Naruto Fan Fiction ❯ Running Home ❯ Chapter 4 ( Chapter 4 )

Disclaimer: Not mine.

Thanks to silverspun for giving name the name for the snake.

I haven't seen anything on Iruka's parents' names so, just picked them.

Noticed a mistake, I said that Harry is sixteen but then had his family killed on July 18th. So I'm changing it to they died on August 18th, sorry about that.

People keep asking for this to be KakashiHarry so I am going to state right here that that will not be happening for 2 reasons. Number 1: A ten year age gap is just ewwwww. Number 2: I don't like using the same pairings in every fic.

Also, I've decided that Kakashi and Iruka will be getting together at some point. I'm actually starting to lean towards no pairing for Harry at this point, despite the good reasoning behind people's suggestions for whom to partner him with.

 

 

Chapter 4

 

 

Iruka stared at the Hokage, unsure as to why he had been called. He fought the urge to shift nervously and stared at the wall, waiting for her to acknowledge him. Finally Tsunade put her paperwork aside and looked at him steadily.

 

“Tell me about your family.” She ordered and Iruka's jaw dropped. What? Seeing his look her expression softened.

“It's important Iruka.” Looking at her he nodded and steeled himself.

 

“My mother was Umino Sachi, an only child. My father was Umino Kiyoshi and he had an older sister, Aiko. I never met her, she left before I was born. That's all I know really.” Iruka shrugged.

“May I ask what this is about Hokage-sama?”

 

“When Kakashi returned from his last mission he wasn't alone. With him was a young man who is looking for his remaining family.” She paused and Iruka stared at her in growing shock. Was it possible?

“We ran tests but they aren't very reliable considering the gap between you as you would be second cousins.”

 

“Are you saying he is claiming to be my cousin?!” Iruka's disbelief was obvious.

“What village is he from? It could be a trap to get a spy in here but then why my family? Why not someone more important?” Iruka found himself sitting before he had even realised it.

 

“For what it is worth Kakashi doesn't believe he was lying, that doesn't mean that the boy wasn't lied to and led to believe you are his cousin.” Tsunade explained, watching Iruka closely.

 

“Do you believe him?” The teacher finally asked.

 

“I don't know, I haven't spoken to him. He was injured saving Kakashi and has yet to regain consciousness.”

 

“Do we know anything about him?”

 

“Just what he told Kakashi. His name is Harry; he's sixteen and an orphan. Kakashi also reported him having some skills that could be very useful in the fight with Sound.”

 

“So he's Shinobi? You never said what village he's from.” Iruka stared at Tsunade, something wasn't right about her answers. She sighed tiredly.

 

“He isn't a ninja and he isn't from any of the villages. He's an Outsider.” Iruka knew he was staring at her dumbly but he couldn't help it, really.

“I'm sure you understand the sorts of problems that information getting out could cause.”

 

“Yes ma'am.” Iruka answered distractedly.

 

“Is it possible your Aunt left?” Tsunade asked and Iruka thought about it.

 

“I guess. No one really talked about her. She was several years older than my father and was a civilian. My parents weren't even married when she left.” They both fell silent, thinking about the teenager laying unconscious in the hospital.

“Hokage-sama?” Tsunade focused back on him.

“Do you think it's possible? That he's really my cousin?”

 

“It's not impossible.” She stopped as Shizune appeared in the doorway.

 

“He's awake.” She said and Tsunade left immediately for the hospital, Iruka right behind her. She stopped in the hallway just down from Harry's room.

 

“Stay out here for now, I want to talk to him first. I'll call you in when I'm done and we'll see how he reacts to you.” Iruka nodded, nervous but refusing to show it as Tsunade approached the door.

 

Tsunade walked in to see the teen doubled up, coughing with Kakashi trying to help him by giving him water. The boy had tears streaming down his face and was trying not to laugh even as he continued to cough. She walked over and helped him stop coughing, earning a grateful smile.

 

“Care to explain what that was about?” She asked and Kakashi shrugged.

 

“He was talking to the snake and then he just started laughing which lead to coughing.” The grey haired man explained. Harry, finally quiet, looked her over curiously. There was something about her that said she was older than she looked, glamour of some type?

 

“Um, excuse me?” The two Konoha natives turned to look at a nervous Harry.

“Who are you?” He asked politely.

 

“I'm the Hokage, Tsunade, kid.”

 

“Oh. Nice to meet you ma'am.” Well, Tsunade thought, at least he's polite. She studied him closely now that he was awake. Intense green eyes that held pain and shadows to match many shinobi met her stare. Messy black hair fell to his collar and partially hid the weird scar on his forehead. He wasn't tall, but at 5'6” he wasn't incredibly short either and he was young enough to still have some growing left. She didn't like the fact that he was malnourished and under weight, not dangerously so but still too thin to be healthy. Tests had revealed several previously broken bones, some that had never healed correctly and the bones in one arm were actually somehow younger than the rest of the bones in his body, which made absolutely no sense. Then there were the traces of very odd substances in his blood stream. Despite all that he was remarkably healthy and that only added to her reasons for being suspicious of him.

 

“So, Harry. Want to tell me your full name and what you were doing in that cell?” Tsunade asked and the teen's gaze seemed to intensify for a bit before he nodded and she felt nervous for some reason. Then it hit her; Kakashi had said he used eye contact when entering his mind. Her gaze became icy.

“Did you just go into my mind?” Harry blinked at her.

 

“No ma'am. That ability takes a lot of effort on my part but I was trying to judge your intentions. I'm alone in a place I know nothing about, would you do any differently?” Tsunade found herself agreeing because honestly, she couldn't say she wouldn't do exactly what he had just done. She nodded and the teen took a deep breath.

“My full name back home would be said Harry James Potter, but here it would be Potter Harry I guess. My parents were killed when I was a baby and I was sent to live with my mother's sister and her family. They were killed on August 18th and I ran.”

 

“Why?” Tsunade asked, had the boy killed them?

 

“Because the people who killed them were after me. Staying there and letting them find me didn't seem like a smart thing to do. I made it to safety only to find out a few things that had been kept secret from me, one of them being the fact that I have more family and then left for here. Unfortunately you guys are really well hidden so I ended up in the middle of nowhere with no clue. Then three guys show up, grab me and throw me in a cell. I think I was in there for about four days before they chucked Kakashi in.” Harry fell silent and then blushed as his stomach let its empty state be known to all of them, earning a chuckle from Kakashi.

 

“Kakashi, go get him some food.” Tsunade ordered and Kakashi left.

 

“How did you save him in the cell? And how is it you can talk to snakes? Let alone survive that bite. Kakashi said he didn't sense you using any chakra.”

 

“What's that?” Harry blinked at her shocked look and then shook his head as if saying ignore the question please.

“How much do you know about the outside world?” He asked, wanting to know how much he should and needed to tell her.

 

“We're pretty up to date on world events but I've never heard of anyone doing what Kakashi described you doing.” She told him and Harry nodded, thinking. He thought about it for a bit and then shrugged mentally, why not? It wasn't like that world had done him any favours so why protect it? Tsunade could see that he was trying to decide what to tell her and let him, if she felt he was lying she could always have him questioned a little more thoroughly, even though she would feel bad for it after seeing his test results. She watched as he came to a decision and met her eyes, his own holding determination and surprisingly fear.

 

“Do you believe in magic?”

 

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“Yo.” Iruka looked up as Kakashi approached from the room the Hokage had disappeared into a while ago.

 

“Hello Kakashi-san.” The jounin pulled his book out and began reading, smirking slightly as the chuunin fought down the urge to berate him for his reading material.

 

“She's talking to Harry. You're waiting to be called in I suppose, could be a long wait. She sent me to get him some food.” Kakashi told him as he started to walk away.

 

“Do you believe him? That he's…”

 

“Yes. Help him Iruka-sensei.” With that cryptic statement he disappeared around the corner leaving behind a confused teacher.

 

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Tsunade stared at the teen sitting on the bed in front of her. He had kept eye contact the entire time he had spoken and hadn't stumbled over any of his answers when she'd asked questions, except when it was obvious he was deciding wether or not it was something she really needed to know. His story was a bit hard to swallow. Magic? Then again wouldn't chakra seen that way to many? Seeing her look the teen smirked slightly, it wasn't arrogant though but amused.

 

“You should have seen my reaction when I first learnt that magic existed.” He explained.

“I'd had it drummed into my head for eleven years that there was no such thing and then I was suddenly dumped into this new world with little explanation.” Harry shrugged.

 

“That doesn't explain how you survived the bite.” Tsunade pointed out and Harry nodded.

 

“When I was twelve I faced a basilisk. Basically the most deadly snake there is. Just making eye contact is deadly. To kill it I shoved a sword up through the roof of its mouth and didn't manage to miss all of its fangs, ended up with one lodged in my arm.” He showed her the two sides of the scar and her eyes widened as she realised just how big the snake had been.

“Basilisk venom in any quantity is fatal and I'd gotten a pretty good does, I was barely conscious not even five minutes later. The only reason I survived was because of Fawkes, a phoenix. Um, you do know what a phoenix is don't you?”

 

“A mythical, immortal firebird.” Tsunade answered.

 

“Well, not so mythical actually. Fawkes healed me with his tears and I've never thought much of the incident since. According to our resident snake however it had something to do with my survival. Which shouldn't be possible, wouldn't the tears and venom have cancelled each other out?” Harry frowned in puzzlement.

 

“Perhaps, though it could explain some of the odd substances we picked up in your blood.” She explained. They looked over to the door as Kakashi walked back in with a tray full of food. Both adults watched as the teen demolished it, amused at the sight. Harry looked up and blushed.

 

“Sorry, someone needs to tell that guy to feed his prisoners better.”

 

“I'll be sure to mention it the next time I see him.” Tsunade replied with a smirk. Kakashi looked between the two; obviously they had been talking since he'd left.

“Well, welcome to Konoha Potter-san. You will be under observation until I am absolutely positive that you are not a spy for anyone, these are dangerous times and I will not put my people in danger.”

 

“I understand Hokage-sama. Frankly if I was in your shoes I'd do the same thing. Any other rules or anything I need to follow?” Tsunade's respect of the teen went up another notch at the calm response.

 

“No wondering outside the village. No telling anyone where you are from or what you are. We'll say that you were raised on a small farm away from any villages by your relatives to explain any slips you make. After they were killed you decided to go looking for the rest of your family and ran into Kakashi on the road. At least you know the language and some geography. Now about the snake…” Tsunade trailed off and they all turned to look at said serpent.

 

$What?$ She hissed.

 

$What's your name? I'm sorry I forgot to ask.$

 

$That's fine Speaker, you were dieing after all.$ She hissed and even the others could tell she was amused.

$I have no name. You may call me what you wish.$ Harry thought about it, not noticing the weird and slightly uncomfortable looks he was getting. He suddenly grinned a grin worthy of the Marauders.

 

$Vespillo. Roughly translated it means Grave Digger and since you were meant to kill us I think it's oddly fitting. Ves for short.$

 

$Vespillo… I like it. Thank you Master.$

 

$Not Master, Harry. I've had some bad experiences with that particular title.$ He shuddered at the memories.

 

$As you wish Harry.$ With that Ves coiled back up and went to sleep.

 

“Well?”

 

“Huh?” Harry blushed as he realised Tsunade was staring at him, Kakashi had gone back to his book.

“Oh, sorry. Her name's Vespillo.”

 

“Vespillo?” Tsunade asked, frowning over the pronunciation of the strange name.

 

“Yeah, loosely translated it means grave digger.” Kakashi snorted slightly at that, fitting name considering how close she had come to putting the teen in his.

“Basically her life belongs to me because I'm a Speaker and she attacked me, even if she was aiming at Kakashi at the time. Apparently snakes have a pretty strict code when it comes to us because we're so rare.”

 

“Is Orochimaru a Speaker?” Tsunade asked, she'd never seen him speak like Harry but that didn't mean he couldn't. She waited as Harry turned back to the snake.

 

“No, he just has a contract?” Harry looked puzzled by that but the others nodded.

 

 

“Well if he attacks with those summoned snakes of his again at least Harry will be able to tell them to go eat someone else.” Kakashi commented flippantly, earning a glare from Tsunade and a choked giggle from Harry.

 

“Now, there is someone who has been waiting in the hall the entire time to meet you Harry.” He was instantly serious as she said that, a glimmer of hope and more than a little nervousness in his eyes.

“I'll tell him to come in and we'll leave the two of you. What you tell him is up to you, he knows that you have abilities and that you're and Outsider.” Tsunade stood and headed for the door, Kakashi trailing after her after tossing Harry a goodbye wave.

 

TBC…