Deal
A/N: I'm back! Miss me?
Disclaimer: See chapter 1. Again thanks to White Angel of Auralon and Miriam1 for their beta'ing skills.
Please note: Western Ghats is a real mountain range that runs parallel to the western side of the Indian peninsula and really does exist.
According to Harry Potter wiki, Arabella Figg lived two streets over from Privet Dr. in the novels but across the street in the movies.
Japanese terms are at the bottom.
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Chapter 5
Sirius Black, sat in his prison cell at Azkaban, bored and despondent, and once again wondering where it all went wrong. They had the prefect prank. James and Lily should still be alive and raising little Prongs, Jr. but instead. . .
Why hadn't Dumbledore come to get him? Didn't he know he was innocent? That James was like a brother to him? And the Prongslet? Was his godson Harry alright? Was he safe? Who was raising him?
Harry should be about eight now. . .
"Black! You have a visitor!" called a guard, rattling keys of his cell.
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Minato sighed as he stood in the receiving room of what many called "Hell on Earth" or also known as the Wizarding prison, Azkaban.
The stone gave off a despairing air of coldness that chilled one to his very soul. This was due to the inhuman guards that patrolled the prison.
'Thankfully the dementors were kept well away from this section,' he mused as he gave a slight shudder.
It took seven long years to burn through all the red tape to see Black. Besides the Wizengamot, both Crouch and Dumbledore threw one stumbling block after another in front of him. Crouch couldn't understand why Minato wanted to see that betrayer. Minato wasn't too certain on the headmaster's reasons, but he finally got permission to see his old law enforcement partner.
He looked up to see a mangled Black being escorted in by the guards looking filthy and defeated.
"Minato! How goes it?" Black asked in a rough voice that wasn't used to speaking.
The tall blonde gave a slight bow, "I am well, Black-sempai. I would ask how you are, but I can see you are all tied up."
Black laughed a very hoarse, barking laugh.
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When Sirius walked back into his cell, his mind was on what he had been told by his old partner. In their brief conversation, in full view and for the benefit of those guards, they spoke of nonsense things all the while speaking in a mix of ANBU and marauder code.
When Minato joined the aurors, he taught them a variant of a hand signal code and, at the same time, they taught him their brand of code.
Thankfully for the pair, the prison guards didn't catch on.
So his old partner believed him and was looking for a way to get him out. He apologized for taking so long, but he was being stone-walled at every turn. At least, Prongslet was being raised right, under the very nose of the old coot.
Out of the shadows in the far corner, a toad hopped out. It opened his mouth and its tongue was wrapped around a scroll. Once the scroll hit the floor, it disappeared in a cloud of smoke.
"What!? Ewww!" The toad smirked and vanished in a puff of smoke.
After reading it, Sirius grinned. He knew that Minato was a devious bastard and remembered that he would use toads sometimes to do things.
"I wish I could summon them to take me back to my son," Sirius remember hearing Minato say once. His voice held such pain and sadness. "I promised to help fulfill a prophesy and I am a man of honor." He wouldn't say any more about it.
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Two streets over from where the Namikazes lived a crazy cat lady known as Mrs. Figg. Many were upset that she allowed her many cats run wild in the community. Never mind that she always smelled of cats and boiled cabbage.
The Namikaze boys made sure that her lawn was mowed and did any odd chore that she needed. They didn't seem to mind the cats or the smell. They were such good boys, not like some that lived in the neighborhood.
In actuality, Mrs. Arabella Figg was a squib and well-versed about the Wizarding World. She had been placed there by Albus Dumbledore to keep an eye on little Harry Potter, who was supposed to be living with his relatives.
Minato recognized her, not long after he had purchased the house across the street from Number four. He showed her his copy of Lily's will and told the older woman his promise to watch of Lily's son.
He then swore her to secrecy to why he was there. He didn't want anyone, especially the headmaster, to know that he was there.
"I'll be raising Harry as Lily wanted, Figg-san, but the headmaster had tied the child's magic to very dangerous blood magic," he had told her, "I can't remove him without the Headmaster or the Ministry knowing, plus it would damage Har-chan's magic and put him in danger. You see?"
And she did. She may be a squib, but she had studied magical theory when she was younger.
She liked how the young father put things. She thought his accent and uses of the Japanese honorifics to be quite endearing. Some people didn't, but that was their problem, not hers. She didn't like the child's aunt and uncle. And that son of theirs . . . She shuddered; she didn't want to think what that sweet boy of Lily's would have had to endure.
So, over the years, she kept her reports of little Harry simple. The poor boy was doing well and is healthy. She did add in a few negative items in her report on how the family was treating him which was true. The Dursleys could not stand Haru Namikaze. Albus Dumbledore never once came to see for himself if her reports were false or not.
In return, once the boys were old enough, they would come over and do any chore she wanted. They always complimented her biscuits and swore she told the best stories about the Wizarding World. Haru, as how he liked to be called now, also like stories about his parents. Sadly, she didn't know that many, but he still loved hearing them.
The biggest secret that she and that little family that lived around the corner had was they had a huge grim-like dog staying with them.
When the news broke that Sirius Black had escaped and was at large, Dumbledore wasn't too concerned.
He thought that the Blood wards that was around Harry would protect him. After all, the wards were about intent and would prevent anyone with the Dark Mark or evil intent from getting to little Harry.
The Wizarding World, after a few years of no sightings of the dangerous escapee, breathed a sigh of relief including Albus. He was convinced that Sirius could not find his godson. The wards around the boy never pinged.
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Minato had a rare day off and decided to take the boys to the zoo. Both loved walking around the animals. Although some of the more intelligent ones didn't warm up to either him or Naruto, because of the dark aura they gave off, they loved Haru.
Except for the foxes. Haru always thought it was funny how the foxes would try their best to get to them. Ever since that first night when Naruto came to live with them, they knew that Naruto had the Nine-tails sealed within him.
If the foxes adored Naruto, the snakes worshiped Haru. The dark-haired boy would spend hours at the Snake House if Tou-san and the keepers would allow it. He would catch up on the latest gossip from the snakes. Many of the more sluggish ones were a bit simple and would only speak about their next meal or their last shedding. The more dangerous ones had a very dry wit about them.
One keeper actually looked forward to Harry's visit. He was a squib and knew what parsel-tongue was. He had come across one of Haru's conversation with a serpent that they had been worried about losing with the change in climate. Haru, surprised that he had been found out, told the keeper that the heating unit in the enclosure was too hot in one area and too cold in the other. It needed a more even heat source. Now the snake was more settled in its new home.
"I have no prejudice about it," he told Minato, after the incident. "I'm from the Western Ghats in India. We have most of the most poisonous and non-venomous snakes in India there. So naturally, snake speakers are highly revered."
He leaned down to Harry. "I heard you speaking to them. If they tell you anything important, let me know. Also, if you ever want a job, I'll put in a good word."
Today they were visiting the Snake House before they headed out for lunch when it happened.
Haru was busy speaking to a Brazilian constrictor when he was suddenly pushed out of the way by a heavy hand.
"Quit hogging the window! Hey Dad! This snake's moving, not like the others," Dudley Dursley shouted. Seems others from Privet Drive had the same idea of visiting the zoo that day.
Minato face palmed as Haru scowled from the floor where he had been pushed.
There was still no love between the two neighborhood families. The Dursleys never did reign in their over-weight son or his little friends. Naruto and Haru mostly tried to ignore the pig with a wig, as the pair liked to call him, and his posse. Sometimes it worked.
Haru winced in pain as he tried to sit up. The over-sized boy laughed, ignoring him as he banged on the glass. Snakes really did hate the noise and the vibrations that it caused. Haru wished he could just shut Dudley up.
Suddenly, there was a shout, as the fat boy was on the inside of the snake case and the snake was freed.
Minato groaned. Great! He had thought he had a handle on Haru's accidental magic. Wait, that isn't his magic. He glanced over at a very smug blonde. He raised an eyebrow in query at his mischievous son.
Suddenly, the tall blonde had Vernon Dursley in his face shouting about getting his freaky son under control or he would sue.
There were a few popping sounds as the Obviate Team showed up in the shadows.
Minato sighed again, and it started out to be a fine day, too.
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Later, the trio sat in an out-door restaurant enjoying a late lunch and dessert. They were discussing the incident at the zoo.
"It's fine," Minato assured his sons, "It wasn't your fault, you two. It just happens."
"We know Tou-san. Accidental magic happens when we are stressed, emotionally or physically. But Naruto's eleven and I'll be eleven, too, in a few more weeks," Haru informed him with a whine.
"Besides, that teme needs a lesson. He's still bullying the kids in our neighborhood," Naruto enjoined.
Minato frowned at his son's rude language but decided to ignore it. "Oh, I know, but I don't want you two involved with that. It wouldn't take much for the Dursleys try to drag you into whatever incident lands their son into jail also. And Naruto, watch your language."
"Yes sir. We'll be careful, Tou-san," Naruto agreed, giving his brother a glance, who, in turn, agreed.
The rest of the day went better and the Dursleys and their spoiled son were put out of their minds.
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Snuffles laid on the rug near the hearth, waiting for the family to get home from the zoo, dozing contently. He was well cared for as any beloved family pet could be.
But he was far from being a pet. He was Sirius Black in disguise. He had escaped from that accursed prison few years ago.
He was stuck.
One of the conditions for staying near his godson Harry was to remain a dog until Harry re-enters the Wizarding World and starts Hogwarts and the boy could demand to get a trial for his magical sworn godfather, Sirius Black, heir to the Most Ancient and Noble House of Black.
However, being a dog wasn't so bad. He could stay close to Harry and his brother Naruto. Both boys knew who and what he was, and they didn't care. They enjoyed rough-housing with him, taking him for walks, and pranking the neighborhood bullies.
He was fed regularly and groomed and had a place to bed down in the basement for him. Sirius could return to human form at night when the boys were asleep. He and Minato would talk, plan or train without anyone knowing the escaped felon was there.
It wasn't a bad way of living. For the time being.
Of course, there was a bad side. They were concerned that he may be caught again and dealt with by the Wizarding World.
And there was the Community watch. They were constantly looking for ways to put down the boy's pet. The Dursleys were the worst of the lot. They kept reporting him as running off the leash and causing mayhem. However, much of what they reported was, in reality, stunts Dudley and his gang had caused.
Therefore, Minato was careful about keeping his dog license up to date and kept a running file on Dudley on what mischief he and his gang caused. Most of the time, he could prove that Sirius hadn't caused any of the trouble.
Being taken away from Harry was the most effective threat Minato had over him, as well as taking him to the vet to be neutered.
Sirius shuddered. No neutering! He'd behave for the most part for Harry's sake.
Suddenly, the front door opened, and the loud shouting of the boys echoed through the house. They were home!
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senpai – means senior/mentor/upperclassman.
teme – a very rude way of saying 'you,' as saying you bastard