Author's Notes: Thanks for all the reviews! Sorry for the long wait!
Hanging by a Moment
Chapter Four: Hello Hogwarts!
"I choose my friends for their good looks, my acquaintances for their good characters, and my enemies for their good intellects. A man cannot be too careful in the choice of his enemies. I have not got one who is a fool. They are all men of some intellectual power, and consequently they all appreciate me." (The Picture of Dorian Grey)
"The best weapon against an enemy is another enemy." (Friedrich Nietzsche)
I'm lonesome. They're all dying. I have hardly a warm personal enemy left. (James Whistler)
Great friendship is about two main things: to find the similarities, and to respect the differences. (Anon)
Those with the greatest awareness have the greatest nightmares. (Mahatma Gandhi)
Diagon Alley
November 20th
Naruto was transfixed.
He'd thought he'd seen everything in Konoha. There were all sorts of weirdoes there, from Gai-sensei (whose eyebrows and "fashion sense" still freaked him out) to Ibiki (who was just creepy) to Kakashi (the lecher). He'd developed the theory that after being a shinobi for a while, you needed some sort of weird quirk or fetish to keep your mind off the job. He'd come to think that shinobi were the weirdest people in the world.
He was proven wrong: wizards were.
Everywhere he looked, there was some brightly colored robe or magic trick or frog guts on display. He couldn't stop himself from gaping as they passed shops that displayed owls and floating things and strange looking ingredients in their windows. Snape had, on several occasions, had to pull sharply on his shoulder to keep him from stopping and just staring, because everything in Diagon Alley was bright and loud and just plain strange.
Naruto loved it.
It felt, a little bit, like being back home. Hogwarts was a little quirky, but Diagon Alley was in a world all its own, and Naruto loved it. He couldn't stop the smile from stretching his face as he scurried after Snape, whose long strides made it hard to keep up with him. Snape looked out of place in the bright, colorful world of Diagon Alley. Naruto noticed (with no little amount of amusement) that many people kept a wide distance away from Snape as they hurried around him. He was like a giant black rock in the middle of a rainbow stream. Naruto snorted at the image and ignored the look Snape threw him.
Dumbledore had ordered them yesterday that they were to go and buy Naruto robes so that he could blend in with the school. Naruto could see why now; people were already looking at him funny, despite the fact that he'd changed into his least-conspicuous clothes. Still, the thought of wearing robes made him a little apprehensive. A small part of his brain twitched at wearing something so constricting. But he really had no choice in the matter. Dumbledore had looked very insistent, and Naruto could see the logic in making him dress the part, if he was going to play the student.
Snape ushered him off the street and into a shop. Naruto's eyes widened as he was assaulted by clothes everywhere. Robes of all shapes, sizes and colors were hanging off the shelves. While Snape dragged him through the shop, he inconspicuously searched for any orange robes.
"Severus! What a surprise!" Naruto turned his attention to the plump, smiling woman Snape had dumped him in front of. She had a tape measurer around her neck. "And just who is this?" She peered down at him with interest.
"We have a new transfer student this year at Hogwarts, Madame Malkin," Snape said tonelessly. "He is in need of new robes."
"Oh my!" Madame Malkin clucked her tongue. "Well, we'd better get to it! Young man, please stand up here . . . ." She directed him to a small pedestal and waved her wand. Naruto watched in fascination as the tape measurer began to fly around and measure various parts of his body. Some parts it measured made sense (such as his arms and legs) while others baffled him (why did it need to know the length of his nose?). As it measured, Madame Malkin chatted.
"So, why are you transferring?" she asked.
"My old school was attacked," Naruto said, parroting the story Dumbledore had given him earlier that morning. "I'm one of the only survivors," he added, and then threw in a convincing depressed look. Madame Malkin looked suitably pitying.
"Oh, you poor dear!" she cried. "Was it . . . You-Know-Who?" she asked in a whisper.
Naruto couldn't help but wonder how these people were going to survive if they couldn't even say a name. Surely the man wasn't that scary?
"Yeah," he said, making sure to look frightened and close to tears. "It was—" he broke off, making it seem like he was choking on his sobs. Madame Malkin looked dismayed.
"Oh my, I'm so sorry!" she said. "I didn't think about how hard it must be for you. You know what; these robes are on the house! I can't make you pay for them, not after everything you've been through . . . .!"
"But—" Naruto protested. He didn't want to deny her his service! But Madame Malkin waved him off.
"Don't worry about it dear," she said with a smile. Snape snorted loudly, and Madame Malkin turned to glare at him. Naruto bit his lip to keep the smile from creeping on his face at the professor's irritated look. "Now, you'll want plain black robes, yes?"
"Yes, he will," Snape answered before Naruto could. "Also, he'll need a good four pairs of the uniform underneath."
"Of course, of course," Madame Malkin murmured, but she was staring at Naruto in a somewhat creepy dreamy fashion. Naruto thought that she looked like Sakura did whenever she'd found a good pair of kunai and shivered. "Will you be getting dress robes as well?" she asked, too eagerly. "I heard that Hogwarts is having several dances this year . . . ."
Snape sighed, looking aggravated. "Will you just get his school robes already?" he snapped.
Madame Malkin pursed her lips, glaring at him. Naruto spoke up hurriedly, "Dress robes would be nice, actually." She turned to look at him, and a gleam developed in her eyes. Naruto suppressed a shiver. "Uhm . . . is there anything else you'd recommend?" he asked, hoping to get that look off of her face.
"Well, you obviously already have muggle clothes," she said, perusing him critically. "Would you like some casual robes? Hogwarts students don't often get the opportunity to wear them, of course, but—"
"Sure!" Naruto said enthusiastically, already thinking of how he could show them off to Sakura when he got home. She loved it whenever he brought back things on his trips to other countries – last time he'd been to Tea Country, he'd gotten her as much local tea as he could, as well as hand-painted teacups. She hadn't stopped beaming at him for a week. He felt a pang of homesickness wash over him for a minute, distracting him as his seamstress moved around him, muttering to herself.
"Yes, blue is a definite must," he heard her say as he came back to himself. "White and gold would be gorgeous on him, and black. And I must say, young man, you look as if you could even wear orange!" Naruto's face lit up.
"You have orange robes!" he asked excitedly. She looked a little bemused, but she nodded. Naruto bounced up and down on the balls of his feet. "I'll take them!" he cried.
"But you haven't even seen them—" Madame Malkin protested. Naruto interrupted her.
"Don't care!" he said childishly. "I love orange!" She smiled a little at that.
"Alright," she said. "I'll get some of the dress robes I think will look good on you . . . . Stay here for a moment please."
"Orange robes, Uzumaki?" Snape inquired silkily after a moment of silence. Naruto pouted.
"It's better than wearing black all the time!" he said, sticking out his tongue. Snape looked like he was about to say something, but Madame Malkin came back with robes in her arms. Naruto was delighted to see a flash of orange among them.
"Alright, let's try these on, shall we?" she said, that gleam in her eye as she set the robes down on a nearby chair. Naruto felt like maybe, just maybe, he shouldn't have agreed to more robes. He looked over at Snape, but the man just smirked at him as Madame Malkin advanced, tape measurer in hand. Traitor, Naruto thought and turned with a sigh to meet his fate.
Harry Potter was nervous at dinner that night.
He didn't know why he was nervous, but that didn't matter. He'd learned a long time ago that the only instinct he could ever trust was his own (and Hermione's, but if he told her that she'd get a big head). So when he sat down, he kept a wary eye out. He knew that some of the Gryffindors were looking at him funny, and he figured that hunching down below his knife as if it would actually do anything to help in case there was trouble was going a bit too far. He straightened and tried to look nonchalant. Ron and Hermione exchanged looks.
"Harry," Hermione said delicately. "Are you alright?"
Harry shrugged. Hermione's mouth pursed in the way that told him she was frustrated with his refusal to spill his feelings and would soon lecture him on the subject of keeping everything bottled up inside. He watched as she took a deep breath and started to pick at his potatoes.
"Harry Potter, you know it's not good for you to keep everything bottled up inside—"
"Oh look, Dumbledore's standing up!" Harry interrupted brightly, feeling completely relieved that Dumbledore had something of importance to share. Hermione immediately shut up, as did the rest of the Great Hall.
"Dear students, I realize that I am keeping you from your dinner, so I shall not take long," he said, a twinkle in his eyes. "A set of most unusual circumstances has come upon Hogwarts." Harry felt the hairs on the back of his neck prickle and his eyes narrowed. "Through the destruction of his school at the hands of Voldemort," there were gasps at the name and Harry rolled his eyes, "a transfer student has been sent to Hogwarts to join his fellows for his seventh year." Murmurs of surprise spread across the hall. Transfers were rare. "His name is Naruto Uzumaki." Dumbledore's eyes met Harry's and he smiled. "I'm sure you'll all make him feel welcome." He raised his arm and the Great Hall door opened to show Naruto and Snape, who started to make their way down the center aisle.
Naruto looked different in robes, Harry noted with surprised. He was less dangerous somehow, and more vulnerable. However, his eyes were bright and curious as they darted around the hall, and his bearing only spoke of confidence. Harry bit back a smile when he saw Naruto's reaction to the ceiling. Had he looked like that, the first time? He supposed he must've.
"He's certainly different," Hermione murmured and Harry had to agree. He noticed that McGonagall was pulling out the Sorting Hat and realized that they had to sort Naruto still. He wondered what house the blond would be in. Part of him wanted to cry Gryffindor, but he remembered that slight look he'd seen in Naruto's eyes and wondered.
Naruto stared at the hat and said to Snape, loud enough so the whole hall could hear, "That's what sorts me?"
Students chuckled. Many remembered their own incredulousness. Harry hid a smile when he remembered how relieved he had been that he didn't need to fight trolls after all.
Snape sighed in a long-suffering way. "Yes, Mr. Uzumaki."
"Are you sure, Sna—Professor Snape?" he asked in doubt. Some of the students looked at each other, wondering if Snape was going to take the new student's head off.
Snape didn't let them down. His eyes narrowed and he snapped, "Would you just put it on your head already, Uzumaki?"
Naruto glared at him, "There's no need to be snippy," he said.
There was utter silence in the Great Hall. Several students had talked back to Snape, but they'd never said their insults in a way that implied that Snape was mere annoyance. Harry was the only one who was unfazed. He had a feeling that Naruto and Snape were becoming, as strange as it sounded to him, friends. Naruto seemed to take Snape's attitude in stride.
"Uzumaki," Snape growled. Naruto still didn't look scared, but he did back down.
"Oh alright," the blond said grumpily and stomped up to McGonagall to slam the hat on his head. Harry noted with amusement that it didn't slide over his face to cover his eyes like it had during his first year.
For a moment, all was quiet. Then Naruto huffed loudly and said, "Whaddya mean, I'm difficult?" Harry choked on a laugh and hid his face in his hands. Naruto continued to rant on, apparently uncaring that the majority of students could hear him quite well. "There's only four houses, you stupid hat, just pick one! This is weird enough without a voice in my head!"
"Uzumaki," Snape said in an irritated voice and Naruto's eyes flew to him as he scowled. But he stayed quiet. The Hat seemed to ponder for a few moments then it gave a hat's version of a deep, irritated sigh.
"If you're sure you can't be in Hufflepuff let it then be SLYTHERIN," it called out and Harry's jaw (and everyone else's in the room) dropped.
"Finally!" Naruto said, and took the hat off his head, oblivious to the utter silence of the hall in front of him. He handed it to a shell-shocked McGonagall and turned to his new house table. "What, no applause for your newest member?" he said cheekily, and surprised laughter spread throughout the hall. Harry had to bit his lip to keep from laughing when he saw that all of the Slytherins, Draco Malfoy in particular, looked horrified to see Naruto heading towards them. He couldn't help but think it was going to be an interesting year with Naruto in Slytherin, of all houses.
Naruto, on the other hand, was thinking that year was going to pretty dull if all his new classmates did was stare at him with their mouths wide open.
"Look, no offence, but your tongues aren't really the prettiest sight in the world," he said. There was a lot of muffled laughter and the tension broke up as the Slytherins pulled themselves together. Naruto eyed the food around him and sighed. "Why is there never any ramen?" he lamented.
He started to heap some of the nearby onto his plate before he felt like he was being watched and his neck snapped up. He remembered to slow down just in time, and kept his motions only sharply fast instead of a blur. He met the silver eyes of the blond across from him, and was eerily reminded of Hinata and Neji for a moment. Then the recognition cleared and he saw that the blond's eyes had pupils and were a shade darker than his friends'.
Naruto smirked a little. He'd decided earlier that day that he wanted to be as irritating and obnoxious as possible. He knew from his days at Konoha that people rarely considered you a threat if you acted annoying all the time. Better that they think him a fool than dangerous, as far as he was concerned. But that didn't mean it wasn't going to be fun annoying the hell out of all these civilians. The blond across from him looked like he would be even more fun – he had an expression on his face that reminded Naruto of Sasuke on his bitchiest days.
"Can I help you, cupcake?" he drawled in his best Sasuke-impression. The blond's irritated face was worth it.
"Why in Merlin's name did the Hat put you in Slytherin?" the blond demanded, apparently too flustered to try and be sneaky like Naruto had heard Slytherin's were supposed to be.
He shrugged and lied, "It said something about hidden depths."
Actually it had said, My, you are difficult, aren't you? Come, come, Mr. Uzumaki, I didn't mean it as an insult. I was simply commenting on how hard it will be to find a house for you. Ah yes, you aren't magical, at least in the traditional sense, but that doesn't matter. But where to put you? You have courage, of that there is no doubt. You don't think much of books or book-learning, and so Ravenclaw isn't the best option. But Hufflepuff or Slytherin would be equally good choices. You have unending loyalty and you have quite an amount of cunning . . . . you might even call it the cunning of a fox, hm?' Then it had given him a mental knowing stare.
It had been very disturbing.
Then it had continued on. Well, I always have to ask. Do you have a preference, Mr. Uzumaki?
Naruto thought on it. He remembered what Snape had said about the houses during their various evenings together. Gryffindor might be good because of Harry, but he would need more privacy than he would probably get from them. He scowled. Plus, they didn't like Snape. An idea occurred to him. If he was in Slytherin, maybe he could work on pulling more of that Dark Lord's supporters to Dumbledore's side. He was only in this school temporarily anyways . . . . His decision was sealed when he remembered Snape mentioning all seventh years Slytherins got their own rooms.
Put me in Slytherin, he thought to the hat. The Hat gave a mental frown.
Are you quite sure? When I think about it, Hufflepuff would surely be the better option—
Naruto snapped, Put me in Slytherin, or I'll try out that new Katon Jutsu that I've been wanting to experiment with on you.
The Hat gave a mental gulp when Naruto pushed the memory of his last use of the Jutsu to the forefront of his mind. Oh alright, it had grumbled and opened its brim to shout out its decision.
Naruto was glad to be in Slytherin. Not only would it mean he would have more access to Snape, but it also meant he'd have the joyful job of messing with the blond in front of him who looked like he had a stick shoved really far up his ass. Still, Hufflepuff might've been alright. He looked over at the yellow and black table, all of whose members looked like they'd just dodged a Rasengan. He wondered why they all looked so relieved to be rid of him, and then shrugged. It was their loss. He turned back to the blond, who was still staring at him as if he had some sort of mental problem.
"Yes?" Naruto asked, trying to patient. "What do you want now?"
The blond's mouth opened and closed, making him look like a fish. Then he scowled heavily. Naruto wondered if he would be insulted to hear that it was nowhere near as elegant as Snape's scowl. Probably, he decided as he eyed the pot roast nearby.
"I can't believe we're stuck with you," the blond was muttering as Naruto grabbed some pot roast and began to eat. Not as good as ramen, but what can you do? He lamented to himself. These wizards have no good taste. "Are you even pureblood?"
Naruto's head tilted to the side as he considered the question. Pureblood? Hadn't he heard about that from somewhere? Ah yes, full magical blood. He wondered if he should claim to be pureblooded. But it wouldn't fit in with his cover as someone lacking in magical talent, would it? Dumbledore hadn't mentioned it at all, so he couldn't be sure. It was time to side-step.
He raised an eyebrow, copying Sasuke's best 'I-am-an-Uchiha-and-you-are-nothing-but-a-lowlife' face. "Are you a pureblood?" He had a theory that the patronizing tone would fluster Malfoy enough that he would forget his questioning.
The blond glared. "I'm Draco Malfoy!" he stressed. When Naruto still look unconvinced, his glare deepened. It was up to Sasuke levels, Naruto admitted, but it couldn't quite reach Itachi (or Snape for that matter) on an angry day. "Of course I'm a pureblood!"
"Well there you go," Naruto said and went back to eating.
He felt eyes on his head, but he didn't look away from his pot roast and mashed potatoes, so Malfoy eventually left him alone. Naruto hoped that the kid wouldn't ask about his blood status until he'd had a chance to check with Dumbledore. It was only temporary, but Naruto didn't have any particular urge to stick out more than he already did.
Naruto felt eyes on the back of his head and turned, frowning. His frown changed to a smile when he met Snape's eyes. They immediately narrowed at him, and Snape's face turned into one of his more terrifying sneers. Naruto grinned happily at him, and waved. He saw Snape sigh and he would bet a month's ramen that he had just rolled his eyes. Naruto shrugged and turned back to the table, only to find the majority of the Slytherin House was staring either at him or Snape. Naruto raised an eyebrow.
"What?"
Naruto's good mood that night evaporated about the time he woke up screaming from a nightmare.
It had been one that he'd had before. They always started out the same. He would be sitting by the lake that he'd first met Sasuke at, staring into the water. His reflection was always of a seven-year-old Naruto. Then Sasuke – older Sasuke, the Sasuke who thought purple bows were in fashion and liked to keep a snake-pervert for company – appeared behind him, his katana in hand and his eyes glowing red. But he wouldn't do anything at first. Naruto would just stare up at his red eyes . . . and those eyes slowly turned into Mangekyou and all he could see was blood and carnage caused by him – caused by him losing control of the Kyuubi and letting it free to extract revenge as it wanted.
He would see Sakura and Tsunade and Iruka and Kakashi . . . everyone he'd ever loved or befriended, they were all dead by his hand. Even as Naruto fell to his knees, screaming with grief, Sasuke would appear in front him, smirking. Naruto last memory of the dream was Sasuke hissing, "You can't change who you are, dobe." Then he would wake up, covered in sweat and shivering.
Naruto pressed the heels of his hands into his eyes. The pressure was a comfort as he tried to control his shaking and calm his breathing. He'd been having that dream for weeks, ever since . . . . Ever since the last time he'd let the Kyuubi out in full force. He'd gotten to seven tails.
Abruptly, Naruto stood and hurried out of his door. He was even more thankful now that he had chosen Slytherin. The seventh years had their own hall, and each student had their own room, soundproofed thanks to the concrete walls of the dungeons. No one would have heard him screaming.
The halls were quiet and dark and cold. Naruto could feel the chill invading his bare feet, but he didn't really care. When he'd been home, he'd always gone to the Hokage Mountain after the dream. But he wasn't home anymore. He only had one place beyond Snape's rooms that he'd spent any time regularly at. For a moment, Naruto considered going to Snape, then felt a bubble of hysterical amusement rise up in him. Snape felt a sense of obligation to him, Naruto knew, but he wouldn't want to hear about the skeleton in Naruto's closet that came out to haunt him every night. Besides, he'd never needed anyone before, had he? He'd never gone to Iruka or Kakashi or Sai or Sakura or anyone else, despite the temptation. He knew what they would say.
They would tell him to forget. To let the Sasuke he knew stay in the past. But Naruto refused to do that. He would never do that.
He knew that Professors sometimes patrolled the Hogwarts halls, but he didn't run into any as he found a window on the first floor. He lightly opened it and jumped out, relieved to feel cool grass beneath his feet instead of frost or snow. He ran across the open fields that surrounded Hogwarts until he reached the lake and collapsed on its bank. The lake was dark in the night, but the moon shone brightly enough that the water had the slightest hint of silver upon its surface. Stars were numerous in the black sky overhead, in a way that reminded Naruto of the times he'd been on a long mission away from home and the lights, with only his teammates and the forest around them. His heart ached for a moment.
What am I doing here? He thought tiredly. I should just pack up and go. My family is halfway across the world, and I'm just sitting here, pretending to be a kid when I'm not. I should just go home and go back to my life.
Still, a part of him wanted to stay. He'd felt more lighthearted here than he had in ages. He wanted this vacation. He didn't know how long he'd needed time off from his job of hunting and killing, but now that he had it, he was reluctant at the thought of giving it up so soon. And there was still the matter of Snape. Naruto didn't want to leave until the man had a friend, whether it was him or someone else. But . . . at the same time, he felt an itch to leave.
Naruto leaned his head against his raised knees and sighed, staring out across the dark water. He wondered what Tsunade was doing. Had his team mates realized he was gone yet? Had anyone been hurt while he was gone? What had happened to the man he had been pursuing?
"Naruto?"
Naruto turned immediately, still too sleepy to think to check his movements so they weren't quite as fast. His hand came up to Harry's neck in a millisecond, stopping just before hitting the pressure point that would knock Harry unconscious. Naruto met Harry's wide green eyes and slowly pulled away.
"Sorry," he said, and sat back down. "What are you doing out here?"
"Ah," Harry said, still looking shocked, "I'm an insomniac. Usually I stay in the castle at night, but I saw you sitting out here . . . ."
Naruto smiled at him tiredly. "That was nice of you, Harry. But I'm fine. You should try and get some sleep."
Harry, to his surprise, ignored him and sat down. He propped his chin onto his knees and stared at Naruto with his green eyes. Naruto was suddenly reminded of Sakura, although the shade was off. He shifted a little uncomfortably.
"Why aren't you asleep?" Harry asked quietly.
Naruto wondered if he should tell him the truth. He looked at Harry, taking in the messy hair and bright eyes. There were faint shadows of fatigue under his eyes, but otherwise he looked as alert and healthy as he had that night at dinner.
"Just got the itch, I guess," he said lightly, lying. "I'm too used to wandering during the nights, I guess."
Harry relaxed a little. "Okay," he said, accepting the answer. Naruto wondered if he believed it, and thought that he probably did. Harry had his eyes, but they weren't as dark or shadowed. The kid was still a kid, and a civilian at that, no matter how many horrible things he'd seen. Naruto, on the other hand, was a soldier, and he had been for a very long time.
"You won't tell me about you if I ask, will you?" Harry asked. Naruto thought that he was brighter than he looked.
"Nope," he said. "I'm sure you're curious, Harry-kun – I know I would be if a mysterious stranger dropped into my school . . . . But I can't tell you anything. Not just can't, I won't. Maybe I would if things were different, but the thing is, it's not just my secret to tell."
Harry considered it. "Alright," he conceded. "But if my friends think you're weird, I won't be able to stop them from investigating you."
Naruto remembered the brown-haired girl and red-headed boy he'd seen with Harry that night and felt a pang in his heart. They reminded him of Team 7, so much that it hurt. And he knew if anything like this had happened in Konoha, Team 7 would have been one of the first to figure anything out. They didn't have much in common, Sasuke, Sakura and him, but they were all as curious as cats. He guessed that Harry and his friends must be the same.
"Don't worry, I'm good at hiding secrets," he told Harry. He forced a smile. "I've had practice."
Harry frowned at him. "You don't have to pretend to be happy," he said. Naruto thought that maybe he'd underestimated Harry's perceptiveness. "I mean, I get that you're tired and homesick, so you don't have to act cheerful."
"Thanks Harry," Naruto said, smiling for real this time.
They were silent for a long moment. Naruto turned his attention to the stars overhead, while Harry seemed intent on staring Naruto down. Eventually, Naruto figured he might as well figure out what was so fascinating about him.
"What is it?" he asked, not taking his eyes away from the sky.
"You're a strange man, Naruto," Harry told him bluntly. "I don't know why I get the feeling I can trust you."
Naruto gave him a real smile this time. "It's just a part of my natural charm," he teased. Harry laughed.
"Maybe that is it," he agreed, shaking his head and standing. "Thanks for the talk," he said as he turned to leave. He paused, then turned back. "Look, there are some kids here who really, uh, hate Slytherin. I used to be one of them, so . . . yeah. Take care of yourself, alright?"
Naruto's smile widened. "You're a good kid, Harry, you know that?" Harry blushed and then hurried away. Naruto's laughter followed him.
Naruto swept in the Great Hall that morning late.
He'd hadn't gotten back to sleep the night before, but he'd put a low-level genjutsu over the dark circles under his eyes to mask them. To the students, he looked as bright and cheerful as he had been the night before. The only one who seemed to realize that Naruto was a little off was Snape, whose eyes had been on him the moment he entered the hall. It was disconcerting. Naruto sent an extra bright smile Snape's way to get that look off of him, but instead Snape's eyes just narrowed further and he got the look on his face that he adopted whenever he was working on a difficult potion.
The Slytherin was nearly full. Naruto managed to find a spot across from an elegant looking black teenager who he hadn't had the chance to greet the night before. Naruto stuck out his hand immediately, smiling. The black teen took it in his, flashing white teeth.
"I'm Blaise Zabini," he said. His voice was strangely accented.
"Naruto," Naruto said, shaking the hand in his own enthusiastically. Blaise's face was full of amusement.
"Nice to meet you," he said, pulling his hand away. "Of course, I already knew who you were. You're kind of hard not to notice."
"It's a special power," Naruto said mock-seriously, and Blaise laughed. It surprised Naruto. He wasn't sure why until he realized he hadn't heard a single Slytherin laugh so far, not even any of the first years. He wondered if it was some sort of Slytherin code that they were only allowed to show their amusement in smirks.
"Anyone who can ruffle Draco's feathers that badly within the first few minutes of meeting him must have a special power," Blaise said. "Well, unless you're Potter, of course."
"They don't get along?" Naruto asked, interested. Blaise laughed again.
"Oh, you have no idea. Those two hate each other. You'll get an example soon enough, I suppose." He leaned forward and said, in a mock-whisper, "If you ask me, it's all unresolved sexual tension." Naruto broke out laughing.
"Blaise, what are you doing?" Draco Malfoy stood behind Blaise, arms crossed over his chest.
Blaise twisted around to regard Malfoy. "Just telling Naruto here about how much better you and Potter would get along if you'd just fuck already."
Malfoy rolled his eyes as if it was something he'd already heard millions of times before. He shooed away a first year and sat next to Blaise, sliding into his seat in an unfairly dignified way. Naruto was a little jealous.
"I keep telling you Blaise, there is not a thin line between love and hate," Malfoy said patiently, piling his plate full of breakfast foods. Naruto noticed that he seemed partial to blueberry muffins and avoided bacon altogether.
"But there is a thin line between hate and lust, Draco," Blaise teased as he took a bite out of his sausage. Malfoy rolled his eyes and wrinkled his nose.
"Please. As if I'd ever touch Potter."
Naruto decided it was time to join in. "He is pretty cute, isn't he Blaise?" he said in a light, teasing tone. Malfoy glared at him. Naruto thought he was pretty annoyed for someone who claimed he didn't have the slightest feeling other than hatred for Harry.
"Stay out of this Uzumaki," Malfoy said, managing to pronounce his last name easily. Naruto was impressed. Some of the people he'd talked to seemed intent on mangling his name completely.
Before Naruto could respond, he felt a heavy hand come down on his shoulder. He suppressed the instinct to flip the person behind him over his shoulder and turned to see Snape staring down at him.
"Mr. Uzumaki," he said. "The Headmaster wishes to speak with you before your morning classes."
Naruto flashed a bright smile at him. Snape's face didn't soften, but his eyes did. "Of course sir," he said cheerfully and got to his feet. He looked over at Blaise and Draco and saw that they both looked a little surprised. He smirked in true Slytherin fashion and wiggled his fingers at them before following Snape out of the Great Hall.
As soon as the sounds of students eating faded, Naruto asked, "So, what does the old man want?"
"You should refer to him with more respect," Snape said, sounding a little amused and a little annoyed. Naruto had often heard that combination in Sakura's voice when he was being particularly obnoxious.
Naruto rolled his eyes. "He doesn't mind," he said bluntly. Sarutobi had been the same way. Dumbledore understood that Naruto didn't mean it in disrespect. Instead, it was . . . well, an almost affectionate nickname for him. Plus, Dumbledore just seemed like the kind of man who got a kick out of being called an old man to his face. Naruto didn't blame him. If he ever became Hokage, he wouldn't have people bowing and scraping and calling him Hokage-sama. After a few years (hell, a few months even) he knew he'd get damn sick of it, especially if it came from his friends. Dumbledore probably felt the same way – everyone Naruto had met so far seemed to treat him with the utmost respect.
They stopped in front of the strange statue that guarded the Headmaster's Office. Naruto had only seen it when they'd flooed out to Diagon Alley, and he watched with fascination as Snape told it the password and it swirled open. So cool, he thought as he followed Snape up the stairs. He wondered if he could find a way to incorporate that into the Hokage's Office.
"Severus, Naruto, come in," Dumbledore said the moment Snape knocked. Naruto wanted to know how he did that. He had a feeling it wasn't because Dumbledore was all-knowing, but he hadn't seen anything in his office to spy through, so he wasn't sure.
Dumbledore was sitting behind his desk, petting a huge red bird. Naruto gaped at it. That hadn't been in here the last two times he'd been there!
Dumbledore noticed his surprise and smiled. "Naruto, this is Fawkes. He's not really my phoenix, but he does stay with me for the majority of the time."
A phoenix, Naruto thought with awe, staring at the elegant head and huge wings. He'd heard stories of them, of course. Everyone had. Barely anything was known of the Outside, but phoenix tales had been spread because of the fantastic nature of the beast they wove stories about. Naruto had heard a few from Sarutobi when he'd been young. When he'd been a kid, he'd even looked them up (one of the few times he'd ever spent in the library as a kid) and been utterly fascinated by them. And now there was one in front of him!
Fawkes looked up and met his eyes and Naruto felt a spark inside of him, as if some sort of connection had occurred. Fawkes immediately leapt from Dumbledore's arm and flew to Naruto. Naruto managed to hold an arm in time and Fawkes settled onto it, trilling lightly. His golden eyes never left Naruto's.
Ah, Kyuubi sighed in his head. A phoenix. One of my kin.
Kyuubi had been speaking to him for years now. Naruto was no longer surprised when the fox piped up on something he found interesting, since he spent most of his time awake and aware in Naruto's mind. Your kin? Naruto thought in shock. All of the stories of phoenixes depicted them as creatures of light and nobility. He admitted that Kyuubi wasn't as completely horrible as the villagers said he was, but he was no saint. Kyuubi gave an amused snort.
Yes, human. We're both creatures of fire, creatures of immortality. You could call him my distant cousin, if you wish.
Is that why there's this . . . . Naruto struggled to find words to describe it.
A connection? Kyuubi said, finishing his thought. Yes. He recognizes me in you.
Naruto was a little sad that the phoenix didn't like him just because he was Naruto. Kyuubi let out the rough growl that was his laugh.
Don't be fooled, human. Phoenixes don't only see one part of a person. If he is drawn to you, it isn't just because of me.
Naruto brightened at that, and settled a hand on Fawkes' head, stroking the soft feathers. Fawkes leaned into the touch and gave a happy trill.
"Well, it seems Fawkes has taken to you," Dumbledore said.
Naruto looked up and saw that the old man was observing him carefully. He remembered the stories he'd heard about how phoenixes disliked those with darkness in them and blessed pure humans, and he wondered if this had been a test. But in the next second, Dumbledore was smiling at him like an old man. Naruto narrowed his eyes, but then relaxed. A test was necessary, he thought. He'd thought from the beginning that Dumbledore was too lenient, that he needed to be more cautious. If the old man was testing him, that meant he was being safe.
"I like him too," Naruto said quietly. He moved to one of the cushy chairs across from Dumbledore, careful not to jostle Fawkes too much. Snape disdained the chair and stood instead, crossing his arms over his chest and scowling darkly. "What did you call me up here for, old man?" Dumbledore's eyes twinkled brightly, then dimmed.
"I'm afraid I have bad news, my boy," he said. "I've sent out as many people as I dare to try and find some of your kinsmen. So far, they have found no one." Dumbledore shook his head. "It's as if every shinobi has decided to stay away from the Outside."
Naruto frowned. "You're sure they've looked everywhere? We're pretty sneaky."
Dumbledore smiled. "I'm sure. I'm sorry my boy. I'll keep trying, but I feel that it will be some time before we can find anyone." He paused, then added, "If you wish to try and search on your own, I suppose I can't fault you."
"No, I won't do that," Naruto said, waving his free hand. "I'll have little more luck than you anyways." He sighed. "I'll stay here. It's not completely urgent that I get home." He paused, then added softly, "I kind of need a vacation anyways."
Dumbledore looked somber. "Are you sure, my boy? I'm sure we could come up with a story about your disappearance—"
"No!" Naruto snapped. He shook his head, then added, "Look, old man, I appreciate all you've done for me. I want to stay. If that changes, I'll let you know."
Dumbledore regarded him intently for a moment, then smiled. "Alright then," he said. "Severus, you may escort Mr. Uzumaki to his first class. Herbology, is it not?"
Naruto grinned. "Yup!" he said happily.
Snape rolled his eyes. "He likes the bloody things," he told Dumbledore, who looked amused. "I saw him cooing to Sprout's baby Devil's Snare the other day."
Naruto smiled and waved a hand as he stood, Fawkes still clutching his arm. "It was perfectly nice to me. All any plants need is a little love, Snape."
Snape snorted. "Oh yes, a little love. That's all anyone in the world needs," he said sarcastically. "Don't say I didn't warn you when one of your beloved plants eats you in one bite."
Naruto shook his head. "You're a charmer, Severus Snape," he said. "Honestly, I don't understand why more people don't flock to you, with an attitude like that!"
Snape's face suddenly closed off, shutting away the light in his eye that appeared when they teased each other. "Let's just go, Uzumaki!" he snapped.
Naruto frowned and looked at Dumbledore, but the old man was very purposefully looking away. Still confused, he turned to Fawkes and stroked the bird's head for the last time. "See you later buddy," he whispered to the bird. Golden eyes regarded him with warmth before Fawkes jumped off of him and settled back onto Dumbledore's shoulder.
With a wave to Dumbledore and a slight, stiff nod from Snape, Naruto and Snape made their way down the stairs. They walked in silence as Snape led Naruto through the halls so he could find his way to the greenhouses. Naruto tolerated for a few minutes, but it got to him soon enough.
"Look, I'm sorry for whatever I said that got your panties in such a twist, okay?" he blurted out. Snape stopped and looked down at him with blank black eyes.
"I don't know what you're talking about Uzumaki," he said flatly. Naruto rolled his eyes.
"Please," he said. "You closed up faster than virgin on her wedding night. What gives? We were having this awesome friendly tease session, and then all of the sudden – poof, emotionless Snape is back!"
Snape frowned. "It was nothing," he said. His face lost some of the stone-like rigidity it had been sporting earlier.
Naruto looked at him. "Fine," he said. "I don't buy it for a second, but if you don't want to talk about it, alright." Snape looked a little relieved. Naruto grinned. "Who would've thought that big, bad Severus Snape had such a thin skin? What, you can dish it out but you can't take it?" He made sure that his tone was completely teasing. Snape tensed, but then relaxed. When he looked at Naruto, there was even a hint of a smirk on his face.
"As if your plebian insults could ever get to me, Uzumaki," he said loftily. Naruto laughed.
"I'm sure," he said obligingly. They were nearing the door that led out to the Greenhouses. When they arrived, Snape grabbed Naruto's shoulder as he made to open it. Naruto looked up at him questioningly.
"Why are you staying, Uzumaki?" he asked. "You could probably find one of your little comrades if you really wanted to if you left."
Naruto shrugged. "I don't really want to. I . . . need a vacation, and Hogwarts seems like a good place for it." Snape looked at him incredulously.
"A place in the middle of a war? That's where you decide to vacation?"
Naruto grinned widely. "Well, I never said I wasn't a bit crazy!" Snape snorted and released his shoulder. Naruto flung the heavy door wide open and blew a kiss over his shoulder at Snape.
"Bye-bye, honeybee!" he cooed and ran out. He thought the picture of Snape's half-incredulous, half-shocked face would stay with him for a while.
Konohagakure
"WHATTYA MEAN HE'S MISSING?"
The four occupants in the room winced in unison and exchanged looks. Tsunade was not a pretty sight when she was angry (and drunk). At least she wasn't throwing them into walls (yet).
"Naruto fought with one of the enemy nin he was chasing," one of the figures said, the one wearing a white rabbit face. "We managed to catch him, but not until a few days later. Naruto wasn't with him, and he never returned to the inn we were staying at." She looked at the rest of her companions, then back at Tsunade. "We came back as soon as we realized he was missing."
Tsunade's head was in her hands. "Damnit," she said in a muffled voice. Without looking up, she added, "Take those damn masks off, already."
The rabbit masked person took off her mask to reveal Haruno Sakura. Next to her, Hyuuga Neji, Nara Shikamaru and Hyuuga Hinata all took of their masks as well. Neji held the mask of a raven, Shikamaru of a coyote, and Hinata's was that of a deer.
"You're his team, damnit," Tsunade said, looking up. Her eyes were red-rimmed. "You're supposed to look after him, not lose him! He's not an old shirt!"
Sakura's eyes were just as bloodshot. She looked as if she hadn't slept in a week (which she really hadn't). "I know Tsunade-sama," she said. "I'm sorry. We're all sorry. But we need to start looking for him, now."
"Of course!" Tsunade snapped. "You brought back the man he was fighting, didn't you?"
Sakura smirked. "Of course," she purred in a thoroughly deadly way. "He's with Ibiki right now."
Tsunade echoed her smirk. "Wonderful," she said with satisfaction. "We'll see if we can get any information out of him. You searched the area he was last seen in, correct?"
"Yes, Hokage-sama," Hinata answered quietly. She looked as bad as Sakura.
"Both Hinata and I scoped out as much as the area as we could when we were travelling back," Neji added. He didn't have red-rimmed eyes, but his face was pale and his lips were pressed into a firm, flat line. "If he was still in the area, we would've seen him."
"The man we brought back kept going on about jutsu's and bright blue lights," Shikamaru said. His clothes were rumpled and his eyes had the bright, focused look they only got in intense battles. "That might have something to do with Naruto's disappearance."
"Alright," Tsunade said. "We'll start searching, first around the village. At least until we can get that man to talk." She sighed. "We'll find him," she said, almost more to herself than the four teenagers in front of her. "We have to."
Somewhere in Scotland
Castles were all well and good for other Dark Lords, Voldemort mused, but he really did prefer the comfort that the Malfoy Manor offered.
He knew it was dangerous to stay in the home of such a well-known Death Eater (well – well known suspected Death Eater) but he didn't have much choice at the moment. His last two hideaways had been invaded. Malfoy Manor had the benefit of having age-old wards put into place that didn't allow anyone onto the premises beyond those invited by a Malfoy. Unless Draco decided to be foolish, there was no way anyone would get it.
Voldemort took a sip from his wine glass and savored having taste buds again. For the past few years, his appearance and magic had been stabilizing again. He'd known when he'd done the Dark Ritual that it would make him less than human at first, but as time went on, he became the man he'd been before more and more. His nose had become a human nose, and his hair was black. Soon his skin would lose the pale, scaly qualities it held. The only thing that would remain would be his red eyes - reminded that he had come too close to death and paid the price for returning to life.
Voldemort looked up when Lucius entered, dressed in dark robes but without a mask. "Your honored guests are here, My Lord," he said with a low bow. Voldemort stood, excitement rising in him. Tonight was the night.
He'd been approached a few months ago by a man who claimed that his master wanted an alliance. Voldemort had been a little intrigued, but mostly bored by the offer. He'd sent back a dismissive reply and forgotten it for a few weeks. Then he'd received a letter that gave, in detail, just what this mystery man could do for his cause. At first, Voldemort had been skeptical. But he'd researched the matter himself and come to the conclusion that the man was telling the truth. Eagerly, he'd set up a meeting so they could discuss their terms. Tonight was the agreed night.
Voldemort swept through the elegant Malfoy Manor until he came into the dining hall. It had been moved around for his purposes tonight, and when he entered there was a long table with chairs set around it. His guests were already seated.
He knew the leader immediately and was surprised at the similarities between them. He offered a small head nod to the man, who smirked at him and returned it.
"Orochimaru," Voldemort said, sitting opposite of the man, "It is a pleasure to meet you in person."
"I feel the same, Lord Voldemort," Orochimaru said, speaking with the same odd lisp that Voldemort did. It was a little disconcerting. "May I introduce my protégé, Sasuke Uchiha?" Voldemort glanced at the cold looking young man next to his new partner. He was very good-looking, but the sword at his side and the look on his pale face told Voldemort that he was more deadly than beautiful.
"And the others?" he asked, eyeing the other . . . colorful guests. Orochimaru waved a hand.
"My guards," he said. "I did travel across continents to reach you." His smile was sharp. Voldemort smiled back just as horribly. He wasn't sure if he liked or was wary of this man, but whatever it was, he knew that he could use him.
They sat in silence for a few moments, eyeing each other. Neither of them wanted to start and relinquish power over the situation. Finally, Voldemort decided it was time.
"You know what I want, correct?" he asked.
Orochimaru nodded. "You want to use my forces to help you win your war." Then he smirked a little. "As well as to kill that Potter child you seem to be so obsessed with."
Voldemort grit his teeth, but didn't retaliate. "Do you agree with these terms?"
"There are a few conditions," Orochimaru said. "First, I will not be staying personally. Sasuke will be leader in my absence." Voldemort frowned.
"Your troops with follow him?" he said doubtfully. Orochimaru looked amused.
"They follow him almost better than they do me," he said. "He is a talented young man, and I have no doubt he will be immensely useful in completely your goals."
Voldemort considered it. Uchiha looked about seventeen or eighteen. By that time, Voldemort had already murdered what was left of his family. Ages were deceiving.
"Very well," he said. He looked at Orochimaru. "There is also the matter of payment," he said. Orochimaru inclined his head, smirking.
"Yes. When you are done with this war, whether you win or lose, you will help me destroy Konohagakure and all of its allies."
"Why do you wish to destroy them?" Voldemort said, voice as casual as if he was discussing the weather.
"Konoha is the greatest of the shinobi nations," Orochimaru grimaced, as if this idea pained him. "If I take it down, its allies will go down as well. With them out of the way, I can rule the Elemental Countries much more quickly. I haven't been able to do it on my own, but with your help I might be able to."
Voldemort considered it. With Orochimaru's help, he could very well win the war he'd been fighting since his early adulthood. Even if there was a string attached, he wouldn't turn down an offer like that. He'd read about shinobi skills. They were extraordinary and useful.
"Very well," he said. "You will help me, and I will help you once the war is over, win or lose." He reached into his robe to retrieve his wand.
In an instant, a katana was against his neck and he was staring into eyes as red and bloody as his own. Voldemort turned his gaze to Orochimaru, who looked inordinately smug.
"Sasuke is a little jumpy," he said. He ignored the Death Eaters in the back of the room who had pulled out their wands and trained it on him. "Please forgive him. Sasuke, release him. He's our ally now, and we are polite to our allies."
Uchiha drew away. Voldemort held out his wand. "We will make a magical agreement on it," he said. "If that is alright with you, of course," he said to Orochimaru, out of pure courtesy.
"Of course," Orochimaru said, knowing he couldn't refuse.
"You and Uchiha will repeat after me. I will help Lord Voldemort win the current wizarding war and not betray him in any way."
Orochimaru and Uchiha exchanged looks and steadily repeated what he'd said. Voldemort felt the spark of magic with satisfaction.
"I, Lord Voldemort, will aid Orochimaru against his enemies once my duties in the war has finished, whether the result is good or bad."
Voldemort had entertained the idea of not honoring his side of the agreement, but he hadn't said anything about either of them not killing him, and none of the shinobi around them had sworn the agreement. He would have to try to convince Uchiha to get all of his minions to swear the same oath.
"Well then," Voldemort said, putting his wand away. "I do believe that this alliance is now official."
Orochimaru extended a hand to him and Voldemort took it. They smirked at each other, each imagining the eventual triumph they would achieve.
Author's Note: Dun dun dun! Just to clarify, I've decided that in canon, this story comes before Orochimaru dies, but after the second Team 7 reunion. I hope my reasoning for Naruto staying makes sense and isn't terribly out-of-character. Yes, Sakura, Shika, Neji and Hinata are all Naruto's ANBU team. They'll show up more in later chapters. Next chapter will be up sooner or later! Please review!
EDIT: Sorry, I completely forgot Naruto is a fan of plants. Edited the part he talks about Herbology so that he likes them instead of hates them.