So remember when I said I spent years working on this fic and there were parts I never quite got right? Yeah, that's what the last few chapters and the next few very short ones are. It's not my best work, but hopefully the next section is better.
Small rant: If you've decided my writing is now shit, you don't have to leave a comment informing me as much. :) Shockingly, it will not result in you getting different fic out of me.
For those who asked: my family and I are all safe and sound these days. Things were a bit dicey at times over the last year, but we've made it through unscathed. Hang in there friends and take care of each other.
Sasuke did not panic. He had prepared himself for this eventuality and they had a plan in place and one of the key components of it was not to lose his temper. The other key component had been to not let Harry out of his sight, but he had already failed spectacularly at that one.
The stone monster in front of him was hardly the most advanced golem Sasuke had ever faced, but it was surprisingly resistant to Chakra. Like much of the so called magic of this place, it seemed to have a mind of its own, completely independent of any kind of puppet master. It also seemed to be unaffected by the elements. The damn thing laughed when Sasuke tried setting off an explosive strong enough to take out a pillar.
It was at about that point that the suit of armor got involved. And while ripping that into small mangled little pieces was certainly therapeutic, it did not help Sasuke get any further in his goal.
The blasted caretaker's cat also came around the corner during all of this, caterwauling disapprovingly, but it had taken one look at the mess Sasuke had made and calmly turned and walked the other way. Smart beast. Sasuke was not normally one for taking out his aggression on another's familiar but he would not claim to have the best control of his temper right now.
Harry had known damn well that Sasuke would not be able to follow him and he had intentionally not said a damn thing about it. Weeks of pandering to this ridiculous notion that Sasuke was somehow a bad influence on Harry. Weeks of holding back and giving him space and trying to make amends by being respectful. And the brat ditches him in the hallway.
Sasuke was going to strangle him.
Maybe not literally (since that would be counterproductive) but there would be words. Those were still allowed and by god Sasuke planned to make strong use of them.
After an hour of seething in the hallway, waiting, not even knowing if this was how Harry would come back out, Sasuke finally calmed down enough to admit that wanting to strangle his cousin probably wasn't in keeping with the not being violent and losing his temper. It still grated because he was right damn it, but he was also the grown nin here and at least one of them should be able to act like a responsible adult.
Sasuke forced himself to take up a guard position on the far wall and wait. Patiently. He would show that he could be the reasonable one and that Harry should listen to him more. And then he would put an end to this sneaking off nonsense.
After two hours, one of Naruto's clones came slouching down the hallway. This one was transformed to look like Ino in a Ravenclaw uniform, but Sasuke would know that exaggerated hip walk anywhere. It was apparently the only 'feminine' walk Naruto knew.
"Any luck?" he asked.
Sasuke just glared.
"Right."