The hottest day of summer so far was drew to a close, as night fell about Grimmauld Place in a dark cloak, and Harry felt that life was great, even as a drowsy silence lay over the large houses in Grimmauld Place. Cars that were usually gleaming stood dusty in the driveway, flowerbeds that were once emerald green lay parched and yellowing. But even as the Muggles around him despaired, Harry felt great.

He himself was resting on the new red and gold couch that his godfather had bought. Overtime, Sirius had thrown out everything that connected him to the Blacks, including sacking the house elf that had shuffled about for the first few days, muttering of blood traitors before Sirius lost his temper and threw the screaming elf out, telling him he was fired, and free so 'TAKE THE DAMN SOCK AND GET OUT OF MY LIFE!'

"STOP WHINING!" He had snapped at the annoying portrait of his mother before losing his temper yet again and allowing Harry to set it on fire. The screaming portrait was burnt to ashes as the last gouts of flame vanished from Harry's mouth.

Harry himself had been annoyed by the said portrait and elf the whole summer, and he gleefully cooperated with Sirius to get rid of the joint nuisance. Soon after that, the house was fairly tame now. The one reason why the house was so clean so soon was that the majority of the Hogwarts teachers had come around and help Harry, Sirius and Lupin clean up.

Lupin, for now, was gone. He had left that morning while Harry was still starting on his blueberry pancakes saying that he was going to run a few errands. Sirius was gone as well, on another shopping spree to redecorate the House, no doubt.

Instead of the molting green and silver theme that was the House's previous appearance, Sirius had decided to completely redecorate, turning the house into a home of vibrant golds and reds. He even replaced the furniture and polished up the ancient oak paneling. With Alastor Moody's help, they had gotten rid of anything that had grown in the House since the death of Sirius' mother.

Right now, Harry tore his gaze away from the polished windows and stood up as he began to head for the kitchen. He walked down a flight of narrow stone steps, cleaned daily by Dobby, whom Harry had been relieved to see at the bottom.

Dobby had been hired by Professor Dumbledore to be Harry Potter's house-elf. Dobby had agreed enthusiastically. Now, instead of a 'walking piece of overgrown moss' as Sirius called Kreacher, they had a fully efficient and most willing House-elf.

"Hi, Dobby." Harry said as he reached the bottom. The House-elf looked up from his work; a steaming cauldron of stew that smelled delicious. Said House-elf looked up and smiled as he hurried over to Harry.

"All alright, Mister Harry Potter? Does Mister Harry Potter want a small snack before dinner?" Dobby squealed. "Dobby can make Mister Harry Potter a snack…"

Harry smiled. "Thanks Dobby, but for now, I want to know where Sirius is. Did he check in with you before he left?"

Dobby blinked and shook his head. "Mister Black did not tell Dobby where he was. Dobby has not seen Mister Black anywhere since this morning."

Harry's face fell, and he nodded. "Thanks Dobby." Turning on his heel, he left, going back up the flight of stone steps, past the living room and outside in the cool night. He just felt like walking, after all.

Well, that wasn't the only reason. Sirius and Lupin had been gone for two days now. Harry knew they were busy, but still…Harry could not help but wonder what they were doing.

Blinking, Harry walked down the avenue, hands in his pockets and fingering his wand.

Uchiha Itachi settled down and talked to his younger brother like he had before, when he was about to go on a mission. Sasuke was blinking sleepily, yawning as he was carried to bed and tucked in with a stuffed weasel that Fugaku resented. A stuffed shuriken was left on the floor.

Sasuke clearly showed a marked preference for the weasel plushie Itachi had given him from a fair a year ago. The plushie in question, had a squinty look in its eyes, and seemed to be wearing, of all things, a cape.

A cape wearing Weasel did not help Fugaku's attempts to make his son MANLY.

Itachi however found it quite cute, mostly because Sasuke named the thing after him. He was now kneeling beside the sleepy boy, and Sasuke was pretty much taking the news well, as he was sleepy and did not seem to process the idea that his brother would be gone for a year.

"I'll bring you something when I come back." Itachi said, tucking him in and handing him his stuffed shuriken out of habit. "I'll be gone for a year, but I'll write back and I'll try to come visit you in between missions as much as I can, or maybe I can bring you there. Kakashi-sempai said the people are fairly nice to children. Would you like that, Little Brother?"

Sasuke nodded sleepily.

"Dumbledore-san's permission will be needed, but I think you'll be able to get there anyway. I'll have to go and ask sooner or later. Can you wait that long, little brother?"

Sasuke grinned and nodded before drifting off to sleep.

The next day, August 1st, Itachi donned his ANBU uniform and headed over to the Hokage's Tower. He decided to leave early and visit Kakashi-sempai. While it was not well known, Kakashi and Itachi trusted only in each other, a level that Fugaku severely disapproved of.

Kakashi-sempai's apartment smelled oddly of dog. The musty smell of a place that wasn't cleaned out often enough and the scent of old paper from all of his books. Itachi knew this as Kakashi-san's window was open, allowing the junior ANBU to enter discreetly.

"Kakashi-sempai." Itachi began, landing on the wooden floor with ease. "They gave me that mission you were sent on last time."

Kakashi looked up from staring distractedly into his ramen. "Well, most of the people there seem to be nice, except for Snape, you'll know him by his tendency to wear black and a face that's permanently constipated."

"Anyone else?" Itachi asked. Kakashi nodded. "Argus Filch, the caretaker, and his stupid cat, Mrs. Norris. She keeps hissing at me, while I was henge'd as the teacher. Also, the new arrival might not be good. Dumbledore would've approved if that candidate was half decent. Clearly, it was not so."

Itachi blinked and looked Kakashi over. "You seem distracted." It was a statement, and Kakashi nodded.

"Just thinking. Of snow. They're sending me on a mission to the Snow Country next week, to guard a real princess." Kakashi said. "It's pretty much high-profile. I'm sort of wondering what the princess even looks like."

Itachi allowed a small smile to grace his lips. "They're supposed to be pretty."

Kakashi nodded. "But they're supposed to be snobbish too, right? All that high-breeding seeps deep into their brains."

Itachi thought of his own relatives, and he nodded in agreement. "That could be. Well…Good luck Kakashi-sempai."

With that, he was gone.