Ch3
Naruto jumped squeezing his tail to the point it hurt as the potions master burst into the room. The man's scent snarled angrily as he spoke with a sneer "In this class there will be no foolish wand-waving or silly incantation. As such I don't expect many of you will really understand the beauty of the softly simmering cauldron or the delicate power of liquids that creep through human veins, bewitching the mind and ensnaring the senses. However for those select few who possess the correct aptitude I can teach you how to bottle fame, brew glory, and even put a stopper in death" the man turned up his nose and studied his class.
The turning of his mentle gears were too quick for a human to notice but Naruto recognize the gaze, the eyes of a predator looking for a victim. The fox's ears flattened as he pulled himself as far down as possible into his seat.
"Let's see if your as skilled as your brothers Mr. Weasley" the man glared at the red head "What is a bezoar?"
"I-I don't know sir" Ron admitted which the Professor to growl in irritation.
"Can you tell me the difference between Monkshood and Wolfbane?"
"No sir" Even with his lesser human senses Ron could obviously tell the man's displeasure
"Pity, here I was hoping you'd be intelligent enough to at least open your book before class. Seems the only competent Weasleys are in my house. Lucky me" he added the last bit with further bitterness. Naruto had heard the older Slytherins complaining about how the Weasley twins had cost them the house cup every years since they entered Hogwarts.
"For your information a bezoar is a stone taken from the stomach of a goat and it will save you from most poisons. As for monkshood and wolfsbane, they are the same plant! It also goes by the name of aconite. Well! Why aren't you writing this down!" Snape snapped and Naruto practically jumped on his quill.
The kit was suddenly thankful to Itachi for completely exhausting him in that little study group. What the seventh year said was true. Coming to this class unprepared was a gamble and a life threatening one at that. Imagion what the man would do if someone from his own house missed those questions!
"You're brothers are in Slytherin?" Naruto's sensitive ears picked up the hushed whispers across the room from a pair of Gryffindor boys who obviously didn't know the difference between 'brave' and 'stupid'.
"They stood up and cheered even clapped when I got sorted into Gryffindor" Ron whispered back
"Those guys? I thought they were just being jerks"
"They were, what else can you expect from a pair of slimy snakes"
"Must be awful being related to Slytherins"
"Mum tries to pretend she doesn't care but how can she not! Slytherin, of all houses"
"Do you have an issue with my house Mister Weasley" Snape's voice spoke in a soft sneer that forced even a demon's skin to crawl.
###
Naruto yawned as he all but crawled back into the dungeons. Nott hot on his heels. The boy had been following Naruto around all day as if he was in heat... Naruto didn't really know what that expression meant but his godfathet used it alot whenever he visited. Naruto figured he meant it was hot and since his godfather was so tall girls tried to take shelter in his shadow.
Naruto shook his head as Nott's scent filled his nose. The young hanyou just couldn't place it. It was curious and almost... envious but that couldn't be right. Naruto didn't have alot of experience with that particular scent so he could be wrong.
The common room was empty save for a handful of older students were gathered around one of the larger/comfier sofas. They were gossiping about... Naruto's ears flattened as he heard talk of 'the demon that corrupted Harry Potter'.
"Uzumaki!" Itachi called "Speak of the devil"
"Demon" Theodore corrected helpfully "devils have slightly different mating habits and physical structure"
"That's nice" Itachi dismissed "Uzumaki come over pull up a chair" he grinned
"Yes Prefect Uchiha?" Naruto slowly approached
The older kids began to laugh but Naruto wasn't really sure why "You don't really have to call me that" Itachi explained "I was just messing with you. I am curious however what you're doing down here. Don't first years have class now?"
Naruto squirmed stroking his tail, more then aware that at this rate it be bold before christmas "Not really, I mean not for another few hours. Potions just got out"
"Oh? Tell me what you thought of our head of house in his natural environment"
"He was okay... but I guess a little scary" Naruto mumbled looking over the face of the older students. The Weasley twins, along with Neji, were with the gang of seventh years looking at Naruto expectanly "He made Ron cry"
"I knew it!" One of the twins shouted "Pay up George!"
"What are you talking about YOU'RE George. You owe ME money!"
"That's not funny George, give me my money!"
Neji just groaned rubbing his head.
Naruto could easily tell them apart by their scent but the twins switched names so often he didn't know what to call them.
"Corrupter" Itachi smiled "I'd like you to meet the gang: Deidara, Sasori, Kisame, and Gemma. The third years aren't worth mentioning" all three third years glared at Itachi.
"Nice to meet you" Gemma smiled her yellow eyes sparkling with something Naruto couldn't place. She smell of rich perfume but with... something rotten underneath. Naruto couldn't even catch it if he wasn't this close to her. It was masked so perfectly by the heavy perfume.
"You see gentleman with the corrupter by our side we shell conquer the would one first year at a time Bawhahahaha!" Itachi laughed
"I just came down here to sleep for a bit" Naruto was about to slowly walk away as the Weasleys went back to snapping at each other but a hand grabbed him
"You're tired?" Itachi asked his smile gone, replaced by a far too serious expression that made him look alot more grownup
"A little" Naruto lied, he felt like collapsing from exhaustion, as Itachi dragged him in front of him
"You should be feeling wide awake, at least until night fall"
"I burn through potions fast" the hanyou shrugged
"Still that was a pretty strong dose I gave you" Itachi closed his eyes before snapping them back open "Sharingan" all the white vanished from his eyes as his pupils dilated, red veins pumped vigorously within them slightly jetting out of his eyes.
Naruto held still as the older boy looked him over catching a mumbled "should have known better then to give a potion to a hanyou without months of testing" that was far to soft for human ears to pick up.
"Feeling any dizziness or nausea?" Itachi asked looking him over
"No just tired" Naruto assured "Ow" the fox bounced as a needle went through his skin
Itachi looked the slightly bloodied needle closely before it disappeared beneath his sleeve "You seem all right but you should get you to Madam Pomfrey just in case... Maybe Hagrid would be better?" He shrugged as his eyes turned back to normal "I'll go get him once we get to the infirmary"
"Sorry guys" Itachi smiled standing up "Prefecty things to do" and gently pushed Naruto out of the common room
###
"What were you thinking giving first years a study potion" Madam Pomfrey scorned fusing over Naruto, and finding nothing wrong with him but all the same.
Hagrid was right beside her, they were 'lucky enough' to run into him well on their way to the hospital wing.
"Would you rather he go to Professor Snape's class unprepared?" Itachi scoffed and as the healer didn't reply he continued "Snape's a great head of house, very dedicated, where as the others often make me question if they even know what their job entails, but when it comes to his class he's 20 different kinds of unreasonable. I'll do what I have to inorder to make sure my housemates are spared his wrath in that regard" itachi sighed pinching the bridge of his nose "Snape's already pissed because the headmaster paired Gryffindor and Slytherin together again for his potions class. I seriously think Dumbledore gets off on potions blowing up because the students are too busy glaring at each other to mind them"
"Now ya no that's not true I'chi" Hagrid defended
"Yes yes brilliant sage" Itachi dismissed "If ever ever a wiz there was"
"Huh?"
"Muggle play, doesn't matter. How's our patient?"
"Seems fine" Pomfrey confirmed "But I'll need to keep him over night for observations"
Itachi sighed "I'll go tell Snape"
"The kit just need some rest" Hagrid "Maybe a raw fish or two"
Naruto smiled up at that and let his body fall limply. The side of his head crashing against the pillow