In the corner of the room, absorbed in reading, sat Daphne Greengrass. Her gaze slid across the pages of the book and lingered on Draco for a moment, but there was no sympathy or agreement in her face. She sensed there was more to this than idle talk of jealousy and resentment.
Unlike Draco, Daphne wasn't hung up on blood purity and prejudice. She was intelligent and inquisitive, and she was attracted to people with unusual abilities. She could see that Itachi was no ordinary child, that there was something special about him. She felt that there was some mystery behind his aloofness and calmness.
"He never comes into open conflict," Daphne continued, leafing through the pages of her book.
"He is like a shadow that glides through the castle but never leaves a trace. How does he manage it?"
Daphne had also noticed his academic success. She has seen how easily he handles complex spells and how quickly he learns new magical techniques. She had also seen him sit for hours in the library, studying ancient books that most Slytherins found boring and unnecessary.
She knew that many in Slytherin despised him for his origins, but Daphne couldn't understand why they were so fixated on blood purity. She felt that Itachi was not like other Slytherins and that he could be a valuable ally to her.
Everyone in Slytherin was busy doing their own thing, and while some couldn't understand how they could ignore his fame and popularity and obsess over his origins, others studied him and his actions, hoping to one day uncover his secret. Itachi remained a mystery to them as they tried to unravel.
There was a cool silence in the Slytherin dungeon, broken only by the quiet crackling of the fire in the fireplace. Itachi sat cross-legged on the bed, staring thoughtfully at one point. Theodore, sitting on the bed next to him, was excitedly leafing through some thick paper, but occasionally cast an enthusiastic glance at his roommate.
"That was incredible!" - Theodore exclaimed, closing the book.
"Did you see their faces when the troll fell? You're such a badass! How did you do that, Itachi?
Itachi slowly turned his head in his direction, his eyes full of calm.
- It doesn't matter, Theodore.
Theodore jumped up and sat up straight.
- Nothing? Yes, that was amazing! You saved them all! How did you manage to immobilize the troll so quickly and easily? And what were those spells? Did you recognize them from the library?
Itachi furrowed his eyebrows.
- I don't want to talk about it, Theodore.
Theodore was silent for a second, but immediately flared up again.
"But I want to know! I saw you... Like breaking his arms and legs. How do you know all this? And why did you hide it all?
Itachi sighed heavily, his patience seemed to be coming to an end.
- 'Theodore, please stop asking about this. It's none of your business."
Theodore, noticing the change in expression on Itachi's face, fell silent. He felt that he had crossed the line and that it was better to back off before he angered his comrade.
- I'm sorry," Theodore muttered, averting his gaze.
"I'm just very impressed. That one... That was amazing." He turned the conversation to another topic, trying to hide his bewilderment.
Itachi softened slightly, though his eyes still remained intense.
"I don't want you to worry about what I'm doing. Fair... trust me."
Theodore nodded, but still felt puzzled. He didn't understand what was going on or why Itachi was acting so secretive. But he knew it was best not to press him right now.
Itachi turned away to the window, looking at the dark sky. He wasn't going to say anything to Theodore, at least not yet. He knew that Theodore would still ask questions, but he also knew that Theodore was smart enough to realize that he needed to wait until Itachi himself wanted to tell him everything.
Theodore picked up the book again, but this time his attention was focused not on the text, but on Itachi. He had stopped being surprised by what had happened, and now he was concerned. He felt like a wall had grown between him and Itachi, and he didn't know how to overcome it. He realized that Itachi was keeping a lot of secrets, and it was scary
Eventually, they both decided to separate to their rooms to calm down and rest, and then they separated to their rooms in silence, and he could feel the tension in the air. Itachi didn't say a word goodbye, just nodded coldly to Theodore. Theodore felt himself flinch at this cold attitude...
Itachi walked into his bedroom, closed the door behind him and leaned against it. He took a deep breath, letting go of the tension he had been holding back while talking to Theodore. But the tension didn't subside.
Itachi quickly looked around his room. It was a typical Slytherin freshman's bedroom: a bed, nightstand, desk, and closet. Everything was neat and understated, nothing superfluous. But a sharp, analyzing look flashed in his eyes.
He walked slowly across the room, pondering the events that had transpired. He knew that the professors would not let the incident with the trolls go unnoticed. They were too experienced to simply believe that he was an ordinary freshman. They would definitely be watching him, it was only a matter of time.
- 'Dumbledore,' Itachi whispered in a quiet but full of respect voice.
"He's too perceptive to miss anything."
He remembered the way the headmaster had looked at him during the handout, his eyes full of wisdom and understanding. He knew that the Headmaster probably already saw him as more than just a student.
- That means the passage to the Ransom Room is closed to me in the near future
muttered Itachi in a disappointed voice. He knew that this room was an important place for his training, but now that he would be closely watched, it would become too risky.
Itachi mentally pictured what the castle looked like and where Dumbledore's eyes and ears might be. He knew that the headmaster used living paintings and ghosts to keep an eye on the students, which meant that any movement he made could be spotted.
- And I'll have to cut back on my training- whispered Itachi irritably. But immediately added.
"Annoying, but bearable."
With those thoughts, Itachi took off his robe, threw it on a chair, and climbed into bed. He closed his eyes, trying to relax. He knew that new difficulties and challenges awaited him, but he also knew that he could handle anything that came his way. He was ready for this game, and no one would stop him on his way to his goal.
Itachi turned on his side and wrapped himself in a blanket. Despite the mounting tension, he fell asleep almost instantly. He knew that tomorrow would be a new day, and he had to be ready for whatever it would bring.
Theodore sighed heavily, left alone in his room. There was an awkward silence in the air, even the crackling of the fireplace sounded too loud. He felt a strange heaviness, as if an invisible weight had descended on his shoulders. The usual cheerful and hopeful atmosphere between him and Itachi melted away, leaving behind only emptiness.
Itachi. The word echoed in his head. He couldn't escape the feeling that something was wrong, something very wrong.
He remembered Itachi's worried eyes, the cold, almost blank stare when he seemed to meet his gaze.
Theodore scrolled through the events of that day in his mind for the hundredth time. How Itachi had so easily and quickly immobilized the troll. Theodore hadn't seen him use any complicated spells, just quick, well-directed actions. It was like a practiced skill, some secret hidden from view.
Despite all his curiosity, he realized he had overstepped his bounds when he started to ask. Itachi had made it clear that he didn't want to discuss it. And Theodore could feel that cold wall between them.
Theodore sat down at his desk, trying to occupy himself with something, but his thoughts kept coming back to Itachi. It wasn't just mild curiosity, but a deep, irrepressible interest in the mystery that lurked behind his neighbor's mask of calm.
And then a thought slipped into his head, sharp and cold as a blade: what if Itachi's parents were dark wizards? The thought was so unexpected that Theodore even flinched. Maybe that's why Itachi is so cold, aloof, and incredibly strong. Maybe he grew up in an environment where such dangerous spells were commonplace? Maybe he inherited dark knowledge and skills from his parents?
A cold chill ran down Theodore's body. He remembered how Itachi had calmly immobilized the troll, how he moved like a shadow, how his eyes dimmed when he looked at something. He was beginning to fear Itachi, he was beginning to fear the man he considered his friend.
But immediately Theodore pushed the thought away from him. It was absurd! He had spent almost six months with Itachi, sharing a room with him, talking to him, laughing with him. Itachi was serious, sure, sometimes even harsh, but he was never cruel. He helped him with his homework, protected him from bullies, supported him when Theodore was in trouble. He couldn't believe that Itachi was capable of anything evil.
Maybe Itachi was just very serious about his training? Maybe he was a born genius? Maybe he was just better at hiding his feelings? But... There was something else.
Theodore remembered how Itachi had lowered his gaze for a moment when he asked about his spells. It was the only time he had ever seen anything resembling fear or worry in his eyes. Maybe Itachi was hiding something, but not because he was bad, but because he had a good reason? Maybe he was afraid of not being understood?
"Even if..." - Theodore thought and immediately stopped himself. He didn't want to refute that assumption, he didn't want to give room for gloomy thoughts. Instead, he decided to trust Itachi. He trusted that if Itachi wanted to, he would tell him everything. Until then, he would wait patiently, even if curiosity was tearing him apart.
Having made that decision, Theodore felt the tension subside a little. He reached for the light switch, turned off the lamp, and went to bed. He hoped that tomorrow would bring him answers, but for now he would have faith in his friend, even if he still had doubts.
P.S- I've finally reached a point where I'm not limited to a story due to the scarcity of events, yay, from now on there will be more chapters coming out than usual, you are only required to give feedback on the work, or you can send me your ideas on adding them to the main story.