Am currently writing with a bad wrist, so bear with me if there are any typos.

Uchiha Itachi crossed the remaining distance with a few well-timed leaps. In no time at all, he had arrived. The Hokage's Tower stood, high and noble, with the early morning's sun shining off the Tower with a rosy haze.

Making sure his gear was in check, ANBU Weasel slipped his mask over his head and headed inside.

There was hardly anyone inside at this time. Uchiha Itachi stared up at a mounted clock. He blinked as he noticed the time. Without further fuss, he ran up the stairs, taking them by twos as he ran. There was a change of decoration, from white-washed walls to tatami mats and elaborate designs. Itachi kept running, hardly taking note of the change in scene and began counting the doors. One of them led to the Hokage's Office.

Upon reaching Door number 23, Itachi halted and took a few breaths to compose himself. Reaching over to make sure his hair was still organized, Itachi calmly knocked.

"Hokage-sama? I was told you wanted to see me." Itachi said, even as the doors were opening. "ANBU Weasel reporting for duty."

"Oh good." Said a voice. "I was hoping you would agree to my proposal." The voice was strange, with a weird accent to the Japanese. There was a cough. "Oh excuse me. I'm not that much of an early riser, hard to get up in the cold morning, you see."

The door was fully open. Itachi gazed at the solemn old man with the blue eyes as the man in the dress(?) coughed and then perfected his Japanese.

"Albus Dumbledore, at your service." Said he, bowing so low that half of his beard lay on the ground. He rose, and Itachi saw that his eyes were twinkling once more, with a solemn shine to it.

"The Hokage tells me you are willing?" Dumbledore asked. Itachi glanced to where the Hokage sat behind his imposing oak desk, dark clouds billowing up from the pipe he was smoking. His Hokage gave a nod, and Itachi returned the nod to the stranger.

"Hai, Dumbledore-san," Itachi said. "My services are yours, but I would ask a boon, if I may."

Dumbledore gave a nod and spread his robed arms wide, a bright light in his eyes. It was laughter, Itachi realized, even as he looked upon this strange being. "You may."

Itachi licked his lips behind the mask. "I want my brother to visit me every…" He seemed to struggle with the word. "…holiday, if you would allow it."

Dumbledore gave an approving nod. "Of course, of course. Anything for Hogwarts' loyal guards."

Itachi looked at the Hokage. The old man gave a shrug, meaning that it was Itachi's choice to accept this proposal.

Itachi returned his gaze to the old man in the strange robe. He weighted him for a while, measuring his options. Finally, after a sparse amount of time, Itachi gave a nod.

Dumbledore clapped his hands together, sending his strange dress' huge billowing sleeves flying. "Splendid! You will start today. What shall I call you?"

Uchiha Itachi thought for a second before speaking. "Weasel."

Dumbledore looked at him, the twinkling quality in his eyes again. Annoyed, Itachi felt he wanted to get the stick that was hanging from the man's belt and shove it in his annoying blue eyes. Laughter….he shivered mentally before speaking in a short clipped tone.

"What?"

The man laughed. "Your true name, my friend. You will start today, and will end your duties by June, so I must know your name if I shall be given your service for a year."

Itachi pouted behind the mask. He looked constricted. In ANBU, to give your name was like you were asking to be killed, and yet, Kakashi-sempai had seen fit to give this foreigner his name, and Kakashi-sempai survived in that barbarian country…

Itachi growled for a few seconds before speaking. "Uchiha Itachi, Dumbledore-san."

Dumbledore gave that annoying smile and the accursed twinkle. "Good, good. If we may leave, Sarutobi?"

The Hokage smiled from behind a plume of thick smoke. For a moment, Itachi thought the old man must've set himself on fire. "Of course. Into the fire, Itachi."

Itachi blinked. Were they tricking him? He was not THAT stupid, thank-you-very-much. He shook his head. "I have not yet packed." He said as an excuse. "May I head home?"

Dumbledore-san took out a strange watch. Itachi craned his neck over to look at it. It was an old little contraption, filled with planets and stars spinning so far it was a blur. Apparently, it must've made sense to the strange old man, for he nodded an approval before stowing it away in one of the two thick voluminous sleeves of his.

"Very well, we shall meet by the Hero's Stone, agreed?"

Itachi gave a nod and vanished in a puff of smoke.

Sirius Black roamed Diagon Alley, his black robes making him painfully obvious in the colorful people filled streets of Diagon Alley. He shoved past people, muttering darkly under his breath.

"….dammit Snape…all your fault…" He growled continuously. He shoved past a particularly plump witch before turning on his heel and walking into Knockturn Alley. He shook off the street peddlers with a particular relish before turning and running up a black staircase, his black robe easily blending in. He ducked into a niche, and waited, easily blending in.

After a while, a squad of Death Eaters passed, moving silently through the street. Sirius Black waited, gripping his wand tightly and murmuring under his breath, too low for the Death Eaters to hear.

"Not yet…not yet…"

The last Death Eater passed by, and Sirius quickly sprang out of his hiding place, wielding his wand like a sword as he jabbed it square onto the robed back of the Death Eater.

"NOW! Investigo!"

The Death Eater roared in pain as sharp hissing smoke darted from Sirius' wand point and hit the Death Eater. A millisecond later, Sirius turned and ran, oblivious to the shouts of furious Death Eaters behind him as he held on to a Portkey shaped like a river stone around his neck on a leather thong.

There was a flash of light as he turned the corner, and then he was gone.

Mission accomplished.