A special thank you to Lightweaver & Lilypheria. They were incredibly kind enough to beta this for me - you can thank them for making this both readable and for making the chapter far more refined than I ever could on my own.

My intention had been to get the full story finalized prior to posting. However, it's the year of the rabbit, so if there was ever a time to post such a story... Because doesn't allow stories to be 'tied' I've opted to tag this onto the original short story and modify Complete - In Progress. This work will get cross posted to Ao3.

Book 2: Concerning a Book, a Bunny and a Boy
Chapter 1

If someone were to tell her last year that she'd be facing down the hottest boy in school — her best friend's older brother — as a twenty-pound, thick-boned monster made of fluff. She wouldn't have believed them.

For one, third-year Sakura had assumed that sometime in her late twenties she'd emerge from her meditation and vigil of silence as a dainty bird, just like Professor Yuhi.

For another, to the young Ravenclaw, Itachi was the kindest prefect in the school. He was sweet, considerate and so gentle. Everyone loved him.

In her fourth year, she'd learn that none of those things would turn out to be true. Everything became tainted with the threat of war looming in the magical world. The political climate had pushed her to learn the animagus ability that summer. Instead of being something like a European swallow, or African swallow, attempting to fly coconuts back and forth, she'd ended up stuck as a giant rabbit with demonic red eyes. No rerolls allowed.

And Itachi. Underneath the demure shell, something sinister and evil lurked. Behind his dimpled smile and crow's-feet, laid a wicked and evil man in the making.

And all of those things had led to this moment in the restricted section of the library.

Sakura took flight from the arms holding her, jumping at Itachi Uchiha's jugular with her crooked rabbit teeth outstretched, ready to sink them into the flesh of his neck.

How dare he steal a book that he already owned a copy of! He'd slipped the best introduction to dark magic into his book bag purely to take it from her. Even though he had a signed and annotated copy by the author, Madara Uchiha, sitting on his bedside table up in the Ravenclaw dorm.

He dodged her flight of fury, stepping back and out of the way. And then he had the gall to laugh at her.

She fell to the floor but recovered quickly. Well, if she couldn't jump at his face, she'd take down his legs. She zoomed around him in a circle, going behind him before throwing her stone's worth of body weight at the back of his knees.

Timber!

Itachi crashed to the ground, the bag falling off his shoulder, and the black in his glowing red eyes swirled. "Hey, you—"

Sakura tackled the bookbag with gusto. Scratch, scratch, scratch. No luck. The belted buckle was paw proof. Foiled!

Itachi rose to his knees, glaring at her.

Well, the bag was going to have to do. She bit onto the middle of the strap. Mush!

Off she ran. Down the aisle, hanging a sharp left at the end.

She took the corner too sharply. Just like in the movies, the heavy bag behind her acted like a trailer. The bag didn't change momentum and she was thrown off balance. Sakura slammed upon the cold hard floor, strap now wrapped around her hind leg. The bag continued to slide, dragging her with it. Agh!

She scrambled to her feet, bit the strap and threw her weight forward. Except nothing happened. She ran harder, and her paws just slid upon the surface.

She blinked and looked behind her.

Itachi was stepping on the bag.

No fair! Cheat!

She gave another tug, but it was useless, he wasn't even putting his full weight on it.

Time to save face and flee—

He was faster than her, wand out, pointed down.

She froze, not yet under a spell, but wary of what he might choose to do to her if she fled again. Especially after axing his knees like he'd been a tree. He was tall. 'Twas a long way to fall.

"Look, I keep the book and you show up."

She heaved a huff. No way could she just 'show up.' Ever since Kisame started showing pictures of her bunny butt all around school, nobody was leaving the common room at a decent hour anymore. Everyone wanted a chance to spot Itachi's familiar in the common room. Even those from other houses wouldn't leave on time!

"We'll meet on my prefect route on Monday. I've traded shifts with Ouka and I will be doing rounds near the divination chamber. I'll take you back to the dormitory with me."

Sakura tilted her head. Well that wasn't such a bad deal. She did kind-of know where he was going to be. She could just stumble upon him. Why hadn't she thought of doing that? Ugh, exercise that's why. Stairs were troublesome things when you had four paws. No. She flicked her tail and looked away.

"I'll post any questions you have to Madara."

Her head whipped back around. Well. Well. That sweetened the deal.

She turned back and snuffled the knuckles of the hand holding the wand. Free questions! She'd finally get answers! She couldn't help but purr a bit in joy.

"I won't even tell him that you are the one asking them, Izumi. Promise." He retracted his hand and wand.

Wait. Izumi? Who was that?

"See Izumi, there is nothing to worry about. I'll see you tomorrow in class."

Class? Wait. No. Come back. Don't walk away with such long legs.

Sakura sprung to keep up, attempting to trip him so that he'd stop.

He paused to pat her head as she leaned heavily on his leg. "I won't tell a soul. Especially not your father."

Gah! No, I'm not Izumi. Except all that came out was a raspberry.

He gave a chuckle, another pat on her head.

He left her there, in the hallway. Her droopy bunny ears touched the ground and she stared blankly into the spot he'd once taken. Who the hell was Izumi?

It took several long minutes of sitting in the hallway to acknowledge that one, the book was gone. Two, Itachi had determined she was someone named Izumi. She'd need to hope like hell Itachi didn't give away to Izumi that his 'familiar' was really an animagus, an unregistered thus illegal animagus. With a long drawn out sigh, Sakura headed to a classroom to transform back into a human. With head low, she clutched her book bag to her chest as she made it down the many, many stairs.

How was she supposed to climb up so many stairs as a bunny? Ugh. Down was easy. Up not so much. It's why she usually waited till normal hours before emerging from a classroom or library as a human.

"Aww, are you and Itachi not getting along? You look so sad."

Sakura's head yanked up, eyes meeting the dark black orbs of Kisame.

His white teeth gleamed in the lit brazier he stood against, his black lined tattoos stark against his flesh. Too modern against the gothic backdrop. "It's alright little Bun-"

She shoved a hand against his mouth and glared. She, maybe, could kick his ass if forced to do so. She technically outranked him at their taekwondo dojo, but he definitely had real world experience in a fight. She'd watched him take on several men twice his age across different alleys around town and come out the winner.

When she deemed him quiet and unlikely to speak, she lowered her arms.

"Mum's the word," he said.

Sakura pointed at the sleeping portrait above them. "These paintings are worse than CCTV." Did no one understand what illegal meant? Well, Kisame pretty much took the law into his own hands now that she thought about it. Remembering the time the police had to pull him off pounding a purse snatcher's face in.

"Eh," Kisame gave a shrug.

Sakura's brow twitched at the nonchalant attitude.

Kisame ruffled her hair. "They really don't care what students do. Hidan streaks during his morning daily exercise and they don't do shit. They've their own lives, and don't give a damn about the living ones. After what, seven-to-nine-hundred years, nothing really is that interesting anymore."

Actually. Kisame had a point. Why the hell would paintings care, or even remark about anything? Except they were bored gossips. That's why!

"So, how are you and Itachi?" Kisame nudged her shoulder. "He's been sad too. Honest to goodness, never seen him so excited or happy about something, and I've known him for six years. You're going to break him at this point; my bet's that he's a snapper. He'll snap and kill us all."

Sakura flushed and bit her lip. Itachi liked her! Well… Bunny her. But she made him happy! But then she froze, remembering what Itachi had said. "Who's Izumi?"

Kisame's smile dropped. "Did Itachi say something about Izumi?"

"He thinks I'm Izumi."

Kisame winced. "No one, no one important."

Sakura's gaze narrowed in on his look. "Who's Izumi?" she asked again, taking a step forward.

Kisame took a step back, "Look, I gotta call my mom." He pulled out his phone, screen dark and turned off because it would go on the fritz around so muc magic. He shook it before motioning to the great hall doors. "So I'm gonna, head out." He started walking towards them.

Not so fast. "I wanted to call my mom, too," Sakura said, quickening her step to catch up and pulled out her phone. The only reason she had packed her phone this morning was because she planned to head out there, the only place one could use electrongics and had a cell signal. It had taken weeks in her first year to find the location, using an old ipod nano to hunt for a nonmagical location. She hadn't wanted to risk chip damage to her phone. "Maybe we can continue -"

"Hey, wait!" A voice yelled from the staircase leading up from dungeons. "I've got to call my dad. It would be nice to walk together."

Kisame did wait, a relieved smile on his face.

Now how was she supposed to find out who Izumi was? Sakura waited with Kisame, not willing to bug him in case he decided to casually mention Bunny. Ugh.

He smirked, knowing he was free.

A boy emerged from the stairwell. Sakura had to do a double take. Was he wearing a green, skin tight jumpsuit… like a superhero? And that hair cut…. Sakura gritted her teeth. No. Why? In this day and age. Who'd pranked this poor kid?

"I'm Rock Lee," Lee said and extended his hand. "Fifth year."

"Sixth. Just call me Kisame."

"Fourth. I'm Sakura Haruno."

"She's cute as a bunny with her sweater, ain't she?"

Sakura slugged Kisame in the gut and caused him to double over.

Lee flushed, "I do like your sweater. The bunnies on the shoulder are cute."

Sakura blinked and looked down at her arm. Ohh, her mom was so busted. Mebuki had embroidered a pink rabbit on her sweatshirt! Come on, mom. She had said the bunny thing needed to be on the down-low. Internally though, she was conflicted. The idea that her mom had put a big brown bunny hugging a pink one meant a lot. Sakura sniffed. She was going to cry later, or rather, on the phone when they started talking.

As the acquaintances made their way out of the tall oaken doors, Sakura's heart warmed even though the cold gush of air blew upon them. It was the first time she'd ever walked with anyone to the edge of the Forbidden Forest to the "calling zone." With winter approaching, and darkness still on the land, it was kind of nice to have company when hanging out near the creepy woods.

Lee kept up most of the conversation on the walk. "My adoptive father is a muggleborn, that's how I found out about the spot."

Sakura bit her lip, jealous. It took her hours and hours of investigation to find a spot with coverage. She'd actually gotten sick from the amount of time outdoors looking for a place that didn't turn electronics into a garbed mess. So sick she'd had to miss class.

"Nice, it took me two months to find the place. Did you grow up around magic then?" Kisame asked.

Lee looked away from Kisame as he answered the question. "Kind-of."

Kind-of? What did that really mean? But she held her tongue.

"To be honest, I only got adopted out of foster care a year before my letter." Lee looked back, "But my dad's amazing. Best wizard you'll ever meet. He's an auror, super powerful, and greater than Headmaster Namikaze. I want to be just like him when I get older!" The boy pumped his fist in the air.

Sakura smiled at the action. She wondered if Naruto and Lee would get along. The fact that both idolized their fathers would definitely lead to an interesting conversation. "You'll have to point him out to me at the station if you're going home for Christmas."

"Definitely, I want you to meet him. Just wait until -"

And eventually they got there and went their separate ways. Kisame to the edge of the woods, Lee in the middle and Sakura got two bars being closest to the castle.

She transfigured a rock into a pillow and sat upon it before making the call. It only had to ring once.

"Honey!" her mom answered.

Her mother's voice was like being wrapped in a warm hug, regardless of the cold air. Sadly though, her Aunt was still sick, but would she like to say hi? And Sakura found herself on speakerphone as her cousins fought over her mom's pancakes and her Aunt complained about her favorite sports team. Sakura tucked her chin on her knees, listening in. It was like being home. More home than any of her fellow students who only sent stiff and formal letters to their loved ones. Except for Naruto, he actually lived in Hogsmeade. Hogwarts had been his second home.

However, as far as her extended family was concerned, it was just a boarding school with a tailored curriculum for someone brilliant. It would have been nice to chat about magic with her mom, but Sakura savored the moments. She couldn't be there in person, but she could at least do this.

"I promise, I'll make you proud!"

Sakura turned to look at the noise.

Lee's eyes began to pour with tears at whatever reply his father spoke back.

Sakura turned away. How strange that there was no place for any muggleborn to have a private conversation home, but alas, at least they got this.

Sakura focused on the castle in front of her. Part of her, still in awe at its size. This was what she was giving up her muggle life for. Her hand formed into a fist, she'd do her best. She'd get out alive and she'd get to go home at the end.

Sakura called her dad next and only got to chat a few minutes with him on his way to work. Things were going fine at the grocer. He'd hired an assistant manager and it was making his life easier. Even though it was just him on the line, she couldn't bring herself to tell him what was really going on in the magical world. Not the tension. Not the political climate. Not the fact that the free schooling contract she'd signed in blood would force her to be a soldier. And especially not that she'd slept in bed with some boy, completely platonic cuddles, of course, with her being a bunny. Now that he'd get overly excited about… She smiled just thinking about it. But it would be better to laugh about it at the dinner table. Her mom would be furious if her father found out first.

"Have a good day, Dad!"

"You too, my sweet bunny."

Oh gosh. This was going to be the nickname for the rest of her life from everyone wasn't it? While it was getting lighter, the sun stroked the clouds pink and orange, and she could navigate easily back to the castle, she opted to wait. For one, she wanted to weasel out the name from Kisame. It also would be kind of cool to have muggleborn friends. People who 'got it'. The muggleborns of her year had pretty much dedicated themselves to the magical world. When in her first year she'd rushed to tell them about the cell service spot, plopping beside them at breakfast, they'd merely shrugged their shoulders as the purebloods beside them had raised their noses at her jeans, t-shirt and lack of robe.

They made their way back to the castle. Chatting about technology, subscriptions and what they had downloaded and binged on the train ride to Hogwarts.

"Mandalorian," Kisame confessed, "I watched it the entire way up."

"No way," Lee practically shouted, "Me too. "

"Baby Yoda is cute," was the most Sakura could contribute to that conversation. And they knew it.

"You've seen like zero Star Wars, huh?" Kisame elbowed her in the ribs.

Sakura sputtered, "It's just not my thing."

"I bet the only thing downloaded on your phone is Coursera videos for college courses and documentaries."

Sakura's eyes widened. How the hell had he accurately guessed that?

"We should do a watch party," Lee declared, "Like best of muggle stuff. And we all contribute at least one video. That would be fun. I miss going to the movies and doing sleepovers and…" Lee's voice drifted off. "Just being able to talk about shows and movies and you know, technology."

Kisame huffed, and ruffled the top of Lee's head. "Not a bad idea. I miss it too. Let's do it. I'm sure if we got the top muggleborns at the school we could figure out how to set up a projector."

"I guess we could host it out here, get a car battery or something shipped by a large owl, but it's so cold. Maybe in the summer." Sakura sighed, "I wish there was a way to run phones around magic."

"That problem is being solved."

"What?!" Both Lee and Sakura's mouths dropped.

"Yahiko, Nagato and Konan have been looking into wards to reduce the impact. They've made some progress. They did get a flashlight to work for fifteen minutes straight when typically it would just flicker. But the amount of wards needed just for that was insane. It also impacted some of the latent magic for things like auto cleaning. It was pretty cool to see. Sadly, part of Hogwart's wards began eradicating the ones they made, but you know, the process is in the works."

"Oh we are doing a movie night," Lee said. "Star Wars Marathon!"

Sakura laughed, a fuzzy feeling in her gut. This… and the fact that someone actually cared enough to work on the problem.

She didn't get a chance to ask Kisame more about Izumi. Instead, she tried to pick Kisame's brain about how the wards worked.

"What do you mean you never took An Introduction to Wards?"

"I just didn't want to deal with Professor Umino."

"Iruka is like the nicest professor in the whole school."

"Yeah, and my mom also beat him up when he came to deliver my Hogwarts letter."

"She what?"

"Knocked him out, hog tied him and shoved him in a closet. Professor Hatake had to come rescue him and every Defense class he reminds me of it. He thinks I'll be the next great duelist if I inherit her reflexes." For the first time, Sakura watched Kisame get flustered. "Look, I just couldn't look him in the eye after, okay? Best not to get into it. I might have edged my mom on a bit too much. But in my defense, I thought Professor Umino was a pedophile."

"I would have been pretty weirded out too, if I hadn't known about magic," Lee said, giving Kisame a pat on the shoulder. "I was a bit nervous about my adoptive father's choice in clothing, but now, I totally understand. I had to get an outfit just like his."

Sakura's eyes widened, taking in the jumpsuit Lee was wearing. Wait. No. Please tell her no. "The outfit you're wearing now?"

"Yeah, it's the coolest in the entire wizarding world. It's the best mix of muggle and magic there is. My dad designed it himself, even the runes on the inside. It's like a bullet proof jacket."

Oh dear.

Kisame gracefully led the conversation back to technology.

From there Sakura continued to ask about the warding, trying to gain as many details as possible. Did any of them look like a J?

She didn't realize Kisame had escaped her clutches until he sat right down at his table, while talking to her, right in the midst of a crowd - he shoved room for just himself. And then he gave a wink and turned around and then ignored her completely. The jerk.

Throughout the weekend, he could never be found without a companion. No matter what she did, even attempting to tail him to the bathroom and wait outside. He'd go in with someone and come out talking with someone else. And he knew she was after him. No matter where she was hiding, he'd pause just long enough to give a wink before continuing on. By the end of the weekend she was ready to curse whomever opted to walk to the Hufflepuff dorm with him, just so she had the excuse to interrogate him.

"Haven't seen you around this weekend, Sakura," Naruto said, taking the seat across from her at dinner and breaking her glare to the back of Kisame's head.

Sakura blinked at her best friend, and scratched the back of her head, a bit ashamed. Normally she hung out with Naruto in the Hufflepuff common rooms since they were so much cozier than Ravenclaw. "Sorry, I've been busy."

"No worries. Are you still up for studying for the Transfiguration test with Sasuke and me tomorrow morning? Sasuke has gobblestone practice tonight."

"You shouldn't study an hour before the exam," Sakura's words cut off as her mind ground to a halt. Sasuke. Sasuke probably kept tabs on Itachi. Sasuke would know who Izumi was, wouldn't he? She focused her attention on Naruto and he squirmed under her stare. What an opportunity. "Yeah, I'll be there," she said with a smile.

Naruto shivered and fiddled with his yellow tie.

Sasuke depended on her for his grade in Transfiguration. He couldn't flee her presence. She was just going to have to wait.