The action's almost over for this Year at Hogwarts. Then we'll have the mandatory Dumbledore explanations... yay...
It took some convincing for Harry to let the others join him, but he eventually caved. However, when Naruto pointed out that the three of them verses Voldemort and his Death Eaters weren't good odds, Harry caved. It took a little longer to help those who couldn't see the Thestrals mount up, but everybody eventually got on. The only problem was, they were one Thestral short. To make things easier, Naruto gave his Thestral to Luna, then used a Transformation Jutsu to become smaller and ride with her. She put him in her shirt pocket, which Naruto was at first a little uncomfortable about. After a simple request to go to the Ministry of Magic, they were off.
Naruto wasn't having as much fun on the Thestral as his broom. The Thestral had unforgiving acceleration, for one thing. His broom was nowhere near this fast, but he couldn't see anything because of his eyes tearing up. Not to mention, he had no control over the flight; he was riding on Luna who was riding on the Thestral. He tried to strike up a conversation with her, but they couldn't hear each other too well.
After awhile, their flight jerked to a landing. Ron wasn't happy about it, Neville was shaking, but everybody else was fine. Not wanting to waste chakra, Naruto released the transformation as soon as he could hop out of Luna's pocket. "Now that we're here," she asked, "how do we get inside?"
"Through that phone booth," Harry pointed out. Realizing it would be cramped, Naruto rode on the ceiling while everybody else tried to cram on the floor. Seeing some more room above everybody else's heads, Naruto reached down and picked up Luna. After they were all in, Harry stepped in himself. "Whoever can reach the phone, dial 6-2-4-4-2."
"I got it!" Ginny announced, her slim arm easily reaching around Hermione's back.
After the numbers were dialed, the phone spoke. "Welcome to the Ministry of Magic! Please state your name and business."
Harry spoke up, rushing to get in ASAP. "Harry Potter, Ron Weasley, Ginny Weasley, Hermione Granger, Neville Longbottom, Luna Lovegood, Naruto..."
"Uzumaki," Naruto provided for him. "We're on a rescue mission."
"Thank you," the automated voice said in happy monotone. "Visitors, please take the badges..." which dropped out a slit in the phone box. Hermione managed to turn around, and distributed the badges. "...and attach them to the front of your robes. Visitors to the Ministry, you are required to submit to a search and present your wands for registration at the security desk, which is located at the far end of the Atrium."
"We know!" Harry almost yelled at the box. "Can we go now?" The booth obeyed, sliding into the concrete.
"Next time, can we use an inside voice?" Luna asked. "Loud voices can attract Dingle-wizzes."
Everyone there was used to Luna, and ignored the likely fictional creature. The booth ride was short, and to their luck, the Ministry was empty this day. Even the entrance guard was absent. "I don't like this..." Naruto spoke up. "No government center should be this bare and unguarded. The door should have kept us out if nobody was here. Something's up. Everyone, keep your eyes open."
"Yeah..." Harry agreed. "Can you check if anything's up ahead?"
Naruto slipped his wand into his hand, quickly entering Sage Mode. For a few seconds, he kept his eyes closed, searching out his surroundings. "The mana here is thick. I can't feel much farther than I can see. There's also so many spells in... everything... that I can't make out what each is supposed to do. I'm sorry, but we're going in blind."
With that grim news, Dumbledore's Army made their way across the hall and to the elevator. "Wait a minute," Naruto spoke up. "If anybody wanted to trap us, this is the perfect place."
"What do you suggest we do?" Harry snapped.
"We can either take the stairs," Naruto suggested, "or take two trips with Shadow Clones. The clones will scout the path, and we'll take any ambushes by surprise."
"Good plan," Harry agreed, pushing the elevator button. A quick Shadow Clone and Tranformation later, NaruClone Harry, Ron, and Hermione entered the first shaft. Harry pushed Floor 9, then got out before the gates could close. After giving them a little head start, Harry called a second lift, and everybody rode that one down.
This precaution was unnecessary, but Naruto kept the clones on the lookout. The door to the Department of Mysteries was open; the Clones already passed through. Harry tried to talk people out of this again, but nobody wanted to stay behind. While they talked, the clones popped, giving Naruto a sneak peek of what lie ahead.
The sight inside surprised Naruto. There was so much mana in here, so many spells and enchantments in place, so many 'door portals' connecting to close and far-off places, he was forced to turn off Sage Mode so he could concentrate.
"Somebody close the door," Harry ordered.
Everybody regretted that order. No sooner did it close than the door started moving. "Anybody know any marking spells, and fast?" Naruto spoke up. Not wanting to lose the door, Naruto quickly wall-walked on the exit door.
"Flagrate!" Hermione spoke up, drawing a 0 in the air. The shape sped from her wand and stuck to the door below Naruto.
"That was bloody brilliant!" Ron spoke up.
"For the next door, you should draw a 1," Naruto added.
"That was the idea," Hermione admitted.
After the doors died down, the marked door was on the right. "In my dreams," Harry spoke up, "I went through the door opposite the entrance." Hoping for the best, Harry went to the door on the left and swung it open. "This is it! Follow me!"
After everybody was through, Hermione marked the door they came through. This room was adorned with clocks, bell jars, and a huge jar of crystal balls. "1,000 yen says this room is for time experiments," Naruto commented. Sure enough, various small creatures were aging and un-aging at an alarming rate. Ginny looked interested, but Harry's haste moved them along, across the room.
Harry was somewhat excited about the next room. "This is it," he told everybody. "Be careful."
"You don't have to tell us," Ginny commented, looking around the room. This room had things that looked like crystal balls as well. However, these were on shelves that seemed to stretch for miles. When everybody looked closely at them, each ball had a tag with names.
Harry knew where to go. He went straight down the middle of the shelves. "It's row 97," he said.
"Do we all want to charge in the same way Voldemort showed to you?" Naruto asked. "Lets split up and walk along the walls as well."
"Fine," Harry said. Harry, Ron and Hermione took the main path, Luna and Naruto went left, and Ginny and Neville went right. Luckily, both ends of each shelf included the row number, allowing everybody to know where they were.
After a couple minutes of walking, all three groups found row 97. "He should be here!" Harry yelled. "Anybody see him?"
"No!" Ginny spoke up from her side.
"He's not over here either!" Naruto spoke up. "Maybe somebody came by, and Voldemort retreated to another room?"
"Harry..." Neville spoke up. "This ball has your name on it."
"What?" Harry asked, curious.
"It says so right here," Neville pointed out. "STP to ABWBD, Dark Lord, Demon Fox, and ? Harry Potter."
"It says what?!" Naruto almost shouted, pushing his way through the crowded students. Without thinking, Naruto pulled the orb off its shelf to check. Sure enough, 'Demon Fox' was written on the tag. Too late, he realized he had touched, maybe tampered with, mysterious magic, and almost fearfully checked to see if the orb or its resting place would react to his action.
He wasn't the only one. Out of the shadows, various Death Eaters slid. One of them, coming from the isle Harry and Naruto were closest to, removed his mask, speaking in a whisper. "Now... this is an interesting surprise. Turn around slowly, and hand the orb to me."
"Malfoy," Harry identified the man. Meanwhile, the DA began circling up, facing each Death Eater in sight.
"So you're Draco's mother? I see where he gets his blond hair from..." Naruto mused.
"You fool, I am his father," Mr. Malfoy spoke up. "Now, hand over the prophecy."
"So this is a prophecy?" Naruto double-checked, looking it over. "I see. STP told the prophecy to... Wait a minute, that's Dumbledore's initials. So STP gave this prophecy to Dumbledore about Voldemort, Harry, and... a Demon Fox."
"You dare say his name?" another voice spoke up. A Death Eater came from behind Malfoy, her mask removed as well. This lady had twisted black hair, and looked like she was a few kunai short of a ninja pouch.
"I do," Naruto replied.
"Where's Sirius," Harry demanded, reminding everyone why they're here.
"Where's Sirius!" the girl cackled. "Has wittle Potter bean daydweaming awgain? Lost touch wi'd weality? What a pity..."
"Bellatrix," Neville turned his wand on the lady, its end starting to glow.
Malfoy stepped in front of Bellatrix, an open palm towards the teens. "Now, let's all... calm, down. Hand us the prophecy, and we'll let you go."
"Here's how I see it," Naruto said, speaking over Harry's commands to the group. "If we give you the prophecy, we lose our bargaining power and are at your mercy. We also lose information Voldemort desperately wants. Then again, this prophecy was given to Dumbledore; he already knows its contents. We have no need of it. I wonder, what would happen if I were to crush the prophecy in my grip?" Naruto growled out, grabbing the orb like he was going to choke it.
The two Death Eaters flinched. It was small and brief, but Naruto caught it, and relaxed his hand. "I see. Your master won't tolerate failure for this. He can't get it from Dumbledore, so he wants this copy. We can't give this to you, but you can't leave without it. Now, here's a new deal. We leave, you leave us alone, and I won't smash the orb."
"You're foolish to make deals in this situation," Malfoy told him sternly.
"The way I see it, we have all the cards, and you are trying to win with a bluff," Naruto countered.
"Harry," Malfoy changed tactics. "Have you ever wondered why you have that scar?" Harry was taken back by that. "Why the Dark Lord targeted you as a child?"
"Don't listen Harry," Naruto warned him. "If we lose the orb, we lose everything!"
"... I've been waiting my for many years," Harry admitted.
"That's right," Malfoy answered, hand extended.
"I guess I can wait longer, NOW!" Harry yelled out.
"Reducto!" various students shouted, aiming their wands at the shelves above the Death Eaters. The spells hit, making the shelves sway and the orbs fall. For some reason, the Death Eaters feared the orbs, and did their best not to get hit. Some shielded, some smoked away.
Luna looked behind her Death Eater. "There's a door over there!" she alerted everyone. It wasn't the door they came from, but it was their best way away from the Death Eaters.
Making their way though, they found themselves in a room with brains-in-an-aquarium. "Colloportus!" Hermione said, turning her wand on the door, which sealed itself shut. "That won't hold for long."
"Lets hold them for a little longer," Naruto said, "Shadow Clone Jutsu!" Two clones appeared, facing the door. "Tranformation Jutsu!" one of them cried. A puff of smoke later, one of the clones became a false prophecy orb, which the other clone picked up. "We'll distract them, find the exit!" NaruClone said.
"Right," Harry took charge, leading everybody to the closest door. However, there was no floor on the other side. Everybody, one by one, started to fall and scream.
"Aresto Momentum!" Hermione's spell stopped everybody a few inches short of the floor, then dropped them without injury. Getting themselves together, everybody noticed that the room was circular and bare, with a large, strange stone archway in the center. Naruto saw some kind of flowing mist-like fabric in the arch, and wanted to get a closer look.
He wasn't the only one. Harry and Luna also advanced with him. "Don't touch it!" Hermione warned them.
"I can hear voices coming through it," Harry commented. Luna and Naruto agreed.
"I can't hear anything," Hermione countered.
"Maybe there is someone there," Naruto thought aloud. "Maybe Sage Mode can tell us something..." Grabbing his wand again, Naruto entered Sage Mode. With it active, the arch was as mysterious as ever.
However, after a few seconds, the archway's fabric became more visible, and brighter. soon, it became a proper curtain to reveal a sight that Naruto thought he'd never see again. Beyond the arch was a forest, and he could make out the faces on Hokage mountain in the distance.
"Where, what is that place?" Hermione asked, fearful.
"That..." Naruto said, shocked enough to drop the prophecy, "is my hometown. I can go home!"
Harry, however, noticed something from the doorway they came from. Quickly, he snatched up the prophecy. "Get behind me! They're coming!" The Hogwarts students quickly got behind Harry and prepared to protect themselves.
As much as Naruto wanted to help them, he was torn. His home was in sight, and this was possibly the only way he could get home. He didn't know how long the arch would remain open, and helping them may cost him and Konoha.
He didn't get the chance to choose. Before he could move, the Death Eaters burst in, causing chaos around and within Dumbledore's Army. Caught off guard, Naruto was hit with a spell that froze him. When the chaos cleared, each student was held hostage by a Death Eater. Malfoy stood with Harry on the arch's platform, Naruto frozen almost between them.
"Nice try boy," Malfoy addressed Naruto. "But prophecies reveal their speakers when destroyed. Your doubles didn't hold us up long. Harry," Malfoy noticed Harry had the prophecy, "hand over the prophecy, and only Naruto will die."
"NO!" Harry yelled out.
"This boy," Malfoy turned back to Naruto, "is too much trouble for us and the Dark Lord to remain alive. Avada Kedavra!" Unable to do anything, everyone watched at the green curse sped to Naruto and hit him dead on. The freeze spell removed, Naruto fell forward, landing between Malfoy and Harry, eyes closed and out of Sage Mode. His fellow students had varying levels of shock and fear. Hermione shed a tear for her lost friend, and Luna couldn't accept it.
Smiling, Malfoy looked up from Naruto and at Harry. "One by one, we will torture, then kill, your friends, until you surrender the prophecy."
I'm an evil author!
Important Review Responses:
Thanks for all the positive feedback. If anybody has any constructive criticism, I'll like that just as much! I love it when people tell me if something was unclear or if I made a wording mistake.
Ldsprincess: 1) I admit it was rushed. Like I said, I wasn't sure how to keep Naruto in Hogwarts, and anything that would happen in HQ would be similar to when he stayed for the holidays. I didn't want to repeat myself. 2) I'll explain Pa's absence when the Order of the Phoenix is nearly done (aka, about three chapters away). As well as why Harry's shunning. We'll figure out exactly why Harry saw Naruto at the Door... 3) Don't forget, Harry shuns Ron just as much as Ron shuns him. Also, Harry is especially moody in OotP. Hermione is the peacekeeper, but I thought that Harry and Ron would herd her away from Naruto. 4)That's right, Sirius was being naughty and getting a stretch as the neighborhood mutt.
airnaruto45: I was being polite. If my friend is Jewish, I'll wish him Happy Hanukah and want him to wish me Merry Christmas.
ds777: 1) Ninja Quidditch. They'd need to add more rules... 2) Nope. Sirius was reliving his 'glory days'.
Here's til the next chapter!
AnonymousGX