The Boy Who Watches

Theodore, having left Itachi in the Vyruchai Room, plunged headlong into his mission of gathering rumors throughout the castle. He wandered the corridors, peering now and then into the library, dining hall, and faculty lounges, trying to remain a discreet observer. His ears were strained, every word, every whisper that flew by did not escape his attention.

Mostly the conversations revolved around one name, Harry Potter. Everyone was in awe of how this freshman boy, in his first year, was able to defeat the experienced wizard Quirrell, who, taught defense against the dark arts.Theodore heard some admiring Harry's bravery, others - his magical abilities, others - just discussing this incredible case.

"Can you believe he beat him in first year!" - said one fifth year student to his friend.

 "Yeah, that's just unthinkable! Quirrell was an accomplished wizard, after all, and he even taught Defense Against the Dark Arts! - replied another. - How could this happen?"

In the library, he overheard a couple of girls discussing Harry enthusiastically.

 "He's so brave, a real hero," one of them was saying. 

In the dining hall, at lunchtime, the chatter also continued unabated. 

"They say he fought Quirrell in the dungeons," one of the students was saying.

 "Yes, he wasn't afraid to go there and save the Philosopher's Stone!" - exclaimed his friend. 

"Dumbledore said we should be proud of students like him!"

Theodore listened to all of this. He felt that all these rumors, while important, didn't give a complete picture of what had happened. It bothered him that no one had mentioned Itachi, as if his involvement in these events had never happened. He continued to wander around the castle, gathering information, and hoping that he could learn something that would help Itachi.

Theodore continued his rounds of the castle, making sure not to miss a single detail. He peered into every corner, listening to every conversation, but to his surprise, there wasn't a single hint of anything that might concern Itachi anywhere. All the talk still revolved around Harry Potter and his heroic act and how he had defeated Quirrell.

He hadn't heard about anyone's wand being found in the dungeon, nor had he heard about the Marbles looking for anyone. It was as if all of Itachi's involvement in these events had been erased from his memory, as if he hadn't been there at all. It was strange and even frightened Theodore, because Itachi had been not just an eyewitness, but a participant in the event. Why didn't anyone talk about him? Did everyone just forget about him, or was he deliberately hiding his participation in the event?

Theodore, feeling the growing uneasiness and strangeness of what was happening, decided to return to the common room of his faculty. 

 As soon as he entered the common room, however, his eyes were immediately drawn to Malfoy, who was sitting in an armchair by the fireplace, surrounded by his trusty sidekicks, Crabbe and Goyle. Malfoy was talking excitedly, and Theodore hoped that he wouldn't notice him and he could slip quietly into his room.

Alas, his hopes were not destined to come true. Malfoy, as if sensing Theodore's presence, suddenly turned his head and, spotting him, immediately called out.

"Hey, Nott! What are you staggering around for?" - he uttered, his tone was.... Normal?

Theodore sighed to himself, feeling his plans falling apart. He didn't have time for Malfoy at all, but he knew he would have to answer. He slowly turned to Malfoy, trying not to give away his irritation and pulling an obviously strained smile onto his face.

"Malfoy," he said, trying to sound as casual as possible

"I just decided to rest for a while. Is something wrong?" 

Malfoy, to Theodore's surprise, spoke without the usual mockery in his voice. His tone was more concerned than defiant. 

"Nott, have you seen the Uchiha? It's been the third day he's been gone. Do you know where he is?"

Theodore, completely not expecting such a turn, froze. He was lost in thought for a moment, trying to come up with a plausible explanation.

 "Uh... no, I honestly haven't seen it. But... you don't know? Itachi's just... exploring the castle. After all, everyone's leaving soon, the year is ending. So he's taking his free time to look around, find something interesting, gather information, so to speak. From morning till night, you know? That's how he spends his time." Theodore tried to speak calmly, but he was seething inside. Why was Malfoy asking about Itachi? And why now? Something was definitely wrong.

Malfoy seemed to accept Theodore's explanation, though he looked a little unsure. He nodded thoughtfully, as if pondering what he had heard, and then changed the subject to another, equally debated event.

"Okay," Malfoy said, and there was no longer the same wariness in his voice. 

 What do you think of Potter's act? Unbelievable, isn't it? How did that boy manage to beat Quirrell?"

Theodore, slightly exhaled from the change of topic, tried to answer as neutrally as possible while trying not to give away his true thoughts. 

"Well," he began, pretending to consider the question carefully. - Dumbledore said he was brave and talented. Apparently he is. Since he defeated a wizard who was considered very strong."

Theodore was silent for a moment, trying to find the words. 

"I think it's certainly amazing. And certainly commands respect when a freshman shows so much courage." He spoke dryly, avoiding any specific assessment, not wanting to either praise Harry or belittle his accomplishments. He couldn't understand what exactly Malfoy was trying to accomplish, so he decided to keep a neutral stance. 

"But... what can I say? We were all in shock, and no one expected this to happen. It's been a very strange year."

Malfoy nodded in agreement, but added nothing more, and turned and walked away with his henchmen. Theodore, exhaling, was finally able to feel relief. He watched silently as they left the room, and then quickly made his way towards Itachi.

Upon returning to Itachi, Theodore found him sitting in a chair, leaning over a book. Theodore walked over to him, placed a hand on his shoulder and spoke softly

 "Itachi, I've walked around the castle. No one is looking for you."

Itachi, without lifting his head from the book, nodded briefly. 

 "Good," Itachi whispered, keeping his eyes on the pages. Theodore stood for a moment longer, making sure Itachi was okay.

Theodore, noticing Itachi immersed in his reading, quietly sat down next to him and asked

 "How are the wounds? Better yet?" He looked at Itachi carefully, trying to catch even the slightest sign of pain or discomfort.

Itachi put the book aside, looked at Theodore, and nodded with a slight smile.

 "Yeah, it's fine," he replied, his voice sounding calm and confident. 

 Almost no pain at all. The healing spells helped. I'll be good as new soon." He rose from his chair and stretched his shoulders and arms, showing that he was indeed feeling much better.

"Great," Theodore replied, breathing a sigh of relief

 He was silent for a moment, and then continued: 

"Toward evening, when it gets dark, we'll both return to our living room. If you are still wanted, we will need to leave the castle somehow. And if not... that's honestly even more frightening."

Itachi nodded in agreement, his gaze turning serious. 

"I agree," he said, frowning thoughtfully. 

- Dumbledore obviously couldn't have missed my wand when I dropped it, but why isn't he saying anything? It's very suspicious." He circled the room with his eyes, as if contemplating what was happening. 

The evening passed surprisingly quietly. Itachi and Theodore returned to the faculty lounge, trying to act normal, but tension was simmering inside them. They pretended that everything was fine, chatting with the other students, pretending to study, but their minds were occupied with something else entirely. They were constantly looking around, listening to every rustle, waiting for the Aurors to burst into the living room and arrest Itachi.

When night came, they could not sleep. They lay in their beds, staring up at the ceiling, each in his own thoughts, and waiting, as if they were conspiring. They waited for the doors to their bedroom to swing open at any moment, and for the darksiders to burst into the room and come after Itachi. They waited for the creak of floorboards under heavy boots, for a sharp shout, for an order to get up and follow them.

They sat there until morning, waiting, but no one came. The night passed in anticipation, anxiety gripping them both, but no one came. Morning greeted them with silence and sunlight streaming through the windows, but relief never came. The silence was even more frightening than the anticipation of arrest. 

Why hadn't anyone come? Had they been left alone? Or was this just the calm before the storm?

Itachi and Theodore, with obvious bags under their eyes and a tired look, moved to the Great Hall for breakfast. They felt exhausted and broken, but tried not to show it. It was business as usual in the hall, with students eating, talking, laughing, and of course gossiping about Harry Potter and his incredible feat.

Itachi noticed that Ron and Hermione were sitting at the Gryffindor table, but Harry Potter was not with them. Where he had gone or why he wasn't there, Itachi didn't know, but it added anxiety to his already tense state. Suddenly, when everyone was almost finished with breakfast, Dumbledore rose from his table and asked for silence. His voice was calm and commanding as always, but Itachi and Theodore's heart twitched with anxiety.

Dumbledore began to speak: 

"I have an important announcement to make," he pronounced, circling all the students with his gaze. There was complete silence in the Great Hall, all eyes fixed on the Headmaster. Itachi and Theodore looked over at each other, tense to the max. Did Dumbledore really want to arrest Itachi right here in the Great Hall, in front of all the students? What is he going to say? What does he know? These questions swirled around in both of their heads as Dumbledore continued his speech.

"I am happy to report that your exam results have come in much sooner than we expected. Each of you will have your results by lunchtime. Also," he paused for another short pause

 "I'm inviting everyone to the Hogwarts Cup ceremony tonight. Everyone is welcome to attend."

There was an immediate buzz of voices in the hall. The students were excited to start discussing the upcoming results and the ceremony, but amongst the general noise, disgruntled voices were also heard.

 Students from other faculties were clearly upset. After all, it was no secret that Slytherin had the most points this year, as usual, and they would win the cup again, for the seventh time in a row. This meant that they would have to listen to the arrogant Slytherins' remarks again, and no one had the slightest desire to do so.

Dumbledore, however, finished his announcement and calmly sat down at his desk and continued his breakfast as if nothing had happened. Itachi and Theodore looked at each other, feeling the tension release a little. They exhaled in relief, realizing that Dumbledore didn't know anything, or he had decided not to touch them. But why? 

Time flew by unnoticed. The excitement of the morning had been replaced by the anticipation of exam results, and now it was lunchtime. 

Itachi, upon receiving his grade sheet, wasn't surprised to see that all of his results were top marks. He was the top student in his first year, which didn't surprise him in the least. 

Theodore, upon receiving his result, was also quite pleased. Although his grades in Potions were a failure, he still managed to get a passing grade in the rest of his subjects.

And then, finally, the night came, the long-awaited time for the Hogwarts Cup ceremony. The Great Hall was decorated in grand style. The ceilings were hung with flags in green and silver colors, symbolizing the Slytherin faculty, which would once again win the competition. All the students were seated at their desks, waiting for the celebration to begin. 

Professor McGonagall rose from her seat and tapped the cup, thus attracting everyone's attention. The murmur of voices in the hall immediately died down, and all eyes were fixed on Dumbledore, who slowly rose from his seat. His eyes were calm and wise, and his voice sounded warm and soft, but there was also a sense of solemnity in it.

"Here we come to the end of another year at our beloved school," he began, looking around at everyone gathered. 

"And it's time to announce the winner of our annual competition. But first, let's congratulate all those who participated and passed this difficult year with dignity."

Dumbledore began to read out the results of the faculties, and with each name spoken, the tension in the room grew. 

"Gryffindor - 312 points, Puffendui - 352 points, Clawton - 426 points." The hall responded with quiet applause at each name, but when Dumbledore spoke:

 "Slytherin - 550 points," a standing ovation broke out at the Slytherin table. The students in green cheered and their faces shone with pride, anticipating another victory.

"Yes, yes, well done, Slytherin," Dumbledore said with an ironic tone in his voice, and many in the room sensed that something was amiss.

 "However, in light of recent events at our school, extra points have been awarded." There was a tense silence in the hall, everyone held their breath, and everyone tried to anticipate what was going to happen next. What are these points? Who got them? And how would it affect the results?

 "Ron Weasley, for the best chess game in years, designed by McGonagall herself, I award Gryffindor 50 points!" - Dumbledore announced, and cheers and applause immediately rang through the room. The Gryffindor table erupted in cheers, and Ron, smiling embarrassedly, bowed to the crowd.

"Hermione Granger, for outstanding academic achievement and for defeating cold logic over hot flames, I award Gryffindor fifty points!" - Dumbledore said again, and the hall erupted into even louder applause. Hermione, trying to hide her pleasure, her eyes shone with pride.

 "Harry Potter, for his outstanding achievement in Quidditch and his outstanding courage, I award Gryffindor 150 points!" - Dumbledore pronounced with particular solemnity. The hall exploded with a deafening roar, the Gryffindor table literally shook with cheering, and Harry, smiling embarrassedly.

"Neville Longpups, for having the courage to stand up to not only your enemies but your friends as well, I award Gryffindor ten points!" This news brought mixed feelings. Neville, blushing to the tips of his ears.

The sudden addition of points for Gryffindor had sent the Slytherin table into quite a shock. Their jubilation was instantly replaced by bewilderment and silence, for they were now 22 points ahead. There was disappointment and anger on every Slytherin's face. The Gryffindor table, on the other hand, was glowing with joy, unable to believe what was happening.

At the moment when Dumbledore, satisfied with the effect he had produced, was ready to announce the winner, Professor Snape slowly rose from his seat. Everyone in the room froze in anticipation, eyes fixed on Snape, and tension hung in the air. Everyone knew that Snape never did anything for nothing.

Snape, rising slowly from his seat, shifted his gaze to Dumbledore. His face was impenetrable, but there was some cold determination in his eyes.

 "Albus," he said, his voice sounding even and calm, but with an undercurrent of menace in it. 

" I fully agree with your decisions, however, I would like to clarify something."

Snape paused briefly, and his gaze slid around the hall until it stopped on Itachi.

 "For we also have students worthy of reward," he said, and there was a note of something sinister in his voice. 

"Itachi Uchiha, for outstanding academic achievement, as the best first year student, Slytherin will be awarded thirty points."

There was a quiet buzz in the hall, the Slytherin students visibly perked up and their faces lit up with hope.

 "Of course, without the victory of cold logic over hot flames," Snape added, and there was an obvious irony in his voice that everyone easily understood as a reference to Hermione's award. 

" But still, your academic success is commendable as well."

Minerva McGonagall, who had been closely watching everything that was going on, rose from her seat as well. She glanced at Dumbledore, then shifted her gaze to Snape, and nodded in agreement.

 "Yes, Severus is right," she said, her voice sounding firm and fair. 

" Academic success should be recognized as well. Itachi really was the best in first year, and the Slytherin deserves those extra points."

There was a tense silence in the hall as everyone waited for Dumbledore's reaction and further developments. The tension in the Great Hall reached its limit.

Dumbledore's smile faded for a moment, his gaze darting between Snape and McGonagall like a spotlight. Finally, with a visible effort, he pulled the same smile back onto his face and, addressing the entire hall, said

"In that case, I agree with this decision. And therefore, Slytherin gets the Hogwarts Cup."

In the blink of an eye, the Slytherin table exploded with deafening applause. Hats flew into the air, faces glowed with pride, and shouts of joy mingled with jubilant shouts. Some Slytherins turned to Itachi to express their gratitude and admiration for his success. The applause had reached its peak, and even through the applause, there were individual phrases of praise for Itachi.

 Dumbledore, as if not noticing this violent reaction, resumed his seat, and the hall gradually came to its senses. A slight but palpable scent of triumph and celebration hung in the air. 

Time passed quickly, and now the day of departure had arrived. There was chaos and bustle at Hogsmeade Station. Students of different faculties, with huge suitcases and cages with owls, were scurrying back and forth, hurrying to take their seats in the Hogwarts Express. The air was filled with a mixture of joy at seeing home soon and sadness at saying goodbye to their friends and Hogwarts.

Itachi and Theodore made their way through the crowd and took their usual compartment, leaving the commotion behind them. Settling into their seats, they stared out the window, watching Hogwarts slowly drift away. The train rumbled to a halt and the familiar landscape, with its majestic towers and green hills, began to fade over the horizon. Itachi and Theodore sat in silence, immersed in their own thoughts, but each of them realizing that this year had left an indelible mark on their memories.

But they both knew that they would meet again.

P.s. 

1-the Slezarins have 550 points due to the fact that in itachi history,in the original they had 472 points 

2-This is the end of the first year of Hogwarts, I will take a break from this story...maybe for a month or so, read the book and then review the movie to make less mistakes, I do not want to burn out, this story is really good for me. 

3-Let's help each other out,write a damn review for the fanfic,it promotes it and the more people read it the more motivated I am to keep going,105 favorites and only three wrote a review. 

4-good days