Chapter 9: Celebration and Loss

Naruto, Harry, and Ron are just walking around the campus talking about the events that just happened. Both Naruto and Ron had just learned that Harry was made a seeker for their house's quidditch team. Ron was excited about the news, whereas Naruto was confused given that he still doesn't know much about the wizarding world let alone one the concept of quidditch itself. "Wait, what is quidditch?" Naruto asked Ron, to which Ron was shocked. "You don't know quidditch?!" Ron said dumbfounded. "Hey, I still don't know much about the wizarding world," Naruto said. So Ron decides to explain the sport along with its rules. Later Ron's brothers, Fred and George, came around hearing the news that Harry was made as the new seeker and they decided to explain their roles in the team.

After hearing many things about quidditch, it seems to interest Naruto; However, Harry seems unsure of himself playing the game as he is losing confidence. Luckily Hermione comes to the rescue and assures Harry that he'll be fine. "You won't make a fool out of yourself, it's in your blood," she states as she leads the boys to a trophy case showing a plaque of players with Harry's father listed on one of them. They were all amazed, whereas Harry was surprised to see his father in his younger days. As the four went up the stairs to the common room, the staircases began to move. The four held on to the railing as the staircase connected to another level. "Let's go this way," Harry suggested. The four opened the door only to enter a dark room, "does anyone feel like… we shouldn't be here?" questioned Naruto. "That's because we are on the third floor, it's forbidden," said Hermione, sounding pretty worried.

Soon the torches in the room light up, and before they could leave, they see Mrs. Norris, Mr. Filch's cat, standing in front of the door blocking their way. "It's Filch's cat!" exclaimed Ron, sounding worried. Not wanting to get caught, the four ran as fast as they could all the way to the end of the corridor only to deal with a locked door. "That's it, we're done for" Ron cried. "No we're not, move over-" Hermione states as she pulls out her wand and points to a keyhole and says "Alohomora" as a small light shines through the hole and unlocks the door.

The four enter the room, while on the other side of the door Mr. Filch comes out and picks up his cat, checking for anyone who's in the room only to find no one. As Filch left, the four sighed in relief, "Filch is gone-" assured Hermione. "Probably thinks it's locked-" Ron said in his opinion. "It was locked-" Naruto said rather cautiously. "And for good reason," Harry states as they all look up to see a giant three-headed dog growling at them. The four screamed and got out of the room quickly and went back to their common room.

Gryffindor Common Room

The four managed to head back into the common room albeit looking as if they ran a marathon. "What were they thinking?! Keeping a thing like that locked up in a school," Ron stated, pretty shaken from that moment. "You didn't see it?" Naruto said. "See what?" questioned Harry. "What it was standing on-" Hermione said. Ron looks at the two as if they had grown a second head and said "I wasn't looking at its feet! I was a bit more preoccupied with its head or maybe you didn't notice, there were three!" "Guys it was standing on a trap door-" Naruto states. "Meaning it wasn't an accident, it's guarding something" Hermione finishes. "Guarding something?" Harry asked. "That's right, now if you don't mind, I'm going to bed before the three of you come up with another clever idea to get us killed or worse expelled!" she states as she walks to her dorm and shuts the door. "She really needs to sort out her priorities" Ron said to Harry while Naruto looks at Ron as if he had said the dumbest thing he ever heard. As Ron and Harry went to their dorm, Naruto went to the couch and sat down. "What a day-" he said to himself while still thinking about what that three headed dog was guarding.

October 10

Weeks have passed since Naruto and his friends started at Hogwarts as Naruto is getting to know more about the place as well as some of the people. So far it seems that some professors such as McGonagall and Dumbledore actually found the boy to be quite likable as he knows how to make people uplifted, whereas Snape was rather neutral with the boy, but still found him to be a good student in his class. Naruto and his friends have gotten to know more about Hagrid the groundskeeper including his dog Fang, who seems to be thrilled when Naruto comes over to visit. Naruto has also managed to make friendships with some of the people in his house such as Neville with how they have something of a green thumb when it comes to plants, Fred and George just by how they share prank stories. But the most important friendship for Naruto was with Hermione, as they both became best friends over the course of the weeks so much so that they are seen by many as a dynamic duo of sorts.

Now the day is October 10, or in Naruto's case: his birthday. Naruto is seen walking into Dumbledore's office wanting to talk with him about that day. As he enters the office, he finds Dumbledore next to a beautiful red orange bird. "Hey Professor Dumbledore" Naruto said to the old man. Dumbledore turns and smiles at the boy, "hello Naruto, what brings you into my office this fine morning?" he asked. "Well since today is my birthday, I was wondering if-" Naruto was about to finish when Dumbledore interrupts. "Let me guess, you want to take some time off to reflect, is that it?" Dumbledore said to Naruto. The blonde wizard sadly nods. Given how Dumbledore had seen the boy's memories, he figured it would be right for the boy to properly clear his mind of all the pain he has felt in his childhood. "Very well then, I'll discuss with the professors about your absence today, but I must ask that you shouldn't hide your emotions away anymore, and reveal the truth about yourself to your friend when you are ready" Dumbledore said to the boy. Naruto looked at the old man and sincerely thanked him. Leaving the office, he heads off to find a place to be at peace with himself. He and his pet crow, Kage, found a spot that overlooks the castle and the lake nearby.

"I still miss it there… but at the same time, I'm glad I'm not there anymore" Naruto said to his crow as he reflected about his time here. For the past few weeks or so, this place has been a home for him like no other. Despite Konoha being his old home, it can't compare to where he is. If anything, Naruto felt some strange emotions in his heart as if he yearned for something. "Mom…Dad… whoever you guys were, I wonder… When you guys died, did you at least love me or did you think I was a freak?" Naruto asks himself sadly as he thinks about what his parents were like or who they were. Kage looks at Naruto sensing his emotions and decides to nuzzle his head next to Naruto as a way to comfort him. Naruto looked at Kage and smiled. He thought that despite him being alone here, he's not alone anymore as he has made brand new friendships that he will cherish. So in a way, he's glad that he was sent here by the Sage of Six Paths.

Gryffindor Common Room- Night Time

Harry, Ron, and Hermione were in the common room thinking about where Naruto was. They couldn't find him and when they asked the professors about his absence, they said that the boy was taking some time off to take care of some issues. Granted the three don't know about the boy's issue other than the professors, they figured that it was something personal. Naruto enters the common room and as they were about to greet him, they notice that he was rather quiet. "Naruto where were you and are you ok?" asked Hermione, sounding pretty worried. "Yeah mate we didn't see you in class all day" Ron added. Harry looks at Naruto and figures that it's something personal given how he's acting right now. "Come on Ron let's leave the two to talk" he said to Ron grabbing his hand and going up the stairs. "But I want to know," said Ron. "Believe me I too want to know, but if it's something personal- '' Harry was going to finish when Naruto interrupted. "It's fine guys, the reason why I was absent all day is because today is my birthday" Naruto said. The three were shocked and so Naruto elaborated by explaining how he wanted to celebrate alone, while also mourning his parents given that he was an orphan on that day. The three were shocked, though it was both Harry and Ron given that they didn't know much about him until now. While Naruto only told them half of the truth about himself, needless to say the three were saddened by the blonde's childhood. "Blimey…" Ron said in disbelief. "Yup, that's why whenever it's my birthday I generally celebrate it alone as the people from my home tend to ruin it on that day" Naruto said softly. "Like I said Naruto, you got me, Harry and Ron. You're not alone anymore" Hermione said putting a hand on his shoulder. Naruto looks at her and then looks at Harry and Ron as they also do the same. With that Naruto smiled- a true smile so to speak, and thanked them. The three smiled at him and soon they decided to celebrate his birthday with some of the leftover chocolate they had on the train ride. For once in his life, Naruto had the best birthday in his life.