Naruto Fan Fiction / Crossover With Non-anime Series Fan Fiction ❯ Harry's Inheritance ❯ Chapter 2

Disclaimer: Still not mine.

Glad everyone likes this so far. Thanks for the great reviews!

Sorry for the wait, Christmas and then I got sick.

$fgg$ Parseltongue

 

Chapter 2

 

Harry scrambled to his feet, wand out, as the portkey dumped him at its programmed location. Which was apparently a cave turned bedroom. Curtains surrounded what appeared to be a bed against the far wall while several couches were scattered around. A wardrobe stood against the left wall and there was a table set for two in front of him. On the table was an envelope addressed to him in very familiar handwriting. After checking it for curses Harry sat down and opened it. He blinked at the letter in shock and then reread it twice just to be sure it really said what he thought it did. Standing abruptly he moved over to the far wall and slowly drew back the curtains. Lying underneath the covers as if merely asleep was another dark haired male, maybe a few years older than himself. What had Dumbledore gotten him into this time?

 

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“Madam Pomphrey?” The nurse turned, obviously startled by his presence.

 

“Mr. Potter? Are you injured?” She asked sternly, moving to check him over.

 

“No ma'am. I was wondering if you could tell me any more about this.” He handed her the letter from the cave and she frowned as she read it.

 

“I'm afraid not. Whoever that boy is we were both unable to help him. I should have known the headmaster was referring to you when he mentioned making arrangements for him in case something happened. For both your sakes, don't give him the antidote until you are certain you can help him. I never want to see someone in that much pain again, let alone a child.”

 

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Harry pushed his glasses up to rub his eyes. The words on the page kept blurring and he knew he needed to sleep but between hunting down horcruxes and running from Death Eaters night was the only time he had to work on his `inheritance'. He still couldn't believe Albus had left him a person of all things in his will and it had been three months since he'd found out. Three months and he was no closer to finding an answer to the other boys' problems or his own. Sighing he stood and moved over to the bed, sitting on the edge and studying the other teen. He knew Ron and Hermione were worried about him and curious as to why he kept using the portkey Dumbledore had left him, especially when he hated the things, but he needed to keep this to him self, at least for now. At least he had finally figured out the language the Headmaster had left him a recording of, with Hermione's unknowing help, it was Japanese. Unfortunately there was nothing he could do except read as many dictionaries and language books as he could get his hands on. So far he could hold a very short, very basic conversation and mainly about the weather but it was a step in the right direction.

 

Harry gently turned the other teen's head to take another look at the mark on his neck. He'd never seen anything like it, although Dumbledore had been right about the somewhat similar feel to the Dark Mark. But something told him it wasn't magical exactly though it was definitely evil. He blinked as his vision blurred and then froze. He rubbed at his eyes and stared at the mark before shaking his head, he really needed more sleep. But what if… Harry stared at the mark, willing his sight to go out of focus again. There it was, he hadn't been seeing things. It was barely visible and he wasn't even surer how he was seeing it but there was a snake coiled underneath the mark, inside the other boys' body. He grinned, happy to have made some sort of progress but then glanced at his watch and groaned. It was past time to leave for the night, Hermione and Mrs. Weasley were going to kill him!

 

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“What's going on mate?” Harry turned to face the red head.

 

“What do you mean?” He asked, not sure what Ron was asking about.

 

“You leave every night after dinner with that portkey and no one sees you till morning. What's so important that isn't to do with the war?” Ron was frustrated and Harry could understand why, he just wasn't sure how to answer.

 

“Ron please trust me, this is important. Dumbledore entrusted it to me for a reason. I can't just abandon it.” Abandon him. Ron frowned but slowly nodded, realising it was all he was going to get for now.

 

“Alright, just be careful.” Harry smiled at him and nodded, heading for bed.

 

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Harry collapsed on the bench next to Ron who continued to stare blankly ahead.

 

“It's my fault.” The redhead choked out and Harry shook his head.

 

“Don't say that! Hermione chose to push you out of the way. If you're going to blame someone blame Malfoy or even me for leading you there.” Harry trembled with barely restrained grief and fury.

“The Healers are doing everything they can and she's strong. We can't give up, not while she needs us.” Ron nodded slowly; finally looking away from the wall as his parents came running down the hall towards them. He slipped away as the two began to fuss over Ron and stood in the doorway of Hermione's room, watching the controlled chaos as the Healers did their best to repair the damage. This was all his fault, he should never have let them go with him but they had insisted. They were the Golden Trio after all, they were stronger together. And now Hermione was dieing. He could see it on the faces of those surrounding her. He choked back a sob and then another. Why was it so hard to breathe? Gasping for air he clutched the portkey and vanished from St. Mungos.

 

Harry lay on the stone floor, sobbing and gasping for air, the image of Hermione so pale and still engraved in his mind. He pressed his face to the stone, welcoming the cold against his hot skin. He didn't know how long he stayed like that but he was shivering by the time he pushed to his feet and stumbled over to a couch. He managed to light the fire before falling into an exhausted sleep.

 

Harry woke with a scream, clutching his chest as he felt something break. He gasped for air and forced himself to relax against the cushions. He knew that feeling well, Hermione was dead. It was a gift, more of a curse really, that he had always been very careful to hide. He could feel it when people died; the closer they were to him the stronger the feeling was. He'd known immediately that Sirius was dead but he hadn't wanted to believe it, couldn't let himself believe it. He didn't know why he could feel what he did, wether or not it was a side effect of his surviving the killing curse or simply a magical gift he'd inherited from someone but he hated it.

 

He got off the couch and went over to the cupboard he'd started storing supplies in, grabbing a butter beer and taking a mouthful. He knew he'd have to go back soon. They'd be looking for him by now and Ron would need him. But he didn't want to; he preferred to grieve in solitude than with everyone around him. He looked over at the bed and smiled slightly, not that he was truly alone here but his companion was hardly going to fuss over him and give condolences. Walking over to the bed he checked him over quickly just to be sure he was still alright. Once he'd done that he left the cave for Grimmauld Place.

 

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Harry stood beside Ron as the rain poured down around them. Remus was standing behind them, holding an umbrella over them but for now the werewolf was ignored as the two teens grieved for their friend as the casket was slowly lowered into the ground. Hermione was buried in her church graveyard at her parents' insistence and no one had argued with them, despite the fact that she belonged more to the wizarding world than the muggle. Mr. and Mrs. Granger were standing across from the two boys, heads bowed and silent as tears flowed down their faces.

 

Harry lingered beside the new grave as the others left, staring at the newest headstone. Kneeling down he focused his magic into an obscure spell he'd found one night while researching. He smiled sadly as small green vines pushed up from the soil. In a few weeks the climbing roses would frame her tombstone and would never die. Standing he turned and left the graveyard to join the others back at Order HQ for a small wake.

 

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Harry stared at the snake coiled beneath the other males' skin and took a deep breath. He had no clue if it would work but it was worth a try.

 

$Wake up.$ He hissed and then watched in amazement as the snake uncoiled slightly and stretched, tongue flickering.

$What is your purpose?$ The snake stared at him and then hissed, baring its fangs but Harry held its gaze, unafraid.
$Speak.$ He commanded and the snake seemed to recoil slightly.

 

$Corruption, control.$ It hissed back venomously.

 

$Leave him.$ Harry responded.

 

$Never. He is ours.$ Harry blinked as he could almost see a man in the snakes eyes and he realised it was the man who had given the teen the mark. Harry took a deep breath and then pushed out with his magic only to have the snake and its master push back with something he had never felt before. It wasn't magic but it was power of some sort and he didn't now how to break it. But maybe he could change it? Gathering his magic again this time he searched out for cracks in the mans control. He grinned as he found one and slipped in, filling it with magic. The snake looked at him in what probably passes as the snake version of shock.

 

$You will sleep and leave him alone.$ Harry ordered and the snake slowly nodded, coiling tightly beneath the mark and going still. Harry slumped back onto the bed, tired from the magic but happy. He knew that like the Dark Mark only the death of the giver would remove it but at least he had made it dormant and harmless, he hoped. The only way to know for sure was to wake him. But that could wait until he had gotten some sleep.

 

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Harry rubbed his shoulder, trying to ignore the lingering pain that not even the Healers potions had managed to completely dull. He was just thankful he still had an arm to be feeling pain in considering where that cutting curse had hit him. Thanks to a raid he had had to wait longer than he'd planned to wake the other male and see wether his alterations to the mark had worked but it couldn't be helped. He opened the slack jaws and carefully poured the potion in, rubbing his throat to help it go down. He put the vial down and watched closely as the body in front of him began to gain obvious signs of life. He started slightly as dark eyes suddenly opened and met his own. He smiled and then gasped as he found himself pinned to the bed, a hand around his throat.

 

TBC…