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AnonymousGX — Sage Mode and Magic Chapter 20
Published: 2013-06-04 15:27:26 +0000 UTC; Views: 608; Favourites: 0; Downloads: 0
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Description Sage Mode and Magic Chapter 20: Umbridge's Decrees Begin

Naruto went down near the lake the next day to relax and do his homework. Soon after he started working on Professor Snape's assigned homework, the Golden Trio came to visit him. "Naruto? What are you doing here?" Harry asked. "Where were you yesterday?"

"Hey guys!" Naruto greeted. "Did you guys read last week's Daily Prophet?"

"Of course," Hermione answered. "I can't believe they'd put Professor Fukasaku on trial! It's blasphemy. The idea of such a trial is madness!"

"Madness?" Naruto asked, a growl in his voice. "This is Ministry! Of course they'd do something so insane!"

"You've got a point," Hermione agreed. "So, how did the trial go?"

"A few people voted against him," Naruto revealed, "but my testimony, and examples of chakra, saved the day! Although, I had to show him the Sage Art; Rasenshuriken..."

"Is that the move you told me about on the train?" Harry asked. Naruto nodded. "Can you show us?"

"Well, I can't aim it at anything..." Naruto mused. "But I can launch it into the air above the lake!"

"Why can't you aim it at anything?" Hermione asked.

"Grandma Tsunade told me that it dis-enter-gates things at a very tiny level. I think she said sell-a-lair level."

"You mean disintegrate and cellular level?" Hermione clarified, shocked at the idea of such a move. Naruto confirmed it.

"What does cellular mean?" Ron asked.

"It means almost as tiny as you can get," Hermione told him. "Imagine the Reductor Curse, but it doesn't leave dust or ash behind that you can see."

Naruto then went into Sage Mode with the help of his wand, made some clones, and formed a normal sized Rasenshuriken with Mana. Once launched over the center of the lake, it 'detonated' to cover a good fifth of the lake's surface, since there was so much Mana to feed off of in the air. Harry, somewhat expecting this move, still was almost in as much shock as his friends. The thought of a disintegrating move that can grow that big scared Ron, but didn't make him lose too much trust in Naruto. However, another person watching them was shocked at this move. From the depths of the lake, Syrena and a teenage merman rose from the shoreline.

The Golden Trio covered their ears at their shrieks, but were shocked when Naruto spoke back to them, in English. "I'm sorry. I was showing my friends one of my most powerful chakra moves. I promise not to use it in the water or against you. Who's this?" They weren't sure if the mermfolk could understand English, but the merman spoke up, almost in response. "It's an honor to meet you, Prince Mikau Kelpie-Rider. Yes, the Ministry woman is still in Hogwarts." Both merfolk shrieked, then the mermaid spoke. "I still don't think we should talk often. How about this? If I launch another one of those over the water, or walk into the shallows, then it's safe and I want to talk. If you, or another of the Water People, want to talk to me, come to me in the Common Room windows, or jump out of the water farther out when I am visiting the lake." The elder merman spoke and turned back to the deeper waters. The younger mermaid said a soft shriek to Naruto, joined with the merman, and both returned to the depths.

"What the bloody hell was that?" Ron demanded. "How could you understand those shrieks?"

"I'm wondering about that as well," Hermione told Naruto. "How did they understand you? I thought mermaids couldn't comprehend humans outside of the water; since their ears and vocal cords are designed for submerged sounds, not ones created in the open air."

"Well..." Naruto thought of how to explain, "remember how you said I worded some parts of my homework wrong? I'm currently under a strong translation spell. If I talk with anyone, I hear Japanese. But the other person hears his, or her, main language."

"Bloody hell," Ron said, this time in amazement. "You mean to tell us you could speak to anything?"

"I don't think anything," Naruto answered. "The plants in Herbology and the Bowtruckles in Care of Magical Creatures were just regular noises. I don't know how sof... sophi... how smart they and their language have to be in order for me to talk to them."

"How about trolls?" Hermione prodded. "They have a rudimentary language of grunts."

"I don't know. I haven't met one yet, besides Malfoy's two goons. But they don't even grunt normally!" Naruto told them. After laughing hard for at least a minute, the foursome sat down on the grass and began their homework. Ron, still amazed and frightened of both Naruto's language ability and ball of destruction, wasn't able to focus on his homework as well as normal.

After a little bit, Hermione pulled out a pair of knitting needles and enchanted them to knit on their own. "Hermione, are you still making hats for the House Elves?" Naruto asked, incredulous.

"Of course!" Hermione told him. "Don't tell me Ron convinced you they like to be enslaved!"

"He didn't," Naruto told her. "I hate enslavement as well, Hermione. But what happens once they're free? Where will they go? What will they do? Will they learn to be better, and who will teach them? Or will they seek out another master and be a servant again?"

Hermione pondered about these questions. "I... I don't know... But still, I'll free as many House Elfs as I can, and my hats will do the trick."

"Ron didn't tell you?"

"Tell me what?"

"That the House Elfs do laundry." Hermione didn't understood what this revelation at first, but caught on to the full meaning after a few seconds. "They are allowed to touch and move clothes that belong to their master and anyone else. They have to be presented with clothes of their own by those they call master in order to be released. I'm sorry Hermione, but they probably took the hats and didn't know who to return them to. Quite likely, the hats were trashed or gathered, unworn by the House Elves." That news depressed Hermione. Her knitting needles stopped, and she could barely concentrate on her own homework, let alone that of the three others. "Sorry I had to tell it to you like that Hermione. Can you make me a hat? That small one the needles were working on looked really nice!" Cheered up a little, the needles slowly began an orange, human-sized hat. "So, how did the meeting go?"

"It went splendidly," Hermione told them. "Just like Dumbledore said, the pub was closed to everyone but those that gave the password of 'Umbridge stinks'." That got Naruto to laugh. "We all agreed for Harry to be our teacher. Nobody left in the middle of the meeting to reveal what we were doing. I got everyone to sign a paper, saying they'd keep this meeting, and all following meetings, a secret. OH!" Hermione said, pulling a piece of parchment out of her bag. "Can you sign it too?" After a quick signature, Hermione put what Naruto could finally call a class roll away. "Finally, we learned one important fact during the meeting."

"Really?" Naruto asked, curious. "What is it?"

Hermione gave Naruto a grin. "Cho couldn't keep her eyes off of Harry." This, of course, made Naruto giggle a little and Harry blush. Harry couldn't concentrate on homework very well after that. The only one not bothered or distracted from homework was Naruto. But in the back of his mind, he wondered if Umbridge, her loyal cat loving Filch, or any other spies of hers saw their secretive meeting, or at least people entering and leaving the pub together. A little before dinner, the four packed up and went back into the castle. Many floors above the great entrance, Naruto glimpsed pink and brown clothing. 'Umbridge and Filch, no doubt. But what did they see? How much do they know? Hopefully, they saw only four students walking together back to the castle.'

The next morning, many students were gathered around the large Notice Bulletin near the entrance to the Common Room. Curious, Naruto looked at a fresh clean piece of paper that wasn't on last week when he glimpsed the board. Apparently, as High Inquisitor, Umbridge was given the right to make up rules and bypass the committee for Educational Decrees. Naruto was a little upset about its contents, but saw a reason behind it. 'Harry, Ron, and Hermione make three people, and they regularly meet and be together. Add me in, and we're definitely a perceived threat. She may be looking for a reason to snoop into our conversations; in order to get information before jumping in. Then again, did someone notice the secret meeting? If someone did, did said person know what was going on? But if said person did, why not tell Umbridge everything so she can arrest the perpetrators?'

At breakfast, Naruto zipped over to the Gryffindor table. However, they were already talking about it. "You guys saw the paper too?"

"Yeah. We're wondering who blabbed," Ron spat, scrutinizing Naruto.

"Hey! It wasn't me!" Naruto protested quietly.

"It wasn't," Hermione confirmed. "Remember my jinx Ron? Naruto doesn't have its effects."

"Jinx? What jinx?" Naruto started to freak out, checking his entire body for a gross deformed part. "When did you place a jinx on me?"

"When you signed the paper," Hermione revealed. "If you told anyone not on the paper about the meetings... it'd make Fred and George's candy pale in comparison!"

"HEY! No way that's possible!" The twins told her, sitting on her other side.

"Wow Hermione," Naruto praise her, slightly afraid. 'I'm never going to tell!' he vowed, "I didn't know you had a devious side to yourself." He then saw Umbridge glaring at him and Harry. "Umbridge is glaring at me. I don't think it's safe for me to talk to you guys very often. See you later, and be careful. You three can count as a student meeting if Umbridge says so and wants to eavesdrop!"

Many of the Slytherins were talking about the notice too. They all wondered if the Slytherin Quidditch Team would be reinstated. They also wondered if Potter was up to something, and turned to Naruto. Naruto honestly told them that Harry wasn't up to anything against the rules, but didn't tell them it was because he was currently up to breakfast.

Naruto next saw Harry at Potions that day. He and Hermione succeeded in keeping Harry away from Malfoy, who was just being himself. However, Neville almost got past his friends, Naruto, and Naruto's clones to slug him. Snape, however, saw this commotion and took away 15 points from Gryffindor; for fighting among themselves and with Naruto. Naruto was curious about this St. Mungo's Draco mentioned, why Neville reacted that way, and why Harry seemed to have an idea as to Neville's reason but was hiding it. Nevertheless, Naruto joined his three friends at their usual potion table.

"As you may have noticed," Snape drawled, "we have a... guest... here today."

The class turned to the back corner. To even Naruto's surprise, Umbridge was there. 'How did I miss the Pink Blimp? There's no way I couldn't have seen her! Then again, I manage to sneak up on enemies in my favorite orange uniform somehow...' Naruto could feel the tension among his friends brewing and stirring, just as likely to go bad as the potions they were supposed to make.

"Over the weekend... if you followed the instructions, your Strengthening Solutions should have aged well. We will be finishing this potion... before this week ends." He waved his wand at the blackboard, and the directions appeared. "You may begin."

Umbridge didn't start questioning Snape immediately, like she did other teachers. 'That's odd,' Naruto thought. 'She even tried to talk to Professor McGonagall. The class is busy with the lesson, and Professor Snape is doing almost nothing right now. Why isn't she jumping at this chance?' Harry seemed distracted by this as well. A little too distracted; he was about to put Pomegranate Juice into their potion instead of Salamander Blood. Luckily, Hermione caught the mistake before it could land in the cauldron. Naruto, and to an extent Harry, started paying more attention to the potion with their eyes while their ears remained open.

While Snape was leaning over a Gryffindor's potion, Umbridge finally got up. "I'm surprised you'd teach students of this age a potion so advanced. Although, I question why this particular solution is even on the syllabus." 'More like the Ministry doesn't want these potions to succeed, and for us to use them,' Naruto retorted. Snape didn't dignify that with an answer. 'Good move. Unless you give in, that's the best thing to do.' "It says here that you had, at first, applied for Defense against the Dark Arts. Is this information accurate?" Naruto realized what was implied. 'Do you have dangerous knowledge besides potions?'

"... Yes."

"But you weren't successful?" Umbridge prodded. 'Was it not enough knowledge to get the post? How dangerous and detailed is the knowledge that you do know? How much does Dumbledore trust a former Death Eater?' Naruto realized that question had more things that could be implied then Umbridge likely meant.

"Ob... -viously..." Snape said in his patented drawl. Said drawl made Ron smile.

"Right... How long have you been at this post?" 'How much does Dumbledore trust you as a Potions teacher? How well do you know the material?'

"... Fourteen years." Snape was clearly giving Umbridge very little to work with, or off of.

"Have you reapplied for the Defense Against the Dark Arts post?" Umbridge asked, with a hint of exasperation. 'Do you not trust and follow Dumbledore's orders without question?'

"...Yes." Ron was almost snickering now.

"Do you know why he has refused your application each year?" 'Does Dumbledore trust you with even this much information?'

"I suggest... you take it up with... the Headmaster." 'If she's trying to scale that cliff for answers, Snape's not giving her a foothold or a handhold!' Naruto praised.

"Thank you! I shall. The Ministry always desires the... background... of the teachers here at Hogwarts." As Umbridge went to question Pansy, a Slytherin in Naruto's year, Snape approached Harry's table. He first slapped Ron across the back of his head, probably for his laughing. He then turned to the potion shared by Harry and Naruto. "I see that even Naruto's skills in potion-making cannot help you... mister Potter. You two will write me an essay on how this potion about how and why it went wrong. Do I make, myself... clear?" 'Ouch,' Naruto thought. 'I see he hasn't forgiven me for the Vader prank yet.' Snape then stalked up to the front of the class, and the bell rang. Upset at Snape, Harry was grateful for the bell and practically bolted out of the classroom.

"I can't believe it!" Harry exclaimed when his friends caught up. "I'm behind in homework, Snape assigns me this, and I have Quidditch Practice this afternoon! I should probably skip Divination and do homework instead!"

"But Harry, you can't miss Divination!" Hermione gasped.

"So Harry can't skip one lesson," Ron spoke up, "but you can walk out in the middle of class and not return for the rest of the year?"

"Of course he can't! And it's my opinion that Trelawney is nothing more than a flamboyant fraud. I haven't seen her give a true Divination yet!"

"Hold on a minute!" Naruto interrupted. "Hermione, walked out of, a class?! I thought you were a teacher's pet!" Ignoring Hermione's sputtering, Naruto turned to Harry. "If you really want to skip that class, I can agree. I usually spend that class in the library and send a Shadow Clone in for me. I can do the same for you!"

Before Harry could accept, Hermione spoke up. "No way! You already missed out on one class today; you're not going to miss another!"

"Wait, what class did Harry miss?" Naruto clarified. "Why?"

"Hedwig came to my History of Magic class. Her wing was messed up badly. Her letter, however, was unopened." Harry looked around. The corridor was clear. "It was from Snuffles. He's meeting us again tonight. Same time, same place."

"It's a trap!" Naruto exclaimed. "That message must have been intercepted and closed with magic! Then that means the Ministry, and Umbridge, know someone's sneaking into Hogwarts tonight, and may even know who!"

"Maybe," Harry said, "but what can we do? We'll have to tell him what happened when he arrives."

"I think... I've got an idea. If this idea works, he'll be able to let us know what was too urgent for a coded letter, and won't get caught by Umbridge."

_______________________________________________________________________________________

"What do you mean, no Quidditch?" Harry asked a girl who must have been his captain. "I didn't lose my temper at her for over a week! I was good in today's class, and neither Naruto or Hermione had to warn me about anything!"

"Umbridge said she 'needed time to think about it'," said girl replied, still cross. Naruto could tell that she loved Quidditch, and took it very seriously.

"Consider what, exactly?" Ron retorted. "She didn't take much time to consider for the Slytherins!"

"Don't look at me Ron!" NaruClone told the glaring boy. "I wasn't the one who asked her! Besides, I want to play against you guys! Harry's my Quidditch Rival, after all!"

"Well, look at the bright side," Hermione tried to ease the tension. "You now have time for that Potions assignment!" ... and failed.

"Wotcher Naruto! You seem to be visiting our Common room often. Would you like a sweet?" The twins asked, offering NaruClone an orange taffy-like candy.

"Of course! Orange is my favorite color!" NaruClone declared, flipping the candy into the air. Realizing something, he closed his mouth before the sweet could enter it. "Nice try guys. If I had eaten that, and it was one of your prank sweets, then I would have been entitled to prank you without repercussions. And I can think of a few tortures worse than the Ultimate Prank of Green Youth." Hearing that made the twins run off to try the candy somewhere else.

"Bloody Hell," Ron swore, "you know something worse than what made all the Sixth Year boys scream in terror?!"

"Maaaaybe," NaruClone teased. "I have a couple ideas. Promise not to reveal any of them?" The trio nodded their vow, and the rest of the Common Room was void of students. "I could fill their bed with little kittens and charm all their clothing pink." That thought creeped Harry out more than the other two. Aside from probably Naruto, he was the only one who'd been in Umbridge's office. Then again, most of Umbridge's pink monstrosities had a pink fabric cat on it somewhere, and that may be where Naruto got it from. "And that's nothing compared to what Gamariki will do to them." Whatever it was, the trio feared whatever this Gamariki did to its target.

"What is this I hear about pranks worse than an Ultimate Prank? And did this Ultimate Prank really terrify that many students?" A voice emanated from around the Common Room. "If I didn't know any better, you're challenging us Marauders!" Sirius' head was once again in the fire. NaruClone quickly grabbed his head, pushed it back the way it came, and went along for the ride.
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