47Disclaimer: Don't own HP or Naruto
So this is another re-write, sort of. It's based off Running Home but will be a very different kind of fic.
Chapter 1
He leant back into the warm arms that wrapped around him, taking the chance to relax while he could. He was exhausted, but they all were now, there were so few chances to truly rest. They were an endangered species…all life was really. His lips twitched in a slight smile as lips pressed to the side of his jaw. He turned his head to meet green eyes, leaning in for a proper kiss. They stayed leaning against each other, surrounded by the sounds of the small camp.
He didn't even flinch when the large snake slithered into their laps, hissing softly, Hiro answering. There was a slight bulge down her body so at least she'd found something to eat out there. She'd done better than their latest supply party then, which was not good for them. Part of him was waiting for the familiar alarm cry, the rush and panic as they were forced to run, but for now the phoenix remained quiet as he kept watch over the camp.
Hiro's familiars had saved them many times, but Vespillo had been the hardest for him to accept once his head had gotten sorted out. She had been Orochimaru's before she had nearly killed Hiro after all. It had nearly broken Hiro when Hedwig had died, killed to save her humans' life. Having the other two had helped and he'd done what he could to help as well. Sure, he had his summons, but they were very different to having familiars, a different kind of bond and one that was not as deep.
Sometimes it felt like another life, his time in Oto and then his 'kidnapping' by Hiro back to Konoha. It was hard to believe how much he'd hated the older male then, for taking his place in the team, for kidnapping him…but the anger hadn't been his. It had taken time, too much time, for him to heal, but Team 7 had refused to give up on him. Falling in love with Hiro definitely hadn't been anything he would have even dreamed of, but it had happened. That had made things incredibly awkward, Sakura had loved him and had dated Hiro for a time only for both of them to end up rejecting her. Naruto had been stuck in the middle, trying to keep the team together, had refused to let Hiro leave when he offered to get moved to another one. In the end, it had taken the war for Sakura to get over the rejection, but it wasn't their fault and he refused to apologise, not when he'd always made his lack of romantic feelings for her clear. He'd never expected to feel that way for anyone.
He began to drift, dozing, no one slept deeply anymore, feeling Hiro shift them a bit, supporting him. He wanted to argue but Hiro had those potion things that'd keep him going, they didn't work so well for Shinobi other than Kakashi-sensei though. And he'd slept yesterday…
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He carefully ran his fingers through longish black hair, relieved to see him sleeping. Hiro looked around the camp, seeing Sakura huddled with Ino, the two talking quietly. Not too far away was Gabrielle and her daughter, Apolline, named for the girls' grandmother. When he had run to the Elemental Nations, he'd never imagined that one day, the barriers between them and the rest of the world would fall, but then again, he'd never imagined there was a goddess sealed away inside the moon! He really hoped the moon missions had hurt.
She had been prepared for ninja, not so much magicals and the outside muggle tech, but the advantage hadn't lasted for long. Very few civilians still lived, hidden away as best they could be, leaving only magicals and shinobi. Neither group had had a massive population to begin with and those numbers had slowly dwindled over the years. They couldn't kill her, not even a Phoenix or bijū could slow her down for long. Naruto and Sasuke held their own the best, with Harry and Obito right on their heels, but it wasn't enough. They had to Seal her away again but she knew of that plan, as did Zetsu, and they'd been very good at avoiding every attempt.
They were losing and everyone knew it, but the only options were to fight or lay down and die and none of them were to that point of exhaustion yet. Well…his eyes slid to where Obito sat alone. He stayed because of Sasuke and Naruto, because Kakashi had begged him to look after them as he bled out, injuries too much for even a werewolf's increased healing. But for Kakashi, death had been peace. Iruka…Iruka had been over a year dead by then and every magical had been shocked Kakashi had lasted so long after his mates' death.
Fawkes suddenly took to the air, sounding the alarm, and Sasuke snapped awake in his arms, moving smoothly to his feet, grabbing his sword. Harry was already up, magic surging to strengthen the wards, to buy them the most time possible. They couldn't afford to leave anything behind, not with how few supplies they had these days.
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"NARUTO!" Many voices joined together, screaming, as the blond was impaled.
Seconds later he was sucked away, landing at Sakura's feet as Obito got him away from Kaguya.
Sasuke glanced at Hiro who nodded and vanished, retreating to protect Sakura while she worked on Naruto. The two Uchiha then went on the attack to keep her away from the injured Jinchūriki.
Hiro stood over the kneeling Sakura, even as Fawkes swooped down, creating a circle of magical flames around them, letting him join her. He grimaced as he saw the gaping wound, the blood dripping from Naruto's lips. He grabbed a flailing hand, squeezing, not reacting when Naruto gripped back tightly.
Hiro hissed as a familiar screech reached him, lunging to catch Fawkes as he was hit. The tiny newborn landed in his cupped hands and he slipped him into the special pouch even as the flames faded. Sasuke was scrambling up in the distance, right hand clasped to his left shoulder, and Hiro reacted, sending magic at both Uchiha, but where was Obito…. Hiro grimaced as the older Uchiha collapsed, his body turning to ash along with the piece of bone that had impaled him, Hiro's magic returning to him with nothing left to protect. Hiro looked again to Sasuke in alarm, but he was on his feet, Rinnegan and Sharingan locked on her.
Hiro stood in front of Sakura and Naruto, weapons and magic ready. He let out a growling hiss at the approaching goddess, a mix of Parseltongue and caracal warning. His magic slammed into her, raw magic rather than a spell she could dodge of deflect. There was only one spell that seemed to worry her, others had cast it but he hadn't. he was a Wizard and a Shinobi, he killed with weapons and jutsu, even magic, but that spell… no one had ever said anything, knowing his history, but at the moment he was all that was between her and his teammates.
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Sasuke couldn't look as Obito turned to ash, hearing him whisper a familiar name as he died. He'd suspected as much, but he'd never stood a chance, and Obito had known it. Sasuke hoped he was at peace now, even as he forced his aching body to move. Hiro was all that was between Kaguya and where Naruto lay under Sakura's healing hands.
His eyes widened in shock as a blast of green light, matching Hiro's eyes, flew from him towards her. Surprisingly, it hit, and he clamped his hands over his ears and the noise, watching as black puddled on the ground. Zetsu had taken the hit for her…the Killing Curse ripped the soul from the body without needing the Shinigami. It was enough to deal with Zetsu, could it kill her? He felt sick for Hiro having to cast it but there was nothing he could at the moment, his lightning covered blade heading for her throat. He had to keep her away from them until Naruto was healed…why wasn't he up yet?
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Sakura poured healing into Naruto, trying to ignore the sound of him choking on blood. She ignored the warmth of Hiro's magic and chakra wrapping around them, protecting them even as he stood between them and Kaguya….forced herself to ignore the sudden absence of Obito's presence, convincing herself he'd just retreated briefly to Kamui.
"Come on," she hissed in frustration.
Blue eyes stared up at her, scared but…accepting and no, that was not happening! They could not lose Naruto, not now.
"HIRO!" Sasuke's scream had her wrenching her gaze from Naruto's, seeing the last Umino collapse against some rubble, blood pooling under his head.
She swore, she couldn't get to him, even if she wasn't trying to heal Naruto, she'd have to get passed Kaguya to reach Hiro. She looked down at the garbled attempt at her name, saw the paleness to usually tanned skin. Why wasn't he healing? What was Kurama doing? Naruto weakly grabbed her hand, moving towards his seal, and she yanked his ruined shirt aside, swearing softly as she realised why he wasn't healing. The seal…it was unravelling even further. It had been a loose thing, letting Kurama have freedom within Naruto's mind, even letting them swap control, but it still existed, it had to in order to allow them both to exist within Naruto's body. The wound was a distraction! Her real move had been to weaken the Seal.
Naruto was the last Jinchūriki, she needed Kurama. They needed Naruto alive to seal her, the sun emblazoned on his palm to match Sasuke's moon.
"Stay with me," she pleaded even as a witch…she didn't pay enough attention to know who, joined her, murmuring in another language, pouring some kind of magic into Naruto.
"Sakura!" Sasuke yelled and she flattened herself over Naruto, hearing something hit the ground not far behind her.
She heard a shriek and then Kaguya was being pelted by fire, Gabrielle had transformed. She liked the spitfire Veela, they got along well, but the girl was no match for Kaguya.
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Hiro staggered to his feet, head pounding, but he ignored it, apparating to Gabrielle and then away, removing her from danger. He then reappeared beside Sakura and Annalise, seeing how pale Naruto was.
"She messed with the Seal," Sakura told him without looking up, and he swore.
Naruto was their Sealing expert, there was no one else. Sealing and Runes were too different. They couldn't let her get Kurama but they had no one who could fix the Seal or re-Seal him in someone new.
And then she was there and Harry blocked with his own sword, hitting her point blank with a Killing Curse. She staggered but that was it. That shouldn't be possible! She staggered again as Sakura's fist slammed into her, her seal spreading over her skin to allow her to heal any injuries the goddess may land. Sasuke appeared and the three of them worked to drive her back, all aware they had to be fast to save Naruto.
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Naruto lay on the ground, he was in agony, the Seal burning even as he could hear Kurama struggling to keep it intact enough. He'd died when Kurama was extracted the first time, knew he wouldn't survive, especially with his injuries. Technically, Kurama could leave any time he wanted, but the Seal was necessary to let him exist within Naruto without destroying him and taking over his body. So… 'do it,' he sent to Kurama.
'Do wha…no, there's no way,' Kurama growled in response.
'She can't get you, Kurama. I'm dead, the wound isn't healing. Take my body and kick her ass.'
'Naruto…'
'I'll always be with you,' he promised. 'Tell the others I'm sorry.'
He smiled slightly and let go.
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Everyone turned as power exploded from where Naruto was lying. Sasuke felt a surge of relief as the blond got to his feet but…something was wrong. The eyes that looked their way were red and slitted, not out of the ordinary in a fight but…his expression, Kurama was in control, why? And why couldn't he feel the Sage's power in Naruto anymore?
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Hiro leant into Sasuke's side; the little Fawkes nestled by the fire. Sitting along in the darkness was Kurama. No one knew how to deal with him being the sole occupant of Naruto's body, a body that was changing. Blond hair had begun to darken, his eyes now permanently red. It hurt, Naruto had been his friend since they met on the road back to Konoha, but Kurama was his friend too and he hated seeing him in pain.
He knew what it was like to be different, held apart because of something you couldn't help. Even in Konoha it had happened a bit with those who found out the truth about him, that he wasn't just Iruka's cousin raised in a distant town…no, no thinking of Iruka. He missed his cousin so much, missed all the family he'd lost to this horrible war.
Even if they won…what would be left?
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Kurama snarled at her; she was why Naruto was gone! His first friend in so long was dead, gone somewhere he couldn't follow. So she would pay, it was as simply as that, grandmother or not.
He felt the hot rush of Hiro's magic swirl past, heard her shriek of fury, and laughed. The kid was almost as unpredictable as Naruto had been, it was part of why they'd gotten along so well. That, and Hiro had never looked down on him for having Kurama sealed within him. The snap and shriek of lightning passing nearby brought less laughter, he had never like the Uchiha, who could blame him, but this one had definitely grown in the last few years, he'd become…tolerable. All Hiro and Naruto's work of course, the idiot 'Avenger' hadn't been able to sort his own head out.
He missed fighting beside a Jinchūriki, like B, or even a werewolf. The thrill of wild instincts, animal awareness…Hiro was the closest anymore thanks to being an Animagus.
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Sakura cradled the blond in her arms, but there was nothing anyone could do, Ino was dead. She ignored how light the body was, refused to look down as she held her best friend. Hiro would inscribe the runes himself and then they would burn her body, the best they could do to keep her from being brought back to fight against them. There'd been so much wasted time because of their stupid rivalry…why had they let Sasuke come between them?
She hoped Ino had been able to break the mental link with the other camp before she'd been killed, no one deserved to experience that or needed the distraction. She was the last Yamanaka; they were cut off from any other survivors now unless there were some magicals out there who could use a Patronus messenger. But Hiro hadn't received one in months, even when he sent them out to search.
She felt a hand rest on her shoulder and then someone was prying Ino away from her. She turned and clung to Sasuke, crying silently, and he held her, one hand at the back of her head, stroking her hair.
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Sasuke watched as Ino's body burned, Sakura pressed between him and Hiro, Kurama on Hiro's other side. They were all that was left of their graduating class. All the other 'Rookies' were dead now. How many more funerals would he have to watch? The thought of having to burn Hiro's body…he felt sick.
Their group had shrunk down to the four of them, one witch whose name he hadn't bothered learning, and two shinobi who were a good three years younger than his class. He hoped Konohamaru's group was still out there, it would have hurt Naruto to know the kid was dead, not really a kid anymore though. He'd lived up to the Sarutobi name, Asuma and the Sandaime would have been proud of him.
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"We aren't winning this," Kurama growled, and Hiro looked over at him.
"No, really?" he hissed as Sakura healed a nasty wound in his side that his drained magic was struggling with.
Kurama rolled crimson eyes at him.
"There's nothing we can do about Kurama," Sasuke pointed out, digging through his bag for one of the last potions they had, handing it to Hiro who grimaced but drank it.
They hadn't heard from any other group in months and now it was just the four of them, Team 7 in a way. Not that anyone looking at Kurama would think he was Naruto, not when his hair was now a dark crimson to match his eyes, his features more fox-like than Naruto's had ever been.
"There's got to be something," Sakura murmured, green eyes dull. The words might sound hopeful but ever since Ino's death, she hadn't smiled once. "otherwise we might as well lay down and die."
Except they were all too stubborn to do that. Hiro missed the weight of Ves draped over him, hearing her comments on everything. Of his three familiars', only Fawkes remained, not even Kaguya could permanently injure or kill a phoenix. Maybe it would be easier to just give into the inevitable, to use the contents of the sealed vial in his bag so the four of them could have a peaceful death, but he'd never been one to give up. She'd never stop coming for them, enraged at having everything taken from her with Kurama taking over Naruto's body. His chakra had changed, twisted into something not human or bijū. But in return, they no longer had a way to re-seal her. And they'd run out of ideas on ways to kill her ages ago. So what was left?
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Sakura slammed her fist into Kaguya's face, it wouldn't do much but landing a hit made her feel better even if only briefly. Kurama' claws were buried in her throat a second later even as a Killing Curse slammed into her back, some of Sasuke's snakes entangling her limbs. Then she was part way back across the field, Sasuke where she'd been, Chidori buried in the bitch's face.
She raised her hands, bones forming, aiming…
"Look out!" Sakura screamed, punching the ground, trying to throw her off balance, throw off her aim.
She watched Sasuke twist away, Hiro's magic surging, wrapping visibly around them both even as Sasuke grabbed him, teleporting a short distance and off to the side to dodge the attack since there was nothing further away to switch places with. But as he did, Kaguya deflected a Bijūdama from Kurama, the attack colliding with Hiro's shield and the chakra of Sasuke's teleport….
She staggered to her feet, holding her dislocated arm, feeling blood dripping down her face, only to stare in horror. Where Sasuke and Hiro had been…was a crater. Movement nearby had her tensing but it was Kurama digging himself free of a mound of dirt. Kaguya…where was she?
"Sasuke?" she yelled. "Hiro!" they had to be nearby, somewhere.
TBC….
So those who read the original know that Harry changed his name to fit in better in Konoha and became Umino Hiroshi. Which is why he's referred to only as Hiro here, he's been using that name now for a few years.