Shutsugen no Mahoutsukai
By: bigo4190
Disclaimer: I don't own either Harry Potter or Naruto; those belong to J.K. Rowling and Masashi Kishimoto respectively. What I chose to do with those characters is my only contribution, save for a few easily spotted other characters.
"Blah" – Regular Speech
'Blah' – Thoughts
Blah – Flashback, thoughts and speech are represented as above, with the underline added.
"Blah" – Jutsu
"Blah" - Spell
A.N. - I do plan to use some Japanese Romaji, if it's not quite right, deal with it. Translations will be offered at the bottom of each chapter, in the order that they appear in the text. This first appearance of any word will be the one marked, and if a word occurs frequently between chapters, it will eventually stop appearing in the notes, as you should have some clue what they are by that point.
Also note that this story, since it is more if a prequel than anything else, does not feature many of the usual characters from either story, though they show up towards the end.
Chapter 2
"Welcome all, to another year at Hogwarts. Here, at the beginning of my first year as Headmaster of Hogwarts, I have the pleasure of announcing some most unique changes to the upcoming school year. First, please welcome Edward Potter as the new Transfiguration professor. Second, as many of the older students may have no doubt deduced, I have named our very own Rowan Wilson as my Deputy. And, as our most unexpected change, allow me to introduce our new transfer student: Mr. Sentsu Uzumaki, if you would please.
As Sentsu came out into the Great Hall from behind the Head Table, the whisperings in the hall began to increase in volume; until he reached the stool still holding the sorting hat, for then the hall grew completely silent. And then, the hat slipped over his eyes.
"Well now, what do we have here? A Shinobi; I must say, I have never before met one such as yourself. Even when I was new-made, your kind was but nothing but stories used to frighten unruly children. To find now, after so many years that those myths…well, I'm getting off topic. You are here to be sorted, and sorted you shall be…but where to put you? You are cunning, no doubt of that, but you're ambitions are for righting a wrong done to you in the past, not for greater gain; so not Slytherin. You have come to Hogwarts seeking knowledge, but not for its own sake; so not Ravenclaw. You are loyal, but have been betrayed many times, and now do not offer your trust so easily; so most definitely not Hufflepuff. Well now, courage and honor those you have in abundance, you aren't afraid to stick up for what you know to be right, no matter the opinions of others; yes, yes, that is the place for you. Best be…GRYFFINDOR!"
The sudden shock of the hats yell after the long silence in the hall caused quite a few reactions, but Sentsu removed the hat calmly, placed it back on the stool, and walked towards the loudly cheering Gryffindor table. Upon his arrival a cheerful red-haired boy about his age guided him into a seat. "Hello there; I'm Septimus Weasley. What year are you entering, can't be first?"
"Fifth. By age, I should be a sixth, but can't take the tests till their scheduled so…"
"Ah, I understand, at least…I think I do. Why couldn't you take the test, or some equivalent wherever you were?"
"Because, we didn't study magic. I was learning something else entirely, so everything I know of magic I learned in the last two months."
"Two…months, and they think you're ready for fifth year?"
"Well, I did manage to knock Professor Wilson around a time or two. And Ed…Professor Potter has offered me private lessons to continue other, less vital, skills in Transfiguration because I impressed him.
"I'd say you impressed him, did you just nearly call him by name? What, you best of friends or something?"
"Something, he's easy enough to get along with, once you get him to open up. I'll introduce you sometime, after class, alright."
Over the course of the next year, Sentsu became good friends with Septimus, who was also a fifth year. Over that year as well, the bond between Edward and Sentsu grew, with the young ninja becoming a surrogate little brother to the older wizard. The Animagus ability, it turned out, was not one that Sentsu possessed, but private lessons in Advanced Transfiguration not covered on the standard test were still held, allowing the two to grow closer.
As the end of the year drew nearer, Sentsu realized he would have nowhere to stay after the term was over. He doubted that he could stay at Hogwarts as he did for his cramming lessons the last summer, so he approached Edward. "Hey, Edward?"
"Yes. What is it Sentsu?"
"I…uh, just realized…"
"What is it Sentsu? What has you so nervous? You haven't broken any rules have you? How many time have I told you to stop hexing Orion Black?"
"It's not that, and he deserved it last time. How could he say those kinds of things to his own cousin? And what I came here for was to ask you…might I stay with you over the summer?
"Of course. I was actually planning to ask if you had made plans some time in the next week. It would be a delight having you at my home. I know my wife will absolutely love you."
So over the course of the summer, the odd pair of surrogate brothers grew closer, and Sentsu's OWL results came in: perfect O's in the focused magics, and E's in Runes and Arithmancy. In fact, the Transfiguration score was the tied for second highest on record, with Edward's own as well as the results from one girl the year before—Minerva McGonagall.
"So Sentsu, ready for another year? Seems I still have a bit I can teach you, you only tied my score after all."
"Bring it on Edward. Unless it's something I have no natural talent for, I'll get it down in no time."
"Boys, quite bickering. Always trying to one-up the other; if I didn't know better, I'd say you two were actually brothers."
"Yes, yes, you've said it before Helena. What an honor it would be if that were true. To think…such an a humble family accepted into the great Uzumaki Clan."
"Har, har. You do realize that you would technically be the head of your clan, don't you, Sentsu? Much as I am a Potter, you could give an honorary clan membership or something, couldn't you?"
"I never thought of that." Sentsu smiles happily towards Edward and his wife Helena, "Consider yourselves to be honorary Uzumaki. Since I have no village affiliation, or clan files at the moment, I'll write that down as the first piece of our new records."
"Welcome all, to another year at Hogwarts. It is a pleasure to see all of you here with us today…." And with these words began Sentsu's sixth year at Hogwarts. Over the year, Sentsu and Septimus discovered a hidden friend in Cedrella Black, whom Sentsu had defended at times the year before. By the end of the Easter Holidays, she and Septimus were all but dating; and by final exams, they were officially dating, though in secret, fearing her family's reaction. Beyond this, the year was uneventful, and passed quietly into another summer.
"Edward, there is a letter for you from Hogwarts."
"What does Dumbledore want now?" Edward shuffles over to his wife, taking the letter from her hands and quickly scanning through the loopy handwriting. "So, McGonagall beat out my scores, and is interested in the position? Guess I'll talk to her, see if she really has the potential. Always nice to train a successor—Dumbledore certainly taught me enough.
"You mean I have a new target to surpass now; Minerva beat you." Sentsu was smirking, knowing from his few talks with the girl that he had little chance of actually out-performing her; he may be a quick study, and naturally talented at Transfiguration, but talent like hers only comes once a generation. Besides, Runes and Arithmancy were taking more and more of his time now. He may have found a beginning to the array he would need to get back.
"Welcome all, to another year at Hogwarts. This year, our Transfiguration Professor will be tutoring former student Minerva McGonagall, should she be in your classes, treat her with the same respect that you would treat any other professor; in the halls, she is to have the authority as the Prefects." And with one more speech, Sentsu's last year of formal magical education began.
Septimus and Cedrella were drawing closer with every passing day; and not that they grew apart from Sentsu, but they did find less time for him. They remained grateful for his friendship however, because he had the cunning to keep their relationship hidden when their own actions nearly gave it away.
Also, the beginnings of a new fascination began to enter Sentsu's head. His clan had always been renowned for their sword skills at a level only slightly under the Kiri no Shinobigatana Nananin Shu (the ability to manipulate the form of metal comes in handy, ne?) and he felt it was time to focus on gaining this ability for his own benefit. So while he kept up with Transfiguration lessons, he decreased his level, throwing most of his effort into swords and a way home.
It was a proud day for Uzumaki Sentsu when he finally received his NEWT results. Outstanding, in all fields he attempted, special honors in none, but even the 5 O's was an impressive result for a man who had studied magic for just over 3 years. Unfortunately, the device for his return, which was quickly becoming a more and more daunting project, had progressed little. His new swords, a matching pair of traditionally styled swords—in fact, they were Shin Gunto, the new sword of the Japanese Army, which he had gotten through a few contacts of his old friend Shinsetsu. His method for wearing them however, was somewhat unconventional, keeping both swords in the traditional Tachi manner (blade down) on his left hip. The only way that he was able to draw them in an effective manner was through using his bloodline to reshape the bald of the sword staying in his left hand—but watching the blade liquefy and reform, as dangerous as ever was just impressive. However, he had plans for one last weapon, a sword that would take advantage of his natural affinity, and not his Kekkei Genkai. He sought to create a small, sword hilt sized baton, capable of generating a refined, focused blade of electricity. It would become a usable Nodachi, as its only weight would be the handle.
The Potters had welcomed Sentsu into their home after his graduation, promising that may stay with them for as long as he needed. The offer was greatly received, and Sentsu became a resident of Potter Manor until he had completed his projects. As it was, from his graduation in 1949, he spent 10 long years working on the projects, completing the Nodachi first, as it was the simpler project. The transportation, once finished, was something akin to a multi-use portkey of exceptional power. However, it had several flaws: first, it was not as exact as Sentsu would like, but there was little he could discover that would improve it, and second, it would only suffice to get him from England to the Hidden Countries, but not back. Luckily, he had used his new knowledge to tweak the seals used on the talisman that had brought him to England, and inscribed them on the inside of the bracelet he used to hold the Runes. Hopefully the Indestructible Charming he had done would hold up to Shinobi combat.
There was a way he mostly compensated for the aiming flaw, as he had found away to make the transport patterns seek another one, and thus given a matching set of patterns to Edward. Testing the feature, they discovered that a letter placed over one set of seals could be sent to the other without the pattern itself being transported. It was only with this reassurance that the Potters finally relented to allowing Sentsu to leave for the Hidden Countries—for they had named him as Godfather for their only son, born merely months before the completion of the designs. The designs would remain in Potter Manor, with instructions for their operation, so that if anything should happen to them, James would have someone they trusted utterly to help him.
Kiri no Shinobigatana Nananin Shu – Seven Shinobi Swordsmen of the Mist: the greatest swordsmen in the world (or so it is said).
Shin Gunto – Lit. New Army Sword: The standard issue sword of Japanese Army officers, styled in the manner of more traditional blades during the peak of Japanese Nationalistic Spirit.
Tachi – An old style of Japanese Sword, sometimes more curved than the Katana, but differentiated most by its wearing. It is worn so the blade faces downward, and is slung from the belt, rather than through it.
Kekkei Genkai – A "Bloodline Limit": a special ability inherited in certain families.
Nodachi – lit. Great Big Sword (O-Da-Chi): An oversized sword, not normally used due to its unwieldy length and heavy weight.
