Chapter II
An Introduction…Begrudgingly Given
---Hogsmead---
Severus was agitated, down right furious would be a better summation, but who quibbles over semantics these days? Not only was he the much coveted spy for the Order, but apparently Albus's personal lapdog as well. The Potions Professor snarled, scaring several unwitting passers-by in the process and perversely deriving pleasure from illustrating the canine image. Intellectually, he could accept that the Order was swamped with assignments but egotistically he couldn't help but feel a little persecuted.
Shacklebolt was currently at the Ministry stirring up all kinds of misleads. The auror didn't have the time to go gallivanting all across wizarding Britain, as Albus seemed to think Severus did. Tonks was out on watch, along with that miscreant thief Fletcher. And, Mad-eye was not someone Albus felt children should be subjected to on their first foray into a new and unfamiliar country. Severus scoffed at the implication he was any better.
Lupin would have been a prime choice but for the unfortunate, and rather unaccommodating—in Severus' opinion—cycle of nature. The werewolf was currently nestled in a bed somewhere sleeping off the uncomfortable vestiges of the night before. Severus envied him the luxury. Of course, that left the head of the Weasley clan who Severus detested but felt was an appropriate substitute just the same. The Headmaster nixed that suggestion on the grounds that Arthur was not a representative of the school.
"Besides, Severus" Albus had pointed out in that irritatingly condescending tone of his, "While conveniently at the Ministry, where our new charges will arrive, Arthur will not have the opportunity to leave work until rather late. I would not ask for our guests to wait around when they will most probably be exhausted from their trip. That is why I have asked you Severus," and there was a certain emphasis on his given name, "to kindly welcome them at the Ministry and guide them to Tom's inn."
x
Severus resented the way Albus twisted the situation to make it appear as if he was refusing to perform some small request. As if leading a couple of teenagers anywhere wasn't a chore in itself, and these teenagers were also foreigners at that. How was he expected to communicate? Albus had forbid him from casting a temporary translation charm on the visitors or himself; and the comprehension-charmed earrings Filius was working on would not be ready for another few days. A scowling Snape soon found himself standing in front of the Three Broomsticks from where he would floo into the British Ministry of Magic. If there was anything Severus detested more than that dratted Potter boy it was traveling by floo. As he entered the pub Severus' countenance darkened considerably, not exactly a welcoming sign to the arriving foreigners.
---Konohagakure: Two hours before Shikamaru and Naruto's meeting---
Naruto carefully edged into the room, watching Tsunade like a hawk sighting down a mouse. Not that he was the predator here, Tsunade no Baa-chan could stake claims on that role twice over. No, Naruto was simply hyper aware of her every move. At the moment she sat behind old Sarutobi's heavy desk with her head rested on raised, intertwined fingers, staring directly at him. The blonde had reasons to be cautious, after all, he wasn't quite sure why she called him into her office. Shikamaru was the highest ranked ninja and the appointed leader of the group, therefore, the duty fell on him to give the detailed mission report.
Then again, Shikamaru was unaware of what resided inside of Naruto's stomach. Tsunade had to have a pretty clear idea of exactly how Naruto managed to subdue a curse-obsessed Sasuke hell-bent on attaining more power. That thought alone brought a chilling sensation to Naruto's spine. Was he in line for his own "punishment"? Only, Naruto had startlingly frequent nightmares about his own execution and he wouldn't discount Tsunade from ordering it if Kyuubi posed any danger to Konoha. Her position as Godaime demanded it. Naruto could even find a part of himself that would respect her for it too.
"Naruto, you heard?" Tsunade's clipped voice broke Naruto from the thoughts circling his head. The blonde processed the question then quickly feigned innocence.
"Heard what?"
"That clueless act may work against that perverted toad hermit, that genius brat, and your fellow Genin, but I don't buy it. I know very well you were listening outside the door. Your very personality demands it." Instead of the familiar grumbling-amusement on the last comment, Tsunade's tone remained flatly humorless throughout. Naruto could tell she was in no mood for his usual antics, so he nodded soberly.
"You're sending Sasuke away." Naruto reiterated, not allowing any emotion to cloud his serious expression. He really couldn't distinguish how he felt about the whole situation to begin with. Everything up until this point, from the moment he'd left Konoha to track down his almost-brother to standing here in front of the Godaime, had happened like a tidal wave. He was forced to keep his head above water or be drowned. Naruto really hadn't had the chance to sit back and analyzed what he thought, let alone felt, about any of it.
"That's correct. I will be placing him, along with his escort, in the hands of a trusted friend." Tsunade fell silent, calmly watching Naruto for any reaction. The blonde stared back blankly; Naruto knew obaa-chan was waiting for something but he wasn't sure what that something was.
"I've decided you will accompany him." Naruto simply stared for a lengthy five seconds before he burst out suddenly.
"What!"
"Your mission is to keep," Tsunade stubbornly continued over Naruto's stuttering appeals to wait, "Sasuke from deserting again. Also, you will be charged with restricting and monitoring his use of chakra. You will be his shadow. If he activates his seal for any purpose other than the protection of allies or the protection of his own life against our common enemy," Naruto was still spluttering incoherently, "You have the responsibility to execute him on the spot."
x
Silence reigned for an unhealthy ten minutes after Tsunade's assignment instructions. Naruto couldn't bring himself to speak; his mouth opened and closed several times in aborted attempts to form words. Kill Sasuke? How could she ask him to take on that kind of burden? Sasuke was his best friend, nearly his own brother! They went to the academy together, spent a whole year training together as Genin, they even ate together occasionally. Of course they fought a great deal, and hell, the bastard could really benefit from anal surgery to remove that stick permanently stuck up his ass, but that didn't mean he had no compunction about murdering him.
"Why? Why not send a Jounin?" It was as close as he could come to asking the real, underlying questions plaguing his mind. Tsunade's eyes saw through him.
"I need all of my Jounin here. Konoha is still weak and there are hardly enough ninja to fulfill all the missions. Sasuke is one Genin, and a traitor. The Uchiha name is not nearly as acclaimed as it once was and no one wants two Itachis running around. Many would rather have his execution than waste precious resources to baby-sit him. I do not know how long it will take us to track down and defeat Orochimaru, but I cannot have even one of my battle-ready ninja out of commission for as long as it takes. You have proven that you can handle Sasuke; therefore he will be remanded into your custody."
x
Tsunade did not show any sign that her own words bothered her, but Naruto was reminded that Orochimaru was once Tsunade's teammate, if not her friend. She had to know, could even be experiencing right now, the thoughts and feelings roiling within him, and she was dealing with an eventuality. Orochimaru would have to be killed; Tsunade and Jiraiya would have to do it. Naruto could not bring himself to refuse; he was Sasuke's last hope. Tsunade said her self, the elders and Lords would have preferred a swift execution. Naruto shivered, it seemed he and Sasuke were in the same tree when it came to the upper echelon of Konoha society, and that tree was beginning to rot from within.
"I understand, Hokage-sama." Naruto meet Tsunade's saddened eyes with ones filled with determination.
"Good, I have someone to speak to before I can formally issue the mission."
x
Precisely at that moment flames burst to life behind the grating of Tsunade's fireplace. When Naruto's gaze flickered over, a hand poised above his kunai pouch, he was most startled to see a face floating within. If it weren't for Tsunade's complete lack of surprise and almost bland greeting, Naruto would have let fly with the small arsenal on his person.
"Albus, prompt as ever I see." Tsunade called toward the fire, tone nonchalant. Naruto allowed his hand to fall back to his side but his muscles remained tensed for action.
"Your message sounded urgent, Tsunade." Albus rejoined. What Naruto could make out was a wrinkled old man who looked unexpectedly older than the late Sandaime with bushy white hair and beard, rounded lake-blue eyes that glittered with intelligence, and moon-shaped spectacles. There was not enough of the man inside the fireplace to speculate on clothing or the like but Naruto had the distinct impression he wasn't from any of the surrounding countries. Albus' bone structure alone and the shape of his eyes were strikingly different from any Naruto had ever seen before, not that he was at all well-traveled.
"I'd like to request that you take two Genin into your school." Tsunade's words brought Naruto's attention to bear on her. Clearly, this was the friend Godaime mentioned earlier, the one who would take them in.
"Oh? That's splendid…" Albus began enthusiastically. Naruto could see a certain shine appear in the old man's eyes as if he'd been offered a special treat.
"Just this once Albus, as a favor to me," Tsunade cut in before the man could get carried away, "It won't ever happen again." Tsunade promised with an edge to her voice. Naruto noted, simply out of habit, how the spark seemed to dim in Albus' eyes.
"I don't think I'm following you Tsunade-hime." The sudden use of a suffix was also not lost on Naruto. It appeared the old man was also capable of picking up on the nuances in Tsunade's tone. Her last statement was said not as Tsunade, old friend, but as Godaime, leader of Konohagakure. Naruto felt like the judge of a ninjutsu fight, his head turning from face to face gauging expressions and words as the combatants sized each other up.
"As Sarutobi told you before, and I will tell you again…though I'm sure I'm wasting my breath," Naruto caught the muttered words and by the way Albus smiled brightly, so had he, "I do not think it wise to mix our magic on a regular basis. We've explained numerous times. You initiate your students at an age when our own children are on the verge of adulthood. They cannot afford to lose such a great amount of training years, especially at—what I believe to be—the most critical formative period in their development as shinobi. This is an age when they begin to learn the true value of teamwork, discover their own dreams and ways of the ninja," Naruto caught Tsunade glancing at him when she spoke, "and also learn the price of choosing this path," Naruto thought of Haku who died because he chose to protect someone precious to him rather than live to be something useless, "I'm sorry if this alters your willingness to endorse my request." Tsunade's tone was clipped and incontrovertible.
"Oh no, of course not, my fascination remains. It is my hope that this experience changes your perception of the negative affects to your children; I can only see positive influences to both sides." Albus' eyes twinkled more than Naruto had seen before. Tsunade groused about hope springing eternal in senile old men. "Yes, we've lived long enough that patience has become habit, and we know good things come in time." Albus wasn't the least offended and Naruto found himself admiring the amiable old man. "However," Albus' face took a turn to the serious and Tsunade's did likewise, "I would like to ask; why now? Why these two?" Albus' eyes flickered to Naruto; the first sign of acknowledgement from either adult that there was a child in their midst. Naruto suddenly realized he'd completely relaxed without conscious thought while this old man remained aware of his presence the whole time. This Albus character was definitely someone to keep his eye on. Naruto mentally kicked himself for letting his guard drop and took a mental note to be wary of the old man.
x
Tsunade noticed Albus' gaze turn from her unto Naruto, but she did not grant it the attention Albus obviously wanted her to. The old man had probably noted the distinct lack of introduction from the start and simply followed her lead. Now that they were reaching the central issues of her request, Albus wanted information on the conspicuous presence. Tsunade stubbornly continued in her vein of conversation.
"One of my subordinate's underlings has made a grave error in judgment. He violated a number of our laws and faces a death sentence unless I can devise a convenient alternative. I've chosen a paroled exile at Hogwarts. It will keep him from making another mistake while we, that is to say the ninja of Konoha, deal with the source of his misguidance."
"You are suggesting Hogwarts serve as a prison." Albus formed it as a statement, confident he was not misinterpreting her words. Not that there wasn't plenty of room for misunderstanding, Albus was fluent in nearly every language known to man and some that weren't. However, Japanese was not the most complicated language he'd ever mastered; mermish had a nice running going for it. He always found the languages made up of mostly unorganized sounds the hardest to learn, and those rarely had any sort of script to go with them. Japanese was a phonetic language with a very complicated writing system to make up for its simplicity in dialogue. Albus could only be grateful he was having an interview as opposed to receiving another letter. Some of the Kanji was difficult to decipher without the aid of a translation charm.
"Yes." Tsunade affirmed unnecessarily.
"Then I must ask, as an educator responsible for the wellbeing of his students, will this boy be a danger to others?" The smile was gone, replaced with an expression of concern. Naruto stood back on his heels and watched, preternaturally aware this conversation was important to Sasuke's case. If the old man determined Sasuke to be a threat it was unlikely he would allow them within this Hogwarts place. From what Naruto gathered, it was some sort of academy. Anyway, Tsunade seemed to be prepared for this question because she motioned to the blonde. Naruto suddenly found himself as the center of attention, a position he usually coveted but in which he now felt uncomfortable.
"This is Naruto. He will ensure the safety of your students as well as his charge," Albus inclined his head, to which Naruto bowed shortly, "He will report directly to me by weekly letters; should you have any concerns they will be duly relayed." Tsunade's expression clearly threatened an 'or else' if he failed to do so; Naruto swallowed with some difficulty. A comfortable silence followed in which Albus observed the blonde with an open curiosity Naruto found most embarrassing. Undoubtedly the old man was wondering how Naruto was supposed to exert control over his peer; Naruto honestly wondered the same thing.
"Ano, baa-," Naruto faltered in the presence of the foreign man and modified his appellation, "Hokage-sama, how am I supposed to treat Sasuke? I mean…" Naruto glanced toward the politely silent guest who appeared to be eating something at the moment. Tsunade did not need to hear anything else, she understood his concerns.
"The rules will be laid out for him before your departure and I will make sure he is aware what role you will play. Don't treat him any differently then you would normally, unless he does something that requires your interference. You've already been informed of his limitations, inadvertently, which are also listed in your scripted briefing," Tsunade lifted a mission scroll from her desk which Naruto stepped forward to retrieve; "Anything else you may want to know will have to be answered by him." Naruto looked over to the indicated man still floating bodiless in the fireplace.
"Oyaji?" Naruto was still standing close enough for Tsunade to cuff him on the back of his head for the disrespect. Albus laughed as Naruto cried out in offense and rubbed at his perceived injury.
"I am Albus Dumbledore, Headmaster at Hogwarts, School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. You can call me Professor Dumbledore, or if you'd be more comfortable, Dumbledore-sensei." Dumbledore offered kindly, supplying his name and title in English.
"Pu-ro-fe-so-ru Dum-bu-ru-do-a?" Naruto mimicked slowly, looking to Dumbledore for criticism on his pronunciation. The old man's eyes continued to glitter like blue sapphires as he smiled and nodded graciously.
"You'll find things easier when you arrive. Professor Flitwick, our charms teacher, is preparing enchanted earrings for you both to wear. With them you will understand and be able to speak our language fluently."
"Will you be there to greet them?" Tsunade questioned distractedly, already her eyes were straying to sections of paperwork strewing her desk. Naruto could feel the meeting coming to an end.
"Ano sa, Ano sa Dumburudoa-sensei! How are we going to get to Haguwaatsu?" Naruto interrupted before he lost his chance to inquire.
"That is a question best explained by Tsunade-hime, Naruto-kun. As for being there to greet you, I'm afraid I won't be able to," Dumbledore's face looked appropriately apologetic, "However, I will be sending someone as a representative of the school. He will take you where you need to go. I look forward to seeing you at Hogwarts, Naruto-kun." Naruto correctly interpreted that as an indication Dumbledore was preparing to leave…disappear…whatever. The blonde grinned and waved even as Tsunade blindly lifted her hand and called out a farewell. The next moment, in the time it took to blink really, the flames were crackling merrily but the floating head was gone.
x
Naruto turned to Tsunade, prepared to repeat his question when a knock sounded at the door. Tsunade huffed in annoyance but called out permission to enter just the same. The door opened to admit Izumo with a bag slung on one arm and Sasuke's shoulder gripped with his free hand. The Uchiha looked sullen but when his eyes tracked Naruto in the room they flared with anger and resentment. Naruto almost flinched before righteous anger quelled it; he glared right back. This time it was the dark-haired boy's turn to look away, albeit without compunction.
"Naruto, go pack your bags, and return here once you've finished," when Naruto headed to the door Tsunade added, "Take Sasuke's weapons before you go." The by-play between the two rivals was not lost on the old woman. Sasuke's eyes widened a fraction at the order and became incensed when Izumo handed his assorted weapons to the blonde without a word. Then Naruto was leaving and Tsunade was undoubtedly giving Sasuke a very different sort of briefing than the one the blonde had received. The reflection brought Naruto's own assignment to mind, and without his knowledge the smile slipped from his face.
---Konohagakure: After Naruto's discussion with Shikamaru---
Naruto quickly made his way to Tsunade's office, passing by Ichiraku Ramen with only a yearning glance. While he definitely wouldn't be averse to a large bowl of his favorite comfort food, he wished even more to see the other Genin before he left. Naruto disliked the idea that his last memory of them would be of desperate fighting and nearly dead bodies being delivered by sand. The whole situation made his adrenaline pump and created a desire in him to hit something, preferably a dark-haired sharingan-bearing bastard. Naruto was becoming so worked up over his own thoughts that he barreled right into a flak-vested chest.
"Whoa, Naruto! Where are you off to?" a familiar voice questioned even as an arm settled behind Naruto to steady him. Naruto was on the verge of a scathing retort when he realized another someone he wanted to see before he left.
"Iruka-sensei!" Naruto shouted and wrapped his arms around his teacher's waist. He didn't commonly hug the man upon greetings, but Naruto wasn't sure when he might ever have another chance. The Chuunin was suitably surprised but added a little pressure to turn the one-sided affection into a reciprocal embrace. When Naruto backed away Iruka regarded him with some concern.
"Is everything all right Naruto-kun? I thought everyone was doing well."
"WHAT? I thought things weren't that serious anymore! What have you been hearing Iruka-sensei?" Naruto demanded, nearly hyperventilating with his concern. Surely Shikamaru wouldn't lie about something so important, even if it were to spare Naruto's feelings. Immediately Naruto dismissed the notion; Shikamaru was too lazy to make up stories, and Naruto couldn't recall the Chuunin ever being anything but straight with him.
x
Iruka eyed the blonde uncomprehendingly until the rushed words resembled some sort of sense in relation to the question he'd posed. The Chuunin rubbed the back of his neck as he felt the beginnings of a tension headache behind his eyes. Iruka often found himself counting his blessings that Naruto was now a Genin, and therefore someone else's responsibility. Spending time with the blonde firecracker was entertaining on short occasions but could quickly become a tiring affair with prolonged exposure. Naruto's reaction to Iruka's innocent question was proof positive the boy was high strung today, and Iruka had best watch his words.
"If it isn't them, why were you so affectionate just now?" Iruka questioned calmly, "I'd thought we lost someone unexpectedly."
x
Naruto paused, was Iruka-sensei saying everyone was ok? He must be, Naruto determined and felt the sigh of relief leave his body a little less tense. He didn't know how he was going to leave Konoha without seeing his team healthy and whole once more. Tsunade-baachan mentioned something about sending reports; perhaps she would be willing to send him updates while he was away.
"Naruto?" Iruka called softly, breaking the blonde from his musings.
"Eh, Iruka-sensei?" The Chuunin gave Naruto an aggrieved expression, and the twitching vein in his temple was not lost on the blonde. Naruto was often subject to the outbursts which followed such signs. "Naa, Iruka-sensei, I don't have time for you to lecture me," Naruto deftly evaded the scolding with the only thing the teacher would find more important than chewing him out, "I have a mission." Instead of backing down, the bushel-haired Chuunin frowned and prevented Naruto from darting off.
"What mission? You just got back! As a Genin you should be allowed a few days rest." Iruka's tone was indignant on Naruto's behalf.
"I can't tell anyone and Baa-chan told me to hurry, Iruka-sensei." Naruto darted in for another hug, to Iruka's immense bewilderment. "I'll miss you Iruka-sensei!" Before Iruka could question his farewell, Naruto slipped from his grasp and raced for Hokage Tower without a backward glance. The Chuunin was left standing bereft of his energetic student and wondering just what sort of mission Godaime issued on the tail end of Sasuke-kun's retrieval.
xXxXx
When Naruto entered the office of Godaime a second time that same evening he was greeted with a surly Uchiha. The glare full of hatred tossed over his shoulder clued Naruto in. Clearly Tsunade found sparing Sasuke's feelings during the briefing a misuse of the small bit of compassion within her; that was conserved for those she felt deserved it. Essentially, Sasuke was being sent away like a chastised child and Naruto was to serve as his nanny. Tsunade reinforced this perception as she barely looked up to acknowledge Naruto's entrance. Her focus was distinctly directed to the briefs littering her desk and judging by the occasional scathing glance aimed at the dark-haired youth, not a few were resultant of Sasuke's escapade. For his part, the Uchiha sat in a chair facing the Hokage. Positioned at the glowering boy's feet was the loaded pack Izumo delivered prior to the mission orders, the contents within unrevealed to the defector. Naruto stayed barely beyond the threshold shifting his weight from foot to foot; he cleared his throat nervously. Tsunade's gaze locked with stonewashed blue, and the documents were set aside with emphasis.
"Naruto," the addressed blonde nodded unsurely, "Sit." Tsunade gestured to an empty chair beside the one Sasuke was seated in. Naruto edged forward, consciously avoiding his former teammate's sweltering glare, and obediently occupied the chair.
x
Tsunade looked from one Genin to the other. She marveled at their clashing personalities that in some bazaar, unexplainable way seemed to fit together like pieces of a jigsaw puzzle. She was under no illusion that the resulting picture wasn't flawed. There were, of course, several pieces missing; some torn away years before now, others suffering water damage or similar wear and tear. The holes left in the dizzying picture of their lives was what allowed the darkness to seep in. But, what Uchiha lacked in sociability and restraint, Naruto more than made up for with friendly exuberance. She was convinced Naruto could positively influence Uchiha Sasuke. If the blonde failed, there would be no hope left for the young avenger. As Tsunade intently studied the inheritor of the Sharingan, her mind replayed the last half-hour in her mind.
---Konohagakure: Sasuke's Briefing---
Izumo excused himself on the tail end of Naruto's departure and gently closed the door behind him. Tsunade took her first long look at the Uchiha heir since his return. She hadn't allowed herself more than cursory or scornful glances during his sentencing. She could honestly say he looked like hell. No amount of indifference could cover up the paleness of the boy's skin or the dark shadows under his eyes. He was clearly favoring his left arm and there were undoubtedly a number of wounds beneath his clothing. Then again, as long as he wasn't dropping unconscious she felt no concern; she was certain whatever Naruto suffered was worse.
"Sit." Tsunade ordered; her voice was unequivocally cold. The Uchiha prodigy did as he was told but made his displeasure known with his contemptuous expression and furious eyes. Not that she cared for either. Tsunade felt it was high time the boy understood there were limits to his behavior, and not even his name or bloodline could persuade her to overlook his latest flouting of Konoha laws. She said as much.
x
Sasuke let out a sound of derision in reply. Tsunade could see no fear or regret in the pools of pitch staring balefully back at her. This was a soul bereft of life beyond carrying out its self-appointed mission, revenge. Perhaps Sarutobi was negligent after the fateful Uchiha massacre; even Tsunade could have predicted the detrimental affects the disaster would have had on a small child. The Uchiha prodigy was anything but, Tsunade could only see an irrevocably traumatized boy who resembled nothing more than a wraith; a dark specter seeking that which he's lost.
"Killing him will not bring them back." Tsunade imparted as her opening gambit. Uchiha's eyes flashed dangerously and Tsunade did not overlook the tightly clenched muscles in his jaw. Yes, she could see how easy it must have been for Orochimaru to manipulate the boy. While the people of Konoha were rejoicing in their hard won peace, a young Uchiha Sasuke pushed himself to become stronger in order to exact retribution. His push for power was now consuming him; Orochimaru had always been a conniving bastard. The villagers failed to notice, or chose not to see beyond the number one rookie to the shattered child within. It was easy for others to forget the tragedy as they spent cozy nights tucking in their children and huddled against their lovers, they did not have to walk the graveyard that was the Uchiha compound. And it was their sympathy, their pity even, when faced with the sole survivor that allowed Uchiha Sasuke to become what sat before her. Tsunade shook her head. They were taking a vested interest now; she barely managed to thwart a death sentence. Uchiha's disloyal conduct served to remind them of Itachi; they hardly desired a repeat performance by the younger brother.
"He is no longer your concern. You will leave Itachi to the Anbu and hunter-nins." Tsunade continued as if half the conversation had passed between them in silence. At the mention of his brother's name, Uchiha leapt to his feet, fists clenched and shaking with suppressed rage at his sides.
"You don't know anything. No one can kill him but me." Uchiha hissed with his eyes narrowed into thin slits of fury. Tsunade regarded the boy blandly before retrieving a tied scroll from her desk, the second briefing.
"If you thought you could beat Itachi you would not have sought out Orochimaru." Uchiha controlled the flinch expertly but Tsunade caught the flicker of emotion in deadened eyes. She felt the reaction a good indication of Uchiha's future rehabilitation. If he could feel even a modicum of guilt or shame then he was not completely lost to them. "Besides, I've already told you of your exile. Where you are going, there will be no Orochimaru, no Itachi, and no way to get to either of them. Now sit down and control yourself." Tsunade passed over the scripted mission after Uchiha settled. She allowed the boy moments to digest the contents before inquiring if all was clear.
"Naruto," Tsunade raised an eyebrow at the muttered name, "He is to travel with me?"
"He will be your guard and keeper. You must go through him before performing any such action as stipulated in your briefing. Naruto will be your shadow…and your executioner should you fail to abide by them." Tsunade did not spare the details; they were made abundantly clear on purpose. Uchiha scowled at the wall over her shoulder. Tsunade returned to her various emissary documents, several of which concerned the latest upset; she almost spit fire through her eyes at Uchiha. Silence reigned until Naruto re-entered.
---Konohagakure: In Tsunade's Office---
Tok, tok. Tsunade tore her blank gaze from a fuming Uchiha and fidgeting Naruto as her mind snapped back to the present. Good, he was on time for once; she called out permission to enter. The door opened to admit a familiar masked Jounin with floppy silver hair and a hitai-ate skewed over his left eye. Kakashi offered a small wave and his traditional greeting.
"Yo."
"Kakashi-sensei!" Naruto cried out incredulously. "What are you doing here?" The energetic blonde bounded from his chair to stand closer to his Genin team commander. Tsunade noted Uchiha's disinterested regard for Kakashi; the Uchiha did not bother to get up.
"Well, I'm supposed to transport you to the Ministry." Kakashi informed Naruto, his visible eye turned up in a happy crescent.
"Obaa-chan, what's he talking about?" Naruto turned to question. With his back turned, Naruto failed to see Kakashi's face fall or the pained stare he directed at Sasuke. Tsunade knew what the man was thinking, that he'd failed his students, and he was partly right. Kakashi should never have broken up the team like he did to train Uchiha separately. The bond of the team was possibly the only thing that held Uchiha back from Orochimaru and when that connection was weakened even slightly the results were catastrophic. "Obaa-chan?" Naruto whined piteously. Tsunade frowned at the disrespectful address but shrugged it off to answer his question.
"Kakashi will take you to the Magic Ministry of Asia from where you will apparate to the British Ministry of Magic. When you reach your destination there will be someone there to guide you elsewhere until term starts. Albus has assured me all the preparations are complete." Tsunade could see Uchiha paying rapt attention though his expression bore no indication. "So, if you two are packed and ready, and all is said which needs to be heard, be on your way." Tsunade did not have to repeat, Naruto was bouncing excitedly next to Kakashi and Uchiha wordlessly took up his bag to join them. The last Tsunade saw of them was Naruto waving vigorously, Kakashi offering a salute, and Uchiha frowning darkly. Then there only remained wisps of grey smoke and an empty aching in her heart; she would miss the loudmouthed blonde.
---Ministry of Magic, London---
Severus was expelled from the grate in the Ministry of Magic disheveled and a bit dusty from Rosmerta's fireplace. He barely retained his footing on the heavily polished dark-wood floor and moved out of the way before another man went tumbling from the grate without the same luck. Severus sneered at the incompetent wizard lying entangled in his own limbs and stepped around him. A glance at a large clock above the floo network confirmed that the Apparition Arrivals from Asia, labeled on a black hand—one of many—was "on time" and due to arrive at nine am precisely. Severus smoothed out his robes and strode quickly to the security desk to have his wand inspected and a visitor's id issued.
x
All the while his wand was being examined Severus muttered under his breath, the focus, ridiculous Ministry regulations. He would've preferred to apparate except visitors needed to notify the Ministry within a minimum of five hours prior to arrival. Albus failed to inform him in due time, which Severus fully suspected was no coincidence, hence the abhorred method of travel. Though Severus had to allow that even if he'd given the due notification he still would not have been guaranteed a spot if one was unavailable. The clear-cut facts were foreign dignitaries and visitors from longer distances were given preference. Severus retrieved his wand as it was offered to him and strode to the golden grilled lifts. Inside he was joined by two others, a woman dictating to a quick-quotes-quill as she perused the Daily Prophet, and a man carrying a tattered briefcase that jumped at odd times. Ever present was also a flurry of inter-level memos. Severus sneered at the flapping paper wondering who needed so much gossip so early in the workday.
x
The lift doors opened on each successive floor, testing Severus' patience as papers zoomed about and wizards or witches occupied the small space with him. It was a relief when he reached his floor, level six, Department of Magical Transport. The Apparation Test Center was on this floor and adjacent to the Apparation Platform for incoming and outgoing guests. Severus reached his destination with the efficiency of one practiced in the art of traversing a crowd, or rather parting one. He stepped into the waiting room designed for those greeting guests and stood at a two-way window looking into the apparation area. Any minute now his charges would arrive, he hoped with no real confidence that they wouldn't show. As if to taunt him a feminine voice announced the arrivals from the Magic Ministry of Asia. Severus scowled.
---Magic Ministry of Asia, Beijing---
When the smoke cleared Naruto found himself inside a glittering palace. His eyes bugged at the opulence and a wide grin spread across his vulpine lips. On all sides there were jeweled walls depicting wondrous creatures Naruto could only dream about. The figure of a silvery ape munching leaves, whose nearly tangible fur was created with an iridescent metal of some sort, blended seamlessly into the design of a strangely plumed, two-legged animal, bordering on serpentine, traveling over an archway to curl its long body around soft-looking silver eggs on the opposite wall. How eggs could appear soft, Naruto hadn't a clue, but apparently they could. The thought was fleeting as his ogling gaze naturally progressed onto the coin-silver and sapphire-blue lake containing another monkey-resembling beast; only this one was scaled like a fish. Naruto shuffled forward for a closer look, only to be drawn up short by Kakashi's restraining hold, so settled on squinting. Exactly what material did they use for the scales of the weird monkey-fish thing?
x
The final wall, which required Naruto to turn completely around to view, illustrated a striking, crimson-scaled beast whose nostrils released twin bouts of flame towards the ceiling. A glance upward took his very breath away; above him was a magnificent scarlet bird comprised of masterfully placed rubies, its long, golden tail feathers etched delicately in gold. The avian wings spread the breadth of the ceiling giving Naruto the impression he was being cocooned in the creature's arms.
"Ah, it is not a simple coincidence that you arrived in the position to view our panorama in its proper order," Naruto jerked from his observance to stare at the short, balding man whose voice echoed in the hollow space, "The room orients itself so; the effect is quite stunning, I must say."
x
Naruto noticed that Sasuke had not been entirely unmoved by the display. The Uchiha survivor was holding onto his stoic façade, but Naruto could clearly discern the raven-haired boy's roaming eyes. Sasuke did not speak to the newcomer, nor did he appear as if he wished to. For all intents and purposes, the man could have arrived nude and Sasuke would not bat an eye. Naruto, on the other hand, was barely containing his curiosity. By the way Kakashi looked upon the room Naruto determined this was not the Jounin's first visit here. The ramifications left numerous thoughts and twice as many questions swirling in his head.
"You are?" Kakashi queried dispassionately.
"Ah, my name is Lee Yonfa. I offer an apology on behalf of our Minister that he could not greet you personally. It is so rare that we have guests of your repute traveling through, let alone to another such place. As you can see, we have reserved you a place of little disturbance." The man bowed deeply. Kakashi gave a shallow nod in return.
"I am afraid we have time constraints; I was only meant to turn them over to the appropriate guide." Kakashi bluntly interjected before Yonfa could speak further on the matter of their unique heritage. Naruto eyed his teacher curiously while Sasuke feigned indifference, a well-developed habit both Naruto and Kakashi had long since grown immune to.
"Of course, of course. These," said Yonfa holding up two folded booklets "are your passports, to be shown to Ministry Security when you arrive." Naruto accepted both booklets after Kakashi deftly intercepted Yonfa's attempts to hand one to Sasuke. Sasuke's glare came to the fore, and Naruto was once again on the receiving end, only this time with company. Kakashi did not look intimidated, if anything Sasuke was proving a source of amusement with his childish displays.
x
Naruto ignored the silent bid for his death in favor of examining his new acquisitions. The passport covers were made of a tough vinyl material, red in color, with a golden crest emblazoned on it. The framing was a bisected circle, two mirrored comma shapes joined together. The right half encompassed the natural red of the passport, with drawings defined in bullion strokes atop it; the left half was golden with shapes delineated by cutout lines to the red beneath. Naruto could pick out a pagoda resting in the center, equally divided between the two halves. A large golden star with four smaller stars to the right and bending around it occupied the upper, left comma. Diagonal to that, on the lower right, was a red disk, the rising sun. The two scarlet beasts from the wall depictions were also present within the emblem. Above the red sun flew the crane-like bird, and below the stars crouched a scaled, snake-creature with claws and a pronounced snout. Toward the top of the crest a branch extended across horizontally; at the very bottom, a bonsai tree grew to the platform of the pagoda. Naruto probed further by parting the folds of the passport.
x
Inside the thin booklet, behind a laminate sleeve, rested his photo…his ninja profile photo. Naruto cringed at his gaudily painted face. He really should have let Sandaime-oyaji convince him to retake the picture. That goes to show him to ignore his elders when they told him something was part of an important document. Now people of another country were going to forever associate him with this snapshot, a scant second in his life, perpetually embodied on paper. A bemoaning sigh escaped his lips. Next, he perused the information printed bedside the picture. Nothing more than a description: nationality, village affiliation, gender, height, weight, hair and eye color, and even an annotation explaining his poor English language skills. Naruto's eyes tracked the characters to the lower half, here the script gained significance.
x
The lower half of the passport contained a white placard, also behind laminate, with a blue, ink imprint of the crest as a watermark. Naruto understood this was meant as a safeguard to prevent forgeries; this was the official business that brought them here to begin with. The characters assembled themselves in a manner conveying Naruto had the permission of the Magic Ministry of Asia to travel abroad. There was some senseless jargon which Naruto could only distinguish had something to do with his being a ninja and not a "traditional" wizard, but he paid scant attention to the complicated Kanji. Suffice to say he needed this scrap of paper wherever he was going, for whatever reasons officials such as these drew up in their spare time.
x
Naruto tucked the two permits into his jacket and reoriented his attention to Lee-san, who was busy informing Kakashi that he'd need to sign some release forms before departing.
"This simply verifies that you consented to their travel, and are aware of the circumstances that could arise after their arrival. We are in no way responsible for the political…" Yonfa fell silent when Kakashi neatly removed the document from his hands, divested him of the pen he was holding without his being aware, and scribbled his name on the dotted line.
"If that settles everything," Kakashi did not wait for confirmation, with a jaunty salute the Jounin disappeared in a puff of sulfurous smoke. Yonfa stood stock still for an interminable five seconds before he nearly ballooned with rage.
"That, that miscreant stole my pen!" Sasuke snorted with derision, Naruto couldn't suppress the smirk of a prank well performed. More than likely the Jounin simply forgot to hand the pen over with the documents Lee-san now clutched tightly in his fists. "Well, the sooner you two depart, the more time I have to fulfill my other obligations. If you would kindly wait here, your escort will arrive shortly." Lee-san bowed stiffly and stalked from the room.
x
Naruto did not venture conversation with Sasuke when they were left alone. The black-haired boy would sooner spit fire at him than utter a civil word even sub-vocally. Naruto took the time, left to his own devices, to obtain a closer view of the splendid compositions on the walls. He'd seen drawings in books and Hokage Mountain was nothing to sneer at, but the sheer volume of precious minerals concentrated in this single room for mere ornamentation startled him like nothing else could. For one who grew up on little else besides instant noodles and the dubious kindness of others, a single handful of such gems would seem a vast treasure. Naruto reached out a hand to touch those intriguing scales on the ape-fish thing. Just what were they crafted from?
"Uh-hum," the deliberate sound of someone clearing their voice served as enough warning for Naruto's hand to jerk back as if slapped, "If you would please join me at the center we can be on our way at once." The woman could be no older than eighteen but Naruto could feel the disparity of five years most acutely as she glared pointedly at him. Sasuke had not moved from the center, therefore he was in good standing with their escort. Bastard.
"Ano sa, Ano sa, how are we going to this place?" Naruto queried as he swung his pack, from where he'd left it next to Sasuke, back onto his shoulder.
"Normally visitors take the floo," correctly interpreting Naruto's vacant expression, she elaborated, "that's travel by fireplace. However, for such a long distance and for those not accustomed to traveling by floo we offer assisted apparations. These are more costly, but the alternative is falling out at the wrong grate. You could end up as far as Italy speaking not a smidgen of Italian without any way to communicate your mishap, doubly so if it happens to be a muggle place you stumble into uninvited." Naruto couldn't follow all the terminology—what are muggles?—but he grasped the gist and was suitably thankful.
"Okay, what do I have to do?"
"Just take hold and try not to pass out." The last sound any of them heard was Sasuke's scornful snort. Then Naruto felt as if he was being compressed through a cylindrical tube. The air became tight in his lungs, spots danced in his vision, and all he could think was baa-chan had reason not to elaborate on their method of travel. If she had, Kakashi would have had to drag him trussed and unconscious to that dazzling room. As it was, Naruto devised nasty verbal abuse to include in his first briefing to Tsunade-baachan. Assuming, of course, he would come out of this experience alive and fully intact.
---Ministry of Magic, London: Apparation Platform---
When Naruto appeared, released from the brutal clutch of space and time, he was standing beside the escort on a large white platform. He could spot Sasuke standing rigidly and, if his paleness was any indication, he was not faring much better than himself. Their guide, Naruto realized belatedly that she'd never introduced herself, bade them a perfunctory farewell and was gone the next instant. A crack of noise accompanied her departure and left Naruto's ears irritatingly ringing. Suddenly the two Asians were being accosted by a man wearing what appeared to be a dress. Naruto unconsciously moved closer to Sasuke, angled so they were nearly back to back but both facing the strange man. Sasuke's shoulders were blatantly tensed and he mirrored Naruto's movements instinctively.
"Come, come now; you must get off the platform. There are schedules to keep!" The man waved his arms widely, trying to usher them toward the arrival gate which lead into the greeting room. He was speaking in a hesitating language full of jarring words and discordant sounds. Naruto could not hear a pattern to the blunt lexis which seemed to start and stop erratically. His own tongue, with syllables running together smoothly, was like the ebb and flow of a river. Naruto likened this new tongue to the chatter of birds, abrupt and unpleasant. By the grimace on Sasuke's face, Naruto gathered the Uchiha was discomfited as well. Despite the communication barrier, the two boys gathered that the man wished for them to move off the platform and pass through another door. It was on the threshold of the arrival gate that they first encountered Professor Snape.
xXxXx
Severus spotted the new arrivals and appraised them while the Apparation Officer marshaled them off the platform. The blonde one looked nervous while his partner, a pale, sickly-looking boy, appeared as if he wished to be somewhere, anywhere else. The Potions Master gathered himself up and approached the gate; this was going to be tedious.
xXxXx
As Severus drew near the doorway, he looked to the slip of parchment he carried in his hand. Listed on the scrap Albus had given him were the names of the transfer students, their time of arrival, and their method of travel. The last two were now redundant, but the first still held significance. When he came to within polite speaking distance he settled on a simple verification as his greeting.
"You-zuh-makey," Snape glared at the odd names he painfully sounded out, "You-shihay?" Glancing up the professor found both boys' attention centered on him. The blonde was…yes, he was smirking; the deep lines in his face became more pronounced as his skin pulled taunt over his cheekbones. The other however was scowling darkly at him.
"Uchiha." The boy corrected in a surprisingly deep voice for one so young.
"Uchiha," Snape repeated, looked to the parchment again, glanced at the dark one before looking to the blonde a second time, "Uzuh-makey?" he tried with the alterations of the previous name. The blonde gave a bark of laughter before huffing up his chest and pronouncing with clear pride.
"Ore wa Uzumaki Naruto dattebayo!" Snape made another mental note.
"Very well. I am Professor Snape." Severus made a glaring gesture, indicating himself as he spoke his name with emphasis. He hoped these children weren't complete morons, hoped they'd understand if he utilized signals in conjunction with words.
"Douzo yoroshiku Pu-ro-fe-so-ru Su-ne-pu." Uchiha bowed shortly, his unbalance bringing out the manners ingrained too long ago they'd become a reflex in times of uncertainty.
"Yo Sunepu-sensei!" Uzumaki chimed enthusiastically, hands folded behind his head casually.
x
Severus found himself automatically bowing to Uchiha in return, social conventions dictating he adopt their customs instead of confusing them with his own; but he scowled at the blonde. Even with the language barrier he could perceive the lack of respect in the tone of Uzumaki's greeting. Uzumaki seemed to shrug off his cold regard; Severus' heckles raised at the unashamed impudence. On the other hand, Uchiha was respectfully quite and appeared restless; he was unmistakably at a loss of how to communicate. Uzumaki simply appeared both impulsive and impatient, two traits Severus loathed in all teenagers.
"Doko e ikou ka?" Uzumaki inquired eagerly, looking to Severus who simply glowered uncomprehendingly.
"Purofesoru Sunepu wa nihongo o hanashimasen yo, dobe." Sasuke snarled at the other boy. Severus recognized a reprimand for what it was given the sheepish then offended expression on the blonde boy's face. The words themselves sounded like garbled nonsense to Severus' ears; how could anyone sort out words in that endless disgorging string? Severus inwardly cursed Albus' manipulation and tacked on a few less than polite appellations for Filius, those bloody translation charms would come in useful just about now.
"Purofesoru Sunepu?" Uchiha's calm inquiry drew Severus' vacant glare away from the opposite wall to bear on the coal-eyed boy. Uchiha did not flinch away, merely raised a prompting brow and motioned with one arm to the door leading back through the ministry. Severus followed the gesture, gave a brief nod, and motioned the boys to follow him. It appeared communication was not completely impossible, Severus could tolerate this.
xXxXx
Naruto shot piercing glares at the back of Sasuke's head as the other boy strode beside their teacher rather than behind. As if Sasuke would ever condescend himself to tag along behind anyone voluntarily, Naruto gave a mental snort. He had had to beat Sasuke into submission and then drag him back to Konoha, though they were both aware Sasuke was the one in the wrong. Naruto wondered vaguely how Tsunade-baachan was taking the news; no doubt Shikamaru had delivered his account of the mission by now. Not that there was much the Chuunin could inform her of concerning Naruto's fight with Sasuke. The Chuunin could only relate Naruto's state of arrival in the temporary camp he'd set up with the sand siblings. And, while Naruto was dead tired, nearly collapsing at the first sight of his teammates all present and accounted for, he bore none of the grievous wounds Sasuke inflicted. Kyuubi had healed him completely but for a few negligent scrapes. Naruto had been sure to cover up the massive holes in his jacket and shirt by artfully shredding both. Tsunade was bound to question him in her missives but Naruto did not plan on giving her the undiluted truth. There was still hope for saving Sasuke.
x
By the time they reached the strange contraption that would take them down to the first floor, Naruto was eyeing Sasuke tenderly with a hard glint of determination shining through. His thoughts no longer troubled, Naruto had the opportunity to observe all the fantastically wacky foreigners and outlandish objects within sight. Crammed in the small space, with them, were five other people, all of whom Naruto found fascinating. The man right next to him was caught up in trying to snatch one of those fluttering papers over head. The flimsy bird-object kept diving down, impacting against the man's head or face, and then soaring back up. If the vehemence with which the man muttered was any indication, he was quite aggravated. Naruto caught Sunepu-sensei sneering at the man contemptuously. The paper plunged once again; with one little bounce and an adroit hand stroke Naruto seized it millimeters from the man's face. The man jerked back startled, the other strangers eyed him with interest, one woman smiled in amusement, and Sunepu-sensei frowned deeply. Sasuke, of course, was nonplussed.
"Fool." Sasuke grunted.
"Bastard!" Naruto shot back, fist crumpling the paper in hand. Belatedly he noticed the note and fairly shoved it at the bedraggled man who fumbled it, giving it the chance to wing crookedly back to the flock above. Naruto quickly turned back to continue the exchange with Sasuke, only to find the Uchiha smirking at him. Naruto huffed and turned away pointedly.
x
Soon the lift reached the ground floor and Sunapu-sensei introduced them to the floo.
NOTE: For those interested in seeing the Crest of the Magic Ministry of Asia I created, visit my profile! Also, those familiar with Naruto should be able to discern most of the Japanese terms present in the story (you could probably skip to the general terms for a translation of what Severus couldn't understand). However, for those of you new to Naruto (or those watching dubs) I will provide translations below.
Translations:
Suffixes:
-chan - Japanese suffix with a diminutive meaning, a term of affection (usually used for children and younger females)
-kun - Japanese suffix used with younger familiar persons in place of –san, especially adults addressing young boys (often used by girls addressing boys of the same age)
-san - Japanese suffix used for polite address with those older or less familiar (much like the English Mr. Mrs. Ms.)
-hime - Japanese suffix meaning "princess"
-sama - Japanese suffix, the most formal form of address (used for those greatly admired, seniors of status, royalty, and deities)
Naruto terms:
Konohagakure (no Sato) – (Hidden) Village of the Leaf
Shinobi - ninja
Genin - low ninja
Chuunin – medium ninja
Jounin – upper ninja
Anbu (short form of Ansatsu Senjutsu Tokushi Butai) – Assassination Tactics Special Squad
Hokage – literally means Fire Shadow but is essentially the leader of the hidden village (Godaime and Sandaime indicate specific leaders "Go" meaning fifth and "San" meaning third)
Tsunade no baachan (and any variant thereof) - old lady Tsunade (if an 'o' is added, it serves as an honorific making it a bit more polite, though using –chan makes it less so)
Gejimayu - thick eyebrows (what Naruto calls Lee)
Kyuubi - nine tails (reference to the demon fox sealed inside Naruto)
Kunai - dagger-like, throwing weapon
Hitai-ate - forehead protector
Dobe - an insult Sasuke uses on Naruto much like blockhead, dead last, or idiot (I don't have a direct translation, does anyone know the literal meaning?)
General Japanese vocabulary:
Ano sa, ano sa - begging for attention, much like saying "listen up", or "look here"
Ano, eh? or naa - these are filler words much like um, huh, or ah
Yosh - alright
Oyaji - old man (quite disrespectful)
Sensei - teacher, master
Ore wa Uzumaki Naruto dattebayo! - I'm Naruto Uzumaki. (Note that "ore" meaning "I" is only used by males)
Douzo yoroshiku - Pleased to meet you.
Doko e ikou ka? - Where are we going?
Purofesoru Sunepu wa nihongo o hanashimasen yo. - Professor Snape doesn't speak Japanese! (note that "yo" is an emphatic sentence particle, drawing emphasis to the statement. It corresponds to English "you know," "I tell you," or "certainly," but sometimes there is no direct equivalent and the meaning can only be implied by intonation or stress.)