Sorry for taking longer than usual, but the chapter is longer, though :D

Beta read by Tarantulaguy, thank you! xox

Chapter 37

"BYAKUGAN!" shouted Neji as he looked around him. "There, I see them! It's far… 400 meters at 7 o'clock! There's an arc. They're fighting! We have to get down there NOW."

" Very well," Dumbledore said and lead them quickly to the nearest elevator.

" They're in danger and we're lounging around in a damn elevator?!" Naruto growled, only to receive a non-committal silence in response.

" Who are they fighting?" Lupin asked and Neji narrowed his eyes.

" They don dark robes, all of them. A mad woman is in their midst, currently torturing Neville, and getting off on it, it seems." said Neji, scathingly.

"Bellatrix," Sirius hissed. "And the Death Eaters".

"Hurry up! We have to save them, dattebayo!" shouted Naruto as he heaved Tonks onto his back and sprinted up the elevator shift. The pained screams of his friend, the smell of blood and Neville's pain only spurred him to run faster.

"That's it." Neji said, directing their attention to one inconspicuous looking door amongst many.

"Okay! Ikuzo minna!" chanted Naruto, pumping his fist in the air.

"Usuratonkachi Naruto! Grasp the atmosphere!" hissed Sasuke. "We can't just barge in there, we need a plan."

Shikamaru nodded, "Sasuke is right. Okay, here's how it's going to go do-"

"Well, Potter, you either give us the prophecy or you watch your little friend here continue to suffer at the expense of your indecision." The shinobi exchanged glances, glancing at the kitsune whose eyes had switched to an alarming shade of red.

Inside the room, Harry neither paused nor bothered to ponder his response; in his panic-induced state, there simply was no option. He raised the warm, sweat slicked glass orb pertaining to a future he might or mightn't ever know, preparing to hand it over, and at the gesture, Malfoy pounced.

BANG

Attention to any prophecy was quickly forgotten and instead focused on the entrance of thirteen, angry figures. Sirius and Naruto openly growled at the Death Eaters, fury distorting their faces in menacingly. Sasuke's eyes bled red and Kakashi casually reached up, shifting his hitae to show his Mangekyo at the ready.

Silence came over the room for a matter of seconds before wands were raised in an assault against the newcomers.

Malfoy whipped around, a spell on his lips but Tonks had already sent a curse flying towards him. The results, if any, Harry was oblivious to. Deciding not to hinder the progress of both the Order and shinobi, he vacated the podium. The tables were quickly turned – in a matter of seconds. The Order played cat, and the Death Eaters, mouse. Observing the battle around him, Harry took note of Neville's unmoving body on the ground, and stealthily approached him.

"Neville," whispered Harry. "Are you alright?"

"Ye'argh, 'm farn". Openly grimacing at the blood dripping from Neville's mouth, he pressed on.

"Ron?"

"I think he'sh well too...When I got out of there, he wash shtill trying to get rid of the brain."

"WATCH OUT!"

An explosion of sound and concrete; they felt themselves flying away. Slowly, they opened their eyes, and gasped at the scene before them. A huge crater was embedded into the ground, the very same ground they were standing on only moments ago. The arms around them tightened, and it was then that they noticed Shikamaru their savior, furrowing his eyebrows at the sight before him.

"Wow… thanks." Harry said, directing his gaze at him and the other shinobi.

"Mendokusei. Baka...," muttered the genius, and his eyes hardened with anger. "I told you it might have been a trap but you didn't listen".

"About time someone fuckin' figured this out!"

Shikamaru whirled around, facing a tall, built man with white hair and a maniacal grin. The person next to him (if you could really call him one), covered his face with a mask like Kakashi's, showing only his strange shaded green eyes. They both donned the trademark black cloaks with the infamous red clouds all ninja and civilians alike, had come to fear. Shikamaru could recognize them easily - Hidan and Kakuzu, the 'immortals' of that cursed organization. How had they survived their last encounter? He was so sure he had blasted that Jashin-freak's body parts to ashes and buried the remains in his family's forest.

"Shit! Naruto, Sasuke. Get Harry and the rest of the students out of here. Hidan and Kakuzu were unaccounted for, they change everything. We can't risk Harry or anyone else getting caught in the crossfire."

"Too late!" screamed Hidan, with a crazy smile on his face. He spread his fingers, showing the unmistakable tint of blood on them. "You know jackass, I never returned the favour you did me when you blew me up to fuckin' pieces back then! Fucker, you've left quite a bit of blood around here. Are you ready to meet Jashin-sama?"

"Jashin-sama?" Neville asked and looked at the Akatsuki members with fear in his eyes.

"Kso!" Shikamaru whispered. "I told you to get them out of here!"

Naruto and Sasuke whisked the two boys into their arms and disappeared in a cloud of smoke. Tsunade narrowed her eyes.

"I leave the Jashin freak to you, Nara! You did it before, you can do it again. Kakashi, Yamato, you were there that time. You know what he is, I want him properly dead this time. Jiraya… you and I will search for that snake bastard and ensure that the title of Sanin has one less holder today!"

"No need to search for me, Tsunade-hime," hissed a voice from behind. Pivoting, she found herself facing her old comrade once more. Jiraiya narrowed his eyes and took on his signature fighting stance.

"Finally a reunion with all three of us together... It grieves me though, I have to say I didn't plan to shed your blood too, Jiraiya. Such a pity… though, hime deserves it for her impertinence three years back".

"Such a pity that you turned out to be such a traitorous bastard. You always were disgusting though," Jiraiya muttered.

Without warning, they rushed forward, clashing. Tsunade sighed, shaking her head, carefully observing the battle in front of her. She glanced around the room for a mere second to observe the fight between the wizards to find they were still engaged in an intense flurry of wand waving. She saw Sirius laughing as he taunted the crazy woman and she knew what would happen next. A flash of green light; a frozen smile, and a body arching backwards towards the strange door in the centre of the room… then nothing.

"NO! SIRIUS!" cried out Harry, as he looked on with a tortured look on his young face. Why was he still here? Naruto and Sasuke, it seemed, were occupied with the task of picking up the girls from the cold ground and at this opportunity, Harry broke free from their grasps and ran towards the door he had seen his godfather, his Sirius, fall through.

"Enough, Harry." Lupin said, but the words would not be met.

"SIRIUS! SIRIUS!" Harry's unfocused eyes met Lupin's pained gaze. "CATCH HIM! DAMN IT. REACH HIM!"

"There's nothing we can do, Harry. It's too late. I'm sorry".

"NO! IT'S NOT LATE! We can still reach him! We can help him!"

"We can't Harry! There's nothing we can do except accept the fact that he's gone."

Shikamaru and Neji were still engaging Hidan whilst Kakashi and Yamato were struggling with Kakuzu. Neji's cheek was bruised, a fact that Hidan seemed delighted by. Tsunade looked back at the men who had once been her boys; they appeared to be equally matched and so she took a deep breathe, and bit her finger.

"Kuchiose no Justu!" she shouted.

"Tsunade-sama, how can I help you?"

"Katsuyu, I need you to assist everybody!"

Momentarily confused by the request (for she was usually called out for her healing expertise), she began dividing herself and directed her counterparts to the others in the room. Satisfied, the slug princess adopted a steely gaze and began to concentrate chakra into her fist.

"You have disgraced us all for far too long. I should have killed you the moment I knew about old man Sarutobi. Orochimaru, you snake bastard, this ends today!"

She jumped and stood next to Jiraiya, who stared at her before saying playfully, "And to think years ago you were always against me Tsunade! Now, who would've thought that for once you'd be on mine?"

"I've always been on your side, baka. Now ikuzo!"

"Are you alright?" Naruto asked as he worriedly glanced at the blood still running from Neville's mouth.

"I'm fine. What about Harry? Is he okay?"

"Hermione...Ron...! Wh-where are the others?"

"Relax. Panicking won't do anything for us right now," sighed Ginny who frowned at her broken ankle. "Everything will be alright, Harry. I promise you, we will all get ourselves out of this mess".

"Shikamaru was right. This whole mess was my fault, I'm sorry guys," Harry muttered as he avoided their pointed looks.

Luna broke the awkward silence with a weak attempt at humour: "The nargles have gotten into your brain again, haven't they?" Luna asked with a weak voice. "We'll be fine. Don't worry about us."

"Yeah, listen to the girl, Potter". A familiar taunting voice broke into Harry's thoughts and there was only one emotion coursing through his veins at the sight: raw anger.

"You...I WILL KILL YOU!"

Harry's anger only fueled Bellatrix's cackles further. He whipped out his wand, seeing red. Sasuke and Naruto exchanged glances and began to move forward when -

"No. Don't interfere. This is my revenge. I have to do this".

"But-"

"Don't. She's mine".

The two young shinobi exchanged doubtful looks once more, then took out a few shurikens and kunai just in case. She fired several jinxes at them, but they all missed as he hide behind the golden statues of a wizard, witch and centaur.

"Come out, come out, little Harry..." she taunted. "And here I thought you were to avenge my dear, sweet cousin".

"THAT'S EXACTLY WHY I'M HERE!" he shouted, his cries echoing through the room.

"Ah... Did you love him, little Harry?"

The hatred emerged as a single piercing note in his ears; more notes were added until it coursed through his veins like the blood keeping him alive. It was a feeling like no other he had experience before and with that in mind, he leapt out from his shelter and screamed,

"CRUCIO!"

Bellatrix shrieked, flinching as she lay on the ground. There were no screams of agony like she had brought out in Neville, but there was no longer a hint of a smile in neither her eyes nor face. She raised her arm and fired a curse back at him, blowing off the head of the golden wizard statue in the process.

"You've never used an unforgivable spell before, have you? You have to want to do it, in order for the spell to work. You have to wish to hurt somebody; enjoy their agony. Just anger won't work for that kind of spell. You can't defeat me, Potter!" she hissed. "I have always been and always will be the best servant of the Dark Lord! He taught me Dark magic! I know spells and jinxes that you could only dream of!"

"SHUT UP! STUPEFY!" bellowed Harry.

"Protego!"

The stunning spell hit the barrier and rebounded, forcing him to flee and seek shelter behind the statues once more.

"I'll give you one last chance, Potter… Give me the prophecy; give it to me and I may even spare your life!"

"You'll have to kill me then, because there isn't one anymore!" yelled Harry.

Then he felt it – the searing wave of pain reverberating throughout his head and body stemming from the lightning bolt on his forehead. He felt anger that wasn't quite his, and smiled knowingly, as he continued.

"AND HE KNOWS IT! Your good old friend Voldemort knows it! He won't be happy with you, will he?"

"WHY? WHAT DID YOU DO TO IT POTTER" she screamed, and for the first time ever, Harry heard the fear in her voice.

"It broke, while I was trying to drag Neville up the stairs. What do you think Voldemort will say?"

"LIAR!" she shouted. "YOU HAVE IT POTTER! AND YOU WILL GIVE IT TO ME! Accio prophecy! ACCIO PROPHECY!"

Harry forced himself to laugh; to anger and blind her, but the pain in his scar was too great.

"There's nothing here! It broke! Tell THAT to your master!"

"NOOOO," wailed Bellatrix, as she fell to the ground. "It's not true! You're lying! MY LORD, I TRIED, I REALLY DID..."

"Don't waste your words!" Harry yelled, the pain throbbing stronger than ever. He felt like his head would explode. "He can't hear you from here!"

"Can't I, Potter?" a cold voice asked and Harry opened his eyes.

Tall and thin, with a hideous snake-like face, Voldemort appeared in the middle of the hall with his wand pointed at the boy.

"So you broke my prophecy? I'll deal with you later, Bella. Do you really think I actually came to the Ministry of Magic to listen to your pitiful apologies?"

"But my Lord... "

Voldemort ignored her.

"Harry Potter; too long have you been a thorn in my side and too often have you brought ruin to my plans. You may have survived me once, but you will not do so again. Avada Kedavra!"

'This is it,' thought Harry. 'I'm done for… '

A flash of smoke, yellow and a force pushing him out of range.

"So you're Voldemort, huh? I've waited for this moment for too long, dattebayo!" exclaimed the blond kitsune, who clenched his fists and grinned at the Dark Lord.

"Waited? For what, boy?"

"To end your pitiful existence for even thinking, then actually doing, my friends harm!"

"So you are a shinobi? One of the weaklings that old geezer Dumbledore hired?"

"Hn," grunted Sasuke as he stood next to Naruto and fired the infamous Uchiha glare at him. "Show us, then. Show us what makes us weaklings not worthy of your concern. Let us see who is truly the weak one".

"You asked for a death wish, boy!"

The wizard raised his hand and Naruto smirked at Sasuke. The Uchiha prodigy allowed the lightning to surround his arm, as he had so often done before.

"Chidori!"

He charged but missed the wizard, who appeared on the other side of their arena. He cursed; he never liked missing his target.

"Chidori Senbon!"

Thousands of senbon flew at the direction of the Dark Lord and his servant. Naruto stood, shielding the spectating wizards from harm.

"Is that all? Is that all you've got?" Voldemort cackled, screaming, "Avada Kedavra! AVADA KEDAVRA!"

Sasuke dodged the two attacks with trained shinobi ease, lifting a brow in mock-concern.

"Is that all you've got?" He smirked and pressed his thumb to his teeth, breaking the skin and allowing drops of blood to fall.

"KUCHIOSE NO JUTSU!"

A giant snake who would have put the Basilisk lying dead in the Chamber beneath the girl's bathroom, to shame, appeared in a cloud of smoke.

"W-What is he doing? Doesn't he know that Voldemort knows parseltongue?"

"Parsel-what?" asked Naruto, clearly confused.

"Voldemort can shpeak with shnakes," explained Neville who shuddered in fear. Naruto snorted.

"So can teme".

Both boys redirected their gaze to the battle, during which Voldemort smirked at the huge creature Sasuke had summoned.

"So you're the boy Orochimaru is after. I may have considered sparing your life before, but a snake? Do you not know who you're facing, boy? Did it ever cross your mind that I could turn that beast against you?"

"Hn, I'd like to see you try."

Voldemort hissed, his attention directed towards the giant snake whose head Sasuke was resting on.

"How can I help you, Ssssassssuke-sssama? And why isss that little man talking to me in my native language?"

"He is our enemy, Aoda. Crush him," said Sasuke said in a low voice and the giant snake bared it's menacing fangs, then covered the space between them rapidly. Voldemort simply apparated and Aoda approached him again. Naruto tsk'ed and summoned Gamakichi.

"Yo. What's up Naruto?"

"Fill the empty space behind that snake! Don't let the flat faced wizard escape!"

"Aoda? Why is that teme here? I ain't helping him!" insisted the toad, earning himself scathing looks from Naruto, Sasuke and said teme.

"You, denssse idiot! It's not about usss now. We have to help our sssummonersssss."

Gamakichi grumbled once more, but followed Naruto's order. He stood behind the snake and Voldemort cursed. He raised his wand, but before any curse could fall from his lips, a bright light appeared.

"It was foolish to come here tonight, Tom. You know the aurors are coming here".

"I'll crush every one of you before they arrive, Dumbledore!"

Orochimaru looked around and realized he was at a loss. Hidan had already been sealed by a nonchalant Shikamaru who had already shoved his hands in his pockets and adopted his signature stance. Kakuzu's hearts had been obliterated and Tsunade was approaching at an alarming speed with her infamous chakra-powered kick, which he dodged – with not a second to spare.

"You son of a bitch!" she snarled, without missing neither punch or kick in her combination. Orochimaru had been utilising his snake-affiliated abilities to avoid the destructive hits, but his strength was waning and he wouldn't stand a chance when depleted, especially against two out of three Sanin. It was going to be his loss and he had already been in the motions of developing an escape plan when from the corner of his eye, three new figures entered the room, and turned the tables.

Pein.
Konan.
Kisame.

He smirked, and with newfound vigor, he changed his stance and leapt forward to attack.

"The results of this battle are no longer relevant to me," he stated as he grinned, landing a punch to Tsunade's stomach. "My goal will be accomplished regardless of my victory or loss."

"And why is that?" hissed Tsunade as she got up from the ground.

"Pein is here. The building will vanish, you along with it. All your efforts to prevent this will be fruitless."

"No," said Jiraiya softly. " We may not have the strength to defeat this so-called Pein, but our pupils will not let us down. Believe it."

"Your pupils? Surely you do not mean that kitsune Jinchuriki and the weak female medic? If that is the kind of scum you rely on, I have to voice my concern for the stability of your pathetic village, and the sanity of its people. You will lose".

BAM

And this time he truly felt it; the inhuman strength of that punch he had been immune to all those years back. The wall crumbled under his projectile of a body, as did the bones that had the ill fortune to bump fists with the legendary sucker. Gritting his teeth, he forced himself up on his feet, swaying slightly.

"Don't you dare think to insult the future generation of Konoha. They may still have more to learn and an infinite number of jutsus they have yet encountered, but the one thing they have definitely inherited that will ensure them surpassing all of us, is the Will of Fire. It burns deeply within them, embedded in their hearts and that is how I know they – especially Naruto and Sakura, will not let us down when it counts!"

And with those words, Jiraya and Tsunade simultaneously landed their signature attacks, ensuring that their former teammate would never return to the world of living – ever.

''Heh, not bad... If ... If they were to turn out like you... Perhaps the world could live... But this is not... not a goodbye... We… We will definitely meet... again"

His gasping breaths halted and his heaving chest slowed until it no longer moved. Cautiously, Tsunade approached his body and reached out to place her fingers on his neck.

"Dead".

"What the hell did that mean? The world may live? We'll meet aga-?" Bewildered, Jiraiya turned around to respond when his eyes widened at the sight of the approaching Akatsuki members. He froze when he recognized their faces and saw Tsunade had also been stunned into a frightened silence. Shaking herself out of the shock-induced stupor, she stepped away from the two ghosts in her past, and occupied herself with healing her injured shinobi and the members of the Order.

"Yahiko? Konan…?" whispered Jiraiya in disbelief.

"Sensei".

I hope you liked it :)

Now, something important. I put a poll in my profile, where you can vote about the sequel of Mission:Hogwarts. I will keep it open till the end of July. Then i'll start writing the story with most votes :) So, go and vote for what you wish to see (the options are given there, you'll see)

And last, but not least, REVIEW! The story's going to its end and I am disappointed in the amount of reviews...Not that I am not thankful...no, quite the opposite :) I am! I just want other people than just the usual ones to tell me what they think :)

I'll post soon xox