Disclaimer: I do not, in any way, own Harry Potter or Naruto. They belong to J.K. Rowling and Warner Bros., and Kishimoto-sensei respectively. I borrow for my own amusement.

Summary: A chance meeting in the Forbidden Forest. To others, we are legends and to some others, our lives are a mere footnote in theirs. Harry Potter / Naruto crossover, if you squint.

In These Dark Woods

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It had only been two week since James, Sirius and Peter had mastered their Animagus transformations. Peter had left it at that, and only transformed into Wormtail to see if he had gotten it down pat, the lazy bum. Sirius had been ecstatic for about a week, before he too stopped transforming and accompanying James on their nightly runs, and started dating Maddy from Ravenclaw. James, however—James loved Prongs.

Which was why he was currently cutting Transfiguration and unleashing his full speed, running through the Forbidden Forest, leaping over thick tree roots, finding paths through the wild undergrowth of the Forest. He loved the feel of the earth beneath him, the way he could feel the distant rumble of tiny, tiny earthquakes, the nearby movements of woodland creatures. He loved his Animagus form's speed; he could feel the wind whistling every time he ran. It was different from Quidditch, where you rode on brooms which got uncomfortable eventually. Here, it was just him, running for the sheer thrill of running.

His enhanced hearing picked up a disturbance somewhere within his immediate vicinity and he galloped to a halt, wondering whether he should investigate the matter or not. Maybe it was just a herd of centaurs, something he certainly didn't want to face. On the other hand, someone could be in trouble. Making up his mind, he ran in the direction of the noise.

It was the centaurs, James noted with a hint of fear. They looked like they were really angry about something too.

Their bows and arrows were out, and they were firing at a small, fast-moving figure. It was only after a moment that James realized they were firing at a man. Incensed, he charged at the centaurs, transforming when he got within view.

"That's enough!" he shouted in his Prefect voice. "You aren't allowed to harm students on Hogwarts grounds!"

"That was no student," one of them replied in a grave, low voice, lowering his weapons. The others followed suit since the man had disappeared. James wished his knees would stop trembling.

"Fine, humans then," he said.

"He trespassed on our territory," the centaur growled, tightening his grip on his bow.

"So?" James asked with more bravado than he actually felt. "I bet squirrels trespass on your territory every minute and you don't shoot them down, do you?"

A low, booming laughter came from behind the herd, and like a curtain parting, the rest of the herd stepped aside to reveal the oldest centaur. "Your kind are different from squirrels, human. Your transgressions weigh more than theirs ever will. But we will honor your request, and leave that human alone."

There was an explosion of murmurs from the rest of the centaurs, which their leader silenced. "Hush! He has probably escaped by now."

He made sure that the herd was well on its way back to their territory before transforming again, wishing he had Padfoot's superior sense of smell to guide him now. Still, he followed the faint trail of blood until he came upon the man, leaning against a tree for support, his breathing hard.

He must have made a sound, because the man suddenly whipped around, assuming a defensive position, a knife in his hand. He lowered it when he realized it was a deer he was facing. It was as if his entire countenance brightened, although James could discern no outward difference. James slowly approached him, while the dark-haired man sat down against the tree.

He was wounded, James noticed when he was close enough to see the red, open gash on his shoulder. Would he be surprised if I transformed in front of him? he wondered.

The man spoke, but it wasn't in any language James could understand. Still, the words were soothing, and the man's tone was soft. He sat beside him.

Up close, he realized how young the 'man' actually was. Maybe they were even of the same age. He was wearing Muggle clothes—they had to be Muggle since he didn't recognize the fashion at all—a bulky gray-green jacket lined with many pockets, and blue shirt and pants. Tied around his arm was a metal plate with a symbol of a swirling leaf etched into it. His hair was probably the strangest thing about the boy beside him. James was no stranger to unruly, messy hair, but the boy's hair was tied up into a spiky ponytail pointing upwards. How in the world had he gotten it to stay up?

The boy started patting his head; James found it uncomfortable at first, until the boy had found a rhythm which made James obligingly rest his head on the boy's lap, rather like a dog. Surprisingly, the boy fell asleep after a few minutes.

He looked even younger asleep, and James wondered what he was doing on Hogwarts grounds, in a country different from his with a language he couldn't speak. The knife the boy was holding flashed through the back of his mind. He ignored it, shrugging off the boy's hand, and transforming back as silently as possible.

He wasn't the best with healing spells, but he managed to close the wound and heal other scratches and bruises the boy had acquired running from the centaurs. Maybe he'd bring him back to see Dumbledore later, when the boy woke up.

Transforming into his stag form again, he rested his head on the boy's lap and waited for the boy to wake.

He woke up hours later, alone in the Forest. The sky was turning dark, and he could see the beginnings of a starry night. The spot where the boy had sat was cold and his scent was long gone. James doubted he'd find him even if he tried.

Somehow, he wasn't surprised.

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NOTE: Written in under an hour to relieve pre-exam stress. :| This has been posted in its full, unedited glory. Not that it matters if I edit it, I think. Like it would suddenly gain plot value. Haha. This is a one-shot, so I hope no one will pester me for any continuations.

On another note, to readers of IUP, please don't kill me for not updating yet. O_O; I am writing it, inch by painful inch. It just so happens that I'm swamped with exams. You may check my profile for semi-regular updates on its status. :)