Title: Destiny
Summary: Living in the Shinobi World for 5 years now, Harry Potter managed one day to be robbed by one young Naruto Uzumaki. The child reminds Harry of himself and having what we like to call a "saving people thing" he could not help but try to protect the boy.
Disclaimer: Naruto and Harry Potter are property of Masashi Kishimoto and J. and in no way mine. This was written for non-profitable entertainment purposes only. Any Original Characters (OCs) are mine to claim.
Note: I apologize for my slow update. It was a difficult chapter to write. My characters grow on theyr own, but I was not quite sure where to lead them yet. I hope it will not disappoint. If it does - critics are always welcome.
Chapter 2.
Anyone who really knew Harry Potter would probably describe him as a very powerful but humble individual. In his youth, he was a brave and caring young man but rather foolish at times. His "act now, think later" attitude often got him in trouble. What many did not know was that Harry was quite peaceful by nature, tending to avoid any unnecessary confrontations. But Alas, it was not to be. Where his often ill advised attitude failed to bring him misfortune, Harry's love and protectiveness over his friends and those he considered family, succeeded beautifully.
Those exact feelings were the reason why he was currently having quite violent thoughts.
Harry Potter was contemplating murder - mass murder.
What was the reason of his abrupt aggression? Well...it all began that morning when he took one young Uzumaki Naruto for a meal.
F.
Even if he made sure to keep his expression composed and as serene as possible, Harry's inward reaction was anything but. His inner persona boggled horrified eyes' wile it's jaw had been dropped for quite a wile. Never had the wizard come across an occurrence such as this. It exceeded even Ron. The only explanation Harry could think of was that a black hole must be residing into the child's stomach...not that it made much sense. Sixteen bowls of Ramen and still counting. The blond wonder ate all that wile Harry barely managed to finish half of his first one. The green eyed man made a gesture that should have been a smile but came as a grimace instead. Taking care of this kid was surely going to cost him.
From the corner of his eye Harry could see the owner of the ramen stand look at him with amusement. It was a nice change from the suspicious looks he was receiving earlier. The wizard did not mind the distrust. He was quite used to it but the curious thing was that he was getting quite a lot of that recently, specifically today. There wasn't a person who passed his way without sending him either a suspicious glance or an indifferent one.
They looked at him like he was about to stab them in the back but Harry observed that it was worse for young Naruto. Theyr eyes were full with hatred when gazing at the child. Such a strong feeling -hate. It was something Harry never understood since he never experienced it. Not towards his muggle family -indifference- not towards the Wizarding world -disgust- not towards Dumbledore -disappointment- not even for Voldemort. Even if the Dark Lord had murdered his parents, and many other innocents in cold blood all that Harry could feel was anger and pity. Never hatred. Not even Belatrix who caused the death of his godfather could manage to make him feel that. The wizard could just imagine of his old fool of a Headmaster blabbing about the power of love, pure souls and other such nonsense. He rolled his eyes at the imaginary Dumbledore.
Harry recognised the emotion in the people's eyes however, and he had to wonder what could an eight year old accomplish to deserve such hostility. He had the sudden feeling that he stumbled onto something bigger than abusive parents or an unacceptable orphanage. And just like his "people reading skills", Harry's "gut" was hardly ever wrong. Not that it matters much, the wizard made an oath "No matter the cost". Harry would not back down from that.
"I'm done, Mister Hari."
Naruto's booming voice startled him from his thoughts, and the wizard flashed a smile towards the child who was currently petting his full stomach. It seemed the blond did have a limit - 20 bowls of ramen, thank Merlin for that! Harry was afraid they were going to be sitting here eternally. Seeing that the kid's mouth was quite a mess, he rose to his feet and reached inside his pants pocket for a handkerchief.
"Here you go Blondie. Wipe your mouth with that wile I pay for the food. And don't go anywere."
He made a mental note to heal the kid's eye, lip and whatever wounds he may have wile he moved towards the owner. Scowling at the price, Harry handed the money and set to take the child and leave. The owner's signal to wait kept him in position. The wizard watched as the man seemed to waver, apparently deciding what to say. Finally, a look of determination in his eyes, the elder man inquired.
"What are your intentions towards Naruto?"
Harry blinked. Now that was unexpected. He honesty hoped this wasn't the horrifying "scary father - future son-in-law interview", Naruto was too young for that. He shuddered at his own thoughts and wondered if this world had any mind healers. Something had to be wrong for his imagination to produce such theories.
"My intentions? What exactly do you mean by that?" Harry asked.
"There aren't many who go near that child. You are obviously an newcomer and don't know the full situation." the man paused and then continued in a quieter voice. "It's against the law for me to tell you more but please consider my request - don't hurt the boy."
Harry was intrigued. Against the law. So he was right, there is something big going on. The wizard had no intention of hurting Naruto however, his plans were actually inclined in the other direction, and he made sure to tell the man that.
The owner smiled grimly.
"Don't you understand? Just by being close to the boy you are doing more damage than good. I will be the first to admit, that boy," he gestured with a hand towards Naruto. " needs a soul he could lean on. Someone who could defend him, care for him and give him all the attention he desires. But like I already revealed, without fully knowing where and how you stand - all your commitments may be for nothing."
You could see it in his eyes and hear it in his voice, the restaurant owner genuinely cared for the boy. The affection was visible to Harry. He did not know how to make the man trust him however, the man did not know Harry. His beliefs, his ideals - he did now know of his sense of honor or his compassionate nature so the wizard could not blame him for his lack of trust. If he were in the owner's shoes, Harry would not believe himself either.
The man spoke again. This time his voice held something akin to desperation.
"My biggest fear is then later when you shall find out your intention will be quite different. You are not the first to notice the "pariah" of the village. Not the first to pity him and try to make something out of the boy. And let me tell you - all those encounters ended badly. You will have to cope with the hostility of almost the entire village, and if you cannot - it would destroy Naruto."
Harry fond that he could not utter anything else. Trying to put forward arguments and confirm his point was rather pointless at the moment. Watching the child who was currently looking at the walls with amusing captivation and bouncing on his heels, the wizard felt his lips turning into a smile. Yeah...whatever it is that he would learn would not in any way deter him from his goal. That ball of sunshine was worth the hate and scorn of ten villages and didn't he have practice already? The wizarding world either hailed him as a hero or a raging lunatic so Harry was quite used to it by now.
He will prove this man wrong. With facts and actions, The wizard never believed in empty words either.
Turning his head back towards the man who was watching him with a odd expression, Harry gave him a resolute glance and after a sharp nod, he walked away - child in tow. He abruptly stoped before steping out and gased back.
"My name is Potter Hari. Remember that." Taking Naruto's hand, the green eyed man stepped out.
If the wizard would have seen the man, he would have spotted the small grin on his face.
F.E.
Honesty, at that point Harry was intrigued and more than a little disturbed. Those discoveries made him edgy, and he wondered if sometime in the future he will have to put forward the "big guns". He would do it for the little blond. His magic was kept quite a secret from anyone he happen to meet. It was about time he should pass it as a Bloodline.
So yes, at that moment the wizard was curious and more than ever determinated to take care of the child. The hot, trembling rage came later when he took a walk with the young blond. He had asked some long-coming questions - the answers still made him cringe. Harry could say with absolute conviction that he was ashamed to be called human, ashamed of his own race. The wizard understood war, battles, evil and good. However, ruining a small child - he could not.
...Tell me Naruto, where do you live? Who takes care of you?...
...I do, Mister. I am a big boy now. It was harder before when I was small, and they keep throwing me out of the orphanage. After a few days Jiji comes and takes me back since there is were I have to stay...
' It broke my heart when I heard you speak about it like it was something normal. Being treated like this is anything but. They are isolating you, Naruto, treating you like you are a contagious virus. It's a marvel you maintained your innocence and can still smile, child. I wonder if it's just a mask. I wore a mask too, Naruto. It's risky because one day you will wake up and wonder - when did the mask became me? At which point on the road did I misplace myself? '
...Who is this Jiji and why do they kick you out, kid?...
...Jiji is Jiji, Mister. He is really, really old. I like him, he takes me for ramen sometimes just like you did...
...You didn't answer my second question. Why do they trow you out?...
...I don't know. I try to be a good boy and do what the other kids too. I guess it's still wrong. They get food, toys and smile and I...I want that too, Mister. When I asked the Lady, she called me a Demon freak. That's not my name, mister. Jiji said my name is Naruto. So what does that mean?...
' You didn't notice I evaded to give you an answer, Naruto. How can I explain to you that she called you a monstrosity, abnormation, evil and many another things rolled into one? I cannot child., It's not your name, Naruto, and it will never be. The word "Freak" brings back many painful memories for me. I thought that was my name until I entered school. The teacher called my name - I didn't answer. This brought many questions. In my word, Naruto, we have a wonderful thing called Child Protection. It would have been useful if they could have stood a chance against Wizards. The next day, they didn't remember a thing. I learned many years later that my only chance as a normal, happy childhood was robed by the man i trusted most - my mentor. You see, Naruto, people...humanity has so many faults. We can be cruel or gentle, a murdered or a healer, white or black. But some of us...some can be both. I was cruel when needed to be but washed it after with gentles. I murdered to protect those I loved, Naruto and when they needed me to be, I became a healer too. Evil or Good, Dark or White...that doesn't matter. They said we won - I say we lost. I fear for you, child. Just from your aura I can "sense" you will be powerful. Power attracts, Naruto. I hope you won't end up like me. I hope no one makes you a pawn for " the grater good". '
...From where did you get the black eye and busted lip kid?...
...Ahaha...it doesn't matter Mister Hari. I'm used to it by now. It doesn't even hurt, see? "Ouch" Really, it's fine. It happens every day. The people always bump into me or something. Tomorrow this will be gone. I heal really, really fast, Mister...
' You should not be used to it, Naruto. Pain as your companion is not a good thing. The silent question in your eyes are harsh against my ears. I do not know the reason for theyr horrid behavior, child. I wish I knew. It doesn't make a damn difference either way. It bothers me to hear you make excuses for them, Naruto...you should not blame yourself for theyr faults. I speak from experience when I say that I am familiar with the feeling. As a small child I often asked myself why my family did not accept me, loved me. Why did they treat me so bad? And just like you, I brought myself down, Naruto. Thinking I was the worse child to ever exist. I didn't work enough. I was not polite enough...maybe I required too much. Until one day, Naruto...until one day I realised that it wasn't me who was the problem - it was them. It's a mind shattering relevation. It comes with good and bad. Until then I had "imaginary" excuses but after...I had nothing but the harsh truth - they did it just because they could. At the same time, I was elated for the fact that i wasn't bad, there was nothing wrong with me. I fear and wait the day you shall discover this also. '
...And the old man? Jiji? Did he saw your wounds? Asked you about them? Maybe if he knew, you would not be send to the orphanage again...
...I...yeah, he saw them. But when I told him he looked weird and didn't say anything. At least he dosn't look at me like the others do...
...How do they look at you, Naruto?...
...I am not stupid. Nobody likes me, Mister Hari. They scare me sometimes. I wish I remembered what bad thing I did for them not to like me. Maybe then I could say sorry, and they would stop looking at me with mean faces and chasing me, screaming mean things. Why can't I remember,Mister Hari, why?...
' You know, Naruto. My cousin had a favorite occupation. It was called "Harry-Hunting". Him, and his friends would chase me, "hunt me" until I was captured. It did not happen often. After a couple of this encounters, I learn to become light on the legs. However, when they did...I would escape full with bruises. That's what happens to you too, isn't it, Naruto? The horrifying thing is that your "hunters" are adults. People who are supposed to protect, cherish and teach the next generation. Ah, Naruto...I escaped my World in order to be free, not to feel the bitter failure of what humans could become. Who knew that I shall find something much worse here? '
...What do you say, Naruto? Are you comming with me this evening? You don't have to stay on the streets until Jiji comes for you. I have a room at the inn since i'm new around here. And i have to heal those wounds of yours...
...Really, really, Mister? You would do that? I'll come. Oh, and thank you, Mister...
' So much gratitude was shining in your eyes for such a tiny thing, Naruto. You don't get much kindness, do you? It was hard to swallow, you know... My throat was dry all of a sudden at the thought of you living such a severe life. I brought you here, Naruto and your messy blond head is currently sitting in my lap. You are asleep and I can almost hear you purr from my hand playing with your hair. The intensity of ferocious protectiveness I was always feeling for my friends was forgotten until I meet you, child. You brought my emotions back. I came into this World from a war, and I'm scared. I know nothing of being a father-figure or how to take care of a child. I never had a good example either. My parents died when I was 12 months old. All I can remember of them is my father's alarmed voice and my mother's screams. She didn't beg for her life, you know - she begged for mine. Although it is quite a chilly memory, I cherish it because I recognize that someone loved me enough to die for me. I was wanted once. '
' They died for me and I died for an entire World. They wanted a hero, Naruto. I had nothing left to lose. I had two best friends - a girl named Hermione and a boy named Ron- a godfather and a chosen uncle. The girl died at the age of 17. The boy became bitter. I lost the Godfather in a rather moronic way. He was quite a moron himself. I don't say this with scorn but rather with affection. You see. My Godfather was an escaped criminal but don't worry- he was guiltless. Just one of the many mistakes the Wizarding World made. Did I mention I was a wizard before now? If not - forgive me. I'm not a stage magician, the "white bunny out of a hat" kind, but an honest to God wizard with magic and powers, just like your ninjas.'
' The Wizards have a special prison, with some very special guards. They are called Dementors - black creatures who suck away all the positive feelings from a prisoner's memories leaving you aching, freezing and hunted by your worst memories. That's where my Godfather was kept. It was expected for all of this to have repercutions. We were quite amazed that he was not crazy yet, since he had been there for 12 years. And indeed, there was consequences. Not yet crazy but not quite healthy either. Even if he tried to put a front of Happiness, my Godfather was anything but that, Naruto.'
' Beeing an Animagus - transforming into an animal- prevented him from being worse, a half-dog - half-human mind is quite different from a fully human one, but it did not protect him against depression. He was reckless and quite arrogant. Even if it hurts me, I would admit that. That's how he died, you know - in a burst of foolishness. Or at least, I think he died.'
'Why did I say "think" instead of being sure of his Death? Because he felt through what Wizards call the Death Vail, which was supposed to be a gateway between the land of the living and the land of the dead. I, being here in your World is evidence enough - it's not quite true. Yes, Naruto...I jumped into what I expect to be - Death's arms. I confess, I was quite suicidal but like I said, I had nothing left. When I arrived here I searched for Sirius - my Godfather - but it was all in vain. Not even a whisper.
' I mentioned an uncle didn't I? His name was Remus Lupin, a werewolf and the kindest, gentle soul I had ever known. You would have liked him, Naruto, and I'm positive he would have adored you since he always loved kids. Remus would have probably ripped this village to sheds from theyr treatment of you. Well, Naruto...I lost my uncle too. This was the death that hit me the hardest. He was the last person close to my heart, and he died - for me. Guilt is a heavy burden, child, a feeling I hope you will never experience.'
'As I said, Naruto. I am scared, terrified actually. I look at you now, and I see my future, but it's hazy still. What if I make the wrong choices, child? What if I make mistakes? I still haven't shared my thoughts and plans with you - I have to do so much until I can take you in my care. They will see that I am an outsider, I came here 3 days ago, Naruto...I fear they won't approve. However, I will fight, make compromises - threaten even if that gets me somewhere. I hope your Hokage is a good person kid. Applying for Konoha citizenship is going to be a lot harder if he isn't. Strange...I never thought of settling down somewhere, before meeting you - now I can't think of a reason not to.'
' I'll make you a promise, Naruto. I seem to be making a lot of those lately don't I? Anyway, I'll make you a promise. Even if my plan to become your guardian will not succeed I'm still going be here. You can count on me. I will mend your wounds and offer you a shoulder to lean on. You won't be alone, Naruto - you won't be alone.'
' I'll sleep now, child. Tomorrow we have much to accomplish. I hope your Jiji comes looking for you. I really wish to have a few words with the old man. If he has twinkling eyes and a way of saying that it's all for The Greater Good, Well...I hope you aren't that fond of him, Naruto. And if you are, please consider that I can triple the ramen he used to feed you - before doing something harsh.'
****Someone asked me if i shall pair Naruto with Anko or Kurenai. To be honest, i can't really see "my Harry" with either of them. So no, that is not going to happen.
****I apologise for any mistakes in this story.
!- I have a question and I would be very grateful if someone could answer it. I understand that this is a fan-fiction, and it is within my power to alter the time-line but does someone know when exactly did Itachi leave the village. What age was Naruto when that happened? Many thanks in advance for anyone who has an answer. My own research was useless.
****I almost forgot the most important part. I sincerely thank you for the reviews. It's quite good to know that my english, wile not perfect, is adequate enough.