Ayame- Iris- Fem Harry Potter

Shiriusu- Sirius – to-san/father

Ryu – Dragon – Draco- itoko/cousin

Miya – Beauty – Narcissa – oba/aunt

Asebi – Andromeda- oba/aunt

Takeo – Ted – oji/uncle

Maiko - Nymphadora– itoko/cousin

Chapter 37

It was a week later and Shiri had given Fugaku a first draft of the betrothal contract. Fugaku had looked it over 3 times and was having Mikoto read through it but he could not see anything that would need changing on his side and after Mikoto gave it back Fugaku signed it on behalf of the Uchiha clan before returning it to Shiri. The head of the Kuro clan was very surprised to have the contract returned to him unchanged and signed, grabbing a pen he signed his name there in front of Fugaku and the deed was done. Itachi and Ayame where now betrothed. Fugaku took the contract to register it with the department of the Hokage office that dealt with such things. The exact details of the contract were not recorded, only that fact that there was an active contract in the children's names.

Today Shiriusu and Fugaku, along with every other shinobi parent with children old enough to enter the academy, were gathered within the council halls, the only place large enough to hold all the parents without being uncomfortable. It had been Itachi's birthday yesterday and the Uchiha had invited the Kuros to attend his tradition style celebration. Ayame's gift to her betrothed had stolen the show, a beginner's primer for sealing. With sealing being so rare since the fall of Uzushio it was difficult to find ways to learn it safely, and so the book was worth more its weight in gold to the Uchiha, even if Itachi never shared the book they would still be able to boast of an Uchiha knowing Fuinjutsu, and bragging rights were all some of the elders had these days. The Hokage stood and the room quietened.

"Thank you, everyone, for coming. As you all know the Academy was destroyed in the events of October 10th, as of this morning the building has been rebuilt, the curriculum revised and chunin senseis all ready to begin teaching. Which brings me to why I've asked you all here. All of you whose children were already attending the academy, or were due to start with the October intake, your children will return to where they would have been at the start of the October term. Please have your children at the academy ready first thing tomorrow morning. If you have a child who is now of age to join the academy please remain, the rest of you, thank you for your time."

Hiruzen waited while the parents he had just been speaking to gathered themselves and left the hall. Once the had all left and only the parents of the younger children remained Hiruzen spoke again.

"As the parents of children who would have joined the academy in April just passed, or those who have come of age to start the academy since then, I have an offer to make you. All of your children have been accepted to attend the academy they may all start at the same time as all the other children tomorrow regardless of if you take my offer or not.

"My offer is this we will be running an experimental alternative curriculum alongside the usual curriculum to see if a different style of teaching will be more effective in training shinobi. This course will run alongside the main course so results may be compared and if the experimental course proves to be more effective we will be implementing it across the board. We are keeping places limited so it will be a first come first serve basis, make your interest know to my secretary as soon as possible, thank you for your time." Hearing the dismissal, the majority of the room departed. "Yes Kuro-dono?" Shiri had approached Hiruzen as the others had left and Fugaku followed believing he knew what Shiri wished to ask about.

"Is this offer open to Ayame too? Ryu won't join the academy without her and I'm not entirely sure Itachi would either." Fugaku nodded his reluctant agreement next to Shiri.

"Yes Kuro-dono, Ayame-hime is being given a special disposition to start the academy due to having been evaluated by Anbu as, and I quote 'more than ready' for the academy."

"Then sign my two up."

"Add Itachi to that."

"I will place them at the top of the list, have them ready and fully equipped for 8 am tomorrow at the Academy." With that Hiruzen strode from the room leaving Shiri and Fugaku to follow after him.

"He emphasised fully for a reason, didn't he?"

"I do believe so, Shiriusu-dono."

"Will you please call me Shiri?" He begged, "Shiri-san if you really have too, but, come on, we're probably going to end up related, you don't have to call me dono."

"Shiriusu-san then."

"There's no winning with either you or Itachi!" A smirk danced about Fugaku's lips never quite appearing as he watched Shiri storm away. He hoped Shiri remembered to pass on the Hokage's hint, well, if he didn't Itachi would.

8am the next morning Ryu, Itachi and Ayame joined the rest of the children and parents gathered in front of the academy watching the Hokage at the top of the stairs that led to the academy's main entrance. The 3 were lined up side by side in front of their parents, each had a small bag upon their bags that looked like it could only hold their lunches. That was not actually the case, they had been enchanted to be capable of carrying a large number of things without changing shape or weight, and the children had fully stocked them as if they were going on a month-long expedition into unknow weather. They had everything and the kitchen sink in the bags, mainly because they each had their own two-man 'Kuro tent' that had been fully stocked for them. They also had all the weapons they could currently use attached to their persons, swords and long knives strapped to waists. Kunai and shuriken in pouches strapped to legs and belts. Ayame had even added storage seals to the insides of everyone's sleeves so that they could hide extra weapons there and the hair sticks she was wearing that day were sharp enough to double as spare knives in a pinch. They felt they were as fully prepared as they could be.

After clapping politely after the Hokage's welcome speech the class lists were called, they didn't really pay attention until the last names were being called. It had taken an hour to get through all the students as the classes had be slightly rearranged to even out numbers, so every class list must be read out starting from the oldest working down to the newest. Classes 1-A and B were read out, they seemed to be the slightly older children who must have been October's scheduled intake, and then classes 1-C and D were read out, but still they hadn't been called. They weren't worried as they knew their parents would not bring them to the academy if they were not attending but they were confused as these children looked much closer to their own age and surely their names should have been called. Finally, a class 1-S was called and all 3 children were called up to join the 6 other children who had been named. They were all instructed to follow after their chunin sensei and settle down within the classroom they were directed to. Already waiting for them was a very familiar figure for our trio.

"I am Yamamoto Reo, you will call me Reo-sensei. I will be one of many instructors for this class. This is a new program that is being run alongside the normal academy program to see which gets the best results. You will be expected to give your best effort no matter the lesson. If we feel you are not putting in enough effort you will be removed from the course. Don't mess up losing one of you would mean messing up the numbers.

"We do not expect you to all be able to do everything but we will know if you are not even trying. You will be given the opportunity to experience many different parts of shinobi life that your fellows will not have the chance to learn of until the graduate. Do not waste this opportunity."

Reo stared out across the class ensuring that he met the gaze of every child and trying to impart his seriousness with only his eyes.

"Today will be spent explaining what will be expected of you while you are a student of this course, take notes. 1, you will be expected to be on academy ground at 6am every day bar Sunday, fully equipped, I will explain what I mean by that later.

2, you will be fully armed with weapons at all times, until you have the permission of an instructor these will be blunt."

And so Reo continued for most of the morning providing a list of what he expected from the children. For Ryu and Ayame the list was very similar to how they had been studying under Reo for the last 4 nearly 5 years. Reo-sensei dismissed the whole class to be able to prepare for the next day, some of them would need to purchase or borrow equipment and they would need time to do that.

-Page break-

It had now been a month since Hiruzen had brought the Kuro's Clan application before the council and they would be voting on it this meeting. Shiri had convinced Miya to sit in and watch proceedings for him. The Hokage realised that this would be the start of Kuro-dono sending representatives to sit for him and hoped he got to here some of the outlandish ways Shiri was sure to use to get people to agree. He did not expect any but he still asked if there were any objections to the Kuro's application.

In the last month the Kuro's had already proved to be an economic boon, they had used Konoha business for all their needs even if it would make it slightly more expensive. The rumours that they were having shops and houses built upon their new clan grounds that would be available to rent was an extra bonus, Konoha always needed new buildings. The shinobi members of the council were impressed with the Kuros because they had managed to impress both the Uchiha and the Hokage enough for both to have approached most of the clan head on the Kuro's behalf, asking for their support in getting the application through the council.

The appointment of new clans was one of the areas that did need approval by the council and not just the Hokage and part of the reason not Hokage had successfully managed to remove the council. That's not to say they hadn't thought about it, the Hokage's job would be a lot easier if they didn't have to argue with a bunch of politically minded civilians for everything. The Kuro's recent contribution to the shinobi funds had given Hiruzen a lot of breathing room with the council. Now that he did not need to make concessions to the civilian side of the council for extra funding from them for the Shinobi forces he could get some of the measures he'd hope to have implemented years ago.

It was agreed that the Kuro would receive clan status, Hiruzen felt like dancing with glee, his solution for Naruto's living situation was coming together, now all he had to do was hunt down Shiri and get his agreement. It was a shame he wouldn't be able to speak to Shiri after the council meeting. Hiruzen was therefore pleased when an hour after the council meeting had finished Shiri came bounding into his office. Followed by a very apologetic secretary.

"You can't just barge into the Hokage's office sir!"

"You said he wasn't in a meeting and he hates paperwork so I know he wouldn't mind the distraction that I bring."

"I'm so sorry Hokage-sama"

"It's fine, in this instance Kuro-dono is correct and I did wish to speak with him anyway." Bowing her way back out of the office she left Hiruzen and Shiri alone.

"So what distraction do you bring Shiri-kun?"

"You mean other than my beautiful self?" Somehow, and Hiruzen hoped it was an illusion caused by Kuro magic, Shiri managed to make his teeth give a glint bright enough to make Hiruzen blink the spots from his eyes as he smiled. "Here is an invitation for you and the rest of the Sarutobi main family to attend our 'Hooray you can't get rid of us now' party."

Laughing Hiruzen collected the invitation card Shiri presented to him and it did indeed say it was a 'Hooray you can't get rid of us now' party. Noting it was set for the next Wednesday evening Hiruzen was happy to accept on behalf of the Sarutobi clan.

"Who else is being invited Shiri?"

"The main family of every shinobi clan with a seat upon the council, or at least that's what Miya told me. She organising it, I just named it and brought your invitation."

"Speaking of Miya, how did you convince her to sit in on the meeting in your stead?"

"I promised I'd build her a Tea house on the river front for her to run and conduct the Ladies Afternoon Tea meetings that she's started. It was only Miya and Hyuga Hana to start with but now Mikoto makes most meetings as does the Ino-Shika-Cho wives I believe they're commonly referred to as. I would've built it for her anyway but she offered so I wasn't going to say no."

"That's understandable. Shiri, I need to discuss with you a sensitive subject and what I abut to tell you cannot leave this office."

Shiri's entire demeanour changed, gone was the eccentric lord and in its place was a cold calculating Black. "Would you prefer me to swear an oath to not speak of what-ever it is we are about to discuss?"

"I, yes, I do think that would be best, it goes back to the documents I asked you to provide."

"I, Sirius Orion Black, do swear that I will not communicate in any form the information the Sandaime Hokage, Sarutobi Hiruzen, is about to impart to me without his express permission. So mote it be."

Hiruzen nodded at the completion of the oath, "The words I couldn't understand where your name in your native language, I assume?"

"Yes Hokage, was my oath adequate?"

"Yes, thank you Shiri. The information I am about to give you is considered an SS-class secret and it is illegal for anyone to speak of this in public, though it is more well-known than I would like. I'm sure you have heard of the events of October 10th by now, I am also certain you have only heard the official version. Yes, the Yondaime Hokage was killed defeating the Kyubi, but he did not kill the demon like is told. It is impossible to kill a tailed-chakra beast, at best they can be sealed away.

"The only thing strong enough to contain a tailed beast is a person. The only way to seal the Nine-tails is into a child with undeveloped Chakra coils or the power of the demon would over-run the child and kill them."

"A baby…" Shiri whispered almost horrified, "undeveloped coils mean a baby."

There was a look of immense grief on Hiruzen's face and an air of unexpressed sorrow around him.

"Yes, I am afraid so. This next part is not so well known, the 4 anbu within my office do already know this, the baby the Yondaime used was his own, less than an hour old, son. The Yondaime's wife was grievously injured as she gave birth and was already dying when Minato sacrificed himself to the Shinigami to seal away the beast. One the night of his birth the child was made into both a sacrifice and an orphan."

Shiri had been wondering why Hiruzen would be telling him this right up until the word orphan. "His mother was an Uzumaki, wasn't she? The baby's I mean. That's why you needed proof of Ayame's heritage. It's in the Clan by-laws, 'any orphans from a clan within Konoha will be placed with their closest Clan member.' That's Ayame and as her guardian, me."

"Yes Shiriusu-san. Will you do this? Will you take in Naruto? He will have to become a shinobi, he will have no choice in the matter, but I know I can trust you to help prepare him after what I've seen of the Kuro children. I know it's a lot to ask and a lot to keep secret but I'm asking as a favour; will you house the orphan Uzumaki Naruto as the guardian of his closest living relative in Konohagakure?"

"Yes, I will. Can you give me until my house is finished to make arrangements for him?"

The Hokage did actually slump over his desk in relief, and his words were truly heartfelt as he thanked Shiri.

"Yes, that is fine. I now have an actual answer about his placement. With his parentage having to remain unknown for his own safety I have be accused of favouritism for housing him within the Sarutobi home since his birth. I'm afraid to say those civilians who know the truth of Naruto's burden mistake the demon for him and there has been a whisper rising that he needs to be punished for the events of October. And there is only so much I can do for Naruto before it does become favouritism. Please look after him."

"I will care for him like I do Ayame, he will be treated as family. May I explain to my family about Naruto's pending arrival and that e are the closest relatives he has in Konohagakure?"

"Yes, you may speak about those points but Naruto's true parentage and his burden must stay a secret until he is older."

"Of course, Hiruzen. If you don't mind I'll take my leave and begin making arrangements."

"Yes, please do. Thank you again Shiriusu, you have relieved a great burden from an old man's mind." Some of his normal sunnier disposition returning Shiri smiled at Hiruzen,

"I'll let you know when I've got an exact date." Shiri was out the door and gone before Hiruzen could answer. Hiruzen chuckled as he filled his pipe. A moment like this deserved a small celebratory break from paperwork. Little Naruto's future was now so much brighter than it was an hour ago.