"Please tell me what happened tonight, Naruto," at the moment Naruto found himself inside Dumbledore's office once again; it was a very beautiful, circular room, lined with pictures of previous headmasters and headmistresses of Hogwarts, all of whom were fast asleep, their chests rising and falling gently. All around the room funny little noises could be heard.
Several curious silver instruments stood on spindle-legged tables, whirring and emitting little puffs of smoke. while sitting in front of the headmaster's enormous, clawfooted desk, Naruto could see, sitting on a shelf behind it, a shabby, tattered wizard's hat — the Sorting Hat.
"I was woken up by Ron's scream that's when I saw Sirius try to make a run for it so I chased him out of Gryffindor tower but then he caught me by surprise with a sucker punch and get away," Naruto said as he looked at the aged wizard in the eyes. Dumbledore was silent for a moment as he looked down his half-moon spectacles at the blond teen.
"And what of this list of passwords Professor McGonagall spoke of that belonged to Mr. Longbottom but somehow fell into Black's possession?" Dumbledore asked calmly.
"I accidentally ran into Neville the other day and he dropped the list, I meant to give it back to him but I must have forgotten and I probably lost it while on my way to care of magical creatures," Naruto said not liking the fact that he had to lie to Dumbledore's face like this.
"How unfortunate, will speak with Professor McGonagall about not punishing Mr. Longbottom," said Dumbledore, though his face was somber again. "But I still must ask you." Naruto waited nervously while Dumbledore considered him, the tips of his long fingers together.
"Whether there is anything you'd like to tell me," he said gently. "Anything at all." At the headmaster's words, Naruto paused thinking about everything he had been doing the past few months. The sneaking around, helping Sirius break into the school twice now the lying and the guilt from lying that was starting to way on his conscience. But then he remembered the promise he made to help Sirius clear his name.
"I need you to trust me," Naruto finally said as he looked across the desk at Dumbledore with conviction in what he was doing was the right thing. Dumbledore was silent for some time till he finally spoke.
"Very well Naruto, I will trust you," Dumbledore said with a grandfatherly smile. "Now the hour is late or early if you would prefer and there is still time for you to sleep before classes start, so off to bed with you." getting up and leaving the office Naruto was met by Professor McGonagall at the bottom of the spiral stone staircase.
"Come along Uzumaki," she told him and silently they marched back towards Gryffindor Tower. "I hope the headmaster was able to talk some sense into you, chasing after Black on you our." She chastised in a brisk tone of voice. Naruto decided to remain quiet it was late and it had been a long day.
"Here were are and I expect you to head straight to bed," McGonagall said once they had arrived outside of Gryffindor Tower. Stepping through the portrait hole Naruto found that the common room was luckily for him nearly empty all be it for a few Gryffindors that had decided to wait up for him to retune.
"Oh, Naruto you're alright," Hermione had been the first to greet him as she pulled him into a tight hug. "You prat, what were you thinking," she spoke as she lightly pounded on his chest. getting a better look at the girl Naruto had been able to tell that she had been crying.
"Naruto are you alright?" looking past Hermione, Naruto saw that it was Harry who had spoken. The rest of the common room was filled with the Weasley twins Fred and George, along with Ron and their sister Ginny.
"Yeah I'm fine," Naruto said giving a weak smile.
"So what did Dumbledore want?" asked Fred'
"Offering to give an award for scaring blackout the castle," said George both twins sounded excited.
"Yeah tell us what happened?" this time it was Ron. However, Naruto just waved off their question.
"Sorry guys, but I'm really tired and I just want to get some sleep," Naruto said as he let go of Hermione and not bothering to walk up to the boys' dormitory he simply fell onto the couch and passed out.
"Poor Naruto he must be pushing himself," Ginny said as none of them had ever seen the blond boy get this tired. He was always last to sleep and first to rise.
"Come on you lot let's let him get some sleep," Fred said as he and George pushed Harry and Ron up the staircase to the boys' dormitory.
"Will you be alright Hermione?" Ginny asked now that it was only them left in the common room. the youngest Weasley was well aware of how much Hermione worried about the reckless blond and how much she cared for him.
"I know I should be mad at him for doing something so stupid, but I'm just glad he's alright," Hermione said with a small smile as she started to get a bit misty-eyed. after that, both girls left the sleeping blond and headed to bed.
Throughout the day, everywhere they went they saw signs of tighter security; Professor Flitwick could be seen teaching the front doors to recognize a large picture of Sirius Black; Filch was suddenly bustling up and down the corridors, boarding up everything
from tiny cracks in the walls to mouse holes. Sir Cadogan had been fired. His portrait had been taken back to its lonely landing on the
seventh floor, and the Fat Lady was back. She had been expertly restored, but was still extremely nervous, and had agreed to return
to her job only on condition that she was given extra protection. A bunch of surly security trolls had been hired to guard her.
Ron had become an instant celebrity because Naruto refused to say anything about what had happened the night Sirius Black broke into Gryffindor Tower. For the first time in his life, people were paying more attention to him than to Harry, and it was clear that Ron was rather enjoying the experience. Though still severely shaken by the night's events, he was happy to tell anyone who asked what had happened, with a wealth of detail.
That isn't to say that Naruto hadn't had to give a more detailed account of what had happened that night. it had already been a week since Ron was attacked and Hermione had yet to leave Naruto out of her sight, for fear that he might go and get himself in more danger. Not that the blond minded all that much as they would mostly spend their free time outside of classes hanging out in the library, practicing his spell work, or just relaxing in the Gryffindor common room.
One night after dinner the two of them had returned to the common room to find a small crowd gathered around the bulletin board.
"Hey looks it's a Hogsmeade weekend coming up," Naruto said as he and Hermione had moved forward to read the notice.
"That's good news I was beginning to run low on inc," Hermione said as they sat down at a small table near a corner.
"Be nice to get some for of that butterbeer stuff." Naruto said happily. "maybe we could. . .call it a date." he quickly added as he looked towards Hermione.
"W-what a date," Hermione had been so cut off by what Naruto had said she dropped her muggle ancient ruins book. "Yes I would like that." she finally said after she had recovered, although her face was very red. Whoever the happy mood between the two of them was cut short.
"Hogsmeade, next weekend!" They could hear Ron calling out as heread the new notice. "What d'you reckon?" he added quietly to
Harry as they went to sit down.
"Well, Filch hasn't done anything about the passage into Honeydukes. . . ." Harry said, even more quietly.
"Hermione wait." Naruto tried to stop the girl but it was too late.
"Harry!" said looked around Harry and Ron spotted Hermione and Naruto, who had been sitting at the table right behind them. "Harry, if you go into Hogsmeade again . . . I'll tell Professor McGonagall about that map!" said Hermione.
"Can you hear someone talking, Harry?" growled Ron, not looking at Hermione.
"Ron, how can you let him go with you? After what Sirius Black nearly did to you! I mean it, I'll tell —"
"So now you're trying to get Harry expelled!" said Ron furiously. "Haven't you done enough damage this year?"
Hermione opened her mouth to respond, but with a soft hiss, Crookshanks leaped onto her lap. Hermione took one frightened look at the expression on Ron's face, gathered up Crookshanks, and was about to leave when she was stopped by Naruto.
"I'm getting real sick of how you've been treating Hermione," Naruto said as he stood up and got right in Ron's face.
"Oh no, Naruto stop," Hermione tried to protest but it was clear this time Naruto would have his say. Ron too didn't seem to want to back down as his ear grow red from his rising temper.
"Not until she apologizes for her cat eating scabbers," Ron said as he got right back in Naruto's face.
"Naruto No!" Right as he was about to slug Ron across the face Hermione had quickly stood up from her chair and stopped the blond. Surprised by this Ron took a step back only now just realizing how close he came to end up with a broken nose.
"It's alright, Naruto," Hermione said letting go of the blond once he had finally calmed down.
"Sorry." Naruto quietly said to her as he gathered up his things and headed out of the common room. Hermione tried to call out to him but he just kept on going through the portrait hole.
"So how about it?" Ron said to Harry as though there had been no interruption. "Come on, last time we went you didn't see anything. You haven't even been inside Zonko's yet!"
By Saturday morning breakfast Naruto and Ron were still glaring daggers at each other all the while Hermione kept shooting suspicious looks down the table at Harry before switching to nervous glances at Naruto and Ron. After Filch, the caretaker had delivered them past the dementors, and through the front gate everyone had broken off into their groups while Ron hurried off towards Honeydukes. Naruto and Hermione fell back into a more leisurely pace as they walk through the village of Hogsmeade hand in hand.
All morning they each took it, in turn, to pull the other along as they went from shop to shop looking around. Hermione had to lead them to the quilt shop so that she could stock up on her school supplies and to the post office so that she could send a letter to her parents. Meanwhile, Naruto led them into Honeydukes where he bought himself a small box of mixed chocolates.
"You want some."Naruto offered to Hermione as he started opening one of the boxes.
"Yes please," Hermione happily accepted the offered sweet. Having left Honeydukes the young couple started making their way across the road towards the Three Broomsticks. Once inside the busy pub, they quickly found themselves an open table near the back.
"What can I get you my dears," Madam Rosmerta, had taken their orders once she had finally reached their table.
"Two butter beers please," Hermione ordered.
"So Naruto, what are your plans during the summer holiday. Will be taking more private lessons from the professors again," Hermione asked signing a bit envious. At her question, Naruto had to pause and think.
"I'm not sure to be honest when I asked Dumbledore he said arrangements would be made for me," Naruto said with the shrug of his shoulders. "I'd like to see the rest of the country if I could." And very quickly he explained when Dumbledore took him to Diagon Alley to acquire his school supplies before the beginning of term. He had wanted to explore the muggle city but was just too enthroned with seeing everything magical.
"Oh Naruto, that's a wonderful idea," by now Madam Rosmerta had returned with their butterbeer. "There are so many places you could visit museums, art galleries, London Bridge, Parliament, Buckingham Palace, that's where the queen lives."
"This country has a queen!?" Naruto said surprised by this fact.
"Oh yes her Royal Majesty Queen Elizabeth II," Hermione then went on to spend the next hour going over all relevant knowledge she knew on England, which rivaled that of her knowledge of magic. By the time they had decided to return to the castle each of them was sporting their wide smile as a walked hand in hand. Each taking it intern to tell the other a bit more about themselves.
However, the good mood of their first date was not meant to last as they nearly reached the entrance hall a small brown owl had swooped down and dropped a letter at Hermione's feet.
"What's this?"Hermione asked as she picked it up and turned it over.
"It's from hagrid," Naruto said as you read the front of the letter over her shoulder. Quickly opening the letter Hermione pulled out the single piece of parchment it began to read it out loud.
Dear Hermione Naruto
We lost. I'm allowed to bring him back to Hogwarts.
Execution date to be fixed.
Beaky has enjoyed London.
I won't forget all the help you too gave us.
-Hagrid
"What!" Naruto said outraged. "Those bastards can't do this."
"Poor Hagrid that's just awful," Hermione said in a quivering voice.
"Come on we'd better find Harry and Ron and tell them what's happened," Naruto said as he lead a distraught Hermione through the castle end up to Gryffindor Tower. When they had finally reached the landing they spotted Harry and Ron up ahead of them nearing the portrait of the fat lady.
"Come to have a good gloat?" said Ron savagely as they stopped in front of them. "Or have you just been to tell on us?"
"No," said Hermione. She was holding a letter in her hands and her lip was trembling.
"shut it, your prat this is important," Naruto spat back just as savagely.
"We just thought you ought to know . . .Hagrid lost his case. Buckbeak is going to be executed." Hermione finally said. In the face of Hagrid's darkest hour of need, the four Gryffindor's had finally managed to move past their differences to work towards a common good. Meaning Ron and Hermione apologized to each other and Harry and Naruto didn't have to take sides anymore.
With their friendship finally, restore and no sign of scabbers the next several weeks seemed to pass by them in a blur and before Naruto even realized it June was approaching. the days became cloudless and sultry, and all anybody felt like doing was strolling onto the grounds and flopping down on the grass with several pints of iced pumpkin juice, perhaps playing a casual game of Gobstones or watching the giant squid propel itself dreamily across the surface of the lake.
Today he had managed to sneak out of the castle of a bit desired to come down his favorite spot by the Black Lake. Taking the time to relax Naruto thought back on the past months. The school year was almost over and he was suddenly filled with a melancholy he couldn't shack off.
The first thing that came to mind was how much Hermione had changed. He couldn't help but grin himself when he remembered what she did to Malfoy.
SMACK!
Before anyone know what had happened Hermione had slapped Malfoy across the face with all the strength she could muster. Malfoy staggered. Harry, Ron, Crabbe, and Goyle
stood flabbergasted while Naruto cheered her on, as Hermione raised her hand again.
"Don't you dare call Hagrid pathetic, you foul — you evil —"
"Hermione!" said Ron weakly, and he tried to grab her hand as she swung it back.
"Get off, Ron!" Hermione pulled out her wand.
"Yeah letter teach that jerk a lesson," Naruto called out as Malfoy stepped backward. Crabbe and Goyle looked at him for instructions, thoroughly bewildered.
"C'mon," Malfoy muttered, and in a moment, all three of them had disappeared into the passageway to the dungeons. But this had not been the last Naruto'ish thing Hermione would have done today. The point is what had happened during the first lesson of Divination.
"Oh, for goodness' sake!" said Hermione loudly. "Not that ridicuous Grim again!"
Professor Trelawney raised her enormous eyes to Hermione's face. Parvati whispered something to Lavender, and they both glared at Hermione too. Professor Trelawney stood up, surveying Hermione with unmistakable anger.
"I am sorry to say that from the moment you have arrived in this class, my dear, it has been apparent that you do not have what the noble art of Divination requires. Indeed, I don't remember ever meeting a student whose mind was so hopelessly mundane." There was a moment's silence. Then —
"Fine!" said Hermione suddenly, getting up and cramming Unfogging the Future back into her bag. "Fine!" she repeated, swinging
the bag over her shoulder and almost knocking Ron off his chair. "I give up! I'm leaving!"
Despite what others thought Naruto and the Weasley twins agreed that he was being a positive influence on the bushy-haired bookworm. But these two incidents hadn't been the only exciting thing to happen as Naruto thought back to the Quidditch final.
It had been a vicious match with the Slytherin team doing all they could to win. But in the end, it was all wasted effort as Harry threw himself forward, took both hands off his broom. He knocked Malfoy's arm out of the way and —
"YES!" He, Ron, and Hermione cheered as
Harry pulled out of his dive, his hand in the air, and the stadium exploded. Harry soared above the crowd, The tiny golden ball was held tight in his fist, beating its wings
hopelessly against his fingers. Then Oliver Wood the Gryffindor Quidditch team captain was speeding toward him, half-blinded by tears; he seized Harry around the neck and sobbed unrestrainedly into his shoulder.
Wave upon wave of crimson supporters was pouring over the barriers onto the field. Hands were raining down on the teams' backs. Harry had a confused impression of noise and bodies pressing in on him. Then Harry, and the rest of the team, were hoisted onto the shoulders of the crowd.
Professor McGonagall was sobbing harder even than Oliver Wood, wiping her eyes with an enormous Gryffindor flag; when they finally managed to fight their way toward Harry. Words failed them like Ron, Hermione, and he simply beamed at their friend as he was borne toward the stands, where Dumbledore stood waiting with the enormous Quidditch Cup.
Naruto was brought out of his musings by the sound of fluttering wings and a sudden weight on his left shoulder. It was his pet raven paying him a rear visit.
"Hello Téme, anything from Padfoot?" Naruto asked but his only reply was a loud squawk in his ear. "Thanks for nothing," Naruto said annoyed as he knocked the bird off his shoulder and rubbed his sore ear. However, Téme was not discouraged as he simply landed on top of Naruto's head.
"If you poop on me, I'll feed you to the giant squid," Naruto said as he continued to just sit there and enjoy his day. Till finally it was nearing dinner and he decided that it was time he returned to the castle.
"Alright Téme, keep your eyes open that rats got to be around here somewhere," Naruto said hoping with any luck scabbers would turn up soon. The three-eyed Raven gave a loud squawk in confirmation before taking off into the skies.