Well, this is a random idea that's been bugging me for a while. I love reading a good time travel fic (Naruto and Harry Potter in particular), so needless to say, I have a few different scenarios for each. This is just one of them. Please read on, enjoy, and let me know what you think.

"blah" = normal speech

'blah' = thoughts

OoOo = scene change; time skip; anything of that sort

Disclaimer: I, in no way, shape, or form own Naruto.

The mission was routine enough. Then again, most of the unexpected things that happened in Namikaze Minato's life tended to happen on routine missions. Point and case was a certain kunoichi refugee from Whirlpool that was currently awaiting his return back home.

It wasn't like he'd been sent to fall in love with her on the simple delivery mission to the now deceased leader of the former country, now was it?

So, when he and his team were nearing the last hour of guard duty for some random nobleman (for the life of him, he just couldn't remember the guy's name), he could honestly say he was quite pleased.

"Ano, Sensei," came a whisper from his earpiece that still managed to maintain a whine. "How much longer?"

His lips twitched slightly upward in a smile as he replied.

"Just hang on a little longer, Obito. We're almost there."

Almost immediately, he heard his other two students react to the first.

"If this mission was too much for you to handle, you should have stayed back in Konoha."

"What?! You wanna say that to my face, Kakashi?!"

"I'd rather not waste any energy on you, no matter how little it may be."

"You are so going down, you lousy, stuck-up bas-"

"Obito!" Came the distinct voice of the only female on his team. "Let the rest of us do our mission in peace!"

"Not you too, Rin-ch-"

"Shh!"

"But-"

"SHH!!"

Minato quietly chuckled to himself as they quieted down…for now. No mission ever proved too dull for the leader of Team 7 with those three around.

OoOoOoOoOoOoOo

"I really must thank you for this. Won't you please accept these gifts?"

"Thank you very much, but I'm afraid we can't. We will be getting all the payment we need back in our village."

He noticed Obito slump over out of the corner of his eye and smiled.

"Very well. I must say it was quite an honor to meet you, Namikaze-sama."

At this, he blushed slightly.

"Please, just Minato-san is fine. I hardly think I deserve such high merit-"

"Nonsense," the man interrupted amiably. "Word of your prowess is spreading quickly. No doubt by the end of this war, you will be nothing short of a legend."

'That's what I'm afraid of…'

He smiled halfheartedly, said a reluctant 'thank you,' then turned to his three students.

"Come on, team. Let's go home."

He was met with three affirmative replies, making his smile honest this time. Dealing with his team may have been worse than D-rank missions on some days, but he couldn't deny that they had grown on him. Obito had an unwavering spirit that only grew stronger with each passing day. Rin had a fiery attitude that made her a force to be reckoned with when angered. Kakashi, with his calm, collected personality, served as the anchor between them and was the deadly force they needed to make a well balanced team. Sure, they each had their own faults, but that's what made the experience all the better.

"Young man."

He was brought out of his thoughts by an old, scratchy voice. It was here that Minato realized that his hopes for a normal, routine mission just went out the proverbial window. It was just one of those days. Kind of like swelteringly hot days…or Thursdays. Thursdays were always weird.

"Who, me?"

He'd had half a mind to just ignore the voice and keep walking…if it wasn't for the fact that a certain dark haired boy just had to stop and see who had called out.

He withheld a sigh. There was a distinct disadvantage to being in charge to a group of kids… What had he been saying about them earlier?

Over to the right side of the road was an old woman sitting behind a table. She was wearing a worn, violet cloak over her hunched form, but he could still see the white strands of hair and wrinkles on her pale face. What caught his attention were her eyes. They were silver, and shone with a knowledge so deep he couldn't help but feel a bit humbled. She smiled warmly when she realized she had their attention, and he relaxed slightly.

"Yes. Come closer."

With a shrug and a slight grin, Obito made his way over to a table. The rest of them looked at each other before hesitantly complying.

When all of them gathered around, the woman gestured to a bowl of water.

"Water has always had a divine power," she began. "If used correctly, it can be a gateway to the past, present, and future."

Kakashi scoffed, Obito leaned forward in fascination, Rin looked interested, and Minato seemed curious.

"It was this very water that told me of your arrival and what could come to be from our meeting. Fate, despite what many may believe, is not cruel. It gives us many choices before we meet our end. It is what we make of those choices that determines how we live."

Rin seemed a little more interested now. Minato, though still curious, kind of wanted to get moving.

"That's very interesting, Madam," he said. "But I'm afraid my team and I have to get going…"

To his surprise, she only smiled and nodded.

"I understand. Before you go, however, I would like to present to you a gift."

Before the man could protest, she took out a scroll and gently handed it to Obito.

"This is a very special gift," she said quietly. "I was entrusted with its care until the day I met those who were meant to take it. With this scroll, you can alter the course that Fate has set before you."

"Really?"

Obito felt her gaze rest on him, and all of them noticed how it seemed to dim.

"Yes. It is not often that one is granted this opportunity, much less four, but the spirits themselves have decided to intervene and change the course of destiny."

She laughed softly.

"Especially you, young Uchiha. You have gained the favor of Kami-sama himself."

She either didn't notice or paid no mind to the way Minato and Kakashi's eyes narrowed in suspicion. While Minato was becoming more well known, his students were not easily recognizable. How was it that this woman knew who he was? Obito seemed stunned.

"But…why me?"

The woman smiled mysteriously.

"There are many reasons. The greatest of these you will know in time."

She looked at the group as a whole again.

"But I digress. This boy may have Kami-sama's favor, something which few have, but this gift was intended for all of you."

She motioned to the bowl once more.

"Just as this water allows me to see what can be, the jutsu within that scroll will allow you to see what is to come. The four of you need to activate it together, no one may not be present or switched or it will not work. No harm shall come to you while in use, but likewise, you will be unable to harm others."

There was a slight pause.

"I have done my part and given you this wondrous, yet terrible, gift. The choice to use it is yours to make."

"Why's it horrible?"

"The path to the future is never easy. Within it lie hardships and sorrows that will test the will of even the greatest of men. To be able to see what can come…That is why this gift is so precious. It is permission to change the future…something not even I am allowed."

Obito looked at the scroll in his hands in awe. Kakashi, finally tired of this, grabbed his teammate by the collar.

"Yea right. Come on, we've wasted enough time here."

The old woman smiled sadly at this.

"I pray that you do not brush off our meeting so easily, Copy Ninja Kakashi. For it very well may save you from a life of sorrow and regret."

Kakashi didn't reply.

OoOoOoOoOoOoOo

It was when they were nearly home that the subject of the scroll was brought up again. Obito approached Minato a little unsurely.

"Sensei?"

"What is it Obito?"

"Seeing as you're studying seals and all…Can't you tell whether this scroll is dangerous?"

"Theoretically, yes, I suppose I could-"

"Don't tell me you believed all that crap?"

"It wasn't crap Kakashi! There was…something about that old lady…I can't help but think she was telling the truth…"

"Whatever. If you're stupid enough to believe that old witch, I won't stop you."

"Why you-"

"Obito! Kakashi! Don't fight!"

After Rin quieted them both down, she continued.

"…It…couldn't hurt to try it, right?"

"Not you too, Rin."

She blushed, a slightly sheepish expression on her face.

"Well, that old lady didn't have anything to gain if she hurt us. We could even go back to Konoha and let Sandaime-sama know or something…If it was dangerous, he'd know, right?"

Seeing that both Obito and Rin would no doubt be pleading for a while, he sighed.

OoOoOoOoOoOoOo

It was one month later in Konoha. After having Minato, then Jiraiya, and finally the Third inspect the contents of the scroll, they found nothing wrong. On the contrary, the scroll seemed genuine. Now, those three plus Minato's students stood in a small clearing in the forest, setting the jutsu up.

"So how does this work, Sensei?"

Minato looked up to Obito's eager face.

"If done correctly, the four of us should enter a sort of meditative state. That allows for our…spirits, for lack of a better word, leave our bodies and travel into the future. The scroll says that months, even years can pass depending on what we see, but no more than a day will pass here."

"That's awesome!"

"If it works," Jiraiya said before focusing on his student. "You'll let me know, won't you?"

Minato chuckled.

"You're just as bad as he is, Sensei."

Jiraiya grinned.

"I'm just curious."

"Can't say I'm not either. If this is genuine, the this is huge! The future…I'm almost hesitant to go…"

"You nuts, kid?! Go go go!"

"We will watch over you while you're gone."

"Thanks, Sarutobi-sama"

He smiled.

"You're welcome. I hope to also hear of your experience."

"The Professor just can't stay away from such knowledge, huh?"

"I suppose not," he agreed amiably.

Minato instructed his team on what to do, making sure they had it right before they began.

"Well…Here goes. Ready?"

They nodded. He took a deep breath and let it out slowly.

"Go!"

Minato's last thought before being blinded in a bright flash of light was how lucky Jiraiya and Sarutobi were in that they didn't have to wait too long before they got to know. He had no idea that when they did return, it would be at least a month before he would even begin to say anything concerning his trip, and three before his students wanted to think about it…

He should've known…seeing as it was a Thursday after all.

Well, there's the first chapter. I hope you enjoyed this opening. Now for a bit of info.

Obito is 12 while Kakashi and Rin are 11. I'm not too sure about Minato, so I'm taking a guess and saying he's about 20 since he won't be Hokage for a few years yet. This mission took place shortly after Obito and Rin made Chunnin (what better way to celebrate than going on a mission, eh?). So that puts this at the year before Obito's death.

So yea, that's all I can think of for now. Hope you enjoyed. I'll try to update soon. Take care.