Usual disclaimer: I wish I owned Harry Potter and Naruto, but I don't. Which is why I live in a bathroom.

Harry paused to take stock of the situation. They'd split their group: half of the escapees were searching for the prisoners still inside or held in 'A' Block, while the rest were looked for weapons and supplies. Sasuke and a handful of others were with Harry, all looking at the door that blocked their path.

"You're sure this is it?" Harry asked, still focused on the door. It had no signs, just a simple metal door that looked nigh on impossible to move.

"Look at the cables. All the lines in this building lead here."

Harry nodded. He deduced this a while ago. The Long House blocked all magic, and apparently chakra too; however, it was warm, there was light, and there were kitchens for making hot food. If magic wasn't the power source, it had to be something else.

Ironically, it was his time spent confined in the cupboard that gave him the key to his current escape. The cupboard under the stairs where he had spent the majority of his childhood was also the location of the meters for the gas, water and electricity. He remembered having to go to the cellar whenever the meter-man came. When he noticed the pipes, and then took a close look at the ceiling, he realised that the Long House used Muggle technology to supply its somewhat dubious comforts.

Explaining this to Sasuke had taken a few minutes; apparently in Konoha shinobi were forbidden such comforts. Still, the young ninja had understood, and had listened attentively as Harry explained the little he knew of gas piping and electrical wiring.

They had followed the wires and the pipes to the door, Sasuke pausing at the kitchens to grab a few items without explanation; however, they had now reached a dead end. Even Sasuke couldn't move the door, and there seemed to be no options, apart from asking the giants to have a go. Harry was reluctant: giants were extremely difficult to talk to, and it would take too long to make them start destroying something and even longer to make them stop.

Sasuke squatted on the floor, his hands busy with a small stone while a heavy sack lay beside him. Suddenly he stood. "Everyone move back down the corridor and take cover. Not you, Harry. You stay."

The others complied, though they all seemed confused. The first euphoria of escape was starting to wear off, and the prisoners were beginning to worry about the prospect of failure. They had all seen what happened to people in 'A' Block.

Harry looked at Sasuke, confused. Sasuke was seemed to be lost in thought. "Help me out. Which ones are for gas again?"

Harry pointed to them. Sasuke nodded and picked up a length of string. He opened a can he had taken from the kitchen and dropped the string inside, then fished it out, leaving one end dangling clear of the can on the floor. It was wet and heavy, and Harry realised that the can contained oil. He thought he understood the plan. "It won't work. The oil won't be enough to destroy the door." Sasuke ignored him. He took a serrated knife stolen from the kitchen and placed the string end across it. Then he picked up a small rock and began hitting the knife at an angle as hard as he could. Finally a spark hit the string and it ignited. Sasuke turned back to the pipes. Working quickly, he ripped them off the walls, filling the passage way with the smell of gas. He picked up the sack and sprinted down the corridor. Harry followed him. Sasuke pushed him around the corner and hurled the sack as hard as he could at the door, diving for the corner as he did so.

The explosion was enormous. A huge fireball whooshed out from the corridor; the sound deafened them. After a few minutes, bells still ringing in his ears, Harry stood and looked at the corridor. It was charred black. The door was no longer there. Squinting through the smoke, he saw it inside the chamber it had previously barred, twisted and broken.

Sasuke was on his feet, though a little unsteady. Harry gaped at him. "How?"

Sasuke dusted himself off. "You said gas is highly flammable, and there are often accidents when a leaking line hits a naked flame. All we had to do was direct the explosion."

Harry was still confused. "And the sack? What was in that?"

"Flour."

Sasuke was already walking down the corridor. Harry and the others, in varying degrees of shell-shock, followed.

They had been running for almost a mile before they saw it.

No other patrols troubled them. Naruto wondered if perhaps it wasn't a little too easy, then stopped suddenly, staring at the two structures in front of them.

They were just over a hundred metres apart, but they couldn't have been more different. On the left, a high wall and a squat structure, surrounded by ditches, pits and wire. On the right, a tall and elegant tower, almost a spire from a fairy tale castle, entirely smooth with no visible door.

One of them was the prison, the other was Wyrn's tower. It was pretty obvious which was which.

When the group caught up, Naruto turned to them. "What now?"

Sakura, mindful of Shikamaru's briefing, looked at Neville and Hermione a moment then made a decision. "Neville and Naruto take the prison. Hermione and I will take the tower."

"No."

Everyone turned to stare at Uchiha Itachi. Hermione was about to ask him who he was to disagree, but thought better once she saw the fear in Sakura's eyes. "We need three for the prison: Sakura for her strength, Naruto for his clones and Neville, to gain the trust of the prisoners. Hermione should go to the tower. As the most skilful wizard and least skilful fighter, she will be of more use there." As Sakura prepared her objections, Itachi cut her off. "You will not object. Look at the walls. No guards. Clearly there is trouble inside."

Naruto stared hard at the walls, and had to admit that the traitor was right. There were no guards there. If the prisoners were attempting a mass breakout, it would make sense for the guards to be more focused on the inside. He thanked the stars for such a coincidence.

Itachi was still speaking. "I shall go to the tower. I am more skilled than any of you could hope to be, so I will go to the more difficult location. The three of you should be enough to handle the guards, especially if we are going to be joined by the prisoners."

No one disagreed. He had that kind of voice: quiet, but impossible to disobey.

The group split, much to Hermione's discomfort. Alone with a man who terrifies the other shinobi… He stared at her, measuring her like a carpenter judging a piece of wood. She shivered.

"Let's go."

"What the hell is that?!"

They had made quick progress once inside. They cut the power to the main gates, sending a runner back to the rest of the prisoners to tell them to move there. They then shut off the controls for 'A' Block, releasing the prisoners, then secured the guard towers by manually locking them down. With luck, it would take the things trapped inside a few hours to get out. As they worked, Harry found his admiration for Wyrn's genius growing. The man had a thorough understanding of Muggle technology, using it for all sorts of purposes. A large screen displaying the prison, the tower and the surrounding area showed red lights, one for each of the guards. Touching the light would reveal what species, number and duty the guard was assigned to. So far, they had managed to trap half the contingent in the guard posts. The rest were scattered, though a large group was gathering outside the main gate, clearly intent on recapturing the prisoners the second they tried to break out. That was a problem for later: right now, they needed to deal with the containment field.

It had been a wizard who noticed it. Another door, unmarked and unlocked, which led into a huge room, glowing with a strange light. It had taken Harry a while to work out what it was. The room was filled with glass boxes, each with a wooden rod on top, containing an insect the size of a large dog. The boxes glowed green, and a beam of light connected the rods to an enormous silver panel studded with holes. On closer observation, each beam connected to an individual hole. The small group stared at it, utterly confused.

Something about the insects tickled a memory, and Harry concentrated furiously to bring it back. Page one hundred and thirty two… Homework is one hundred and thirty two… It wasn't McGonnagal or Snape. He had been surprised by it… Someone who didn't set homework….

Suddenly it came to him. It wasn't someone, but something. The homework was from a class that seldom had homework, because their teacher was keener on practical work than written, much to Hermione's dismay and Ron's delight. But Hagrid wasn't the only teacher they had for Care of Magical Creatures, and Professor Grubbly-Plank had been the one to give them the assignment. A series of questions, but the page opposite was the one that the insects had made him remember.

"Nol Bugs."

No one was enlightened, but Harry didn't care. "They're Nol Bugs. A rare species found only in parts of South America. Their chief characteristic is a field that they emit that somehow stops magical energy."

One of the wizards gasped. "Of course! I remember! The field extends for up to ten meters, and if caught inside, a wizard or magic-using creature is defenceless."

Harry grinned at the man. "But I still don't understand what's happening here."

A witch, her face and clothes filthy moved forward. "Those rods… They're of different lengths… Wands!"

Now everyone was involved, shouting their ideas as others tried to work at a solution. A few minutes of frenzied debate followed; Sasuke stood to one side, bemused by the process.

Finally, a solution was found. Harry stepped forward and addressed his shinobi comrade. "As far as we can work out, this is the reason we can't use magic or chakra. Those insects emit a natural field that nullifies magical energy. Spells fired against them don't work, no matter how powerful. A creature that uses magic to conceal itself will become visible if in the field's radius."

The witch took over. "Essentially, this is an array that amplifies the field the creatures create. They're trapped in the boxes and linked to a wand – the wand of each wizard or witch held here. The wand acts as a conduit, transmitting the field through the panel to the person, so it's as though the wizard or witch was surrounded by a personal anti-magic field."

Sasuke frowned. "But that still wouldn't explain why I can't use chakra. There's nothing that could act as a conduit."

Another wizard shook his head. "With enough captured wizards, the combined number of fields would occupy the entire building. The field works for ten metres in all directions, and you'll always be within that distance of someone trapped, no matter where you are in the building."

Harry resumed the explanation. "The other creatures held here don't use magic. For them, the guards are enough of a threat to keep them in line."

Sasuke nodded in understanding. "How do we dismantle it?"

Harry smiled. "We kill the bugs."

Getting inside was easy, though as Sakura commented "It's not designed to keep people out." Naruto had chuckled about that. Ever the brave one, he vaulted down into the courtyard, still laughing. The second he landed…

He began to scream.

Sakura and Neville jumped down after him. They reached him moments later, but were powerless to help him.

"What the hell is happening?!"

Sakura looked desperate. "I don't know!"

Abruptly, as quickly as it had begun, the screaming stopped. Naruto stood, wincing slightly. He walked off without a word.

Sakura and Neville glanced at each other, mystified. Then they moved to follow.

The halls were quiet, though some of them were in ruins. They picked up a trail and began to follow it cautiously, Naruto on point. The further they got, the louder the sounds of people grew. Finally, they were almost on top of them.

They paused there, trying to decide on the best course of action. Eventually Neville stepped out, his hands held high.

"I surrender!"

He was taken immediately. A giant slammed him into a wall then dragged him to a ragged bunch of wizards. For a moment they stared at him; then the shouting started.

"What the hell is this?!"

"Kill him!"

"He's one of them!"

Neville let the shouting wash over him. The debate raged for a few minutes. At one point he was hauled up as unseen hands placed a rope around his neck, intent on hanging him on the spot, but wiser heads prevailed, and he was dragged through the corridors to meet 'Scarface'.

He looked up briefly, and saw the confirmation. Naruto and Sakura were right behind him, following from the shadows.

The last of the insects was dead, and wizards and witches began gathering up wands, feeling as though a lost limb was returned. Sasuke slumped down in a corner, exhausted from the work. The insects were stronger that he had expected, very fast and extremely vicious. Trying to take out that many, even if it was one at a time, was a sure way to die. He felt his chakra working, slowly re-fuelling and refreshing the tired muscles. It was a use they had never taught him in the village; rather it came from Orochimaru's lessons. He had been very knowledgeable about using chakra to supplement one's physical condition; this technique had been one of his first discoveries as a way of keeping up with Jiraiya's enormous stamina. Unfortunately, it was a two-edged sword, as overuse would prohibit one from doing even the most basic jutsu.

Releasing the technique, he stood, hiding the soreness he felt. Harry was leading a council of sorts, debating with the wizards and witches whether to leave or to try and destroy the complex and the tower. Many of them were keen to leave, but when Harry pointed out that leaving the facility intact could allow them to be recaptured, some wavered. Sasuke had no interest in the intentions of his fellow-inmates. He desired revenge, and would stop at nothing to get it.

He heard the sound of a large group approaching, and slowly moved to intercept them. Harry was far faster to react, which was why he was the first one to see the prisoner.

"Neville?!"

Neville grinned at him weakly. "Hi, Harry. What's new?"

One of the wizards came forward. "You know this guy?"

Harry nodded, too stunned to speak. Sasuke came forward. "Leave us with him. We'll interrogate him then decide what to do."

Everyone left, leaving Harry and Sasuke with the former Gryffindor. Harry was still wordless, while Sasuke seemed to be considering something. Neville looked from one to the other, then addressed Harry.

"We're here to rescue you, but it looks like you're way ahead of us."

Harry grinned uncertainly. "Well, breaking out of prisons is a family habit."

Neville nodded. "Like godfather, like godson?"

"Something like that… Wait, we? Who else?!"

Sasuke spoke before Neville could frame a reply. "He means my former comrades. Sakura, Naruto, you can come out now."

The shadows shifted and swirled. The two Konoha shinobi stepped forward.

"Hello, Sasuke. Long time, huh."

Sasuke sighed. "Naruto… you moron."

Harry stared at them, then looked back at Neville. "Why don't you tell me exactly what's going on?"

Neville smiled briefly, and complied, starting with what everything they had learned from the day the Boy-Who-Lived disappeared to their last briefing from Shikamaru.

When he was done, silence reigned. Then Naruto spoke.

"We need to move now. We have to get all the prisoners to the portal and back to the safe house. I'll lead the…"

"No."

Naruto stared. Sasuke was speaking now, his voice low and urgent. "I'm not leaving until we terminate Wyrn, and neither is Scarface over here."

Sakura looked stunned. "But what about the plan? We went to a lot of difficulty to get to you and secure an exit, and we can't go back on it…"

Almost automatically, Sasuke had taken charge. Naruto was fuming. Despite everything they had been through, despite the long years apart, despite how much he had grown as a shinobi, Sasuke was still one step ahead of him, assuming the role of leader as if it was here by right. He could feel the childish anger welling up, and barely stopped himself from yelling at the dark-haired Uchiha at the top of his voice.

"This is how we proceed. Two of you will take the rest of the prisoners via the portal to the safe house. Only take wizards. The trolls and the giants won't be in a mood to co-operate, and I want them to be part of the exit strategy. The rest of us will assault the tower. It's likely to be guarded, so we need maximum firepower to break through."

Sakura frowned. "Which two are on escort duty?" she asked, knowing the answer.

Sasuke smiled grimly. "You and this wizard here. It makes tactical sense, Sakura, so do it. Besides, Naruto and I know how to work with each other."

Sakura nodded. "Fine, but I'll stay behind at the portal until you meet me."

Sasuke shrugged. "As you will. Now, let's move out."

Gathering the prisoners was an extremely quick affair. The wizards, once issued with their wands, were starting to get nervous about the number of giants and trolls wandering around in such a blood-thirsty state. Once Neville and Harry explained to them what they had to do, they all agreed whole-heartedly. A short roll-call followed, where those prepared to testify immediately were taken to one side and sent on ahead with Neville to proceed directly to the Burrow, while the rest were issued with summoning charms so they could respond to the call from wherever they were and then were led en masse to the portal.

The non-human prisoners were single-mindedly focused on destroying as much of the prison as possible with their bare hands. The remaining team left them to it, and proceeded to the tower.

Naruto grinned suddenly. "We have two operatives currently focused on the tower. One shinobi, one wizard. Well, witch."

Sasuke didn't seem curious, but Harry was clearly fascinated. "Who?"

Naruto didn't reply, but merely smiled mysteriously. They were near the tower now. Harry scanned the ground eagerly, then he saw it. A shape, seated on a flat stone beside the smooth wall of the spire. Something about it tugged his memory. Then he yelped with delight and sprinted towards it.

"Hermione!!!"

She looked up, then she was running too. He caught her in an embrace, laughing delightedly. "I thought… I thought I'd never see you again!"

She was too emotional to speak. Instead, she hugged him tighter. Sasuke and Naruto caught up with them. Their expressions gave nothing away, but they both had the same thought: At least we have some dignity…

When the two friends were finally calm, Sasuke cleared his throat. "Not to be rude, but we do have some work to do."

Blushing, Harry and Hermione disentangled themselves from each other. Sasuke looked around the area. "Where's the other one?"

"Right here."

Sasuke felt the chill wash over him as he heard the voice that had haunted his every waking moment since the night his family were killed. He turned slowly, the shock clear on his face, and stared at the man he had sworn to kill, then gasped in astonishment.

Naruto turned to Sasuke. "I'm sorry. He said he had to come with us, and we didn't have a choice."

Sasuke's shock had passed. Instead, a smirk stood on his face. He looked at his brother sharply, as if calculating something. "Naruto, you really are a moron."

Naruto was furious. "What the hell do you mean, you bastard?!"

Sasuke was still smiling. "Use that ugly thing you call a brain. How many shinobi have the Sharingan?"

Naruto spat out the reply. "Two. You and your brother."

Sasuke nodded. "And how many can you name with a Sharingan in one eye only?"

The blond-nin looked confused. "None. Well, except for…" Realisation dawned, and he stared at the elder Uchiha, unable to speak.

Sasuke was still smiling. "Exactly." He turned to his brother. "I think you have some explaining to do."

Itachi looked rueful. "How did you figure it out? My Sharingan is more powerful than yours; you should have been completely fooled."

Sasuke shrugged. "An expert with a rock can still beat a novice with a knife. Besides, no matter how strong you make the illusion, you can't hide the colour of your chakra." He stepped closer to the man. "You may as well drop it."

The man nodded. Slowly his features shifted and he seemed to grow on the spot, except that seeming had nothing to do with it. He was growing, becoming a few inches taller, slightly broader, with a crest of silvery hair on his head. Finally he stood in front of them in his true form.

Naruto gulped. "Is that really you?"

Hatake Kakashi, former ANBU of Konoha, former Jounin of Team Seven, believed MIA since his last mission to Britain and now a fully-fledged S-class missing-nin, didn't reply.

Harry, who had watched this show with a mixture of confusion and shock, finally spoke. "What the hell is going on?"

Naruto nodded. "I think we all want to know. Come on, Kakashi-san, tell us."

Sasuke remained wordless; instead, he simply narrowed his eyes at his former teacher.

Kakashi looked from one to another, and then sighed. "We don't have time for this now. Let's eliminate the wizard, then we can listen to explanations."

It was a classic compromise: no-one was happy.

A/N: Well, I wanted to finish the whole thing off, but realised once I hit the 3500 mark that it might be better to split it into two. Hope you enjoy!