Theodore woke up with the first rays of sunlight through the gaps in the thick curtains of his room. He stretched, stretching his stiff muscles, and yawned. He got out of bed and headed for the sink to clean himself up before breakfast. After rinsing his face with cold water, he felt more awake, and he squared his shoulders and left his room.
The corridors of the castle were not yet filled with students, but quiet conversations and footsteps could be heard in some places. Theodore, as he slowly made his way towards the Great Hall, suddenly caught a snippet of conversation coming from a neighboring room. He involuntarily slowed his step, listening.
"Did you hear that? Gryffindor lost a whole 150 points!" - exclaimed one of the voices, in which Theodore recognized the voice of his classmate Blaise Zabini.
"150 points, Karl! That's what they're in for!"
"Yeah, that's just awesome," another voice replied with a satisfied smirk
"Potter and his gang have managed to make a mess of things, as usual. I told you they were always looking for adventures up their asses!"
Theodore stopped, leaning against the wall. This was great news. The Gryffindors were always pecking at their backs like gnats, trying time and time again to overtake them in the race for the School Cup. He was pleased to note that Slytherin was now a significant number of points behind them again. But then he heard the conversation continue, and his smile faded a little.
"But then again, we weren't praised either," a third voice muttered
"Slytherin got fifty points taken off too, because of that Uchiha. Come to think of it, He thought he was the smartest? I knew he'd be nothing but trouble."
"Itachi..." - He muttered quietly, remembering the silent Slytherin. He hoped it wouldn't affect their plans too much. Keeping tabs on the Gryffindors was important, and if Itachi got caught, it could complicate their mission.
He stepped away from the wall and continued on his way to the Great Hall, but even as he deepened his thoughts, he couldn't help but listen to the scraps of conversation coming from various corners of the castle. He realized that news of the night's incident had spread throughout Hogwarts, and it was the main topic of discussion.
Students from other faculties he'd met along the way were also discussing what had happened. But it wasn't so much gloating as disappointment that was audible in their voices.
"That's just awful," Theodore heard a snippet of conversation between the two clawed students.
"Slytherin has won six years in a row, and this year Gryffindor had a good chance. Now, after this incident, they've bounced back again."
"Yeah, Potter blew it," another voice replied, with a hint of disappointment.
"I was so hoping that Gryffindor would finally win this year. But apparently it wasn't their fate."
"Just think, they were so close," someone else muttered.
"Everything was so good before, and now... now it's over. I feel so sorry for the Gryffindor boys."
Theodore frowned even harder.
Upon reaching the Great Hall, Theodore immediately began to look around the room for Itachi. Spotting him sitting at the Slytherin table quietly devouring his breakfast, Theodore breathed a sigh of relief. He made his way to his usual spot next to Itachi and lowered himself onto the bench, casting a careless glance at his friend.
With a slight chuckle, trying to give his voice a joking tone but with a hint of concern, Theodore said
"So, who was it here who said he was a surveillance specialist? I knew you were a genius, but getting caught is not your style."
He glared at Itachi, trying to catch the slightest reaction to his words.
Itachi, upon hearing Theodore's words, faintly blushed. That blush, so rare on his pale face, did not escape his friend's attentive gaze. He slowly laid aside his fork and looked at Theodore, trying to keep calm.
"By accident," he replied quietly, trying to hide his embarrassment.
"I was caught completely by accident, not because of my carelessness, but because of... circumstances." He paused, as if choosing his words.
"An unfortunate set of circumstances, shall we say." He shrugged, trying to look nonchalant, though a slight shadow of annoyance slipped into his eyes.
He averted his gaze to his plate and continued, already in a calmer tone of voice
"I didn't learn anything serious. The stakeout was fruitless. The Gryffindors just wandered around the castle as usual, nothing much happened. It was a waste of time."
Theodore, noticing the slight embarrassment and some understatement in Itachi's words, decided that now was not the time to insist. He realized that Itachi would open up when he saw fit, so he decided to turn the conversation to a more neutral direction.
Smiling slightly, he pretended to have forgotten about the incident and changed the subject
"Well, okay, accidental, so accidental. Let's not dwell on it. Tell me, are you ready for your final exams? I mean, sophomore year starts soon, I can't wait to see what new subjects we'll have."
Itachi looked at him with a slight hint of a smile, but without any sign of excitement.
"Theodore," he replied, his voice as calm and confident as ever.
"I think you have more to worry about than I do. My training is up to par.
I'm sure I can handle any exams, and I'll pass with flying colors. You, on the other hand, should probably spend a little more time on your books. But that's none of my business, of course." He went back to his breakfast, as if to show that the subject of exams didn't really bother him.
Theodore frowned, but there was a flicker of excitement in his eyes. He knew that Itachi wasn't joking and that his words were more of a statement of fact.
There was silence, broken only by the quiet clinking of cutlery and soft conversations at the other tables. Theodore and Itachi were silently finishing their breakfast, absorbed in their own thoughts.
Theodore, for what it was worth, took Itachi's words seriously. He had indeed been studying harder for his exams lately, especially after learning that his friend was, as always, completely calm and confident in his knowledge.
He looked thoughtfully at his omelet, pondering which topics he needed to go over again. He was well aware that he needed to give his best to successfully transition into his second year. Itachi, as always, was an incentive for him. He was always one step ahead, and Theodore couldn't let him get ahead of him.
After breakfast, Theodore plunged headfirst into his studies as promised. He locked himself in his room, surrounded himself with books and scrolls, and diligently began to repeat the material he had learned. He read, wrote, repeated spells and potions, trying to fill in the gaps in his knowledge. From time to time, when he encountered any difficulty, he would come to Itachi for help.
Itachi always took the time to help his friend. He didn't give ready-made answers, but patiently explained complicated topics, helping Theodore reach the right solution himself. He showed him other approaches and helped him understand the material, not just cramming it.
Thus, time flew by in the midst of intense study. Days were followed by nights, and finally the day of the final exams arrived.
Tension was in the air as students filed into Professor McGonagall's office one by one to take their transfiguration exams. Theodore stood in line, shifting from foot to foot, rubbing the edge of his robe nervously. He could feel the excitement building up in his chest and the scraps of spells and definitions swirling around in his head.
"That's it, my head's about to explode," he muttered, turning to Itachi, who stood beside him, unfazed and calm as always.
"I've taught so much, what if I forget everything? What if I can't turn this fucking rock into a bird? What if I can't do it?" He rambled on, spewing out a whole bunch of his fears and concerns, trying not to let panic take over completely.
"What if they say I'm not ready enough? What if... what if... what if..."
He continued gibbering, nervously looking around as if afraid his excitement was contagious. He was adjusting his robe now and then, as if that might help him. He felt as if his brains had turned to mush and he was ready to snap. He was already beginning to doubt his powers and the rightness of his decisions.
Itachi silently listened to him without interrupting. He realized that Theodore was at the peak of his stress, and he just needed to talk. When Theodore finally ran out of breath, Itachi looked at him calmly, and with a faint smile, said.
"Theodore, calm down. You know everything. You've been preparing, and you'll do fine. Just focus and do what you've been taught. Don't let panic get the best of you."
He put a hand on Theodore's shoulder, trying to convey his confidence and calmness to him.
It was Itachi's turn. He calmly walked to the door of Professor McGonagall's office and, without knocking, stepped inside. Professor McGonagall, with her usual rigor, explained the nature of the exam. As in the first lesson, they had to first turn an ordinary match into a thin, sharp needle. Then, the more difficult step was to turn a mouse into a beautiful snuff box, and then return it to its original shape.
Itachi calmly listened to the instructions and, without wasting any time, began the task. He concentrated as he always did, completely disconnected from the world around him. His movements were crisp and confident, each spell cast perfectly. The transformation of the match into a needle was instantaneous, and the mouse, after a few precise movements of the magic wand, turned into an elegant snuff box. The reverse transformation also caused no difficulty. Itachi passed the exam flawlessly, and McGonagall was pleased with his results.
Finished, Itachi calmly left the office and waited for Theodore. He didn't feel the slightest bit worried about himself, but he was worried about Theodore. Transfiguration wasn't Theodore's strongest suit, and he knew that this test was quite difficult for him. But at the same time, Itachi was sure that Theodore was smart and diligent enough, and that this level of transformation was well within his capabilities.
Soon the office door opened and Theodore appeared on the doorstep, glowing with joy. He was glowing with happiness, and a slight smile flashed across Itachi's face. They silently looked at each other, and after realizing that everything was fine, they moved on.
The next exam was spell practice with Professor Flitwick. Theodore, still impressed by his successful Transfiguration exam, walked with a confident gait. He felt more relaxed now and was not afraid of challenges. Itachi, as always, walked beside him, maintaining his equanimity and inner confidence.
They arrived at Professor Flitwick's office, and this time the atmosphere was much more relaxed. The spellcasting exam, at least at first glance, seemed much easier than transfiguration. The task was to make an ordinary pineapple dance using a certain spell.
Theodore, already a little calmer after his successful exam with McGonagall, looked at Itachi with a smile.
"Well, it's definitely going to be easy here," he said, trying not to hide his satisfaction.
"Even Malfoy's stupid minions could probably handle it."
Itachi, in response to Theodore's words, only lifted the corners of his lips slightly, showing that he too was confident in their success. He knew very well that Theodore wasn't really that bad at spells, and that he could handle this task without too much trouble.
The line went quickly, and soon it was their time. They entered Professor Flitwick's office, who was beaming with a cheerful smile as always. He explained the nature of the assignment, and they set to work.
Theodore, with easy ease, waved his wand, and cast the necessary spell. The pineapple on the table began to bounce merrily, and, spinning, danced a funny jig. Flitwick watched him and nodded approvingly, obviously pleased with the result.
Itachi repeated Theodore's moves, making his pineapple do even more intricate moves. He spun him around in a waltz, causing Flitwick to raise an eyebrow in surprise.
They passed the exam without any difficulty, confirming their high level of spellcasting proficiency. As they walked out of Flitwick's office, they looked at each other, both realizing that they had handled these exams brilliantly.
So, they only had two exams left: History of Magic and Potions. Theodore and Itachi left the office They silently walked towards Professor Binns office where the boring History of Magic exam was waiting for them.
Itachi, as always, was quick on the task, answering all the questions without any hesitation. It only took him 15 minutes to pass his exam and walk out into the hallway, where he began to wait for Theodore.
After a while, Hermione Granger emerged from Professor Binns' office. She, judging by her focused face, had also successfully completed her exam, though she took twice as long as Itachi, about 30 minutes. She walked out and waited for her friends, Ron and Harry.
An awkward silence hung in the hallway. Itachi waited quietly for Theodore, while Hermione stood, rubbing the edge of her robes and peering at Binns' office door, waiting for her friends to come out.
After another three minutes, Hermione, unable to stand the tension, broke the silence. She was visibly embarrassed, and, blushing slightly, she said
"Sorry, I didn't mean to break the silence... just wondering... how difficult were the questions?" She hesitated for a moment, as if doubting whether she should ask, and then added
"Well... questions on the history of magic?" Her voice was quiet, and it was obvious she was embarrassed to ask, but curiosity overpowered her embarrassment.
Itachi, upon hearing Hermione's question, raised an eyebrow slightly, showing slight surprise, but nothing more than that. He didn't like idle conversation, but he realized that Hermione was probably just trying to lighten the mood.
"The questions were easy," he answered calmly, without any emotion in his voice.
"There wasn't anything difficult. Memorizing a couple dates and events wasn't a problem." He paused for a moment, and added
"Though I guess I was interested in one question about Muggle Studies, to be completely honest." He tilted his head slightly to the side, as if he was thinking for a second.
Hearing Itachi's words, Hermione seemed to brighten up. Her eyes lit up with interest.
"About Muggle Studies?" - She interjected with obvious excitement in her voice.
"I was just fascinated by that question too! I was just thinking that I will definitely choose this subject in my next courses in the future. It is so interesting and unusual! It's so fascinating to learn about Muggle culture and customs, their technology and views on the world. " She began to speak quickly and passionately, not noticing that she was talking too much.
But then, suddenly realizing that she was talking too much and that Itachi might not share her enthusiasm, Hermione abruptly cut her speech short. She looked away embarrassed, blushing even more, and fell silent, trying to hide her confusion.
Hermione had no sooner uttered a short 'sorry' than the door to Professor Binns' office creaked open and Draco Malfoy stepped out of the classroom. His face, as always, expressed contempt and arrogance. He looked around at Itachi and Hermione, and noticing her standing next to him, irritation appeared on his face.
Itachi glanced at his watch and mentally noted that Malfoy had handled the exam in 46 minutes. For Draco, that was a pretty good score.
Malfoy, ignoring Itachi, directed his gaze at Hermione and, curling his lips in a contemptuous grin, said
"Hey, mudblood, make way. You're here, stirring underfoot as usual." His voice was full of venom.
Hermione, hearing Malfoy's insult, flinched. She was clearly upset and hurt, but she didn't argue with him. She quickly stepped aside, trying not to look at him, and let him pass in front of her. She didn't want to get into a confrontation, especially now that she was already embarrassed.
Malfoy, satisfied with the effect he had produced, walked past them without even glancing at Itachi and disappeared around the corner leaving an unpleasant aftertaste behind him.
Hermione, trying to hide her resentment, looked at Itachi sadly. She realized that Malfoy would never change, and that arguing with him was useless. But despite that, she was still hurt by his words. A tense silence hung in the corridor again, but this time it was tinged with insult and resentment.
Itachi, noticing how Malfoy's words had hurt Hermione's feelings
"I'm sorry for what he said," he said to Hermione, his voice was quiet but there was sincerity in it.
At that moment, Theodore finally came out of Professor Binns' office. He looked rather pleased, though he had a slight tiredness on his face. He walked over to Itachi, glanced at his watch, and said with a slight chuckle.
"Fifty-eight minutes! Yeah, I wasted too much time after all. This exam was so easy, I don't even know why I studied so much. I spent most of the time going through my memories and going over the answers, even though everything was obvious." He shrugged, as if perplexed by his own misgivings.
Noticing Hermione, who was standing a little ways away, Theodore blushed slightly. He nodded his head awkwardly at her and said
"Hi Hermione," his voice sounded embarrassed but friendly at the same time. He wasn't as cocky as Malfoy, but he wasn't particularly good at talking to girls either.
Finishing his awkward greeting, Theodore turned to Itachi
"So, are we going to Snape's to finish this whole thing?" - he tried to make his voice more confident, but the slight tension was still felt.
Itachi nodded in response and looked at Hermione and said his goodbyes before turning around and heading towards Professor Snape's office. Theodore followed him, trying to walk with the same equanimity as his friend, but his tense shoulders gave him away. They both realized that they had one last, and perhaps most difficult test ahead of them, and they hoped that they would be able to handle it.
Professor Snape's exam was indeed the most difficult of all. The tension in the office hung so thick you could touch it. The professor, as always, gave no indulgence, demanding perfect precision in potion preparation from his students.
Itachi, as expected, handled the task flawlessly. He demonstrated incredible precision by preparing a complex potion without a single mistake. His movements were calibrated and every action was thought out to the last detail. Snape, after inspecting his potion, nodded dryly, without the slightest hint of praise, but deep down he must have been satisfied with the result.
Theodore, on the other hand, was experiencing serious difficulties. He tried his best, but his potion kept changing color and consistency, clearly not up to par. He was nervous, he made mistakes, and in the end he was never able to get his potion to the right state. He was well aware that he had failed the exam, and that was clear as day. When Theodore had finished, Snape looked at his creation, only curled his lips in disdain and turned away without a word.
Walking out of the study, Theodore was dejected. He realized that his efforts had been in vain. Itachi, noticing his depressed state, approached him and, trying to cheer him up, said
"Don't worry, Theodore. Potions has always been your weak point. I'm sure you'll get a passing grade overall. No need to guess how it will turn out now. The results will be announced in a week, we'll know then."
Theodore, though he realized that Itachi's words were only a consolation, was grateful for his support. He knew that his friend always tried to cheer him up, even when things weren't going well.
They headed towards the exit in silence.
Ahead of them was a week of waiting, full of uncertainty and hope. The exam results were to be announced in seven days, and each of them was looking forward to it.