A ten-year-old Naruto was walking slowly from the Academy, hands in his pockets and a scowl on his face. He had been kicked out of the second class of the day again.

Dammit. He sighed. At this rate I'll never become a ninja. I hate my life.

When he got to his tiny little apartment in the slums of the village he was very surprised to see a very big brown owl sitting on his table. The bird looked at him and gave off a 'hoot', beckoning him to come closer. As he did, he noticed a cream-white envelope with a very official-looking seal on it. Shrugging, he opened it up.

HOGWARTS SCHOOL of WITCHCRAFT and WIZARDRY

Headmaster: ALBUS DUMBLEDORE (Order of Merlin, First Class, Grand Sorc., Chf. Warlock, Supreme Mugwump, International Conf. of Wizards)

Dear Mr. Uzumaki,

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

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

Yours sincerely,
Minerva McGonagall
Deputy Headmistress

Naruto read the letter over and over again, not believing what he saw there.

"Magic…" He muttered to himself, taking the second paper out of the envelope.

HOGWARTS SCHOOL of WITCHCRAFT and WIZARDRY

UNIFORM

First-year students will require:

Three sets of plain work robes (black)

One plain pointed hat (black) for day wear

One pair of protective gauntlets (dragon hide or similar)

One winter cloak (black, with silver fastenings)

Please note that all pupil's clothes should carry name tags.

COURSE BOOKS

All students should have a copy of each of the following:

The Standard Book of Spells (Grade 1)
by Miranda Goshawk

A History of Magic
by Bathilda Bagshot

Magical Theory
by Adalbert Waffling

A Beginner's Guide to Transfiguration
by Emeric Switch

One Thousand Magical Herbs and Fungi
by Phyllidia Spore

Magical Drafts and Potions
by Arsenius Jigger

Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them
by Newt Scamander

The Dark Forces: A Guide to Self-Protection
by Quentin Trimble

OTHER EQUIPMENT

1 wand
1 cauldron (pewter, standard size 2)
1 set of glass or crystal phials
1 telescope
1 set brass scales

Students may also bring, if they desire, an owl OR a cat OR a toad.

PARENTS ARE REMINDED THAT FIRST YEARS ARE NOT ALLOWED THEIR OWN BROOMSTICKS

Yours sincerely,
Lucinda Thomsonicle-Pocus
Chief Attendant of Witchcraft Provisions

Naruto stared at the letters for a few moments before grabbing a pen and a nearby piece of paper. Writing his reply on it, he handed it to the big bird.

"Here. I don't…" The owl took the paper with its beak and flew out through the open window.

Three days later, for it took him three days to gather the courage, he was standing in the office of Hiruzen Sarutobi, the Sandaime Hokage, about to announce…

"I don't want to be a ninja anymore."

The Third Hokage's pipe fell out of his mouth and landed on the floor with a clang, breaking the silence that hung in the air after Naruto's statement.

"But Naruto… Why?" Sarutobi asked after a few moments.

"Because nobody will let me. In the last week I was thrown out of the class ten times. I hardly even bother going anymore."

"Yes, well, but…"

"Besides, I got this letter three days ago." He handed the letter from Hogwarts to the Hokage.

"Naruto, you can't possibly…"

"And I already sent a letter back, saying I accept."

"And how did you manage to do that?" Sarutobi couldn't help but ask.

"By owl."

"Naruto, are you…" The old man was cut off by a loud crack and a large puff of smoke, revealing another, even older, old man, wearing an almost-ridiculous looking sky-blue robe with matching pointy hat and half-moon glasses.

"Oh, hello there." The man said, ignoring the three swords that were pointed to him the moment he appeared. "I am Albus Dumbledore, the…"

"You're the Headmaster of the school!" Naruto said, with stars in his eyes. Dumbledore smiled at the blond.

"And I take it you're young Naruto." Naruto nodded his head rapidly.

"See, old man, it is real." The wizard chuckled.

"Be that as it may, Naruto, I can't allow you to attend." Sarutobi said with a stern voice. The Headmaster frowned slightly, and, never losing his small smile, put a hand on the young blonde's shoulder and spoke up.

"I'm afraid I cannot allow that. His name was written down in the school's books from his birth, just like his mother Kushina." Sarutobi cringed at that, while Naruto's eyes shot from the floor to Dumbledore.

"My mom's name was Kushina?" The old man looked at Sarutobi disapprovingly from over his glasses, making the Hokage squirm involuntarily in his chair.

"You told him nothing of his parents?" His tone could hardly be called friendly anymore.

"Well, I…" Dumbledore ignored the man and got down on his knees, putting both his hands on Naruto's shoulder.

"Yes, Naruto, your mother's name was Kushina Uzumaki, one of the finest and most talented students Hogwarts has ever had, and your father was…"

"Wait just one moment!"

"That man." Dumbledore pointed to one of the pictures on the wall. "Minato Namikaze, the Fourth Hokage. They both died the day you were born sealing…'

"That is an S-Class village…"

"The Kyuubi no Yoko inside of you. But I know for a fact that they both loved you very much." Dumbledore added, seeing the down cased look on Naruto's face.

"How do you know that?" Naruto asked.

"Your mother was one of my best students, and she stayed in touch after she finished school. I have numerous letters in my possession several pages long in which she gushed, I believe the appropriate term is, over you and how happy she was to be a mother." Dumbledore smiled at the few tears that fell from the boy's eyes.

"You lied to me!" The boy turned to the Sandaime with a cute murderous look on his face. "All these years you…" He trailed off, inhaling deeply. "You're lucky I'm going now, or I'd've done something drastic."

"You will, however, need to return here during the three months of summer holiday. Well, either here or your mansion in Northern Ireland." Dumbledore added.

"Yeah, I… Mansion?"

"Your mother's former residence, which she entrusted to her house elf. And a rather sizeable account at Gringotts."

"House elf? Gringotts?"

"You'll see. We have to go now, I also have a Muggleborn young girl who will be attending Hogwarts to help. Non-magic folk." He elaborated, seeing Naruto's look. "Her parents are both ordinary people, so she won't know what to do. Come." He took Naruto's hand and looked to Sarutobi.

"I'm very sorry, Naruto." He sighed, looking at the young boy, who turned his back to him. "I hope you will come back during the summer."

"I'll think about it." Naruto said as he and Dumbledore walked out the door.

"Should we follow, sir?" A cat-masked Anbu asked.

"No Cat, leave them be. Call the Council."

Meanwhile, Naruto and Dumbledore walked out on the street.

"What now Mr. Dumbledore?"

"Naruto, I must ask you to refer to myself and the other teachers you meet as 'professor'."

"Sorry Professor. Now what?"

"We call the bus." Dumbledore raised his wand in the air.

"What's a…" A three-story, purple, metal monstrosity appeared with a bang, startling nearby civilians and ninja. A tall, lanky teen with lots of pimples on his face stepped out and started reading from a piece of paper.

"Welcome to the Knight Bus. I am Stan Shunpike and I'll be your conductor for…" He trailed off, seeing Professor Dumbledore standing there with a blond kid. "Blimey, Prof. Dumbledore."

"Good day, Stan. May we come in?"

"Oh, of course, Prof. Where to?"

"The Leaky Cauldron, please. As quickly as possible." Dumbledore paid the man in some silver and gold coins and led Naruto to two empty seats. "You may want to hold on to something."

"Ern, Dumbledore's here. Step on it. Leaky Cauldron." The bus shot off very quickly, making all the chairs in it lean back.

"Not all wizards like this particular mode of transportation for this very reason." Dumbledore explained, hanging on to a rope coming from the ceiling. "But it's a good way to get around when nothing else is available."