Disclaimer: I own neither Harry Potter, or Naruto. Any characters you recognize, I did not create, but any you don't, well then I take complete credit for those.

Warnings: Death, Magic abuse, OOC'ness, OC'ness, Gen, and well whatever I can think of later.

The Great Escape

The Shaky Start

Harry sat up with a gasp from his dreams, no not dreams, memories. He had gone down to help protect the Philosophers stone, and ended up killing Quirrel. Harry Potter was a murderer.

Slowly raising one hand, Harry felt the tender flesh around his neck where the possessed professor had tightly gripped, attempting to kill Harry. Looking around the silent chamber, he couldn't help but shudder in revulsion at the pile of ash laying nearby. How would he explain this?

Thoughts of Professors and Ministry Officials interrogating him, finding him guilty, his friends jeering at him, saying he was a liar, flashed through his head. Harry felt a panic attack coming, and could hardly steady his breathing when a picture of his wand being snapped, and being forced to return to the Dursleys appeared before his eyes.

He couldn't return to the Dursley's. Magic had been his saviour. The Wizarding World was his salvation from the cruel actions of his relatives. If he went back, he could only imagine how his stuff would be burned and he would be forced back into the cupboard while his relatives taunted and hit him. He couldn't go back!

Harry's panic receded as a new emotion developed. Determination. Harry would ensure that he would never be forced to return to his relatives house. He would run before he was found. Before Dumbledore returned and forced him back to the muggle world. Looking around the chamber, he searched for another way out. There couldn't only be one door leading in, after all Dumbledore wouldn't go through each trap and test every time he came down here. Harry slowly stood, and winced at the dull throb of pain that developed in his shoulder, but he pushed on to find a way out.

He would miss Ron and Hermione. He would miss Gryffindor, and Hogwarts, but he had only known them a year, he had feared his Uncle for ten. Harry dragged his fingers over the chamber walls, looking for any slight indentation, that might be a mark signalling a secret door. The more wall area he covered, the more he desperately wished for another door to appear.

Hogwarts, as if sensing his desperation to get out, sent out a magical pulse, and Harry quickly scrambled to its location. Once his fingertips touched the wall, a solid oak door appeared. Harry hesitantly opened the door, and was surprised to see the hallway leading to Gryffindor tower. Harry stepped out and closed the door behind him. Before he left, he turned around and placed his hand flat on the disappearing door, and whispered a sincere thank you. When the door completely vanished, Harry ran down the hallway.

The Fat Lady was already awake and muttering about students slamming her open as they ran out after hours, and Harry could only guess that Neville had finally gotten free of Hermione's hex.

He didn't have a lot of time.

Inside Gryffindor, Harry was running towards the stairs when he spotted a school bag. Not any school bag, but Lavender's. The girl had spent three days bragging about the new bag her father sent her. It had an expansion charm on it that let her carry as much as she wanted without getting full, and a feather-light charm so that she could carry it no problem. Harry knew stealing was bad, but he couldn't very well runaway with a large trunk. Whispering an apology to Lavender, he snatched up the bag and continued into his dorm.

Harry quietly opened his trunk, praying that Dean and Seamus stayed asleep, and started throwing his belongings into the bag he had taken from Lavender. Whispering another apology to the girl, he stuffed his most prized possessions inside.

When he was finished, Harry wrapped himself in his invisibility cloak, and he left his dorm room once again that night. Once he hit the common room, he was about to leave but looked around instead. Several of the older students liked to leave their things on the table and chairs. Harry, the little fugitive that he now was, knew that he wouldn't get far with just his first year books, so resigning himself, he started picking up books that lay around. Having grabbed several year texts, and some library books that some students had checked out, he nodded to himself satisfied, and headed to the door.

As he reached the portrait, he heard voices approaching, and quickly slid out of the way. Breathing as quietly as he could, Harry waited until the door was open.

Neville, and Professor McGonagall entered, and the Professor didn't seem happy.

"Mister Longbottom, I don't know what you are doing out of bed, but I promise that you will not enjoy the week worth of detention I'm assigning you."

"But Professor, Harry and the others-"

"Mister Longbottom, I bet Potter and his friends are all in bed, like you should be." The Professor scolded,

Harry didn't hesitate to slip out of the portrait, once the pair cleared the way. Silently creeping down the hall, Harry hoped he didn't run into any others. He sort of wished he had a map or something that would tell him if people we're nearby, but he didn't think anyone would be able to map Hogwarts. That just seemed impossible to him, with all the moving rooms, and stairs. Plus how would they be able to plot where everyone was?

As he rushed out the front doors of the school, he desperately looked around and tried to find an escape route. The only option he saw besides the front gate, which he doubted would let him out, was the forest. Looking back at the magnificent castle that stood behind him, Harry felt a tear slide down his cheek. He would miss Hogwarts, but he knew he couldn't stay there. He had killed a teacher, and no amount of pleading or apologies would save him.

Harry ran to the edge of the forest, and contemplated for a few moments before he removed his cloak. He didn't want it to get ruined, and the lack of trails, or decent paths, would mean that there was a chance for his father's cloak to get wrecked. Harry would never forgive himself if he let that happen.

Steeling his resolve, Harry pushed his glasses further up his nose, and ran. He ran as fast as his legs could go, he ran leaving all his regrets behind, and he ran with hope that he would find a new home, and a new future. He ran even as the branches ripped his clothes, scratched his skin, and the roots attempted to trip him.

Tears blurred his eyes, but Harry figured it was like a cleansing of the soul. Helping to wash away his relatives, wash away the accusations, and wash away his ties to Hogwarts. As he ran, he failed to see the scenery blurring by, changing into a forest that didn't exist in Scotland, or even in that plane of existence.

Harry ran until his vision went black and he collapsed.

o.O.o

Two Weeks Before

Neji stood in front of Lady Hokage, and listened as she debriefed him on his mission. Two countries that both held asylum under Konoha, were feuding. Neji's mission was to go to the village Leaders and work out the issues to, hopefully, prevent a war between them. If it came to war Konoha would be forced to choose a side and Lady Hokage didn't want the headache or the paperwork that would follow.

Neji was honoured that he was chosen as an ambassador, and was ready to leave immediately. Lady Hokage had warned him that the mission wouldn't be over in a week or month, but she fully expected that he would need to live there for a year or two. The two Leaders were apparently very stubborn, egotistical, and rude. 'So like many leaders' Neji thought.

Once he was given clearance to leave, Neji packed and left as quickly as possible. It had been a few years since the Pain attack, and the last shinobi war, and things had been quiet. When things were quiet, shinobi everywhere were bored.

Neji had been given two Genin teams, and had trained them well. They were all promoted, and he was left idle once more. But the Lady Hokage had finally found him something to do and he couldn't be more grateful to the woman. He could adapt to his new living arrangement and situation, since he finally had a decent mission!

After a long length of time traveling, Neji had been about to arrive at his chosen village of residence when he noticed a small boy running through the forest. Slowing down he watched as the obvious civilian child ran and ran until he passed out.

Neji being curious, jumped down, and slowly turned the boy over to ensure that the child was still alive. Happily noting that the kid was still breathing, his lifted the child, and carried him to the village. The kid had to come from somewhere, and since he was running in the direction of that village, Neji assumed he had to be from there. Also the fact that the village was pretty remote, Neji didn't think this little slip of boy could handle a long journey.

As Neji carried the child, he couldn't help but frown at the pale complexion and messy black locks. Someone didn't seem to be taking very good care of the child, since Neji could practically feel the kids ribs. His frown deepening, Neji picked up speed, hoping to find the village doctor to look the kid over.

Unknowingly, Neji had just met the boy that would change him.