It's come to my attention that sometimes it can be rather hard to read the story with all the random places and POV changes, so from now on all will be labeled in some way.
So, many thanks once more for all of the wonderful reviews I've been receiving, they certainly brighten my day :).
DemonKittyAngel: ah, when I first wrote that beginning flashback with Naruto and Sakura shopping, I'd intended it to be a dream sequence, but that just didn't fit very well into the chapter, but I kept the sequence itself since I liked it and I'll most likely tie it in with something else in the upcoming chapters.
Forward march!
Chapter 11: Ghost of You
Konoha-Village Gates
The hulking forms of the gates were a welcome sight to her weary eyes. She felt in desperate need of a shower, and she was sure she looked like it as well. Her normally vibrant pink hair hung in tattered, dirty clumps, and her clothes were wrought with tears and ugly holes. She ran a hand through her hair, grimacing as it came back filthy.
The guards at the gates, two rather bored looking Chunin, shook themselves to alertness at her approach, and she went through the usual identifying procedures exhaustedly. As the gates opened to let her pass, a flash of silver caught her eye, and a fond smile slipped onto her lips.
"Hello Kakashi-sensei."
The familiar masked face of her teacher was an even more welcoming sight. He patted her on the head, ruffling her dirty locks and causing her eye to twitch in irritation. She slapped his hand away with a grumble and his eye curved in the 'u' shape that meant he was smiling. She began walking towards the tower and he easily fell into step with her, pulling out a little orange book that caused Sakura to growl.
"Must you read that filth in public?"
His eye only crinkled further. "No one appears to mind," he said, casually flicking to the next page, a perverted giggle escaping from his mouth. They continued toward the tower, and Sakura felt a smile tug itself onto her face. The usual hustle and bustle of the market place thrived around her, people laughing, buying, and selling to their hearts' content. The smell of dango wafted through the air, sticky, sweet buns, and tangy, fresh fruit mixed with the smell of salt and fish. They neared a stand, the familiar, well-worn canvas signs swaying gently in the breeze, the aroma of hot noodles and broth drifting toward them.
She felt her heartbeat slow, her eyes widening as the air seemed to vacate her lungs.
"Ne, ne Sakura-chan, just one bowl pleeeeeaaaaseeee?"
"Baka, it's never just one bowl with you, it's more like 10!"
"Aw c'mon, just this once Sakura?"
"Sakura?"
Kakashi's voice filtered slowly through her brain, and she was surprised to realize that she'd come to a complete stop in front of the stand. Suddenly, the weariness hit her full force and for a moment she worried that her legs might give out. It must have shown on her face for Kakashi was beside her, a concerned hand on her shoulder, one visible eye turned down in a frown. But she could see it s clearly in her mind's eye: that annoyingly bright orange jumpsuit that was just a little too big to fit his slight frame, wisps of sun-kissed locks barely held back by a headband of blue that was just a shade darker then his own sparkling eyes, and a smile so big it nearly split his happy face as he begged for the unhealthy noodles.
Her heart clenched, as if someone had reached into her chest, grabbed hold of the pumping organ and squeezed for all they were worth. A cry rose to her lips but she held it in, biting her lip so hard she tasted the copper of her own blood. She took a deep breath, straightening her shoulders and steeling her face.
"Come one Sensei, I'm already late getting to the tower as it is."
Their walk recommenced in silence, neither party willing to speak of what they were both thinking.
Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry
Gryffindor Tower
It was with bleary eyes that Harry woke to sunlight filtering through his curtains. With a groan he rolled over, hoping to catch just one last remnant of sleep before starting the day. It was not to be had however; he could already here his other bunk-mates rising for the day, whispered conversations about the classes ahead already breaking out between them. Grunting tiredly he opened the curtains, squinting as light struck his eyes, causing him to blindly grope for his glasses. Sliding them on, and almost poking his eyes out in the process, he stumbled to the bathroom.
He returned minutes later, looking and feeling much more refreshed now that he'd actually cleaned up a bit. He yawned a good morning to Ron who did nothing more than grunt in reply, trying to lace his shoes onto an unsocked foot. Harry plopped down onto his bed pulling out his robes and the like before dressing. He looked around noticing that all his dorm mates were taking their sweet time with dressing, and he sighed before heading down to the common room by himself, hoping that Hermione was already up and about.
His hopes were dashed as he stepped into the cheery red room to find it inhabited only with a few first and second years. His stomach growled and all thoughts of waiting for his two friends were abandoned as he made his way towards the portrait hole.
The halls were oddly sparse for the first day, usually by this time people were huffing and shoving their ways through the hallways to reach breakfast and he found the quiet somewhat disconcerting. But he shrugged it off, chalking it up to students trying to prolong their free time as much as possible before the inevitable classes started. So lost was he in his musings of students and their constant avoidance of class, he walked straight into someone. He staggered back and a surprisingly quick hand flashed out to steady him.
"Ne, you ok there kiddo?"
Their voice was smooth and light, as though they constantly had a joke or laugh poised on the tip of their tongue. Harry straightened up, apology already ready to fall from his lips when he looked into the other's face. He had a finely boned face with a nose that looked like it had been broken on more than one occasion, short-cropped black hair that stuck up in messy spikes atop his head, and a scar that streaked down his left eye. However, it was his eyes that in fact had Harry to stunned to speak. They were a clear, laughing grey that glimmered and chuckled at some joke known only to himself. A grey that made Harry's gut constrict in sharp pulls.
"Is this part of the Third Task?" Cedric asked, hand already grasping his wand, his eyes darting around nervously. Harry swallowed, dread piling into his stomach.
"I don't think so…"
The crunch of an approaching figure, the cries as Harry found himself on his knees, his head aching and split, the whispered curse of death, and the hollow thump of a lifeless body crumpling beside him.
Cedric lay limp on the ground beside him, grey eyes that had been filled to the brim with life mere seconds ago now as dull as useless metal.
"Cedric?" His hand reached out trembling, needing to confirm with touch what he couldn't bare to do with sight alone. His fingers never even met what he knew had to be rapidly chilling skin before he was forced to his feet, the crunch and slap of a body being forced into restraint a torrential rush to his ears.
"Blood of the father, unknowingly given…"
"Dear God kid!Speak to me!" His shoulder was being shaken roughly; a jolt back into the real world where there were no more graveyards filled with the freshly dead or masked murderers. His eyes refocused, actually managing to meet the now relieved grey eyes that had set him off in the first place.
"Man kid, you sure scared me half to death, thought you had some sorta condition the way you just conked out like that. Thought I was gonna have to bring you to the Hospital Wing on my very first day. Not the greatest way to make a first impression that's for sure, almost scaring one of my new students to death before I even get them in the classroom." Harry blinked, his brain trying to work through the onslaught of the man's accented words. With a start, his eyes flitted back up to the others, taking special note of the graceful, upward sweep of his eyes that mirrored Hisoka's almost perfectly.
"Are you Professor Sang?" He blinked before a grin stretched onto his face.
"Aw I'm flattered, you kids talking about me already huh?" He didn't wait for a reply, and Harry highly doubted he'd even been looking for one, before he suddenly found a steering hand on his shoulder that practically pushed him towards the Great Hall.
"Now then, you're looking quite peaky, and I'm sure the last thing you want to do on the first day of classes is spend it in the infirmary. So, let's get some food in ya before you go toppling over huh."
Harry groaned as he tripped over his own robes.
Naruto had to say, he'd never thought he could get along so well with a civilian. Not to say that they were difficult to be around, or even bad friends, but their understanding only went so far. They could never truly grasp the horror of shinobi life, the unending trials of seeing people you cared for slaughtered at the hands of others, the strain of espionage, where one little slip could destroy everything you'd worked for, or the chilling feeling of taking someone's life for no other reason than that you'd been ordered to do so.
So, he wasn't quite sure what it was, but there was something about the other blonde that he found he liked. He held himself with the utmost confidence, and his almost suave attitude was a never ending amusement to Naruto. The more they talked as Draco began his own workout routine the more the other grew on him until they were chatting like good friends.
"So, explain to me again this game? Do you really fly on broomsticks?"
Draco chuckled at the rather childlike amazement in Hisoka's voice. "You really know nothing about Quidditch? Pardon my asking, but are you a Muggle-born?" None of the usual rudeness that often accompanied such a question permeated his voice, nor the even brutish word Mudblood that he usually branded Granger with. He saw no need for it; the other's possible social standing was cast aside for his amiable nature and easy laugh and talk. Draco found that he quite enjoyed the other boy's company and saw no need to sully their conversation with petty blood squabbles.
Hisoka's eyebrow arched, the term ringing bells in his mind as he tried to place its meaning. After a beat of silence he recalled what Dumbly had told him, briefly, of the blood lineages of wizards. He could already tell from the looks of Draco's aristocratic face that the fact that he wasn't even a wizard probably wouldn't go down very well. He laughed it off, hand coming up to scratch behind his ears.
"Nah, my parents were both of our kind." He conveniently left out the fact that by "our kind" he meant shinobi, not wizards. But he had the distinct feeling that the revealing of his shinobi self would more than likely earn him some raised eyebrows and weird looks from the inhabitants of Hogwarts. Draco sent him a quizzical look though, the question clear in his eyes.
"My parents died when I was a baby, and I was sent to live with very distant relations, we didn't have Quidditch there." The story sounded feeble to even his own ears, but he felt relief none the less when Draco merely nodded his acceptance of his story.
Silence hung between them for awhile as Draco finished his exercises, the blonde going through sets of push-ups and sit-ups without trouble, though the beginning sheens of sweat were already coursing their way over him. He finished off with a last set of stretches before he rose gracefully from the ground.
"Shall we get some breakfast then?"
Naruto smiled and nodded eagerly, hand whipping out and latching onto the other's arm.
"I hope they have ramen this early!"
By the time they'd made it to the more populated halls, Naruto had released his dragging hold on the blonde, instead choosing to walk and talk as much as possible, asking questions about the castle, the houses, the grounds, and especially the small village that rested below them.
"Oh, yes, that's Hogsmeade, one of the few completely wizarding villages around. They have this amazing sweet shop called Honeydukes; they have almost any candy you could imagine and more." Naruto's eyes almost bugged out as he listened to Draco list some of the most savory sounding candy he'd ever heard of. He could already feel his stomach growling in want of sugary goodness.
'Damn, I hope I get to go there before I leave.' The thought of missing out on such a candy filled endeavor was crushing.
To anyone else, their conversation would seem harmless, inane, but to Naruto it was much more important. Especially as Draco pointed out entrances and exits, explained the wards that surrounded the castle, and spoke about curfews and certain rooms that came to existence when needed. Oh yes, if there was one thing that he'd been unexpectedly good at, it was gathering information. He smiled a big, goofy smile as Draco went on to explain a certain forest and its many creatures.
Location: Unknown
He idly twirled his wand in hand, the slender piece of wood pointing to and fro throughout the room, his followers shifting nervously every time it so much as landed in their direction. A cruel smile curled his lips. Good, fear was good, dogs should fear their masters. However, to his ire, one stood completely unaffected by his presence, an almost bored look on their face. He stood calmly in the center of the room, posture relaxed and eyes focused unflinchingly on the Dark Lord. Just the sight of him set Voldemort's teeth on an annoyed edge.
"Do you understand your objective then?"
"Hn." If it could be said for someone to be uninterestedly examining their nails without even looking at them, then the infuriating raven before him was definitely doing so.
"Now, now Sasuke, is that anyway to answer our new ally?" The disgustingly smooth voice of the man rang through the circle. Effortlessly, he stepped forward, breaking the circle of Death Eaters without concern. His slanted yellow eyes fell tauntingly onto Voldemort and he felt his hand unconsciously tighten around his wand in fury. The two men who greatly resembled snakes regarded each other, before Orochimaru looked away and to his apprentice.
"I expect you to be much more polite in the future, especially while I'm away. We wouldn't want our new friends to think us ungrateful for their alliance now would we?" His tongue slid out, grotesquely long as it slithered across Sasuke's cheek. He remained unaffected though, not even a flicker of emotion flashing through his eyes.
"Of course Orochimaru-sama."
Ahh a new chapter at last, also as a note on the last chapter I'd put a mark on Professor Sang's name and didn't explain it at the end; all I was going to say was that it was pronounced as Shang. Silly me, I completely forgot about it.
So, tata 'til next time, be sure to read and review.-Cherry
