Genma was the one who kept a level head. After all, a hotheaded shinobi was a dead shinobi. During the war, he learned too quickly (too young) that emotions - a moment of blind anger - could easily cost you the life of your teammates, if not yourself.

(The blood stained his hands. He felt sick and cold and weak. He wouldn't make the same mistake ever again)

When he was a student, he was, admittedly, a bit jealous of Hatake Kakashi. He was the great prodigy who was on missions while many other students were just starting school. Many students looked up to the cold prodigy, both admiring or envious. Genma wasn't above admitting his jealousy, since many other students felt the same. He knew that he would never be as strong as Kakashi. Kakashi was the untouchable prodigy, both the son of a powerful shinobi and the last of his clan.

(Genma sometimes wondered if Kakashi regrets pushing everyone away. His aloofness and skill resulted in the tumultuous dynamics for his genin team. Maybe if Kakashi reached out earlier… Sometimes, Genma wonders when watching the ANBU drown in his grief at the Memorial Stone with no escape)

However, when Genma made his first contact with war on a message delivery - a simple mission turned into a battle - Genma was met with the cold realization of what war was really like. Attacking their opponents with jutsus and poisoned tipped senbons, while his teammates were bleeding and hurt, only then did Genma realize what war was really like. It was bloody, awful, and sickening. Leaving their opponents dead (a team of adults and soldiers smaller than him ), Genma realized that Kakashi has been fighting opponents bigger than him when he was much younger than Genma.

He was young and made mistakes. He lost comrades that you only gain through blood and sweat and the shared duty to protect the Leaf. However, no matter how much you cry from grief or destroy from anger, it does not bring back the dead. It does not undo the mistakes you have made.

Everyone found different ways to cope during the war. Some shinobi found healthy hobbies, such as knitting and cooking.

(They were the minority)

Other shinobi expressed themselves in more… eccentric ways.

(Gai fully embraced his father's teachings with a smile, instead of losing himself to grief. Anko found herself scaring everyone around her and feasting on dango, instead of being overwhelmed with anger at the distrust)

Most shinobi just carpenmentalize their horrors with a smile at their loved ones, while trying to forget the nightmares nipping them at the heels. It was unsaid, but there were no unscarred shinobi in the forces. Even with Yamanaka evaluations, most were skilled enough to be able to avoid them or, while in the evaluations, use their subferage skills to pretend everything was normal even when it wasn't.

(Shinobi don't retire till they are dead or too broken to fight. That was an unspoken acknowledgement, even to those who "retire." A broken shinobi is also a dead shinobi after they lost their main purpose; the look in their eyes haunting)

Genma found himself following the teachings of his parents. He began experimenting with poisons, and sometimes testing them on himself to build up immunity. When grief threatened to consume himself and others around him, he found himself cracking jokes more and more to lighten the mood. When his Hokage called on him to fight for the village, he did so.

When Genma walked out of the war, he was a different person. Most of them were, even if they pretended they weren't. They were children when they entered the Academy. They were soldiers with bloodied small hands after the war.

(Genma wished he could protect children so they never had to experience the war like they did. No child deserved that, not even a prodigy)

Genma was loyal to the Hokage. He fought for his comrades and his friends. He killed Konoha and those in it. He lost those he cared about (Minato), but that just made him fight harder to make the Konoha a better place. They would have wanted the village to stay strong and keep living.

(Sometimes, Genma wonders if Minato would have been disappointed in the current Konoha. He loved the village and people enough for both he and his wife to die for it. When Genma sees civilians chasing Naruto or the tiredness behind young Itachi's eyes, there is always a bitter taste in his mouth)

The past leaves its marks, but Genma has learned to live in the present and for the future. The past has shaped him, but Genma can't live with the ghosts of his parents or the broken pieces of his make-shift family that burned into ashes after the Kyuubi.

However, no matter how much Genma lives in the present, the past left deep scars on his soul. He doesn't want to lose someone he loves again.

It is a fear that haunts him, which he locks away deep inside his heart. It is a fear that grips him as he watches medics hover over an ever pale Raidou. It is a fear that rattles him and puts him off foot.

Genma was a level headed soldier, true. But that didn't mean he always kept his head on straight, especially when it involved Raidou.

Raidou was his best friend and his partner after many tough missions and battles. Something between them just clicked and it felt like Genma found something he was missing all along. Raidou was the one who sighs exasperatedly everytime Genma shows up at his apartment to crash, since his own apartment was messy (unlivable). Raidou was the one who scolds Genma for being reckless on missions and how he should be going to the hospital first, while patching up his wounds. Raidou was the one who witnessed Genma's own mental breakdowns, but was the anchor to keep him steady.

(Raidou was the one who made Genma's heart stutter and his hands clammy, just by giving him a soft smile. Raidou was the one who made Genma feel firm, but also so very weak-kneed, like his many flings that his friends teased him about. Genma tried to shove away those feelings since Raidou was more than his flings and Raidou deserved better than a man who has slept with more men and women than anyone could count. Raidou deserved the best, and Genma wasn't that)

Genma couldn't afford to lose Raidou, so perhaps that's the reason why he lost his cool and yelled at a poor medic, demanding answers and why wasn't Raidou getting better.

He had to be removed from the room by his friends since he was making a scene, but not before it felt like something was squeezing his heart from horror when he heard the flat line beep.

It felt like his world was falling apart, with jounins and chunnins watching in horror or grim realization.

The medics were able to get his heart up again by using a lightning jutsu, but those moments felt like an eternity to a numb Genma. He couldn't find it in himself to cry or to get angry or… anything. He just felt numb while he waited for the medics to announce Raidou's death.

By some miracle, Raidou was alive. Raidou was okay. Raidou fucking died for a moment there and Genma was torn between stabbing his friend for shaving off about ten years off his life, or simply crying from relief.

(His old genin teammate, Gai, certainly had no qualms of crying in relief)

Genma, feeling as if he was put in through the ringer by Captain Hound, simply sat by Raidou's side and waited for hours till he would finally wake up. He knew his friends were concerned about him and only after they guilt tripped him of not taking care of himself, unlike a certain classmate of theirs, did he actually go back to his (Raidou's) apartment to shower and change, before he shunshined back to Raidou's hospital room.

The others, noticing his arrival, gave him a look and Genma froze for a moment. He immediately sagged, giving the pretense that he was relaxed, but his friends gave him different looks of exasperation or concern. They knew him too well. They knew that he was both feeling utterly terrified, yet so relieved to know Raidou was okay.

Aoba gave him a comforting pat on the shoulder, while Kurenai whispered that everything was okay now. Anko, feeling a bit antsy, loudly proclaimed that she was going to grab some dango for herself (and Raidou), before dragging Kurenai away. Hayate coughed, before giving Genma a small smile.

"Go talk to him. Everyone is heading out. The nurses are going to get him a new batch of food since there was a small accident," Hayate said, before leaving Genma alone in the hall.

Genma had to gather his nerves for a moment (he would never admit it though), before opening the door.

Genma felt his breath hitch when he noticed that Raidou was awake, calmly laying in the bed and staring at the ceiling. Genma couldn't help but shake his head fondly. Raidou was too nice of a guy to stress out the nurses and medics by sneaking out of the hospital, unlike other shinobi.

"You know, other people would've left by now," Genma couldn't help but tease. Raidou sighed and looked towards Genma with a flat look. He looked very tired and a bit stressed, Genma noticed.

"I, unlike some people, understand the concept of bedrest and also not sneaking out of a hospital while they're literally bleeding," Raidou shot back with a roll of his eyes.

Genma shrugged and motioned towards the window. "It just looks too inviting, doesn't it? Practically an open door."

Raidou snorted. "Anything could be an open door for a shinobi. Shiranui, don't give me that innocent act since I literally had to stitch you back together, since you detest hospitals so much."

Genma gave a leering smirk. "Maybe I just like your hands all over me?"

Raidou barked a laugh and shook his head fondly. Something inside Genma twitched, but Genma tried to push that away. It wasn't possible and he shouldn't think about it.

"I hope you don't use that line on the nurses here. I can't imagine that blood creates a very romantic atmosphere," Raidou said wryly with a small smile. His mouth, though smiling, seemed twisted and his eyes were dull.

Genma moved his senbon to the other side of his mouth with a small frown. So, he wasn't imagining it after all. Something was bothering Raidou and he was forcing himself to be happy.

Genma grimaced. It might be because Raidou was debriefed about the extent of the damage and how he literally died. That might be bothering him, but Raidou was the type to pick himself up and keep going.

It might be something else, but having heart-to-heart conversations in a hospital were hardly private. Rumors in ANBU and in the shinobi population about his miraculous survival have already spread. Genma could sense some chakra signatures lingering, before darting away, as some worriers were confirming Raidou's survival.

In peacetime, shinobi were also the worst gossips. That's a fact. Raidou may not be the most powerful shinobi either, but he was a well-seasoned and well-liked one as well, among both shinobi and civilian population.

Needless to say, if Genma wanted to talk to Raidou, the hospital was hardly the place.

Genma plopped down next to his friend, fiddling with his senbon. "Any questions you want to ask? How long are they keeping you trapped here?"

Raidou sighed. "No, I'm good. I can head out later today, but I'm going to be stuck on light duty for a while. Likely, I'll be switching shifts with you for guard duty for…" Raidou trailed off with a conflicted look in his eyes.

Genma sighed with his heart feeling heavy. His eyes darted to the window to see the clear blue sky that was so open and free. Blue sky, blue eyes.

(Why wasn't he able to do more for Naruto? It wasn't fair)

"Well, looks like I'll be guarding Sandaime-sama. Hopefully he doesn't skip out on his paperwork again," Genma said wryly. The paperwork just seemed to keep and keep going in the Hokage's office. Minato even seemed to be buried under the paperwork, while Kushina literally had to drag her husband home to eat together.

You couldn't pay Genma all the S-ranks in the world to take on the job of Hokage. Genma could understand why the last remaining Sannin hightailed it out of there.

Genma snorted at the thought and Raidou raised an eyebrow. "Just thinking about the idea of Jiraiya taking on the role of Hokage. He would die under all the paperwork."

Raidou chuckled with a sparkle in his eyes. The tension of worry in Genma relaxed. Genma was glad Raidou didn't have those dull eyes anymore and seemed more lighthearted.

"The guy wouldn't be able to know where to start. He would probably be heartbroken since he wouldn't be able to do anymore of his "research" as an excuse to write his books too," Raidou remarked with a grin.

"There would be plenty of distraught fans, including the Sandaime," Genma replied with a smirk. The ANBU guards were polite enough to turn a blind eye whenever the Sandaime got a… special package from his student. No rumors, their lips were sealed.

"Kakashi included," Raidou mused with a laugh. "All around the world, so many powerful people are brought to their knees by the power of porn, grieving." Both of them laughed at the idea, feeling a bit lighter.

It reassured Genma that Raidou was alive and breathing. He was still here.

The good mood was interrupted by a noise outside. Genma's eyes darted to the window to see a messenger bird. He sighed. Looks like duty calls.

"See you later, okay? Don't push yourself. I'll cook dinner tonight," Genma told Raidou as he opened the window and the bird hopped onto his shoulder.

"Yeah, no, unless you're buying. When was the last time you cooked?" Raidou said dryly and Genma choked on air.

"It's not my fault you're such a good cook! You know how hard it is to get a good home cooked meal with our schedules!" Genma sputtered.

"The point of cooking is to eat. Not to poison everyone."

Genma grumbled as he waved goodbye, before dashing towards the Hokage's office. Hopefully he would be back for dinner and not on a six month infiltration mission, like last time.

(Never piss off a Desk Shinobi)

~OoOo~

Raidou opened his eyes and blinked in confusion, before sighing in resignation. He was literally standing in darkness. Talk about really dreary and dramatic.

Raidou raised an eyebrow and crossed his arms as he waited for the bastard to appear.

(Death was a fucking asshole and no one could convince Raidou otherwise)

"What a nasty look in your eyes," someone rasped behind him and Raidou spun around to see a hooded figure.

"What the hell do you want?" Raidou demanded, eyeing the cloaked figure suspiciously. Death doesn't show up in your dreams for nothing.

"I went out of my way to help you, and this is the thanks I get?" Death replied flatly and something inside Raidou twitched. The cryptic words of their previous meeting lingered in his mind.

"What do you want? Why… Why give me memories of my previous life now ? You certainly have not shown your face till now. I would understand if you gave them to me when I was reborn or over time. Heck, even when I was eleven since that is when everything started. I am already an adult and lived past the age I have died. Why now!?" Raidou demanded. His memories of his past life seeping through him as his temper flared.

(He lost so many people he loved and he couldn't do anything about it now. They were either dead or alive in a world he could never return to)

"And because of you, I died! The Professor told me! You wanted me to board the goddamn train beyond death, and here I am. I didn't mind since I accepted the adventure after death. I reincarnated, but yet, only now you suddenly flip my world upside down. Why!?" Raidou yelled as nails dug into his palm in frustration.

(If he remembered his past life sooner, he could have done something. He might have been able to save Minato and Kushina. He might have been able to prevent the war. He might have been able to prevent the meaningless deaths of his teammates over the years)

"You are already feeling the effects, aren't you? Your magic is returning," Death said curtly. "You should be careful. It's very unstable right now. Imagine if you have an incident in the real world."

Raidou scowled unhappily. He already had a small accident. When Raidou woke up and realized that he was reincarnated, his frustration caused the food the nurse was carrying to crash since the tray was vibrating.

It was a mild case of accidental magic, which everyone immediately brushed off since the nurse apologized for being so clumsy, but Raidou knew that he caused that.

The hum of magic was strange alongside his chakra. It was uncomfortable, like a new itch under his skin that he couldn't scratch and had to ignore.

"I just… want some answers. I feel too old for this," Raidou sighed as his anger left him. He just felt tired of this. In his first life, he was thrown into incident after incident, before having the weight of the world on his shoulders. In his second life, he had to experience war (as a child soldier again, some part of his mind screamed) and lost his entire family. He was used to swinging his sword and cutting off the head of another, feeling nothing as he accomplished the mission objective.

He already, on a daily basis, dealt with summons, creative applications of chakra, strange clan techniques, and the eccentricity of Konoha shinobi. He didn't want to deal with magic and whatever Death wanted to drag him into.

"Your case was… particular. People don't usually remember their past lives, unless they make some kind of deal with me. You are, however, the current Master of Death. This meant some bending of the rules. You need your memories and magic for the trials coming. I may have not been able to return your memories and your powers when you were born, but I could after you died. I… simply did not expect you to take so long to die, considering your track record, Master," Death quietly explained. They paused, obviously waiting for this information to sink in.

And it did sink in.

Raidou wanted to sit down, put his face in his hands, and just scream. How was this his life?

Death, unable to read the mood, helpfully added, "Third time's the charm, right?"

Dying three times wasn't something to celebrate, in his opinion. Then again, did Death even care about his opinion? Raidou highly doubted it. It felt like Master of Death was a rather empty title.

"Just.. okay. Okay, sure. Whatever. Yay for dying," Raidou muttered under his breath.

Death just seemed to stare at Raidou. Even though he couldn't see under Death's cloak, he had the uncomfortable feeling that Death could see everything.

"I do hope you cooperate with me. After all, you may be able to help Namikaze's soul if you do," Death said and Raidou's head snapped to Death.

"How about Kushina's?" Raidou whispered. The memory of the woman's bright red hair with her blood dripping on the floor still gripped his heart. Raidou bit his tongue.

(Raidou failed Minato and his wife. The woman with so much fire was too cold)

"She's waiting on the other side for her family. She may never reunite with her husband though. You do want to help her, don't you?"

Raidou's whole body was trembling, but he tried to freeze. He couldn't show such weakness right now.

Raidou closed his eyes. "I can't bring back the dead though." He remembered that clearly after his godfather's death.

"You cannot."

"But I could help Minato's soul," Raidou said calmly. Much calmer than he actually felt.

"I may have different appearances and different personalities, but in each world, death is death. You are the Master of Death and have some control of my domain. Shinigami is Death just as much as I am. You have many challenges ahead of you, but this is something in your power. Will you help your Hokage-sama?" Death asked him.

Raidou wasn't stupid. Even in an emotional state, he could see that Death was tempting him because of something else. Yet, for the life of him, Raidou couldn't understand Death's game plan. Maybe he never will.

But even then, the face carved into the mountain burned into his mind. Raidou already made his decision.

He stared straight at Death. "Of course I will," Raidou said with clenched fists. This was something he had to do. It was something within his powers and he could never forgive himself if he turned it down. He would never be able to stare Naruto in the face without feeling shame and guilt.

He had to do this.

"What do you want then?" Raidou asked warily. Death wouldn't just offer this for no reason.

"You're my master. I couldn't possibly ask anything from you," Death replied. Raidou wanted to scoff, but stopped himself. It's fine. If Death had a gameplan, he would reveal it later. He could wait and be patient.

Death approached him and a cloaked sleeve reached for his hand. Raidou gasped as something burned into the palm of his right hand. He stiffened, but waited for a few moments until the cloak sleeve retreated.

There was the Mark of the Deathly Hallows burned in his hand. It was glowing the colors of fire, before fading away as if it was never there.

"Any issues and problems though, you must deal with yourself. This mark will guide you and they'll help you with everything. Maybe we will meet again soon, maybe we won't. Goodbye, Harry Potter and Namiashi Raidou. It has started and things are lurking. You will need it," Death said, before being enveloped by darkness.

~OoOo~

Raidou's eyes snapped open. He was awake now, still in his hospital bed. He sat up with a sigh. It wasn't too late since the dimming sun stretched long shadows, but he could hear ANBU and shinobi darting over the rooftops while patrolling.

In the darkness of the room, Raidou stared at the palm of his hand. He could see the gentle glow of the mark, before it faded away.

It wasn't a dream.

The mark was there. It was lingering in wait. For what? He honestly did not know.

This chapter was actually the second version of this chapter since I didn't like how the first version flowed. It ended up being completely thrown out and started anew with Genma's POV. Took some liberties with his backstory, but hey! Creative freedom! I stressed a lot when writing this chapter since I was very much worried about OOCness, but this is my first Naruto fic and my first Harry Potter fic (my old ones don't count shhhh). I am trying my best, but I am definitely not a perfect writer, so please keep that in mind.

And with this, the fic is up to date to my original version. The next chapter will hopefully be in a few weeks after my finals. Hope you enjoyed it!

Please leave some comments and reviews! It would really mean a lot! Thank for all the support with the favs and follows~