Okay then, guys! I have a few VERY important announcements I would like to make! First, I apologize for taking SOOO long to post this chapter, I've been busy with school and another fanfic I'm working on. It's also my senior year, and I have to make homework and studying my top priority. But, I haven't forgotten you readers and this story. I'm using what free time I have (not doing homework) to get some writing done on it.

I would also like to announce that I am currently writing the four prequel books of the Naruto Uzumaki series.

In case you guys did not check my other story post, I am writing the fifth book in the series right now. I would have liked to have started from the very first book chronologically, but it was a spur of the moment when I wanted to just start writing. I got too excited and wrote the fifth book first.

I've been working on writing the first four books I intended to write. I just got ahead of myself and started with the fifth book as I said.

In case you're interested, here are the names of the books in chronological order:

Naruto Uzumaki and the Scroll of Sealing

Naruto Uzumaki and the Assassin of the Mist

Naruto Uzumaki and the Chunin Exams

Naruto Uzumaki and the Legendary Sannin

I'm currently finishing the Chunin Exams. Next I will work on the Scroll of Sealing(the shortest book in the series), Assassin of the Mist, and then the Legendary Sannin.

So I might take a little bit of time writing the Dark Path of Shinobi.

I decided to start writing the prequels because I totally forgot to mention that Hayate was an important character in the third book. That's the real reason why Naruto had a moment while looking at his name on the memorial stone. I might re-write that chapter once I have reached that part of the in the third book. I couldn't believe that I forgot to mention that Hayate was one of the very important characters in the series!

I will also make some corrections to the first five or so chapters of Dark Path of Shinobi in order to match the previous and future books.

ANOTHER ANNOUNCEMENT!

In the meantime, I have been having some decision troubles. And I'm curious to muse into the opinions of others. I have been wondering if Naruto should or should not come across and keep a magical creature as a pet.

Which of these following creatures shall it be?

You guys have three choices:

Hippogriff

Unicorn (Lol! I can imagine Naruto riding one and say, "If you want to know the secret of being…you will come with us…" -NPH)

Owl

Which ever one of these gets the most votes before chapter twenty's release, wins!

That's all I got! I hope you guys enjoy the new chapter!

"Blah" : Talking

'Blah': Demon speaking/ Inner Sakura

'Blah' : Naruto's Thoughts

'Blah' or 'Blah' : Harry talking to Naruto/other people's thoughts

Reviews are welcome and wanted!

Disclaimer: Naruto is the property of Masashi Kishimoto,

Harry Potter is property of JK Rowling,

Kakashi relaxed as he sat down under the shade of a nearby tree. He took sips of his Jasmine tea while he read his new volume of Icha-Icha Paradise, he also kept a careful eye on his student. Naruto was still struggling trying to master newly learned and more advanced levels of Ba Gua taijutsu. Naruto still couldn't get the foot movements right and would end up tripping over his own feet.

This has been going on for two weeks and Naruto was still nowhere close to getting it right. Naruto had troubles with keeping his temper in check because he would quickly grow frustrated everytime he would bump into his own feet. He even started swearing everytime he would trip. It wasn't long before Naruto would start moving more aggressively. It was there that Kakashi would stop him.

Naruto tried working around the practice dummy, keeping his left hand on the spine of the target while keeping his right arm under his left. He steadily but quickly moved around the dummy and keeping his hand in contact with the hard wooden surface. He then swished his right arm out from under his defensive left arm and struck the dummy hard. He still kept moving around the post, keeping his foot patterns in check. He switched his hands creating a graceful swinging movement in the process while he spun around and struck the wood once more. He ran forward towards the dummy and kicked off of the flat surface making a tiny crunching sound. Naruto was about to move around it once more and try the advanced set of move Kakashi showed him but had tripped once more before he could even enable them.

"ARGH!"

Kakashi got off the ground from his tea and Icha-Icha Paradise and walked up to the infuriated Naruto.

"Naruto! You're still not doing it right. You are not getting into the flow of the movements. You lack the relaxation. The looseness of the movements. You should not have to strain your muscles as you enact your foot patterns. Let it come to you. Don't force it."

Naruto sighed, "I'm trying my best."

Kakashi put his finger to his chin and thought to himself for a while.

'Naruto needs to relax his muscles and feel more of a flow of motion rather than an aggressive force… But what could help him better relax his motions and get him into the flow better…? Think, Kakashi! Think!'

After he couldn't think of anything, he had Naruto repeat his exercises and had him stop for the day, after he saw that Naruto landed his head on a rock and almost knocked himself out.

Hogwarts Neutral by Jeremy Soule

Kakashi walked down the street and kept reminiscing on how he could possibly help his student. He entered the Jounin lounge inside of the Administration building where his fellow jounin were already sitting down and talking. Kakashi walked passed Izumo and Kotetsu who were both competing on who can chug down the most syrup making anyone who gazed at their activity feel sick. He passed by Anko, who was currently writing down some mission reports that were overdue. Kakashi collapsed onto his favorite chair and moaned. Asuma was sitting right in front of him on his favorite chair. He looked up from a newspaper he was reading and glanced at Kakashi for a brief second before going back to reading and asked, "Your student kick you in the balls again?"

Kakashi glared at Asuma and said, "Oh, shut up, Asuma."

Asuma chuckled and said, "Seriously, I wouldn't have guessed that you of all people would be defeated by one of your kids with the old Nutcracker-Surprise! Hahahahahahahaha!"

Guy leaned forward in his chair and asked, "What has you troubled, my Eternal Rival?"

Kakashi sighed, "It's Naruto. His taijutsu training isn't progressing any further…"

Guy then stood up on top of his chair and announced, "I WILL-!"

"The answer is NO, Guy!" Kakashi said loudly forcing the enthusiastic jounin back down to his seat, "I appreciate the offer of you giving him your method of taijutsu training. But he's my student and I owe it to him… Plus, I think you might accidentally kill him in the process. He can bruise easily…"

Guy looked a little upset at the fact that would not be taking on another disciple.

"Well, then what's the problem, Kakashi? Is he not building up enough strength?" Guy asked.

Asuma suddenly said without looking away from his paper, "Oh-no. You can just ask Kakashi's balls. I'm pretty sure they can inform you on Naruto's strength level."

"SHUT UP, ASUMA!" Kakashi yelled.

Asuma laughed whole-heartedly, "Get's me everytime!"

Kakashi soon stopped boiling and fuming at Asuma and turned back to Guy, "But anyway, Naruto is not relaxed enough to perform the techniques I'm teaching him. He strains himself too much and ends up falling on his butt."

Guy looked amused and curious. He then asked, "What style of taijutsu are you teaching him anyway, Kakashi?"

Kakashi looked around for a split second and then whispered into Guy's ear too quiet for anyone else to hear. Guy's eyes quickly widened and he yelled, "You're teaching him-!"

Kakashi quickly covered his big mouth and quieted him down, causing the other ninja to stare. Kakashi just shook his head at the audience and said that there was nothing wrong and that everything was fine.

Kakashi then hushed, "Yes! I'm teaching him that technique! I owe it to him for all the time I've been neglecting him, Guy…"

Guy still looked very taken back, "I'm glad that you are giving him the attention he deserves. But that technique is still very advanced. Are you sure you didn't have him bite off more than he can chew?"

Kakashi shrugged, "He's already got the basic foot movements down almost perfectly. Why stop now?"

Guy's caterpillar eyebrows raised higher than usual and he smiled, "He's already made it that far?"

Kakashi smiled, "Yeah! He's a natural talent, Guy. It's almost like he was meant to learn it one day… But he still can't relax his muscles enough to progress any further."

Kurenai sat down next to the two men, "Sorry, I don't mean to bother you boys, but what's going on?"

Asuma answered, "Kakashi got his balls kicked, again."

"I SWEAR TO GOD! I'M GONNA KICK YOUR NOSE OFF YOUR FACE!" Kakashi roared and launched himself at Asuma.

Everybody laughed or giggled along with Asuma at Kakashi's outrageous reaction. Guy soon caught wind of himself and briefly explained to Kurenai,

"Kakashi is teaching Naruto some advanced taijutsu. The only problem is that Naruto is too stressful and cannot enact the proper movements. So now he's at a dead end in his training."

Kurenai looked up in thought and asked, "Then why not have him take a break and practice more relaxing martial arts?"

Kakashi stopped choking Asuma and shaking him, and perked up his ears at what the young woman said.

"Huh?" Kakashi asked while he still clenched Asuma's throat.

"Put him down, Kakashi! And listen like a good boy."

Kurenai talked down to Kakashi.

He humbly obeyed and let Asuma down on his chair and continue to laugh, despite having his breathing briefly obscured. Kakashi sat down on his seat and listened like a loyal hound. With his invisible tail in between his legs.

"If you want Naruto to limber up his muscles, then why not have him practice different taijutsu, for a while, that will help him do so." Kurenai lectured as she held her index finger up.

"What style of taijutsu do you think will do, Kurenai?" Kakashi asked.

Kurenai smirked, "Hyuga-style taijutsu."

Kakashi looked surprised, "Juuken? PFT! But, that can't be done. Plus, it's not possible."

Kurenai quickly replied, "True, Naruto can never actually use Juuken combat. It's physically impossible to use it like the rest of the Hyuga Clan unless you are a member of said clan. The Hyuga clan is the only clan that can release their chakra in a combination of taijutsu. But, you can have Naruto practice some of the physical exercises with Neji or Hinata, purely for recreational uses."

Kakashi looked dumb-founded, he then said sarcastically, "I'm pretty sure that Hiashi Hyuga would be absolutely dandy about having an outsider learning the secrets of his clan, Kurenai."

Kurenai rolled her eyes and said, "No one outside of the clan can actually use Juuken. But I'm sure Hiashi wouldn't mind Naruto learning a few recreational movements. If Naruto were to do Hyuga-style, it's-it's practically like taking a tai-chi class downtown." she explained carefully.

"Then, why not have Naruto practice tai-chi downtown, then?" Kakashi questioned.

Kurenai looked a little uneasy, "I don't think Naruto would want to attend a class comprised entirely of pregnant women."

Kakashi looked to the side and said, "Good point. But still, I highly doubt someone like Hiashi Hyuga would ever let anyone in on his clan's secrets."

Kurenai shrugged, "What secrets could he possibly obtain? Kiba and Shino watch her practice at her clan's complex all the time. And I never heard Hiashi never approving of it."

Asuma giggled to himself, "Hee-hee! Watch her practice!"

Kurenai threw a tissue box at his head in response, "Oww!"

"Anyway, I'm sure if you explain to Hiashi-san about your situation, then he might approve of it. So long as you tell him that it is only to help your student's training progress. And make sure you tell him that it's purely for recreation. If that doesn't work, then try to throw in that the Yondiame would have done it for Naruto or something. After all, Hiashi was practically best friends with Minato Namikaze. Isn't that right?" Kurenai reasoned.

Kakashi looked amused, "Do you really think that might work? Because that is asking a lot from him. Not to mention, he's one of those 'leaders who care about nothing but for what's best for their clan, or as I like to called him a L.W.C.A.N.B.F.W.B.F.T.C for short."

"Or a Fugaku Uchiha?" Guy recommended.

Kurenai shook her head, "Enough with the generalizations! The point is that Hiashi is not as stuck up a person as he always appears to be."

Kakashi chuckled, "Oh now, that's just a lie."

But Kurenai winked at him and said, "Go and ask him, Kakashi. And find out for yourself."

She then got up and said, "Asuma, let's go!"

Asuma sighed and took a deep breath from his cigarette before budding it out in the ashtray next to his abandoned newspaper titled, Youth In Revolt? He got up from his comfortable seat and left with Kurenai, side by side.

Kakashi watch them as they disappeared and said to Guy, "Oh, they are totally doing each other."

Izumo and Kotetsu both said together in unison, "Oh yeah, they're totally gay for each other."

Exactly twenty-five minutes later…

"No. Absolutely not, Kakashi." Stated Hiashi Hyuga.

Kakashi was sitting down patiently on one of the many comfy chairs that stood in the confines of Hiashi enormous office. Kakashi couldn't hear Hiashi's clearly stated answer and found himself too preoccupied with the grandness of Hiashi's office.

"Did you hear what I said, Kakashi-san?" Hiashi questioned.

Kakashi, again, was too busy examining the Hyuga head's heavily polished oak-wood desk. Hiashi also had a large amount of space and a variety of different chairs laying around, each of them were decorated differently and somehow matched the offices brown and beige color. He also took into account that the office could hold almost the entire Akimichi clan. This office was simply enormous.

"Kakashi are you even listening to me?" Hiashi demanded.

Kakashi nodded his head and said, "Hold on, I gotta sit in another chair…"

Kakashi lifted his body up quickly and sat down in the chair next to the one he originally sat in. The chair stood up just a little bit higher.

"Aww…" Kakashi sighed, "This one's got better energy…."

Hiashi slammed his fist down on his desk and snapped Kakashi out of his trance, "Will you please act your age and pay attention, Hatake! I said that you could not let your student learn Juuken taijutsu! It's forbidden!"

'I'm high… I'm up high, right now… Oh yeah! The meeting! Naruto!'

Kakashi snapped out of it fully and turned more serious again.

"Sorry, Hiashi-sama… Perhaps I haven't clarified my reasons clearly enough for you. I just want Naruto to training with either your daughter Hinata or your nephew Neji… Naruto is very good friends with both of them and I feel it right to have Naruto-"

"I will not let your student take away my families secrets!" Hiashi thundered.

Kakashi looked down at Hiashi again, "You didn't let me finish. I just want Naruto to practice Juuken for recreational purposes. I don't want him learning another clan's secrets. That's preposterous to ask of you."

Hiashi lifted an eyebrow and asked, "Recreational purposes?"

Kakashi nodded, "Yes. I've been trying to teach Naruto a very special type of taijutsu but he's caught in a muscular snag…"

"And that is?" Hiashi asked.

Kakashi lifted his arms, "His muscles aren't loose and relaxed enough to accomplish this feat. It's not like Naruto's body will just adjust to the style over a few days like with a person with Sharingan. Naruto has to practice and mush more easy-going and fluent… Believe me, Juuken was my last option in this scenario. It tried to look for alternatives, Hiashi-sama. Don't get me wrong."

Hiashi contemplated over this for a while before he finally said, "I'm still not sure about this…"

Kakashi then said, "Well, your daughter is very good friends with Naruto. And isn't it true that Hinata's confidence and self-worth have been getting better ever since she has been spending time with him?"

Hiashi nodded, "You make a good point, Kakashi…"

"And wouldn't it be even better for your daughter if she were to start training with my Naruto?" Kakashi asked.

Hiashi held his breath and then said, "I still don't know… Even if I would allow this to happen, the Hyuga elders would not approve of it and shut the project down… Not to mention that hey would make special precautions to remove those two from ever interacting with each other again…"

"But-" Kakashi tried to argue peacefully.

"I am sorry, Kakashi. But I still stay no…" Hiashi insisted.

Kakashi paused for a few minutes and said nothing. He looked down at Hiashi desk and spotted something that caught his eye. He saw a photograph among the many photographs of Hiashi's desk. It was one with his sensei Minato standing next to Hiashi both wore baggy teenager clothes and had large smiles on their faces.

Kakashi slowly said with his gaze averted, "Minato would have done it…"

Hiashi twitched suddenly.

Kakashi continued, "If Minato-sensei were here today, he might have allowed it. Being the Hokage he would see to it that I could give my neglected student that training he rightfully deserves. Wouldn't you think? Wouldn't you do this one favor for the sake of your old friend? To help pay the dept that the village remains still to him?"

Hiashi closed his eyes slowly and waited a few minutes before ultimately saying, "Name the time and place, and you've got a deal."

Kakashi grasped Hiashi's hand tightly and shook it.

"Minato smiles down upon you." Kakashi said proudly in a comedic sort of way.

Naruto woke up the following morning feeling bright and energetic. He had been anticipating to get up this morning for a very special reason. He had been planning for this event for quite some time and couldn't wait any longer for it to happen. He had been making timings and studied patterns for this day and finally the morning of the first of many times had begun.

Naruto quickly got dressed in a red shirt, grey sports jacket, and dirt-brown pants. Naruto then tied his head band around his waist like a belt and grabbed his wand from his dashboard. Naruto magically attached his weapons pouch to his pants and left his apartment.

Naruto turned around and tapped on his doorknob.

"Colloportus!"

The door clicked loudly and his let his arms fall to his sides. Naruto concentrated carefully and then Disapparated to the place he had been planning to go to in a loud crack.

At the hospital, Sakura was carry a great number of heavy books to give to Lady Tsunade. She was strictly ordered to go to her parents library and pick up the large order of books the female Sannin requested weeks ago. Her patience was growing very short with the Haruno family's progress and them delaying her order wasn't going to stop them from hearing this from Tsunade herself. Personally.

Sakura steadily made her way with the books down the main hallway of the hospital to the upper offices. Tsunade would have a bird if she was late with these books and time was starting to run short.

Just as she had entered the intersection of hallways, where she had humiliated Naruto believe it or not, she was given one hell of a surprise that she did not need today.

Naruto had Apparated directly next to Sakura and yelled right in her face, "GOOD MORNING, SAKURA!"

Sakura shrieked in response and fell backwards by the force of Naruto's magnified voice. She fell right on her butt painfully and all of the books that she had in her arms had flown up in the air, only to fall painfully all over her. One particularly large copy of One Thousand Medical Herbs and Fungi crowned her head like an over-sized hat.

Sakura shot her head up towards Naruto laughing at her and gave him a look so hideously mean that it would have made a child scream in terror.

"Hahahahahaha! My plan worked perfectly! Apparation Surprise! Priceless! A pure classic!"

"NARUTO! YOU ARE SUCH A JERK!" Sakura screeched loudly.

Naruto leaned down towards her and said sweetly, "Will you relax already, Haruno… Just trying to defuse the ten-sion!"

Sakura made an attempt to punch Naruto in the face, but Naruto had Apparated away too quickly for her to try. Sakura still got up and let the books that piled on top of her fall to the ground ad collect dirt, dust, and highly potent diuretics. She stood away from her books and started random swiping at the air in the hopes that Naruto would Apparate back to foolishly mock her once more.

"COME BACK AND FACE ME YOU COWARD! COME BACK HERE AND FIGHT LIKE A MAN!"

Sakura continued to punch and scratch at the air like a mad woman while the patients that heard all of the commotion looked outside their rooms and stared at her. They all stared at her with eyes so uncomfortable they could make you shiver with unease.

"HARUNO!" yelled the voice of a frustrated Tsunade.

The woman came storming down the hall in his lab coat over her usual attire with a terrifying pair of golden eyes. Sakura immediately stopped to face her somewhat-sensei and lose whatever posture she had before Naruto came storming in.

"I expected those books to be on my desk for weeks now. What excuse do you have now to explain why they are still not in my office?"

Sakura raised her head up and said, "It was that baka Naruto's fault! He popped in here with that weird spell of his just to make me drop my books! He used his magic to make me trip and dirty your books, ma'am! It's all his fault, that freak!"

Tsunade glared down at Sakura with utter disdain.

"Never call my nephew a freak… or so help me, you will get kicked out of this program faster than you can say what… Do you understand Miss Haruno?"

Sakura felt she was about to pee herself at any moment. She quickly nodded her head and apologized for her disrespect.

Tsunade then smiled lightly, "Good." she said in a voice far too sweet for her nature, "Now take these books up to my office, dust them off and spray them with a disinfectant and go to your lesson…"

Tsunade turned away and went back to checking on her round of patients for the morning. Once Tsunade had disappeared behind a corner, Sakura growled loudly as she aggressively picked up all of her heavy books.

"I swear I'll see to it that that freak gets his magic banned!"

Naruto Apparated back to Training Ground Three and went right to work with a few daily morning spells to practice. Naruto pulled out his wand and ran down to the wooden posts apart from the ones where he officially became a genin. But as he ran past it, he threw a Stinging Hex right at the head of the post that Sakura sat next to.

Naruto quickly approached the next few wooden posts and threw a barrage of spells at it for practice.

"Impedimenta!"

Naruto's wand shot out a large number of scarlet jets of light that directly hit the surface of the post. He then dove down and rolled his body forward as if he had dodged an enemies attack. Once he recovered he threw his arm back at the post and used another spell.

"Stupefy!"

Naruto unleashed a jet of light from his wand that left a noticeable dent in the wood. Naruto smirked at his aim and secretly hoped that Kakashi was hiding in the trees and watching him display his spectacular ability with a wand.

Naruto made another rolling dodge and threw another jinx.

"Expelliarmus!"

Naruto aimed the jet of red light to shot out from his wand and knock off a chunk of the top part of the post he hit.

Naruto turned his attention away from the posts and ran towards the woods to look for more targets. He ran through the trees and bushed and fired whatever spell he could think of and put it to good use against a worthy target.

Naruto hit a number of branches with Expelliarmus or hit a few moving leaves and miss with Stupefy. It wasn't until Naruto ran into a clearing and found a number of humid targets made of straw.

"Expulso!" Naruto cried.

Naruto caused a number of different target marks of the dummies to suddenly explode with the force of a firecracker.

Naruto didn't stop there with the still-intact target. Naruto hit the target again with Expulso until there remain but a small piece of plastic. Once he was sure that he had only that one piece left to finish, he use one more spell.

"Incendio!" he shouted.

The remaining piece of target the burst into a large column of flames that rose up two feet. The spell burned the leaves around the target and soon went out into tiny embers among the hundreds of leaves that were left.

Naruto removed himself from the destroyed target and went on to target a few more dummies that were left. Naruto cast flames at the straw dummies and destroyed two of them. He then went on to use a Reductor curse on the trunk of a tree across from him. He then let himself relax as he gained some distance across from the tree in the center and held his wand at the ready.

'I'm gonna practice the Patronus Charm this time, Harry…'

Harry nodded, 'As you wish… It's a good thing that we now know that it can repel anybody how is inflicted with a curse mark…'

Naruto smiled and laughed when he remembered the terrified look on Sasuke's face when he unleashed his Patronus at the Valley of the End.

Naruto though back and went over the happiest things he could remember. He thought to everytime he and Hinata were talking and when Kakashi and he settled their arguments after months of refusing to do so. He also imagined what Danzo would look like if he was being killed by a nameless young man with a red chain for a weapon and wearing a set of yellow and blue armor. Another one of Naruto's numerous fantasies.

(A/N: Lol! I hope you get the reference, LeafRanger! Lol! )

"Expecto Patronum!"

And out from Naruto's wand tip came a huge burst of silver light. And out of that huge surge of spell-energy came out a majestic creature that reflected Naruto's inner self.

It was a silver lion.

A gigantic lion that stood up three feet high and had an almost full mane of adult fur. The beast ran out from Naruto's wand and padded it's paws noiselessly on the ground. Not even disturbing the leaves, some of which he left burnt earlier. The beast looked towards it's master and steadily walked towards him. Soon the lion was up to Naruto face to face. The teen slowly reached out a hand and felt the beasts silvery hair. Feeling only the unbelievably sensational warmth that flowed to create it's form.

Naruto waved his hand through his patronus until it started deteriorating into wisps of silvery-blue mist.

"What the hell is that?" called out a voice.

Naruto yelped in fright and his patronus disappeared into nothing.

Naruto quickly turned around and saw Kakashi walking towards him. He had been watching Naruto since the moment he arrived and started throwing spells left and right.

Kakashi (although you couldn't see it) had dropped his jaw at what he watched Naruto create.

"What was that, Naruto?" he asked in a breath.

Naruto smiled as held his wand with both hands, "It was my patronus!"

Kakashi scratched his head in confusion and asked, "A what?"

Naruto smiled and remembered that Kakashi had little to no knowledge about the once wizarding world.

"I used the Patronus Charm. That conjures up a patronus. It's sort of like a positive shield that protects me from anything that tries to kill me. It takes the form of an animal to reflect that which I am most like. Although it doesn't work on normal people at all. It only works on creatures like d-dementors, lethifolds, or people impregnated with curse-marks."

Kakashi thought back to Sasuke's trial and remembered him rambling about seeing a silver fox attack him.

Kakashi looked confused, "But Sasuke said a few months ago that it was a fox that attacked him… Why is your…thingy different now?"

Naruto shrugged, "I have no idea… I could say that it was because I had used a huge amount of the Kyuubi's chakra. It might have influenced my patronus at the time. But I would like to think that Sasuke was just making it up to get me in more trouble."

Kakashi looked down in slight shame, "I should have had him silenced…"

Naruto shook his head and approached his teacher, "Don't worry about it. It was my fault I was so reckless… Besides, it doesn't matter anymore to me… Now I don't have to hide myself anymore…!"

Kakashi sighed as he pulled out his Icha-Icha Paradise, "Well, if you say so…"

Naruto soon put his wand away and faced the posts, "What are we doing today, sensei? Are we gonna continue with using a staff or are we going to work on more Ba Gua?"

Naruto kicked the air in enthusiasm and struck a striking pose. Kakashi shook his head and closed his eye.

"Not today, Naruto. We're going to do something different today…" he said.

Naruto stood up straight and asked, "Well, what is it?"

Kakashi then told him, "Your still having a lot of trouble with your progress in taijutsu. Your muscles are too tensed up and you have to get them to relax. So in order for your body to adjust to the conditions require of the next level of exercises, I'm going to have you train in another style of taijutsu. At least for a while."

Naruto looked at him with interest, eager to learn.

"What are you going to have me train me in, sensei?" he asked.

Kakashi opened his eye and closed his book shut, "I'm not going to teach you. Hinata Hyuga will.

Naruto's face suddenly lit up with slight color and he smiled brightly, "I'm gonna go train with Hinata-chan!"

Kakashi eye-smiled, "Yep! I'm going to have you go to her home today in one hour."

Naruto looked very excited to see his good friend again. The two of them were still thinking up of ways to try and beat each other in contests. Every since Hinata beat him getting to the ocean a few weeks ago. Naruto would challenge her to a target-hitting contest.

Kakashi smiled, "You'll get to see her in an hour. For the time being, lets work on using staffs."

Naruto shook his head and got himself ready once Kakashi tossed him a stored pole.

At the Hyuga clan complex, Hinata had woken up bright and early with a bright smile on her face. She had never looked more forward to starting up a day more than she did now. Today would be the day she and Naruto would start training together.

When she first heard this from her father, she couldn't believe her ears.

Ever since she had graduated from the Academy, she dreamed of being on the same team as Naruto. That has actually happened in the past few weeks but she never thought she would get the golden opportunity and actually get to train with him.

Sasuke betraying the village was probably the best thing that could ever happen to Naruto and Hinata. Though the events did have some severe and heartbreaking consequences for a number of people. But one of those hearts was mended and recovering.

Hinata skipped out from her bedroom, fully dressed and ready to train with her friend. Just as she was waltzing down the hallway, she ran into her younger sister, Hanabi. She lifted her up into the air unexpectedly and spun around in joy.

"Such a marvelous day today, isn't it Hanabi! Heh!" Hinata sang as she soon let her sister down and continued to waltz to the training complex.

Hanabi stared at her older sister until she disappeared down the hall. Hanabi scratched her head with one finger and pondered to herself.

"Nee-chan didn't stutter… Not once…" she said to herself quietly, "I wish I had a wizard to hang out with too…"

Hanabi then turned around and to do her own derring-do for today.

With ten minutes remaining until they were due to arrive at the Hyuga complex on time, Naruto and Kakashi were only just now finishing up.

Naruto looked at his watch when they both stopped to take a break.

"Kaka-sensei, it's ten-til!" he informed.

Kakashi's eye widened, "Oh fiddlesticks! We gotta go! Hiashi will cancel the appointment if we're late!"

Kakashi dropped his staff on the ground and beckoned Naruto to hurry up. But Naruto soon stopped him once they were close to the Hero's memorial.

"Sensei, wait! I have a faster way!" Naruto called over.

Kakashi stopped to look at Naruto and ask him what he meant. But Naruto had tightly grabbed a hold of his arm.

"Hold on tightly!" Naruto said clearly.

Before Kakashi knew what happened next, he felt Naruto jerk his arm way from him and pull him into an experience unlike anything he felt before in his life. He felt the world sudden go black, he felt he was being pressed very hard from all directions; he could not breath, there were iron bands tightening around his chest, his eyeballs were forced back into his head and his eardrums were being pushed deeper and deeper into his skull. He felt his entire body (as well his environment) suddenly being twisted and looped in so many unnatural ways that he couldn't tell whether he was being bent in any of the wrong directions.

And then- Kakashi felt his feet get slammed into solid ground and took in huge lungful of fresh air. The bands that constricted him were suddenly lifted and he felt his body return to normal. Kakashi soon fell to his knees and unveil his mask to vomit onto the street.

Naruto tried to look around to see his sensei's face but Kakashi wouldn't allow it. He soon stood up and pulled his mask back up to his face too fast for Naruto to see his real face in time.

Kakashi soon grabbed Naruto by his shirt and yelled at him, "What the hell was that?"

Naruto held his hands up to his face protectively, "You just Apparated for the first time… Well, Side-Along Apparation actually…"

Kakashi slowly let go and held onto his stomach, having trouble trying to keep his balance.

"I think I'm gonna be sick…" he moaned.

Naruto looked at him off-handedly, "You should really check to see if you have all of your fingernails… I hope you haven't splinched…"

Kakashi looked at Naruto and then darted his sight on his hands.

"What the hell does splinch mean?" he asked quickly.

Naruto explained, "It's what happens if you don't Apparate correctly. Basically it's like leaving a part of your body behind. Trust me, the first time I splinched wasn't pretty…"

Kakashi shook his head and insisted, "I don't want to know this time, Naruto. You better get to the doors of the Hyuga complex, I'll meet you there…"

Naruto scratched the back of his head, "Uhhh, sensei, we're already here…"

Kakashi turned his head and to his amazement, they were both right outside of the main doors to the house. Kakashi stood up slowly, feeling the nausea start to leave his body bit by bit. Kakashi quickly looked around and to his relief, no one was around to have seen him throw up right there on the street.

He soon swallowed whatever foulness he still had left over and walk beside Naruto as they both entered the complex.

Upon their first step into the walls of the ancient home, Kakashi and Naruto were instantly surrounded by members of the Hyuga clan. Coming out from nowhere as if they had Apparated like they did.

Naruto quickly held his hands up high in surrender.

"It was his idea!" Naruto answered quickly.

Kakashi sighed tiredly and said, "Put you hands down, Naruto…"

Naruto steadily obeyed and lowered his hands again. Though that didn't stop him from feeling downright scared at the looks of ten fully grown men ready to kill him in a second. What made him feel the most uncomfortable was the fact that they all had their Byakugan activated and glared at him as if the crowd were to have a thousand pair of eyes.

Soon, Hiashi came scrolling out from the large oak front doors of his house and dismissed the clan members with a single thought. The Hyuga clan members (whether they were of the main or branch house) all feel out from their stances and lowered their weapons and turned around to leave.

Naruto let go a breath that he held up for awhile and stood up straight as Hiashi approached. Kakashi bowed slightly in respect and Naruto quickly followed his example. Hiashi nodded and looked over at the two of them. Particularly Naruto.

"Good to see that you have arrived on time, Kakashi. You may go now. You may come back here in several hours to pick him up." he addressed.

Naruto looked up at his sensei, "You're not staying, sensei?"

Kakashi sighed and said, "I have other matters to handle right now, Naruto. Besides, I'm sure you wouldn't want me embarrassing you in front of the girl now, would you?"

Naruto shook his head and said, "No, I'm not embarrassed. I just-"

Kakashi rolled his eye and laughed, "Give it time, Naruto. And you'll be saying that almost all the time…"

Kakashi held his hand up in farewell and turned to leave.

"I'll pick you up later, Naruto. Have fun!"

Kakashi then shushined away and left his student to the care of Hiashi Hyuga. Naruto looked up at Hiashi and he looked down at him stoically. Hoping to break the tension, Naruto smiled at him brightly with his teeth bared.

Hiashi remained as still as a statue and Naruto went back to frowning. Hiashi then smiled lightly and motioned for Naruto to follow him.

'Well, he certainly does know how to use his on and off switch, doesn't he?' Harry commented.

Naruto ignored him and walked along side Hiashi to the house. Naruto thought Hiashi would say nothing until the approached the house closer. When they entered, the main hall was fairly tall and looked as grand as any other clan complex. Though it was slightly smaller than the Uchiha manor.

"It take it that you are aware that what you will be learning is considered blasphemes in the yes of my entire family?"

Naruto nodded.

"Good. Because I don't want you to be going around and telling anyone about this."

Naruto answered, "I promise to not tell anybody, Hiashi-sama."

Hiashi looked down at him, "You better, Naruto-san… Because if the Hyuga elders were to learn of this arrangement with you learning from my daughter, you will be forbidden to see my Hinata ever again."

Naruto turned his head in surprise, "What? B-but you can't stop two people from being friends it's just not-"

"I never said that I would not want you to spend time with Hinata. I am just informing you of what the elders will attempt to do if they find out of this…"

"Oh…" Naruto answered dumbly.

Hiashi motioned Naruto forward and to the grand living room of the head house. There the room was decked out with magnificent furniture and soothingly soft carpeting. Naruto quickly removed his shoes and placed them against the wall.

Hiashi allowed Naruto to sit down on the sofa and wait for Hinata to arrive.

"You two will be training in the private dojo. I will have to distract all of the members of the clan until you have spent your days' training."

Naruto nodded his head again and Hiashi turned to leave the living room.

"I must ask that you do not perform any of your spells in the house while you are here. Hinata will be with you shortly, Naruto."

Hiashi then walked away and Naruto finally relaxed and let his body melt on the sofa. Being in Hiashi Hyuga's presence left him practically spineless. Never in Naruto's short life had he ever met a man as strict as him. Nor had he ever met a person that made him feel so uncomfortable.

Naruto tried to busy himself without having to pull out his wand and practice charms. Instead he just kicked at his own sock-covered feet in amusement. Naruto then had to wait no more than three minutes before he heard the voice he had been waiting to hear.

"Naruto-kun!"

Naruto got off from the couch and turned around to see one of his best friends beaming at him just as much as he was at her. Naruto jumped over the couch and ran up to embrace each other.

Their embrace ended very quickly and they soon left to go to the dojo at the opposite end of the complex. While they paced down the halls, the two of them spent a little time catching up on the details of their training. Both were very enthusiastic about and couldn't wait to start.

While they made their way to the private dojo, Naruto let his eyes wander over the many paintings, murals and sculptures that were decorated down each hallway.

"So, you grew up here, eh?" Naruto asked.

Hinata nodded, "Yep! The paintings on the walls were all done by my mother before she passed away. My father had them laminated and hung up in her honor. The sculptures are just some worthless relics that my grandparents wanted to have put up."

Naruto looked closer at one of the statue and saw that one of them was just a bunch of kunai melted together in a mess of metal.

"But this one is just a bunch of knives melted by a fire jutsu. That's not art, that's just being lazy."

Hinata looked at Naruto off-handedly, "I know. I wish I didn't have to put up with them…"

Naruto nodded in agreement, "Everyone has an antagonist…" he sighed.

Hinata motioned Naruto to enter the private dojo and Naruto was taken by surprise by how it looked. He gasped as he saw that the room had no roof. Wait. No. It was a glass ceiling. The ceiling was designed so that the people who trained here would get the properly lighting from outside without having to actually train outside.

The walls were made out of a specially designed wood that could prevent the material from being damaged by physical or weapon-related attacks or missed targets. And were colored brown and white, creating a very simple but eloquent design to the room.

Hinata led Naruto into the center of the room and had him stand right across from herself. He stood straight up and paid attention to Hinata as if she were a teacher. Hinata turned just a little bit more serious.

"The key to accomplishing Juuken is to let your body become more loose and flexible. So let us start out with a few exercises that will help you become accustom to it."

Hinata presented Naruto a stance for him to take up. She had him bend his knees a little.

"Now, try to kept your knees bent without keeping the muscles in your legs tight. Keep them nice and loose."

Naruto did as she told him and let his legs go loose. As predicted, Naruto let his legs slip too far and caused him to fall on his butt.

"Oww… Let m try that again…"

It took Naruto another ten tries before he could keep his legs bent without keeping his leg muscles tightened.

Hinata smiled, "Now keep you dominate arm out in front of you. While keeping your other hand at your side, keeping it level with your dominate hand."

Naruto did just as he was told.

"Now let your arms go loose like your legs. But keep them up without tensing your arm muscles too much."

This proved easier for Naruto, but it still took him some time. Seeing as he was used to keep his body tense and tightened to accomplish any fight.

"Good… Now let your chakra flow through your body and focus it to flow into one arm then the other… Like a wave of water…" she said gently.

Naruto closed his eyes and did as Hinata instructed. He let his chakra flow into his right arm and flow all the way to his fingertips. Then he gently focused it to flow back and flow into his left arm.

Hinata suddenly stopped him after she activated her Byakugan.

"Hold on! I forgot to tell you something. You have to focus your chakra to flow through from you dominate arm and back into the stomach. After that, you must concentrate it to flow back out through the other arm.

Naruto readjusted his posture and asked as he moved forward and backward to let his chakra flow again, "Why the stomach, Hinata-sensei?"

Hinata blushed red at being called that by Naruto and explained, "B-because the stomach is the center where all chakra is regenerated. It's like a pool of energy that constantly recycles chakra and allows it to flow in and throughout the body."

Naruto took in the message as soon as he ran it again through his head a few times.

"I see… A pool of chakra… Got it!" Naruto replied.

Hinata smiled, "Now the next step-"

"HINATA-SAMA! What are you doing?" yelled the voice of a furious man.

Naruto dropped to the ground in surprise and turned his head quickly to see the source of the voice. It was a young man just about as old as Iruka. He was a member of the Hyuga clan, obviously, only he had a small nose, dark, straight hair, and wore a typical chunin uniform.

He looked very mad and disgusted to see Naruto there on the floor, trying to pick himself up and dust off his clothes.

"Ko!" Hinata cried in surprise, "Hello, it's good to see you!"

Hinata tried to make herself seem more pleasantly surprised. But had difficulty, seeing as no other Hyuga clan member should have seen Hinata teaching Naruto their clan's taijutsu techniques. They thought for sure that Hiashi would have made every precaution necessary to ensure their privacy.

Ko approached Hinata with absolute fury and demanded answers from her, "Were you teaching this foul boy the ways of our family's secret style of combat?"

Hinata turned very nervous and frightened by Ko's unexpected aggressive behavior. He had never yelled at her like this before. Not ever in her entire life. She was used to him being so very nice and kind to her all the time, ever since she was a little girl. Ko always deeply cared for Hinata's happiness and well-being.

She still answered him and tried to explain her reasons for teaching Naruto, "Y-yes, but I swear, he is only practicing with me fo-"

Ko threw aside Hinata's side of the story, "Teaching a non-member of the Hyuga Clan is forbidden! It's even more frowned upon when you are teaching a person like him! Some wizard-freak!"

Hinata turned fearful, "Ko, that's an awful thing to say! I swear I was only trying to help him rela-"

Hinata was suddenly slapped hard across the face and fell to the ground three feet away from where she stood. The older Hyuga clearly put a lot of chakra into his palm to have thrown Hinata that far.

"Hinata-chan!" Naruto cried as he ran toward her to see if she was okay.

He lifted her up from the ground and still held on to her tightly. Naruto looked at the older Hyuga member and glared at him hatefully. But then stopped when he heard Hinata choke on some air.

Naruto turned to Ko and said, "Please, it wasn't her fault! I asked her to teach me to relax! She wasn't teaching me real Juuken! Just exercises similar to it!"

Ko glared at Naruto hatefully, "You are a liar!"

Ko's face turned rigid and he suddenly activated his Byakugan and aimed toward Naruto.

"Stop it! Please stop! You've just hurt Hinata for no reason!"

"Unhand the girl, you demon… Or so help me, I will kill you where you are without a second thought…" Ko threatened with a low and menacing voice.

Hinata turned her head up and yelled to Ko desperately, "Ko! Stop it! He's my friend!"

Naruto looked worried as Ko got closer to the two of them. Naruto and Hinata gasped loudly when Ko drew out a kunai and threatened to kill Naruto.

"If you will not leave, I will force you to!" Ko yelled.

Naruto quickly drew out his wand and yelled, "Expelliarmus!"

Ko's kunai shot out from his hand and flew all the way to the wall and drove itself into the center of one of the patterns like a dart on a dartboard. Ko shot his head to where his weapon was taken and looked back at Naruto more fearfully.

Naruto quickly replaced his wand to show that he did not want to use violence.

"Stop it, Ko! Just stop it!" Hinata begged.

"KO! THAT IS ENOUGH!" roared the loud booming voice of Hiashi right behind him.

Ko stopped himself from attacking on command of his family's leader. He turned around quickly and became frightened by the sight of Hiashi.

"H-Hiashi-sama!" Ko quickly and bowed down low to Hiashi and started sweating a lot.

Hiashi entered the dojo with a contempt look on his face. He glared at Ko angrily and demanded an explanation for his actions and words.

"I caught Hinata-sama teaching this outsider our clan's secret taijutsu. They both claim that it is to help this boy relax or something. I think it's a trick to steal our-"

"You idiot!" Hiashi snapped, "Hinata-chan and Naruto-san are telling the truth, Ko! I personally allowed it practice session!" Hiashi snapped.

Ko flinched, "S-sir, I-"

"You harmed my daughter unjustly and you tried to assault a guest of out home! I never would have imagined such behavior out of you, Ko!" Hiashi scolded.

Ko flinched once more and lowered his head in shame, "Forgive me, Hiashi-sama…"

Hiashi growled, "Naruto Uzumaki here is the very reason why I've considered placing my daughter back on the title of heiress to the clan. It was Hinata's friendship with him that gave her the drive I've been waiting to come out of her!"

Ko's eyes grew wide and confused at hearing this.

"I would expect you to show nothing but the highest respect for the boy that has befriended my daughter. Especially the next time you ever see him in our house. You should feel grateful to be in his very presence! He is the wizard of Konoha!"

Ko flinched once again, "Forgive me again, Hiashi-sama!"

Hiashi shook his head, "Go to my office right this instant. Talk to no one else you see… I will have to discuss this matter further to you in a moment in private."

Ko quickly obeyed him, but stopped to apologize to Hinata before retreating quickly to Hiashi's office. Hiashi then faced the two nervous and worried teens with a more relaxed look on his face. Hiashi sighed and placed his hand over top his head.

"Forgive me, Hinata-chan…" he said.

Hinata looked surprised, "W-what?"

Hiashi closed his eyes regretfully, "I should not have been so foolish in assigning you two to practice here… I should have chosen a more discrete location… Please forgive my own foolishness…"

Naruto raised his eyebrows high and said quietly, "It's cool, mate."

Hinata also shared the same reaction, "It's fine, otou-san…"

Hiashi then motioned for them to leave the dojo.

"For the time being, it would e best to do something else in your spare time. Perhaps to take a break from training. Hinata, you have been pushing yourself a bit too far recently…"

Hinata nodded and left the dojo with Naruto following close behind her. As Naruto and Hinata made their way down the hall Naruto hung his head low and quietly said, "I should have used Polyjuice potion…"

Harry and Ginny by Alexandre Desplat

For the next few hours, Naruto and Hinata sat down in the living room and studied more on their shinobi arts. Hinata offered to give Naruto a few auditory points on Juuken taijutsu, but he refused everytime. Naruto offered to use the Episkey healing spell on her bruised cheek, but she refused everytime and said it was fine.

It didn't take Naruto very long to feel overrun by guilt and finally break the ice.

Naruto threw down his tiny homemade handbook on Charms and looked over at Hinata.

"I'm so sorry, Hinata-chan… I should have know better than to think that this training would be okay…I never would have agreed to this if I knew this would happen…"

Hinata put down her own book and insisted gently, "No… It's okay, Naruto-kun…"

Naruto refused to let this whole thing slip, "No it's not… I can tell that you know Ko very well… How you l-looked when he hit you a-and how you talked to him… You must be furious at me…"

Hinata insisted that her friend's speculations were wrong, "No… This was one of those times… that… Well, I'm not sure… I've never been hit by anyone from my family before… Unless you count sparring lessons at age six…"

Naruto tried to have her continue by asking, "So… this would be the first time that had happened?"

Hinata nodded, "Technically yes…"

Naruto understood and relaxed in his chair again. Hinata continued to look at Naruto until she popped the question Naruto feared that she would ask.

"Why do they hate you like this, Naruto-kun?"

Naruto darkened his eyes and kept quiet for a few minutes.

"I don't want to talk about it right now, Hinata-chan… But when the time comes, I promise that I'll tell you why… and in full detail… But now is not the time to tell it…"

Hinata sighed disappointingly, "I'll wait for that day to come then, Naruto…"

The pair did not speak again for the entire day and kept to their studies until Kakashi picked up Naruto as he promised he would.

As Naruto left the Hyuga complex he looked back to Hinata's bedroom window as she watched him leave and longed to talk to her about the truth of his past.

'God… I feel like a real jerk…' Naruto thought to himself critically.

To Be Continued

As before; Reviews are desperately wanted and appreciated!