Disclaimer: I still own nothing.
A/N: Review! Comment, critique, and ask questions! Any sort of input is great.
Many thanks to Audrey, for being the best beta a girl could ask for.
Uzumaki Naruto and the Goblet of Fire
Chapter Two: Dissipate
Haruno Sakura hated packing, although she had gotten rather good at it throughout the years. She had, in addition to mastering the art of folding, learned through trial-and-error just how much to pack and had developed several methods for remembering all important items (first year, when she had accidentally left the majority of her textbooks at home, sprang embarrassingly to mind); and, after only two years at school, Sakura had discovered the most space-effective process of packing, which saved her the trouble of lugging around several heavy trunks.
However, skilled as she might have been at this menial job, she still loathed it. She could say that it was all the work that bothered her, but that wasn't entirely true—after all, folding could hardly be called hard work (Sakura's father, a Muggle who worked nights in a egg processing plant and usually came home tired and reeking, would scoff if she even suggested such a thing).
If pressed, Sakura might admit that, to her, packing felt final. Every year, it heralded her departure from her home at the end of summer. Packing meant that goodbyes would be necessary, and she would be leaving her loved ones once again
Once finished packing, however, the melancholy would usually ebb away, and she would return to her customary good cheer. And by the time she arrived at the train station that would lead her to her school (this time via Apparation, a skill in which Sakura, at seventeen, was finally licensed), trunk in tow, she was usually ecstatic with the thought of reuniting with her classmates.
This summer, however, there was no melancholy, and therefore no need to dispel it with thoughts of the friendly faces awaiting her. This year was to be Sakura's final at Konoha Academy of Sorcery, a thought that filled her heart with some strange concoction of anticipation and nostalgia; a bittersweet solution, one with the unexpected side effect of diluting that ever-present longing resting below the surface of everything she did.
Sasuke.
The name had been on the tip of her tongue since before she had even known it. The name of the boy she had seen her first day at Konoha; the one with black hair and brooding eyes; the one she didn't know, but somehow felt she ought to.
Uchiha Sasuke.
He had been her first true crush, an attraction that was never reciprocated and never acknowledged, and now, it seemed, after six years, his grip on her heart felt as if it was loosening.
Sakura was confident that, over the summer, those thronging desires had finally dissipated, left behind with her childhood. For a time, she mourned the loss of both, but, in the end, she admitted that, although growing up might be difficult, it was an indisputable fact that everyone must do it.
Sakura liked to comfort herself with facts. Facts were easy—you memorize them, and you regurgitate them when asked.
"What is the crucial ingredient in an anti-aging potion?"
That would be mercury, of course, Professor Tsunade.
"What animal does the seal formed by putting your palms together, your fingers interlocked—as such—represent?"
The serpent, Professor Asuma. What else?
"What is the most important thing to remember when focusing your magic?"
Why, Professor Kakashi, that would be that you must concentrate. Concentration is key. That, and correctly performing the hand seals, of course.
And, when Sakura asked herself, "Why don't I love Sasuke anymore?" she responded unhesitatingly, Because the fact is that Uchiha Sasuke is unattainable.
Sakura hadn't been taught this in any class she had; Hopeless Crushes 101 was not part of the curriculum. Still, she didn't doubt that she had learned that particular lesson—through every cold shoulder and disdainful glance, every time he ignored her and every time he denied her. Uchiha Sasuke was, without a doubt, unattainable.
Clutching a wooden picture frame in her hands—the last item to be packed—Sakura felt herself smile. Two faces smiled back at her; a third scowled. The girl in the photograph, a skinny girl with a high forehead, was winking as she threw her arms around the sullen boy, whose frown only deepened in response to her actions. Waving fervently from behind these two was a yellow-haired twelve-year-old with blue eyes as mischievous as his smirk.
No, Sasuke, the sulking pre-adolescent who had reluctantly sat before that camera halfway through Second Year, had not much changed as he aged. Although warmth had finally begun to tinge his once ice-cold surface, he was still very much the reserved and proud prodigy he had always been.
But the other boy, the boisterous blond—he had changed. Once a selfish and arrogant troublemaker, Uzumaki Naruto was…well, still rather arrogant. However, Naruto had also learned compassion and the value of friendship and loyalty. Through hard work and self-belief, he had managed to prove his power time and time again. Naruto had grown, both in skill and maturity, more so than even Sasuke.
As for Sakura herself…She hoped that she had grown stronger.
Locking away the magical memento inside her trunk, she decided that she had.
If ever there was a person Sakura was simultaneously happy and irritated to see, it was Yamanaka Ino. With pale golden hair pulled high on her head in a ponytail and wide blue eyes, Ino was easily the prettiest girl at Konoha—or, if that title was not rightfully hers, she had lain her claim to it anyway, and there were few who would dare question it.
It was with this cool confidence that Ino greeted Sakura on the train that would take them both to school. "Forehead Girl," she said, stopping in the doorway of the compartment Sakura occupied. "How was your summer?" she inquired blandly.
"Ino," Sakura said, betraying only a little of her relief to see the other girl so well. "It was great!" Flashing a brilliant smile to reinforce her statement, Sakura gestured for Ino to enter the compartment.
As she complied with this silent request, Ino smiled wider, so that almost all of her gleaming white teeth could be seen.
Eyes narrowing, Sakura realized that the act was not one of friendship, but was an unmistakable challenge. Oh, so that's how it's gonna be? she thought, forcing the corners of her mouth up higher, ignoring the surprising amount of pain. As Ino's eternal rival, she vowed that she would beat that pig girl at this game.
Much to Sakura's horror, however, with no effort at all, Ino's smile grew so that it seemed to reach her eyes.
The ache in Sakura's jaw doubled at the prospect of her countermove. And, thankfully, just as she prepared her lips to rise, a voice echoed through the corridor, a familiar voice calling, "Sakuraaaaa."
Sakura stood and began to ease the door open slowly, only to have something large and orange barreling right at her. Jumping out of the way just in time, Sakura turned to see Naruto, leaning against the glass of the window that overlooked a Japanese mountain range.
"Ow," the boy muttered, rubbing his forehead, which had apparently smacked into the window, before looking around and gathering his bearings. Spotting Sakura, he threw his arms around her in a great hug. She was surprised to find that he now surpassed her in height.
Shoving him away after a moment, she growled, "What are you doing, you idiot?" Proud as Sakura may have been of the boy, and happy as she might have been to see him, she didn't think that meant she had to be nice to him.
Rubbing the back of his neck sheepishly, Naruto said, "You never wrote all summer!" His blue eyes dimmed a bit as he spotted Ino, who was glaring at him with lips pursed.
"I did too," Sakura protested, shutting the compartment door and looking back at Naruto, whose hands were placed on his hips.
"Nuh-uh!"
"I wrote you a few times," said Sakura, taking a seat tiredly across from Ino. "I just figured you were busy training with Master Jiraya."
Naruto frowned and plopped into the seat nearest him, beside Ino. "That pervert? All he did was go to the beach and watch girls change into their swimming suits."
"Don't call him a pervert! He's one of the legendary three! You're supposed to respect him," Sakura said automatically, although she was thinking that she wouldn't hesitate to smack Jiraya upside the head if she caught him peeping on her. "I'm sure you learned something."
"Well," Naruto began, "he did teach me this one totally awesome move! Actually two. I'll show you later, okay?" At the top of his lungs, he added, "I doubt that bastard Sasuke learned anything so cool over his summer."
Sakura opened her mouth to reply, but someone else beat her to the punch: "You'd be surprised. Moron."
There, in the doorway, stood the tall, dark figure that was Uchiha Sasuke, his lean frame clearly silhouetted as the sun filtered through the window. It was an impressive entrance, to say the least, and Sakura wondered idly if he'd planned it. Of course, if he had planned it, there probably would have been a fog potion involved. After all, ambiance was everything.
"Sasuke!" Sakura heard Ino squeal, pulling her from her peculiar reverie, and after only a second's hesitation, she followed suit.
Letting out an incomprehensible grunt of either acknowledgment or disdain, Sasuke took the remaining available seat, beside Sakura.
"Hi, Sasuke," Ino was saying, forcing Naruto out of his seat (and onto the floor) so that she could sit across from the prodigy in question. "Have you gotten taller?"
Knowing that the likelihood of Sasuke answering was on par with the odds of hell freezing over, Sakura said immediately, "Go away, Ino-Pig. Where are Shikamaru and Choji? You know that the first thing we're supposed to do is to find our group members. Mine are here, but I'm sure yours are wondering where you went."
Snorting, Ino said, "I did talk to them when I first got on the train. I left my stuff in their compartment, anyway. Besides, they probably didn't even notice I was gone."
As if on cue, the compartment door slid open once again, and an overweight boy, with a very round face, poked his head in. "Is Ino in here? Oh, hi, Sasuke. Sakura." Noticing the boy sprawled on the floor, Choji added, "Naruto."
"Choji." Ino sighed. "You aren't good with timing."
"I think he's perfect with timing," said Sakura, smiling smugly.
Choji furrowed his brow in confusion. "Ino, Shikamaru says that even though it's troublesome, we should probably sit together on the way there and get some studying done."
Stamping her foot childishly, Ino said, "Fine. Fine. I'm coming." Stepping over Naruto on her way out, she called sweetly over her shoulder, "See you later, Sasuke."
She received no reply.
Rising to his feet, Naruto resumed the seat he had been forced to vacate. "So, Sasuke," he said accusingly. "What did you learn this summer?"
However, it seemed that, no matter how much Naruto might pester him, Sasuke was not in the mood to answer questions. Instead, he remained silent, except for the occasional insult hurled Naruto's way.
Sakura, quickly growing bored with the conversation, began to study her fingernails. They were a fleshy pink color and clipped shorter than she would have preferred, but they were clean and strong and had never flaked or broken on her even once. She smiled wryly, glancing up at the two bickering boys near her. They were the same way: not quite ideal, but they had yet to fail her.
When she had been placed, at the beginning of her Second Year, into a group with Uzumaki Naruto, her heart had plummeted. She, a capable and intelligent twelve-year-old, hated everything about the immature orphan. When it turned out that Sasuke was also in the group, however, her heart moved from the pit of her stomach to being lodged somewhere in her throat. Yes! she remembered thinking to herself. True love conquers all!
The three-person cells were carefully put together by Professor Iruka, Deputy Headmaster of Konoha and man in charge of teaching the basics to First Years. Arranged so that each group had a good dynamic and the approximately equal amount of strength, Sasuke and Naruto had been placed together to "balance" each other out. At first Sakura thought that Professor Iruka was just trying to spite either Naruto, or Sasuke, or both; after enough time with her group members, Sakura decided that the professor was just wise beyond his relatively meager years.
When it concerned Naruto and Sasuke, anyway.
Where she fit into the dynamic, she didn't know. Naruto was like fire, and Sasuke was like wind, but, from what she could tell, she was nothing more than a cherry blossom.
It wasn't until she began working with Professor Tsunade that she realized her own worth. Sakura may very well have been a plant in this scenario, but if she was, it was an aloe plant, soothing and comforting. And for once her hands, her healing hands, overshadowed that giant forehead of hers.
She had been lucky to find such a mentor as Professor Tsunade. And, yet, part of her wished it hadn't taken so long. At only thirteen years old, hadn't Sasuke and Naruto found their mentors in the form of Professor Kakashi, the genius, and Master Jiraya, one of the legendary three wizards of Konoha? Both boys had been strengthened considerably by their respective mentors—Sasuke had learned the Chidori, the electricity-harnessing spell; and Naruto had learned the Rasengan wind spell, which had been created by the Fourth Headmaster of Konoha.
Sakura keenly recalled both her envy and amazement upon discovering the skills of both boys. That Sasuke could achieve something so difficult did not seem so very strange to her—but that Naruto could too? That Naruto could learn a spell that was, arguably, even stronger than the one Sasuke had learned—why, it was unthinkable. And yet, it was true. Try as she might, Sakura couldn't deny it.
After the jealousy and the astonishment, there came the shame. It had taken her two more years and the instatement of Tsunade, granddaughter of the First Headmaster, for the embarrassment at being the weakest member of her team to finally dissipate.
Oh, she was still weak and insecure, and there were times when she was nothing more than a scared little girl. But Sakura also knew that, with her friends behind her, she could rise to any occasion.
"Let's go, you two," said Sakura, guiding her group members out of the train and up the dirt path that led to the school. Konoha Academy was a large, flat building the color of ash, and was completely unexceptional in every way. The only remarkable aspect of Konoha clearly lay in the expansive grounds, which were lush and green, and decorated with a small forest and two dozen areas designated for training.
As the other students rushed around the trio, Sakura murmured, "It's our last year, you know."
Sasuke sent her a slightly puzzled sideways glance, and Naruto said in an excited tone, "Yeah! It's great! The old woman already promised me a job here next year, which means I'm this close to being the next Headmaster."
"Don't call Professor Tsunade that," Sakura reprimanded.
"A job? Teaching?" asked Sasuke incredulously. Looking Naruto over, he added, "You?"
Naruto, coming to a dead halt, put his hands to his hips. "What?" he said, narrowing his eyes at the black-haired boy, who had not stopped walking. "I'll make a great professor. My students will love and respect me."
"Any of your students would fail out before they even make it to their third year," Sasuke said over his shoulder.
Shaking with indignation, Naruto yelled, "Wanna say that to my face?" As he rushed forward, presumably to beat Sasuke into a bloody pulp, Sakura grabbed hold of the back of his robes.
"Calm down, both of you," she instructed snappishly.
Arms folded across his chest, Sasuke turned to look at his teammates, who were both several feet behind him. "I," he pronounced carefully, "am calm."
Naruto shouted a few choice words in response.
"Let's just go inside, okay?" said Sakura beseechingly. "It's always fun to watch the Second Years get put into their groups." The ceremony was optional—Third Years and up weren't forced to attend. Many chose not to, but Sakura usually went.
"What's the point?" grumbled Naruto.
"It'll be the last chance we have to see it," Sakura said. "Well, the last chance me and Sasuke'll have to see it, anyway," she amended, remembering Naruto's future plans. She smiled at the blond boy. "Congratulations, though, Naruto. Really."
"…tions…" a voice mumbled.
"What was that, Sasuke?" Sakura asked.
"Nothing," he said, almost sheepishly. "I was just saying congratulations."
Naruto stuck his tongue out at the other boy.
Narrowing his eyes, Sasuke said, in a deceptively even tone, "Let's just go watch the ceremony."
Leading the way, Sakura took a deep breath. She loved Naruto and Sasuke dearly—they were her companions, her best friends. But, she thought, boy, can they be tiring.
It was common knowledge that Professor Iruka preferred less formality when it came to placing his former students into their teams. He felt the extravagance of a ceremony was unnecessary, and that the only necessary spectators were the professors. It was less common knowledge that the Headmistress agreed with him.
Sakura was aware of this only because Professor Tsunade had mentioned it to her one day during training.
"So pointless," the older woman had said. "The only fun thing about it is that every year I get to bet on who'll be stuck together."
After a moment of being scandalized, Sakura had asked, "Do you ever win?"
The Fifth had only laughed.
Personally, Sakura disagreed with both Professors Iruka and Tsunade. Being placed in your three man cells was the definitive sign that you truly were a student at Konoha, one of the few who could perform wandless magic. It was a life-changing moment, and having witnesses somehow made it seem more real.
Luckily, Professor Iruka's yearly protests were overridden by the rest of the staff, and the ceremony always went on as planned.
After depositing their possessions in their dormitories, Naruto, Sasuke, and Sakura made their way through several corridors, and down a flight of stairs, before exiting the building. Weaving their way down one of the several worn paths, they finally came upon the largest of the training areas. It was a flat clearing, overlooking a small pond, and bordered to one side by the forest. Professor Iruka was standing with his back to the forest, talking to Professor Kakashi, who looked rather disinterested. Facing these two were about fifteen twelve-year-olds, sitting cross-legged on the grass and chattering loudly. Farther back, a small crowd of other students—including a large number of First Years, who were required to attend—had gathered.
"Oh, look," Sakura said, pointing to the crowd. "It's Lee." Raising her hand to wave, she called, "Lee!"
Rock Lee, who seemed to have grown even taller, and, if possible, thinner, smiled when he saw Sakura. Shouting her name, he hurried over to her side. "How are you?" he asked. "How was your summer?"
"It was very good," she replied happily, noticing out of the corner of her eye that Naruto and Sasuke were beginning to sulk. Apparently she wasn't allowed to pay attention to anyone else. Trying to keep herself from rolling her eyes, she asked, "What did you do during your vacation?"
"I trained with Professor Gai, of course."
"Of course," she echoed. "Oh," she said, noticing that Professor Iruka was now speaking, and a Second Year was slowly making her way toward him. "I think the ceremony's started."
Lee grinned brightly. "See you later," he said, nodding slightly, before rushing back to the crowd.
Turning to Naruto and Sasuke, Sakura mused quietly, "All he ever does is train."
"He's trying to prove himself," said Sasuke, voice as low as ever. "If he wants to grow stronger than Neji—which is, I believe, his goal—he'll have to train. Neji is very strong."
Sakura sighed. "I guess he and Neji are like you and Naruto. You just keep egging each other on."
Arching his eyebrow, Sasuke said coldly, "I can't help it if that idiot is weaker than me."
'That idiot' barked suddenly, having overheard this statement, "Hey! Who're you callin' weak?"
"Shut up, Naruto!" squeaked Sakura, but it was too late: "Naruto!" a voice called loudly. "If you would please be quiet!" Sakura grimaced as she saw Naruto laugh nervously as he turned to face an agitated Iruka.
"Sorry!" Naruto yelled. "You can stop making your angry face."
Professor Iruka's eye twitched, but he said no more, and continued calling Second Years to the front.
"Come on," Sasuke said quietly in Sakura's ear. Catching her elbow in his hand, he said, "Let's join the crowd. We look conspicuous all the way over here."
Swallowing, she nodded, allowing herself to be led away by Sasuke, Naruto trailing behind them.
Although Sakura tried to pay attention during the ceremony, she found, with a sinking heart, that she couldn't. Because, when Sasuke touched her, something had been made very clear: her feelings for him hadn't died over the summer—they had just been dormant. And it had taken nothing more than his breath tickling her ear, his fingers brushing against her arm, his presence at her side, to awaken the sleeping beast.
A/N: This chapter was a little more shippy than I would have liked. The point of it was just to let readers understand the relationships between our three characters. That is, how they've evolved and how they've stayed the same. Plus that last line—I just keep picturing Sakura with the kyuubi…which is very odd. People's metaphorical beasts always remind me of the kyuubi, though. I guess I just have Naruto on the brain! ... formatting is still driving me insane, too. This story is so much more aesthetically appealing as a word document.
Regarding the questions I've been asked:
(1) Basically, this takes place as if Sasuke never defected, and Orochimaru's not really after him (perhaps he's just a rising power). I know it's a stretch, but it was the only way to make this work without it getting too complicated. Sasuke's still hell bent on avenging his family and everything, though. He just wouldn't be himself if he wasn't.
(2) This story will focus on several characters throughout the narration: Naruto, Sasuke, and Sakura, mainly, as well as a bit of the main Harry Potter characters. I can't say too much without revealing anything, though. Don't worry—most of you will get at least some of your favorite character!
(3) Pairings. This fic isn't really a romance, but, what with the Yule Ball, there are some pairings that show up. I won't say who, because I'm mean like that (and I'm not 100 sure myself). I can tell you that, other than those brief and unimportant dates, they'll be some primarily one-sided SasuSaku (obviously, that's Sakura pining after Sasuke, just like in canon). And, sorry, but no shonen-ai (I've got nothing against shonen-ai--in fact, I love it; it's just not really my forte, particularly in the Naruto fandom). However, if you want to read deeper into what I write and say any pairing you care to think of is implied, then I won't stop you! ;)
Next time: She stared at him for a long moment, but he did not squirm under her gaze. Finally, she stood, leaning over her desk and extending her hand, which he shook. "Very well. I can't begrudge you for loving what you do." With a sigh, she leaned closer to Iruka. "So," she said, lowering her voice a bit, "who do you think ought to replace me?"