Learning to Live Again

By Ammie Hawk

Disclaimer: Nope… just nope.

AN: Okay, so here's the weekly chapter. Hope this one answers some questions.

Chapter 3: New Home

Neji Hyuga stood in the living room of his new apartment, a small smile gracing his features. True, there wasn't much as far as furnishings went, just what little his uncle had let him take from the compound; his bed, a spare couch, and a table; but the truth of the matter was that it was his, he was finally free of his clan.

His thoughts were interrupted by a series of knocks on the front door. His smile vanished in an instant as he turned to answer it. On the step were all those he considered friends. There were those from earlier: Lee, Shikamaru, Gaara, Kiba, Shino, and Hinata; and it appeared they had been joined by Ino Yamanaka, Choji Akamichi, and Sakura Haruno.

"Hello, Neji," his former teammate greeted cheerfully. "We have come to congratulate you on your new home, with celebrations."

"Of course you did," he opened the door further and motioned them inside, he could've turned them away, but it wasn't like he didn't want the company. "I'm sorry, there's not much here as far as seating or food. I did just move in today."

"No worries, I brought food," Choji held up ten plastic bags filled to the brim with various food stuffs.

"That's great," the pale eyed teen chuckled quietly. "Kitchen's through there," he pointed to the doorway on the right. "We should probably grab the chairs from in there. Even so, I'm afraid people are going to have to sit on the floor."

No one seemed to care, and about ten minutes later everyone was seated around the living room with plates of food.

"So, Neji," the pink haired kunoichi asked, "why did you move into Kakashi-Sensei's apartment? And when did he even move?"

"I wanted my own place," Neji shrugged. "So I asked Kakashi if I could rent it from him since he didn't need it anymore."

"And we helped him and Iruka-Sensei move earlier today," Kiba interjected. "They needed a bigger place to accommodate his nephew."

"Nephew?" the ones who hadn't heard the story earlier chorused.

"Yeah, apparently Kakashi-Sensei's brother had a brat who's now coming to live with him," the dog shinobi shook his head. "And he asked me, Neji, Shika, and Gaara to babysit for him, too."

"Yeah, the four people who should be watching a kid," Shikamaru said sarcastically. "Why didn't he ask Ino, or Sakura, or even Hinata?"

"What's that supposed to mean, Shikamaru?" Ino asked incredulously, cracking her knuckles.

"I'm not just saying that because you're girls," the lazy Chunin held up his hands defensively. "I mean, as girls, you're more likely to get asked to babysit. Hell, I even get Kiba and Neji being asked. Kiba's just like a kid himself and he's got Akamaru, it'd be fun for the kid. And well, Neji's responsible and would take the job very seriously. But why ask me and Gaara? Watching a kid is too troublesome, and I just don't want to do it. And who in their right mind would ask Gaara? No offense," he glanced over at the former Sand shinobi, who just shrugged showing none was taken.

"How do you even know it's a kid?" Shino asked quietly.

The four teens who heard the story frowned in thought. They were sure Kakashi had mentioned it at some point.

"He said the last time he saw him he was one and a half," Shikamaru scratched his chin. "And that was before he got his team. So logically, he'd be about five, ten at most."

"Well," Sakura shook her head, "personally, I can't wait to meet him. He's probably a real cutie."

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Harry Potter yawned as he followed his aunt through Haneda airport. The flight had taken forever, even though he'd slept through most of it. Customs had also taken awhile, but now they were on their way to the baggage claim area. They didn't actually have any baggage to claim, but apparently that was where they were to meet his uncle.

His eyes darted around, trying to see if he could pinpoint the one they were looking for. Except he didn't know what his uncle looked like. There weren't even any pictures in his album, he'd checked once they'd boarded the plane. So he could only assume he looked similar to his dad. Only problem with that was there were so many dark haired people in the crowd.

He felt a tug on his arm from his aunt. She was looking pointedly at a spot next to the window and began leading him in that direction. He was confused because the only person he saw older man with silver hair and an eye patch, reading a small lurid orange book.

"Mr. Hatake," she said once they were standing directly in front of the man.

The single eye drifted up from the book, which closed with an audible snap, revealing a white surgical mask covering the lower half of the man's face. Now that they were so close, he saw that the man wasn't actually that old.

"Ah, Mrs. Dursley," Mr. Hatake said cordially. "It's good to see you again. And… god, you look just like Jirou. Anyway, I'm Kakashi, your uncle. It's good to see you again, Harry."

"Yeah," Harry said lamely, this man was something else.

"So, Petunia," the silver haired man turned his attention back to the female, "do you have time to grab a bite before you head back?"

"My plane doesn't leave till morning," she shook her head, "but I'd actually prefer you take Harry and go as quickly as possible. I just want him safe and out of harm's way."

"I see," Kakashi nodded. "And his things?"

"I will send them, or if you could have someone pick them up?"

"I can do that," he began rummaging through his pockets, finally withdrawing a small scroll. "Take this, do not open it until you have his things together. Pakkun and a couple of my other dogs will retrieve them. They'll disappear as soon as they have them so don't worry about that. Well, till next time, I guess."

"I don't think there will be a next time," she sighed, extending her hand. "Goodbye, Kakashi. Harry," she turned to her nephew, "I wish you the best, and please stay out of trouble."

"Goodbye, Aunt Petunia," he shook her hand, and then, acting on Gryffindor impulse, gave her a quick hug.

She returned the embrace a bit hesitantly and then pulled away, her eyes swimming with tears. She pulled a lace handkerchief from her pocket as she turned and disappeared into the crowd.

"Well," Kakashi rubbed his hands together, "we have a bit of a trip ahead of us before we get home. Come on, I'll get a cab and I'll explain a few things on the way."

The tall man led him out of the airport to the busy street. He hailed a cab and they climbed inside. Kakashi gave the driver the destination and they pulled out into traffic.

"So," the silver haired man turned to face his nephew, "do you have any questions you'd like to ask?"

"I don't know where to start," Harry bit his lip. "I know absolutely nothing about you. I just found out I even had another uncle when my aunt contacted you."

"I see," Kakashi nodded, this was unexpected. "Well, how about this? I'll tell you about myself and if you have any questions, feel free to ask."

"Okay," the Gryffindor agreed, that worked.

"Let's see," the one visible eye studied the ceiling as he rubbed the back of his neck. "Your father, Jirou, is my older brother. We were both born and raised in Konohagakure, which translates to the Village Hidden in the Leaves. We were both trained from a young age as shinobi in our village, as most children are."

"Shinobi?" Harry asked, unfamiliar with the term.

"Ninja," he clarified. "Most of the community I live in is comprised of ninja. We'll go into the finer points later, just know that it is my job and it can take me away from the village for days or even weeks at a time. Though if that happens I don't want you to worry."

"You know, I'm fifteen," annoyed green eyes glared over the spectacles at the other. "I'm perfectly capable of taking care of myself."

"I'm not saying you're not," Kakashi patted his head indulgently. "As I was saying, my boyfriend, Iruka, is going to be living with us and he will be there when I am not. However, he teaches at the Academy, so most of the time you'll be on your own. Though, I have asked a few of my colleagues to help out as well. They're your age, so I'm sure you'll get along with them."

"So, I'm going to have babysitters," he scoffed, sitting back, arms crossed sullenly against his chest. He thought he was leaving that behind in England.

"Don't think of them as babysitters," the silver haired shinobi sighed. "And I'm going to start your training once you're settled in, so bodyguards would become a moot point."

"You really think I could be trained as a ninja?" his previous ire momentarily forgotten, no one had offered to train him specifically before, except for Remus teaching him to repel the dementors.

"I don't see why not," Kakashi smiled under his mask. "If the likes of Lee, Naruto, and Konahamaru can do it, so can you. Besides, you'll have the best teachers in Konoha. Iruka can teach you the basics, and I'll take over once you've got those down."

Before Harry could respond, the taxi rolled to a stop at the outskirts of a vast forest. As they stepped out and Kakashi paid the driver, green eyes landed on a sign, not that he could read it, as it was in Japanese.

"Where are we?" he asked as his uncle stepped up beside him.

"Aokigahara Forest," Kakashi took a deep breath, "it's a secret entrance into the Elemental nations, similar to the Leaky Cauldron in London."

"You've been to the Leaky Cauldron?" he asked surprised.

"Come on," the one eyed man chuckled, putting his hand on Harry's shoulder and urging him on. "When I went to England for your parents' wedding, your father was quite insistent that I see everything about the new world he'd assimilated into, including the Leaky Cauldron and Diagon Alley. Now, I really want to get home, your aunt's behavior has set me slightly on edge. So, I'm going to ask that you climb on my back."

"Why?" Harry asked incredulously.

"Because, even with your added weight, I can run twice as fast as a normal person," Kakashi squatted down. "If you don't mind, I really feel haste is necessary."

The raven haired wizard sighed, but did as his uncle said. As soon as he was secure, Kakashi took off for the heart of the forest at top speed.

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Iruka paced back and forth just inside the gates of Konohagakure, anxiously awaiting the return of his boyfriend and his young nephew. The gate guards, Izumo and Kotetsu, watched his progress in growing concern. They'd never seen the Chunin Instructor act like that before, not even when Naruto, his favorite student, had gone off to train.

As he made another pass, a small group of teens approached the gate. The six of them stopped next to the guard station and settled in to wait.

"Are they not here yet, Iruka-Sensei?" the pink haired kunoichi asked.

"Oh, Sakura," Iruka startled out of his pacing for just a moment. "I didn't realize you were coming. But no, they aren't. Kakashi said they'd be here this afternoon, but it's getting late and they're not here."

"Come on, Iruka-Sensei," Sakura scoffed slightly as he took up pacing again. "This is Kakashi-Sensei we're talking about. He's always late, it shouldn't be that surprising."

Four incredulous gazes turned to the pinkette, though Iruka seemed not to be paying attention as he continued his rounds.

"Would you shut up, Sakura," the tall, long haired brunet finally gave voice to their collective thoughts. "One would think, that as a medic in training, you would have learned a bit of empathy toward those who are suffering. Iruka is entitled to worry about his boyfriend. And if he feels there is a need to worry, then perhaps there is an actual reason."

"Look, Neji," pale green eyes rolled in annoyance, "Kakashi was my sensei. I know all his tricks. He enjoys making people wait."

"He may have been your teacher, but he is Iruka's boyfriend," pale eyes snapped dangerously. "The relationship is entirely different. He knows things about Kakashi that you could never hope to dream of. So keep your mouth shut and wait." He then turned to the others, "If he is not back in half an hour, we'll go look for him."

"That won't be necessary," Gaara spoke up, drawing their attention to him. "Kakashi is there."

He pointed down the road, where a figure was running toward the village. As he drew nearer, Iruka sprinted out the gate to meet him, the others following at a more sedate pace.

"Kakashi," the Chunin said when he finally reached his boyfriend, "what happened? What took you so long? I was worried something terrible had happened."

"I'm sorry, Ruka," the silver haired man shook his head, removing the boy from his back. "The flight was delayed, and the guards at the border decided they needed to hold us up. I'm glad I got signed permission from Lady Tsunade before I left, otherwise they would've kept Harry there. Speaking of," he motioned to Harry, "Iruka, I'd like you to meet my nephew, Harry Potter. Harry, this is my boyfriend, Iruka Umino."

"Kakashi?" confused brown eyes turned to the taller man.

"Yeah," Kakashi rubbed the back of his neck sheepishly. "Harry doesn't speak Japanese. It's something he and I are going to work on. Ah," he spotted the other teens, "looks like we have a crowd. Hello, I'd like you all to meet my nephew, Harry. Harry, these are those colleagues I told you about. This is Sakura Haruno, she was a member of my squad before it broke up. That one is Ino Yamanaka. Then there's Choji Akamichi, Shikamaru Nara, and Neji Hyuga. And the little redhead there is…"

"Sabaku no Gaara," the former Sand shinobi cut in. "You may call me Gaara. It is an honor to meet you, Harry Potter."

All eyes turned to the redhead in shock. None of them had expected that from the stoic teen. However, Harry was the first to snap out of it.

"I-it's nice to meet you, too," out of habit, he extended his hand toward the redhead.

Pale jade orbs drifted down to the proffered hand, while the others held their breath, each ready to step in if something untoward should happen. After a moment, he took it and gave it a firm shake, before pulling away.

"Well, it's getting late," Kakashi let out a slow breath, that had been almost too much for his poor heart. "We should be heading home. Come, Harry, we're going home now."

They all headed back into the village and then split up and went their separate ways. Once they reached the house, Kakashi gave Harry a tour while Iruka went out to get them something for dinner.

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Petunia Dursley sat in the king sized bed of her room at the airport hotel, daintily sipping a glass of red wine and reading a trashy romance novel she'd picked up before leaving Heathrow. It was a strange, yet pleasant experience for her. She hadn't been on her own like this since Dudley had been born, having him or her husband as a constant presence. Not that she would want this very often, but it was a nice change.

And she was also glad that Harry was now with Kakashi. She would miss him, he was her nephew after all, but as soon as she had handed him over it felt like a weight had been lifted off of her. It felt like she could actually breathe for the first time in fourteen years.

She had just poured herself a second glass of wine, when a soft POP filled the room. She was glad she had just set down the bottle on the nightstand next to the glass or she would have spilled it all over with how violently she started at the noise. Her eyes darted to the source of the disturbance, and finally landed on a bearded old man in dark blue robes, with half moon spectacles covering his bright blue eyes. She knew this man, if only from descriptions she had gotten from her sister.

"Dumbledore," she said quietly, not having expected this visit quite yet.

"Petunia," his lips drew together in a frown. "What have you done? Where is Harry?"

A devious smile pulled at her own mouth, "I'm not sure what you mean. I have only done what is in Harry's best interest. Something I actually should have done years ago. He is now safe from you and your kind, but especially from Voldemort. And the best part, you will never find him unless he wants to be found."

"You pathetic Muggle," Dumbledore sneered. "There is no place you could hide him that we will not find him. He has a destiny to fulfill and there is no power you possess that will keep him from us and his destiny."

"Insult me all you like," she scoffed, "but obviously I have outsmarted you, and Harry is now beyond your reach, otherwise you would not be here in my hotel room. Now, I believe it is time for you to leave, I have a plane to catch first thing in the morning."

"You'll pay for this Petunia Dursley, mark my words," he glared at her.

"Right," she rolled her eyes. "Bye now."

With one last sneer in her direction, he disappeared just as suddenly as he had appeared.

As soon as he was gone, she settled smugly back against the headboard. She hadn't known exactly what would happen when she sent Harry with Kakashi, just that he would be better able to protect him, but this was better than she could've ever hoped for. Apparently, James' little brother had some strong magic of his own, stronger than even Dumbledore's. It looked like her choice was becoming even more appealing by the moment, and there was nothing the old codger could do to her that would change her mind.


Ammie: First of all, let me point out, I am not a big Sakura fan so please just accept that I will write her how I see her, and it might come off as a bit bashy. Also, if there are any mistakes that you see, please let me know, I typed this up while I was tired so my brain isn't quite working at full capacity. Anyway, please let me know what you think.