A/N: Here we go. As I re-read the first chapter and got a few reviews asking about Harry's name, I decided, a prologue was necessary. And here it is! Enjoy my attempt at justifying Harry's name and a bit of background information.

Prologue: Jinchuriki

"Headmaster, I'm not sure this is right! I've watched these muggles all day! They are the worst sort." An older woman whisper-shouted, as the old, bearded Headmaster arrived on the street.

"Minerva, he needs to be raised away from the Wizarding World. Here, he'll get a good understanding of muggles. Hagrid, please, bring me young Harry." A large man, standing near a motorcycle, nodded, and slowly made his way to the elder man. Hagrid handed him the baby in his arms, and sniffled.

"I jus' can't believe their gon'. Young Harry all alone in the worl'." He started to wail, bringing on a loud shush from Minerva.

"Hush Hagrid! You'll wake the muggles!"

"I-I'm sorry, I jus'..."

"It's alright old friend. Harry will live just fine here. I even wrote a letter to Petunia, explaining everything that happened, and just why Harry needs to stay in her home." The Headmaster said, as he placed the child into a basket that he transfigured. He then placed the basket on the porch, and tucked an envelope into the blanket that Harry was wrapped in.

"Are you sure a letter is enough?"

"I'm sure Minerva." He righted himself after another minute of watching the baby. "Now, let us return. We can still join in on the festivities." The other two nodded. The Headmaster twisted on the spot, and, in a cloud of black smoke, apparated away. Minerva sighed, and transformed into a cat; trotting off into the night. Hagrid took one last look at baby Harry, before hopping onto the motorcycle and driving off.

Namikaze Minato was terrified. Not that he showed it. A beast of legend, the Kyuubi, was attacking the village he swore to protect as the Yondaime on a cold Hallowe'en night. Kushina's seal had failed during Naruto's birth, but, as soon as the Kyuubi materialized above the village, it had disappeared.

Minato knew what he had to do, but he did not want to place the burden of a Jinchuriki on some poor baby's family. He could seal it into his son... 'No, it might not work. Naruto's chakra coils have already started to form. He might reject the Kyuubi, and that...' He thought, clenching his fist. 'That will kill him...' Minato would do anything for a different choice. 'Three babies. There were three babies born tonight. But they all have a loving family...' He took a deep breath, and started gathering chakra for his Hiraishin jutsu. 'Forgive me, Kushina, Naruto! I'm sorry for the burden I am about to place on you, son...' As he was about to flash back home to prepare Naruto for the sealing, a loud wail pierced the air behind him. He frowned, and turned. There was a basket innocently sitting about a metre from him.

"Mama! Mama!" Minato's eyes widened as he peered into the basket. A crying baby lay inside, furiously babbling, most likely for it's mother. He reached down and picked the child up. An envelope fell to the ground as he rocked the baby in his arms to calm it. He snatched the envelope up, and, in one solid movement, opened it and withdrew the letter inside. The baby slowly stopped crying as he flicked open the letter and attempted to read it.

"Shush, shush..." He muttered, brow furrowed as he scanned the weird language on the paper. "What is this? Here's a date, July 31st. Is that your birthday? I see what looks like a name here... it looks like Romaji... Ha... Ha-ri?" He tried saying the name a few times, before realizing that the child in his arms had perked up. "Is that your name? Har-ri? Har-ee... Harry?"

"Dada? Dada, Mama?" Minato shook his head, not understanding the baby. A roar made him return his attention to the massive fox attacking his village.

"..." Minato looked down at the child. He could sense that this child, who was nearing a year old, had still not developed his chakra coils. While Minato was confused about this, he knew better than to ask question which had no answers. Plus, the poor baby's coils were developing fast and probably painfully. Minato needed to make a decision quickly. "I'm sorry Harry... my hand is forced... I just hope that one day, you'll forgive me..." He clutched Harry tighter to his body, and, with a bright yellow flash, disappeared.

"Hello there..." Uzumaki Kushina said, staring into the alley at a dark haired child. Said child looked frightened and was inching back, trying to find an exit. "Look, I'm not going to hurt you." She held her hands up. The gesture calmed the child somewhat. "What's your name?"

"...Harry." Kushina's eyes immediately sought out the oddly shaped scar on his forehead. But in all honesty, she should have known from the marks on his cheeks. She herself had never developed any traits of the fox, but she had heard that most Jinchuriki gained something from their contained Bijuu. Her son, Naruto, had the exact same whiskers from when the fox was still in her.

"Oh. It's you..." She forced down the wave of resentment that shot up. It wasn't the child who took her husband away- his tenant did. "Say... you'd be about five now, right?"

"Y-Yes..." Kushina smiled. This would be great chance to get to know Konoha's newest Jinchuriki.

"Well, how about I give you a present... hmm..." She tapped her chin in thought. "How about... ramen!" She grinned. "Everyone likes ramen!"

"What... what's ramen?"

"Come with me, and you'll find out!" She held a hand out to him, and he tentatively took it. She lead him down the road, ignoring the scandalous stares of the villagers, and into one of her favourite ramen shops- Ichiraku Ramen. "Hey, mister! Two bowls!" The shop owner turned to see who it was, and, not even caring that Harry was there, smiled wide.

"Kushina! It's been a while! Two bowls, coming up!" Kushina smiled and nodded. She turned to Harry, who was looking around with wide eyes. A question nagged at her brain.

"Say, Harry, do you have a surname?" She asked, only to garner a confused look.

"...what's that?" Kushina's eyes narrowed slightly.

"It's a name that comes after your first name. Like, I'm Uzumaki Kushina, not just Kushina."

"Oh..." Harry shook his head. "No, I got none." Kushina frowned. In her mind, no child deserved to not know their own surname. But, no one knew Harry's... an idea popped into her head.

"Well, how about you use mine! Would you like that? To be Uzumaki Harry?" Harry's eyes widened.

"Y-Yes!"

"Kaa-chan! Kaa-chan!" Kushina head turned at the sound of her son's voice. She and Harry had just started the walk from the ramen bar to the Hokage building, to legally allow Harry to carry the Uzumaki name. Besides, all of the Kyuubi's Jinchuriki had been Uzumaki. It just didn't feel right to her that Harry had to break tradition.

"Over here Naruto-chan!" She called, waving her son over. Her son grinned as he ran towards them, but it quickly fell as he spotted Harry.

"Kaa-chan! Why is that monster next to you!" Naruto growled, pointing at Harry, who had shied back.

"NARUTO! You are to take that back right now!" Naruto looked appalled.

"But Kaa-chan! He killed Tou-san!" Kushina flinched. She had never discussed Minato's death with Naruto.

"Naruto! Where did you hear that rumour?"

"Kaa-chan, it's not a rumour! Everyone in the village says he's just a good-for-nothing demon!" Kushina grit her teeth. Had she been grieving over Minato so much, that she never stopped to listen to what her village had her son spout?

"Naruto, that is a false claim! You are to never listen to the villagers ever again, you hear me! Harry did nothing wrong, and he certainly did not kill anyone! He's just a year older than you!" Naruto nodded, but he glared openly at Harry as he walked away. Kushina frowned at her son's back. "Come on Harry. Let's hurry to the tower."

"Yes ma'am..."

A/N: I hope that clears up some confusion. It definitely did so for me.