Chapter 7:

Naruto woke up feeling the sun hitting her face. She curled up and turned when something fell onto her face and slid between her blanket and the dirty clothes on her bed. She hugged her stuffed bunny tightly before realizing something... the sun felt too prickly on the back of her neck. That meant...

She snapped her eyes open and sat up, rubbing her eyes with the palms of her hands and wiping away the drool from the corner of her mouth before quickly getting up. "I have to go, Iruka-sensei is going to kill me!" she exclaimed. They should have started class a long time ago.

She rushed through her small apartment, taking off her shirt and underwear before entering the bathroom and taking a shower. "Cold!" she complained, shivering even more when she applied the soap. She had cuts all over her body from training with ninja wires yesterday. The result was that she got tangled up in them and got cut in many painful places. It got worse when some older kids had shown up and decided to... push her while she was hanging.

She stepped out of the bathroom in search of her clothes, a towel draped over her shoulders. Her blond, spiky hair still dripped water as she picked up a white t-shirt and orange underwear before putting on an old orange jacket and matching pants. She rushed out of the apartment, slamming the door shut loudly. The door was somewhat old, so it didn't close properly unless she slammed it shut. And she least wanted anyone to come in and... wreck things... again.

"Pss, Naruto," she was halted in front of the store where she normally bought supplies for her pranks. The shopkeeper showed her something that made Naruto forget about going to the academy.

An evil laugh took over her.

"Chakra can be used in different ways, even outside of those of a shinobi," Iruka began his class. His gaze still fixed on his most mischievous student's seat (he didn't know Naruto is a girl). Now ten years old, almost eleven in two months, Naruto had become twice as mischievous as before. "Many doctors use it at the hospital, even though they never thought of becoming ninjas. There are also medical ninjas who specialize in healing injuries in a ninja team and—"

"Uzumaki!" Iruka didn't even get a chance to sigh before a bunch of orange glitter hit the window, obstructing the view.

"I'll be right back," a twitch appeared on Iruka's eyebrow as he leaped out of the window that was without a doubt the entry point for the glitter.

Half-asleep Shikamaru woke up to some screams from unsuspecting kids due to the glitter explosion. "Troublesome," he yawned, causing Choji to laugh, and before Shikamaru knew it, he was asleep again, resting his head on the desk.

Naruto's laughter echoed throughout the village before a masked person she recognized made her stop abruptly, causing her shoes to screech on the ground. "Turtle!" the girl exclaimed in surprise. Seeing the ANBU agent, arms crossed and tapping his foot, wasn't good.

"Naruto," she scratched her head, acting as sweet as possible. "What do you think you've been up to?" Naruto pouted.

"I decorated the village. Doesn't it look awesome?" The ANBU agent rubbed his fist against her head, making her yelp and step back. "Ouch, that stings!" She was about to say something more, but another presence behind her made her jump. "I-Iruka-sensei, good morning." She could see her teacher's anger, that glint in his eyes, and Naruto knew she was in trouble...

"Come on, glitter is hard to clean," Naruto mentioned as she wiped the academy's window. This was the tenth place Naruto had to clean. "Oh, it's the troublemaker," she heard a kid from another class say, and Naruto wrinkled her nose and puffed her cheeks. "Yeah, in the end, she has to clean it, so why do it in the first place? What an idiot. Isn't she already eleven?" She didn't pay them any mind, focusing on a stubborn spot on the window. But her brows furrowed; she wasn't eleven yet, she would be in a couple of months. She squirmed when she heard more comments. She gripped the rag in her hand and thought maybe she wanted to splash the dirty water on those dumb kids' heads. "Aah!" Naruto jumped when she heard the boy scream, and she turned only to see him with a bucket on his head, drenched with dirty water. She covered her mouth to avoid laughing. She didn't know how the boy ended up with a bucket on his head, but it had been funny.

"And the boy ended up with a bucket on his head," Naruto laughed as she finished telling the story to Shikamaru and Choji. Shikamaru just gave her a smile, while Choji openly laughed at his friend's anecdote.

They shared stories about how Kiba almost ended up with a pencil in his nose, making her laugh along with them. When their paths diverged, Naruto waved them off with a cheerful smile before heading back to her apartment. Her smile softened a bit as she walked, hearing people talk, but she just quickened her pace to get back home.

She entered and took off her shoes. Many of her classmates might think she was always cheerful and that she didn't have real problems in her life, but...

She knew she was smaller than the others. Once, Choji had lifted her and mentioned she was too light, but Naruto could ask, what could she do? The landlady had raised the rent twice. While she loved ramen, especially Ichiraku's, it wasn't the five-minute ramen, and she couldn't afford it every day.

She knew that even buying cheap food, she couldn't make it to the end of the month. But she didn't have the heart to tell her old man figure or Tortoise.

As she heated up the water, she sat in the only chair at her small table, waiting. The silence that pervaded Naruto's apartment couldn't be hidden. It felt so cold.

She knew she didn't fit in from a young age. The Hokage had taken her out of the orphanage for that same reason. She was a freak; things got broken when she was around. Everyone might say it was a coincidence that windows shattered and things trembled, but... she knew she was the one causing it. Her gaze shifted to the dirty laundry still on her bed. With a sigh, she walked over and grabbed it, forming a bundle of clothes, not noticing there was a letter within.

Finally, she dumped everything into the washing machine without bothering to separate the colored and non-colored clothes. She didn't see the letter as the washing machine filled with water, which meant it never existed after all.

When she finished the cup of ramen, she left it in the dishwasher's spot and pondered what to do now. It was already night, and Tortoise was probably on a mission. Maybe she could train, but... her stomach was still growling. She felt it, rubbing her stomach. She turned towards where she stored more ramen, but... it was rationed, only enough for her to eat once a day. If she had money, she might go to Ichiraku's, but she had to pay rent.

But from that day on, she felt a strange tickling on her nose, as if something fell on it every night. She usually pushed it aside and went back to sleep or woke up, but she never saw how the letters piled up at her feet.

But one morning was different. She felt the tickling on her nose again, and instead of moving or maybe swatting whatever was bothering her, she placed her hand over it. She heard the sound of crumpled paper and her eyes shot open, seeing something red up close.

She sat up suddenly, her heart racing, and watched as the envelope fell onto her bed. It had a red seal, a strange crest, and... a code? Naruto lifted it, examining it from both sides. Was it for her? What was it...?

She stuck her tongue out as she scrutinized the envelope, then slipped one of her fingers into the crease and opened it. Inside were two pieces of paper, but... she didn't understand what they said.

She stood up suddenly, excited by the mystery of the letter. Maybe she could go see Shikamaru. Surely he... no, it was Saturday; he probably didn't want to be bothered just for some strange letter that might not even be for her. "Maybe I can take it to Tortoise or Grandpa Hokage!" Naruto bounced on her little feet, tossing off her sleep shirt and without bothering to bathe, she searched for her old orange jacket and pants, putting on a blue shirt first before leaving her apartment.

"Good morning, Naruto!" The guards greeted, but Naruto walked past without looking at them. "I'm in a hurry! Hi!" She said as she climbed the tower's stairs. She passed by the Hokage's assistant, who had also greeted her and tried to tell Naruto that the Third Hokage was in a meeting. But he didn't manage to say it all before Naruto burst into the Third Hokage's office without knocking.

"Hokage Grandpa, Hokage Grandpa!" Naruto waved her arms on each side excitedly. "I found a letter in my apartment, and—" Naruto froze when she noticed her old man figure was alone.

"So... you're here," Naruto was confused by the other elderly man. He had a long beard and wore half-moon glasses. He had a gentle and wise look, dressed in a bluish robe. Naruto's excitement crumbled; the old man had spoken, but in a dialect Naruto had never heard before... well, she wasn't very smart either.

"I don't know what you said," Naruto whispered, tensing and bristling like a startled kitten.

"Oh... I'm sorry, dear." Suddenly, Naruto froze in place. Now she could understand the old man.

"Jii-chan?" Naruto tilted her head slightly to the side, looking at the Third Hokage. He rubbed his fingers over his nose as he always did when he said he was... too old to keep working.

"Please... explain slowly," the Third Hokage asked the strange old man.

The long-bearded old man, dressed in that odd outfit that looked funny to Naruto, nodded. "Of course, I wouldn't overwhelm a child with information. I never would," he took a step forward, and Naruto stepped back. She didn't notice that she had closed the door when she entered. She swallowed hard, wrinkling her nose when her back hit the door's frame.

The Third Hokage recognized Naruto's "defense mode." It usually didn't trigger with other kids, and when adults were properly introduced, neither. But Naruto was startled, like a kitten refusing to be petted. Hiruzen knew why that "mode" had been born... Naruto forgave easily... but she didn't forget.

The old man stopped without approaching Naruto any further and said, "I am Albus Dumbledore." The old man introduced himself, and Naruto frowned as she saw the doubt on his face. She puffed her cheeks, wanting him to continue. "And the letter you hold in your hands, dear—" "Dear," Naruto had been called that by the Third Hokage... but no one else. That made her cheeks color. This was a nice word. "It's an acceptance letter to Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry." Naruto blinked.

What is magic?... Witchcraft?... Hogwarts? -... What's an acceptance letter, dattebayo?" But that was the question that managed to escape her lips.

"When a young wizard or witch is of age to attend Hogwarts, they receive their acceptance letter, stating that you have been accepted to go, dear." Naruto stared at the letter, growing more confused.

"Magic?" Naruto pronounced, not knowing if she said it correctly. Was it some kind of strange Jutsu? Was it Chakra? She didn't know. Maybe they had talked about it at the academy and she... didn't know.

"I come from a land very distant and entirely different from this place, little one." Naruto blinked and then looked at the Third Hokage. Maybe that's why he looked so stressed, as if someone had explained too many things to him.

Naruto looked at the letter and then became disheartened. "So, it's not for me..."

"Why would you say that?"

"Well, I'm not... strong. The letter is probably for... Sasuke Teme." Naruto said in a grumbling tone, trying to sound annoyed.

"It has nothing to do with strength." Naruto was about to comment that she also... wasn't very smart, but the old man didn't let her. "Nor with intelligence. You have magic, Naruto..."

Naruto didn't know what a "magi" was, but... "So, it's for me then... I can't read it!" She suddenly exclaimed, waving her arms on each side again. Hiruzen noticed her "mode" was receding as Naruto pouted and puffed her cheeks. "It's written in a strange code..."

"It's not a code, it's another language. You can't read it because it's not in your native language. Come here." Naruto tensed up a bit, but finally took a step closer as the old man pulled out a strange thin piece of wood - or at least that's how Naruto would describe it - and aimed it directly at her.

Both Hiruzen and Naruto tensed. "I won't harm you, just relax." Naruto closed her eyes and braced herself for a burning pain or a strike, but she only felt a slight warmth before a mild headache hit her, as if her mind had suddenly been flooded with information.

She opened her eyes only to see the amazed gaze of the Third Hokage. "Go ahead, read the paper, dear." Albus encouraged her, and Naruto lowered her head to the sheets she held in her hands.

HOGWARTS SCHOOL of WITCHCRAFT and WIZARDRY

Headmaster: Albus Dumbledore

(Order of Merlin, First Class, Grand Sorc., Chf. Warlock,

Supreme Mugwump, International Confederation of Wizards)

Dear Mrs. Uzumaki,

We are pleased to inform you that you have been accepted at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Enclosed is a list of all necessary books and equipment.

Term begins on 1 September. We await your owl no later than 31 July.

Yours sincerely,

Albus Dumbledore

Headmaster

Even though there were still things that didn't quite fit, Naruto could now read the letter. "I-I can read this!" Naruto exclaimed in amazement, looking at the strange wand that the man carried and had tucked into his odd clothes. However, there was still something she wanted to ask, hoping it wouldn't make her seem stupid. "Magic... is that what you did with that wand?" Naruto inquired, taking a step forward. Her fear was slowly fading.

"Yes, it's what we call 'spellcasting.' I made it so you could understand what's written in the letter," the man explained.

"Ooh," Naruto exclaimed, amazed, then turned to the Third Hokage. "Can you do... spellcasting too?"

"No, I can't do that," Naruto's enthusiasm waned.

"Why not?" Naruto elongated the "o" at the end.

"Because only wizards and witches can do it," Albus explained to Naruto.

"...Why am I a... witch?" Naruto tilted her head, placing a hand on her chest where her heart was. Her blue eyes brightened as she looked up at Albus.

"We're still not entirely sure, little one," Albus admitted, but Naruto saw a peculiar glint in his eyes.

"But I can't do... what you did, ttebayo," Naruto said in a high-pitched voice.

"That's because you haven't been taught yet. When you go to Hogwarts, you'll learn all of that and more," Albus reassured her.

"...Hogwarts." It was probably some kind of school, Naruto thought. "But how do I know if I really have this power you're talking about?"

"Have there ever been unexplainable things happening when you got angry or scared?" Naruto thought about it... the window. She nodded slightly. "That's what we call accidental magic. Children are prone to it because they can't control their powers."

"But... a girl got hurt... so if it was me..." Naruto started murmuring, guilt washing over her. The room grew cold, but Albus shook his head.

"You had no control over it. It wasn't your fault, Naruto-chan." She turned her head slightly and nodded.

"But... Hokage-jii-chan, if he lets me go?"

"I will if you want to go. I understand that you might prefer to stay," the Third Hokage replied, giving her a choice in the matter.

Naruto pondered. Going to that place called "Hogwarts," leaving her home... "Wait... Are there others like me?" She placed her hand over her heart again, her eyes clearing as she gazed into Albus's eyes.

"There are many children like you, Naruto." Naruto blinked and felt, for a moment... that the loneliness was fading.

"I want to go," she murmured, then hopped excitedly and exclaimed, "I want to go!" Her cheeks reddened with her enthusiastic smile as she raised both hands.

Albus chuckled at her excitement, and Hiruzen smiled. He knew Naruto wouldn't refuse. At first, he hadn't planned to let her go. The council would go mad at the mere idea of letting the Nine-Tails jinchuriki out of Konoha without even graduating. Not to mention the complaints he'd get from his grandson, Konohamaru. But... maybe it was for the best. A mystery that Naruto had carried since birth, a power that was now known as magic, one she needed to learn to control. He wasn't sure how he'd deal with the council yet, but he'd figure that out later, when Naruto was far away from here.

"Alright. But I must warn you to keep the secrecy of our world. No Muggle should know about it, understand?" Naruto turned her head... What was a Muggle? "Oh, sorry. No non-magical person should know."

"Wait... not even Tortuga?" Albus gave Hiruzen an inquisitive look.

"She's one of the people who has been looking out for Naruto since she was small." Albus nodded in response and, giving Naruto a solemn smile, said, "If she's someone you trust completely, then go ahead."

Naruto still felt somewhat static in her movements. "Our world." Those words had filled Naruto with a sense of belonging, a world she might become stronger in... and eventually earn respect in her village. Not only that, but...

"Goodbye, Albus-ojii-chan! Goodbye, Hokage-jii-chan!" Naruto turned and ran out of the office, waving her hand.

Hiruzen chuckled. He knew how Naruto always gave people nicknames she cared about or was angry with. Clearly, this nickname was one of affection.

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