Needling the Scarecrow 2

Warning: Fem!Harry/Kakashi Hatake, some useless rambling on my part, probably crude language, violence...

Disclaimer: Neither 'Naruto' nor 'Harry Potter' are mine. I just play with them a little.

-2-

The Sandaime Hokage of Konohagakure, Sarutobi Hiruzen, was a clever man, which had helped to earn him the moniker 'The Professor'. Harry had heard very many stories about his numerous accomplishments, told by an enthusiastic Teddy. (Thanks to his care-taker at the day care where she had enrolled him to ease his integration process - or so Andromeda had formulated it at the time.)

Outside of a single council meeting, to officially welcome her 'clan' to the village around two years ago, the young woman had never seen him personally. He had not even spoken to her, although she had never expected as much, but she could appreciate the Hokage's sacrifices for the sake of others.

However, this explained why she was currently quite puzzled upon finding herself in his office, sitting directly across from him, hat, smoking pipe and all.

"Not that I'm not honored to meet you personally, Sandaime-sama, but why did you summon me here? Is there a problem with our presence in the village?" Harry asked worriedly.

She had been having problems befriending others, mainly due to her status as an unwed mother, among other civilians, and the kunoichi usually dismissed her off the bat as a spoiled princess who wouldn't understand them. So far, only one woman could honestly be called a tentative friend: Nara Yoshino. Said surprisingly temperamental brunette had been curious about her healing pastes and creams which Hari, as she was called officially, produced for the hospital. (Where she also worked part-time, officially, as a 'poison/emergency specialist'.)

The Hokage, an elderly, deceptively fragile-looking man, smiled warmly at the young woman he had allowed into the village on a bit of a whim. "No, of course not, Black-dono," he waved off easily, retaining his approachable air. "I was merely wondering how you find your job at the hospital."

Still quite puzzled (she knew he must have had better things to do with his time than chatting about her work), Harry sighed a little, but a small smile crossed over her features. The dimples Andromeda found so praise-worthy also made an appearance.

"Well, I still enjoy helping those in need of some medical aid. However, most of the clan's products are now prepared by my Obasan, to free up some of my time for my son, Tadao. It was simply impossible to uphold the same kind of quality and quantities we require in our production while also working as many hours at the hospital," Harry reported honestly, still trying to figure out what the leader of the village wanted with her.

On the other side of the desk, the aforementioned old man breathed in a drag from his pipe. (He had considerately asked her if she minded. Which Harry didn't. She liked the scent of pipe tobacco.) "Your superior has praised your professionalism and work ethic repeatedly, as I'm to understand from the reports I receive quarterly," Sarutobi-sama commented lightly, eyes twinkling.

It was quite reminiscent of her old school days, sitting across from Dumbledore for one reason or another, Harry thought to herself. Besides, she knew he had someone keep an eye on her; they were new to the village after all. Additionally to the 'regular' suspicions each shinobi village held towards newcomers, it had been only about nine years since the Kyuubi-Attack and six since an enemy-nin had tried to kidnap a highly-ranked shinobi clan heiress. Of course this only increased the difficulties in Harry's efforts to befriend others her age.

Or just her co-workers, she supposed. Which would have been nice.

Although, then she remembered: Uzumaki Naruto had been admitted to her (one-person) department after a rather questionable 'training accident'. The ravenette had treated the village pariah, like any other injured patient, sending him home afterward. She hoped he liked chocolate Pocky...

Snapping out of her thoughts, Harry focused her eyes intently on the male in front of her. "Everyone who attempts training in the Black Healing Arts (the name assigned to her methods of treatment by the two councils) has to swear an oath on our honor, chakra and our family's pride. It demands that we treat each of our patients, no matter what background they may have, to the best of our abilities. I wouldn't care if the Fire Lord himself had a 'very urgent' paper-cut if I was already examining a severely injured stable boy," the young woman replied quite heatedly. She was still too much her mother's daughter in regards of temper-control. Even Andromeda had given up on her trying to harness it better.

The elderly Hokage seemed to hide a satisfied smirk behind his pipe and overly large hat. "My apologies, Black-dono. It was not my intention to imply anything insulting. In fact, I was instead seeking to compliment you."

Harry blushed faintly in embarrassment. "Thank you, sir."

"You're welcome," the wizened leader assured her kindly. "Now, you've noted something interesting in your report after examining one of your more - notorious patients. Please explain how you arrived at that particular conclusion."

It wasn't a request, despite the wording. Both of them knew it too.

Harry straightened up, barely suppressed anger nearly literally sparking in her green eyes. "Well, first of all, the way the two 'gentleman', who also brought that specific patient to me, described the situation - seemed too practiced to me. This already set off red flags, so to speak, in my mind. I'm not unfamiliar with abuse, especially child abuse, and abhor any that practice such. Despite my rather recent relocation to Konoha, I have overheard more than a fair share of stories starring that particular patient, serving to increase my suspicions," the ravenette explained dutifully.

Despite her best efforts, her anger shone through her calm exterior, eyes glinting ominously.

"When they refused to reply to my more detailed questions, I was - worried. Usually if a training accident occurs due to too curious children, the shinobi in question describe the background down to the last detail."

The aged Hokage nodded slowly, obviously taking her words into account. Although he must have known most of what Harry had just told him, the wise leader still thought it through. "Thank you for treating Naruto so efficiently, Black-dono. I regard him as an unofficial second grandchild," the Sandaime finally replied, sounding sincere. "Unfortunately, the majority cannot see 'underneath the underneath', as one of my more notorious Jōnin likes to say, especially where Naruto is concerned."

Harry filed the information away for later, although she mentally high-lighted his 'thank you'. Undoubtedly, this was not the main purpose of their chat. If he had just wanted to find out more about her reasoning, the Hokage could have inquired via a Chūnin, her superior or even a written message. No, there was something else he probably wanted from her.

Harry just wasn't quite sure what.

"I doubt the kid has done anything warranting the inhumane treatment he receives on a daily basis," she muttered darkly. Witnessing the deliberate discrimination from so many had poked at her own memories of intentionally getting shunned. At Privet Drive, Surrey Elementary, and also at Hogwarts. That's why she slipped the poor kid some candy when he left.

"I take it you won't mind treating him again should he require it?" Sandaime-sama inquired politely, studying her over the top of his folded hands.

Sighing, Harry nodded a confirmation. "Yes, sir. I won't turn him away, nor will I deliberately sabotage his health or recovery process," she declared boldly, dead serious.

"That said, he should receive a prescription for a nutrient supplement to try and salvage whatever growth possible from his rather restricted diet. I can personally deliver them if you so wish, however I don't know if he will be able to pay the bills for that at the hospital from his own funds. They are effective, very efficient, but also made from several rare plants."

Sadly, the Hokage nodded understandingly. "I will bring them over to his apartment."

Harry smiled at the old man. "Very well. For the next six months, he should receive a monthly dose of these pills. One each day, before breakfast. If I'm satisfied with his process by the end of the aforementioned period, he needs to take another set of supplementary pills until either his diet changes miraculously or he's fully grown and married. Whichever comes first.."

After hearing her somewhat amusing instructions, the Hokage actually chuckled - out loud! He accepted the prescription receipt, written instructions and a small pill bottle from the ravenette.

"Thank you, Black-dono. Now, tell me, how has your son been?"

Harry smirked, remembering the last time she had picked Teddy up from the daycare. "He seems to want to follow in his father's footsteps, unfortunately. Prepare yourself, because I'm suspecting that Naruto will be succeeded as Konoha's pranking menace by Tadao in a couple of years..."

Chuckling, the Hokage continued to smoke his pipe contently, listening to the entertaining tales about the pranking adventures of young Black Tadao who carried the very fascinating Black Kekkei Genkai to its fullest degree. (According to his adopted mother and grandmother, at least.) Hopefully, the boy decided to become a shinobi when the time came, Sarutobi thought, already considering the uses of such an unusual inherited advantage in their type of work.