I got news on my mission call! Late September, due to personal problems, I have a 12 week 'test' mission, two days drive from my home. If my companions and mission leader say I did well enough, I'll be transferred and have those 12 weeks count towards a full 2 year mission.
Since this chapter, as well as the Naruto GX chapter, were so close to completion before the mission call came, I decided to finish them, post them, then sign off til after my mission. This will be my last upload til I return.
Arthur Weasley was well enough to visit the next morning. Dumbledore decided to Apparate Naruto outside of St. Mungo's to be picked up by the rest of the group. But the dropoff point didn't have the hospital anywhere nearby. The street had many shops and closed buildings, but no 'hospital' or 'medical center' signs posted anywhere.
After a few minutes, Naruto saw his group of friends and Order members and ran to them. "Hey guys," Naruto said, mostly to his fellow Gryffindors. "Lucky Dumbledore managed to sneak me out without Umbridge noticing!"
However, the Gryffindors didn't give him a friendly hello back. It was as if they didn't trust Naruto as much as they used to. "Wotcher Naruto! It's been a long time!" Tonks cheerfully greeted with a hug. During the hug, she switched her hair from pink to orange. "Hope your time at school was as exciting as Harry's."
"Move on!" Moody barked. "We'll talk once we're inside." He then turned to an old closed shop; Purge and Dowse. Taking a second look at it, Naruto realized this was St. Mungo's. It should have been obvious, since the place seemed closed for decades. It'd definitely explain why muggles didn't buy it since then. "Visitors for Mr. Arthur Weasley." To Harry's surprise, one of the display mannequins nodded acceptance and gestured for them to come. Moody quickly vanished into the glass, which was like the entrance to the train station.
"C'mon Naruto!" Tonks said, pulling him in by the arm. Inside was a circus. The main lobby was packed with people who looked like they belonged to a traveling freak show. There was one person whose chest had hands growing out. Another's head was like a kettle, blowing steam and whistling that it was done. In the corner, a witch who looked like a failed transfiguration of a fish; covered in scales, webbed hands and feet, and pointed teeth. In front of them, in line, was a wizard whose daughter sprouted wings like an angels.
When they got to the front of the line, Ms. Weasley spoke up. "We're here to see my husband, Arthur Weasley. We heard he was moved this morning, but weren't told where."
The witch glanced at a list on her desk. "First floor, second door down the hall, on the right. The Dai Llewellyn Ward."
As they made their way to the Dai Llewellyn Ward, Naruto's curiosity got hold of him and made him look into some open rooms. However, the sight was sometimes sickening. When he saw a person covered with humongous purple zits, half of which were freshly popped, he rushed ahead of the group to the nearest bathroom.
Once they reached Arthur's room, the Order members hung back and let Harry and the family in first. When they saw Naruto was still outside, Tonks seemed to consider if he counted enough as an Order member to stay out and visit with the second group, but Moody hurried him into the room. Arthur was very injured, but well enough that he could sit up and act almost jolly. "Did the Daily Prophet include your attack?" Fred was asking.
"No, my dear boy!" Arthur told him. "The Ministry doesn't want it known that a dirty big serpent got..." He then got a sharp warning from Molly, as if he shouldn't say more. "... eh, me."
"Then why put you in a public hospital?" Naruto asked. Everyone turned to him, but the Golden Trio soon looked away. Arthur and Molly were nervous, as if they feared what Naruto would say. "More likely, they didn't want everyone to know a snake got into the Ministry unnoticed. That'd mean horrible security. And what if there's more than one snake in there?" That seemed to calm the adults, and sate the curiosity of the kids.
"But where were you when you were attacked? Down deep, or near the entrance?" George asked. "If we knew how the snake got in..."
"That's none of you're business!" Molly told him roughly.
Arthur tried to change the subject, but the boys wouldn't let it be. "Guys," Naruto told them, "we probably shouldn't answer those questions here. If he said he was 'on duty', he must have had an Order." That not so subtle clue made even Ron stop asking.
All too soon, it was time to switch groups and let the Order members in. The twins brought out five Ear-on-a-Strings, and offered to share with Harry, Ron, and Hermione. "Hey, can I have one?" Naruto asked.
"Sorry, but there's not enough Ear to go around," Fred said. However, his voice suggested there was another reason, but Naruto couldn't ask while they were eavesdropping.
A few minutes later, the four were staring at Harry with something like wary fear. Soon, the Order members came out and shuttled everyone back to HQ. There, Harry immediately went to his room, ignoring his friends. Naruto, still out of the loop of what was said, decided to visit him before dinner. It took a few tries, but Harry eventually let Naruto in. "Harry, what went on back there? What'd you guys hear?"
Harry was slow to answer. "Voldemort's been possessing me."
"How do you know?" Naruto asked.
"They said it," Harry whispered. "Voldemort and I share a connection. That's how I can sense when he's near. That's how I could see what he was up to last year. Now, he found a way to reach me."
"I don't know about magical mind links," Naruto told him, "but I know a little about chakra mind links. Some mind controllers can force themselves into your mind, and you forget everything that happens while they're in." He remembered enough from Ino to describe this form of mind possession.
"That's like what Ginny said," Harry realized. He then quickly explained about Voldemort's Diary. Aside from Naruto laughing at one detail, he understood.
"Seriously, a dangerous wizard admitted to having a diary and didn't call it a journal?" Naruto bellowed. Harry gave a feeble smile, and Naruto soon calmed down. "Well, another form of chakra mind link is that the person takes over, and you feel almost like you're watching a movie. But you can feel his thoughts, his desires, like they're your own." Naruto knew what he was talking about here. That's how it felt a few times when he entered some of Kyuubi's tailed modes.
"Actually," Harry realized glumly, "that's what happened in Dumbledore's office last night. I looked at Dumbledore, in the eyes, and felt angry, like I wanted to bite him."
"I know what you mean," Naruto told him. "I once felt the same way. I was getting angry at Voldemort at the graveyard, and was almost taken over by... something else. The last time I got that angry... I hurt one of my best friends. I became little more than a monster, and couldn't do anything to stop it."
"But how do I know I wasn't the snake?" Harry asked. "Maybe Voldemort managed to take me to the ministry, and transformed me into the snake."
"You weren't there," Naruto consoled him. "I saw you from the Slytherin dungeons..."
"You're lying," Harry snapped. "You were there at the Ministry. You fought me off after I bit Arthur."
"What?" Naruto asked, surprised. "I wasn't there! I saw you through Sage Mode..."
"Stop lying to me!" Harry yelled. "You're just as bad as the Order. I'm not a kid, I can handle the truth!"
"But it is the truth!" Naruto tried to comfort his friend.
"Get out!" Harry demanded, turning away from his former friend. Adamant, nothing Naruto could say or do moved him. Sad at how the talk went so wrong, Naruto left.
The following weeks were just as bad. Hermione and Ron believed Harry was right, and started to distrust their former friend from Slytherin. No matter how many times Naruto told them, they believed he was working with the Order, since he was a somewhat inactive member. Naruto's adamant protests that he was in Hogwarts at the time strained their friendship.
The other members of the Order refused to vouch for Naruto, or give any information on what happened that night. This lead Harry and Naruto to believe that whatever Arthur was doing, it was related to the weapon mentioned during the summer. The only exception to Order silence was Tonks. She was the most open Order member there was, even if she didn't reveal anything about their actions. When everyone else gave Naruto the cold shoulder, she would often talk to him, asking about the world he came from. Naruto would tell her about a few of the less personal missions he went on when he was twelve.
All too soon, December 24th came up, the day before Christmas. Many Order members and Hogwarts Students helped set up decorations. There were streamers and garlands to place on the banisters, enchanted figurines which sang 'Christmas Carols' to put on the various tables and dressers, enchanted snow along the carpets, mistletoe to hang in some corners, and a decently sized tree to dress in the kitchen. Naruto helped out as much as he could, but the Gryffindors were giving him the cold shoulder. Sirius Black was acting almost jolly. He taught Naruto to sing some Wizard Carols, like God Rest Ye, Merry Hippogryffs and Fairies We Have Heard on High.
The next day was Christmas, and Naruto was excited to learn what it was. He was so excited on his way to the kitchen, he almost missed the pile of gifts, hidden under the foot of his bed. Hermione got him a book on Japanese mythology, in Japanese. Ron got him some sweets, which Naruto decided to save for later. Ms. Weasley got him a sweatshirt with an N on it, which he put on. A couple members of the Order got him broom supplies. Tonk's present was an insta-Ramen bowl; just put Ramen in and it'll be cooked and souped immediately.
As he admired his many gifts, he realized he didn't get anyone a present in return. Thinking quickly, Naruto pulled out a paper and pencil and made everyone Christmas cards. After making sure he charmed them to English, he left his room to distribute them. Harry refused to open his door, so Naruto slipped it under the door. Ron and Hermione were nicer, but still cold, to Naruto. Molly Weasley accepted hers with a death-testing hug, but Naruto could tell she was depressed. The sweater with a P emblazoned on was a clue. Tonks took hers with her usual perky personality.
Later that day, Harry and the others went to the hospital to visit Mr. Weasley and wish him a merry Christmas. Naruto, however, knew that his presence would be unwanted, and stayed behind. He spent the day in the kitchen, either reading the funny folklore of the Wizarding World's Japanese culture or enjoying his instant Ramen bowl.
"Wotcher Harry!" A familiar voice was at the door. Soon, Tonks sat down next to Harry, her hair a festive red with green highlights. "See you like my present!"
"Yeah! Best thing ever!" Naruto praised. Not having to wait three minutes for Ramen to finish was a blessing from the heavens. "Thanks for the gift!"
"Glad you loved it," Tonks laughed. "Say, why aren't you with your friends?"
"They didn't want me along," Naruto told her, face down. "Ever since Harry's dream, they stopped trusting me. They said I was there that night, with Arthur."
"But you weren't there," Tonks confirmed.
"But they don't believe me!" Naruto replied. "Harry said he saw me there! Unless you guys can explain why..."
"I'm sorry Naruto," Tonks told him, "but we can't. Even if you're a member of the Order, you haven't been very active. Molly and some of the others don't want you to know what's been going on, especially since you might tell Harry."
"And why should I not tell Harry?" Naruto demanded.
"Because we now know You-Know-Who can access his mind," Tonks reminded him. "Anything we tell Harry, he'd know. It's better You-Know-Who doesn't know everything we do."
"... I get it," Naruto said, dejected. "But it still doesn't feel right. I care for my friends, but they are just pushing me away."
"I know what you mean," Tonks said, now looking a little downcast. Even her hair turned a messy brown. "I care for someone, deeply. I told him that last night. But he doesn't feel 'worthy enough' for me and left."
"That's awful! You should just keep being there for him until he accepts how you feel."
"Do you really think so, Naruto?" Tonks asked, looking hopeful.
"I know so, believe it!" Naruto confirmed.
"Thanks for that!" Tonks said. She then returned her hair to its festive colors. "I will. You take your own advice as well. It may just help patch your friendship with Harry. Later Naruto!"
"I will! See you later!" However, this didn't help Naruto's mood. In an effort to make himself feel better, he tried one of Ron's candy's. No sooner had it entered his mouth than he had a horrible fever and could feel puss filled zits bursting on his face. Remembering the Gryffindor first-years from months earlier, Naruto picked out the purple candy and gulped it down. This candy undid the fever of the first, but only shrank the zits. Naruto knew who the candy came from, and who was going to pay for that prank.
That night, when Fred and George went to bed, they found their room already occupied. Inside was a really big toad; lime green with bright yellow patterns, wearing a bow, makeup, lipstick, and eyeliner. "Hello Fred-cutie and George-cutie," the toad said in a high pitched voice. "You pranked Naruto with some sweets. Time for payback, sweetums!"
Just then, the grossest thing George ever saw occurred. This flamboyant frog kissed his twin! Said kiss made Fred freeze in place, with a look of horror on his face. "Sorry lady," George couldn't resist saying, "but I guess you're not turning into a lovely princess today."
"Young man," the toad told him, now in a deep manly voice, "I'm not a girl." That pronouncement shocked George. Was he really about to be kissed by a drag queen? He couldn't recover from said shock before Gamariki kissed him too.
When he came to, the world was colorful, and the ground undefined. Looking to his right, he saw his long-time crush facing away from him. He ran towards her, hoping she could tell him what was going on. However, when she turned around, she had the toad's head, hands, and body color. It repulsed George. "What's the matter George-sweety? Am I not good enough for you?" the toad asked, reaching for a hug and another kiss. Afraid of what another kiss would do, George ran the other way. "Now cutie," the toad was in front of him, but over Fred's body! "You pranked Naruto with a cursed candy. No matter how handsome you are, you deserve this prank back."
"But it wasn't us!" George protested. "We tried to prank our little bro, not Naruto!"
Now scared for his sanity, George turned and ran from both of the toad people, only to hit something like pink squishy quicksand. "This is for misbehaving so badly," a third toad person said. This one likely scarred George for life; it was Umbridge!
The next morning, Fred and George went down to breakfast ashen white. While everyone besides Naruto asked what happened, they made a silent agreement not to mention it ever again.
Never give sweets to a friend near Christmas; you never know if he'll actually keep them of gift them.
Important Review Responses:
blackicethunder: Like the butterfly effect, Naruto's presence will change details. However, a world ruled by prophesy will have major events occur anyway. Just wait til the next year of Hogwarts; more people will be changed.
Until I return,
AnonymousGX