The Boy Who Watches

After a hard day of exams, Itachi and Theodore, full of fatigue and anticipation, headed for the exit .

"I should probably go make sure all my stuff is packed," Theodore said, stretching. 

"There's not much time before we leave, but it's better to prepare in advance than to run around in a panic later when you already have to board the Hogwarts Express."

Itachi nodded, agreeing with his sensible comment.

 "I agree, that's thoughtful. But I think I'll take advantage of the moment," he said, with a slight hint of mystery in his voice. 

"I have an excellent opportunity to visit the Forbidden Forest."

Theodore looked questioningly at Itachi, clearly perplexed. Itachi continued, clarifying his thought

"I noticed that the ghosts that stopped bothering me started following me again after the incident in the Forbidden Forest. Because of the exams and my helping you, I just didn't have time for that. Now, on this festive day, when most of the students are having fun, I have a chance. I'm under no particular illusions that after all this time I've lost I'll be able to find anything worthwhile, but I'm sure there must be at least some leads out there."

Theodore frowned, realizing that Itachi was up to something dangerous again. But knowing his friend's stubbornness, he didn't dissuade him. 

"Fine, do as you see fit, but be careful, Itachi. The Forbidden Forest is not a good place to walk alone," he said, with obvious concern in his voice.

Itachi nodded, confirming that he would be careful, though Theodore knew that his words were unlikely to influence his friend's actions. They said their goodbyes, and Theodore went to his room to attend to his packing, while Itachi headed towards the Forbidden Forest with determination in his eyes. 

 Although most of the students were in the castle now, celebrating the end of their exams, he couldn't rule out the possibility that someone might have spotted him making his way towards the forest. He didn't want to draw unnecessary attention to his actions.

Therefore, deciding not to take any chances, Itachi made the decision to reincarnate. He quickly looked around, making sure no one was around, and concentrated. In the next instant, his figure began to change, his bones crunching and his body shrinking in size, covered in fluffy fur. A few seconds later, a regular squirrel stood in Itachi's place. It was not large, with a fluffy tail and quick, nimble feet.

When the transformation was successful, the squirrel quickly jumped up and ran towards the forest. Its small paws deftly scampered across the grass, and its fluffy tail swayed in time with its movements. By transforming into a squirrel, Itachi had the advantage of stealth and maneuverability, which was especially important in the Forbidden Forest. 

Itachi's squirrel, nimbly maneuvering between trees and bushes, was moving deeper into the Forbidden Forest. Hagrid's small house appeared on the horizon, and Itachi, about to run past it, suddenly froze. His attention was drawn to the voices coming from there. When he looked more closely, he saw that right outside Hagrid's house was the golden trio of Gryffindors: Harry Potter, Ron Weasley, and Hermione Granger.

Itachi couldn't help but hold back an annoyed sigh (mentally, of course, in the form of a squirrel). What are these trouble magnets doing at Hagrid's place? His plans instantly changed. He realized he had to be careful. He couldn't just ignore their presence. After all, whatever was going on there could have something to do with him, given their habit of getting into all sorts of trouble.

Itachi ran closer, hiding behind thick bushes, trying to remain inconspicuous. He listened carefully to the conversation. His attention was caught by Harry's voice asking Hagrid, "...so who gave you the dragon egg after all, Hagrid?"

Itachi frowned. A dragon egg? What kind of strange business is this? 

Itachi, listening to the conversation, was surprised to learn a few more interesting details. There was talk of some sort of cannon and the fact that he could be lulled to sleep with a song. 

"A three-headed dog will fall asleep with a song?" - Itachi mentally wondered, shaking his squirrel head incredulously. He couldn't believe that such a thing was even possible. However, the confusion on the Gryffindors' faces told him that they themselves didn't really know what they were talking about.

The trio quickly said goodbye to Hagrid and hurriedly headed back towards the castle. Itachi realized that letting them out of their sight was not an option right now. There was too much weirdness centered around these three and he couldn't ignore it, especially after he had begun to suspect it.

"Make it worth my while," Itachi thought to himself, realizing that the chance to stay in the Forbidden Forest and explore was slipping away. But he couldn't pass up the opportunity to learn more about this strange situation. He decided that he would come back later to look for clues, but for now he needed to find out where the Gryffindors were headed.

Itachi, in the form of a squirrel, quickly and silently ran after them, deftly jumping over roots and rocks. His small feet flickered in the grass, his fluffy tail swaying in time with his movements. 

Itachi, who had been following the Gryffindors, reached the castle. He realized that in a crowded place like the castle, the squirrel would be too conspicuous. So he decided to change his appearance. He looked around quickly, concentrated, and the next thing he knew, instead of a squirrel, there was a toad on the floor - the same one that one of the Gryffindors, Neville Longbottom, kept losing. The toad was small, greenish-brown in color, and looked completely unremarkable, blending in easily with its surroundings.

As a toad, Itachi was much less conspicuous, and could discreetly observe the Gryffindors. They stopped in the lobby and began to discuss something animatedly. Listening closely, Itachi heard that they were going to go see Dumbledore! This made Itachi tense up. If they were going to talk to the Headmaster, then they had learned something really important and possibly dangerous.

But as if by the law of meanness, barely had the trio taken a couple steps towards the Headmaster's office before Professor McGonagall appeared in their path. Her figure, tall and stern, appeared suddenly. She squinted at them as if suspecting they were up to something again.

"Mr. Potter, Mr. Weasley, Miss Granger," she said in her stern tone. "Where are you two in such a hurry?" 

Harry, as usual, proved to be the most straightforward. 

"Professor McGonagall," he said in an excited voice. 

"We need to speak to Professor Dumbledore urgently. It's very important."

Ron and Hermione nodded, agreeing with every word he said. McGonagall, frowning, uttered.

"I'm afraid that's not possible. Headmaster Dumbledore has left for the Ministry of Magic. He will be busy there all day."

"But it's urgent!" - Hermione exclaimed.

 "Someone is trying to steal the Philosopher's Stone!"

McGonagall was taken aback for a moment, her eyes widening with surprise. 

"How do you know about the philosopher's stone?" - She asked, her voice full of disbelief. She clearly hadn't expected any of the students to know about such an important secret.

Harry and Ron looked over at each other, not knowing what to answer. 

"Well, it doesn't matter," Harry said, trying to smooth over the awkwardness of the situation.

 "It's just that we know someone will try to steal it today."

McGonagall, coming to her senses, tried to calm them down. 

"The Philosopher's Stone is heavily protected. It is surrounded by many spells and tests. No one can steal it," she tried to reassure them that everything was fine.

 "And I advise you, Mr. Potter, Mr. Weasley and Miss Granger, to stay out of anything you're not asked to do until Headmaster Dumbledore returns. He will arrive tomorrow."

Itachi, watching this scene, realized that the situation was far more serious than he had realized. 

Itachi, in toad form, listened intently to the further conversation between the Gryffindors and McGonagall. He heard Harry, Ron, and Hermione, despite the professor's warnings, whispering quietly that they were still going to break into the vault at night and protect the Philosopher's Stone. They clearly weren't going to stay away and were determined to thwart the supposed theft.

Itachi, upon hearing this, mentally rolled his toad eyes. 

"Idiots," it went through his head. He was well aware that they had no idea what they might be up against. If Voldemort had indeed returned, and he was the one who had attacked Harry in the forest, then these three Gryffindors were simply doomed. They, wizards who only knew a couple spells at most, were going to fight the darkest wizard in history? That was just insane.

Itachi realized that he couldn't let them do something so stupid. He knew he had to go after them. Perhaps he could stop them from getting involved and ultimately protect them from imminent danger. If Voldemort really is behind all of this...

Itachi, immersed in his thoughts about the night ahead and the Gryffindors' plans, suddenly felt someone lift him up in his arms. He was caught off guard and flinched in surprise. His beady toad-like eyes darted upward and he was astonished to see that he was being held in his arms by Neville Longbottom, the same Gryffindor who kept losing his toad.

Neville looked confused, but his face read joy at his unexpected find. 

"Oh, where have you been, Trevor?" - he muttered, examining the toad, not realizing it was actually Itachi. 

"I've been looking for you for so long."

Itachi went into a slight stupor. The situation was clearly out of his control. His plans for the night of watching the Gryffindors were now hanging by a thread. He was locked in the palms of Neville's hands, and there was no way for him to escape without arousing suspicion.

"Trevor," Neville said again, scratching the toad under his chin, "don't run away again, okay?" Itachi, in toad form, only blinked impotently. He realized that he would have to get out of this situation somehow, and preferably as soon as possible. But as long as he was in Neville's hands, it was almost impossible. He had to figure out some way to escape without arousing suspicion, and as soon as possible. 

Itachi, in the form of a small green toad, felt his world shrinking with every passing second. He had not at all expected this turn of events. Not so long ago he had been a carefree squirrel making his way through the Forbidden Forest, and now he found himself trapped in the palms of the good-natured but completely unpredictable Neville Longbottom. Neville was carrying him to the Gryffindor drawing room as if he had won the lottery, and Itachi realized that his carefully constructed plan was crumbling like a house of cards.

Itachi, mentally frowning, was well aware that the situation was spiraling out of control. His ability to hold the transformation was not limitless. Using magic like transforming into an animal required a considerable amount of effort on his part. He realized that if he lingered in toad form for too long, his body would begin to rebel. Painful and uncontrollable bouts of reincarnation would begin - his body would begin to involuntarily change between toad and his human form, causing him excruciating pain and risking being exposed.

But that wasn't the only problem.

 The tuberculosis he suffered from required regular medication, and he had yet to take his morning dose of pills. Itachi could feel his strength melting away with every passing moment. If he delayed taking his medication, his condition would worsen, leaving him even more vulnerable and weakened.

He knew that if he concentrated as hard as he could, he might be able to hold out as a toad until nightfall. But that would be a Pyrrhic victory. He would be utterly exhausted, weakened, and unable to offer any resistance if need be. Plus, under the effects of the long transformation, his reactions would slow down and his magic would become unstable. 

"The situation is shit," it flashed through his mind, a cold and emotionless echo. Itachi, twitching helplessly in Neville's palms, realized he was cornered. His plans to follow the Gryffindors, learn more about the Philosopher's Stone and possibly avert disaster were crumbling before his eyes.

A sudden respite in the scrutiny of Neville, who seemed to be engrossed in discussing some thoughts of his own, gave Itachi a chance. In the blink of an eye, while Neville was distracted, he, straining all his remaining strength, slipped out of his grasp with force. A moment of panic, followed by a quiet, quick rush. Itachi, like a ghost, skulked under one of the beds in the Gryffindor living room. There, in the semi-darkness, he concentrated, and his form began to change. Toad was transforming back into Itachi. The process was agonizingly slow and painful, every cell in his body, as if rising from the ashes, trying to regain its lost form. He felt weak, as if he had been squeezed dry. In addition, his magic power, used to a controlled state, was now unstable.

But now Itachi was in human form. Though far from being in the best condition. Itachi realized that he was unfortunately trapped in the Gryffindor common room. He didn't know the password to leave the room, and his sudden appearance outside the Gryffindor dormitory would raise too much suspicion. Such inappropriate behavior, completely illogical, not conforming to any norms or rules, would be at the very least strange and probably very suspicious. He was caught in a trap. A situation that was already terribly bad was getting worse. He was on the verge of a seizure, his body writhing in pain. Everything was boiling inside him, and he realized that at any minute he could lose control of himself again.

Itachi sat like that for hours, hiding under the bed in the Gryffindor living room. Dust and dirt covered his clothes, and the long sitting in the uncomfortable position made his whole body ache. But he didn't give up. He knew he had to be patient. He listened to every rustle, every sound going on in the living room, trying not to miss anything important.

Itachi, as he pondered the situation, discovered a slight advantage in his predicament. Being under the bed made him an invisible observer, hidden from the eyes of the others. He could see exactly when the Gryffindors would start packing up to head to the vault. His location allowed him to keep an eye on them.

Time stretched slowly and agonizingly, but as the night drew closer, Itachi could feel his supply of magic slowly returning. His body was slowly recovering and he could feel the power flowing through his veins again.

"All that's left is to take the pills," Itachi thought, feeling his internal organs as if begging for medical attention. 

The Gryffindor common room was in semi-darkness. The fire in the fireplace was almost out, casting bizarre shadows on the sleeping students. Itachi, still hiding under the bed, felt his patience reaching its limit. The hours stretched on endlessly, but he knew he had to wait for his time. He kept a close eye on what was happening in the living room, straining his hearing and vision, waiting for the right moment.

And that moment finally came. When most of the Gryffindors had fallen into a deep sleep, with only the occasional sigh breaking the silence, Itachi noticed three figures rising cautiously from the couches and armchairs. It was Harry, Ron, and Hermione, their faces, in the glow of the dim light, seeming both determined and frightened at the same time. They looked around, making sure no one could see them, and then quietly crept toward the living room exit.

"This is my chance," Itachi thought, his heart beating a little faster. He realized that he had to act quickly and precisely now, so he wouldn't lose sight of them. He gathered his last bit of strength, concentrated, and, in the blink of an eye, transformed back into a small, fluffy squirrel. He quickly and silently crawled out from under the bed and ran after the Gryffindors, trying not to make a sound.

Itachi's squirrel watched the three Gryffindors move silently toward the living room exit. But to his surprise, the figure of Neville Longbottom appeared right in their path. Neville seemed determined. "I won't let you in!" - he whispered, his voice trembling, but a light of stubbornness burning in his eyes.

 "I know you're up to something, and I won't let you do anything foolish. I'm ready to fight!"

Itachi's squirrel paused with his ears perked up. He realized that the situation now could develop unpredictably. Hermione seemed to be desperate. She looked at Neville with sadness and regret. 

"Neville, I'm sorry," she whispered, her voice full of sadness, and then, without waiting for a reply, she cast a spell:

 "Petrificus Totalus!"

Neville instantly froze in place. His body collapsed like a rag doll, and he collapsed to the floor without making a sound. The Gryffindors, quickly recovering from their surprise, glanced around and hurried out of the living room, leaving Neville motionless on the floor.

Itachi, not wasting a second, ran after them. His little paws flashed across the floor as he followed the Gryffindors into the hallway. When he reached the corner, he quickly hid behind a wall, making sure no one could see him, and then concentrated to regain his human form. The pain and weakness he had felt earlier was still with him, but now he had a chance to see what the Gryffindors were chatting about. He leaned against the wall, listening to their voices, trying to catch every word to see exactly what they were going to do next. He realized he had no time to waste, and had to act quickly and decisively.

Itachi, listening to the Gryffindor's conversation, barely held back a surprised sigh. Had they mentioned that they were putting on the invisibility robe now? That was completely unexpected. Itachi knew that such artifacts existed, but he had never encountered them in person. He was extremely intrigued as to how they were going to sneak unnoticed into the vault with such an item at their disposal.

Suddenly, Itachi had an idea. He decided to use his sharingan to follow them. He turned to the corner the Gryffindors had just passed through and activated his dojutsu. His eyes filled with red light and the world around him began to seem clearer and his movements began to slow down. But... the sharingan showed nothing. Itachi was stunned. He had expected to see a silhouette under the cloak, or at least some hint of their presence, but his sharingan was completely useless.

Itachi realized that the magic of the invisibility cloak was much stronger than he had imagined. He quickly turned away from the corner and deactivated his sharingan, feeling slightly disappointed and at the same time respectful of the power of this artifact. He realized that he wouldn't be able to follow them in this form, as his powers were limited.

But Itachi wasn't about to give up. He still knew where they were headed. He realized that if he followed them right away, they might spot him. He decided that he would give them a five minute head start, and only then follow them. That would give them enough time to go deeper into the vault, and at the same time, he would have a chance to avoid running nose to nose with them.