Saturday morning at Hogwarts was particularly quiet. The students were enjoying a well-deserved rest after a hard week of studying, and He and Theodore were getting ready to spend time together.
There was a knock on his door
"Good morning," Theodore said, looking somewhere off to the side.
"I was wondering if we could just wander around the castle?"
"Okay."
They left the room and moved down the long, half-empty hallway. Footsteps echoed muffled, emphasizing the silence. Itachi expected Theodore to speak first, but he remained silent, as if pondering something important.
"Where shall we go?" - Itachi asked, trying to defuse the awkward situation somehow.
Theodore perked up a little. There was a flicker of genuine interest in his eyes.
He began to talk about Hogwarts. About its rich history, its hidden secrets, the ghosts that were rumored to roam the corridors at night. He spoke quickly and passionately, as if he was afraid he would be interrupted or that Itachi's interest would wane.
They stopped in front of a large stained glass window depicting the founders of Hogwarts. The light coming through the colored glass cast fanciful patterns on the stone floor.
"What's your favorite thing about this place?" - Theodore suddenly asked, looking at Itachi curiously.
"The quiet."
"It's quiet enough to be able to think. To hear your own thoughts."
Theodore nodded as if understanding him.
"Yes, Hogwarts has some kind of special atmosphere. Here you can hide from the world, from all the problems and worries."
Theodore's stomach rumbled treacherously. He blushed and smiled awkwardly.
"I'm starving."
"Why don't we go to the Great Hall for a bite to eat?"
Itachi nodded. He wouldn't mind something to eat either.
They headed into the Great Hall. The sounds were getting louder and louder.
When they entered, they were deafened by the hum of voices. The Great Hall was full of students eating breakfast and chatting animatedly with each other.
Theodore led him to the Slytherin table. Some students cast curious glances at them, but no one said anything. It felt like Itachi was a stranger here.
There were many different dishes on the table: steaming porridge, fried eggs, crispy bacon, juicy sausages, golden toast, flavorful jam, fresh fruit. The smells mingled, creating an appetizing picture.
Theodore picked up a plate for himself and began to pile on the food. He followed suit, picking out a few pieces of bacon and some toast.
They sat down at the table and began to eat in silence. Each was immersed in his own thoughts.
"What are you thinking about, Itachi?" - Theodore suddenly asked, taking a bite of some dessert.
"I'm thinking... about the future," Itachi replied, not taking his eyes off his plate. He didn't want to go into details.
"I'm thinking about what lies ahead and how we can prepare for it."
Theodore nodded, as if understanding him.
"You know, Itachi," he said, taking another bite of dessert.
"I think about the future a lot, too. But sometimes I think it's too uncertain. Too scary."
"I was wondering, do you have a favorite food?"
Itachi, after hesitating a bit, answered:
"Konbu."
Theodore frowned. "Kon... what?"
"Konbu," Itachi repeated.
"It's a type of seaweed."
Theodore looked puzzled.
He grimaced.
"That sounds... strange. I tried something similar once. Algae from the lake. I didn't like it."
"The flavor of konbu is very different from regular seaweed."
Theodore, slightly embarrassed, decided to change the subject:
"What do you like to do when you don't have class?"
"I like to read. And practicing."
"Well, that's understandable. But anything else? Maybe you want to become a great inventor too, like me? Or maybe you want to travel the world and search for rare artifacts?"
"My goal is a little different, but yes, I like to travel too... Learning the history and culture of different peoples."
Theodore smiled again, realizing that Itachi was not as simple as he seemed.
"Ah, yes, Itachi," Theodore said, suddenly remembering.
" You're so good at flying a broomstick, aren't you? Have you thought about taking up Quidditch?"
"No, I'm not interested."
Theodore, a little disappointed but not surprised, asked:
"Have you, Itachi, ever... well... interested in girls?"
With a slightly raised eyebrow, he replied:
"No."
Theodore rested his chin on his hand with a smirk on his face, as if he understood everything about him.
"Ahhhh, I see, so gay then. Well, that's okay, it's nothing new these days."
Itachi froze for a moment. He hadn't expected this, and though he remained calm, his eyes narrowed slightly. He looked at Theodore carefully, trying to figure out if he was joking or being serious.
"Come on, Itachi! I'm just kidding! It's just that usually at our age, everyone is already looking at girls. And it's like you're from another world where that's not accepted at all."
"I don't believe that love and affection should be limited by gender. I believe that feelings are a personal matter for everyone."
"And no, you haven't offended me. It's just that I don't think about things like that right now."
"Yes, of course you do. You're so mysterious, aren't you? Or maybe you have a favorite professor? I, for one, have a lot of respect for Professor Flitwick. He's so... kind?"
"I respect all teachers, but I can't say I have a favorite. I try to learn from each of them, but I don't bow down to anyone. My parents taught me that the measure of my success is only myself. And that doesn't just apply to magic."
Theodore, realizing that he had once again reached an impasse, decided to tease Itachi:
"Yeah, well, you're so serious. Maybe you don't like ice cream either?"
He, smiling weakly, replied:
"No, I like ice cream."
Theodore, realizing that Itachi had opened up a bit, continued the conversation, asking questions about his favorite books, attitude towards magic, and future plans.
He also said that he liked to observe other mages and wizards, trying to understand their motives and intentions.
They sat there for a long time, talking about nonsense like normal kids do, but they both realized that these conversations weren't just idle chatter. They grew closer to each other, learning more and more about each other's personalities and views. They realized that they were different from each other, yet as if complementing each other, like two sides of the same shadow learning to interact with each other.
They left the Great Hall and headed towards the castle library.
"Should we go somewhere else?" - Itachi asked.
"Where?" - Theodore replied.
"I don't know. Maybe see what the library has?" - Itachi suggested.
"Okay," replied Theodore.
They headed into the library. It was fairly quiet, with only the rustling of pages interrupting the silence. Theodore headed between the shelves, looking at the titles of the books. Itachi just followed him, looking around the huge room.
Soon they saw a group of upperclassmen sitting at one of the tables. Those were engrossed in a game of Magic Cards.
"Hey Theodore, look! They're playing cards," Itachi said.
Theodore stopped and looked that way.
"Yeah, so what?"
"Why don't we ask them to let us play too?" - Itachi suggested.
Theodore frowned.
"I don't know. Usually upperclassmen don't like to share their games with the younger ones."
"Well, it's worth a try," Itachi replied, heading towards the table. Theodore followed him.
They walked over to the table and stopped next to the upperclassmen playing....
... "We just don't want to waste time on freshmen," one of the upperclassmen muttered.
Theodore gritted his teeth.
"Then let's play for something. If you win, I'll give you a couple coins. If I win, you let us play for the rest of the day."
The Gryffindor grinned.
"Are you serious? You think you can beat me?"
"We'll try," Theodore replied, taking a few shekels out of his pocket.
The upperclassman hesitated for a moment.
"Okay, I agree. But if you lose, you'll not only give me the coins, but you'll also fulfill any wish I have for the rest of the week."
Theodore paled slightly, but nodded.
"Deal."
They sat down at the table and began to play. Itachi watched with interest. He had never seen Magic Cards before, but he quickly understood the rules.
Theodore played well, but the Gryffindor was more experienced. He used complex strategies and combinations of cards to gain the upper hand.
It looked like Theodore was going to lose. The Gryffindor was already anticipating his victory and was thinking of what wish he would make Theodore fulfill.
But at the very last moment, Theodore made an unexpected move. He used a rare phoenix card that allowed him to resurrect destroyed creatures.
The Gryffindor was stunned. He hadn't expected something like this.
Theodore had emerged victorious.
The Gryffindor looked at him angrily, but said nothing. He kept his word and gave Theodore his cards.
"Thanks," Theodore said with a smile.
"It was fun."
The seniors left, leaving Theodore and Itachi alone.
"So, shall we play?" - Theodore asked, handing out cards.
They started playing Magic Cards. Theodore explained the rules and strategies to Itachi, helping him understand the game.
He was a quick learner. He was attentive and analytical, and soon began to beat Theodore.
They played for hours, forgetting about everything in the world. The library was quiet and peaceful, with only the occasional rustle of cards and quiet exclamations of surprise or disappointment.
Itachi found himself enjoying his time with Theodore. He was smart, interesting, and not at all as arrogant as he had seemed at first.
By evening, they were tired and decided to finish the game.
"It was very interesting."
"I enjoyed it too,"
"We should do it again sometime."
They put the cards down and headed for the library exit.
In the hallway, they ran into a Gryffindor who Theodore had won.
Theodore shrugged his shoulders.
"Take it."
Handing over the cards we headed towards our dormitory
"I have endless spell cramming tomorrow," Theodore sighed.
"And after that, more reading about ancient magic."
"You don't like it?"
"Not a word! It's all so boring! I'd rather study books on Injineria than these tiny magics!"
"There's no need to waste time on idle talk. We need to get ready for future classes."
Theodore, shrugging his shoulders, laughed.
"Oh, right, of course. You're always so serious, aren't you? But I think a little fun never hurt anyone!"
Itachi only shook his head, but remained silent.
As they approached the entrance to the Slytherin drawing room, they ran into Draco Malfoy and his entourage.
Draco, seeing Theodore walking next to Itachi, smirked evilly.
"Look at that," Draco hissed
"Our little Nott has completely forgotten who he is. Forgot that he's a pureblood wizard. Or maybe he wants to be a mudblood already?"
Theodore, rolling his eyes.
"Draco, there's no need to be so rude."
Draco, grinning contemptuously, shifted his gaze to Itachi.
"And what did that mudblood promise you, Nott? Or did he just bribe you with his potions?"
Itachi, ignoring Draco, calmly walked past him and headed into the living room. This calmness, this deliberate detachment made Draco even angrier. He couldn't stand being ignored.
He couldn't stand Itachi acting like Draco was nothing more than an annoying fly.
"Hey, you mudblood!" - Draco shouted, his hand already clutching the wand he was pointing at Itachi.
"Are you deaf? I'm addressing you!"
Theodore, seeing this, instantly snatched up his wand and with a shout.
"Leave him alone, Draco!" pointing it at Draco. They both stood against each other, their wands pointed at their opponents, and you could feel the tension in the air, ready to explode.
"Stay out of this, Nott," Draco growled, keeping his eyes on Itachi.
"It's none of your business."
"Yes, it is my business!" - Theodore replied, his voice shaking, but he didn't lower his wand.
"You're always looking for an excuse to hurt others!"
Crabbe and Goyle, who were standing behind Draco's back, watched as if mesmerized. They hadn't expected Theodore to dare confront their leader.
Itachi, noticing that the situation was becoming more and more dangerous, turned to them.
"Theodore, that's enough. This is going nowhere."
He quickly assessed the situation. He knew that if they started using spells in the hallway, it might attract the teachers' attention. He also knew it wasn't worth wasting energy on useless arguments.
Theodore reluctantly lowered his wand, but didn't put it away. Draco, realizing he couldn't continue the conflict, snorted angrily and lowered his wand but didn't put it away.
"You'll regret this, Nott," Draco hissed.
"You too, mudblood," Draco said, glaring at Itachi.
Draco turned around and headed into the living room with a disdainful look, and his minions hurried after him.
Theodore, looking at Itachi.
"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to get you in trouble because of me."
He looked at him with a slight shadow of a smile.
"It wasn't your fault, Theodore. But you should be more careful. You shouldn't waste your energy on those who don't deserve it."
"Draco is just a child fixated on his origins. His words have no meaning. And your actions say more about you than any words."
"But why is everyone so fixated on blood purity? It's so stupid. Does ancestry determine who you are?"
"No, of course not. A man's true strength is not in his origin, but in what he does with his life and how he treats others. Prejudice about blood purity is a foolish and pointless way to divide people."
Theodore nodded, agreeing with his words.
"I've always thought so, but I've been afraid to say it out loud. My family is pretty hung up on it too, and I don't want them to know I think that way."
"I understand. I can't always say what I think either. But now that we're alone, I want you to know that I value your friendship."
Theodore enthused.
"Let's promise each other that we will support each other no matter what happens. We will always protect each other."
"I agree. We will help each other in times of need and we will always trust each other."
They both looked into each other's eyes and felt their friendship grow even stronger and their alliance even more meaningful.
Itachi, for his part, remembered how Theodore didn't hesitate for a second to point his wand at Draco, despite his background, and realized that it was a sign of true friendship that he would treasure for the rest of his life.
Theodore, with his usual directness, started bantering with Itachi, trying to make him laugh.
"You know, Itachi," Theodore said, winking at him.
"I think maybe you should loosen up a bit. Being so serious all the time is so boring!"
He raised an eyebrow.
"What do you think I should be doing? Jump and squeal with delight?"
"Well, at least smile a little. Or better yet, make a joke!"
He, after a little thought, tried to imitate Theodore's carefree tone and said:
"Hmm, why do you think Draco likes his platinum blond so much? Maybe because his brains are as white as his hair.... I mean, just as blank."
He finished his sentence and looked at Theodore with an unreadable expression, waiting for a reaction.Theodore looked at him after some silence, as if he had said something very strange.
"Uh... Itachi? Are you joking right now? That... that was weird."
Itachi frowned, though it didn't show on his face. He realized that his attempt at a joke had failed, and felt a little awkward. He wasn't as strong on sarcasm as Theodore was.
Theodore, noticing his confusion, laughed.
"That's okay, Itachi. It was funny, albeit a little weird. But it's still better than nothing!"
"It's just that I don't find it necessary to waste my humor on idle talk."
They continued to joke and laugh, discussing everything from the silliness of the other students' behavior to the ridiculousness of certain magic spells.
Theodore talked about his attempts to invent something new, and Itachi listened intently, trying not to miss a single detail.
He knew that these conversations, though seemingly pointless, helped him relax and take his mind off his eternal vigilance.
Theodore, suddenly frowned.
"Itachi, have you ever wondered why Snape always looks at us like that? Like we owe him money."
"Snape is a very complicated man. I'm trying to analyze his behavior, but I can't understand his true motives yet."
"And I just don't like him. He's always so sullen and angry. It's like he purposely wants to ruin our mood."
"Maybe. But everyone has their own reasons for acting a certain way."
When it was getting late and there were hardly any students left in the living room, Theodore yawned.
"I think it's time for bed," Theodore said, rising from his seat.
"Agreed. We need to get some rest before the new day."
He went back to his room and closed the door. The room was quiet and peaceful.
Suddenly, he noticed something on his bed. It was a small roll tied with twine.
He walked over to the bed and took the roll in his hands. It was light.
He untied the twine and unfolded the paper. Inside were two small scraps of parchment and a new wand.
The first scrap was written in beautiful, rounded handwriting.He recognized his mother's handwriting immediately:
"My dear Itachi! Dad and I are so worried about you! Hogwarts is so far away and we are worried about you eating well and getting enough sleep. Please dress warmer and don't forget to write us often! We miss you so much. Take care of yourself! Your loving mom."
The second scrap was written in a stricter and more angular handwriting. It was his father's handwriting:
"Itachi, we sent you a new wand. I hope you will treat it with more care than the last one. Don't forget to practice and study. And stop breaking wands. If you break this one, we won't buy you a new one again, you can borrow one from the teachers.
Father."
Itachi grinned. He knew his parents very well. His mom always worried about him, and his dad was always strict and demanding.
He felt a prick of conscience. He had deceived his parents by saying that he had broken his wand. He just wanted to have a spare, just in case.
He sighed and pulled a new wand out of the bundle.
Itachi held the wand in his hand, feeling its warmth and strength. He realized that a spare wand could save his life in a difficult situation.
But at the same time, he knew that he had done the wrong thing by deceiving his parents.