Chapter 7: Preliminary

Night falls over the eerily quite village, stars blanketing the sky. The moon was rather big, bigger than normal, red the color of blood took place of the normally pearl white that shown from it. It is the night of the blood moon, a dangerous time. Another blood moon in less than two months. Severus's skin crawls with the sense of foreboding. something is not right and it only seems to have worsen since the afternoon. It is not like when he felt the Kitsune, no this is much more worse. He pulled his silken cloak around himself tighter, the cool autumn air biting at his exposed skin. Itachi had agreed to meet him in the dead of night to keep spying ears from hearing their conversation, it is going on two if he is correct with the moon's placement within the cloudless sky.

"Tsuyoi," Severus turns to see Itachi walking toward him in his causal wear, "Is everything alright?"

Severus shakes his head and waits for Itachi to sit down beside him, he sighs and looks out into the pond that is nearly as smooth as glass, reflecting the blood moon back at him.

"There is something going on in the shadows, I can feel it."

He sees Itachi stiffen minutely before relaxing once more, this action is all he needs to verify what he has been feeling.

"Can you explain what it is by chance?"

"There is something wrong with a lot of your clansmen, their looks, mannerisms, something is going on behind the scene."

Itachi let a feral hiss out that has Severus on edge, he is not use to seeing the preteen like this. He is grabbed by the upper arm by Itachi and they flash away from the compound, he is pushed against the wall they had appeared by.

"Itachi let me go this instance." Severus growls and successfully pushes the boy off, "If it is something this bad then we need to stop it."

"I can't!" Itachi nearly yells but is subdued almost immediately. "I can't"

The defeated tone in which Itachi repeats the same line has Severus putting Itachi to the wall this time, a feral snarl leaving his lips after building within his throat.

"Bullshit!" He snarls in the boys face, "If you know about it, then you can stop it dammit."

"I...can't."

Severus watches as Itachi slides down the wall, his look screaming defeat and this has him wanting to take the boy far away from this village and all of it's hidden secrets and agendas. He cannot help but feel a close attachment to the boy in front of him, he wished he had the strength that Itachi has.

"You can and you will, " Itachi looks up at him, "We will do this together, I will not let anything happen to you or your brother. So mote it be."

A bright light engulfs him as he solemnly swears to protect what he believes to be his, might be his older mind influencing his decisions but none the less, he would not let the boy or his baby brother come to harm.

"You are not alone Itachi, so do you want to tell me what is going on now?"

It may have been designed as a question but the way Severus speaks it, it brokers no argument. He watches Itachi shift and sigh, he knows he has gotten through the stubborn boys head.

"There is a coup to happen within a months time, my father; our clan leader, sees the Hokage as a threat. He wants to over take them and rule the village as leader, unfortunately, the Hokage knows exactly what my father is planning. I've-I've been tasked with exterminating my entire clan for the life of my brother," Itachi pauses and the look in his eyes convey feeling that cannot come to surface. "If I don't then the anbu will do it for me and everyone will be exterminated."

"No." Itachi looks into the obsidian eyes that burn with a desire he is not aware of, "We will stop this, no one will be hurt if I help it. I am not some mere human, I am a wizard by blood and a powerful to boot."

Two weeks have passed since the talk between Itachi and himself, he can still hear the whispers, and now that he knows what is going on, they are so much worse. He can hear and feel the contempt that is rolling through the clansmen, the unjust and unfairness that they believe they have been served. It took Itachi explaining the clans history to him for him to understand what he was witnessing.

"Tonight."

"Everything in place."

"Yes."

"Good, we strike at midnight."

'I don't think so you overbearing bafoon'

Severus scuffs as he turns on his heel and seeks out Itachi then Itachi's mother, he has a feeling the woman has no idea what her husband has been up to.

"Mrs. Uchiha, can I have a moment of your time." Severus asks cordially and with a bow to show respect to the woman who has done nothing but care for him.

"Of course dear."

Mikoto follows him into a side room that no one ever uses, Itachi had decided to stand guard to make sure they are not interrupted.

"Do you have any idea what your husband has been doing behind close doors?"

"No and why, what's going on?" Mikoto can tell that Tsuyoi is not fooling around.

"There is to be a coup tonight, at midnight. Only thing, there is to be an assassin who has been assigned to stop the coup before it can start. Your husband is the ring leader, he has put you and your family in danger."

Severus lets the message sink in before he continues, he notices that Mikoto is paling at the information.

"What...what do you suggest?" Mikoto asks looking well petrified.

"Itachi and myself have decided that if Fugaku were to be taken out then there is no way for the coup to happen, unless of course, they are so invested into this endeavor. Then there is no stopping what is to come, all I will able to do is gather all those that do not wish to join and protect them within one household."

"How can you-"

"Just trust me on this Mikoto," Severus uses her first name, "I can do a lot that you do not know about."

"You're not 16 are you." It was more a statement but he nodded anyways, there is no point in lying to the woman whose life he is trying to save.

"I am indeed 30 in mind and abilities, I have some how returned back to 16 when I was brought here."

"I guessed as much..." Mikoto whispers, "Are you going to kill him?"

"No." He answers swiftly, "Just lock him up with chakra suppressing cuffs, my design, based off of magic suppressing cuffs back from where I am from. I do not condone needless violence when there are ways other wise."

"Thank you, do what you can."

Severus watches as Mikoto leaves the room while Itachi walks in, a sour look upon the boys face. He can tell that Itachi does not like the decision he has made,

"What Itachi?"

"Do we have to leave the monster alive, he is nothing but a burden to my family."

"Yes we do or we are no different from him...I-I dealt with a monster like him back in my country or time, he was no different than your father."

Severus knows Itachi wants to argue with him but he knows logic will win this battle, he lays a hand on Itachi's shoulder.

"We will overcome this problem without a massacre, ok?"

He watches Itachi nod in recognition, he sighs in relief knowing Itachi will make no move against his plans. There will be no coup so long as he is here, he will not see his new family destroyed because of some buffed up man thinking he has the right to control things.