You understand me now right?" He scratched his head a bit, looking half guilty that he forgot.
"Yes, I'm sufficiently adjusted now. I would like to know, what you got yourself into this time! You do what happened right?" At Harry's look of puzzlement he sighed and continued. "Dumbledore sent you, and now me here. That much I remember. If I remember correctly he first said something about not needing me anymore before trying to hit me with an Obliviate. Obviously he didn't succeed with me, but it seems he did with you. And as much as I remember of the ritual he used, we can't go back, at least until a set time, but I couldn't decipher how long that is. Now spill, what's with this place?"
Harry was bombarded with pictures and snippets of sounds, getting back the memories he didn't need. His companions saw his tightly shut eyes and rigid body, and while Naruto sat next to him, maintaining physical contact, neither talked.
"I remember." Harry said finally. He looked years older for a second, before registering Naruto next to him and hugging his little darling. "I think you triggered something. Anyway, he said the same to me, and yes, he tried to brainwash me too, but didn't succeed with me either. He said that the Weasleys were paid to keep me close while Hermione was to lead me in my so called adventures and make sure I barely but stayed alive. It was a scheme to determine if I was needed to fulfill the prophecy, but since I 'wasn't anything extraordinary' he deemed me only a baggage and banished me here. The time limit is 10 years." He got contemplative. "Seeing my life here and there, I don't think I'll go back even when I'll be able to." He kissed Naruto's head, cuddling his Sweetie. "You should look around here too, before planning anything in ten years into the future."
"Well, that's good to know. Now tell me about this place." Snape demanded, albeit gentler than Harry ever heard him speak to him.
"Okay, here's what I know. First, the pain you felt and the headache with the radio tuning experience. This world changes your body as much as I know, that's why I was able to travel so fast and jump so far and all. Your muscles are most likely adapted by now if you aren't in pain, and the headache should be gone if you understand me perfectly. As for our training, this is a ninja village. It's the main occupation, and Sunshine here will start training next year so we're working on his basics now. They use an energy called chakra, which consists of both physical and spiritual energy. The spiritual part you know as magic. As much as I know of the whole world, there are five great and many smaller countries with ninja villages like this one. I'll show you a map later. It's more hectic here, more wars and more dangerous life, but everyone here lives like his, not just an isolated little part of the population. I'll also show you the library, but you should know that we are under surveillance. They are ninjas after all, and we're strangers just popping out of nowhere. Did I leave anything out darling?"
"I don't think so, Moonshine… Wait, where will he sleep? Should we get a new bed?" Harry lifted and eyebrow at this.
"Moonshine?" He got a giggle as answer.
"Well you call me Sunshine all the time!" Naruto poked his tongue out and Harry smiled fondly at him.
"Okay, I like it." He answered, before getting back to the previous topic. "I know you don't want to be stuck with me, but until you settle down maybe you should stick with us… Oh that's right! I wanted to tell you, that if you're interested they don't have potions but poisons and antidotes are a sure go, and there's a Torture and Interrogation section in the village. I don't know if you want to play an active role in the ninja's life while here, but I thought that these were the closest to your original occupations, and I doubt you want to teach."
Snape nodded his mind still in emergency mode. This meant he wouldn't assume his personal traits until he felt comfortable enough. He took in any information he got, and determined a course of action first. "I understand."
Thankfully they walked back to the little apartment. Harry and Severus decided on conjuring a bed for the time being, not wanting to burden their little host more. Snape didn't disturb their routine much. Once Harry showed him the library, he holed himself up there from morning to evening, collecting information on any and everything from history to current politics and much more. He didn't get away from the breakfasts and suppers that Naruto and Harry had together.
Severus didn't see it, but both Harry and Naruto noted that the potions professor started looking better by the day. He filled out a bit, and lost the gaunt look with no stress, good meals and regular sleeping pattern, he also somehow got a little color, now not being deathly pale anymore.
This led to the next morning, only after two week in the presence of Severus, to Harry asking him "Would you like to come to train with us?" Harry wasn't sure, but it couldn't hurt.
Severus considered it. He deemed his knowledge sufficient and while he wasn't planning on being a ninja, having an ace up his sleeve was never something he would refuse, even if it came from a Potter. Now it didn't matter anyway, this was a totally different person he saw in the time he's been stuck here. "Yes, that would be prudent."
While Harry seemed to have transfigured all his clothes into shorts, jumpers and other practical clothing, Severus opted for long pants and long sleeves until he caught sight of his bare forearm. His mark faded into nothingness and he didn't even realize until now. With that knowledge he quickly changed the shirt into a sleeveless one. He was a sight to behold with black slacks and a dark blue top, a color he saw everywhere in the village, with his hair gathered into a low ponytail. Harry couldn't stop staring for minutes.
Harry himself got into the habit of wearing shorts and a three quarter sleeve shirt to hide his wand, but as Severus strapped his to his tight he didn't need to hide his arms anymore. Harry also had longer hair now, just long enough not to stick every direction as it pleased but having a shaggy look that he tamed with a band to keep it out of his face. He also noticed that Naruto was letting his hair grow out, making Harry ruffle it and having rows with Naruto because of it. Harry, who didn't like showing his scar previously, now didn't have to care, because here, everyone older than fifteen had scars and nobody knew that his had an extra meaning. He liked seeing and not worrying about what others could see. He also gave Naruto a headband like his, slim and brown colored plastic when his bangs reached his eyes.
From then on, Severus joined them for a few hours every day, not always following their schedule, but sometimes helping out, correcting mistakes or sparring with one or the other, even learning jutsus. (3)
After two month that Harry spent there, the Hokage invited him and Naruto to his office. As it turned out it was the 30th of July. There he told them a secret of the village, and that he was trusting in them to be discrete with the knowledge. He told them the story of the Kyuubi.
The next day, Harry asked Severus to help them. While Harry was abysmal with occlumency, if his little Sunshine had a monster in his mind space, he would do anything to help keeping them separate. He sent his stag to the Hokage early in the morning informing him of his plan and that if he didn't approve, then please let them know in half an hour. It wasn't emergency, but Sarutobi said it would be good to train his guards too, so why not?
They got a messenger hawk ten minutes later okaying the course of action.
"Severus." Harry started, and even if they didn't talk about it, they were more equal here so it felt right using the older man's first name. "I want to ask for your help. I know you didn't succeed with me, but could you train Naru-chan in occlumency? I don't know if he has a talent, but I think he'll need it, and I'll help him outside of your lessons if you agree."
The solemn tone got Severus interested. It was not like Harry to ask for something and even more outlandish to ask for that. "Why?" Such a loaded question. Harry heaved a sigh, counting his lucky start that he already had the go ahead.
"Apparently Darling had a demon sealed in him. I wouldn't worry too much, but it's said that the beast can take control in extreme situation if the host is weak enough and allows it somehow. I don't know what that means, but I want him to know his mind and be as clear as he can on what's going on there. That also means that you should be careful if you have to enter his mind in a session. Please." And there was real pleading in his voice, not for the fear of Kyuubi, but a fear for Naruto. Snape agreed. They would spend the Saturday mornings together, when normally Harry and Naruto had free time because of the weekend.
Severus didn't know how or why, but Harry really calmed down, even attending all their sessions, and doing everything Naruto did, when they had individual exercises. He meditated with the blond before going to bed together with him, and after a time even worked with Severus on his own Occlumency and Legilimency.
He was surprisingly adept in it, now having a concrete motivation to learn. When Severus deemed him ready, they made plans to talk to the demon, of course after asking Naruto's permission and asking his opinion.
After hearing the blond's hostility and disrespect towards the Kyuubi, Harry asked if he met with it before. When Naruto replied in negative, Harry looked at him and asked "So how is this different from the villagers hating you? If you base your opinion on second or third hand knowledge, you could misread the situation horribly." Before Naruto could reply, he held up his hand "I won't say that it's definitely a good being, but don't judge before you have ample proof. Remember, this being is thousand years old, and according to your history scrolls it is bigger than even the village as a whole. How would you feel if you started destroying –for whatever reason – an anthill, and got yourself stuck in an ant? Keep this in mind, and don't judge before you are sure. Okay?" Naruto nodded. Imagining himself in an ant, he could even sympathize with the demon a bit.
Severus was half guilty, half intrigued. He was sure this speech was because of how everyone treated not just Naruto, but Harry himself, including Snape. Even if he couldn't imagine a demon being cuddly and sweet, he would just this once, heed the advice.
They agreed that Snape would enter Naruto's mind gently, while pulling Harry with himself. Naruto keeping his mind open just this once allowed them in easily. They were in a sewer system. Or it was once a sewer system. Now, the ceiling was crumbling away, letting in some light, and while the floor was wet, there were plants growing everywhere, covering the metal at most places.
Naruto was standing next to the two men, not looking interested in his surroundings. "When I first came here with Severus-sensei, it was all metal on all sides you know." He said squeezing Harry's hand a bit, before guiding them towards a rumbling sound.
The room, or hall, or whatever it was, was huge. It was like the corridors that apparently Severus and Naruto both treaded for some time now. Harry saw that while not so wide spread, the greenery and light made their way into this chamber too. What he didn't expect was the multiple poisonous and climbing plants no doubt waiting for intruders to kill them.
The chamber had bars, which on closer look were massive trees with climbing plants running up and down them. They had strange flowers on them, no doubt, that was against the Kyuubi if it tried getting out.
When they got close enough, luckily Naruto's mind not deeming them a threat, the rumbling suddenly ceased. They saw a huge eye opening, blood red with slitted pupil, staring them down. Growling started.
"What are you insignificant mongrels doing here? Who gave you the permission to come before me?" The demanding voice reminded Harry eerily of Snape's professor persona. He had to stifle a laugh when his eyes met his former teachers, and got a knowing look back. They weren't friends exactly, but comrades they definitely were, and that gave them a basic understanding by now.
Naruto was the one who talked, it being his mind and his tenant. What and how he said definitely surprised both men though. "Kyuubi-sama, we came here to talk with you. We would like to know what happened on the 10th of October." He purposely used the date, not saying something like when you attacked the village or when you were sealed away. That would just be rude. Naruto decided to be extra respectful and first ask of the past, because the ant metaphor really got to him. He had a great imagination, so it wasn't hard for it to stick.
Kyuubi eyed the trio with a look of disdain. At least they knew how to address him, even if they lacked the fear he was accustomed to seeing in the humans' eyes and face. He had years to calm down from his rage when he woke up after Madara's genjutsu, and now he had half-decent humans asking for his view on things. He decided to be generous. He told of the Uchiha and that Naruto's own father did the sealing when Madara forced him out of his mother. Kyuubi wasn't nice about it, but they got the gist of the situation by the end of his monologue. They also got a general feeling of Kyuubi's character.
Naruto bowed low, followed by both Harry and Severus who didn't say a word while here. "Thank you for your patience and for telling us what happened, Kyuubi-sama." Naruto decided not to ask about the chakra he possessed, it was better to gain some familiarity first. While Kyuubi wasn't exactly nice, he wasn't malicious as they made him out. And seeing as he didn't really have a part in the attack, Naruto didn't hate him as much now.
The huge red eyes looked down on the humans, they were intriguing. No fear, but respect. He could live with that, and maybe, just maybe they were deserving of knowing his name. Yes, he decided, they were. It was not like they would have power over him with it, so no harm done anyway.
"Call me Kurama." He rumbled. When they looked up, puzzled, he added. "That's my name." Funny how you could see and hear how exasperated he was. Maybe now he would have a better jailor, even if he was stuck here. Seeing the trio bow again, and thank him for the privilege he had enough. Kyuubi sent a mild wave of chakra to kick them out. He wanted to sleep.
"That was informative." Harry was the first to come back to his senses, mind still reeling. When he saw Naruto close to crying, he got up from the floor, sitting next to his blond on the bed, pulling Severus with him by their still joined hands. Harry hugged his darling and after a minute Severus followed suit, enclosing both of them in his arms. He was not an emotional man, but there were no expectations here, and he was starting to ease up. This was a situation that he would've avoided at all costs when he was a Death Eater spy, and Potions Professor but he was neither here.
He had free time, no pressure and he could have a life. He started to see what Harry talked about when he said he didn't want to go back; both of them were happier here. Maybe even a special someone, but Severus wasn't holding his breath on that, seeing how his previous acquaintances saw him.
He was a bit taken aback when he felt Harry's hand stroking his arm and only noticed then that Naruto's head was resting on his shoulder, a pair of warm green eyes fixed on his own. He found that he was smiling back. Slowly they separated, talking with Naruto long into the night. The little blond having a hard time with getting to know about his parents and their decision, also finding out that there was an evil man trying to capture Kurama even now, which meant killing him. Harry and Severus promised to help him any way they could.
A/N.:
(1) Again I just wanted to show that they'll mangle his name too, but I'll stick to his normal spelling in the future.
(2) When they're speaking in English I'll slant it, because it won1t stay for long.
(3) While Harry is okay with ninjutsu he doesn't exactly have the discipline for genjutsu, something in which Severus is naturally gifted seeing his control. He doesn't reveal this to the others, because one: they don't need to know, and two: they don't have the control needed to learn, or at best only the bare minimum.
Yes, I also updated because I wanted to introduce Severus, but I couldn't exactly state that before the chapter. So, good? Bad? Mistakes? Something unclear? Feel free to point out to me anything! :)
Also, before I forget, Severus might seem OOC, but given that he doesn't have to act like an ass, and can't afford any mistakes until he knows the consequences, I deliberabtely made him like this, and I don't think he'll revert back to his Professor state, not seriously at least.