Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto or Harry Potter.

Love, Hate, and Everything Inbetween

Uchiha Itachi loves Namikaze Arashi. Loves him completely and totally because when he looks at him he can almost see what a real family should be like. His aniki is a proper shinobi, despite what the Clan says. Arashi is all honed steel and fluid grace, but he’s the only one Itachi has ever met that can switch between being a cold emotionless killer, to a stoic yet compassionate being. He sees him guiding Naruto through the motions of using a kunai or walking him to the Academy in the mornings and his heart cries for all the times that were lost between them. He can’t hate the blonde child though, because while Arashi is his aniki, Naruto is Arashi’s son in all the ways that count.

Uchiha Sasuke hates Uchiha Itachi. He hates how he was the Clan’s favourite, how much of a bastard he was, and how he willingly killed the entire clan instead of finding another way. But most of all he hates Itachi for loving Arashi. Because between the two of them he doesn’t know which to hate more, Itachi for having the Aniki he wants or Arashi for having Itachi’s unwavering love and loyalty that should have belonged to him.

Namikaze Minato hates himself. He hates himself for sacrificing his son. He hates himself for teaching a traitor. He hates himself for abandoning his students, both of whom are still so full of hate. Most of all, he hates himself for not having the strength to live for those he loves.

Namikaze Naruto loves a lot of people. He has no choice. If he doesn’t love then he’d hate, and nothing would sadden him more than the disappointment in Arashi’s eyes. He saw what Itachi did to him after all.

Namikaze Arashi hates Sarutobi. Make no mistake, his loyalty belongs to the Hokage but never to Sarutobi. If he were ever asked he could only say that he hates him for living while everyone else dies.

The Sandaime Hokage hates himself for the exact same reason as Arashi. As a Hokage it is his duty to put the good of his people before his own selfish wants. Had he only stepped in Minato would have lived and he would have died. Minato would still be Hokage, Naruto would be safe, Arashi wouldn’t work himself to death, and Kakashi would have wised up and been taking care of Arashi. He hates himself for letting Orochimaru go rather than killing him when he had the chance. He hates himself for not convincing Jiraiya to stay permanently rather than letting him make his quick stops to check on Arashi’s training and drop off cute frog plushies for Naruto. He hates himself for reinstating the Council once Minato was dead. Most of all he hates himself for not keeping his promise to Minato. Arashi is too good for Hokage. He deserves better. But he has no other choice.