::11::
"R-Reg?" Mary looked from Ron to the real Reg.
"Just our luck..." Muttered Harry.
The wizard looked from his wife to Ron. "What's going on?"
"Seal the exits! Seal those bloody exits!" Yaxley had burst from the lift, his face a bit red and blotchy from the stunning curse and was running forward.
Several kunai armed with exploding tags sailed through the air and clanged against the dark tiles of the fireplaces, exploding on impact. Screams echoed through the Atrium as the Muggle-borns who had not yet escaped quickly backed away from the fire. Harry turned, wide eyed toward the armed ninja and saw they were running out of time. Yaxley had nearly reached them.
"He's helping Mudbloods escape!" Yelled Harry and quickly punched the other wizard in the face before pushing Ron toward the fire. There was uproar from the wizard's colleagues and Ron quickly braved through the fire, grabbing Mrs. Cattermole in the process and disappearing.
Yaxley looked confused as Reg Cattermole was shouting "Who was that with my wife? What's going on?"
Sai tossed down a few smoke bombs before he and Naruto disappeared into the fireplace. Harry quickly grasped Hermione's hand and jumped in. He could just make out Yaxley yelling "After them!"
They burst out of the toilet and found Ron struggling with Mrs. Cattermole.
"I'm not your husband!" Yelled Ron.
There was a splash and a bang as an Oto ninja burst out of the toilet and kicked the door off the stall. Hermione and Mrs. Cattermole shrieked before Sai quickly aimed a kunai at his throat. The ninja quickly fell to the ground dead as Naruto ran over and grasped Hermione's hand. "There's gonna be more coming soon! We need to get out of here now!" He said urgently.
Hermione quickly nodded her head when there was a noise as Yaxley appeared out of the toilet. Hermione gasped and they all grasped hands and entered the darkness when Harry felt something wrong. Hermione's fingers were slipping away, and for a brief second, he saw Grimmauld place, but then it disappeared.
The sun was shining brightly in Naruto's eyes once he opened then. A large stick was poking into his back so he quickly sat up.
"Ugh." He said, rubbing his eyes.
He saw they were sitting in a forest, the trees were sparse around them and Naruto could see the sky above, clear and blue. A couple feet away, Naruto saw Ron and Sai lying on the ground, both unconscious. "What happened? Where the hell are we?"
"Naruto!" Hermione cried running up to him. "Thank god you're awake! I thought something happened!" Hermione threw her arms around Naruto's neck. Naruto, surprised at her touch awkwardly patted her arm until she let go.
"Sorry..." Said Hermione, suddenly embarrassed.
Just then, Sai started to groan. Hermione flew over to him as Naruto noticed that his lower arm was covered in blood.
"Eh!" Said Naruto. "What happened?"
"Splinched." Hermione said, as she leaned over Sai who had started to sit up. She lightly pushed him back on the ground. Naruto jogged over and found himself repulsed by the sight. Lacerations covered his entire lower arm as if someone had completely wrapped it in ninja wire and pulled tightly.
"That's the second injury to that arm." Sai stated calmly, although his forehead was covered with sweat.
"Oi, Hermione." Naruto mumbled as he covered his hand over his mouth in an effort not to throw up. Ron's injuries were much worse than Sai's as in addition to the lacerations covering his entire arm, it looked his someone had scooped a chunk of flesh from his shoulder.
"Oh Ron!" Hermione cried as she looked over at him. She quickly turned her attention toward Ron, her hands fluttering over him. Ron's skin was already turning a deathly pale tone.
Spinning around, she pointed her wand at her bag which lay some feet away. "Accio Dittany!" A small bottle flew from her bag and into her hand. She sprinkled some over Ron's shoulder and held her breath as the flesh grew back, covering up the hole and healing the various cuts. With speed that surprised Naruto, Hermione had turned and then sprinkled the Dittany on Sai's forearm.
As she waited for the effects to take place, she and Naruto heard a rustling of leaves. They quickly spun around, Naruto with a kunai in his hand, face still green from seeing Ron's injury and Hermione with the Bottle of Dittany in her still shaking hand.
"Harry!" Hermione cried when she saw Harry stagger forward.
"What…happened?" Harry asked as his eyes drifted toward the still unconscious Ron. "Why are we here?" Asked Harry.
Hermione looked at him, her eyes suddenly brimming with tears when they heard Sai finally sit up. He let out a shaky sigh. "Good as new…" He said, glancing down at his arm, still covered in dried blood.
Hermione turned back to Harry as she shook her head. "I'm so sorry, Yaxley took hold of me and he was with us when we got to Grimmauld Place, then I shook him free and took us here!"
"Where is here?" Asked Sai standing up and taking in his surroundings.
"The forest where we camped for the Quidditch World Cup." Said Hermione looking at Harry.
"I bet that bastard found the house then…" Said Naruto.
Harry looked at Naruto and nodded. He had just been thinking the same thing. Naruto's stomach grumbled loudly and Naruto felt depressed at the thought of leaving Kreacher and his ramen cooking behind. At least he had it while he had the chance…
"I'm so sorry!" Hermione wailed again.
Harry shook his head. "It's my fault, I pulled Mad Eye's eye from the door. That's why they were probably sealing the exits when we got there..."
"It's probably my fault too." Naruto confessed. "If I didn't get all out of sorts from those freaky ghost things…Wait, you pulled an eye from a door?" Naruto made a face and was about to comment about how nasty that was when Ron awoke with a grumble. He looked clammy.
"Ron! How do you feel?" Asked Hermione, kneeling beside him.
"Lousy." He grumbled. Harry saw Ron struggle to get up and then collapsed back on the ground after raising an inch.
"Let's stay here." Suggested Harry, marveled and repelled by how much more endurance Sai had than Ron. Sai, who had endured the same injury, was walking around without so much as a struggle or groan.
"Good idea." Hermione seemed relieved and jumped up to start casting some protective charms around them.
"You can get the tent." She called to Harry.
Tent? Naruto looked incredulously at Hermione's bag. Harry summoned a shabby looking tent out of the bag, but Hermione had to put it up for him. Harry and Naruto carried Ron inside and to the ninja's surprise, it was quite spacious inside.
"Sugoi!" Said Naruto. "This is pretty sweet!"
Hermione sat timidly on the floor. "Well, I'm not sure if it will hold against Vol – "
"Don't say it." said Ron.
Everyone turned to look him. "What?" Asked Ron, shrugging his one shoulder, "I know that it's some sort of act of defiance against him, but it just seems like a jinx. Can we just say You Know Who?"
"I don't understand what…" Began Naruto loudly, but Sai nudged him.
Naruto took the hint and shut his mouth. They were all seated comfortably, except for Ron when Harry remembered what they just went through. "Hermione!" He exclaimed, "Do you have it?"
Her eyes widened at the mention of it. "Of course!" Hermione pulled the locket from her pocket and held it up.
"You got it!" Ron yelled. "Blimey, no one tells me anything!"
"So that has a bit of the Hebi-teme's soul in it?" Said Naruto scrunching his eyes up. "Doesn't look dangerous."
Sai took the locket in his hands. "It's alive." He said.
"Don't be funny, Sai." Ron grumbled.
"No really." Said Sai handing the locket to Harry. "I can feel it."
"Sai doesn't know how to be funny." Said Naruto.
Sure enough, Harry felt as if the locket were emitting a pulse of its own. Biting his lip, Harry put the locket around his neck and tucked it down the front of his shirt. Hermione creased her eyebrows. "Harry, what are you doing?"
"We can't afford to lose this thing, or to have someone steal it." Said Harry fiercely.
The five of them decided the best way to ensure their safety was alternate who kept watch outside. Of course, Harry kept it to himself, but he wanted Naruto and Sai to have the longer watches. Truth was, he felt safer that way although he wouldn't admit it to Ron and Hermione.
Naruto complained the most about eating, and Hermione felt horrible. She didn't pack any food because she assumed they would be returning to Grimmauld Place that night. Hermione had found some wild mushrooms growing near their tent and stewed them in a pot for dinner that night. Ron pushed his aside after a few bites, but Harry tried to stick it out. Sai was the only one who shoveled the food down with no complaint. Nothing betrayed his face.
"At least Sai appreciates it." Hermione glowered at Ron who just made a face and refused to look at Hermione the rest of the right all the while shooting Sai looks as if he betrayed him.
Sai just shrugged his shoulders. "Food is food."
"You're wizards!" Naruto cried as eating the stewed mushrooms finally pushed him to his limit. "Can't you just conjure some food and be done with it?"
Ron sighed. "My mum could..."
"No she could not." Hermione snapped, her patience running thin. "Don't you know food is the first of five exceptions to Gamp's Law of Elemental Transfiguration?"
When she was greeted with blank looks, she rolled her eyes and gave an aggravated sigh. "You can summon food if you know where it's coming from, you can transform it, you can increase the quantity of it," She said ticking off her fingers, "But you cannot simply conjure it out of thin air! Didn't you learn anything at school?" She asked shrilly.
The boys wisely didn't respond and Naruto was left to mope. What good was being a wizard if you couldn't make food? He learned a lot of things during his last time in the wizarding world, but none of them were from school.
"I can't believe you found something like this." Said Hermione from the floor where she was flipping through the Bingo Book. "Everyone is in here." She breathed.
The idea both horrified her and intrigued her. "You actually use books like this?"
Sai nodded. "Every ANBU member has one."
Ron looked at Sai confused. Ron was still paralyzed to the spot, but at least he looked less clammy. "What's an ANBU?"
Hermione looked up intrigued. "It's a rank." Said Sai.
"There are ranks for ninja?" Asked Hermione.
"Yeah!" Said Naruto, eagerly sticking his head into the tent from where he was standing guard outside. "First there a Genin, that a lower level ninja and that's what I used to be. You become a Genin once you graduate from the Academy and you get your headband." Said Naruto excitedly. "Then there's a Chunnin, which is what I am now," He said excitedly, "You have to pass the Chunnin exam first. The first time I took it I beat Neji, who was…"
"You're going to tell that boring story again?" Asked Sai, his face completely smooth.
Naruto scowled at him. "It's not a boring story!" But he decided to listen to Sai and continue all the same. "Then there's a Jounin like Kakashi-sensei. That's a high level ninja."
"Then there's the ANBU, which I am." Finished Sai.
Hermione looked surprised. Naruto and Sai were the same age, yet Sai was of such a higher rank.
"So ANBU means…?" Said Ron.
"Ansatsu Senjutsu Tokushu Butai." Said Sai. "Which I guess means something like Special Assassination and Tactical Squad."
Ron and Hermione visibly blanched when they heard Harry screaming.
"Clearly the bastard has something planned." Said Naruto from his place on the floor.
They were all once again sitting inside the tent, Harry just having explained his dream about Voldermort and the wizard who stole something from the wand maker Gregorovitch.
"Well the Horcrux." Said Sai gesturing to the locket around Harry's neck. "You said you were on a mission to find it. Now that we have it, we just have to destroy it, then find You Know Who, right?"
Hermione opened her mouth to respond, but then closed it and looked to Ron and Harry. Ron was also staring at Harry who was looking just as uncertain.
"Yeah!" Said Naruto eagerly. "We shouldn't waste anymore time! The sooner the bastard is dead we can find Sakura!"
"Er…" Said Harry. "I suppose you didn't hear the whole story…"
"What do you mean?" Asked Naruto.
"There's…six Horcruxs, Naruto." Said Hermione tentatively.
"WHAT?" Screeched Naruto, jumping to his feet.
"You mean You Know Who made six of these objects?" Asked Sai.
"Well, it wasn't exactly hard for him…" Muttered Ron.
"I'm surprised he hasn't made more." Said Sai. "It's not as if killing is hard for him."
Hermione looked appalled at this.
"You don't understand." Said Harry shaking his head. "Each kill used to create a Horcrux is significant in some way. It's..." He stopped short upon seeing the shinobi's expressions and decided to change the course of the conversation. "Look, it isn't as bad as it sounds. Dumbledore and I have already destroyed two…" Said Harry. "And we have the third right here, so it's…three more to go…"
Naruto gave out an exasperated sigh. "But this is ridiculous! Look at what we went through just to get the first! Now we have to do it three more times? Do you even know where they are?"
"Not exactly." Said Harry. "But I do know that one of them is his snake…"
Naruto let out an aggravated sigh and stood up and began pacing the length of the tent with Hermione eying him nervously.
"Listen," Said Harry heatedly. "I didn't ask you to join me. There's still a chance for you to back out-"
"No." Said Naruto suddenly, his face softening. "I don't…want to leave. I'm just frustrated I guess. I mean, how can I blame you for not knowing what you're doing when I don't even know what I'm doing?"
"Well…I wouldn't say I don't know what I'm doing…" Began Harry, but Naruto cut him off once more.
"After all, it's my duty to find Sakura-chan and I don't even know where to begin!" Naruto exclaimed.
"We just need to stick together." Said Hermione finally finding her words. "As long as we do that, we'll be able to get through this. We'll find and destroy the Horcruxes and will find Sakura along the way."
"We need to be on guard." Said Sai speaking up. "After bringing Yaxley to Grimmauld Place, he probably knows that it was Order members who infiltrated the Ministry if he doesn't already know our identities." At this, Ron patted Hermione comfortingly on the back.
"Plus, Volder…I mean You Know Who has already got ninja doing his dirty work." Said Harry.
"Maybe…we need to start preparing ourselves…" Said Naruto. "You know, like learning each other's secrets. You teaching us magic and us teaching you jutsu."
"It's rather impossible." Said Hermione. All eyes then turned to her and she turned a bit red. "I mean to say it's rather hard…well I only speak in theory…the library couldn't offer much reading on chakra and ninja…" She explained.
"Well what did you find out?" Prompted Harry.
"Well, the chakra system resides in the body." Said Hermione, putting a hand to her chest. "And I suppose it is similar to the way that there is magic inside of us, how small children can perform magical feats long before they buy their first wand. It's what separates us from the muggles."
"Yet in our dimension, everyone has chakra, yet not everyone is willing to use it." Mused Sai.
"Yes!" Said Hermione. "And there have been numerous discussions on whether muggles can unlock the same capabilities as us or whether or not we are just more neurologically and physically advanced than they are…but I won't get into that…" Said Hermione catching the exasperated expressions of both Ron and Harry.
"Anyways," Continued Hermione. "The difference between wizards and ninja is that performing jutsus is a very physical activity and is released through the body while our magic needs to be channeled through our wands. Our wands are basically the source of our magic. The reason why we have a limited chakra supply compared to ninja is because only half of our abilities lie within the wand. The other half cannot be seen and lies within our knowledge. You see not all wizards can perform the same spells."
Hermione was met with blank stares as she finished talking.
"You lost me." Said Naruto finally speaking up.
"Yeah, I'll have to agree with that…" Said Harry. Ron diligently nodded his head in agreement.
Hermione sighed. "But not everyone can perform the same jutsu." Said Sai, his eyebrows slightly scrunched. "Doesn't that disprove your theory?"
Naruto looked at Sai like he was amazed he managed to follow that.
"Actually it doesn't." Said Hermione proudly. "You see with ninja, the reason you cannot perform the same jutsu is because not everyone can physically do it. Right?"
"Yeah!" Said Naruto catching on. "I couldn't perform a lightning jutsu to save my life because it isn't my element! For that same reason Kakashi-sensei cannot perform my Rasenshuriken."
"But you see all wizards have the capability of performing every spell. It's just the fact that they don't have the correct knowledge to do so. It's what separates First Years from say, Dumbledore. Or even…You Know Who." Said Hermione.
"I think I understand…" Said Harry slowly. "Just like the Patronus Charm right? It comes rather easily to me, yet for you guys…" Harry drifted off after catching Hermione and Ron's glowering looks. "Sorry."
Hermione shrugged her shoulders after a beat. "Essentially yes. You must possess some sort of knowledge about conjuring a Patronus that Ron and I just don't seem to grasp."
"So…how does this explain why we can't learn each other's stuff?" Asked Naruto.
"Because it would be very hard for us physically channel our magic out through our bodies in order to create a jutsu. In retrospect, it would be rather hard for you to channel your chakra through a wand or any object really. Especially since the wand picks the wizard. Any wand you receive will already have magic inside of it."
"And we can't use it? Even with knowledge as you say?" Asked Sai.
"I don't believe so." Said Hermione. "Although chakra and magic tend to be rather similar in certain ways, I don't think the magic in the wand would respond to the chakra within you as it responds to the magic inside us."
"Well…what about using your magic spells without a wand? Couldn't we do it in the same way we perform jutsu?" Asked Naruto eagerly.
"There's no hand seals." Said Sai quickly. "In order to perform jutsu, you need hand seals, and magic spells have none."
"So perhaps if you somehow learned how to do a jutsu or a spell without hand seals, then it would be possible." Shrugged Harry.
"Hmm…" Naruto looked thoughtful and he had a rather excited gleam to his eye.
The rest of the right was spent with Naruto contemplating what spells we would learn once he figured out how to perform them without hand seals and who exactly he would perform them on. No one was actually paying attention to him, with Hermione having gone outside to keep watch and Ron sleeping with a pillow over his head to drown Naruto out.
Sakura found that if she lie still enough, the pain was much easier to bear. As it was, much of it had subsided since her last treatment. Still, she was in no mood to stand, sit, talk or really do much of anything except lie still in her bed and feign sleep.
Besides, it also allowed her to eavesdrop.
"Several of my ninja dead; two of them by kunai. It seems the portal was found after all. The Dark Lord will be pleased to hear this." The voice was Orochimaru's.
"But what guarantee do we have that he was the one to go through the portal? Perhaps Tsunade-sama has played this one safe." That voice was easily recognizable as Kabuto's.
"That is of little consequence to me right now. Did you find him in the Ministry records?"
There was a pause on Kabuto's end. "I did not." He said finally.
There was a sigh of frustration as the floorboards creaked as someone shifted their feet. "Perhaps…perhaps you should ask –"
"I will not." Orochimaru's word, although spoken quietly, lashed out like a whip. Sakura could practically feel his anger radiating out.
"But…but this alliance…" Kabuto stated meekly.
Something cold was starting to creep over her, a feeling that she had somehow felt before…it was vile, disgusting and somehow pure evil. A small whimper escaped her lips as the feeling came closer.
"I'm sure you have heard the news." The new voice was high and cold and slightly inhuman.
"Yes, My Lord. I have had some of my own men investigate. While this was unforeseeable, I will make sure nothing like this happens again." Orochimaru was posturing; she could tell the false sincerity in his voice.
"I appreciate the gesture. I have had those involved on my end appropriately punished already."
"I do feel obligated to tell you that a Bingo Book was taken."
A breathy whisper, like a snake's hiss. "Oh?"
"But rest assured, plans are already in motion to retrieve it. Also, I have reason to believe that something good has come from this little mishap."
"Orochimaru-sama..."
Orochimaru hissed in annoyance. "Kabuto, please. Not in front of the Dark Lord."
"Your man here has doubts?"
"They are of little concern. I believe your prize has come. He just needs to be weeded out."
"The debacle at the Ministry stinks of Potter and his friends. You think he is with him then?"
"I would have no doubt. But just to be sure...and to assuage Kabuto's fears…I think I may have someone who can find him."
"This person…they will confirm that the boy is here?" Curiosity was brimming in the Dark Lord's voice.
"Of that I have no doubt. She may be able to tie up a few loose ends for us as well."
There was a humming noise of approval. "Do what you will." The wooden floor creaked and then something was touching her hair. The touch was a soft as a feather, but she felt slimy, as if something grotesque was sliding over her. "She's proven to be resilient...I have never seen anything quite like it. I think I may have use for her even after I have the boy. You would be willing to give her to me?"
The Dark Lord's statement was phrased as a question, but it sounded more like a command. At the sound of her being passed around from Orochimaru to the Dark Lord like some sort of possession, that strong inner part of her mind let out a scream of rage, but it was a dull scream, as if she had been greatly weakened. Another murky, foreign part of her brain yelled at her to shut up.
"Of course. She means nothing to me."
"Excellent. But I will want to make sure she is ready first. Your boy…Sasuke was it? If she acts up again, have him send Bellatrix back in."
Glossary:
Hebi-teme-Snake bastard
Sugoi-Wow
Bingo Book
Undesirable # 2
Tsunade
Status: Ninja, Godaime Hokage (Konohagakure)
Family: Nawaki - brother (deceased)
Security Status: TRACKED. Movements are confined between home and Hokage Tower