July 31st, 1980 until July, 1981:

Senju Tobirama is not happy about being reborn. At least, this is the conclusion he comes to once he has eliminated the possibility of a) an Edo Tensei gone really wrong or b) a genjutsu. Not only is the process itself highly unpleasant; now he's stuck in the body of a new-born. The decidedly helpless, weak, and half blind body of a new-born.

This is undoubtedly a huge step down even from the situation he just left behind: When he had been resurrected with Edo Tensei by that blasted Orochimaru (again) to fight in a war against Madara, at least he could do something other than bubble, eat, flail around and fill diapers.

He doesn't understand the language the people around him are speaking.

This is concerning, because in his first life, in the Shinobi Nations, there has been only one language; differences only in the dialects people were speaking. This could mean several things: He might have been reborn on the other side of the ocean, in a country no one ever knew existed. He might have been reborn in a future so far, the language changed into something to him unrecognizable. Or (and he doesn't know if this is better, or worse) this is not even his own world. Kaguyas and this Obito's ability to send other people forcefully into whole other dimensions indicates that this could be a possible scenario.

Slowly but surely he grasps the meanings of some words: 'Mum' or 'Lily' for okaa-san, 'Dad' or 'James' for otou-san. 'Harry' for the baby that lies in the crib next to him, and is the bane of his existence (and apparently his 'brother', in this life). 'Timothy' for himself - apparently his name here.

When the woman lets coloured lights fly over their crib instead of a simple crib mobile, Tobirama first assumes that she is using a form of ninjutsu.

Later, the more he observes his everyday surroundings, the more he comes to doubt this; there is simply too much of this... magic, as they call it, for it to be chakra, or rather, for the man and the woman to be using chakra. They would have to be powerhouses the likes of a Kage or a Jinchuuriki, in order to be able to throw chakra and ninjutsu around like that: Levitating most objects instead of carrying them or simply picking them up; using magic to play with Harry and him (he still can't quite believe the sight of the flying broomstick - why a broomstick of all things?); changing objects into something else; creating them out of nothing. It is unlike anything Tobirama has seen before; using power like that so casually, for such mundane tasks.

It takes some time until Tobirama realizes that something is strange about his new body. Once his sight clears, he finally notices the way his hair and his skin are changing in colour and texture whenever he feels particularly frustrated; black strands of hair shift to everything from a dark brown to a washed out, almost white blond, a colour he sported in his first childhood. When his eyes are finally useful for seeing things further away than arm's reach, it becomes obvious that the same applies to his eyes: Only too often do they change from an almost startling green (that mirrors the eyes of the red-haired woman) to the light brown from when he was a real child, do his facial features shift to what he suspects are partly his old ones.

Strangely enough, neither the man nor the woman seem to be concerned about this, even though their son Harry doesn't show even a flicker of the same ability, all the while looking identical to his 'brother' (for most of the time, anyway).

They get visitors sometime.

Three men come by fairly regularly: Their names are Sirius, Remus, and Peter. Sirius is loud, and boisterous; he smiles, laughs and jokes the most of all of them, with James a close second. Remus is more silent, face lined, more tired than the rest; but he too smiles, and his jokes are the most witted ones. Peter is the quiet one; there is always worry etched in his face, a slightly hunted, restless look in his eyes; a look that gets stronger with every visit, while the smiles he shows are getting few and far between.

There is a war on.

Once Tobirama earns a greater understanding of the local language, it becomes obvious. The discussions with other visitors, the way the man and the woman seem to worry silently whenever Sirius, Remus or Peter say their goodbyes after each visit; new injuries they sometimes nurse the next time they come over. The red-haired woman, often standing at a cauldron and mixing tinctures of strange colour, which she hands then over to some of their visitors for free.

It also seems like they are in hiding: Any food gets brought by visitors, neither James nor Lily leave the House save for very few occasions, and until now, Harry and Tobirama have never left the property even once.

One day in the middle of summer, several colourful packages and a cake are standing on the kitchen table. At first, Tobirama is confused about Harry and he being the centre of attention even more so than usual; once he notices the emphasis on the number one and puzzles together what the man and the woman are talking about, he's conflicted. On one hand, it's nice of them to care - on the other hand, he's stuck in this Situation for a whole year already.

In the end, he decides to bear it, and smiles - he doesn't usually do this after all, and they certainly deserve a little visible appreciation of their efforts.

Their almost euphoric reaction (and Harry screeching happily) at seeing him smile for once makes Tobirama feel a bit guilty. Maybe he should do it more often.