The Boy Who Watches

Early morning light filtered through the narrow windows of the Slytherin dungeons, filtering into Itachi's bedroom. He woke up as he always did, without any sudden awakenings, his eyes opening calm and collected. He didn't feel drowsy in the slightest, his body, like a tuned clockwork, was ready for action.

He slowly sat up on the bed, feeling the coolness of the air. Past events, including the conversation with Theodore, were like pictures in his head, which he went over and analyzed. He felt no emotion, no fear, no anger, no anxiety, he only soberly assessed the situation.

As he dressed, his eyes scanned the room carefully. He looked for any sign that he might have been searched or checked. He knew that Dumbledore or the other professors could use any method to get information on him. But everything was in place.

Finished with his morning rituals, he left his bedroom and made his way to the common room. It was still quite early, and most of the Slytherin students were still asleep. Theodore was no exception, he was still in his embrace of Morpheus. Itachi cast a quick glance at him, showing no emotion. He was calm, he wasn't going to wake him up.

Itachi sat down at one of the tables by the fireplace and pulled out his spellbook. He opened it to the right page, but his attention wasn't focused on the words. Instead, he replayed the events of the previous night in his head again.

He realized that his actions would not go unnoticed, and that he needed to be even more careful. He knew that the professors, and especially Dumbledore, would be watching him, and he needed to be prepared for that. He also realized that he would have to adapt his training to not draw too much attention to himself.

He began to think through a few options. Perhaps he should train in the library, under the guise of studying, but that was risky since there was always someone there. He might have to develop new ways of training that would leave no trace, which would be very difficult, but not impossible.

He flipped through a few pages of the textbook, but what he was really doing was analyzing his surroundings, watching as the other Slytherins slowly woke up. He was looking for anyone who might be watching him. He couldn't afford to allow his actions to be deciphered.

Finally, breakfast time approached, and Itachi set the book aside without reading a line. He rose slowly, glanced at the peacefully sleeping Theodore, and headed for the Great Hall, ready for a new day and new challenges.

Itachi walked out of the Slytherin common room, and his steps were quiet and measured, as if he were treading on thin ice. He wasn't in a hurry, he wasn't running, his movements were full of grace and awareness with every step. He wasn't just walking, he was scanning, analyzing, and prepared for any situation.

The first thing that caught his attention was the conversations of the other Slytherins. They were whispering about the events of the previous night, and he could catch scraps of phrases: "...troll...", '...unbelievable...', '...Itachi...'. Itachi didn't linger, giving no indication that he could hear them talking. He only slowed his step slightly, letting them pass by.

Then, he passed by one of the corridors, and saw two upperclassmen,a girl and a boy from the Clawtails hurriedly running away, hiding their books behind their backs. Itachi tilted his head slightly, memorizing their faces. There was something suspicious about their haste, perhaps they were doing something forbidden. He decided to remember this moment and analyze it later.

Next, he noticed a few Hufflepuff sophomores discussing something while standing by a portrait with a lazy lady. Itachi saw the lady wink at one of them out of the corner of his eye. He was curious as to what it meant, but he didn't dwell on it, 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. Itachi stopped for a split second, his gaze locked on Harry. He felt Harry watching him as well, their eyes only met for a moment, but it was enough for Itachi to feel the tension. He quickly turned away, showing no emotion, and entered the Great Hall.

Inside, the hall was already full of students. Tables were set up, and the smell of fresh breakfast filled the air. Itachi made his way to the Slytherin table, his footsteps light and quiet, his presence seemingly unnoticed. He took his usual seat, but his eyes never stopped scanning the hall, looking out for any possible threats or watchers. He knew he was under scrutiny, and he had to be ready for anything.

He slowly reached for his breakfast, unhurried and unhurried, his movements full of grace and self-control. His gaze was as cold as ice, but behind that calmness lurked a readiness for any situation. He began his day in the Great Hall, knowing that his game had just begun.

Itachi sat down at the Slytherin table and began his breakfast with the measured and calm demeanor that had become his trademark. His eyes, however, did not miss a single movement or whisper in the hall. He listened to the conversations, analyzing facial expressions, looking for any information about reactions to last 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 they didn't dare approach him. The other faculties were also acting strangely. They looked at him, but no one dared to start a conversation.

It was strange. Itachi realized that this behavior could only mean one thing: the events of the previous night had been deliberately withheld. Something was going on behind the scenes, and it interested him.

He decided to find out for himself what others knew. He leaned slightly toward the nearest Slytherin, a third year named Blaise Zabini, and asked: "What do they say about the troll?"

Zabini flinched slightly upon hearing the question, but tried to remain calm. "They say a troll showed up in the dungeon, but the professors dealt with it quickly. No one was hurt."

Itachi frowned. "That's it?"

Zabini nodded, avoiding eye contact. "Yeah, that's exactly what I heard."

Itachi decided to verify his words and turned to another student. A Ravenclaw student, seemingly a fifth year, told the same story as if she was reading it off a piece of paper. "The professors dealt with the troll quickly, thank Merlin no one was hurt."

"They're all saying the same thing," thought Itachi.

Itachi nodded, not showing his surprise. He realized that the professors had come up with the official version of events so as not to sow panic among the students. It made sense, because revealing that a freshman had handled a troll might not be the best thing for Hogwarts' reputation.

"For the best," Itachi thought as he finished his breakfast. This official version worked in his favor without drawing too much attention to him. He could quietly continue his work while remaining in the shadows.

He finished his breakfast and his gaze slid over to the Gryffindor table. Harry, Ron, and Hermione were whispering amongst themselves, and Itachi seemed to glance at him occasionally. He was sure they didn't believe the official story. He knew they would be watching him, and he had to be ready for it.

Itachi rose slowly, getting ready to go to class, but before he left, he glanced at the teachers desk. He looked for Dumbledore, but he wasn't there. This alarmed him even more. He realized that Dumbledore was too perceptive to have missed all of this, and was most likely gathering information on him now.

Itachi left the Great Hall, his steps firm and his thoughts as sharp and collected as ever. He knew his game was just beginning.

Itachi left the Great Hall, his steps measured, but his gaze remained sharp and attentive. He was on his way 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 the other students, but then he realized it wasn't. He noticed that the portraits hanging on the walls were more active than usual. They were watching him, their eyes were fixed on him, they whispered as he passed by.

One of the portraits, of some prim knight, stared at him defiantly, his eyes moving to follow Itachi. Itachi quickened his step slightly, hoping to escape his sight, but immediately, he felt the gaze of another painting - with some old mage surrounded by books. He saw the man moving his lips as if commenting on his movements.

Itachi clenched his fists, his patience was running out. He didn't like being watched, he was used to being in control, and now he seemed to be trapped. He realized that Dumbledore had applied his methods, using the paintings as his eyes and ears.

He tried to turn away from the paintings, but they kept up. As he passed one of the narrow corridors, he saw a portrait of a proud aristocrat leaning over to see him better. Her painted lips were muttering something, and Itachi felt his irritation rising.

"Annoying," Itachi thought, trying to remain calm. He realized that showing his irritation was not an option. He needed to keep his cool and not give Dumbledore any information.

He tried to ignore the intrusive stares and whispers, but it was difficult. Every painting, every portrait seemed to be watching his every move. He felt cornered, like he was a participant in some ridiculous game in which he was the target.

Finally, he reached his classroom, and he thought he exhaled. But as he entered the classroom, he saw that even there there was no peace. There was a portrait of some important professor hanging on the wall, and of course, his eyes were fixed on Itachi.

His lessons began, but his attention was divided between the professor and the pesky paintings. His patience was wearing thin, but he knew he had to endure. This game had just begun, and he had to play by his own rules.

Itachi went through his lessons, trying to ignore the following from the pictures. He was focused and his movements were precise, but internally he was seething with irritation. There was only one class left, Potions with Snape, and he knew it would be the last test for the day.

He headed for the dungeons, his steps were quiet and measured, but his gaze kept scanning his surroundings. The paintings kept up, their stares and whispers following him like pesky flies. He tried to ignore them, but it was difficult, their presence becoming more and more intrusive.

Finally, he reached the Potions class and felt the tension recede a little. Stepping inside, he breathed in the cold and damp air of the dungeon. There was no bright light here, only the dim flicker of torches and the faint glow from boiling cauldrons. The dungeon was immersed in semi-darkness, and Itachi found it refreshing after the day's classes, where he was haunted by the sights of intrusive paintings. There were no portraits here, no eyes following him, and it was like a breath of fresh air.

He sat down at his desk, pulled out his ingredients, and began to prepare for class. The silence was almost palpable, 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 Snape's steady gaze on him. He knew Snape was also watching him, maybe even more than the paintings.

Itachi began to prepare his potion, his movements precise and confident. He carefully measured out each ingredient, following the instructions in the textbook. He tried to concentrate on the potion, warding off the annoyance of being constantly watched.

Here, in the semi-darkness of the dungeon, he felt more secure than in the other classrooms. Here it was like he was in a safe haven where prying eyes couldn't get to him. But Snape. Snape was everywhere. His black eyes seemed to penetrate to the very core, watching his every move, his every thought.

Itachi glanced at Snape, and for a moment their gazes met. Itachi noticed that Snape was looking at him with a strange expression, a mixture of suspicion and curiosity. He didn't know exactly what Snape was thinking, but he knew that the man was watching him too, and it was no less annoying than being watched by the paintings.

"There's no peace even here," Itachi thought to himself. He realized that he had to do something to get rid of this surveillance, just like he had to get rid of Snape's scrutiny. He couldn't live under the pressure of Dumbledore and his spies all the time, he had to find his freedom.

Itachi finished preparing his potion, his movements were quick and precise, and he placed the cauldron on Snape's desk. Snape examined his work without saying a word, and nodded. He wasn't pleased, but he wasn't dissatisfied either.

Snape dismissed them from the lesson, and Itachi left the Potions class, feeling his tension ease a little, but only a little.

Itachi walked out of Potions class feeling a little tired, but his mind was focused and ready for new challenges. The tension from the constant surveillance, as well as Snape's gaze, kept him from relaxing. He realized that he needed a distraction before he could continue to plan his next moves.

He headed to the Slytherin common room, hoping to find some peace there. When he entered, he saw Theodore sitting by the fireplace. Theodore was sitting at a table reading something, but when he saw Itachi, he looked up sharply and their eyes met.

A silence full of tension hung between them. Itachi and Theodore realized that their relationship had changed and now there was an invisible wall between them. The awkwardness was almost palpable.

Itachi walked over to the fireplace and sat down across from Theodore. They were silent for a while, trying not to look at each other.

Finally, Itachi broke the silence, "What are your plans for tomorrow?" His voice was calm as usual, but he could feel the tension in it.

Theodore flinched slightly upon hearing the question. "I don't know," he replied, trying to sound casual, but there was an awkwardness in his voice. "Do you have any plans?"

Itachi shrugged. "Thought I'd try a new potion. Found one interesting recipe in the library."

Theodore raised an eyebrow in surprise. "But did you forget? Tomorrow is the first Quidditch game 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?" - He replied, trying not to show his surprise.

Theodore nodded. "Yes. Slytherin is playing against Gryffindor. Everyone's going to watch."

Itachi frowned slightly. Quidditch didn't interest him, but he realized it was an important event and his presence might be required. "Then maybe I'll watch too," he said, trying to look interested.

Theodore looked at him puzzled. "Are you serious? You're not usually interested in sports."

Itachi shrugged. "Let's see if anything's changed." He didn't go into details, not wanting to reveal his thoughts and plans.

Silence hung between them again, this time even more tense. Itachi and Theodore realized that there was much unspoken between them, but neither of them dared to start a frank conversation.

Itachi decided to change the subject. "Alright, I'm going to the library. We need to study the recipe."

Theodore nodded, averting his gaze. "Okay."

Itachi got up and headed for the common room exit, and Theodore was left sitting by the fireplace, immersed in his thoughts. The awkwardness hadn't left them, only intensified, and they both felt that their relationship had changed and they needed time to sort out their new circumstances.

Itachi left the Slytherin common room, trying to ignore the heavy atmosphere after his awkward conversation with Theodore. He headed for the library to study the new potion recipe, but on his 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.

Itachi slowly approached the door. He could make out clearer voices now

Curiosity, as well as a desire to figure out what was going on here, compelled Itachi to act. He pulled out his wand, whispered a simple unlocking spell, and carefully opened the door.

What he saw made him freeze for a moment. In a small, cluttered room, as if from an old closet, were three students. Two of them were the same upperclassmen from Cogtevran he had seen this morning. And the third was a boy he didn't know, but Itachi realized from his tie that he was a Gryffindor. The girl was half-naked, her top lying on the floor, and the guys next to her had almost removed their pants, Their movements, their postures, everything said that they were doing something obscene.

He saw that they were breaking the rules, that their behavior was going too far.

"What are you doing here?" - hissed one of the Ravenclaws, his voice shaking.

Itachi didn't answer. He looked at the girl carefully, scanning her from head to toe like he was examining a rare artifact. She was indeed beautiful, with long blonde hair and big blue eyes that were now full of shame and confusion.

Itachi spoke, his voice quiet but full of contempt. "You're a beautiful girl," he said, looking her straight in the eye. "But why do you let yourself give yourself away like a backstreet whore to two strange guys? Don't you realize that you're worth more than that?"

The girl seemed shocked by those words, but couldn't say anything back.

The Gryffindor and the Ravenclaw glanced over, their faces poured with anger. "Don't listen to him, Lovegood," the Gryffindor said, turning to the girl. "He's just a kid, doesn't realize that adults do it all the time. It's normal, just a bit of fun."

The claw nodded, agreeing with him. "Yeah, he's just jealous that we're having fun and he's the only one here."

Itachi frowned, ignoring their words. He wasn't interested in their excuses. He realized that they were not only breaking the rules, but also despising the girl by using her for their own pleasure.

Then the Gryffindor raised his voice, his tone a little more brazen than his companions. "Look, we can work things out," he said, trying to smile. "Just join us and we'll forget about it, okay? It's just a bit of fun."

The clawed man nodded, his eyes pleading for silence. "Yeah, just join in, no need to ruin it."

Itachi frowned. He couldn't believe what they were offering him. Not only were they breaking the rules, but they were willing to involve him in their indecent affairs. The disgust he felt increased a hundredfold.

"I don't participate in your games," Itachi said, his voice quiet but full of danger.

At that moment, Itachi saw in the girl's eyes not only confusion and shame, but also despair. He realized that she was being used, and she didn't want it herself. In that instant, Itachi made a decision.

He didn't say anything more. He pulled out his wand and cast a lightning fast stun spell, aiming it at the boys. They fell to the floor unconscious before they even realized what had happened.

Itachi looked at the girl. "Get dressed," he told her. "And don't ever let anyone treat you like a thing again."

The girl nodded, her eyes full of gratitude. She began to hurriedly dress, trying not to look at Itachi.

Itachi left the room, leaving the boys on the floor. Closing the door with a spell, he headed to 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.

Itachi described the situation briefly and clearly, without leaving out any details, and explained exactly what he had done to the boys. He didn't add any unnecessary emotions or talk about his feelings about what was going on. He simply stated the facts.

Professor McGonagall, after listening to him, thanked Itachi for his vigilance and quick reaction time. She promised that the case would be looked into and those responsible would be punished.

Itachi walked the professor to the correct door and watched as she summoned the inspectors on the spot to pick up the boys. He stood until the door closed and made sure that the boys who had used the girl would be escorted out of the place, and had no doubt that such idiots would be expelled from the school. Now that justice had been served, he felt he could finally move on.

He continued on his way to the library, trying not to think about what had happened, but the scene wouldn't leave his mind. He realized that there was a lot of injustice going on at Hogwarts.

After everything that had happened at the locked door, Itachi's mood was ruined. He couldn't get the picture he had seen and the hypocrisy of the guys and how the girl had let herself 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 think about everything that had happened.

He headed back to the dungeons, trying to ignore everything that was going on around him. But as luck would have it, he wasn't destined to just walk to his room. Draco Malfoy stood in his way, blocking his path. Draco was dressed to perfection as always, his blonde hair perfectly styled and a smug smile playing on his face.

"So, Itachi," Draco said, his voice mocking. "Going to bed already? Are you really that tired from the day?"

Itachi stopped, frowning. He didn't want to talk to Draco, especially now, but he knew there was no avoiding it. "None of your business," he replied, trying not to show his irritation.

Draco grinned. "Really, you know tomorrow's the 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?" - Draco asked, his voice full of mockery.

Itachi sighed. "I'm not interested in Quidditch," he said, trying to speak calmly. "I have better things to do."

Draco frowned, his smile sliding off his face. "What such matters could be more important than Slytherin winning?"

Itachi remained silent, not wanting to explain what was really bothering him. He realized that Draco wouldn't understand him or share his feelings.

He decided it would be easier to just tell the truth and get it over with. "Yes, I'll be at the game," he said, his voice quiet but full of firmness. "Me and Theodore."

Draco froze for a moment, his eyes widening in surprise. "Really? uh, I mean yeah, that's good

Itachi shrugged. "Circumstances have changed," he said, trying to look indifferent. He didn't go into detail, and he wasn't going to explain why his opinion had changed.

Draco grinned, his smug smile returning to his face. "Well then, very good. I'm glad you changed your mind, maybe seeing our game will make you 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. Itachi took the opportunity and hurried away, trying not to engage in further conversation.

Finally, he reached his room and closed the door behind him. He felt 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 get on with his business, but his thoughts seemed to be stuck in the past, giving him no peace.

Suddenly, like a lightning strike, the thought flashed through his mind, "Why have I become so emotional?" He opened his eyes, frowning, his gaze full of wonder and introspection.

He remembered his past, his time in the ANBU where he had acted cold-blooded and ruthless. He remembered how he used women of easy virtue 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 brushed aside. He would never stand up for a girl he didn't know like he did today.

"What's happening to me?" - A thought flashed through his mind. "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 couldn't. All his past actions were based on logic, on necessity, on accomplishing a goal.

But here, at Hogwarts, it was different. He felt like a different person. It was as if he had become more open to the world. The thought scared him, he realized that there were some unknown factors affecting him at Hogwarts.

Suddenly another thought hit his head. What if it wasn't his decision, but his body? What if this was his body, the new, immature body of a teenager that was more affected by emotions? Children, teenagers, tend to be more emotional than adults.

"Kids tend to be more emotionally driven. Hell, if this theory turns out to be true, I'll be experiencing adolescence, hormones!" ran through my head.

The thought brought up mixed feelings. On the one hand, it was fun and somewhat terrifying to imagine how it would all play out, but on the other hand, the realization that he wasn't in control of his own reactions was unsettling.

And then, like a bursting waterfall, his mind flooded with memories of all the horrors of puberty. He remembered the stories of other shinobi about their "out of control" emotions, their constant mood swings, their ridiculous crushes that blinded them and made them do stupid things. He remembered how his old ANBU comrades blushed at simple compliments, how they argued about everything and made mistakes that made him sick afterward

Itachi, finished with analyzing his emotional problems and the horrors of puberty, felt somewhat tired. He realized that he needed a distraction to give him at least some respite from his thoughts.

He couldn't just gaze up at the stars like he would in Gryffindor or Clawtevran tower, for example. He was in the dungeons, where the windows were narrow and overlooked the gloomy stones.

He walked over to one of the small windows in his room and peered through it. There were no stars or sky to be seen, only the dim light of torches and the dark outlines of rocks. 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 used to look at the stars with his brother, Sasuke. They loved 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 protect him always.

Itachi sighed, his gaze filled with sadness. He remembered Sasuke's smile, his cheerful laugh, and his devoted eyes. He hoped that Sasuke was okay, that he was alive and well.

He thought about how much he wished he could see Sasuke, talk to him, hug him. His heart tugged at his brother, his home.

"I hope you're okay, Sasuke," Itachi whispered, looking at his reflection in the window as if looking at himself rather than the sky.

He stood there for a moment longer, staring at his reflection until the cold air started to get under his clothes. Then he decided it was time to go back to his room. He stepped away from the window and lay down on his bed, his heart full of longing and worry.

He couldn't sleep, his thoughts kept revolving around Sasuke, but at the same time he couldn't help but think about his hormones and how he would control them. He felt like his emotions were at their limit and he needed a break.

His eyes were starting to close, and at the last moment, before falling into sleep, another thought crossed his mind.

"I wonder," he thought, his voice quiet and a little sad. "Will I have a brother in this life too...?"

With that thought, he closed his eyes and his mind drifted into the darkness of a dream full of vague images of the past, worries for the future, and hope for a new world.

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1) Especially smart already guessed what new character I introduced in the story, yes I know that I do badly changing the age of characters, but I was stupidly lazy to look for a separate character who was suitable for this... "Role" and there would be a shift in the plot and not treading on the ground, and I will not apologize for this, my fanfic-my ideas

2) I'm starting to reveal more about Itachi and have him take part in the main events, but I'm also not forgetting about his self-made story to come into the canon, all the characters interacting with Itachi will be used, don't think I've forgotten about Daphne or Malfoy, their time has not come yet.

3) The world does not revolve around Itachi, some characters will have their own mini arcs to reveal more of their motivation and character, yes Itachi can be a motivator of the story but obviously not the main one.

4) and last but not least...Why do you read this fanfic but keep silent? You know, the author's support is a pretty big motivator, so you can't go too far :))