Deal

A/N: Here in more detail on what is going on at Hogwarts. Also, for those that are not into weapons training of any sort: live steel means real swords, daggers, etc, anything with an edge to them. They are very real, sharp and dangerous.

I just know there are people out there that would be call me about it.

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Chapter 10

After a couple of weeks at Hogwarts, Haru and Naruto were sneaking around, looking for a place to spar and train. It was frustrating! They couldn't start looking any sooner, as much as they wanted to, as all attention seem to be on Haru and why he didn't like his old name.

Why couldn't everyone understand!? Haru hated his fame! He didn't want the attention. No shinobi did, not even their oniisan – Kakashi. It would have been acceptable if people had got over this after a week or two, they wouldn't have liked it, but understood. These people had a wrong idea of Haru for years after all, but they had both, repeatedly at that, made it clear why Haru wasn't called Harry Potter anymore.

An additional problem was that Haru and Naruto didn't know where to look for a place to spar and train without someone finding them. Since their father never went to Hogwarts, he didn't know any place where they could quietly train. And it was clear that the teachers had very different opinions what students should work on than they did. In their opinion most of their classmates were horribly lazy. Snuffles had told them stories of his school days, but they were filled with pranks and goofing off. He didn't know any place except an empty classroom. He did, however, have one piece of advice – ask Professor Flitwick. He was a dueling master and could even give advice on their training. So they did – after a week of failed searching.

"Well boys, I don't know..." the Charms Professor commented, rubbing his chin when they finally asked.

"Please sir, we would like to keep up with our training. We thought we could use an empty classroom, but curfew is bit of a problem. Also, no one is leaving me alone. They are always staring and pointing. It's getting ridiculous!" Haru groused.

"Yeah, we don't want to have Tou-san upset with us for not keeping up with our training, – 'ttebayo," Naruto piped in.

"Well, I know of a place and it isn't far from Gryffindor Tower," Professor Flitwick said, rubbing his chin, "In fact, I think I would like to see you duel."

The boys grinned.

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Professor Flitwick, Head of the Ravenclaw House, wasn't too keen on allowing first-year students to duel each other. Also, he didn't think it would be a good idea to allow the Namikaze brothers to use an old classroom to duel in. Spell damage could get away from them. They were first years, after all. However, he was under Goblin orders to keep Mr. Namikaze happy. The man was warrior, and if he was training his sons in the same style as his, then they too would be a force to reckon with when they got older. The wizard had impressed his goblin brothers with his prowess.

Then there was the fact that the Charms Professor was a bit curious about what training the boys had already received from their father. He showed them the abandoned classroom and, with a flick of his wrist as well as calling a couple of house elves, the room was prepared the best it could be.

"That should do it, boys. Mind if I watch you train?" he asked.

The pair grinned that mischievous grin that was all too familiar to the professor. What happened next surprised him. They weren't using their wands.

Naruto crossed two hands and shouted "Kage Bunshin no Jutsu!"

Suddenly, ten exact copies of the blond appeared in front of him.

"It's alright, Professor," Haru informed the startled professor.

"What kind of spell was that?"

"That's not magic, sir," Haru told him, "It's something else that we would learn if we were where Tou-san is from. Naruto knows what he is doing." He then sighed and shook his head. "I wish I could do that. I don't have the ability, the way Naru does. Tou-san says when I am older, maybe, if I keep training. My talents run a different way."

Naruto ordered eight to work on control, then had other two work on homework, while he would spar with Haru.

Pulling a pair of kunai, Naruto tossed one at Haru. "Ready?"

"Warm up first, Oniisan," Haru called as he shed his robes which showed he had a green gi on, "You know what Tou-san would say."

Naruto removed his robes to show he was wearing an orange gi and grinned.

What happened next was remarkable. Flitwick knew that Minato Namikaze was a dangerous man, but to teach his sons using 'live steel'...

The next hour, the boys trained and maybe showed off a bit for the professor. At least it looked like that to him. They walked up the stone walls, ran along the vaulted ceiling, and fought hand to hand, bouncing all over the room. And not once did they used any magic that he was familiar with. Most of their moves were called out in Japanese. He decided to take some notes about things they regularly called out and what they did, to get a better idea of their kind of training plans and abilities. It was honestly fascinating and he was the head of Ravenclaw, the house of learning, for a good reason.

An hour later, one of Naruto's look-alikes called out the time. The boys stopped what they were doing and started doing laps around the floor of the room as they cooled down.

Flitwick clapped as they came to a stop in front of him.

"Well, sensei?" Haru asked a little out of breath.

"In all my years, I have never seen anything like it," he honestly told them, "It is small wonder that your father has impressed the goblins."

The boys grinned as Naruto gathered up his finished homework, dismissing his other selves, one at a time.

"Mr. Namikaze, could you please tell me how you made those copies of yourself?"

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That night, Filius Flitwick sat in his private quarters nursing a large mug of goblin grog. He didn't usually indulge, as he was only half goblin, and the very strong drink did knock him for a loop. Never, never had he heard such a thing. Chakra. He would have to research it. He also found out from the boys that Minato had been the dictator of a village of ninja before he was exiled. It did explain some things about the man and his mastery of runes. From what the boys could tell him about the village, this dictator wasn't chosen for his lineage, but his skill and earned reputation.

The boys promised, if the professor promised not to tell anyone else, they could bring their father to the castle to show him more. The half-goblin found himself eager to meet the man, and maybe entice him into a dueling match. He was a warrior himself, even if his active days were in the past. But the thrill of a good fight to keep his abilities sharp always got his blood pumping.

Poor Albus. The old headmaster's plans were doomed before they even started.

Lily really did throw a monkey wrench into his plans. That boy would not stay in the Wizarding World after all this. Why would he? He didn't have any ties to the Wizarding World, outside of having to learn some control over his magic. Albus made a critical error by forcing the child to live in the Muggle World and not keeping track of him. Young Haru Namikaze was firmly entrenched in this shinobi way of life. He would never accept his old name and his place in the Wizarding World.

The old fool had lost even before his plans came into play.

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Hermione Granger watched what was unfolding before her in the Great Hall in horror. It was equivalent watching a train wreck.

Haru Namikaze was normally a nice quiet boy who followed around his slightly older, but louder, brother. Since the first week, he would correct anyone that called him Potter, if they slipped. The professors for the most part called him Mr. Namikaze, except for the potions master, who still insisted on call him Potter.

"I am Haru Namikaze. Potter is like a middle name now," he told Professor Snape, during their first potion lesson, "How would you like to be called by your middle name as if it was a curse word?" He shot back, annoyed, "I will not answer to a name that I haven't been called by since my magical adoption."

Several of the students still disagreed, as the rumor made its round. He was their savior and wasn't allowed to change their pre-conceived ideas. It was doubtful that their attitude would do them any favours, no matter if they thought they could get away with it, believing that Haru would cave in one day. They had no idea how stubborn Haru could be. Rightfully in her opinion. Adoption was a concept she was familiar with from the muggle world. A child that was adopted got the name of its adoptive parents and while she thought it could choose going back to its birth name when they were adults, most didn't want to, as they were happy to have gained a new family.

Hermione had come into the Great Hall for dinner with Haru and his brother Naruto. The pair of boys took her under their wings when they noticed how she alienated everyone around her. They were carefully weaning her off her know-it-all attitude, much to the staff's gratitude. It was rough going, but at least they were nice about it. She liked having someone watching her back, for once. They didn't seem to be put-off by her know-it-all attitude.

"HEY, POTTER!"

Haru continued, ignoring the shout, telling Naruto what had happened in the library. Hermione sighed. This would be a train wreck, she was certain of that.

Draco Malfoy, a Slytherin first year, another that tried to form a friendship with the black-haired boy, shouted again, "Hey, Potter. I'm speaking to you."

Ron Weasley shouted back, "Lay off, you slimy snake! Potter doesn't answer to the likes of you, right Harry?"

Haru continued to head for a seat at the Gryffindor table when Weasley made to throw an arm over his shoulder as if they were best mates. Everyone had seen Naruto do that countless of times, so of course, the red-head thought the smaller boy wouldn't mind.

What happened next had the students of Hogwarts gossiping for weeks.

Haru, not missing a beat and back turned, grabbed Weasley's arm and with a tug and a good use of gravity flung the red-head across his shoulder and into the chest of Malfoy.

They landed across the Hufflepuff table. A glaring green-eyed first year with hands out ready for any attack, said in a very cold voice, "My name is Haru Namikaze! I told you at the Welcoming Feast that I will not answer to Potter, can't you people get it through that thick grey mass you call a brain? Leave me alone!"

"POTTER!" shouted Professor Snape as he billowed down the aisle. "Detention! Fifty points from Gryffindor for violence against another student!"

Haru looked at Naruto who grinned at his brother, as he watched as the pair of boys struggled to untangle themselves.

"Hey, bro? Know any Potter here?" Haru asked, innocently.

"Nope," came the reply, with a scratching of the head, "Can you hum a few bars?"

Haru turned back to the Potions Master as his green-eyes glared up at him. "Sorry sir, there is no Potter here. If I see him, I'll let him know he has a detention."

Hermione face-palmed as she watched the aftermath. She knew this was boiling for over a week, but now it was happening. Haru Namikaze had finally reached the limit of his patience. Not too surprising. She was sure others in his situation would have snapped long before this.

Severus Snape prided himself at making any year student quake at his presence but this . . . Looking down into those angry green eyes, he was looking at a young Lily Evans in justified anger. He couldn't turn away.

"What is the meaning of this?" came Professor McGonagall's voice, as she also walked down the aisle to the confrontation.

"Just Haru being fed up by being called the wrong name since he came here, -ttebayo, and people expecting him to answer," Naruto answered as Haru continued to stare up at the potions master.

"Blondie over there called out 'Potter.' There's not a Potter here. Then freckle-face over there tried to put his arm on Haru. My little brother hates being touched by people he doesn't know. Tou-san taught us how to defend ourselves. Personally, I think Haru's right. You people are lacking in the brain department."

Naruto scowled as he folded his arms daring anyone to contradict him.

"That's pretty much what happened, Professor," Hermione agreed, from behind the boys.

"Then Professor Snape came down and started shouting about detention and points and calling him Potter." She turned to Naruto and sighed. "You must respect the teachers here, Naruto, even if they still don't understand that Haru won't answer to his birth name."

Minerva pinched the bridge of her nose. Then looked over at the point counter and frowned. The fifty points had not been deducted. Strange.

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It was a strange sight as the two professors and the four students stood in the headmaster's office. Haru knew he was in the right, then he noticed his father's kunai in the wall and grinned. He nudged Naruto as the professors were outlining what happened and pointed with his chin.

Naruto grinned back and sent a pulse of chakra at their father's kunai. The boys exchanged a glance before returning to the adults in the room, looking like butter would not melt in their mouths.

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Minato was finishing up for the day. Life had become boring of late, and he really didn't want to go an empty home. He was missing his boys terribly, and the house was too quiet without them.

Suddenly, he felt the tug of one of his tri-pronged kunai. It took only a few seconds to recognized it was the one at Hogwarts; that means his boys were in the headmaster's office, and they needed him.

Grinning, he used his signature jutsu that got him the title of "The Yellow Flash."

Life just got interesting again.

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Live steel – see above author notes

jutsu – ninja skills/techniques

oniisan – big brother