Author's Note: Sorry that this update had to be, like, 3 months late.

I tried to lengthen it as much as I could to make up for the lateness.

A lot of redundant scenes.

Enjoy.


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Chapter 7

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Hogwarts Express : Sorting the Ninja

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It didn't take long for words to spread among the students aboard the Hogwarts Express about a dashingly handsome Fourth year boy with eyes like murder and smirk like heartbreak, and his pink-haired female companion who smiled at everyone and was allegedly part Veela.

Of course, it took even shorter for a 'WE 3 SASUKE' fan club to be established. Sakura didn't have a fan club because, well, boys didn't do that kind of stuff. Mostly.

"Aww… Neko-chan likes you!" Sakura cooed, stroking the soft fur of her Persian kitten, who purred and leaned against the comfort that was the medic's hand.

Sasuke's eyebrow twitched, eying the kitten on his lap warily. He carried the kitten by its scruff and, non-too-gently, placed it back on Sakura's lap. His attempt at distancing himself from the feline proved futile as it merely leapt its way back to his unbelievably comfortable lap, settling itself there.

The Uchiha grunted and slumped against the hard train seat dejectedly. Sakura giggled. Then she paused and turned to frown thoughtfully at the compartment door.

"What is it, Sakura?" Sasuke asked, onyx eyes trained on the girl.

"Harry and the rest have been gone for about ten minutes. Shouldn't we go and find them?" the pink-haired ninja questioned worriedly. The prodigy shrugged noncommittally. He didn't really give a hoot what happened to them, honestly. Sakura rolled her eyes, but remained seated across Sasuke in their compartment.

Harry, Ron and Hermione had politely excused themselves from the ninjas the moment they got a compartment, saying they wanted to talk about something private. The wizards had left their belongings in their shared compartment with the shinobi.

Sasuke took something out of his blazer pocket. It was a scroll.

"What's that, Sasuke?" Sakura asked, raising a delicate eyebrow at the item.

"Scroll from Kakashi. Didn't have the time to read it," he answered curtly. See, that's the thing with Uchiha Sasuke. He's so much of a jerk that he can't even answer people in full sentences.

Sakura shifted to sit next to Sasuke as he swiftly unfurled the scroll. The pair leaned forward slightly to read Kakashi's familiar scrawl.

Sasuke, Sakura,

Having fun?

Sasuke and Sakura could almost imagine their ex-sensei chuckling in that perverted way of his when he wrote that.

Now, now. Don't do anything rash, Sasuke.

Said boy's fingers twitched.

Anyway, back to serious matters.

Tsunade-sama mentioned something about promoting you guys to Jounin rank the moment you accomplish the mission objective. I don't know. She was kind of drunk when she said it, so I wouldn't get my hopes up if I were you.

Also, do NOT reveal that you're a ninja, or the whereabouts of the ninja villages to anyone. The only one who knows your true identities is the Headmaster, Albus Dumbledore.

Do NOT leave anything lying around, shuriken, kunai, etc cetera, that might reveal the fact that you guys are ninjas. And some moron might pick it up and stab themselves in the eye by accident or something. This scroll, too. Fry it right after you're done reading this thing, Sasuke.

Do NOT leave Potter alone for more than fifteen minutes, or longer than necessary. At least one of you must be stationed near him at all times or know of his whereabouts.

Send fortnightly mission reports by Sasuke's owl. In a case where you fail to send reports within the fourteen-day interval, I will assume that there's trouble on the other side and send over reinforcements immediately.

If you wish to speak to me in person, or if the circumstance calls for me to be there urgently, contact Dumbledore and I'll be there as fast as I can.

Gather as much information regarding this Voldy-whozzit guy and his alliances. It would probably be vital for yours and Potter's survival.

I think that's all the precautions and jazz I'm supposed to notify you about.

By the way, Neji says, "Sakura, don't go around hitting anyone or anything with chakra-enhanced limbs anytime soon unless you want to completely shatter their structures, molecule by molecule. Practice medical techniques on yourself before on others. The slightest chakra imbalance might cause your jutsu to end up disastrously."

And to Sasuke, "Careful of your Sharingan, it might explode. Don't electrocute anyone. Sakura might be able to control your fire with her extremely enhanced genjutsu ability if fate were to have it that you catch yourself on fire, Uchiha."

Also, Sai sends his regards. Naruto says hi and that he misses you guys. Hmm. How sweet. And he said he'll send letters over to tell you about whatever's happening in Konoha.

I guess that's all for now.

Remember: ninjas always trust their instincts.

Ja,

Kakashi.

P.S: Don't forget what I told you two this morning. I wasn't kidding when I said things can happen.

"I'll, uh, just keep this until we reach a safer place to test out your firepower," Sakura said, plucking the scroll from Sasuke's pale hands warily. She swiftly rolled it up.

"Hn," Sasuke grunted. He proceeded to cross his arms over his chest and close his eyes, face void of any emotion. Then the compartment door slid open.

There was an abrupt silence as the ninjas stared up at the three embarrassed wizards.

"Er… Are we interrupting something?" Ron asked sheepishly. Hermione smacked him on the arm and gave him a reproaching look. Sasuke and Sakura raised their eyebrows at them.

"No?" Sakura answered in a quizzical tone. Honestly, what was so couple-ish about what she and Sasuke were doing then?

"Okay…"

"Anyway, which house do you think you're going to be sorted into, Sakura, Sasuke?" Ron asked the moment they sat down. His freckled face was lit up in excitement and curiosity.

"Excuse me?" Sakura gave Sasuke a questioning look. Did you know anything about this?

The Uchiha shrugged back.

"You don't know? Students of Hogwarts are sorted into any of the four houses; Gryffindor, Slytherin, Hufflepuff and Ravenclaw," Hermione said matter-of-factly, being the typical know-it-all. "Different houses have different qualities required in a student."

"Qualities?" This time, surprisingly, Sasuke spoke, looking fixedly at the bushy-haired girl with his intense eyes. Said girl blushed and flustered before quickly composing herself. Ron gave her a strange look across Harry.

"Well, yes. Gryffindors are sorted for their bravery, Ravenclaw for wit, Hufflepuff for diligence, and Slytherin, the least-liked house among the four, for the power-hungry."

"The power-hungry, huh?" Sakura thought, smiling wryly at her lap, refusing to meet Sasuke's eye.

"What house are you three in, then?" Again, Sasuke surprised them with his amazingly deep and velvety voice. Getting chatty, isn't he?

"Gryffindor, of course!" Ron exclaimed, puffing out his chest in pride. Harry snickered at his redheaded friend, earning a mock glare from Ron.

"Bravery and intellect, huh?" the Sharingan wielder drawled. He closed his eyes and slumped back onto the seat with a soft 'hn', as though he didn't want anything to do with the conversation anymore.

"So which house?" Harry asked, eyebrows raised in question. Hermione was too dazed to talk.

"Most probably Hufflepuff. I'm not exactly the sharpest or toughest of the lot," the medic said, giving a similar cynical smile at them. Her voice was neutral, and yet Sasuke could practically hear her screaming her agony for never being strong enough, never smart enough, never brave enough, to surpass her team mates.

That was why, even when his mouth nearly twitched to tell her that, no, she wasn't weak, that she was smart and strong, he flat-out refused to open his mouth or eyes to see the expression on her porcelain face which was bound to break him.

He couldn't tell her such things. No, not yet. She still had a long way to go.

Let her be hurt. Let her feel never good enough. Let her train till she reaches her limits and beyond.

Then soothe the pain with a compliment.

It was one of the few ways Sasuke could help in making her stronger.

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The rain became heavier and heavier as the train moved further north. The sky was so dark and the windows so steamy that the lanterns were lit by midday. The lunch trolley came rattling along the corridor, and Harry bought a large stack of Cauldron Cakes for him, Ron, Hermione and the two transfer students to share.

Sasuke and Sakura stared at the latter's slice in her hand doubtfully.

"Go on. Ea' 'em," Ron said through a mouthful of the cake. Hermione glared at him for not having any manners.

"It's not poisoned," Harry said with a grin after swallowing. Sakura shrugged and took a bite. The remaining occupants of the compartment stared at her expectantly.

"It's fine. Try it, Sasuke!" The pink-haired girl, playfully, attempted to feed Sasuke. It was a notion which the wizards thought was amusing, yet foolish, by the looks of his personality ever since they'd known his name at the platform. One would expect another such as Uchiha Sasuke to swat Haruno Sakura's hand away.

Needless to say, many people were shocked when the dark boy took a bite and leaned back onto his seat with a rather thoughtful look on his usually impassive face as he chewed. He spared a fleeting glance at his gaping, pink-haired companion before closing his eyes, and said, "Hn. Too sweet."

Silence followed. The Uchiha boy seemed unperturbed by the awkwardness that hung in the air like canvas.

Harry decided that Sasuke didn't normally act this way, from the expression on Sakura's face. And the look on Ron's face was priceless. He could practically hear his red-haired friend whining, "He got fed by Sakura! S-a-k-u-r-a!"

The awkwardness and tension was instantly broken when the compartment was roughly slid open, only to intensify when the wizards saw who was behind it.

It was Draco Malfoy, a platinum haired boy with an arrogant smirk almost always on his face, and his two dumb-as-heck goons standing as menacingly and, unintentionally, stupid, as they could.

"Hello, Potter, Weasel, Mudblood," Malfoy greeted them respectively. Ron's fists clenched in an effort to stop himself from decking the blonde irritant.

Sakura and Sasuke had no idea what a Mudblod was, but they were sure it was an insult, from the look on Ron's face. The both of them turned to regard the rude boy with a stony expression.

"Don't remember telling you to join us, Malfoy," Harry said coolly. Malfoy pretended not to hear.

"Ah, the transfer students from Japan my father told me about," he continued. "I'm Draco Malfoy of Slytherin, and it would be my pleasure to have you in my company instead of with these Gryffindor losers," he said with a cocky bow. "I assure you that we, Pure-bloods, are much better company than pathetic Half-bloods and Mudbloods."

"And I," Sasuke said in his baritone voice, which sounded intimidating even though he wasn't even trying to be. "Assure you that if you don't get the hell lost and stop polluting my breathing space," there was no pause as he thought of something which didn't seem so violent. He settled on ending with an ominous, "A lot of things will happen."

Draco had some decency to look frightened. Then he turned to Sakura with a smile meant to charm.

Harry concluded that Draco Malfoy was the biggest idiot on the planet.

Just as he was about to say something, he was silenced with the withering look from Sasuke.

Harry took this as his cue to get Malfoy out of their sight, since Sasuke didn't look like he wasn't going to do anything but glare.

"Don't bother trying, Malfoy," Harry said with a smirk, got up, and slid the compartment door shut with a loud bang.

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The Hogwarts Express was already slowing down, and everyone had changed into their respective uniforms. Presently, Sasuke, with his Kusanagi strapped to his back again, was getting both Sakura's and his belongings from the luggage compartment while she held his black robes. He had refused to wear them even though it was raining cats and dogs outside.

"Seriously Sasuke, put this on. You're going to get sick on your first day of school," Sakura said, concerned for his well-being. With hands still on the overhead luggage compartment, Sasuke's eyes flicked to her face for a moment, before resuming his attempt to get their damn brooms – the ones Sakura wanted so bloody badly – down.

"Hn. You worry too much, Sakura." He finally got the brooms down with a soft grunt.

The compartment door slid open to reveal Harry, his face flushed from the cold.

"Hey, guys. Uh…" his gaze drifted uncertainly over their belongings, which the Uchiha had taken the liberty to bring down.

"You don't need to bring your trunks along. Just your pets. They'll transport your belongings into your dormitories," Harry said. He looked amused and sorry for them at the same time.

Without a word, Sasuke took his robe from Sakura's arm and tossed it over his owl's cage to protect it from the rain.

"Come on, we have to hurry," Harry called from the corridor.

Stopping at the doorway, Sasuke looked back at Sakura with a smirk. The Haruno stood there with her arms around Neko.

Then, with a tiny tilt of his handsome head, Sasuke said, "Let's go."

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The ride in the carriage with the horribly starved and intimidating horses had been bumpy, painful and wet, what with the cold rain pelting on them like ice needles.

The pair of ninjas shared a carriage with Harry, Ron and Hermione. They looked at Sakura funny when she asked about the horses. Apparently the wizards couldn't see them.

Through the gates, flanked with statues of winged boars, and up the sweeping drive the carriage trundled, swaying dangerously in what was fast becoming a gale.

Leaning against the windows, the shinobi could see the castle coming nearer, its many lighted windows blurred and shimmering behind the thick curtain of rain. Lighting flashed across the sky as their carriage came to a halt before the great oak doors, which stood at the top of a flight of stone steps.

"Oh, wow," Sakura breathed in awe at the beautiful castle.

She exchanged looks with Sasuke as he was helping her down the carriage (although he knew that his team mate had absolutely no problems jumping down two feet).

Promptly, they followed the wizards up the stone steps, and beyond the doors of Hogwarts.

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"First-years, here!" called out an old but stern-looking lady in black robes. Her grey hair was pulled into a tight bun at the back of her head. She gathered the first-years in front of her. When she caught sight of the two shivering shinobi, she said, "You two! Come here, quick! It's time to get you sorted!"

"That was one heck of a downpour," Sakura muttered, rubbing her hands together in an attempt to warm herself up as they slipped and slid across the Great Hall. Sasuke grunted in agreement.

"Hurry up, please, those at the back!"

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The Great Hall, as they call it, looked absolutely splendid, decorated for some weird reason. Golden plates and goblets gleamed by the light of hundreds and hundreds of candles, floating over the tables in mid-air. The ceiling showed the weather outside; dark and stormy. There were only four long tables, which were packed with chattering students. At the top of the Great Hall, the staff sat along one side of a fifth table, facing the students. It was much warmer in here.

The Haruno and Uchiha and the first-years followed the older woman in a line behind her towards the front of the Hall. The first-years were shivering with a combination of cold and nerves as they filed along the staff table and came to a halt in a line facing the rest of the school.

The woman now placed a three-legged stool on the ground before the first-years and the shinobi and, on top of it, an extremely old, dirty, patched wizard's hat. The first-years stared at it. The ninjas stared at it. So did everyone else. For a moment, there was silence. Then a tear near the brim opening wide like a mouth, and the hat broke into a song:

A thousand years or more ago,

(Sasuke: Ah… great. Singing hats. Just what we need.

Sakura: That hat did not just sing.)

When I was newly sewn,

There lived four wizards of renown,

Whose names are still well known:

Bold Gryffindor, from wild moor,

Fair Ravenclaw, from glen,

Sweet Hufflepuff, from valley broad,

Shrewd Slytherin, from fen.

They shared a wish, a hope, a drem,

They hatched a daring plan

To educate young sorcerers

Thus Hogwarts School began.

Now each of these four founders

Formed their house, for each

Did value different virtues

In the ones they had to teach.

By Gryffindor, the bravest were

Prized far beyond the rest.

For Ravenclaw, the cleverest

Would always be the best.

For Hufflepuff, hard workers were

Most worthy of admission.

And power-hungry Slytherin

Loved those of great ambition.

While still alive they did divide

Their favourites from the throng,

Yet how to pick the worthy ones

When they were dead and gone?

'Twas Gryffindor who found the way,

He whipped me off his head

The founders put some brains in me

So I could choose instead!

Now slip me snug about your ears,

I've never yet been wrong,

I'll have a look inside your mind

And tell where you belong!

The Great Hall rang with applause as the hat finished singing. The woman who led them here was now unrolling a large scroll of parchment.

"When I call your name, you will put on the Hat and sit on the stool," she said loudly, making sure that her voice reached the shinobi. "When the Hat announces your house, you will go and sit at the appropriate table."

"Ackerly, Stewart!"

A boy walked forward, visibly trembling from head to foot, picked up the Sorting Hat, put in on and sat down on the stool.

"Ravenclaw!" shouted the Hat. The table full of students wearing black and blue robes applauded as the boy took off the hat and put it on the stool.

"Baddock, Malcolm!"

"Slytherin!"

The table with students wearing green and black robes erupted with cheers; Sasuke could see that blonde boy from the train, clapping as Baddock joined the Slytherins. Sasuke narrowed his eyes minutely.

The Weasley twins hissed Malcolm Baddock as he sat down.

"Branstone, Eleanor!"

"Hufflepuff!"

"Cauldwell, Owen!"

"Creevey, Dennis!"

A tiny boy staggered forward, tripping himself over the large cloth which hung around him, just as a man, a giant one, sidled into the Hall through the door behind the teachers' table. Sakura took half a step back in alarm. About twice the height of a normal man, and at least three times as broad, he looked rather menacing. He winked at someone from the table with students wearing scarlet and black robes as he sat down at the end of the staff table.

The rip at the brim on the hat opened wide –

"Gryffindor!" the Hat shouted. The Gryffindor table erupted with cheers as the small boy scurried towards the table.

The Sorting continued; boys and girls with varying degrees of fright on their faces moving, one by one, to the three-legged stool, the line dwindling slowly as the lady passed the 'L's.

"So… you're going to carry that thing around your back everywhere you go?" Sakura asked Sasuke in an attempt to make small talk with the anti-social boy. Bored, she was.

The Uchiha shrugged. Sakura heard a few nostalgic fan-girl squeals and giggles, all directed towards her male companion. It reminded her of how she and Ino always used to squeal over their dear 'Sasuke-kun'.

But she couldn't blame them, with Sasuke looking pretty damn cool and badass with his hands in his pockets and his sword on his back. Being the stubborn idiot he was, he didn't wear the customary black robes. Rather, he simply wore the white button-down shirt, untucked, with the sleeves folded up to the elbows, revealing the hard muscles on his forearms. Sakura thought that this emphasized his lean figure, and the black pants and sneakers looked perfect on him, like everything else does.

His dark hair didn't have a parting anymore. Instead, it covered his forehead and framed his pale, angular face.

Her train of thought was broken when the Headmaster's voice boomed throughout the Great Hall.

"All of you must be wondering who these two foreign students are."

The effect was instantaneous. Almost everyone started whispering excitedly to their friends, pointing at the shinobi.

It was safe to say that Sasuke and Sakura owned the girls and boys, respectively.

As the buzzing and chatter grew louder, almost deafening, Dumbledore raised a hand calmly, and the entire Hall fell silent again.

"These students," he began, indicating to the two ninjas in front of him. "Are from Japan. They are here for a student exchange program I am working on in an attempt to strengthen our international ties with other countries from other regions. So I do hope you will help to get them accustomed to the castle and lessons, and also ensure that that they will have a comfortable and enriching stay here. For now, let's get them sorted," Dumbledore said, his eyes twinkling as he beamed at the shinobi, a knowing look on his face.

The stern-looking lady unrolled a piece of parchment, and cleared her throat.

"Haruno, Sakura," she said, loudly and clearly. Her heart rate increased rapidly as she walked away from Sasuke's side, and onto the podium. Her team mate watched her with an unreadable expression.

She walked towards the three-legged stool and picking up the dirty Hat. Hundreds and hundreds pairs of eyes followed her every movement as she sat down on the stool and lowered the Hat onto her pink-haired head.

The moment the Hat touched her head, a deep voice sounded.

'Hmm. Smart one we have here. Ninja, huh?'

'Who the - ?!' Inner Sakura began.

'I'm the Hat, and I shall be looking into your memories to see which house your qualities are suitable for.'

'Oh…'

'Smart, stubborn, aggressive, and brave. Quite a catch, aren't you, female ninja?'

Inner and outer Sakura had nothing to say to that.

'A tough decision, you are. Hmm… Definitely not Slytherin. Not power-driven enough and too kind. And not Hufflepuff. You have traits better suited for the house it deserves. You have both smarts and guts. Though…'

The Hat paused.

'Your bravery exceeds your intelligence.'

'Sorry…?' Sakura asked, baffled.

'Therefore – '

"Gryffindor!!" the Hat's voice boomed throughout the entire Great Hall. Deafening cheers erupted from the Gryffindor table, a number boys standing up and pumping their fists into the air while cheering. The staff members were clapping politely and one particularly large, heavily bearded man, beamed at her. Sakura quickly took off the hat, placed it on the stool, and nearly tripped on her way to her house table.

She cast a sheepish look at Sasuke, who in return quirked his eyebrows.

Bravery, huh? Not bad, Sakura.

"Uchiha, Sasuke!" the stern witch called.

Raven bangs swayed as he ambled his way up the steps. A good number of squealing was heard. Calm and composed, he settled on the three-legged stool with his arms crossed firmly over his chest.

'Ah… another ninja. A friend of the girl, hmm?'

Sasuke didn't say anything as he waited for the Hat's judgement.

'Man of a few words, I see?'

Fittingly, Sasuke remained silent.

'You're driven by your immense desire for power. Ice cold demeanor, and yet you have a noble heart and care for those close to it. You're brave, that much I can tell. However, at the same time, you're a coward.'

'What?' Sasuke snapped.

'You ran to someone who's weaker than the one you wish to defeat. You threw away whatever you had, all the things that could've made you stronger than you are now, to do something so utterly foolish. Not only that, but you had unknowingly ran away with a young maiden's heart, one that you've repeatedly and mercilessly crushed and broken.'

'I did what I had to do.' The Uchiha's voice was strained and forced.

'Tell me, dear boy, how did you live those months away from home with all that remorse and guilt in you?'

'I didn't feel a thing,' Sasuke hissed through gritted teeth. His fists were clenched tightly, the skin stretched over his knuckles so tautly that it turned white.

'I can hardly believe that.'

"Slytherin!!"

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"No way! Sasuke's Slytherin material?!"

The thunderous cheering and clapping from the Slytherin table nearly drowned Ron's furious outburst.

Girls who weren't from Slytherin turned to stare at him wistfully. Boys who weren't from Slytherin turned and glowered at him. Malfoy looked horrified when Sasuke chose to sit in the empty spot across him.

But Sakura wasn't paying attention to those things.

She, however, gave extra attention to his tensed posture and the way his bangs shielded his downcast eyes from everyone.

To an outsider, it would have seemed that Sasuke was merely being his typical anti-social and aloof self, not regarding anyone whom he deemed below his standards.

But Sakura was no outsider.

She knew that underneath that façade, he was having an inner battle with his conscience.

She knew that underneath that thick fringe of hair, Sasuke Uchiha's onyx eyes were bleeding crimson.

-

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"It is vital that Uchiha does not overuse or lose control of his Sharingan."

"What if he does? What'll happen to teme?"

-

"Then there's a possibility that he'll go blind."


Author's Note:My writing deteriorated, yeah I get it I get it. Damn English teacher ain't worth shit.

Tell me if Sasuke's in-character enough, or if Sakura's too... Mary-sue-ish. Anything I need to improve on, or if the chapter's too long and boring and draggy... Hit me.

Note that I am NOT abandoning this fic. I will complete it. Someday.