Things were pretty rushed with that second chapter…sorry for the inconsistencies in writing! To be honest, I didn't actually want to write out that part of the story in detail, but it seemed slightly important to do, so I wrote it quite sloppily I think, in comparison to the first chapter. I'm sorry! I'm more excited about this chapter though, so hopefully that shows through?

By the way, thank you so much for your reviews everyone! I really didn't expect any at all, haha. But I'm happy that you are all enjoying it!

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Chapter 3: Team 7

Naruto rolled lazily around his apartment, bored out of his mind, having not had a mission in days. Not that there wasn't work, Konoha was the busiest Shinobi village in the Fire Nation. However, with Sasuke's probation rules keeping him from going on missions alone, he was on strict orders to shadow Naruto in missions instead. This was fine, except that probation also ruled that Sasuke was exceedingly limited to which missions he was allowed to go on. In conclusion, Naruto had been limited to mostly C-class missions, with only the occasional B-class missions (if he was lucky and it met the probation criteria). As all the incoming missions from the past few days had been A-class, or did not meet the proper criteria, Naruto was left with little to do aside from train for the Chunin exams.

The exams would be coming up in another six months. Technically, Naruto and Sasuke were still Genin, as they had never completed their original exams. Although their skills were no doubt that of Chunin, Naruto had refused an automatic promotion. He wanted to take the Chunin exams alongside Sasuke, as Team 7, the way they meant to before. Even if Sakura was already a Chunin, she promised to attend the exams with them and cheer from the sidelines.

Deciding it was about time to check up on Sasuke, Naruto picked himself off the floor and got dressed, before heading out the door. The villagers who had once hated him, then revered him, were once again back to ignoring him. Many still held grudges against Sasuke, and were disgruntled over Naruto's support of him. But, Naruto didn't blame them. He thought they were idiots at times, but knew they'd get over in a few months and go back to life as usual.

Naruto jumped to the top of an apartment building, gazing over the village with a hand over his eyes. The Hokage faces were his favorite scenery, although he was still tempted to graffiti them every time he looked at them. The paint added character, after all. Jumping down to the street, Naruto made his way to Sasuke's small apartment down a crowded street.

A few blocks away, Sakura sat in the Konoha library, eagerly devouring a new medical textbook on various plants and herbs that nullified the effects of many naturally-produced poisons. She was still in the middle of the book when a fellow Chunin stopped at her table.

"Miss Sakura."

Sakura gazed up. "Yes?"

"Pardon me, but Tsunade has requested your immediate attention to her office. She asked you bring Naruto and Sasuke as well."

"Of course, thanks."

The ninja left, and Sakura stood up from her seat, accepting that she would have to finish the textbook at another time. She immediately set out for Sasuke's, where she knew Naruto would be as well.

Naruto knocked heavily on Sasuke's door. "Yo! Sasuke! Open up!"

Naruto waited for nearly a minute, and was about the start pounding viciously when Sasuke finally opened up. "What is it?" he asked in his usual pissed-off tone.

"What took you so long to open the door, TEME!?"

"I didn't want to answer."

"Argh! C'mon, time for some training! We gotta get our fighting styles in-synch in time for the Chunin exams!" Naruto explained.

"…Fine." Sasuke retreated into his apartment, and Naruto followed inside to wait. The apartment was pretty bare, save for three chairs, and a small table which Naruto delighted in. On it sat the "old" Team 7 photograph taken years before, along with a smaller "new" Team 7 photograph propped inside the original frame. He told Sasuke that he was required to keep the photographs displayed as per the probation rules, but Tsunade dismissed it. However, he was elated that Sasuke did it anyways.

Sasuke came back into the room, changed into his shinobi clothing. He saw Naruto grinning stupidly at the photographs on the table. Naruto was always overly sentimental about such things. Then again, Sasuke had complied with the made-up rule Naruto imposed as it required little effort on his behalf, and seemed to make his friends happy. After all, although he still came off cold to them, Sasuke didn't resent his friends. In the end, he realized that blood-relations ran skin-deep, and that they were the only family he still had.

"Move it, Dobe. Stop looking stupid and get out of my apartment." Sasuke leaned in his front doorway, one hand in his pocket and another holding a bag slung over his shoulder.

"Eh!? What'd you call me-!?" Naruto stumbled out of the apartment, and down to the street where Sasuke was now waiting.

Naruto cooled off nearly instantly, and began telling Sasuke about a night he had been out eating ramen with Hinata, when a familiar pink blur jumped down in front of them.

"Naruto, Sasuke."

Sasuke pretended not to notice the omission of his name's friendly honorific that Sakura had begun to leave off after the war.

"Sakura-chan! I thought you were busy researching lame books today and-"

He got a playful punch to the skull. Unfortunately, "playful" from Sakura meant it hurt like hell.

"Can it, Naruto. I was busy, but I got word from Tsunade-sama. She wants us in her office immediately."

"All three of us?" Naruto asked, giving Sasuke a quick side-glance.

"Yes, Naruto. Apparently it's important, so let's get a move on already!" She turned, and the three of them swiftly made their way.

Once at Tsunade's door, Sakura knocked lightly. "Tsunade-sama?"

"Come in."

They walked in and stood lined up in the middle on the room, waiting anxiously as Tsunade read over a strange-looking scroll.

"Do you think we have a mission together?" Naruto whispered to Sakura, who promptly shushed him.

Finally, Tsunade spoke. "Alright, let's get right to it. I have a mission for you."

Naruto gave a shout of excitement. Tsunade gave him a piercing look in return.

"All of us?" Sakura asked.

Tsunade closed her eyes. "Yes, all of you…Sasuke included."

"But what about his proba-"

"I'm getting to that. First, immediate details. This mission…is unlike any I have ever given out in my time as Hokage. No Hokage has, to be blunt. So, as it is rather unique, I don't think I can trust any other shinobi to complete it."

Naruto was nearly shivering with anticipation and excitement.

"What I am about to tell you is extremely privileged information, and 100% confidential. Nothing is to leave this room from this point on."

All three nodded, and Tsunade continued. "The Third was well known for his belief in reaching out to many nations, and gifting Konoha with many strong allies. What he never told anyone, however, was just how far he had reached. In a world parallel to our own, there exists a place without ninjas. This place instead has wizards, people who harness their chakra through small wooden wands. Like shinobi, these wizards are trained in schools to the tops of their fields. They begin as children, and train all the way to adulthood."

Naruto began laughing. "You're joking right!? Wood sticks? That's got to be the stupidest thing I have ever-"

Sasuke elbowed Naruto in the stomach while Sakura stomped his foot.

Tsunade glared. "I'm serious, Naruto. As for the mission…I was approached by the headmaster of a wizarding school this afternoon. It seems their world is dealing with a very powerful threat, and a boy from the school is being targeted directly by this threat. Your mission is to attend the school as students, while your true motive is to protect this boy, Harry Potter, at all costs. The mission is nine months."

"NINE MONTHS!?"

"Nine months…their time. Our parallel worlds seem to have one major difference: our passing of time here is much slower. Nine months in that world will only be three months here. This, of course, still makes this mission Rank A."

"An A-Rank! Finally!" Naruto threw his arms in the air and cheered. After a moment, his smile somewhat faded. "Wait…But Sasuke's pro-"

"I said I'd get to that didn't I!? Tsunade replied angrily. She composed herself, and began again.

"Because of the nature and complexity of this mission…once you return to Konoha, Sasuke's probation will be officially lifted. For that reason, I am bringing you back together officially as Team 7 beginning with this mission."

Although they maintained their composure, all three shinobi felt their hearts lighten. After so long, it was finally happening. They were Team 7 again.

"The three of you will be attending Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. The school term begins September 1st, and you will be attending the school under the cover of exchange students from a wizarding school in Japan. You are not to reveal your true identities at any cost. Our client, Professor Dumbledore, was a close friend of the Third. He also embraces a similar pacifism as the late Hokage. He's requested that you befriend your charge in order to keep a closer eye on him and his movements. He trusts you are capable of this task. Now, although there is still time before the school begins, you will be arriving two weeks ahead of schedule. This is to give you time to adjust to a new environment, become familiar with the surrounding areas, and to be instructed in wizardry pupils your age are expected to know. Dumbledore seemed confident that with your shinobi training under your belts, catching up to your classmates would not be an issue. Aside from the rather hefty salary he is paying, he is also covering all other included expenses. Now, you have one week to prepare for this mission. Dumbledore left very detailed instructions, and I want you to read through them carefully. In seven days, you will meet in my office promptly at 12pm. Understood?"

"Yes." All three responded.

"Remember, this mission and all of its details are top secret. You are to tell your friends that you will be going on a B-mission to the Land of Snow. I have ensured that all of this will check out. Now, Sakura…you will be team leader."

"Yes, Tsunade-sama."

"If you have any problems, or have something to report, you are to speak to the headmaster or deputy headmistress only."

Tsunade dismissed the team, and they gathered in the hall outside her office.

"An A-rank mission! Finally! This is gonna be awesome-!" Naruto could hardly contain his excitement.

"Naruto, remember that this is work. Not a vacation." Sakura warned.

He pouted. "Loosen up, Sakura-chan, this is the mission of a lifetime!"

"She's right, idiot. We're not going on this mission to have fun."

Naruto pouted once more. "I know THAT, Sasuke. Geez! You guys are just too serious."

"Bye, Naruto." Sakura sighed and walked in the opposite direction of Sasuke, leaving Naruto to scowl in solitude before he rushed to catch up with Sasuke. "Oi, Sasuke! You're not allowed to wander around without previous permission!"

Seven days passed both slowly and quickly at the same time. Naruto and Sakura made sure to see as many friends as possible before leaving; Sakura spending time with Ino and Lee, while Naruto, Shikamaru, Choji, and Hinata did the same. Even Sasuke ventured out twice for lunch and dinner with everyone, when pestered unendingly by Naruto. At least he was trying.

Finally, the day came. Team 7 met outside Tsunade's office, Naruto yawning and rubbing his eyes (he had been up all night, too anxious to sleep), while Sakura devoured a book with strange binding. She had greeted them when they arrived and chatted briefly about the things they did in the past week, but quickly went straight back to her reading.

Sasuke couldn't help but notice that she had a strange scaly-looking bag sitting at her feet that he was sure couldn't have been made from anything he had ever seen before.

At five minutes to noon, Tsunade beckoned them in. Sakura grabbed her bag with one hand, her other still holding her book, when Naruto stepped in. "Oi, I'll get this bag, Sakura!"

Before Sakura could say anything, Naruto grabbed the small handle and pulled up. But, instead of being picked up, the bag stayed affixed to the ground. Clearly not expecting this turn of events, Naruto lost his balance and ended up falling on his face. Sasuke held in a snicker.

"Whoa, what the heck is IN HERE anyways? A 500lb brick!?" Naruto tried again after getting up, but barely managed to shift the bag, none the less successfully lift it.

Sakura put her book under her arm and grabbed the small bag off the ground, lifting it with little effort, much to Naruto's confusion. She slipped the book back inside. "I asked Tsunade if she could request some books from Dumbledore-san on the country we'll be staying in; modern history books, books on the wizarding world, things like that. He sent me this tiny scaled bag instead. At first I thought there had been a mistake, but actually-" Sakura's arm went inside the bag, deeper than the bag was itself, and pulled out three books much too large to have ever fit inside-" it's a magic bag of some sort. It's only the size of my hand, but the bag has over twenty full-sized books stacked inside! It's really fantastic!"

Naruto's eyes widened with wonder. "Whoa! Cool!"

Tsunade cleared her throat, and the two straightened in line alongside Sasuke.

"Now, you will be arriving in a place called London momentarily. You will meet with a professor from Hogwarts named Rubeus Hagrid, who will guide you to the school. You are to act completely normal, and not do anything to attract the attention to yourself." Naruto noticed how Tsunade looked at him directly when she said this.

"Now, to transport you there-"

"Ah, my apologies, I'm a little late! I got lost when I helped a lovely young lady find her way to-"

"Master Kakashi!" Sakura and Naruto exclaimed, surprised.

"What do you want, Kakashi?"

"Why, I came to see off my pupils of course! It only seemed fitting that I see off the new Team 7 on their first mission." Kakashi gave a carefree smile (at least, it seemed like he did based on his eyes), and a small salute.

"Good luck." He nodded as the three gave proud smiles, before receiving a warning look from Tsunade, and disappearing in a poof of smoke.

"Now then," Tsunade picked up the wine bottle off her desk. "This is the portkey. You three must all hold on to it. In sixty seconds, it will transport you to London. Make sure you are holding all of your belongings with your other hand. The ride might be rough, but you must hold on to the bottle no matter how difficult it becomes. If you let go before you're done transporting, you could be sent anywhere in either world. Or so Dumbledore warned. He has more experience with this, so I'm keen to trust him on that one."

Tsunade stood back as Team 7 all grabbed the bottle tightly, anxiously waiting for something to happen.

"One last thing," Tsunade began, "If you ever feel the need to contact the village, do so discretely, and in the wizard way. Good luck, Team 7."

All three young shinobi took deep breaths as they felt a sudden twist in their stomachs. Suddenly, they were yanked into a spiral as the Hokage office, along with Konoha, disappeared in a blur.