A/N: Wow, thanks you guys for all the reviews, you really made my dayd brighter. My updates might get a little more chaotic and spaced out because I'm moving into my dad's house, and I need to get all my stuff organized and put away, then set everything up again after we paint my new room here. I like it, it's really spacious and I get my own computer! Yay!
Anyways, WriterApprentice, thanks for your review. I'd like to clear up a little matter you mentioned. You said that Sasuke was heartless because he told Harry to get rid of the look in his eyes. I know that probably didn't seem the nicest thing to say to someone, but it'll all be cleared up later in the story, just hang on and around for it. And also, White Raven6, somehow everyone managed to convince Gaara to leave his gourd behind, I was just to lazy to type that... and no, there will not be an Neji x Gaara romance in this story. I'm sorry, but it's just not a pairing I support, so I'm afraid I can't write it. I do not mean to offend anyone.
Disclaimer: Why do I have to type this again! I don't own anything! I don't own any of the Naruto characters or Harry Potter characters! I only own Maerin, and the plot of this story, wherever it may go! So don't think I own anything! Please don't sue me either!
Chapter 4: The Train Ride
Dumbledore hadn't wanted to arise suspicion as to why the shinobi hadn't been on the Hogwarts Express, so he told them that they'd be riding on it's journey to London to pick up the rest of the student population and then ride it back with them to be sorted into their houses at the Sorting Ceremony.
Maerin had come to see them off, "Don't cause any trouble and behave yourselves." She cast a knowing glance at Naruto and Sasuke, "That means no fighting on the train. We don't want you to blow our cover so soon."
"Why are you picking on me and Sasuke!" Naruto interjected.
"Because it's always you two who rush into things without thinking things through first!" Maerin told him knowingly. "Kakashi and I won't be there, so I'm trusting you guys to be responsible. Try to blend in."
After various forms of asentment, Maerin herded them onto the train and bid them farewell, once again telling them to behave themselves and watch out for suspicious activity and report it to her or Kakashi when they returned.
The train pulled away from the Hogsmeade station, and the shinobi were on their way to London once again.
It was the last day of summer holidays, and things at The Burrow were more chaotic then ever. Everyone was trying to get everything in order so they would make it out of the house at the right time the next day. Harry had everything packed up and was sitting on the bed that he'd been using since arriving at The Burrow. He'd been staying in Fred and George's old room, they no longer lived here as they were now living in the rooms above their shop at Diagon Alley.
Harry was still quite angry at the stranger who had told him to lose the look in his eyes. What did he know about him? Despite the anger he felt towards the boy, he was also quite pensive about the remark. Maybe he was a little to set in his sorrow, but what right did a complete stranger have to tell him that he needed to move on?
There was a knock at the door, Hermione's voice floated in, "Harry? Dinner's ready."
"I'll be right down."
Proceeding downstairs, Harry found everyone had gathered for a little bit of party, and they were all sitting around the table waiting for him. He took a seat between Hermione and Ron.
Mrs. Weasly had outdone herself, all of Harry's favorites were included, and he helped himself to seconds. For the first time in a very long time, he felt the tinge of happiness inside himself, and this time, he didn't try to squash it.
Once everyone had eaten, and the table was cleaned off, conversation turned to the new school year.
Mr. Weasly was saying, "I heard Albus saying that there's a new course starting this year."
Immediatly, Hermione was on him about it, "Really? What course is it?"
Scratching his chin in thought, Mr. Weasly gave a hesitant reply, "He didn't go into the details about it, but I believe he said that it was practical defense."
"Practical defense?" Harry asked. "You mean like hand-to-hand combat?"
"Or is it practical Defense Against the Dark Arts?" Hermione questioned. "After last year, do you think the Ministry would assign another person like Umbridge? Is he holding a class that's about the practical application of Defense Against the Dark Arts?"
"No, I think Harry's guess was closest," Mr. Weasly replied.
"Who's teaching it?" Ron asked.
"He mentioned foreigners, but that's it."
Shortly after, before any further discussion about the subject could happen, Mrs. Weasly sent them all up to bed. Harry felt more light hearted then he had all summer, he wasn't sure whether or not that was insult to Sirius' memory, but he thought that maybe he'd been depressed enough and maybe it was time to move on with his life.
He fell into bed, and enjoyed a blissful sleep with no dreams.
"C'mon Harry, we're going! Mom's ranting about how we're going to be late if we don't go," Ron prodded him awake.
Harry snatched his glasses off the nightstand and put them, climbed out of bed and changed. Once they had all eaten, they loaded themselves and their trunks into the Ministry cars that had been sent to take them to King's Cross to catch the Hogwarts Express.
Ginny was all giggles, and was rambling on to Hermione about the boy they had encountered in Diagon Alley and wondering what house he was in, Ron spent the majority of the trip glaring disdainfully at her.
They clambered out of the cars, and the drivers found them carts for the trunks when they arrived. They wheeled them into the station towards the barrier, they hung casually around it, slipping through when no one was looking and onto Platform 9 3/4.
Mrs. Weasly gave them each a hug and a kiss, telling them to be careful and write whenever they could, she gave Harry an extra hug and told him how proud she was of him, then shooed them all onto the train, they waved goodbye until the station was out of site as the Hogwarts Express turned a corner and the station disappeared from view.
"Well let's find a compartment," Harry said.
"Sorry Harry, but me and Hermione have to go to the Perfects compartment at the head of the train," Ron told him.
"I promised my friends I'd sit with them," Ginny told him. Harry watched them depart before lugging his trunk down the train to find an empty compartment. People would stick their heads out to get a look at him before ducking back into their compartments to tell their friends, the only person who didn't was Cho, who the moment she saw him, ducked into her compartment and immediatly engaged in conversation with her friend Marietta, who wore a thick layer of make-up to conceal her zits that Harry remembered from last year.
Continuing down the train, he encountered Neville Longbottom.
"Hello Harry," he greeted him.
"Hi Neville," Harry squeezed around him finding a compartment that only had two people in it, one he recognized as the boy who had given him the advice in Diagon Alley. "There's a compartment here. Come on Neville."
Harry slid the door open, the pink-haired girl looked up at him, Harry voiced his request, "May we join you?" She nodded, and Harry and Neville stored their trunks in the racks before taking seats across from them.
The boy glanced up at them as they sat down over the book he was reading, his eyes returned just as quickly to the page. Obviously, the female was eager to start a conversation as she introduced herself, "Hello, my name's Sakura Haruno, what's yours?"
"Neville Longbottom," came Neville's shy reply, Sakura smiled at him.
"It's very nice to meet you. And you?"
"Harry Potter."
"It's great to meet you two," she turned and poked the silent boy in the shoulder, hissing at him, "Now it's your turn."
"... Sasuke Uchiha."
Sakura turned back to them, "Don't let his facade fool you, Sasuke's actually a really nice guy, once you get to know him. I'm really looking forward to getting to Hogwarts! I can't wait to start classes!"
Harry was reminded of Hermione, obviously she and Sakura would get on nicely together, "Do you know what house your going to be in?"
"No, we're exchange students. We're going to be sorted at the feast tonight," Sakura explained. "We transfered here from the Japanese Imperial Institute of Mana."
Sasuke stayed quiet, and the only sounds originating from his corner was the dry sound of him turning the page of the book. Harry could only read part of the binding, but the part of the title that he could see led him to believe that the book was on Defense Against the Dark Arts.
"Are you interested in DADA?" Harry asked him.
Elbowing him, Sakura was glaring at Sasuke, who looked at her, then answered, "I have an interest in it."
The compartment door slid open, standing in the doorway was a blonde haired boy with bright blue eyes, "Sasuke! Can I borrow that book again?"
Sasuke sighed, and reached beside him to pull out the red leather bound tome and handed it to him, "Fine. What do you need it for?"
The boy took it, a little bit of an evil smirk played across his face, "Oh... no reason in particular... heh, heh, heh..." He left the compartment for the open one across the hall, Harry heard someone call out, "Ack! I didn't mean it! Really I didn't!"
Another voice, "This is troublesome..."
"Gack! Nooo!" Loud thumps ensued, Sakura shut the door and sat back down next to Sasuke, "Nothing out of the ordinary. Naruto's hitting Neji over the head with the book you gave him."
"Hn."
"How is beating someone over the head with a book normal?" Neville asked as he examined his plant.
Harry found Sakura to be intelligent and a compelling conversationist, it was later that afternoon when Hermione and Ron finally turned up in their compartment. Ron promptly flopped into the seat nearest the door, while Hermione sat down across from him beside Sakura.
"Malfoy didn't turn up at all," Ron was saying. "We saw him on our way here after -"
"Well if it isn't the Potty, the Weasel, and the Mudblood," came the snide voice of Malfoy from the compartment door. Behind him stood Crabbe and Goyle. Sakura looked up at him and narrowed her eyes in confusion, and an almost angry look came into her eyes. Sasuke just looked up, then returned to his book.
Malfoy spotted Sasuke and Sakura, "Oh look, looks like there's a few new Mudblood additions this year." He cast a contemptious glance at them, "Let's see... we've got an Emo-boy and Foredhead Girl!" He laughed at his little joke. "Weasel, they're probably poorer then you! Ha ha! Did your mother lose some weight? I heard your father got promoted, what was he promoted to? Head of the Muggle Lovers Society?"
Ron was on his feet and about to punch Malfoy's lights out, but Harry restrained him and Grabbe and Goyle cracked their knuckles behind Malfoy threatingly.
Malfoy looked at Sakura, the uniform she was wearing was black, with slits to about midway up her thighs, black boots encased her legs to just below he knees, he sneered, "Make that a Forehead Slut. How many men did you have to sleep with to get here? Huh whore?"
Sakura turned bright red, and Harry could see the tears that threatened to spill from her eyes. No one saw Sasuke move, and punch Malfoy hard in the gut.
Malfoy keeled foward at the impact, opened his mouth and let out a groan at the pain. When Sasuke pulled away, and his fist withdrew from its impact point in his stomach, Malfoy collapsed to the ground, holding his gut. Sasuke towered over him, his tone low and threating, "Don't you ever refer to Sakura like that. If I hear that you've ever said anything disrepectful about her, this punch will seem like heaven compared to what I'll do to you then."
The little scuffle had attracted the attention of the people in the compartment across from them, the blonde kid had rejoined them, and apparently had heard what Sasuke had said to Malfoy. He grabbed Malfoy's collar, and hauled him to his feet, "What did you say to Sakura?"
"Naruto..." Sakura murmured. Naruto looked over at her, then back to Malfoy.
"Since this is a first, I'll let you go with a warning this time, but next time..." he dropped Malfoy to the floor and nudged him hard with his foot. The glare he gave Malfoy a look that could have killed.
Malfoy scuttled out of the room with Crabbe and Goyle on his heels, Ron and Harry cast admiring looks at Sasuke and Naruto. Hermione, however, seemed less then pleased, "What were you thinking! You could be punished for that!"
"You're forgetting that the school year hasn't even started yet," Ron said. "The teachers have no reign over what happens to us when we're on the train. They can't punish them for something that happened on the train."
Sasuke had gone over to comfort Sakura. She was resting her head on his shoulder, crying quietly into the crook of his neck, he was holding her to him so she rested in his lap, and was slightly rocking back and forth as one would rock a baby.
For a few moments, the Hogwarts trio, plus Neville, allowed the young couple some quiet time so Sakura could get a grip on her tears, Naruto stood in the doorway, watching the scene with a masked expression on his face.
Ron broke the silence once Sakura had laid her head on Sasuke's chest and he had his chin resting on top of her head, "Don't listen to Malfoy. He does that to everyone who's not in Slytherin."
"Slytherin?"
"One of the Hogwarts houses..." the trio began an explanation of the houses. Once Hermione finished it up, Sasuke voiced a question.
"Do these houses have emblems?"
"Yes. Hufflepuff is a badger, Ravenclaw is a raven, Gryffindor is a lion, and Slytherin is a snake," Hermione explained. Harry noticed that Sasuke gave an almost unnoticeable twitch at the mention of snakes.
None of the others, excluding Sakura and Harry, noticed this. And conversation continued on as usual, with Sasuke remaining silent for the better part of the ride. The trio and Neville left briefly to change before returning to the compartment; Sasuke was having an almost one-sided conversation with another boy around their age.
His hair was very long and was a dark brown, they couldn't see his face because he was turned with his back to them. Sasuke frowned, at least Harry thought he did, he couldn't really tell because Sasuke always seemed to be frowning or scowling.
"... amount of it. The Byakugen picked it up; it was about five miles-"
"Hmm?" Hermione spoke as she entered. "What was that you were saying?"
The boy turned, his eyes closed, and left the compartment. A few moments later, they had arrived on the Hogsmeade platform.
I know the ending was a little rushed, but I was tired while writing this so... yeah... and I guess I might just set some goals for myself. I won't update this story until I get... how about twelve more reviews? Sound reasonable? Come on be nice! I worked hard on this story! Right Ishida?
Ishida: Why are you dragging me into this?
Kat: Because you're here!
Ishida: Why me?
Kat: Review or face the pain of my wooden sword! (waves it like a maniac) Now review! Neji thank the reviewers so I can send cookies to them all! And for those 22 of you who put this story on your alert list; I'll have Neji drop by with your favorite characters plushie! Unfortuantly, you have to send him back because he's my main muse!
Neji: Uhh... Okay, Kat would like to thank the following people for their reviews and will be recieving some cookies:
WriterApprentice
Limit
Hao is hot
KuramaKitsuneRyu
WhiteRaven6
MadnessLover
shuji
iamrolf
The Eternal Fire Rose
DeadRatSam
Kat would also like to thank the following people for putting this story on their favs and recieving complementary cookies in a collectable tin:
Ayumi1924
Dragonheart0000
I SEE TALL PEOPLE
WhiteRaven6
WriterApprentice
gs rocks
imadoki-girl
And she would like to thank these people for putting this story on their alerts who I will be delivering plushies to of your choice:
Amaya no Hime
Berantzino
CuriousDreamWeaver
Dragonheart0000
FireBlade5
Garden of Everything
GoldenDropOfSunshine
KuramaKitsuneRyu
Limit
Madness Lover
Makotoe Silvermoon
Miss Anonymous hp
MizuMizu
Tacky76
WhiteRaven6
WriterApprentice
Yuki Akira
gs rocks
hieiashke
iamrolf
imadoki-girl
jman8892
Kat: Oh wow... that's a lot of of people! Am I really that popular? Wow... thank you everyone! Hugs for all!
Ishida: Are you going to make me bake all the cookies?
Kat: Well who else? (shrugs) Neji is terrible at baking; and you're not! So go and start baking!
Ishida: (disappears into kitchen)
Kat: Well... I guess that's it. (finger on chin in Grune pose) Let's see... yep! That's everything! Bye you guys! Until next chapter!