NAKED AND SACRED

Harry smiled politely at the crowd, listening with a half ear to some bint chittering at him. It was the dreaded day. the Red day... The Valentine day... and he WASN'T happy. It was such a quaint day to celebrate, in his opinion... but his boys persuaded him to come...actually, Sasuke and Naruto were leading the persuasion, with Neji and Gaara in a tow. /Damn their puppy eyes.../ Harry thought grumpily. He never did develop the proper immunity towards the dreaded technique, and it irked him. "And where do you have your girl?" the chit flirted with him, battering her fake eyelashes at the annoyed wizard. Harry sighed. "I'm here for my boys..." he grumbled out. The girl's eyes widened. "Ooh...you have a partner?" She squeaked out. She had atrociously pink hair, with green eyes... and was clothed in ridiculously short black skirt with skimpy red strapless top. Harry eyed her, annoyed. "If you must know... yes. " The pinkie gasped. "Awww, no fair, " she whined. "Who is he?" Harry barely restrained himself from growling. "That's for me to know, and for you to wonder about!" he bit out, heading to small bar, hoping to lose the pink horror behind.

Since he came to Konoha, it was utter and complete chaos. Especially when they found out about his 'adopted' sons...Suffice to say... it wasn't pretty, especially when the boys demanded to be left with him and not with their respective clans... well, except Naruto and Gaara. The five of them, not counting Harry, quickly gained their reputation as outstanding ninjas...and even faster, they were forced to evade their rapidly growing fanclubs. Thank gods for the Notice-Me-Not charms...otherwise, they'd be in deep shit... figuratively speaking, of course. Sarutobi had tried to persuade Harry to become ninja, but Harry declined, saying he was happier to work as a healer... and thus, he was instated in Konoha hospital, where he harassed the unruly staff and thickheaded patients into order. Surprisingly, he was still unattached, to the surprise and delight of the Konoha shinobi...male and female alike. Even Jiraya tried to hit on him, and that caused Harry to be deeply traumatised and unexplainable sex change of the white pervert into woman...thankfully, it wasn't permanent, but now the ninjas were being terrorised with Jiraya, who was trying to become woman again...Harry sweatdropped at the memory. And the pervert was still trying to grope him!! Not to mention Anko... the bloodthirsty woman was relentlessly pursuing him as well, even going so far, as to trying to...seduce him, in her usual bloody fashion, with snakes as restraints. Suffice to say, it didn't work, and the buxom female was a day later punished... with cruel and unusual prank, which involved dango running/vanishing from her, no matter what she tried to get her favourite snack...

"Heeey, minna!"Kiyoshi, their announcer for the occasion, jumped on the pod, accompained with cheer from the crowd. "I see all of you are having fun tonight..." Another cheer rose. Harry smiled at the happy people, sipping beer from his glass slowly."Wanna have more fun?" Another cheer, even more deafening. "Yees? Alright! Soo, give it up for the Ryuutachi!!!" The annoucer finished, grinning saucily.

Harry's eyes widened, as he choked on the liquid. "They wouldn't!!" he yelped out, between hacking out his breath. But his voice was being drowned out in enthusiastic roar of the crowd...

The music began, and the stage was lighted with slowly igniting blue light, dimly showing up the sillohuettes of five men...who were turned with their backs to the crowd, which became quiet as a mice.

A slow, sultry tempo of guitar and drums, swayed Harry into hypnotic rhytm... as he watched, wide - eyed, as the pale, icy - blue light settled on the first singer.

His back was naked and pale, silver like moonlight, slender muscles playing under the glowing skin. He was clothed in deep blue, almost black leather pants that clung to his legs, shamelessly revealing perfect curves with occasional glint of sultry movement.

Slowly, oh so slowly, the man lifted right arm and cocked his head to microphone, half of his face finally visible to the enthralled public. Pale mouth opened, as he began to sing slowly, dark eyes glinting mysteriously under the cool light.

When I'm with you, I feel naked and sacred.
And this world can be so cold.

The crowd gasped, as the mysterious singer turned around slowly, and the pale face of Sasuke Uchiha granted the view of shocked listeners. Cocking his hip jauntily for a moment, the dark eyed youth strode forward, his movement smooth, the amaranthine pendant glinting in his throat hollow, teasing the viewers. Smirking slightly, he sang his last verse, his husky voice sending shivers to Harry's spine.

I wanna hold you naked and sacred till I grow old.

The blue light faded into red one, as the next singer was illuminated. Long, dark hair that spilled to the shoulders... and then, the man turned...His smoky, dark voice enchanted the public...and they gasped, shocked at his visage. it was none other than Uchiha Itachi-! Predatorily stalking froward, he griped the slender hip of his brother, breathing the lyrics into delicate ear, as the younger shuddered, baring his neck to the almost-caress of the seductive devil in red leather.

What does love mean?
Can love last?

Itachi circled Sasuke, Sharingan eyes staring at the youth hypnotically, red mixing with black, caressing the youth's bare stomach lightly, before he was grabbed for his silky hair, and Sasuke nuzzled at his throat, making Itachi almost gasp as he finished his part, before his hand settled on his brother's slender hip once again.

I ask myself these questions.
Haunted by the past.

The audience was quiet, waiting with baited breath who will be next. And they weren't disappointed. Warm orangish light sufussed the spiky - haired youth, who dropped on all fours, before he began;

I've walked these city streets.
I've known victory and defeat.

Sinuous curves in deep gray leather tempted, as he turned around, crawling, as he faced the two brothers; red bandanna around his head, wth ends dragging on the floor, as he straightened up slowly,

Searching, hoping, just barely coping.
Baby, I wanna be good for you.
I wanna be true.

He ended, standing up, loningly looking at the two Uchiha siblings, his collar glittering softly under the warm light. The light turned in warm yellow, and a hand yanked his bandanna ends backwards, sprawling the blonde on the strong, pale chest of the redheaded youth with blazing aquamarine eyes

Don't know how I'd live with myself.
If I ever hurt you.

The silky voice sang out, its' owner placing his right thight between the legs, encased in gray.Naruto closed his eyes, head lolling back on the strong shoulder behind him.

He shuddered as the pale hand caressed his chest, tweaking his nipple slightly, before teasingly drifting to the muscled abdomen. He reached back for the hips of his seducer, one arm wounding up behind the red head, caressing the crimson locks.

When I'm with you, I feel naked and sacred.
And this world can be so cold.
I wanna hold you naked and sacred till I grow old.

And the last one turned...milky white light shone on Neji, framing him in opalescent rays, a perfection in brown leather, collared and perfect, as he strode forward, separating Naruto from Gaara

Since I met you my life's changed.
I feel like a bird, that's been let out of it's cage.
Baby, I wanna be good for you.

Naruto pouted a little, but Neji went on, yanking Sasuke out of Itachi's embrace, the Sharingan wielders giving him a half - hearted glare Harry's eyes widened as Neji hopped off the stage, striding toward him...

I wanna be true.
Don't know how I'd live with myself.
If I ever hurt you.

Before he knew what was happening, he had a pale-eyed youth on his lap, who was almost purring the song in his ears.

And then, he felt pale hands twining around his body, dark hair brushing his cheek, as Sasuke picked up the song.

When I'm with you, I feel naked and sacred.
And this world can be so cold.
I wanna hold you naked and sacred till I grow old.
Naked and sacred.

Green eyes were wide as a saucers, as he watched Gaara sauntering towards him, his choker glinting in the difussed light, bright eyes looking at the dark - haired ex-wizard heatedly.

Naked and...
Your hand's feeling me.

The youth vanished in the torrent of sand, reappearing sitting at his feet, nuzzling his right thight, making Harry gasp with surprise and arousal. And then, Naruto again...

Your love's within me.
When you go away…
Your heart's still in me…

The blonde kitsune almost danced to Harry's chair, hips swaying seductively. Harry caught a glance at the pink horror... what was her name? Sakura or something. The girl was gawking at Naruto incredulously, and to his horrified amusement, she was drooling... and was that disturbing light in her eyes a glint of desire? Mentally shaking his head, Harry, smiled at the teen who kneeled at his feet, carding his left hand through golden locks.

Neji nuzzled into his throat, as he almost whispered the next verses, and Harry watched, almost hypnotised, as Itachi moved...

Naked and sacred, and this world can be so cold.
I wanna hold you naked and sacred till I grow old.

The dark, rough yet silky voice sang up again, red eyes watching the green ones lovingly, as Itachi moved, embracing their father, lover and master, shivering slightly as he felt the soft skin under his fingers...

When I'm with you, I feel naked and sacred.
Next to your heart I'll hold.
I wanna hold you, naked and sacred till I grow old.

Harry felt Sasuke twisting around, somehow managing to sit on Harry's knee. The brat had the galls to smirk at him, before he reached with his arm, hand twining in the semi - long dark locks that escaped the green bandanna.

When I'm with you, I feel naked and sacred.
And this world can be so cold.
I wanna hold you naked and sacred till I grow old.

The song ended in seductive whisper, dark eyes looking at him warmth and longing shining in them. The crowd was silent, even Kakashi didn't read his perverted novel...

People were shocked, Harry noted. Better say, they were dumbstruck; civilian and shinobi alike. It was very well known, the rift between the estranged heirs of Uchiha clan and simlar one that starred the Hyuuga prodigy and main House of the Hyuuga.

Somehow, the Potter family had been found by the Sandaime's messenger bird, and after a thorough discussion, they decided to head back. The boys were uncomfortable at first, because the place held many bitter memories for them, especially Itachi, Naruto and Neji. Gaara just firmly stated he wouldn't be persuaded to go to Suna, and as for Sasuke... well, there hadn't been any troubles... except of him wanting to remain with Harry.

Nevertheless to say, the Sandaime had been shocked by the reappearance of missing boys, especially with Naruto. It was when the village council found out about the return of missing clan members, that shit hit the fan.

The Uchiha clan had been severly diminished, what with the bloodbath that Shisui Uchiha wreaked upon his family. many were killed, and Shisui was now a S- ranked missing - nin. The police force of Konoha was decimated to about two - thirds, and almost all of the councilmen were killed in the onslaught. Rumor had it that Shisui managed to acquire to obtain Magenkyou form of Sharingan, and the sudden return of their star prodigy lifted their hopes for establishing their clan structure anew, on better base than it was before. But they didn't count on Itachi firmly vetoing against it...

This day was vividly seared in the minds of all participants.

Fugaku tried to snare his son with the claim of Itachi being heir to the Uchiha house and thus, Itachi would have to bear certain responsibilities towards his clan. He sat in his seat smugly, certain that Itachi would come back to them. Why wouldn't he? They were the strongest clan, and the green - eyed man sitting opposite to him in respectable distance was as weak as they come.

He was wrong. The man was petite, with the greenest eyes he had ever seen, and he was sitting on the futon calmly, Sasuke seated beside him, as was Itachi. He supressed the annoyance of seeing his two sons communicating with the man, even if it was just with looks and subtle body movements. Itachi's eyes narrowed. And then, the shit hit the fan.

No.

Only one word, but it shattered any hopes the Uchiha patriarch might have for renewing the clan's glory. The Hokage and Fugaku were dumbstruck. No one, and that meant no one ever said no to the Uchiha...in anything.

The fiasco ended with Fugaku challenging Harry to the match, the stakes being Itachi's and Sasuke's freedom. The Uchiha siblings were furious; the killing intent, released that day was legendary, making Sandaime pale starkly white, and Fugaku was left trembling with fear.

The Hyuugas were having similar problem; except, Neji refused to be put under the caged bird seal, as all branch members should be. Neji put his foot down, infuriating Hiashi who then attacked him to make him submit. Imagine their surprise, as their strongest leader to date was defeated, and rather quickly, too. A day later, the elders came to Neji with startling proposition; they wished to instate Neji as a heir of the clan. Sweatdropping at their stupidity at thinking him unable to see through their deception, Neji renounced the Hyuuga name, claiming himself as a Potter, and thus invoking the Hyuugas' fury; the result being Hiashi challenging Harry to the match.

Harry, just coming back from the disastrous meeting with Uchiha elders, with fuming Sasuke and Itachi behind, only sweatdropped at Neji's sheepish face, as he admitted what he had done. Suffice to say, Itachi and Sasuke were far from happy; and that was understatement of century. Neither were Naruto and Gaara, but they were more amused at the situation than whatnot.

Harry trashed the floor with both of the leaders, especially when he was being in his Animagus form. The look on the shinobi faces was amusing as hell. Sarutobi later commented he had never seen Fugaku and Hiashi so rattled out... except at the night of Kyuubi massacre. Suffice to say, no one dared to mess with Harry afterwards; or any of them.

So, Harry was allowed to have his 'sons' with him, much to the disappointment od his fans... because the five of them were protective as hell!

But, that was more that even their otherwise liberally oriented minds could comprehend. The Kyuubi brat, and the sand brat, they could understand...but both of the Uchiha prodigies along with Hyuuga's one? Suffice to say, they now understood why the six bishonen were seemingly single...

Harry mock - glared at the two boys in lap. "You planned this, didn't you?" Four sheepish faces stared up at him.

Naruto was first to cave in. "Um... yeah," The fox boy admitted, red blush on his cheeks.

Harry sighed. They were incorrigible! "Dare I hear who thought up the whole thing?" his smooth voice drawled out silkily.

"Me?" offered Sasuke, his voice squeaking slightly. Harry's eyes widened. "I don't believe it, " the dark - haired wizard groaned, exasperated. "I should've known that Slytherin would corrupt you..." He looked so miserable in his helplessnes, that the hearts of the crowd went out to him for his 'plight'.

"Why, Sasuke? Why!? " the pink banshee, identified as Sakura, wailed out, her green eyes overflowing with tears. Sasuke minutely cringed, shrinking into Harry's embrace."Why did you betray our love so!?"

Itachi choked at the accusation, Naruto's eyes became wide as saucers, while Neji and Gaara wore incredilous expressions on his face.

"Hear that, little brother?" Itachi finally drawled out. "This... fine lady...accuses you of cheating on our lover..." he drawled out, smirking.

Sasuke sent Itachi a venomnous glare, that had even Sandaime cringing, but his naughty aniki was undeterred.

Sighing, he then looked at the pink-haired girl. " And how, pray tell, would I cheat on you when I wasn't in relationship with you in the first place?" He drawled out, sable eyes dark with supressed anger.

"U - um..." the girl stammered."Y - you always let me to sit with you, and you are on my team..." her voice faltered off, hopeful eyes staring at the younger Uchiha imploringly.

Sasuke was pissed. /How dare the chit lie so..!/ He fumed inwardly. Outwardly, he furrowed his eyebrows, Sharingan activated, as he stared down the terrified girl.

He regretfully rose from Harry's lap and stalked to the trembling puddle of misery on the floor. The people were gasping with the killing intent the youth was emanating off.

"First of all, Haruno," he spoke icily, "You sat with me only once, the day when Neji was sick, and you hogged his chair, which was incidentally near mine. Secondly, I may have been your teammate, but even so, the teams are predetermined by Hokage, or did you forget that? You claim you love me? Suuure..." he drawled out mockingly. "You're stalking me... check. You're trying to talk my ears off... check. You spend more time with trying to pretty up yourself for my so-called 'wieving pleasure'... check. You pilfered my pen, which was gifted to me by Harry... check. You bungled out almost all of our missions, and expected me to save you like your valiant prince on white horse... check. You spend more time in beauty salons than training...check."

The girl was sobbing quietly. Sasuke sighed. "Congratulations. You're first-rate stalker material, more obsessed with pretty exterior than with what is inside of person." His killer intent dissipated slowly as he told her off.

"B - but I really do love you!" The hysterically sobbing girl stated, sniffling. "What does that - that man have that I don't?!" she screeched out, pointing accusingly at Harry.

Sasuke glanced at his surrogate father, dark eyes softening. "What does he have?" he repeated. His voice soft, he spoke up. "Courage. Determination. He has the years we spent together, as a family and then as lovers. He has... a heart." Sasuke smiled at stunned wizard.

"I - I am courageous! I am determined! I could give you family... and my heart, too!" Sakura resorted to begging.

This time, it was Itachi who spoke up. "Really?" his baritone voice purred out. "Hmm... Would you take care of five boys, that apperared out of nowhere? Even if you'd have to juggle along responsibilities of being in school and actively pariticipating in war?"

"Itachi..." Harry said warningly.

"Would you adopt the so-called 'monster', that could have killed you in any given moment?" Gaara continued, a rare smile on his lips. "Gaara!!" Harry squawked up, embarrased.

"Would you fight for them, even when the authorities deemed they should've been carted off to orphanage?" Continued Naruto, a sad smile on his lips.

"Would you defend the boy, who is ridiculed because he's different?" ended Neji.

And then, Sasuke spoke up. "Would you forgive them if they took from you the only chance of relationship with one stupid action?"

The crowd was silent, only occasional murmur penetrating the air.

"What do you mean with that? Of course I would!" blundered Sakura weakly.

Sasuke smirked. "No, you wouldn't. Because you wouldn't even survive," he drawled out.

Sakura seethed. "Survive? Survive? That pathetic... thing isn't even a shinobi, and you dare to tell me he's stronger than me? "

The present Hyuugas' and Uchihas' eyes widened. It wasn't widely known, what happened at Harry's matches with the two clan leaders, but the clan members knew... and pitied the foolish girl.

"You!" She screeched. "Fight me!" Harry quirked his eyebrow. "I'm sorry, did you say I have to fight you?" His voice was silky smooth, making Sasuke and Itachi wince.

"YES!" there came the voice of Dark Sakura, "If I win, Sasuke-kun is mine!"

Harry was annoyed. "And if I win, you leave Sasuke and my boys alone, stop whining and get more training!" The girl laughed scornfully. "CHA! As if you'd win! But okay..."

"And, Sasuke?" Harry's smooth voice. Sasuke cringed. "I am soo grounded, aren't I?" he asked defeatedly.

Harry stood on the training field, clothed in simple leather trousers and short-sleeved black shirt with white cloak over it. He didn't seem to be armed, but Fugaku and Hiashi knew better. The duo had the mixed feelings; first was pity for the girl, but another was the wish for Harry to bash the annoying chit in the ground without mercy. They had grown a healthy respect for the small wizard, and the horror stories about Sakura's ineptitude in battle situations were very well known among the ninjas. Although she was fairly proficient with anything book related - she was like Hermione in that respect - she didn't have the power to back her claims up... well, if Dark Sakura wasn't in the account.

Green eyes stared into temporary reddish green ones. But they weren't playful anymore... instead, they were hard and hollow, like emeralds, and yet, lurking behind them, it was something primal, almost animal intelligence...Sakura shivered. She was already having jitters, and that man didn't even began to emit his killing intent! But this hollow feeling was even more discincerning, making jounins and ANBU shift like trapped animals. Yup, the battle attracted more spectators, and all were curious as of this strange man's powers.

Sakura snapped first. The shurikens flew, glinting in the setting sun. But Harry didn't even twitch. and the sharp projectiles were stopped. The girl's eyes widened. "What-?" But there was no time for thinking how he did it... as she was pressed to use Kawarimi to avoid being impaled by her own throwing stars. She snarled, and leapt forward, intent on killing the cocky son-of-a-bitch.

Harry eyed the crazed girl calmly. Right before she would dock him in the head, he vanished... and delivered hard blow to her back, making her cry out in the pain.

"Do you yield?" he asked her calmly. Sakura threw him a hate-filled glare. "Fuck you!" She spat at him.

The air around them chilled. Emerald eyes hardened further, and an unholy gleam ignited in the green depths.

Sarutobi paled, along with Fugaku and Hiashi. "What's wrong?" asked brunette with scar across his nose. Fugaku turned to him. "What's wrong?" his voice was a little thight. "Merely that she managed to piss him off." Brown eyes blinked, confused. "But, he doesn't have any training in ninja arts, does he?"

"Doesn't mean he's defenseles," came Itachi's voice. He was watching Harry lazily. "He fought and killed since he was eleven years old. In his old world, he had been one of the leaders, along with being one of the most prominent figures, because he had survived their ultimate killing technique, at barely years old, while many older and with more power died under it."

His audience shuddered. "B - but he was too young!" Iruka's voice was horrified. "What about his family? Surely they disapproved of his entanglement in the war!"

"They were dead." The short sentence stopped the foursome dead. "His nemesis killed them, as he was one year old." "B - but why?" This time it was Sandaime who choked the question out.

Itachi sighed, and with an imperceptible twitch of his fingers, the privacy barrier was up. "No one here will tell anybody what will be told here. " he demanded, with blades swirling in his eyes .

"Alright... the Dark Lord heard from some very dependable sources, that the child will be a threat to his pursuit of power. So, to nullify the threat, he decided to eliminate the baby. Harry's family was killed, as side effect, before the Dark Lord fired the curse at Harry, the Killing curse. Believe me, I've seen it in effect... and it's really infallible." Itachi shuddered.

"So he was hailed as their saviour, some super-shinobi, if you will, and when the Dark Lord was resurrected form his...ghostly state, he was expected to defeat him again, without prior training, based just on rumors of his supposed hidden power. Harry had encountered the Dark Lord again when he was eleven years old, and was forced to battle with him, as to detain him from the priceless artifact, named the Sorcerer's Stone. As a key ingredient in potion, it could give the drinker the immortality. At the time, Harry was, in Shinobi terms, strong as an average chuunin, while his opponent, albeit in weakened state, reached high ANBU to lower Kage level." "S - Sorcerer Stone?" stammered Sarutobi, white as a ghost. "I - It's real?" Fugaku and Hiashi listened, too shaken up to comment. Itachi nodded. "Very real, I assure you. Harry managed to salvage the stone and in process, he killed the tenant of Dark Lord, thus forcing him to flee and saving the school. The stone was later destroyed, deemed to be too dangerous to exist." Sarutobi sighed in relief. If Orochimaru had gotten the whiff of existence of such powerful artifact... well in short, Konoha would be doomed.

Itachi looked at Harry, his eyed dark again, and serious, even sad. "The confrontations were annual, with Dark Lord acquiring more and more power. Luckily, Harry had succesfully stopped him each time, even if was only for a short while. When we appeared, the was had begun to escalate, and Harry was in the middle of it. As he was still in school, he was pressed to deal with double workload of normal schoolwork and with combat training, as the school was designed for non - fighters in general, although they teached the Defense moderately. To the top of it, he had us five to care for, not an easy task for a sixteen years old." Fugaku's eyes narrowed.

"Based on your story, he's practically civilian," he drawled out smoothly, "and he's not much older than yourself... now he's 23 years old, then?" Itachi nodded. "And yes, he would seem civilian to you, as he has no formal shinobi training, except what I taught him. Combine that with his powers and the fact he could outmatch Kyuubi at his full power..." he smirked a devilish smirk.

Hiashi unceremoniously gawped. "He's that strong? But... what about his dragon form?" Itachi shrugged. "It is an inherent ability of his people, albeit not everyone has it, and even then it's different from person to person. Also, the transformation is known to be notoriously risky process, that requires ability, power and precise control over one's acquired form. When transformed, Harry, in essence, becomes dragon. he has an insticts and reflexes along with for of one. There were many cases of people who lost their minds to their so-called 'inner animal', and became feral...Add that to fact he has a form of mythical animal, which is practically unheard of in his world, and you get the perfect warrior."

"But... he's an healer, isn't he?" offered Iruka shyly. Itachi sighed. "Yes. He doesn't like war, in fact, he was thrown into it without his consent." Harry evaded the furious pink-haired girl effortlessly. "That's why we didn't stay in his world...he was too poweful, and despised the political skirmishes centered around his power. Once, he told us that 'Absolute power corrupts absolutely,' and he was right. The government in his world was corrupt, using his powers to rid them of Dark Lord, when they didn't even twitch to help him, rather, they hindered him in their blind fear of Dark Lord. Later, when he defeated the Dark Lord, he was praised, with ministry trying to poach all the credit for his work. When that didn't work, they accused him to be the new Dark Lord, but because he was too strong, they didn't dare to do anything. Rather than to stay here, he left them behind, and finished his normal schooling elsewhere.

"It was foolish of him to throw such great power away," commented Fugaku, sneereing lightly. Itachi barked a light bark. "Tell me, Fugaku, what do you know of power?" The leader of Uchiha clan twitched as he was so informally addressed. "And I don't think of that minuscule amount of being clan leader, or even being a Hokage, either. He could've used his power to submit them to him, Hell, he would've been welcomed to rule them, if he revealed his heritage. In his world, he's heir of the two powerful lineages, that are thought extinct, and could more than rival Uchiha and Hyuuga clan in their influence and power. And then, he's head of two clans that are both strong in their own name."

Itachi paused. "And you know what? He still didn't use his family techniques," he ended smirking, as he released the silencing and distracting charms.

The three men were silent. Sarutobi looked at the five youths, noticing them for the first time.

They were so confident...he remembered Naruto being loud, annoying brat who liked to play pranks. Sasuke had been shy and labelled as subordinate to Itachi's superior genius, a disappointment to the family. Itachi had been ANBU at the time, one of the best, but the strain was cracking his patience, and his family expectations were driving him to the brink of madness, as he was been just a child of 11 years old and already the strongest of their clan. Neji... well, another prodigy, but under a strain of being labelled a Branch member, and he had hated the Main house fiercely for their use of Caged Bird seal, along with sacrificing his father to save his cousin, Hinata. And as for Gaara, he had heard the rumors of Sand having their own Jinchuuriki, and him being beast, that terrorised the citizens of Suna, in addition of being mentally unstable.

The night the boys disappeared, the panic in the Hyuuga and Uchiha became feverish, while the citizens celebrated that the damned fox brat vanished for good. The Hokage had a searching party for the four boys, even going so far, as to offer the reward for the one who would found the blonde... all for naught.

So it was a surprise when the messenger bird, he had sent for the boys, one day returned, confirming the boys were alive and in a good health, and inquiring as to why he searched for them. Some letters later, their guardian confirmed they'd come back.

He had expected them to be... what? Colder? More ruthless? Killers? Instead, he saw them as a confident young men, sure in their abilities and in their place in the world.

Naruto has became taller, a mirror image of the Yondaime Hokage, his father, if it wasn't for the whiskered scars on his cheeks; black, finely drawn, elegant. Blue eyes blazing with determination and a hint of miscievousness.

Neji was standing at Naruto's side, his face serene, and those opaque eyes calm but with the hint of warning in them. He was clothed in comfortable black pants with creamy short sleeved shirt and black leather vest, his hair half - braided, as to enable him to fight without hassle of taking care for the thick, mahagony-coloured silky mane that descended down his back.

The red-haired child - Gaara,,was it? His gaze unnerved Sandaime, with reason... those eyes were so bright, calm, almost cold aqamarine green, like seafoam, fragile, tantalizing as it beckoned you to the sea...his attire was simple - brown pants with reddish wifebeater and knee - high boots. There weren't any weapons visible, but Sarutobi knew better.

And then, the Uchiha siblings. Both of them were clothed in kimonos of deepest gray, with no Uchiha symbol on the back. They have grown, Sarutobi noticed idly. Whoever took the care of them, they had done a good job. Itachi's hair was even longer, and pulled in a simple ponytail at the nape of his neck, and Sasuke was shoulder-length blueish black mane. Before, Itachi's gaze was wary, distant and hollow, but now his eyes were deep and calm, although still with dangerous edge in them; but he hadn't had that half-crazed, half-desperate look of hunted animal anymore. Sasuke's eyes were the same, albeit less...harsh, but still showed that the teen was no pushover. But what baffled the old man immensely, were those odd collars around their throats.

Sure, they were works of art, each complimenting its' wearer, the pendants glittering in the light. But none of them ever let out what these were for...

When he first saw their... caretaker... he was surprised to the point of being flummoxed. He had expected a wise sage, or at least a man in the prime of his life, strong, wise and aged, but instead of that, he met a young teenager that was barely out of teen years, a little older than Itachi.

Long black hair, done in ponytail with white lock at his right temple, tha youth had been clad in black leathery robes with strange silvery ornaments sewn in, that flowed to the floor in elegant arches. A face, too young for those eyes...eyes, older than those of Sarutobi. Yes, those green eyes, the colour of deepest jewels, aged as if their owner had seen something that none should have, and conquered it, coming out of the battle stronger and wiser, and sadder...He noticed how the boys crowded around stranger, smiles lighting their faces, not the fake ones, but true smiles, looks of adoration, warmth and love on their faces. And god, when the green-eyed man smiled...it was a sight to behold. Sarutobi felt as if he was an intruder, like he shouldn't have seen it, but it gave him such warm feeling, he felt secure, as if nothing bad could happen...

He admired the man, and how he dealt with the two clan leaders; never once loosing his cool. Even in battle, he was calm and composed, but still radiating with power. It wasn't until Hiashi managed to piss him off with threat of putting the wretched seal on Neji, did some of his control slipped, and he transformed in that creature.

Sarutobi thought that the Kyuubi was the most fearsome thing to see... he was proven dreadfully wrong. In a scant milisecond, the man was a towering beast, snarling over freaked out Hyuuga leader, graceful, proud, deadly...a magnificence in green with silvery spikes that surrounded the elegant head and those ferocious green eyes, afire with such intelligence...Despite of it's bulk, the beast moved with fantastic speed, bellying the laws of physics. If that was just normal anger...he didn't want to see what Harry could do if he was wholly pissed.

Harry's eyes narrowed. He was fed up with toying with the girl; as he was soundly beating her into ground, using her techniques against her... not that was such a hard thing to do. Even if that was the dreaded Dark Sakura... he frowned in disappointment. The girl was weak. Her only really good technique was scaring her opponents into submission, with her intimidating appearance and ruthless behaviour. But other than that... the girl was only brain and no brawn. He was reminded of Ginny and her hero-worship of him... it was really hard to get her rid of her stalkerish tendencies. Even when he was firmly together with his lovers, she still occasionally tried to butt in... until Harry had enough, and they moved out, in muggle world, with repelling wards to magic people.

"Girl, I am disappointed." He stated in calm voice. Sakura was kneeling on the floor, her body trembling with exhaustion, as she panted with difficulty. "B - but how!? How could you...you... aren't even... a shinobi-!" she managed to get out, wheezing.

"That doesn't mean I am defenceless," he retorted mildly. Suddenly, he vanished, and reappeared again, even faster than ANBU could comprehend. Harshly, he knocked her on the ground, his foor digging in her tender stomach. "Do you yield?"

The girl groaned in pain, her eyes wide with fear and apprehension. Those green, gleaming eyes, so unlike hers... while hers were likened to fresh spring leaves, his were the colour of deepest green, clear emeralds, with no warmth in them, just light, making them beautiful and terrifying at the same time. She saw clearly now, those eyes weren't of some ignorant civilian, but seasoned warrior, one that had gone through Hell and back...

"I-" She paused. "... Yield." her voice broke. "And you promise you won't ever annoy Sasuke or my other boys with insipid offers?" he asked flatly.

The girl winced. "Yes." She whispered, defeated.

"Good." His voice was satisfied. He turned and walked away. The pink - haired girl managed to kneel, hot tears coursing down her cheeks.

Sasuke was smiling a small smile, as his master approached him. he knew he would be punished for his disobedience later, but it warmed his heart to see that Harry cared for him enough to fight for him.

Before anyone could prevent it, kunai whistled through air, embedding itseld into Harry's left shoulder.

"Harry!" Harry had turned right in the nick of time, to prevent the kunai being lodged into his spine. Sasuke shot forward, along with Itachi, Neji, Gaara and Naruto.

There sat Sakura, with manianical expression on her face. "S - Sakura... Why?" Sasuke stammered out. The watchers were horrified at the girl's actions.

"Because, Sasuke-kun... if I can't have you, no one can...and you will love me.." the chit was smirking at the downed man.

No sooner than those words left her mouth, she was encased in sand, unable to move, as the mass was slowly choking her, pressing on her muscles, attempting to shatter her bones. The expression on Gaara's face was terrible to see... unhinged, the animalistic features of tanuki shining through...as Shukaku demanded revenge for his fallen mate. The Uchiha brothers' eyes were blood red, the blades spinning hypnotically, scaring the crowd out of their wits, and terrifying the Uchihas...Neji's Byakugan was also activated, and his chakra was seen as a faint blue sheen rising off his body, his hair floating lightly in the chakra - induced breeze. And Naruto...well...the Kyuubi was furious with the chit, howling for bloodbath...usually calm blue eyes were now purple and slitted, the whisker-like scars became jagged and even darker than before,while all nine tails whipped behind the blonde-haired teen in red chakra.

"You hurt our mate..."The Kyuubi holder stated gravely, his voice a strange mix of the two, Naruto's and the fox's. The clawed fingers twitched in anticipation. "We will enjoy tearing you apart..."He ended with hiss. Gaara growled in agreement"Your actions were dishonorable. "

Sakura's eyes widened, and she let out a pained yell, as the sand coffin thightened its' hold. She began hyperventilating, her gasps were quick and shallow. Those terrifying eyes...it was bad enough, that Itachi was staring her down with those demonic eyes of his... but Sasuke? Didn't he loved her anymore?

"You pathetic shit of a bitch..." Itachi growled out. "How dare you!" Neji was silent, but his glare promised endless pain she knew only to well he was able to deliver...

"I..." She tried to speak up, but Naruto was already here, and slapped her across the face. Her eyes teared up with pain as she stared with terror at her would-be executors.

Suddenly, Naruto grinned maliciously. He lifted his hand, the claws oozing with thick sickly green liquid that, when it dropped to the ground, hissed, as it burnt the grass.

"You know what?" he purred, with dangerous voice. "You hurt what's ours. And now, I'll hurt you...Care for a little surgery?"

Nobody moved. The killing intent was choking, and the elder jounins and ANBU remembered the last time, when they felt such a foul killing intent... when the nine tailed fox attacked their village. The Yondaime managed to stave off the disaster, but for high price; his life. Now, there was nothing between them and raging fox...except of his tenant, but even he was pissed, and thus liable to dish out massive damage to anyone who would dare to stave off his revenge on the dishonorable bitch... and let's not forget pissed off carrier of Ichibi and two Uchihas, that were the strongest of their clan, even stronger than legendary Madara...and of course, a Hyuuga prodigy.

No sane man would challenge them, less even dare to anger them.

But one chit was stupid enough to do just that...

Sakura sobbed, as those claws neared hed left cheek, prepared to sink into tender skin, slicing through it, while hot, slick liquid ate at the tender meat, leaving painful burns after its' wake...

"No."

And everyone froze. Purple eyes widened, and Sharingan and Byakugan were deactivated in second.

"Harry!" Naruto yelped out. "You're alive!" Itachi and Sasuke rushed to the fallen wizard. "Of course I am, you dolt, " the husky voice berated him. "I've had it harder from our dear old Tommy-boy, remember?" Naruto winced. "Dad... please, don't," he pleaded softly.

"Why you didn't move out?" Itachi hissed, furious. Harry sighed. "It would've hit Sasuke..." "I would've been able to evade it!" Sasuke exclaimed. "And still be scratched by it..." the cold voice cut him off. "Besides, the blade is poisoned..." he coughed, a little bit of blood appearing on his lips. The listeners' eyes widened.

"I'll kill her," Gaara snarled, killer intent again outpouring from his body.

"And what would that accomplish?" Harry asked mildly. "Daaad!" Naruto whined. The spectators could almost see imaginary kitsune ears dropping in defeat. Awwww... soo cute!

"Or, I could've closed up her tenketsu, thus crippling her enough for her to be unfit for kunoichi... not that she deserves to be one, in fact," Neji sneered, his eyes furious. He eyed the red droplets of metallic liquid on Harry's lips, concerned.

Harry shrugged off the fussing Uchiha siblings. He unsteadily climbed to his feet, his muscles spasming and twitching with effort. "Hm... it's faster acting than I expected it to be..." he commented off-handedly.

Swiftly, he pulled the kunai out of the gaping wound, with barely a wince. He examined it, the red blood already turned black.

Sandaime paled. Not many knew, but he was quite proficient in the healing field also, albeit not reaching his former genin pupil, now famous Slug sannin, Tsunade. He rushed forward, snatching the bloody kunai out of Harry's grasp.

"Girl... where did you got that particular poison?" His voice was grave, usually warm eyes hard. "Oh... do you know it?" Harry asked mildly.

Sandaime turned incredulous eyes toward clueless wizard. "Enough to wonder why haven't you keeled over yet."

"Bloody Hell, not again," Harry groaned. "I did it again, didn't I?" Sasuke nodded. "Did what?" Fugaku asked, his eyes studiying the now fast rusting dagger fascinated.

"Oh, nothing in particular," Harry waved it off. " Sarutobi, would you be so kind to answer me what is that poison?"

"It's a mixture of various snake venoms, mostly neurotoxins, but ...somehow more potent, and it doesn't seem to be an artifical blend.."

Harry blinked his eyes. "Oh, okay. Just let me analyse it..." he waved his hand over the dagger. "Hm...What the fuck?" He blinked at readings. "How the hell did they got the basilisk venom?"

He eyed the trembling girl, who was still encased in desert coffin sharply.

Sighing, he waved the translucent chart off. "Then there's nothing I could do," he muttered, mostly to himself. Itachi's eyes widened, along with all others.

He groaned as the sharp spike of pain speared his body. "B – But you will die, then!" Sputtered Neji, his opalescent eyes wide with worry."

Harry smiled. "Ah... but what's the death, if not the next greatest adventure?" he asked softly, a small smile appearing on his lips, as he looked at his boys fondly.

Sarutobi whirled to the pink-haired girl. "You were willing to kill Harry-san, just to get rid of competition?" he asked sharply. Trembling, she nodded.

"I hate to say it..." Sarutobi paused. "... but Sasuke was right. ANBU, take her to the prison."

"What will happen to my daughter?" asked the teary-eyed woman. Her green eyes were desperate. "She will be executed, for deliberately harming the Konoha citizen, and attempting to kill him."

Harry shook his head. "No, that won't be neccessary." he smiled kindly at the frantic woman. All of the assembled eyed him incredilously.

"Give it a day or two, and I'll be alright. Please, Hokage-sama, don't kill her. "

"Why?" it was all Sarutobi managed to get out of his mouth. Harry gave him a sad smile. "Because I don't need more deaths on my conscience than I already have. Brats, lets' go," he called to his silent sons.

The crowd mutely eyed the empty spot where the group had been just a moment before.

It was a bitter ending of a beautiful day.