Disclaimer: Neither Harry Potter nor Naruto belong to me. It's sad, utterly depressing and enough to make me die a little inside whenever I think about it.
AN: Read my story. Love my story. Tell me how much you love my story. If you don't live my story, tell me why. I'm always looking to improve my writing whether it's plot, composition or just grammar. No flames. If you have something nasty to say keep it to yourself. I'm not forcing you to read this so don't force me to read your crap.
Thank you.
On another matter, i've been getting lots of questions asking if this is going to be a SasuNaru. it's not. in fact i don't have any pairings planned. i suck at writing romance of any kind. want proof? read Family Ties, it says it all. i just can't do it to the level of perfection that i demand of myself.
Chapter Six
Itachi the Courier
With the aid of Sasuke's snakes Naruto's foxes they were able to take care of the snake spies expeditiously. Naruto had the corpses piled out back so that he and Sasuke could look them over before Sasuke burned them. They found nothing out of the ordinary, proving beyond a doubt that these snakes could not be summoned snakes but were merely regular, mundane snakes.
"At least we know that he doesn't have a contract," Naruto said during dinner.
"That's true," Sasuke agreed.
"How do you know that?" Hermione asked.
"Well," Naruto explained, "if he had a contract he wouldn't have to use regular snakes for his infiltration. Summoned animals are always more effective and intelligent than their counterparts,"
"How do you know that they weren't summoned?" asked Harry.
"They left corpses behind when they died, for one," Sasuke said blandly.
"Summoned creatures don't do that," Naruto backed him up.
"Why not?"
"Because that's messy, Harry. And shinobi can't afford to be messy in a fight,"
That shut them up. The students ate their dinner, conversing amongst themselves. Harry was talking to Seamus about something. Hermione was pouring over extensive notes from her Arithmancy class, trying hard to ignore Ron who was talking to her.
"Sasuke, I'm bored!" Naruto whined. Sasuke felt like smacking his head on the table.
"What do you want me to do about it, Usuratonkachi?"
"I don't know. Make the bad guy attack or something!"
"Why would I want to do that?"
"Because I'm bored!"
"Get some patience,"
"But I'm bored now,"
"Live with it,"
"Sa-su-ke!"
"Dobe."
"Naruto-san," said a deep voice they hadn't expected to hear.
"Itachi!" Naruto leapt to his feet and bounced over to the elder Uchiha brother. "What are you doing here? How's everyone back home? How are the kids? How have you been doing? Has anything happened since Sasuke and I left? What are you doing here?"
"Dobe, shut up," Sasuke sighed, shaking his head.
"Uzumaki-san, Sasuke," Itachi nodded. He looked around the hall, noticing that everyone was staring at him. He had broken down a few months after his marriage and bought himself a pair of glasses to counteract the effects of constantly using the Sharingan. With said glasses perched on the bridge of his nose he looked much younger than he really was.
"I've come for your monthly report, of course. Everything is fine. The girls are fine. I am fine. Nothing has happened. I need your report,"
"Report? Already? Man! I hate writing reports," Naruto whined. Sasuke and Itachi smirked identical smirks, not that the general student body could compare since Sasuke was wearing his mask.
"Poor Dobe. But you outrank me so it's your job," Sasuke drawled, unforgiving.
"Jerk," Naruto hisses venomously. Itachi shook his head.
"I take it that you don't have the report already written?"
No reply. Naruto toed the floor nervously.
"I figured as much. Move over little brother," he sighed and sat down. Sasuke scooted over to make room.
"How long are you staying?"
"Until you get the report written at least,"
"That could take a while," Naruto moaned tragically.
"Which is why I am perfectly alright with staying the night," Itachi nodded. Naruto dropped his head to the table, wincing when the edges of the mask bit into his skull. He cursed foully.
"Naruto, clean up your language. There are children present," Itachi chided mildly. Naruto nodded, not lifting his head from the table.
"Yessir," he mumbled.
"Who are you?" Harry asked with all the boldness he could muster. Itachi turned his gaze to the Potter boy. He said nothing.
"Harry," Naruto said, head still down, "this is Uchiha Itachi, Sasuke's older brother. Itachi-san, meet our assignment, Harry Potter,"
"Assignment?" Itachi laughed a little, much like Sasuke, "What a thing to call the child,"
"I'm not a child," Harry protested.
Itachi hitched up an eyebrow. "You are a child by your law and mine. Don't think that because I am from a foreign country that I know nothing of your laws,"
Harry frowned. "How come Sasuke and Naruto are adults by your law if I'm a child?" he asked.
"Because in our Village a shinobi is an adult when they graduate and become Gennin. At whatever age that must be."
"How old were you?" Hermione asked, leaning over the table a bit, looking up from her notes.
"Eight."
"EIGHT!" came a chorus of surprised students.
"Itachi was something of a prodigy," Naruto said heavily, hauling himself up.
"It's nothing special," Itachi blinked innocent owl eyes at them.
"Nothing special," Sasuke groaned, "I only know one other person who graduated as young as you, brother,"
"Oh?"
"Kakashi-sensei,"
"Ah. Kakashi," Itachi nodded, "He should be retiring from active missions soon, from what I hear,"
"You're kidding," scoffed Naruto.
"Who's Kakashi?" Ron asked.
"Our sensei," Naruto said distractedly.
"What's a 'sen-say?'"
"An instructor. A teacher. A master of a profession," Itachi explained shortly, then turned to Sasuke and Naruto, "Are they always this nosey?"
The two young ANBU nodded in unison. Itachi looked upwards, silently petitioning the gods for patience.
A note was dropped in front of Harry. Harry opened and read its contents, sighing. "Professor McGonagall wants to see you three and me after dinner," he said dejectedly.
"Who's this?" Itachi asked.
Sasuke pointed to the head table where the professors sat. "The one in green,"
"Ah," Itachi nodded.
Itachi trailed after his brother, Naruto and Harry. They made quite the procession down the long stone corridors. Naruto, as the highest ranking, took the lead with Harry behind him. Sasuke walked behind Harry and Itachi behind Sasuke. The students, who had grown somewhat accustomed to Naruto and Sasuke wandering around in their ANBU masks gazed in open interest at the newcomer.
Naruto led them through the halls with flawless ease. He had the password ready by the time they reached the gargoyle. Itachi was impressed. The jinchuuriki had grown a lot in the years that he had known him.
He knocked on the door to the office.
"Enter,"
He opened the door and they slipped inside. She motioned for them to sit. Only Harry took a chair.
"May I inquire as to the identity of our sudden guest?" she asked.
Itachi stepped forward. "My name is Uchiha Itachi. I am the liaison between Naruto and Sasuke and our Hokage," he nodded his head an inch or so in all the politeness he could muster.
"Can I assume that you are of the same profession?"
"You can,"
She peered at him over the rims of her glasses. "Uchiha. Any relation to this Uchiha here?" she nodded to Sasuke. Itachi nodded.
"He's my younger brother,"
"Ah. That would do it. Now. Why have you come to Hogwarts?"
"To relay the monthly report back to our Hokage,"
McGonagall blinked, "Report?"
"Of course," Itachi nodded smartly, "We are professionals after all. For long-term missions such as this is it necessary to post regular reports during as well as a summery report after the completion. Since neither Sasuke nor Naruto are permitted to leave the Potter boy or this castle to deliver the report to Hokage-sama personally then a courier must do it for them,"
"And that courier is you,"
"That would seem to be the case, yes."
"No need to get smart with me," she frowned disapprovingly at him. Itachi said nothing, not even bothering to look repentant. Naruto and Sasuke grinned at his attitude behind their masks. "How long are you staying?"
"As long as necessary,"
"I see,"
The shinobi could tell she was disapproving of their very presence. Itachi narrowed his eyes. "Madam. I do not believe you understand the great privilege you are enjoying at this very moment," he frowned dhow at her. She gazed back with all the dignity of a teacher.
"What privilege is that?"
"You are under the protection of the Leader of the ANBU and his second. Usually this would not be as great an honour but the currant leader, Uzumaki Naruto, is also the first candidate for Rokudaimei, the next Hokage," Itachi said stiffly.
Sasuke nodded. "Hokage-sama is only waiting for the completion of this mission before she steps down and allows Naruto to succeed her,"
This was news to Naruto but he refused to allow his surprise to show in any way.
Itachi continued, "With such a power working for you one should be at least respectful. It would not be wise to make enemies with a power this great,"
Now Naruto held up a hand. "Enough. That is enough," he said softly. Itachi and Sasuke stepped back. Naruto took off his mask and looked McGonagall in the eye. "I don't particularly care what you think of me as a person and as an individual. I only request that you allow me to do my job as I see fit. I gave my word that I would die before I allow any harm to befall this school, the students within or Harry Potter. That is my nindo and I will never go back on it," and with that he stepped back, putting his mask back on in one smooth movement. McGonagall was silent for a good three minutes. Harry shifted nervously. The shinobi stood still, not twitching a single muscle with inhuman control.
"Very well. I will try to cooperate more," she conceded.
"That is appreciated. Thank you," Naruto nodded.
They left the office a little happier than when they arrived. Of course it was less than five minutes after entering the Gryffindor common room that all three shinobi started developing headaches. Naruto and Sasuke, who had been able to brace themselves, each grabbed one of Itachi's arms and clung for dear life as they waded through the crowd. They managed to claim three empty seats before the mob caught up and descended.
"I say we play a game or something like that," Naruto said, "What do you two feel like?"
"A board game," said Itachi. Sasuke agreed.
"One person sits out. Winner plays whoever did not play,"
"Go?" Naruto asked, producing his game board.
"Suits me just fine," the Uchiha brothers said in tandem. They looked at each other and shrugged. Sasuke and Naruto took off their masks.
"Jan ken?" Sasuke asked, holding out a fist. Naruto and Itachi did the same.
As one they chanted "Jan! Ken! Pon!"
Sasuke and Itachi both had paper. Naruto had rock. Naruto nodded and turned the Go board and stones over to the Uchiha brothers. Itachi ended up with white and Sasuke black.
Hermione moved over to watch the game. Naruto leaned forward in his chair to get a better view.
"So how do you play this game?" Hermione asked.
"Well," Naruto scratched his chin, "You got the two colours, black and white. You place the stones on the crosshairs on the board, see," he pointed to where Itachi had placed a shiny white stone, "Pretty much what you want to do is get as much territory as possible without getting surrounded. If you get surrounded then those stones are taken prisoner and your opponent gets points,"
"I see," she studied the board. Sasuke placed. Itachi placed. Sasuke connected two of his stones.
"It's harder to do than it sounds," Naruto cautioned.
"I bet,"
"And this should be even better considering who's playing," Naruto murmured to himself. Hermione did not hear. Which was probably a good thing.
"What are you doing, Naruto?" Itachi asked. Naruto stilled.
"Uh…watching the game?"
"Don't you have a report to write?"
"Yes, Itachi-san,"
"It's a good thing that your writing's gotten better," Itachi said, scanning the contents of the scroll Naruto had given him, "Godaime-sama should be pleased with this,"
"She'd better be, the old hag," Naruto grumbled.
Itachi smirked, "I'll pass that along,"
"You do that," Naruto folded his arms.
The Captain of the ANBU division nodded to the head of the Uchiha clan before the Uchiha vanished in a cloud of smoke. It had taken Naruto all night to write the draft of the report and another three hours after dawn to correct all the mistakes. Things like that, he had learned, had to be done perfectly. Or else.
Or else the Old Hag In Charge would assign him boring desk work rather than field work. A truly terrifying prospect, indeed.
"You can breath now, Naruto," Sasuke said, clapping him on the shoulder. Naruto stumbled forward, surprised. "You don't have to write another report for a month. Unless of course Godaime-sama deems that one unfit and sends Itachi back to make you rewrite it,"
"Don't even joke, Sasuke!" Naruto commanded, spinning around.
"Go to bed, Dobe," Sasuke pushed the blond towards the boy's dorm, "You stayed up all night writing that report. Get some sleep now and you can cover my night shift,"
Naruto smiled, looking very tired, "Thanks Sasuke. You're the best," and he slipped upstairs with the intent to fall face first into bed. Sasuke shook his head and slipped out after Harry.