It was early in the morning, and light was streaming through the narrow windows of the Slytherin dungeons into Itachi's bedroom, probably some spell that allowed light to shine even in the dungeon. He woke up as usual, no sudden awakenings, his eyes opened calmly and collected. He didn't feel the slightest bit sleepy, his body, like a fine-tuned clockwork, was ready for action.
He slowly sat up on the bed. The events of the previous day, including the conversation with Theodore, flashed through his mind like pictures that he went over and analyzed. He felt no fear, anger, or anxiety, only a sober assessment of the situation.
As he dressed, his eyes scrutinized the room. He looked for any sign that he might have been searched or checked. He knew that Dumbledore or the other professors could have used any way they could to get information on him. But everything was in its proper place.
Finished with his morning rituals, he left his bedroom and made his way to the common room of the inn. It was still quite early, and most of the Slytherin students were still asleep. Theodore was no exception, he was still in the arms of Morpheus. He wasn't going to wake him up.
Sitting down at one of the tables by the fireplace, he pulled out his spell book.
The professors, and especially Dumbledore, would be watching him, there was no doubt about that.
He flipped through a few pages of the textbook, but what he was really doing was analyzing his surroundings.
Finally it was time for breakfast and he had to put the book away without reading a line.
It was time to leave the common room, his steps were quiet and measured, as if he was treading on thin ice. He did not hurry, he did not run, his movements were full of grace and awareness in every step.
The first thing that caught his attention was the chatter of the other Slytherins. They were discussing the events of the previous night in whispers, and he picked up scraps of phrases:
"...troll..."
"Wow."
"Dumbledore."
He didn't linger, not giving the appearance of hearing their conversation.
Then, as he walked down one of the corridors, he saw two upperclassmen, Ravenclaw boys, hurriedly running away, hiding their textbooks behind their backs. Itachi tilted his head slightly. There was something suspicious about their haste.
He further noticed several Hufflepuff sophomores discussing something while standing by the portrait. Out of the corner of his eye, Itachi noticed the lady wink at one of them. He was curious as to what that meant, but he didn't give it much thought, deciding it wasn't that big of a deal.
As he approached the Great Hall, he saw several upperclassmen from Gryffindor, including Harry Potter, arguing animatedly about something.
Inside, the hall was already 1/4 full of students. The tables were set and the smell of fresh breakfast was in the air.
He slowly reached for his breakfast, leisurely and unhurried, his movements full of grace and composure.
He listened to the conversations, analyzing facial expressions, looking for any information about reactions to the previous night's events.
He expected the students to pester him with questions, prying for details of his encounter with the troll. He was prepared for curiosity and perhaps even disbelief. But to his surprise, no one approached him with questions. The Slytherin students exchanged glances and quiet phrases, but didn't dare approach him. The other faculties were also behaving as usual.
Such behavior could only mean one thing: the events of the previous night had been deliberately covered up.
Determined to find out for himself what the others knew, he leaned slightly toward the nearest Slytherin, a third-year whose name he didn't know, and asked:
"What do they say about the troll?".
Apparently not expecting this the boy crumpled slightly.
"They say a troll showed up in the dungeon, but the professors dealt with it quickly. No one was hurt."
"That's it?"
"Yes, that's exactly what I heard."
A Ravenclaw student, a fifth year I think, told the same story as if she was reading it from a piece of paper.
"The professors dealt with the troll quickly, thank Merlin no one was hurt."
'They're all saying the same thing,' Itachi thought to himself.
It was all over, the professors laid out the official version of events so as not to sow panic among the students. It made sense, because finding out that a freshman had handled a troll might not be good for Hogwarts' reputation.
"For the best," he thought, finishing his breakfast.
This official version worked in his favor, without drawing unnecessary attention to him. He could continue his work quietly, staying in the shadows.
Finishing his breakfast, he turned his gaze to the Gryffindor table. Harry, Ron, and Hermione were whispering amongst themselves: they knew the truth.
He slowly stood up and got ready to go to class, but before he left, he glanced at the teacher's desk.
Dumbledore wasn't there.
It was... unsettling.
He was walking to his first class, but his attention was not on the schedule, but on his surroundings. He felt like he was being watched, and it annoyed him.
At first he thought it was the usual stares of other students, but something was wrong.
The portraits hanging on the walls were more active than usual. They were watching him, their eyes fixed on him, they whispered as he passed by.
One of the portraits, depicting some prim knight, stared at him defiantly, his gaze following him. Itachi quickened his step slightly, hoping to escape his gaze.
He didn't like being watched, he was used to being in control, and now he seemed to be trapped.
He tried to turn away from the paintings, but they kept up. As he walked down one of the narrow corridors, he saw a portrait of a proud aristocrat and bent down to get a better look at it.
"Annoying."
He finally reached his classroom and exhaled, sinking into a reverie.
His joy was short-lived. On the wall hung a portrait of some important professor, and of course his gaze was fixed on it.
The lesson began, but his attention was divided between the professor and the annoying picture.
He continued with the class, trying to ignore the pictures.
All day long, wherever he went, the pictures followed him. Apparently they thought he didn't notice them.
There was only one class left, Potions with Snape, and he knew it would be his last class for the day.
As he reached the Potions room, he felt the tension ease a little. There were no bright lights here, only the dim flicker of torches and the faint glow of boiling cauldrons. The dungeon was semi-dark, and Itachi found it refreshing after a day spent being impressed by ghostly paintings. Here, however, there were no portraits or eyes following him, and it was like a breath of fresh air.
He sat down at the table and pulled out the ingredients. There was silence, broken only by the faint crackling of the fire and the whispering of boiling potions. He didn't look at Snape, but he could feel his gaze on him.
He started, and his movements were precise and sure. He measured each ingredient carefully, following the directions in the textbook.
He felt safer here, in the semi-darkness of the dungeon, than in the other classrooms. But Snape. Snape was everywhere. His black eyes seemed to penetrate his very soul.
Classes were going on as usual, Snape was strict, but suddenly..... BANG!
Seamus' cauldron exploded, splattering the desk and surrounding students with a sticky green slurry. Several students shrieked and recoiled.
Snape, who was sitting at his desk, immediately turned around, his black eyes flashing contempt as always. He cast a contemptuous glance around the room, in the center of which, covered in slime, stood Seamus.
"Finnigan," Snape began, his voice like an icy wind.
"You obviously think blowing up a cauldron is a worthy activity in potions class? Muggle pyrotechnics must be more fascinating to you than the art of creating elixirs."
"No wonder your elixir turned into a vile potion! It seems like you are completely careless. Incorrect dosage, not following the order in which you added the ingredients..."
"I apologize, Professor..."
"Apologizing won't help you fix the table! Or fix the elixir you've tainted! " - Snape hissed.
"You will stay after class and clean your seat and your cauldron. And not just your own. And to make sure you learn something next time, you are to make a detailed report on the safety rules of potions, including the specifics of how to use each ingredient. I hope you at least do it properly, otherwise..."
Snape fell meaningfully silent.
"Even here there is no peace."
Itachi's mind flashed
Finished with the potion, he set the cauldron on Snape's desk.
The man looked over his work without saying a word and nodded. He wasn't pleased, but he wasn't displeased either.
Snape removed him from the lesson.
Theodore was sitting at his desk reading something, but when he saw him, he looked up sharply and their gazes met.
A silence full of tension hung between them. They both realized that their relationship had changed and now there was an invisible wall between them. The awkwardness was almost palpable.
They hadn't spoken all day, you'd think they were ignoring each other on purpose.
They were silent for a while, trying not to look at each other.
"What are your plans for tomorrow?"
Itachi was the first to break the silence.
"I don't know, I haven't decided yet," he replied, trying to sound casual, but there was an awkwardness in his voice.
"Do you have any plans?"
"Decided to try a new potion. Found an interesting recipe in the library."
Theodore raised an eyebrow in surprise as if remembering something.
"But don't you know? Tomorrow is the first Quidditch match of the year!"
Itachi froze for a moment. He had actually forgotten. He had been so absorbed in his thoughts and plans that he had completely overlooked the event.
"Really?"
"Yes. Slytherin is playing against Gryffindor. Everyone's going to watch."
Quidditch didn't interest him, but he knew it was an important event.
"Then maybe I'll watch it too."
"Are you serious? You're not usually interested in sports."
"Let's see if anything has changed."
Their awkward conversation was interrupted by Professor Snape in his stern voice
"And what do I see? You do not appear to see fit to leave my lab immediately, but rather, as I observe, have chosen to engage in a lively conversation with your... friend? And what is it you're chatting about, I wonder? My methods? Or perhaps you're discussing the best way to create a potion to increase your Intelligence?" his tone was, as always, venomous.
Then his gaze slid to Theodore.
"Mr. Nott. Is it just me, or have you also decided that time for fun is more important than potion making? I see your work is still on the table, untouched."
He slowly walked around the table, eyeing his "creation".
" I see you didn't even bother to finish it. And this despite the fact that the recipe is elementary. Do you really think chatting with your buddy is more important than trying to improve your already meager potions skills a little? Or do you think that your natural abilities are so superior that you don't need to make any effort?
He cast Theodore a contemptuous look.
"Now, stop wasting my time and get to work. Your conversations are on hold until you can show some signs of Success."
Itachi and Theodore fell silent and simply nodded to each other putting this conversation aside for later.
After leaving the potions class.
He headed to the library to research a new potion recipe, but on the way, strange noises caught his attention.
He was walking down one of the corridors on the second floor when he heard muffled voices and vague rustling. He stopped, alert, and listened. The sounds were coming from behind an old, unremarkable door that was clearly locked.
Slowly approaching the door, he discerned more distinct voices.
Quickly realizing what was going on, he wanted to leave the scene.
But then a quiet, trembling voice broke through the noise.
"Don't, please..." The voice was so faint he almost thought he was imagining it. Maybe it was just an echo of his own experiences? But something in that quiet whisper made him stop. Had he really just heard it?
He didn't want to pry, but if something bad was going on in there... He couldn't just pass it by.
The decision had been made. With a heavy sigh, he reached over to the doorknob.
And taking out his wand, he whispered a simple unlocking spell and carefully opened the door.
The sight before his eyes was like an icy shower. In a cramped, dusty room, amidst old furniture and scattered belongings, a gruesome scene was unfolding. Four students. Two upperclassmen from Cogtevran, whose faces were distorted by lust, stood smirking. The third, a Gryffindor unfamiliar to him, looked around in confusion but made no attempt to stop what was happening. And at the center of this whole nightmare was a little girl. A freshman or sophomore, judging by her frightened face and trembling lips. Her top was lying crumpled on the dirty floor along with her robe that indicated her Gryffindor origins, and the boys around her had almost taken off their pants. Their postures, their greedy stares, their insolent smirks - everything screamed violence. Something dirty and disgusting that shouldn't happen within the walls of Hogwarts. Itachi felt rage boiling up inside.
The unlocking of the creaking door did not go unnoticed
"What are you doing here?" - One of the Ravenclaws hissed, his voice shaking.
Itachi didn't say anything, all his attention was on the girl.
Her skin Brown skin giving her a slight golden hue. Her thick, blonde hair falls down over her shoulders in waves, reminiscent of a waterfall. It's slightly tangled in her current position.
Her blue eyes are as deep as the summer sky. At the moment, they sparkle with fear.
Thin eyebrows arched gracefully, the celestial azure of her eyes, and plump lips tinted with gloss.
"You're a beautiful girl."
"But why do you let yourself give yourself away like a visiting whore to three strange guys? Don't you realize you're worth more than that?"
The Gryffindor and Ravenclaw glanced over, their faces poured with anger.
"Don't listen to him."
"He's just a kid, doesn't realize that adults do that all the time. It's normal, just a bit of fun."
"Yeah, he's just jealous that we're having fun and he's the only one here."
Itachi frowned. He wasn't interested in their excuses. He realized that not only were they breaking the rules, but they were using the girl as a whore for their own pleasure.
The Gryffindor raised his voice then, his tone a little more defiant than his companions.
"Look, we can work this out," he said, trying to smile.
"Just join us and we'll forget about it, okay? It's just a little fun."
"Yeah, just join us, no need to ruin it."
He couldn't believe what they were offering him. Not only were they pedophiles, but they wanted to involve him in their affairs. The disgust he felt increased a hundredfold.
"I'm not participating in your games," his voice was quiet, but full of danger.
At that moment, Itachi saw in the girl's eyes not only confusion and shame, but also despair. She was being used, and she didn't want it herself. In that instant, he made a decision.
He didn't say anything more. Grabbing his wand, he cast a lightning-fast stun spell, aiming it at the boys. They fell to the floor unconscious before they even realized what had happened.
"Get dressed."
"And don't ever let anyone treat you like a thing again."
The girl nodded, her eyes full of gratitude. She began to hurriedly get dressed, trying not to look at him and quickly ran off.
Itachi left the room, leaving the boys on the floor. Closing the door with a spell, he headed for the nearest portrait hanging in the hallway. Turning to the painting, he summoned one of the professors, and soon Professor McGonagall appeared at his call.
Briefly and clearly, without omitting a single detail, he described the situation and explained exactly what he had done to the boys. He didn't add any unnecessary emotion or talk about his feelings about what was going on. He simply stated the facts.
Professor McGonagall, after listening to him, thanked him for his vigilance and quick response. She promised that the case would be looked into and those responsible would be punished.
He walked the professor to the correct door and watched as she summoned the inspectors on the spot to take the boys away. He saw the disgust in her eyes.
The boys were taken out and he had no doubt that such idiots would be expelled from the school.
After everything that had happened at the locked door, his mood soured. He couldn't get the picture he had seen, the hypocrisy of the boys, or the way the girl had allowed herself to be used out of his mind. He felt disgusted and tired, and his only desire was to go back to his room to be alone and process everything that had happened.
He headed back to the dungeons, trying to ignore everything that was going on around him. But luckily, he wasn't destined to just make it to his room. Draco Malfoy stood in his way, blocking his path. Draco was dressed impeccably as always, his blonde hair perfectly styled and a smug smile playing across his face.
"So, Itachi," his voice was mocking.
"Going to bed already? Are you really that tired from the day?"
"None of your business," he replied, trying not to show his irritation.
"Really, you know tomorrow is a big day. First Quidditch game of the year, Slytherin vs. Gryffindor!"
Itachi rolled his eyes. He had absolutely no interest in Quidditch, especially after everything that had happened. He could barely contain the urge to ignore Draco and move on.
"So are you going to go cheer for us or are you going to hide in your room?"
"I'm not interested in Quidditch."
"I have better things to do."
Draco frowned, the smile sliding off his face.
"What business could be more important than Slytherin winning?"
He decided it would be easier to just agree and get it over with.
"Yeah, I'll be at the game."
"Me and Theodore."
"Really? Yeah, that's good."
'Circumstances have changed,' he said, trying to look indifferent. He didn't go into detail and explain why his opinion had changed.
Draco grinned, his smug smile returning to his face.
"Well then, very good. I'm glad you've changed your mind, perhaps after seeing our game you'll come to your senses and realize what a chance you missed."
Draco took a step to the side, letting Itachi pass, but gave him one last smug look.
He finally made it to his room and closed the door behind him. He was relieved to be alone, but his mood was still ruined. He couldn't forget that scene, couldn't understand how people could be so heartless.
He sat down on the bed and closed his eyes, trying to calm himself down. He knew he had to distract himself to mind his own business, but it was as if his thoughts were stuck in the past, keeping him busy.
Suddenly, like a lightning strike, a thought flashed through his mind:
"Why have I gotten so emotional?" He opened his eyes and frowned, his gaze full of wonder and introspection.
Thinking back to his past, his time in the ANBU, where he had behaved in a cold-blooded and ruthless manner. He remembered how he used women of easy behavior as pawns in his game to distract his enemies and achieve his goals. He felt no compassion or pity for them, only cold calculation. Yes, he may have felt sad that they existed under such conditions, but it was only a fleeting feeling that he easily dismissed. He would never stand up for a strange girl the way he did today.
"What's happening to me?"
"Why did I react so strongly to this situation? Why am I so hurt by these guys' behavior? Why do I feel disgusted and angry?"
He tried to find the answer in his past, but he couldn't. All of his past behaviors had been based on logic, on necessity, on accomplishing a goal.
But here at Hogwarts, it was different. He felt like a different person. Like he had become more open to the world. The thought frightened him.
Suddenly another thought popped into his head. What if it wasn't his decision, but his body? What if it was his body, the new, immature body of a teenager that was more prone to emotions? Children, teenagers, tend to be more emotional than adults.
Damn, if this theory turns out to be true, I'll be going through adolescence, hormones!"
The thought brought up mixed feelings. On the one hand, it was fun and a little scary to imagine how it would all play out, but on the other hand, the realization that he had no control over his reactions was unsettling.
And then, like a bursting waterfall, his mind was flooded with memories of all the horrors of puberty. He remembered the stories of other shinobi about their "uncontrollable" emotions, their constant mood swings, their ridiculous crushes that blinded them and made them do stupid things. He remembered how his former ANBU comrades blushed at simple compliments, how they argued about everything and made mistakes that made them sick.
In the past world He controlled his body with the help of chakra dispersing it throughout his body.
He needed a distraction.
He couldn't just stare at the stars, like he could in Gryffindor or Clawtevran tower. He was in the dungeons, where there were no windows.
He walked over to one of the small windows in his room and peered through it. All that was visible there was darkness. But in the reflection of the window he saw his face, and in it he saw sadness. That was enough.
He remembered how often he had gazed at the stars with his brother Sasuke. They liked to spend nights on the roof of their house, telling each other different stories, making plans for the future. He remembered how they had dreamed of the future together, how he had promised to always protect him.
He remembered Sasuke's smile, his cheerful laughter and devoted eyes. He could only hope that Sasuke was all right, that he was alive and well.
He thought of how much he wished he could see Sasuke, talk to him, hug him. His heart was tearing toward his brother, toward his home.
He stood there for a moment longer, looking at his reflection until the cold air started to get under his clothes.
His eyes were already starting to close, and at the last moment, before falling into sleep, another thought popped into his head.
"I wonder if I'll have a brother in this life too...?"
With that thought, he closed his eyes and sank into the darkness of sleep, full of vague images of the past, worries about the future and hopes for the present.