I don't own Naruto, Harry Potter or anything associated with it. I do however own the plot and any OC's so please don't steal them! =^.^= This chapter may have some lines that appear in the book, or are very similar to those in the book. I lay no claim or ownership to those lines and give all credit to J.K. Rowling who originally wrote those lines.

NOTE: Many of the original fluff is cut out. I'm focusing on the general stuff, but I don't feel like re-writing the book. Also, I AM NOT RON BASHING! I promise! I don't generally bash. However, Sasuke's attitude is more no-nonsense than Harry's, and so he doesn't really get on with Ron all that well. Yet…? I don't honestly know where that one is going yet. XP Just putting that out there before I'm accused of it!

The Saga of Hogwarts

Book 1

The Ninja of Hogwarts

Chapter Four

(Very-) Slight Awe

"Firs' years, firs' years!" Hagrid bellowed, waving the lantern about above his head.

As Sasuke, Sakura, Hermione, and Neville stepped off the train this was the first thing they heard. They wandered the direction of the giant man – and Sasuke wanted to ask about that because he was huge, even by shinobi standards, and there were some large shinobi.

"Firs' years over here!" He called again. After a couple of minutes for the majority of the older students to filter out and for the first years to gather Hagrid scanned the group. "Any more a' ya?" Hagrid asked looking around. He seemed satisfied and looked back at them. "Follow me!"

They followed him down a slippery black path where Sasuke could barely make out thick dark foliage on either side in the black. Around him people slipped and slid, and he held Neville's elbow in an effort to keep the boy and his blasted toad off the ground. For all he knew the animal would hop away the first chance it got. He had no problem manhandling his new – dare he call him so, friend down the hill to the edge of a lake.

Behind him he heard Sakura and Hermione, rattling off facts to each other. They came out of the dark path to a beach on a lake, and along that beach sat a couple dozen small boats sitting in the sand. And there, across the dark lake was a giant castle, with windows brightly lit and shining down into the dark water. It looked huge from this distance and he wondered if this was a bit of what the Daimyo's castle looked like.

"Only four to a boat please!" Hagrid called.

In the end, the four sat in the same boat and Sasuke could hear the obnoxious blonde brat from before a few boats away, while in front Hagrid took one boat all on his own.

They crossed the dark lake and came to the giant castle that was far larger up close to where Sasuke was leaning back and gazing up to see it was they moved closer. Okay, fine – he would admit it this one time. He was more impressed than annoyed by something in this whacky world. Far, faaaar more impressed. The castle was giant, larger than the Hokage Tower he was fairly certain. Neville made a sound of distress and the boat rocked as he whipped to and fro.

"Where's Trevor gone?!" He exclaimed, trying to look through the dark for the green toad.

Sasuke looked through the boat for the blasted animal and found nothing. "Maybe he jumped out?" Sasuke suggested in an annoyed tone.

Neville was more frantic now, looking over the edges of the boat as he exclaimed, "but he can't swim!"

Sasuke could feel one of the girls death glaring him from behind – probably Hermione.

"Heads down!" Hagrid called. They were now at the edge of the cliff, and the castle was almost out of view. Ahead in the pitch black he could barely make out some kind of ivy that was just being moved by the water, and the cave beyond it. They came to the ivy covered cliff face and Neville hadn't heard the order and was still straight up. With a roll of his eyes Sasuke shoved Neville down and managed to barely keep him from getting a concussion on top of his missing animal.

"Harry, what if Trevor's out there, drowning?!" Neville exclaimed, looking about to jump out of the boat.

Sasuke sighed keeping a hand on him. This boy was going to be the death of him.

"I'm sure he's fine and will suddenly show up again later." Sasuke said, though his voice was more exasperated than comforting.

"B-but Trevor…" Neville squeaked, sitting up as Sasuke released him once they were in the considerably taller cave. At the end of the cave was an underground harbor, and the boats scratched up onto the pebbles and came to rest there. Sasuke jumped out first and then ended up helping Neville out of the boat while Sakura helped Hermione.

Hagrid was walking up the row of boats looking to make sure he got any stragglers and the others crowded by the stone stairs at the far end of the harbor. When Hagrid got to their boat he shone his lantern down into it and lifted something out.

"Oy, you there! Is this your toad?"

Neville looked up and nearly fell as he ran to retrieve his animal. "TREVOR!"

"Now be careful not to lose 'im again." Hagrid said.

Neville nodded and the toad settled into his hands as he went back to the group. Once he had finished checking all the boats Hagrid went to the front of the group and began leading them up the narrow stone steps. As the climbed the castle Sasuke had seen from a distance in the boats came closer and closer. Finally, in front of the gigantic oak doors Sasuke let himself be even more impressed. It was huge, probably the doors by themselves were at least two stories high.

Hagrid did a once over of the students to make sure they were all there and asked Neville about Trevor briefly before turning back to the giant doors and knocking.

As soon as the doors swung open – by themselves; he inwardly added, trying to ignore the strangeness of it, they saw a woman in emerald robes. The first thing he thought about this woman, who was probably a teacher, was that she seemed like just the kind of person that Naruto would prank just to get a smile out of them. Secondly, he thought her choice of attire seemed rather difficult to move in, in the case of an emergency. Thirdly, he decided she seemed like the type of person to make an ally of, rather than an enemy. Though that's wouldn't be a top priority for now, since he had other things to deal with. Like, say, not killing the annoying students… Not dying on the stairs without using his chakra abilities, assuming there were moving stairs, and finishing all of his homework. ALL of it.

As they walked through the crowded entry and Trevor nearly got away again causing Neville to lunge in order to catch the toad in mid escape and Sasuke to have to grab his collar and set him up right before he slammed face first into the ground and likely broke something. Sasuke promptly added to his mental list. Right, and discretely murdering a toad and leaving no evidence… That thing is bad for Neville's health.

They walked through the giant entry hall and stopped at another giant set of doors.

"I am professor McGonagall, the Deputy Head Mistress of Hogwarts. This way please." She said walking off after introducing herself to a room to the side of the door to the Great Hall. "You will soon be sorted into your houses. The sorting is an important event. I want you all to wait here quietly until I come back." She said then left.

As they waited absurd stories about monsters and tests were thrown around. Behind him Hermione and Sakura were whispering about it and beside him Neville was a bundle of nerves, his shaking hands barely keeping a grip on Trevor. Sasuke didn't really think it would be that dangerous however, seeing as these children were some of the most fragile he had ever met. As strange as these people were he doubted they would put their children in harms way on purpose.

The doors opened again and Professor McGonagall entered again, this time she motioned for them to follow her out of the room and towards the giant doors that most likely went to the dining hall – or the great hall as the books dubbed it.

Inside the noise which had been incredibly loud on arrival slowly died down as the group of first years continued forward. Sasuke noticed that all their gazes were fixing on some ratty and torn bundle of fabric on a stool. He looked closer and saw that it was in fact vaguely shaped like a hat. Everyone watched it expectantly, as though they expected it to do something.

What, are they expecting it to sing or something? He though wryly to himself.

"Oh you may not think I'm pretty, but don't judge on what you see, I'll eat myself if you can find a smarter hat than me."

Sasuke nearly smacked himself. Of course that's what they had been waiting on… I wasn't serious…

The others seemed entranced and as the hat finished its song Professor McGonagall told them they would all be putting it on and it would be able to tell what house they should end up in. Everyone else seemed entranced – Sasuke just thought it was a good way to cause an epidemic of head lice.

Of the four of them, Hermione ended up being sorted first. The hat sat on her head for a while – and Sasuke swore he heard it talking. Finally, the rip that served as it's mouth opened wide and shouted where she was to go.

"RAVENCLAW!"

Hermione stood and bounded to the table with a glance at Sakura. Neville was the next of the people he actually gave any care about – being sorted into Gryffindor. The annoying blonde was put into Slytherin, and it was too soon before his name was called.

"Potter, Harry."

Sasuke nearly didn't respond, but after a couple of seconds it clicked, and he stepped forward feeling the piercing stares of everyone in the hall. Whispers were everywhere, and he heard a variety of terms that he had learned from the books he had been reading about the wizarding world.

He finally sat on the stool and saw the hall for a split second before the hat dropped over his eyes. He waited rather impatiently for the hat to make a decision.

"Hmmm…. Very interesting… Konoha – It's been a long time since I've sorted a student from there…"

My…. Father?

"Yes, yes… He was a Gryffindor through and through. You though are more of a mixed bag – very brave yes, but there's a bit of Slytherin here too, a good mind – Ravenclaw would be happy to have you. And you're very loyal, determined to stick by your friends no matter the cost. Very difficult."

Can you just pick something? I don't feel like sitting here all night.

The hat chuckled, "Alright, alright I think I know where you ought to go."

"GRYFFINDOR!"

Sasuke was very pleased to remove the hat and he made his way to what he assumed was the Gryffindor table since the majority of the students were standing and making obscene amounts of noise – especially those twins from the train, Sasuke went and sat beside Neville.

As the sorting continued the hat made a noise of wry humor and shouted Gryffindor before it had even touched the head of the red haired boy on the stool. The boy – who he remembered from the train as well came to sit with him.

It was only her and one other left when Sakura was called.

"Write, Sarah."

She almost didn't move at the call, having been growing visibly more nervous as time wore on, and it took a moment before she took the few steps to the stool. The hat sat with her for a while, and Sasuke heard the ends of whispers. Finally, with a great shout the rip parted again.

"…RAVENCLAW!"

Sakura shuffled to the cheering table and Sasuke saw her sit with Hermione. He felt a modicum of relief at her placement, although having a familiar face might have been nice, and Sakura had improved he was glad that there would be some sort of distance between them so she hopefully wouldn't be able to fangirl over him constantly.

The last one went, and finally with the end of the sorting McGonagall put away her list of names and took the hat and the stool away. Professor Dumbledore stood at the head table and the hall instantly quieted down. "Welcome, to another great year at Hogwarts! Now before we begin our feast I have just a few words: Nitwit! Blubber! Oddment! Tweak!" He said, and suddenly the golden platters that had previously been empty were piled with food.

There were questions from two or three sources on insanity, and Sasuke agreed. Of course, all wizards were insane by his standards so perhaps he was biased. He looked back at the table and noticed that every platter and cup on the table had been filled. There were many different meats various forms of potatoes, and some other food items he didn't know.

As Sasuke ate he thought inwardly that Naruto would probably love a lot of this. Yep – high in carbs and lacking in nutrition – his favorite type of food.

As the feast continued discussions ensued between the other students. One of the other first years, Seamus Finnigan, mentioned how his father wasn't magical. Neville went next, and Sasuke found he felt badly, and rather indignant for him – it sounded as though he hadn't had much to boost his confidence in his lifetime – let alone the essential child abuse he had endured when trying to make him show magic no one was even certain he had at the time. In a way it reminded him of Naruto when they had first met, and he wondered internally if that was why he had taken such a quick liking to him. Either way, Neville seemed reasonable enough – unlike three quarters of the insane people he had met here so far, and he certainly had the potential to one day become something great. Sometime in the conversation a ghost appeared, and Sasuke wasn't yet positive how he felt about that, in fact looking around he noticed four or five other ghosts leisurely floating about the great hall.

As dinner disappeared and desert appeared in it's place ('Ah, more food that Naruto would like. Lot's of sugar and no nutrition'), the discussion continued. He perked up a little at the discussions of class, which he hoped would hold his interest well enough. He was here to learn, if for no other reason than to protect his home and family, and there was nothing that would stop him in that endeavor. On the other hand however his interest in magic had always been dampened by what he knew of his history in the magical world. He didn't know if turning matches into needles would be terribly useful though; like ever. If anything the opposite sounded more handy… Except that he could already make a grand fireball.

Nearly half an hour after their appearance, the deserts disappeared, and Dumbledore stood up.

"Now that we have all been fed and watered, I have a few announcements I would like to make. First of all, I would like to ask the first years to note that the forest on the school grounds is forbidden. A few of the older students would probably do well to remember that as well." He said his eyes drifting to the annoying twins down the table.

Sasuke rolled his eyes. That was just asking for 'brave' explorers. And if it's so dangerous, why on earth is it on the school grounds?

"Mr. Filch has also asked me to remind you that magic is not allowed outside of classes. Also to be noted, Quidditch trials are to be held in the second week of term, if anyone is interested in playing for their house team please contact Madam Hooch." Dumbledore made a wave of his hand down the table to where she sat and everyone followed with their eyes. As he was turning back however his eyes caught those of the strange professor with the turbine and just as quickly the right side of his forehead began to burn. He had to resist the urge to slam a hand over it in an effort to stem the pain as he briefly stared the man in the eyes.

Dumbledore's voice brought them back from their staring contest, "And finally, I would like to tell you, that this year that the third-floor corridor on the right-hand side is out of bounds to everyone that does not want to die a very painful death."

Sasuke would have rolled his eyes again but this time he found they were rather pained now. As he glanced back at the man earning a momentary increase in the pain, his suspicions began to raise. There was something about him, something related to his scar, and he had to figure out what it was.

"-ool song!"

Wait, what? When the heck had they switched to singing? Dumbledore flicked his wand and Sasuke defiantly shook his head as a skimmed the lyrics. Nope. These people were utterly ridiculous, first the hat's song and now this. And his head was most definitely not full of air and fluff. He was incredibly well learned, thank you very much.

Neville seemed to notice his mood however and with a nudge that reminded him almost painfully of his best friend Sasuke rolled his eyes, which were now feeling significantly better, and joined in for the last few lines.

As they got up, Neville gave him a strange look while he gripped Trevor tightly in his hands.

"Yes Neville?" Sasuke prompted as they began to go with the crowd of gryffindors.

"You… Er… Do you not want to be here…?" Neville asked awkwardly.

Sasuke sighed a little. "Not really… But I did come here of my own choice… It's a little complicated. It's because of me living in another country you see… It's a lot way away and I guess I'm not thrilled to be so far away for so long."

"Oh. I see… Well, if there's anything you need to know, or-or that I could help you with… I mean not that someone like me is all that much use, but…"

"Don't sell yourself short. And I'll let you know – I mean you probably have a better idea of the political and social landscape than I do. Not to mention, I have no idea what I'm supposed to do with this magic stuff." Neville seemed to perk up a little at the backhanded encouragements.

That was when they got pelted by walking sticks.

"What the-?" Sasuke started, catching a stray cane that had been heading directly for Neville's head and using it to block another heading for a student he didn't know.

Above them laughing echoed through the hall and the boy at the front – Percy he thought his name was, turned to them. "Peeves," he whispered, "A poltergeist."

With that the boy turned to the source of the canes – which was apparently floating fifteen feet above their heads, and yelled for the apparent poltergeist to show himself. As the ghost appeared, Sasuke decided that Naruto would most certainly not enjoy this aspect of the school. They were everywhere!

With the rather annoying ghost having been told off the group was able to continue on towards where he hoped would bring some peace and quiet. They passed through several more 'secret' passageways that Sasuke was fairly certain he could have picked out blindfolded and ended up at a picture of a rather chubby woman.

"Password?" She asked.

At the head of the crowd Percy replied, "Caput Draconis."

The painting swung open and they were forced to go through a one hundred percent cliché hole in the wall – and also what was stopping someone from ripping open the canvas and just entering that way? He was actually abnormally curious about this one – perhaps due to the safety aspect of it.

The common room seemed nice, but he had a feeling it would be packed on the best of days and would not be an option for his physical training. Directions were given to each dormitory, and surprisingly the other boys, which included Neville, the redhead, and two others didn't gape at him as they settled in. He was fairly certain one of them was named Dean, and that the other had a last name starting with an F.

Each of the others fell into bed immediately, and Sasuke had plans to go to bed soon, but he had a full mind and also a bit of investigating to do. Once it went quiet only ten short minutes later, he tiptoed around the dorm, checking for suspicious things, all entry ways, and mapping every inch of it in his mind. Next with care he followed the stairs upwards and counted a total of eight dorms, including his own. At the top he found that there was an empty room with nothing in it, and a thick layer of dust that indicated little to no use. He filed the information away for later – perhaps a decent study room. He went back down and into the common room, where he explored. The chimney for the fireplace seemed to extend a long way, and he wondered where it left the building. The windows were high and staggered, likely because they were in a tower, or at least the very base of one. His final check was to stealthily inspect the girl's side to see if it was different in any way…

Which is when he found out about the stairs.

Cursing in his head, and with a bruised behind, he looked for anyone around before sticking a foot on the wall. It turned out though that apparently the walls had been charmed too. When, and why, he could only guess… So, after falling as though shoved off the wall and then being certain he had a concussion, he decided to call it quits for the night and head back to his dorm. With some reconnaissance done he headed gratefully back to bed with a slightly bruised ego.

NoHoN

It was the next morning early that Sasuke woke. He found that all the other boys were still asleep at the reasonably early hour of six in the morning, with determination he got out of bed, and changed into his normal reasonably loose clothing. And then packed his school outfit away in a duffle bag along with his books that seemed to be required for todays classes. As he was just finishing a puff of golden smoke appeared above his dresser and once it cleared a little note was left sitting on it. He picked it up and looked over the contents.

Harry, I understand you and Miss Wright will likely want a place to practice your other skills. There is an empty classroom on the third floor, left hand side. It is unlikely other students will be there – and I trust that you will both be discreet about your activities there.

-Professor Dumbledore

So essentially go practice and don't explore. Curious as he was, he didn't think it was wise to go poking around magical dangers, at least not yet. He had so little understanding of it that it just seemed stupid – and anyways Sakura was enough of a rule follower that she wouldn't likely let him get within fifteen feet of the door.

With a plan of where to go Sasuke looked at the time, six thirty… I can probably get in forty minutes of practice before I have to go to breakfast. With that thought Sasuke stood with his bag, and headed quietly out of the dorm. Downstairs a few older students were sitting in the armchairs or at the tables in the room. They would briefly look up at him, before going back to what they were doing. With purpose he strode out the hole and bounded the stairs expertly three at a time. As he came to a landing on the fifth floor he noticed a sleepy pinkette yawning on one of the staircases two levels up. He assumed she had gotten the same note and headed down the last two levels. He followed the hallway towards the lit direction and after several failed rooms, found the empty classroom with literally nothing in it. He tossed down his bag by the door and began with some warm up stretches as he determined the best methods of practice for the room. It was tall, possibly as much as two stories tall. There were two lines of windows on each side of the room, and a giant chandelier in the middle of the ceiling. Aside from that it was stone and generally dark. As he completed his warm up, the door opened and Sakura walked in.

"Good morning," She said dropping her bag on the opposite side of the door from his own before starting her own warm up.

"Morning."

Deciding to start easy and explore the room more he headed up the walls to the ceiling and looked down. The room was pretty large and he noted that because of the bottom fifteen feet being stone they would have no problems with weapons training, or sparing. He headed back down to the floor with a better idea of his plan, however it was rather derailed at the look he was getting from his training companion.

"Erm… Sa-Harry…"

"Let's just use our real names in here for simplicity. Now, what is it Sakura?"

She flushed and looked down a bit. "Well… I was wondering… Can you teach me wall walking… Its not normally something someone learns before graduation, but… It looks really useful."

Sasuke considered. He had been hoping to practice some of the more advanced versions of the e-rank jutsu they were taught in class. Itachi had been helping both him and Naruto to improve – but on the other hand she was right, and seems rather interested in learning to learn, not just for his attention.

Sasuke sighed lightly, "Alright… But only basic instruction. You have to figure the rest out on your own."

Sakura seemed to light up, "Really?! Thank you!"

They headed for the wall and after some instruction Sasuke left her to it. He turned around to see if perhaps some tables were left in the storage closet that he could set up for target practice for tomorrow. It was as he had reached the closet that a shout from far above managed to startle him.

"Hey, Sasuke I did it!"

His mouth fell open in shock. There, nearly twenty feet above him Sakura stood perfectly steady on the wall. No way in fire country – it took me weeks of hard practice to do that, and Naruto still has trouble with it!

Sakura walked back down, "Do you maybe want to spar or something."

"Erm… We could…"

"I mean – only if you want to. You don't have to." She added, noting his tone.

Sasuke mentally shook himself. "No, no it's fine. But I only have my basic kunai."

"That's fine. Me too." Sakura said as she pulled out a hair band. It had been a suggestion from Naruto that Sasuke had backed up – being that her hair would be a hinderance in sight and possibly a handicap when fighting. She refused to cut it, a pony tail was the next best option, but she had muttered something dark that involved Ino when it was suggested. The hair band had been a compromise she made about it and Sasuke knew that Naruto had one stored away as a birthday gift for her the coming year.

"Weapons only, no jutsu – and gentle hits. The last thing either of us need is to go to classes black and blue. That's bound to raise some questions." Sasuke stated the rules.

Sakura nodded, "Agreed."

They back up from one another until there was about ten feet between them and both raised their blunted training kunai. Sasuke still had a sharp one hidden up his shirt and he planned to keep it there for class just in case, and he assumed that Sakura had a sharp weapon hidden somewhere on her as well.

Both of them raised their kunai, and as though a silent signal had been given each charged at one another with frightening speed. Their blunted weapons clashed with one another, and they held the position in a fight to overpower the other for several seconds. Finally, knowing she was losing Sakura pushed the weapons upwards in a sheen of sparks and took a leap back.

Sasuke clearly had the advantage. While Sakura had been improving over the past month, she was still abnormally weak physically, and she had never managed to overpower Sasuke or Naruto in their sparing. With little hesitation Sasuke charged back, this time Sakura dodged to the right, circling behind him and attempting to kick the back of his left knee to knock him down. Sasuke managed to turn and met her kick with one of his own. Sakura stumbled back and Sasuke took a second to regain his own balance from the maneuver.

That being said, she's quite a bit more maneuverable than me. Sasuke thought briefly, before charging back into the fray.

And Sakura, she knew she had an advantage in that way, and had been learning to use it. She dodged again, but rather than going behind him she grabbed his weapon hand on her way by and tried to wrench the weapon away with her momentum. Sasuke having seen this tactic on Naruto, shifted his own momentum to follow the movement and turned the maneuver back on her wrenching her arm around behind her and grabbing her weapons hand. With a swift pinch to a nerve Sakura's kunai clattered to the floor and Sasuke had both wrists in a tight grip behind her.

Desperate, Sakura kicked back at him but Sasuke had been expecting that and she missed. However in an unexpected move she pulled all of her weight to the side dragging Sasuke with her. They both went falling towards the ground and as the grip loosened Sakura freed herself, and rolled away from her sparring partner. Sasuke recovered with his own roll and came up with a grin. This was actually reasonably challenging – but this fight was over. He positioned to throw his kunai and with a small movement away from completing the action he stopped.

"Good job, but if I had been to throw my kunai at you, you'd be dead, dying, or at least captured right now." Sasuke said smugly.

Sakura nodded and plopped down breathing heavily.

"Though you put up a good fight."

Sakura took a final deep breath and nodded, "Thanks."

Sasuke looked at the clock in the room, "It's almost time for breakfast. I think we ought to clean up and get going for today. But we could do this again tomorrow morning. Also this would probably be a good place for our academy studies, reduce the chance of questions."

Sakura nodded as she pushed herself to her feet. "Yeah. Good plan. This week's lessons and homework should be arriving around lunch I think, if we meet here after our last classes for an hour or two we should be able to get a good head start on it."

"Yeah." Sasuke agreed as they walked back towards their bags.

With that they headed for the bathroom on the floor and each went to change into the school uniform. As he pulled out the terribly non-maneuverable black robe he scowled at it. Really it was just about the most impractical choice for children. Even running in it would be slightly restricted. Fighting in it? Ne'er impossible. Still with his scowl he pulled it over his head and after shoving his normal clothing into it close his bag and went outside to the hallway. Sakura was already waiting there for him and they headed towards the stairs where they already could hear chatter beginning to rise. They waited for an opportunity and stealthily snuck out onto the nearby stairwell so that no-one saw them coming from the third-floor corridor. The last thing they needed was to be questioned on their first day.

He noticed the feeling of being stared at and distinctly ignored it, used to it from Sakura who had become more bashful around him and was looking to the floor with pinkened cheeks.

Once they were within earshot of the great hall nearly deafening noise assaulted their sensitive hearing. How in kami's name are these kids not deaf yet? Sasuke thought ruefully.

They came to the door and Sakura shuffled awkwardly. "W-well… I guess we go opposite ways now… So, meet after classes…?"

Sasuke nodded in acknowledgment and with his hands in his robe pockets stalked towards his table. Many of the older students had already taken their seats at the end of the table closer to the doors, chatting in their groups. Meanwhile the end of the table where first years seemed to end up was empty and he plopped his bag on the ground with an audible thump and sat down there. As more students arrived from younger and younger years the great hall grew more deafening.

The table was nearly full. With a shrug he turned to the magically appeared food and began grabbing more food that Naruto would undoubtedly enjoy.

Fifteen minutes into breakfast Neville stumbled into the great hall looking flustered. By the time he had made it to Sasuke and sat down he was panting quite severely.

"Woah – calm down there." Sasuke said. "You aren't that late. What happened?"

Neville took a few more deep breaths. "I forgot where I had put my potions textbook yesterday morning when I was packing – I almost thought I didn't have it, and then I forgot my tie and had to go back, and I couldn't find Trevor!"

Yep, that toad was certainly bad for Neville's health. Of course, so was Kai for Naruto's sometimes…

"You need a cage for that thing."

Neville shrugged as he served up his plate, "Maybe… But that seems a bit cruel…"

"A large enough cage is perfectly reasonable for an animal that likes to escape."

"Maybe…" Neville agreed slowly as he began eating.

As they ate their breakfast the stern woman from the night before, Professor McGonagall? Right? Sasuke thought to himself as she approached, didn't someone say she was in charge of the Gryffindor house?, came up behind them with a stack of papers. She shuffled through them and handed one to each of them, and the young redhead who had taken a seat by Neville the same as the night before a copy.

"These are your class schedules. I suggest you try to keep track of them." She said, and then moved along to the next group.

A few minutes later the obnoxious twins entered the hall with faces that reminded him sincerely of a certain best friend of his when he was planning something… Sasuke decided staying out of the way of whatever they had planned was a reasonably smart idea. Hopefully his entire experience with it was to hear about it later, which he probably would with the way gossip seemed to flow around this place.

With that decided he looked down at his schedule and noticed that alas Transfiguration was first. He looked across the list, and noticed that on Friday, rather than two or three classes there was only one, and the rest of the day was free. He remembered the potions textbook he had in his bag and was able to draw some of the details he had skimmed from it. It didn't seem that hard – if he was being honest, so perhaps it was simply because it was Friday. Still though he had to wonder….

Either way it would be class soon. He stood up and lifted his loaded book bag to his shoulder.

Neville stared at the straining bag. "Woah – did you put all your books in there?"

Sasuke nodded, "I couldn't be sure what was first."

The red-head beside his gob-smacked friend poked into their conversation. "That must be bloody heavy. I mean my books must weight thirty pounds all together. And I can't even imagine what the homework will weigh."

Sasuke shrugged. "And you are?"

The boy looked a little shocked and perhaps a bit annoyed by Sasuke's tone. "I'm Ron, Ron Weasley." He paused for a moment before perking up more, "And you're Harry Potter right?"

Unfortunately, Sasuke thought while nodding.

"And you really have a wicked scar?" Ron inquired excitedly.

"Yes." Sasuke answered annoyed at his obliviousness.

"And you really defeated you-know-who?" He prodded.

"I don't know – I have no memory of that event or what happened. I honestly don't understand how you people expect me too either." Sasuke replied hotly. Ron could feel his attitude and looked slightly abashed. With that Sasuke stalked off to search for the transfiguration classroom, and heard Neville get up and follow him. Oh this is going to be such a long year… He thought tiredly.

"Hey, Harry, are you alright. You seem upset." Neville said after several minutes of wandering the general area of where the classroom was supposed to be.

"I just don't get it. How can people be so oblivious. From what I understand I was just over a year old – how many of you remember being that age?"

Neville stayed silent, nodding a little guiltily.

"Also, I don't even know what a baby such as myself would have been able to do. I am still figuring out this whole magic thing and it's hard enough to copy shredded homework for my friend back home. Yet people expect me to be some all-powerful person who deserves hero-worship. I'm not that incredible, actually my brother is much more extraordinary than me, he's amazing." Sasuke finished ranting.

Neville looked back over at his new friend, "You have a brother?"

Sasuke nodded, "Yeah, well – I mean I guess technically you could say he's my cousin, but I think emotional relations are more important than blood."

Neville nodded in agreement.

Suddenly as they were passing a large door, Neville stopped. "I think this is the one Harry."

Sasuke fuming less than before looked at the plaque on the door and nodded, looked right. They tried the doors but they were locked, so the two of them sat down on the ground by the door. Not willing to waste any of his time Sasuke unzipped his bag and pulled out the History of Magic textbook, as that was next.

Suddenly Neville gasped. "I forgot my bag in the dorm room!" Neville exclaimed.

Sasuke placed the book in his lap, "do you think you can find your way back here on your own or do you want to go get it together?" Now he was really reminding him of a younger Naruto – so forgetful.

Neville thought on that for a moment, "I think I can make it on my own." He stood up and headed down the hallway towards the stairwell, "I'll be back in a few minutes Harry."

Sasuke nodded and opened his book to chapter two, where he had left off a couple days ago. "Alright."

It was nearly half an hour later when a lost looking Neville spotted him and came jogging up with his book bag which was significantly less loaded than Sasuke's own.

"So does History of Magic seem like it will be any good? I've heard that it's deadly boring." Neville asked, noticing the book title as he pulled out his herbology book.

Sasuke shrugged, "It depends on how the teacher presents the information."

Neville nodded as he opened his book to the fifth chapter, "I suppose that's the case for any teacher."

"Eh-yep." Sasuke agreed.

The two of them sat in general silence for at least twenty minutes with only one or two other students showing up over that time. It was around eight forty-five when the chatter of many more students announced the presence of the majority of the rest of the class. Both boys stood and put their books away before taking their places at the front of the line. A few straggled into the line over the next five minutes before the doors groaned open. Professor McGonagall stepped to the head of the group and waved them all into the classroom.

After a short lecture about not goofing off in her class, she made a demonstration out of her desk – which he swore was still squealing and shifting for a minute after she had put it back, and then they were told to take notes. Lots of them. He wasn't certain how they used these evil feather quills, even though he had spent the past month practicing, and discretely switched to a pen he had stashed with him from home.

Neville had given his pen a curious look, and Sasuke thought perhaps he should show Neville the glory of modern writing utensils at some point. Once they had taken their notes, which involved a lot of focusing thoughts and the terminology of specific wand movements each of them was given a match, just as had been mentioned the night before and they all tried to turn them to needles. Neville somehow managed to send his flying several times into the back of the Hufflepuff's head that was siting a row in front of them, earning a couple of glares, and Sasuke managed a tiny tremble in the tip of the match. But that was it. No one else seemed to have much more if any luck in the class.

They had a free period between classes and Neville and Sasuke scouted out the History of Magic classroom, and found that it was unlocked this time. With a shrug Sasuke sat down at a desk, and pulled his herbology book out. Class began about half an hour later and he found that it was just about the most boring class he had ever endured. Oh and by the way – who on earth lets a ghost teach?! And how did he grade if he as a ghost? As a quarter of the class nodded off (nearly half the Ravenclaws had somehow managed to stay focused and maybe learn something), Sasuke instead pulled out his book and drowning out the teacher's voice, which wasn't too hard in the first place, he studied from there instead, simply using the broader topics that Binns went over to guide him.

Their final class for the day took them directly from lunch out into the greenhouses that were nestled near the castle. There short well-tempered Professor Sprout led them through the phylogeny of a family of fungi, that apparently were great for curing boils, and burns when turned into potions. He checked this class into the 'possibly useful' list.

By the end of herbology Sasuke found that the day hadn't been that long. With an excuse to Neville so he could go up to the third floor Sasuke headed back to the dorm room for his academy homework and took it downstairs to their training room. He noticed that Sakura wasn't there yet and decided to check the closet again. There he found tables, chairs, targets, and a hat with a note in front of it.

This portkey is for your returns home every other week, it will be active Saturday mornings from five in the morning to five in the evening. If you stay home later it will still be able to take you back, you just cannot leave later than five in the evening.

Dumbledore

With a shrug as he noted that in his mind Sasuke dragged a table and two chairs out into the room near the closet and pulled out the lessons and homework from Iruka. Sakura soon arrived and they went over the days lessons, it started with an e-rank capture jutsu, a spar, which they had already done, and some theory which involved mathematics.

When they had gotten a considerable amount of it done, they headed for the great hall for dinner, after both dropping off their bags in their dorms.

After Dinner, Sasuke headed for the dorm, wanting some peace and quiet after the long loud day, honestly how they were so loud around here he wasn't sure. He laid down early with a grueling migraine, and drifted off to sleep.

NoHoN

Blood was smeared over the once lovely mirror like a grotesque painting, red and thick. While behind the blood in the mirror two snakes, one green, large and dangerous, and the other a smaller black snake but just as poisonous sat by one another. The blood oozed from it's place, running down the mirror and onto the ground, while on the mirror some of the blood was picked up and placed back in bloody handprints which produced more blood. Crimson marred the deep grey stone below it and flowed slowly into a lightning bolt on the floor. The blood seeped in and eventually it spread through the room, filling it as more and more bubbled and oozed from the mirror. The room filled, but within were six dry spots, places that it was as though the blood dared not touch. Perfect circles surrounded the items bathed in shadows, and any tendrils of blood that dared approach recoiled back to the mass, nothing would touch the items.

Old relics fell from a screaming, grey, foggy veil and melted into the blood, sizzling and bubbling until there was no evidence left of their existence. Following a cup fell in and the room - which had been full to the brim, overflowed as the cup too melted into nothingness. The green and black snakes slithered up from the blood, sitting on it like it was a throne, and the green snake bit down in a lightning fast movement, swallowing the black snake whole. Feathers fell and with them tears lit by small blue lights within. The blackness gained strength with each item, darkening, and becoming stronger, biting back at the blood around it, trying to invade and destroy it's prison. The black swirled and churned, breaking holes in it's crimson captor. The blood fought back, and more and more overflowed. Above, red clouds swirled, pouring acidic red liquid and swallowing clouds shaped as animals, first a cat, then a raccoon dog, more were swallowed by the rain, and it washed the animals away, adding to the overflowing blood. It was filling the world. Drowning. They were drowning!

Despair rolled in like a fog and-

A loud gasp emanated from the dark room followed by movement from worried housemates.

"I'm okay… It's… I'm okay…"

::FIN::

OH MY GOSH! Sasuke's attitude is the funnest thing I have just about ever written! I mean seriously, I love it, his sarcasm is so blatant! That aside – I am SO, SOOOO sorry about the wait. I haven't given up… However, I have been busy. I'm a college student, I also work to pay college off as I go – plus I live on a farm. As such my time is already short. On top of that the past six months I've been 'enjoying' major migraine most days (don't worry I know the cause – it's just muscles) and my mom's knees have gone out so I'm taking care of her as well. Oh, and did I mention the nine year old sister? It's… Been a busy year…. So now that I am back in school, I will maybe be at my computer more(?), but I don't know how much I'll be able to focus on writing. That all being said, I am trying to get back to this. Year one is planned essentially, I have some plans for future years, but I need to begin integrating the Naruto verse after this year which is going to make it a bit more tricky.

Finally – I wanted to thank Tzapporah again (as we all should), for making the class schedule! Life hasn't been smooth sailing, but the writing has for the most part now that I've gotten back to it! I hope you all enjoyed the chapter and I hope to be back again soon (sooner than next year)!