APRIL 6th year
"PEEEEEVES!" booms a greatly excited voice, coming from a tall man dressed in green tight robes. "Spirited friend! I have come for you!"
The gamekeeper of Hogwarts School of witchcraft and wizardry, Rock Lee, excitedly makes his way through the hundreds of students carrying suitcases and owl cages and rushing over each other trying to avoid the range of the Poltergeist sweeping old school broomsticks at their heads trying to knock them out.
The nearly magic-less Gamekeeper and Quidditch coach climbs on the pillars of the school's main gates like a born-climber and fluidly leveled himself to Peeves' eye level.
It's impossible to hear what he's saying but his eyes shine brightly and Peeves sneers, grumbling as he lets the broomsticks fall harmlessly and the students flee to the carriages.
As always, it seemed Lee-sensei is capable of controlling Peeves with little less than his genuine personality and lectures on morality.
Next to Sarada, Mitsuki watches the chaos with amusement, as they wait for Sai-sensei to check their names on the list of students leaving for Easter break.
"Don't free your familiars on the train!" Shikamaru-sensei shouts, stationed up ahead at the edge of the gate so every exiting student pass by him. "Any familiars forgotten on the train will return here automatically and I swear this time I'll feed them all to the giant squid!" the deputy headmaster threatens, arms folded across his chest.
"All set you three, go on and free up the line." Their head of house tells them, and waves the three Slytherins on.
"Thank you, Sai-sensei!" Sarada tells him with a nod of respect, because it's Sai.
"Happy holidays!" Sumire adds politely, and the three Slytherins hurry out to avoid getting trampled.
"Pops!" Shikadai calls incredulously, who is passing by alongside the other Gryfindors from Sarada's year, at least the ones leaving for Easter. Inojin Yamanaka isn't amongst them, and Sarada assumes there's no reason for him to be present, seeing as both of his parents work at the castle. Shikadai's toad is held carefully in his free hand, as though to protect it from his father's words.
"Don't 'Pops' me! All of them! Num num by the squid! Why do you think we keep it around?!" Shikamaru-sensei replies, unrepentant. Privately Sarada wonders how many kids leave their pets on the train every year for Shikadai's dad to be this petty over it.
"Waaah not Mito-chan!" The mop of wild blond hair next to Shikadai yells out, clutching an owl cage dramatically. A mop of wild blond hair that has driven Sarada insane this past week.
"Well maybe her we'll sell to pay for new school broomsticks." Shikamaru says nonchalantly, eyes appraising the rare red-owl seriously.
Even over the sound of so many cluttering students, Boruto's splutter is easy to hear, before the crowd swallows them and Sarada and her two friends hurry to catch themselves a carriage as they walk along the many other kids, boots all hitting the muddy grounds, still moist from the rainstorm three days ago.
"You three as well!" Shikamaru-sensei says as they pass him by, looking down at them from his slightly twisted upwards nose, that his son inherited.
Sumire pales, hugging Nue's cat-cage, and offering the Transfiguration teacher her trademark awkward laughter.
"Ahahahaha…. Yes, Sensei! Come on, Sarada!" Sumire pulls on her robe, and Sarada blinks away from the sight of the large winged bone-horses attached everywhere to all the carriages, casting huge shadows. She's still not used to them.
"Right." She looks away, focusing on her things and not tripping over anything and anyone, as they make their way closer to the line of carriages waiting, as students shuffle into them haphazardly, walking all over each other in the process.
She knows her two friends can see the thestrales as well. They could always see them, since arriving at Hogwarts. Sarada only just started seeing them last year, at the start of fifth year. Coming back to school was intimidating enough, but seeing some skeletal-thing suddenly appear where usually space was empty… it was another change in her life she didn't want, another thing that will never be the same again.
She ignores Shikamaru-sensei's sharp gaze and hurries into one of them, kicking her suitcase up inside and setting her owl's cage in her lap. The teachers have been keeping an annoying close eye on her since –
They've been keeping an annoying close eye on her.
Mitsuki and Sumire follow, and she hears Nue growl as Sumire sets her down on an empty seating space.
A few older Ravenclaws eye their carriage but leave them unbothered.
The carriage starts moving down the hill.
"I know, but you'll have to be patient until we arrive at London." Sumire says to Nue, cooing comfortingly.
The dark creature (allowing itself to shrink to a miniature size and get locked in a small cage to hide the fact that she's definitely not a cat from the other students) growls again but it's more like a whine.
"Poor Nue. Cages are the worst." Mitsuki remarks casually, before turning to look out the window.
Sarada shares a brief glance with Sumire. Sometimes Mitsuki just says things, making it clear he doesn't understand what's wrong with them. Those things paint a very specific image in Sarada's head about his childhood.
"Mm, Mitsuki. Maybe stay with me over the holidays?" Sarada offers. She quickly comes up with something to convince him when he glances at her."Doesn't have to be with me. You could stay with Sumire. It would just be easier with the adoptions if you're both nearby if I need you."
He tilts his head, eyes considering her almost innocently. Mitsuki has always been a mix of innocence and danger, and the juxtaposition is no longer jarring to her.
"It makes sense, I suppose. But I didn't write in advance."
Sumire shrugs, but she caught on and Sarada knows she'll try and help convince him. After all, she and the Slytherin Prefect agree that the less Mitsuki spends with his parent the better.
"You could say Sarada's grandparents invited us over last minute, to whoever is there to pick you up." Sumire says, and offers wisely "It'll be better if you're not there when your parent finds out about the adoption, right?"
Sarada recently may have conned the magical law-system to allow her to adopt her two best friends.
Mitsuki frowns, yellow eyes concentrating. "I didn't think I could avoid it." he admits, and it's a sobering coldness for Sarada.
She feels like an idiot. Had her friend told her he worried about that outcome she'd have conned him into staying over with her in time, but that's not Mitsuki's nature, and with the preparations for the adoption it slipped her mind.
Sorry Mitsuki. Knowing he would be confused if she voices her apology, she thinks it silently.
"There's nothing to it; you're staying over." Sarada says assertively, because adding confidence to something you really want helps make it a reality.
"Will your grandparents be okay with it?" He asks.
"Sure. Or I can ask them to drop you off with Sumire. Either way works." Sarada says. Her grandparents as a legal wizard and a witch can make the journey to Sumire's apartment much easier, so Sarada usually asks them to drop her off so Sumire and Nue don't drag themselves through a long journey in the London subway.
"Hoot!" Sarada's owl calls indignantly, wings fluttering against his cage.
"What is it Izuna?" Sarada asks, looking for what the owl is glaring at.
"Nue." Sumire scolds. "Stop looking at Izuna like food, he's Sarada's owl."
Nue grumbles, looking away guiltily. Clearly she's feeling rebellious in her current predicament, because she's never had a problem with Izuna before.
"We're here." Mitsuki says a moment before the carriage comes to a stop and charcoal fills their noses from the Hogwarts Express train, waiting for them on the railroad in front of Hogsmeade village.
The three climb out. Sarada holds her school robe not to accidently step on it when she climbs down, because it's a bit long on her.
She's been growing taller all year, so all her new robes are a little long so she doesn't have to buy new ones just yet. She's really pleased with her height; she suspects she got Grandmother's height. She's the tallest person in Sarada's family (that she got to meet – she doesn't know about Dad's side of the family).
A passing group of Gryffindor first years hurry past them, nearly bumping into them and Sarada catches a few of their stray thoughts.
Snuck magical snacks past Sensei, Mom is gonna freak –
Head still hurts! Peeves and his -
Cold, hurry -
She blocks all three of their head-voices, tuning them out with practiced ease; as a Sharingan witch people's random thoughts just sort of reach her sometimes, more often around young children without any ability in Mind Arts.
She turns to the thestral attached to their carriage and looks into its eyes. It stares back at her soulfully.
"Thanks." She tells it and it huffs warmly on her face before turning and marching the empty carriage back up to the school.
"Who are you talking to?"
She turns to see Boruto's face, expression confused and amused. "You okay Uchiha?" he asks her, his black and pink sneakers as eye catching as usual. His eyes bright blue.
"Aren't you avoiding me Uzumaki?" Sarada asks coolly, accepting Izuna's cage from Mitsuki who held it until she got out of the carriage with her trunk.
Boruto robs the back of his head awkwardly, but jumps when Nue growls at him from Sumire's arms.
He looks at the cage. "Is that Nue inside? Hey girl! Remember me?!" he asks cheerfully and Sarada resists the urge to set his red and gold tie on fire as he makes cooing sounds at the purring cage. She didn't know he knew about Nue. Traitor, she thinks at the creature pettily.
From the carriage behind Boruto, Shikadai and then Chocho climb out. And then three Hufflepuffs that seem younger climb out, and lastly after them Yuino Iwabee comes out. The older student towers over the Hufflepuffs, glaring at them as he makes his way over to the group.
"Sarada! I can finally breathe!" Chocho calls dramatically, falling on Sarada's arm.
"How many of you were in there?" Mitsuki asks with a sharp grin, as Nue growls predatorily at Shikadai's toad. Shikadai eyes the mysterious cage suspiciously.
"Damn puffs shoved in just as we were about to move." Yuino grumbles, fanning his face with an empty hand. "It was suffocating in there."
"One of them sat in my lap." Shikadai sighs. "It was so troublesome."
"Everyone hates waiting in the cold for another carriage." Sumire reasons. It's 7 Celsius outside. Not the coldest for Scotland, but still chilly enough nobody wants to stay outside too long.
"What about you three?" Yuino demands, all huffy. "How come nobody bothered you?"
Sarada raises an eyebrow at him, unable to coy a small smirk. "We're three sixth year Slytherins." She states the obvious. Plus, Mitsuki was with us. "Who's dumb enough to force their way onto our carriage?"
Not that they're bullies or anything – Headmaster Naruto doesn't tolerate bullying – but Slytherins have an 'Eat or be Eaten' policy that makes for thick skin. As a result, students from other houses are hesitant to cross them. At least when they're in groups; Slytherins tend to have each other's backs.
Yuino narrows his eyes at Sarada accusingly, but a stray thought tells her he's reluctantly jealous.
For someone who's in sixth year his mind is still very open, and his thoughts travel easily even when Sarada has no interest in them. She can see why he had to repeat fifth year and was held back. Still, his DADA abilities are off the charts, so maybe it balances things out.
In hindsight, Sarada shouldn't have been so surprised she ended up in a compartment with the Gryffindors for the whole trip to the London train station. Sumire and Mitsuki probably planned it so by the time she tried extricating from them it would look too awkward and dramatic.
Mitsuki and Sumire weren't even next to her anymore; Mitsuki was by Boruto and Chocho's side and Sumire up ahead checking compartments with Yuino. Mingled. Her two traitorous best friends have mingled, and have thus compromised any quick-exit plans she could've made. With those two, she doesn't doubt it was purposeful.
Coal for Christmas, both of them.
When the group picks somewhere to sit, Mitsuki glances back at her at the back of the group, and when their eyes lock, that son of a bitch smirks.
She flips him off, sure that in her annoyance her eyes flicker red behind her framed-glasses.
"Alright?" Shikadai asks her, staring at her with sharp green eyes. He caught the movement and is examining her expression.
No, your dumb-faced best friend kissed me last week on the cheek and then went on to ignoring me like we're 11 and I was picked for the house of snakes all over again and I'm upset because of it which is the worst part."Yeah." She grits her teeth and follows him, because she's Slytherin, or something along those lines. Whatever works.
The seven students settle for the long train ride, most of the Gryffindors taking off their school robes, and keeping the muggle clothes they have underneath. Sarada's grandparents will just apparate her home from the magical side of the station, so she remains relaxed in robes.
She looks around, resigned. She chose a seat by the window. The compartment doors are closed. Freedom is so close. She leans back on the cushioned seat and leans one elbow on the windowsill, and lets the other rest on her thigh, her long dark hair falling around her frame. It's getting annoyingly long. She sighs mentally.
The Gryffindors don't mention that she's sitting with them, despite Sarada's usual iron rule of minimum contact with losers. On the one hand, it's… kind of them to welcome her silently. On the other it pisses her off that Boruto, Chocho, and Shikadai are suddenly just fine with so many Slytherins around them. Sure, they've all grown – nobody is 11 anymore, but she's still bitter.
Here's the story; it's simple really: Sarada's parents, and the Gryffindors' parents are all good friends, and so they've all known each other since they've been babies – and since most of their parents are magical they all knew they'll be heading to Hogwarts together too. They were best friends – they spent their childhoods together, and nothing seemed like it'll ever get in their way; Shikadai, Chocho, Inojin, Boruto, and Sarada.
Shikadai and Inojin were tight, always joined at the hip. Chocho would complain to Sarada about annoying boys but she was right there with them – the three a strong unit. And Sarada and Boruto – they were, well, they were best friends.
They knew each other like the back of their hands, always confiding in the other. Till this day, years later, Sarada can still understand Boruto like no one else seems to; he did something stupid? – He's having issues with his dad; he did something embarrassing? – He's having issues with his dad; he did something dangerous? He's tired of the bullshit he has going on with his dad.
And she's pretty sure it goes both ways. She actively has to not think about the fact that when she does something, Boruto is likely the one who can read through her usual bullshit like an open book. It's disconcerting. (Well, at least it used to be, since last summer, when her mom was killed, she's changed. As far as she's concerned, everything changed, and she doubts it's easy for him now. Some days she has no idea what she's thinking herself.)
Then they were all sorted into Gryffindor – and she alone sorted into Slytherin. She was sad – but figured it'll just be a little harder to stay friends. She didn't think she'd spend the first two years of school a complete loner. She didn't think she'd need to worry that much about forming new bonds which she was always cripplingly bad at, because she already had four best friends for life. She definitely didn't think the crew she ran with since they were in diapers would cast her out, mock her for not being in the 'best' house like it mattered way more than their friendship did, and never look back.
She never thought any of that will happen, because she trusted her friends. Needless to say, till this day, Sarada has some trust issues. Huh. Maybe that's why she, Sumire, and Mitsuki clicked.
But it's been years and Hogwarts gets smaller with each term, honestly. Nowadays they're all doing this 'Mature' thing called 'Let's awkwardly pretend that didn't happen because Sarada's new best friends are tight with her ex-best friends'. And she was handling it, really.
Totally handled.
Completely.
Until Boruto Fucking Uzumaki ruined it all (what else is new?) and now here they all are (sans Inojin, but his parents are both living at the castle so really he has no reason to leave during the holidays) in this little shut compartment in the Express train, being 'Mature'.
Growing up sucks.
She shoots a glare next to her at Mitsuki for good measure. He grins but doesn't look her way, gaze fixed on Boruto and Shikadai shrugging on their muggle jackets. He's pretending to not have seen her glare but can't contain his amusement apparently. Great.
"I brought road snacks!" Chocho announces, excited as can be, and promptly snacks are passed around the group. Ok. Chocho's kind of alright. When Mitsuki and Sumire first started trying to drag her over to the Gryffindors to hang out, Chocho instantly cheered up and actively tried to pretend like they've still been friends all those years. Sarada's not the type to forget and forgive easily, but she won't crap all over someone's hard efforts either. So when Chocho hangs off her arm Sarada doesn't tell her she dislikes having her private space invaded, and when she calls herself Sarada's best friend, Sarada doesn't call her out on her lie. Chocho's been putting in the work, and Sarada recognizes it. As far as she's concerned, Chocho is the only Gryffindor not a loser. Well. Not out loud at least.
…Is Sumire right, is she petty?
"Are you cold?" Sumire asks the cage she's carrying and tactfully covers Nue's cage with a spare robe so none of the others spot that it's definitely not a cat. It stays for the rest of the ride, with occasional growls coming from it.
Shikadai eyes it suspiciously, checking up on his toad each time.
"What sort of cat is that, Kakei?" he asks, grumpy. Sarada guesses if Izuna was threatened so many times in a day she'd be grumpy too. Then again Izuna is an owl, not a lame toad.
"Oh ahahaha…she's cross bred?" Sumire says uncertainly, big round purple eyes wide. "I can't be sure, actually." Sometimes one can't help but be impressed with Sumire for the pure bullshit she can spout at a moment's notice. It's a real talent.
"Hey, has anyone been able to get the new Avenging Bijuu issue?!" Boruto asks the group with an easy smile and bored blue eyes.
"I hate that series. It's gross and I can't eat snacks and read it." Chocho grumbles, almost shivering.
"Oh, come on Cho, it's barely got any gore left anymore!" Boruto calls out, whining childishly.
"Probably got too many complaints." Shikadai adds dryly.
"Are comic books not supposed to have gore and violence?" Mitsuki asks curiously, shifting to sit more comfortably in his seat. His knee bumps Sarada's and stays there. She finds herself relaxing an inch. Considering Mitsuki doesn't do casual accidental physical contact, Sarada takes it as the placation it is, for not bolting out the door into a different compartment like her hair was set on fire. She does her best not to grumble out loud.
Shikadai seems to not care enough about correcting Mitsuki's assumption, lazily settling into the long ride ahead. Chocho is doing an admiring job of ignoring the whole topic after denouncing it. Yuino is looking very serious as he still changes into his muggle cloths – a jeans jacket with its sleeves ripped off. Sarada does catch a stray thought of his where he's reluctantly distracted from whatever's got his mind so occupied, to think a quick 'Boruto's comics ain't so bad- just don't look at 'em before bed'.
"Not really, Mitsuki-kun. It's like books, it can be about anything." As Sarada expected, Sumire's the only voice of reason in this group. But why the hell is she calling Mitsuki 'Mitsuki-kun'? Ha. Hilarious.
"They're so much better with it though!" Boruto calls, almost sadly, but his heart isn't in it, and conversation lulls.
That's when the great steam engine erupts to life and the Hogwarts Express starts to move forward. The compartment rocks gently and the view of the castle and Hogsmeade disappear from the window, and they're surrounded by the loll of Scotland's mountains and the steam of the train, the occasional 'choo-choo' whistling loudly in the background.
"Hey" the conversation picks up after a few minutes of silently watching the magical village disappear from view. "what did you get on Konohamaru-sensei's project?" Shikadai asks Boruto. They all got their grades back this morning on the last lesson before the break.
"O!"
"O."
"O."
Boruto, Sarada, and Mitsuki all answer simultaneously, the first calling out cheerfully. Sarada and Boruto each got competitive with the other and Mitsuki's performed his parts, as usual, perfectly. The Outstanding wasn't really a surprise.
Boruto smirks proudly before turning to the Slytherin Prefect. "What about you, Sumire-chan?"
Sumire smiles awkwardly "EE. We had… a few problems, in our group."
"What happened? You seemed excited to work with the girls." Chocho asks while chewing on potato chips.
"Yes, it was very fun… but Wasabi-chan's Quidditch schedule was tough to get around." Sumire sighs, and Sarada knows even her real personality probably feels the same – Sumire's perfect grade average is very important to her.
"Boruto didn't have many practices while we were working on the project." Mitsuki comments lightly yet observantly.
"There were, like, maybe two!" Yuino barks, one of Gryffindor's Beaters, and Sarada guesses they were as miserable as her own with the rain storm that lasted for almost a full week.
"Yeah, but it's Wasabi, isn't it?" Chocho snorts, the second Beater on their team. "The Captain is insane. Probably ran off mid study session to scream about new formation tactics, didn't she?" she asks Sumire with complete confidence.
Sumire's awkward laughter is confirmation enough. "What about you two and Inojin-kun?" she asks Chocho and Shikadai.
Chocho dusts off crumbs from her fingers and calls cheerfully "A!"
A, as in Acceptable. Everyone turns to stare at Shikadai questioningly, because how is it possible to get an A with a Nara in you group? Even Sarada finds herself reluctantly curious.
"Seriously?" Boruto's eyes widen in surprise, giving Shikadai a look as well.
Shikadai looks half annoyed half bored with both the attention and the question. "I refused to do all the work for them."
So that's how.
"You, Iwabee?" Boruto asks excitedly, turning to look at the boy sitting behind Shikadai, next to the window, across from Sarada.
"Oh, it went great! We all got an O!"
"That's great Iwabee-kun!" Sumire cheers.
"Nice one!" Boruto cheers.
"You were right Boruto, Denki's an alright dude!"
"Right!" Boruto calls, suddenly excited. "I told you! He's great!"
"He wasn't patronizing as shite like some Ravenclaws I know, and he was really nice to Metal too." Yuino says, with a pleased grin.
Ravenclaw has always been a dear house to Sarada – her mother's house. She bites the inside of her cheek to keep from snipping at Yuino because – yeah, some Ravenclaws can totally be patronizing as shite. Case and point: Hyuuga from Ancient Runes and 5th year Prefect Yamanaka who's twin sister is in Gryffindor.
"Isn't it because Metal's dad is his Head of House?" Mitsuki asks, grinning like a purring cat, trying to hide its evil glint in its eyes. Or maybe Sarada just knows him too well.
Boruto blinks, embarrassed. "Eh? Well, I suppose that's true, but Denki's not like that, you know?" He says passionately.
He's not like that. What a laugh. Everybody with half a brain are like that. Especially smart little Ravenclaws whose dad's done the impossible and managed to combine magic with muggle technology and made a fortune selling magical muggle products to magical folk in the past 10 years. Denki was definitely taught to be like that. Most people were surprised when he wasn't sorted to Slytherin house when he came to Hogwarts.
"If anything it's Coach Lee who's not like that. He'd never tear a new one to a student for being mean to Metal." Chocho says contemplatively, munching on potato chips. Well, that's true, Sarada can admit.
"He's very objective even between his students and other houses during his lessons." Sumire adds, grinning. Rock Lee, the Head of Ravenclaw house, is both the Care of Magical Creatures professor and the Quidditch coach; he's also easily one of the most colorful staff members of the castle.
"He does let Metal fight his own battles." Shikadai agrees, munching down on the snacks Chocho passed around. "My old man doesn't interfere too much either, thank Hagoromo's horns. He likes to lecture though." Shikadai rolls his eyes, pausing to yawn.
Seeing as the conversation has turned to 'dads who are at Hogwarts with you', Sarada assumes it's only a matter of seconds before Boruto resolutely changes the topic, and it's hard to keep the smug gleam out of her eyes when his voice comes up.
"Hey did you hear the Ministry is setting up muggle restrictions?"
"They're trying to." Mitsuki corrects with a grin, and it sets the whole group into speculative conversation over the papers this past week.
The older boy across from her, Iwabee Yuino, sends her grumpy glances every few minutes when he thinks nobody will notice, and that's usually followed with his arms being folded across his chest and his muscles bulging visibly in his sleeveless muggle jacket. It's bizarre, and Sarada can't figure out the posturing. Is he engaging in a pissing contest? Because it's completely one-sided. Is he unsettled by having her here? That makes two of them.
Sarada mentally sighs and forces her posture to remain obviously comfortable because she refuses to show them how uncomfortable she is. Nonetheless she settles in for a long train ride of staring out the window at nothing, as the Gryffindors chatter on about things she has no intention of joining in on. She's already exhausted.
It's several minutes passed when amongst the arguing she hears "Oi Sa-Ra-Da!"
She turns and raises a questioning brow at Chocho. The Akimichi looks dead bored as on either side of her Sumire and Shikadai bicker about politics over her head. Both prefects are uncharacteristically passionate and intense about it.
"What do you think about the muggle laws they're trying to pass?" Chocho asks, but her eyes are asking for something to stop the two next to her before her ears break.
What does she think? Unquestionably, it's related to what was in the letter she found and sent to the Headmaster about employing muggles to end the magical world. Can she say any of that without it ending up revealing she was the one blackmailing the Ministry? Nope. She looks for something else to say instead.
"Doesn't matter, Headmaster Uzumaki won't allow them to pass; he's fought his whole life for equality for muggles and muggleborns." Sarada glances at Boruto contemplatively before adding lightly "…and muggle-raised magicals." Because Naruto Uzumaki was famously raised in the muggle world, orphaned as a baby, and hated and discriminated at the orphanage. How he hasn't ended up hating the whole bloody world, she has no idea.
A very dark wave swims past Boruto's eyes, before he forces it away. Sarada wonders what it's for. Maybe for bringing up his least favorite subject – his dad.
"Not that it's relevant to you, is it Uchiha?" Yuino says loftily, drawing all of the attention to him. His tone makes it clear he's completely passive-aggressive, foregoing the passive."Not like your life will change one bit, while it's people like me who will suddenly not be allowed to tell their families about their magic anymore."
The others all instantly still, watching with various levels of trepidation (unless you're Mitsuki who's staring with his usual blank-eyed amusement).
Sarada just blinks, before it clicks why he said it. Really? "Right. Because I don't have a family. You're so clever." She says flatly, looking at the boy with distaste. If she's learned anything in Slytherin house it's when somebody gives you crap – you call them out on it. Glass houses should be covered in trampolines, so that everything thrown at it would bounce right back at the sender. Much better than trusting an idiot in another glass house to know better than to start throwing stones, least the whole neighborhood shatters.
Iwabee Yuino's eyes flash in…something strong, and he pales completely. A strange reaction. His posture crumbles and he just sort of sags. "No, no!" He stutters, looking shocked.
There's a ripple of looks exchanged around the compartment and she imagines they're all realizing that since her mom died and her dad is always mysteriously gone to save the world, and oh yeah, that makes the Uchiha a bit of a broken family in the non-existent sort of way. Sarada swears if anyone here turns to give her a pitying look she'll hex off their faces.
"I meant because you're a pureblood!" Yuino says, glaring at his shoes. "Just that!"
Okay. Now she's getting pissed. "I'm a halfblood Yuino." She says coldly, glaring at him as he keeps looking intently at his own shoes. She doesn't care that it's starting to feel a little like glaring at a kicked puppy, because she's never in her life been accused of blood supremacy before, and it sucks.
"Oh." Yuino says, and shrinks in his seat.
Sarada is tired of staring him down; she lets out a "Hmmph." Unimpressed, and turns away from him.
"In the trophy room Sakura Haruno's first Order of Merlin details her life. Maybe some people should go there occasionally and brush up on their facts." Sumire's voice says conversationally and loudly, like they're not directly shot at Yuino. "I'm sure a few detentions cleaning it will impress the issue."
Yuino grits his teeth but keeps his head down, as a very awkward atmosphere settles.
Boruto rather bravely attempts to bring back the conversation. "Also, did you know that if you get her card the chocolate frog is supposed to taste like cherries? Hey, has anyone got the full collection?"
There's a beat before Chocho's uncomfortably fake-light voice says "N-nah, and Dad and I did a thousand Chocolate Frogs challenge last year too!"
"Did the Akimichi never hear of inflation prices?" Mitsuki's amused voice asks, and the others all loudly move the conversation away from the awkwardness. In the mix, Sarada catches Shikadai's burdened "So troublesome." whisper.
The train keeps moving, the others eventually return to more natural sounding conversation and Yuino leans over his seat closer to her.
Sarada looks at him cautiously. Yuino leans close enough that there's a small semblance of privacy to the two of them from the rest of the group. (Though she's pretty sure Mitsuki sitting next to her can hear them.)
"When I was 11 a group of older Slytherins cornered me." the older boy says, eyes set on hers firmly. "Because I'm muggleborn. Mitsuki and Sumire never bothered me obviously, but when one thinks Slytherin – you're it. You seem to fit right in." he says. She wonders what those older kids did to an 11 year old. She doesn't want to know. She wonders what he means by obviously when he talks about her two friends. "I…felt like I needed to defend myself."
Sarada watches him, watches for something insincere. There isn't. "So you took it out on me?" She asks, unwilling to make up just yet. Two wrongs don't make a right…but her mom once said 'Hurt people hurt people Sarada. People are complicated.' And she thinks of the Shin brothers, older than her, and occasionally unable but to try and put her down because of everything their father put them through – for not being trueborn Uchihas like she is. She understands that pain drives them, but like she is with them, she won't stand down and let him step over her to feel better. That won't fix anything.
"Because of what happened to you" she says softly, hoping her voice won't carry over to the others. "I'm supposed to let you?"
Yuino looks decidedly nauseated, but also amazingly annoyed. "I'm just explaining – I'm not trying to excuse what I said. But with how you always behaved towards Boruto – " he shakes his head. "I assumed. What I said was uncalled for."
Boruto IS a pureblood. How come he didn't get accosted as a racist? There's no justice in the world. Yuino flunking his O. the first time and being forced to repeat the year suddenly makes much more sense.
Not an empty apology, but an admission of guilt. "Well. That's something." She mutters. She can at least work with that.
He sighs with relief. She doesn't care for it; God forbid, he thinks it makes them friends or something now.
The train ride continues, as the chatter slowly resumes its tension-free tone. Boruto pulls out a GameWiz from his pocket, playing with Shikadai, and raving about final bosses and plus ten K gas bombs like he can't hear how that makes him sound. The sounds of the beeping and stasis from the GameWizs mix with Chocho yelling random things at a patient Sumire, a mocking Mitsuki, and an argumentative Yuino.
In the background the two owls hoot softly intermittently. Shikadai's toad occasionally leaps in some direction, only to hurry back to its owner's hands in a panic. It would then forget about its past misadventures and venture forth once more. The Kaminarimon Company Logo gleamed on the back of the GameWizs when sunbeams passed over them from the window, and Nue's covered cage would randomly rumble and shake ominously.
Sarada mostly spends the train ride ignoring them, sometimes giving short replies to either Mitsuki or Chocho, that is until they turn right back around to politics, because Yuino turns out to be very passionate about the latest drama regarding muggles at the Ministry. Surely, they're pretty close to London by now. It sure feels like hours since she got into this compartment. Mitsuki's foot is so close, their knees still connected; she's a saint for not stomping on it 'accidently'.
"I just don't get why we have to read about what Fuma thinks all the time! Does The Prophet not have anyone else to interview?!" Yuino huffs, having restored his usual bluster. His words and their frustration surprise Sarada, because it means he actually read all of the lengthy dull discussions in the papers lately.
"He's the head of the department for Regulations and Courtroom Proceedings; of course everyone's lapping up his speeches." Shikadai drawls, like it should be obvious, pressing something on his game that causes a blasting sound to emit from it and earning a smug look to appear on Shikadai's face.
"No he's not." Sarada cuts in, and it comes off sharper if only because this is the first she's joined in willingly. Whatever, it's not like she wanted to sit here with them all chummy. "He's the head of the DMLE." Easily the biggest department in the Ministry.
Yuino stares from her to Shikadai, waiting for his friend's reaction. Strangely, she thinks he already knows she's right. Maybe she should stop belittling his brain all the time… maybe.
Green eyes blink, scratching the back of his head. The game device rests lamely on his lap. "Right. I knew he was somewhere there. I just block my old man's nagging when he talks politics." He says defensibly. Yeah. Sarada doesn't care how smart he is, this Nara would've done badly in Slytherin house. He has a dad at home to explain all this to him on a silver platter, and he doesn't bother listening.
Mitsuki's foot is stomp-inviting the more time that passes.
Boruto snorts while still having eyes only for his game. "Like there's a difference. A bunch of old folk wasting away in a stuffy office yelling at each other and admiring my dad's behind." And this one has no functioning clue of how a Ministry works at all. Wonderful.
One is in charge of the courts. The other is the head of the Aurors department. Sarada is once again amazed at Gryffindor's resilience in the face of the real world. 'No difference'. Honestly.
"Oi, this is important!" Boy, Yuino really cares about the muggle legislation, to be this grumpy.
"That sounds like a form of harassment." Mitsuki tilts his head, considering.
"Depends," Chocho says wisely, munching on a potato-chip. "on whether the behind is admired for the man who wears it, or it's great shape."
"If I were your dad, I'd sue either way." Shikadai tells a green-faced Boruto conversationally.
Sumire, thankfully, steers this dumbassery back to intelligent waters. "Fuma's new to Ministry politics." She picks up today's issue that Yuino brought with him, and frowns at the front page. "It's a sensitive topic, no pureblood will comment honestly while it's still in debate."
"First generation to get into politics." Sarada confirms with a hum. "He's small fish but well respected. Nobody's going to force him out for just this."
"But he's weak." Mitsuki states, clearly in question.
Amazingly, Yuino agrees. "Yeah!" she might find him less of a loser than the other Gryffindors, if he hadn't picked a fight just five minutes ago. Sarada's not very good at letting things go…especially slights. She's working on it. Except she's not.
"Is he? Pretty sure not being a pureblood's all the rage right now." Shikadai shrugs, half-assing his musings as far as Sarada's concerned, because fads pass, and power generational-deep stays. As a Nara, he should damn well know that. (At least there's no longer such a dark stigma and deep rooted harassment towards muggleborns, trying to make a place for themselves in this world now, thanks to Naruto Uzumaki.)
Mitsuki lightly bumps his elbow into her arm. She does her best not to roll her eyes, but only for Mitsuki, who clearly enjoys spending idle time with morons. She gets it; time for the brain to cool off is also important –
Mitsuki elbows her again. She shoots him a frown. He didn't know she was still thinking uncharitable thoughts about his Gryffindor friends.
Across from them near the compartment door, Sumire coughs into her palm softly. Her coughing sounds an awful lot like chuckling.
Sarada twitches. Ok. Maybe her friends are just that good at reading her. Surely, her thoughts aren't plastered all across her face, because that will be horrifying.
She glances at the Gryffindors, to find Boruto staring at Mitsuki while Chocho is ignoring them in favor of a snack and lightly kicking Boruto whenever she can get away with it just to annoy him (finally a lion's activity Sarada can wholeheartedly approve of), Shikadai is glancing at the GameWiz in his lap under sleepy eyes, but it's Yuino who raises a silent eyebrow at her, in shark-like amusement, telling her he caught Mitsuki's message and he now knows for a fact that for all her nonchalance, she's bothered being in their compartment.
Son of a bitch. She'll have to kill him, won't she?
"Fumas are half-bloods. Old half-bloods." Boruto rolls his eyes, still concentrating mostly on his game. He's also annoyingly correct. "You should listen sometimes when old man Shikamaru-sensei talks, mate."
Shikadai shrugs, unimpressed. "Whatever, he's just yapping. And you of all people telling me to listen to my dad?"
Chocho covers her mouth with a hand, not subtle about her amusement at Shikadai's sass. Despite herself, the smirk is instant of Sarada's lips, and she turns to the window to try and hide it.
Boruto frowns, half looking like he'd like nothing less than to toss his GameWiz right at his best friend's head.
"Well if his line is known to intermix with muggles then no wonder he's loved." Sumire cuts through the tension, bringing them back at track. "More reason not to want to ruin a pureblood's rep. They'd see it as lowering themselves by going after him, I'd imagine." Sumire surmises.
Sarada grins at her friend thinking it's that easy to put herself in the minds of old purebloods. It's a sound guess, but they've had generations to polish their tactics. The Ministry of Magic is an intricate web of connections and interests, entwined haphazardly, and it's the strong that rip all that is sown.
Her grandmother's ruthless merchandise business runnings taught her to see those kinds of dots. Babysitting Sarada through most of her childhood, her grandmother made practical use of summer afternoons when Sarada would usually not do anything but laze about. She'd take Sarada with her to the office at London and explain how those things work patiently. She also used Sarada shamelessly whenever it suited her to be seen as a kindly grandmother.
Sarada is sure that's why she ended up in Slytherin. After all, her mom was a Ravenclaw, and she hasn't met her dad until she was 10. Sarada didn't even know that Uchiha were The Slytherins, until she got there.
She shakes her head a little. "No. He's fresh meat, and families like Hyuuga and Sarutobi prefer theirs well-done." But everybody average is probably going after him because after the fourth wizarding war the ministry let in plenty of new blood, so Fuma likely just deals with them without the public even knowing about it, which means he's not half bad at the game. "Besides," she nods at Shikadai "fads pass. Love for Muggleborns will slow and lose in urgency and popularity. Probably already has, since they went through with the notion for these regulations."
Yuino curses, biting his nail. She'll take that as his agreement. Sumire nods seriously, thinking it over. Boruto – rolls his damn eyes at her (Her head fills with sudden violent images of how tragic it would be if a student found himself under the train tracks that they're on right now – his body tied up ahead and no one will hear him scream as the train – ).
"Ok," Chocho looks at her curiously, finally getting into the discussion. "what do you mean by that first part?"
"They'll try and get something on him now, but they won't use it. It has to gain them something, otherwise it really is bad rep, and what's the point?" Sarada explains (generously, in her opinion). Who needs leverage to be explained to them?
"Mmm. But he's the head of the Aurors." Chocho says, with an underlined 'Duh'. "There's no way he can hide something that'll be used to blackmail him. I mean, they probably did lots of checks on him before they gave him that job."
Mitsuki grins. "Well. They certainly should have."
"Ugh screw politics! It's like, you have to constantly assume the worst of people, and even then, you probably didn't assume worst enough." Boruto sounds genuinely disgruntled, knuckles white as he grips his GameWiz.
Sarada has to admit, that's not a bad description to the whole thing. Still no reason to roll one's eyes when someone is speaking. Sadly, Chocho's no longer kicking him.
Shikadai huffs, elbowing Boruto. "Fine, what do you want to talk about?"
"I dunno." Boruto shrugs, tension bleeding from his body. "Avenging Bijuu?" All at once, the other Gryffindors groan in annoyance and dislike. Boruto laughs, unreserved. "Joking, joking! Plans for the holidays?"
And conversation turns to setting up a day to meet up at Diagon Ally.
"Let's meet at my place and head out from there." Chocho calls, when they settle for the third day of vacation. "You're coming too, Sarada!"
Sarada glances at Chocho, mildly surprised. She half expected someone to protest, but nobody does, although Boruto's face is doing something weird. This felt like far too much already, and she kind of needs a break from playing nice. But Chocho's trying, and she promised to care about that at least.
"Sure."
Chocho nods, satisfied. Mitsuki's knee pulls back slightly before bumping into hers again. Stupidly, she's almost grinning.
The train finally arrives to the station. They've reached London.
Hooting owls and stumping students, everyone's in a bustle to unload from the train.
Sumire and Mitsuki are by the door, having been seated closest to the hallway, ready to go. Chocho shoves the unopened snacks into her pockets and gathers her trunk up. Yuino curses everyone for being slowpokes and basically strolls over Shikadai's lazy slow form and his hopping frog, to reach the compartment door.
Sarada gathers Izuna and her trunk, ready to go, and stands only to find herself waiting behind Boruto who's tapping his foot and frowning at Shikadai.
"Oi, stop holding us up!" Boruto cheerfully scolds.
"Just a minute – c'mere already!" The frog hops in visible panic and ends up on his head.
"Impressive." Sarada deadpans, causing Shikadai to flush and Mitsuki to snicker.
"There's too much moving traffic here, we'll see you three outside." Sumire tells them, Prefect mode on, and the four vanish under a strong stream of students.
"Wait!" Sarada calls, but it's too late. Damn it, whoever came to pick Mitsuki up better not up and take him away while she's stuck here with these stupid –
"Did I pack my GameWiz?" Shikadai looks around.
"I did. C'mon, get a move on!" Boruto waves him to the door, and finally the three join the wave of students leaving the train.
There are noises of families all around them, as hundreds of people buzz around, and the train empties.
Amazingly, the two Gryffindors are still close by Sarada. She expects she'll have to offer an awkward nod before shuffling away. Oh joy.
Shikadai turns to the both of them before she can. "Hey, why don't you two take a moment and talk? I'll go find Chocho. Bye." And he dashes off.
Sarada blinks at him, because why would she want to talk to Boruto alone? Oh. Oh. She's not sure how she feels about the ordeal being made such a big deal.
Boruto is pinkish in his cheeks, glaring after Shikadai. "That little –"
"What's going on?" she asks, but she's pretty sure she knows what this is about.
Boruto shifts from one foot to the other, frowning. "Well – let's go over there." He steers them away from the carriage door they used, which still has some kids pushing through. The platform is full of somewhat familiar faces, some more and some less. She thinks she spots Dōshu Goetsu's green cap, and Chocho's mom's spiky red hair in the crowd. As usual, lots of Akimichi cousins are running around.
Boruto moves sideways a little, not to be in anybody's way. Sarada joins him a little reluctantly.
"Well?" she demands. After all, the last time they were alone drove her bananas for the past week.
"Look, I just." Boruto stops and takes a deep breath, and steadies himself. "I'm really glad you helped out Mitsuki and Sumire like you did."
"I have no idea what you mean." She denies blatantly.
Boruto's lips twitch, but he looks annoyed. "Whatever. I know I – you know – kissed you on the cheek. And I know I've been ignoring you." He says, and Sarada was right about what this is about. She tries hard to keep her face impassive, but she cares too much. She wants to know. Boruto looks back sincerely. "The thing is, what I did was wrong. But I needed some distance, because there's sort of someone else in the story, and I wasn't sure - I'm sort of involved with them – or at least we're talking and, I couldn't set on which one – " He rolls his eyes, more at himself she thinks, and shakes his head. "I needed to sort myself out, and I think I need to see things out with this person right now. I – I think we should just – um. I'm sorry. You get it, right?"
Right. A numb part of Sarada's brain is cruelly fixated on how he couldn't say 'we should just go back to being friends' because they weren't. Not for years.
He's staring at her with the excess energy of someone who really wants to get this over with. Sarada is aware that it's taking her a moment, but she can't force herself to get to that ugly place quicker. Her stomach twists painfully and she feels small again. Why should she mumble a 'yeah' and let him leave unscathed? Yeah, this is getting ugly.
She swallows, hoping her voice will steady. "You know what, I do get it." She says, and it comes out strange and softer than it should, but Boruto winces nonetheless and she feels like a dame has firmly crashed and burned. "I get that when we were eleven I was good enough to be your best friend, up until I wasn't enough for you to stand up to your housemates for." His look changes, cautions, but it's far too late. "And I get that now I'm good enough to kiss, but not enough to win against a mysterious someone I didn't realize was a part of this." This time her voice wobbles, and she smiles though she knows it's bitter. "You can really make someone feel so shitty. You know what Boruto?" Sarada tells him lightly, done with this. "Fuck off. And this time, please don't come back."
She turns, quite ready to put him out of her mind for the whole break.
"Merlin can everybody stop being so extreme?!" Boruto howls in frustration, trying to draw her back. "Look, it came out wrong. I didn't mean –"
"Of course not," Sarada says, at the end of her nonexistent patience. "you never mean anything Boruto. You make promises only to break them the next day because everything is a distraction and you never actually see anything through." She half turns only enough to glare at him. "Stop acting like I don't know you. I should've known better than to take you seriously."
Boruto's placating patience finally shifts entirely into defensive anger and Sarada feels a gleam of pleasure – she's SO ready for a fight.
"You took me seriously? Didn't realize you liked me that much." His expression almost instantly startles after the words are out, but it's too late to take them back now.
A hot flush of humiliation drowns her. "Don't worry, I learned my lesson. From now on you'll be treated as the joke that you are." She tells him coldly.
"Why do you have to be so mean?!" He yells.
Sarada feels her eyebrows rise, because the sheer audacity.
Someone's trunk runs over her foot. Ok. Maybe an overcrowded station isn't the time or place.
It's just, that the worst part is she fell for it. Cared. 11 year old Sarada thought – finally, proof that there's nothing wrong with her. But it has nothing to do with a childish mess, this isn't her fault. She barely had any part in this. She didn't start this, or finish this. Somehow, despite not having signed up for it, she fell short, once again. Seriously, fuck him.
"It just happened, and it happened to happen with you. And yeah we have… a bad history, but it's not like I did this on purpose." He explains desperately, stepping closer to the brick wall, probably to avoid getting trunks slammed into him in the busy platform.
"Of course, so it's not your fault, so I should just stop feeling what I'm feeling?" she mocks, flattening herself against the wall as well. This is getting ridiculous. "I know you're not that dumb Boruto."
Boruto visibly holds his frustration back. That pisses her off. "It was a kiss. On the cheek! Because I was grateful, that you helped Mitsuki and Sumire. Because I didn't even realize that shit was even going on. We don't know each other. I mean, the last time we knew each other we were like, six, and I've been trying lately but you don't exactly make it easy to hang out with you." He folds his arms in a huff.
Sarada holds herself carefully, least she bristles like a cat. Or punch him in the face. Amazingly, this fight feels like…trying to work things out between them, after years of petty silent treatments and rivalry. She doesn't want to risk the progress of talking calmly about this, but on the other hand she'd really love to punch him. A true conundrum.
"Let's just – focus on getting along better with each other, you know, being friendly. Without fighting." He stresses, like he's mirroring her thoughts, and just as surprised by this turn of events. "For our mutual friends. Because they ain't being subtle about it." Yeah, no shit. She doesn't doubt both Mitsuki and Sumire can be subtle if they wanted to, but they seemed to decide to hit them with it like a brick wall.
Sarada is steely silent, as she considers this. It's difficult through the sting of indignation, but she does her best. Boruto's watching her supposedly calmly, but his foot is tapping tellingly.
"…Fine. Let's… get along." She says, slowly, tasting the words.
Boruto looks at her suspiciously, and Sarada has a hard time not to smirk, because at least he knows to be suspicious. Still, her only saving grace here will be good will. And what can she do? Chase after someone when they bluntly made it clear she doesn't make the cut? It's not like she likes him or anything. Clearly, the whole thing was just annoying because it came from left field.
Mitsuki and Sumire are her best friends, and they like this clown. The least she can do is pretend he doesn't bother her through polite jabbing that she can falsely disguise as teasing between people who are friendly. Yep. This is a plan. Of hers. She's in total control of this situation.
Boruto clears his throat. "Great. Catch you at Chocho's." he nods awkwardly and practically vanishes into thin air.
Sarada scoffs. What do Mitsuki and Sumire see in that guy? And if she's honest with herself for a second - …what did she?
She leans away from the wall and sets herself into the crowd, because speaking of, she left her friends alone too long, dealing with carpool.
She spots Hinata-san standing with Himawari next to a woman she doesn't recognize, whose appearance makes it clear she's an Hyuuga as well. She sees Itsuki from Ancient Runes head towards them, and assumes she's his mother. She's sure that if she bothered to look around she'd spot a blond head heading straight to them.
Hinata smiles her way politely when Sarada looks away, because even through the loaded crowd she spots Sarada back with ease. She tries to ignore how the Hyuuga's Magic Sight always creeped her out (seems a bit hypocritical, seeing how that's how people react to the whole Sharingan thing).
She sets Boruto firmly out of her mind.
Sarada marches, shoving herself forward between the masses of families on the platform. Her confidence strong in confronting Karin-san or Suigetsu-san, perhaps Jugo. The fighting spirit is still firmly in her chest, thanks to a nameless loser.
The crowd parts, and there stands a small slim figure with a peaceful expression on their face. It's beautiful white face like the rise of the angels' wings; something greater is before her.
Black long hair bejewels them, and familiar sharp yellow eyes look at her patiently, as if knowing she was coming their way, as if knowing exactly which direction Sarada will appear from the crowd, as if possessing their own Magic Sight.
It's Orochimaru.
Sarada's steps become heavier. Her confidence shook. She doesn't expect this. She doesn't know what to say – can't be sure of every detail of the conversation she's missed and she feels like a complete fool because this has become so much more important suddenly.
Sumire isn't wearing her friendly polite mask. Her expression is somber and her eyes blocked.
Mitsuki is gazing up at his parent with a smooth expression, but she sees something that might be love in them and she hates it.
Wet icy fingers clutch her chest and without thinking she grabs Mitsuki's hand in hers. It's not in support. It's possessive.
Block your mind, she orders herself.
"My my, it's Sarada-chan. How have you been?" They say with the purest ringing voice on earth. Sarada is able to suppress her shudder now, but she couldn't at 10 when she first met them.
They can't know – can't hear the thought
She swallows painfully, her mouth dry.
Don't think about it, about how you're going to do everything you can to get them away from Mitsuki. Steer away from it. Steer away – block your mind.
Sarada might have the Sharingan. But she's not fool enough to believe they couldn't read her mind like a pamphlet if they wished.
They hum considerably at Sarada, and a long purple erring jostles gently with the head movement.
"Fine. Thank you." She says, hoping the sweat down her brow doesn't drop.
Orochimaru seems to wait for her to say something, but she's loath to step into this without knowing what was already said, so she waits.
Orochimaru raises one of their eyebrows gracefully, slight amusement filling clever eyes.
"It's good to hear. My Mitsuki tells me the Harunos invited him over." They prompt, rather obviously.
"Yes." Yes – Mitsuki at Harunos is good. Deep breath. "I'm sorry but it was last minute." Better. Now less aggressive. "I didn't know you'd come to pick him up yourself. I apologize." And the Oscar goes to.
"I see. But I have missed him. Pity." Orochimaru turns to Mitsuki, and cups his face. "What will you choose Hatchling?" he asks quietly.
Mitsuki closes his eyes as if the touch is too much.
"… Boruto will also be around on the holidays." He says, opening his eyes. The star-gazed look is gone, and Sarada realizes she's breathing easier. "I wish to remain close by."
There's a moment of silence and Sarada tenses. How will they react? Violently? The infamous Sanin is very still.
Orochimaru finally moves. With a soft sigh they pet Mitsuki on the head. "I will not deny you your will. For now." The angelic-looking person says, before cupping Mitsuki's cheek once more, and it seems to Sarada to be more in admonishment then in goodbye.
"Sarada-chan, do send my regards to your father, the next time you happen to see him." They rasp, and take one moment to linger, eyes darting to gleam at the cage in Sumire's tightly tense arms.
The next time you happen to see him. Cruel fucker.
"Of course. Orochimaru."
She's not supposed to say their name out loud in public. She knows, despite never being explicitly told. She knows, because he's supposed to be in Azkaban. She knows because it's fucking obvious.
But she did.
They look away from Nue, like she hoped they would. Sumire's tense shoulders ease.
Orochimaru's sharp eyes find hers and something swims in them. This time she can't suppress the shudder. Between one heartbeat and before the next, her insides squirm and Goosebumps spread across her arms and the temperature drops.
Then the feeling goes away and Sarada wonders if she imagined it. Mitsuki tugs on Orochimaru's robe.
Orochimaru grins politely at her. "Enjoy your break, children." The words are spoken so sinister Sarada truly barely keeps her wits. She thanks the blank Uchiha expression she was blessed with for keeping her looking calm while she's trying not to lose all her hair.
Finally, with a POP, Orochimaru vanishes.
A sense of heaviness she didn't realize was in the air, vanished with him.
The trio stays where they are in silence for a long moment. Suddenly the thought of them apparating right back strikes.
Sarada shakes her thoughts off and allows herself a deep exhale.
"Are they really gone?" She asks, watching the empty space cautiously.
"I think so. We might be spied on by Suigetsu though." Mitsuki tells them, for once looking as rattled as Sarada feels.
"Spied on by Suigetsu-san." Sumire repeats dryly, still hugging Nue tightly to her chest. "Why do I feel like that's your parent's version of babysitting?"
Mitsuki shrugs, but it looks more like trying to lose the tension in his shoulders.
"I don't think they're coming back. I think we're okay." He glances at her.
"Right." Sarada says, and tries to believe it. Truthfully, she feels they're very vulnerable right now, surrounded by so many people. "Let's get out of here. Quickly."
Sumire and Mitsuki seem to agree with her because without any other words the three make it across the bustling station in minutes, finding Sarada's grandparents.
Sarada takes a deep breath and tries to bury how frightened she is so she seems normal to them.
"Hello kids, it's wonderful to see you again!" Sarada's grandfather calls jolly, waving them over when he notices their approach.
Sumire's greeting is a second late than usual, but hopefully they don't think anything of it.
"It's good to see you as well Haruno-san."
"Oh has my granddaughter got herself a boyfriend?!" He wiggles his eyebrows ridiculously at Sarada.
She knows she's still holding Mitsuki's hand, but she doesn't care. It feels like they got too close to losing him.
"No, Gramps, we're just friends. We didn't want to separate in the crowd." She excuses calmly, unwilling to let go even now.
"Alright, we'll have a chance to catch up at home. Let's get out of here, it's too crowded darlings. Mitsuki-kun, where can we drop you off?" Her grandmother asks, towering over the whole group.
The three exchange looks.
"Go with Sumire for now, stay together. I'll fill you in once we talked with Adam." Sarada suggests, keeping her voice low so her grandparents don't hear.
When the other two nod in agreement they return their focus to her grandfather complaining about all the bags even as he waves his wand and they all pile up neatly on one another securely, charmed to travel after them. Izuna and Nue's cages on top.
"Alright, everyone's things are here? Then let's head out!" Gramps shouts, and offers his arm to Sumire and Mitsuki to take. Then the three vanish with a POP.
"How was school darling?" Mebuki asks calmly, half hugging Sarada when she's near.
"Alright Grandmother."
"Good to hear. Let's go then, get ready – as always, the trip is uncomfortable." She warns.
Sarada takes a final look around the platform, and when she can't see those yellow eyes she lets herself relax against her grandmother's arm.
"I'm ready."
And the world twists away, and her stomach feels like it's yanked off hard as everything turns.
Boruto's owl - Tyto soumagnei – a Madagascar red owl
omg from a one shot it blossomed into a chapter one of a multi-ch fic!
Sreyashi Saha - yes i really wanted a boruto in hogwrts au so i just wrote one lolz
Kyuubito - Kawaki will soon join our marry band of wizards and witches!
ortizale317 - this is not like Harry Potter and the Cursed Child, at least, lord i hope not