4 - Crossover - Hogwarts, Reborn

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Omake - Uzumaki Naruto:

"I can't believe it!" Naruto huffed irritably.

Sasuke, whom didn't even look away from the card game he was playing with Itachi and Shisui and Obito, said in an utterly deadpanned voice, "Believe it."

Sakura, who was taken the time granted to them to get to know her Uchiha in-laws, laughed but obligingly asked. "Can't believe what, Naruto?"

"Sensei!" Naruto burst and offered his father a half apologetic and half sheepish look when the Yondaime glanced up from where he was arguing with the Sandaime and Nidaime Hokage about jutsu. "He was the first to, well, die-" Here, even Sai winced a bit. "-but he's not here yet!"

Yamato-who-became-Tenzo-when-Sensei-was-Hokage-then-Yamato-again-when-Naruto-was-Hokage looked over from where he'd been gleefully extracting childhood stories from one Hatake Sakumo (and wasn't that a mind-boggling meeting because Sensei has a dad and his dad was awesome- even if he didn't tell them anything about the Mask, which had earned it's capital letters when it was added to Sensei's Hokage Mountain face). "Well, you know Kakashi-senpai, Naruto."

"Still!" Naruto protested then, utterly frustrated, cried out. "SENSEI! YOU'RE LATE!"

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Omake - James Potter:

James sighed.

Peter blinked and looked at his new friend, "What's wrong?"

"Just-" James said. "Kind of wish Sirius was a Gryffindor- a Black who's not Slytherin has to be pretty cool, right?"

Peter shrugged and returned to his lunch.

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Omake - Lily Evans:

"...he never said." Lily realized belatedly.

Her new companion, the shy boy- Remus Lupin- from the boat ride, glanced at her. "Pardon?"

"I sat with Sirius on the train," Lily explained. "We talked about what House we'd want to go to but when asked he never actually said which one- only that his family were all Slytherins."

Remus' eyes narrowed a bit in thought as he glanced at the Hufflepuff table. "So you think he planned-..?"

"I think," Lily finally said. "That our time at Hogwarts is going to be an interesting one."

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Omake - Helga Hufflepuff:

"Do you require some assistance, cub?" Helga asked.

The young Black went still in a way that made her ache (made her wish she still had her body so she could rip into anyone whom hurt one of hers so much he immediately expected an attack) before turning towards her with a (false false FALSE) smile that was tucked behind his scarf. "No, Lady Hufflepuff. I'm fine."

She let that last sentence settle into silence, let the echo expose the lie it was then said. "Milly, a cup of Hot Chocolate wouldn't be remiss."

"Wha-" Her heart-hurting cub started before a steaming mug of hot chocolate appeared on a table.

"I find," Helga said as the took the mug in his hands. "That a cup of hot cocoa can work wonders when sleep is difficult to come by."

Grey eyes blinked and the words were almost lost when he took a drink but she heard their sincerity. "Thank you."

"I think Godric would have liked you," She told him, it was a lie because she knew her brother in all but blood would have loved this brave little warrior-cub whom turned his back on centuries of tradition. "If I may, while you finish your cup, reminisce about him aloud?"

Because Helga may not have the body needed to be her Clan's Champion anymore but she could still be here, in the quiet moments when fears and old wounds hit, for her cubs. "The first time we met, I thought Godric a woman and he believed me a man..."

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Omake - Pomona Sprout:

"I apologize," Pomona smiled at the...concerned parents and if her smile was a bit on the frosty side, well, who could say? "But I don't believe I heard you right. I could have sworn that you were...asking-" More accurately demanding not that any non-Hufflepuff cared. "That I evict a first year from my House."

My Clan. Wasn't said but the few Hufflepuff parents whom had been dragged along by their spouses heard it loud and clear if their grimly understanding and resigned looks were anything to go by- because this was an attack on one of her cubs which meant an attack on the Clan.

And Hufflepuff did not let such attacks go unpunished.

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Omake - Amos Diggory:

When it came time for mentors to choose their cubs, there was just the slightest bit of hesitation because of Sirius Black. Not because they would shy from their new firstie due to a name but because they knew that anyone whom became Sirius' mentor would become a target- would have to be continuously alert because their charge was a target, would have to prepare for the eventuality that Sirius' family might react badly enough that they'd disown him then it would be their duty to look after the eleven year old and somehow explain to their family why they had to welcome a Black into their homes and families- and they weren't sure if they could do it.

But a Hufflepuff never backs down when Clan was on the line- especially a Cub, so they would do it but it was a debate on who would be best for Sirius.

Amos looked at the first year, saw how small he was and how thin and how he kept himself a bit away from the rest and how he hid half his face in his scarf, and just moved. "Looks like it's you and me, cub."

Grey eyes blinked a bit, a bit startled before a sly kind of amusement took over. "...can I get a refund?"

Amos laughed because he didn't know what the future may bring but, in that moment, he felt he made the right choice.

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Omake - Regulus Black:

Regulus put down the letter, shaking his head. "Must you always cause trouble, Niisan?"

Part of him pitied the unsuspecting Hufflepuffs that were about to deal with Team 7's famous kind of luck. Another part of him wished he could explain to their parents why it was for the best the Sirius wasn't in Slytherin because the luck- which was strong enough to carry over through reincarnation so it really deserved it's legendry status- would have Slytherin boycotting and rioting by the end of the year over the Black Heir.

Not that rioting might not happen anyways, Kakashi gave Sirius such an odd sense of humor.