In the dungeon, under the dim light of the enchanted lanterns, Professors McGonagall, Snape, and Flitwick were examining the massive container in which the defeated troll lay. The air felt damp and smelled faintly of earth, and the tension was almost physically palpable in the silence of the dungeon.
"Unbelievable," Professor Flitwick muttered, adjusting his glasses.
Snape, as always, was silently studying the container, his gaze fixed on the troll as if it might reveal some secret. He remembered Harry Potter's account of what had happened, but he found it hard to believe that a freshman was capable of such agility and strength. Simple brute strength, even if backed up by magic, couldn't explain how the Uchiha had dealt with the troll so quickly and efficiently.
"Are you sure you didn't miss anything in these two's explanations?" asked McGonagall, turning to Flitwick.
"The appearance of the troll doesn't fit into any logic. If it were a random event, the likelihood of it appearing in this very place would be negligible."
Flitwick nodded, but there was uncertainty in his voice.
"No, Professor. We have checked all the records thoroughly, but found no indication that the troll was even supposed to be there."
"What about Potter, Weasley and Granger?"
"They were off the schedule as well. Their simultaneous appearance there along with Uchiha and Nott looks suspicious, to say the least."
Snape finally broke the silence, his voice harsh and full of skepticism.
"Potter simply couldn't explain what happened in any meaningful way, being as impressed as ever. He lacks the maturity and experience to adequately assess the situation, but even his rambling account suggests deeper and possibly darker motives."
"Agreed," Flitwick agreed.
"We need to consider all possible options and perhaps talk to the Uchiha and Nott again, try to get the truth out of them."
Suddenly McGonagall frowned.
"But... What if this isn't an ordinary troll at all? What if there's more behind it than we realize?" - There was a trace of alarm in her voice.
At that moment, the door to the dungeon opened quietly and Albus Dumbledore entered the room. Behind his trademark half-rimmed glasses, his eyes glittered. He took a long look around at those present before his gaze settled on the troll container.
"Professors," Dumbledore said softly, but there was a firmness in his voice.
"Could you please explain to me what is going on here? I've heard some rather strange rumors."
Gathering her thoughts, McGonagall stepped forward.
"Albus, we are investigating the circumstances surrounding the appearance of the troll in the dungeon. Potter, Weasley and Granger also happened to be there, breaking every conceivable rule. Fortunately, the first-year Uchiha and Nott came to their aid in time."
"Which I must admit is particularly disturbing," Snape muttered with a venomous tinge in his voice.
"The Uchiha has demonstrated highly unusual abilities for a freshman. I doubt that even an experienced wizard could deal with a troll so quickly and effectively, let alone a child who is barely familiar with magic."
Dumbledore looked at Snape testily.
"I understand your concern, Severus. But perhaps it is not just the talent of one student, but what lies behind it all."
"A freshman's talent beyond the abilities of any freshman?" hissed Snape.
Dumbledore shifted his gaze to Flitwick.
"Professor Flitwick, what do you have to say about this?".
"We discovered that the troll was here for a reason. His appearance appears to have been planned. As for that student's actions... His skills in magic are questionable, but right now the safety of our students is paramount."
"Then we're dealing with more than just an accident. We have to get to the bottom of this, and we have to do it discreetly. At this point, it's important that the Ministry doesn't find out that the troll was defeated by a freshman . Imagine what they'll start talking and checking if they find out that students encountered a troll at Hogwarts, the safest place on earth."
"But, Headmaster," McGonagall objected
"The truth is the truth. Itachi Uchiha demonstrated incredible skill, and his feat should be recognized."
"Of course, Minerva."
"But now, in such a volatile time, we must think of the safety of our students. If we reveal the truth, the Ministry will look into every little detail, and then they will start poking around Hogwarts, questioning its very safety and how we protect our children."
With a chuckle Snape added:
"And they'll probably accuse us of incompetence and remove us from our posts if they see such a thing. And they're notoriously fond of picking on the little things."
Sighing, McGonagall nodded.
"Very well, Headmaster, I understand your concerns. But we mustn't forget that this child was a true hero."
Looking at the troll container, Dumbledore said slowly:
"This incident raises questions to which we must find answers. All of them. How the troll ended up in the castle, who sent it there, and how we can keep our students safe without giving in to provocation. We'll have to keep a close eye on what's going on. For the moment, all the laurels of victory will go to us, but the investigation will continue in silence."
Dumbledore, McGonagall, Snape, and Flitwick stood around the troll container, flooded by the dim light of the magic lanterns. A tense silence pressed upon them, broken only by the rustling of robes. Squinting his eyes, the Headmaster studied the contents of the container.
"This troll... it's like he's frozen," Flitwick said, running his finger over the troll's pale, marble-like skin.
"His bones... it's like they're... missing."
Clearly not believing his eyes, Snape pulled a small vial of shimmering golden liquid from his pocket. Muttering an incantation, he applied a few drops to the troll's skin. Slowly absorbed, the liquid left thin glowing lines like veins on the skin.
"Unusual magic," he muttered in a strained voice.
"This liquid shows some kind of magic working on the troll, but this... It's atypical. It's not direct violence, but... It's like something inside has changed."
Watching the results carefully, McGonagall stepped closer to the container. With a wave of her wand, she cast the Revealo Corporis spell, designed to detect internal structures. Through the translucent magical shroud enveloping the troll, its internal organs became visible.
"Look," she said, pointing her wand at the troll's legs.
"His bones... It's like they're... gone. It's like someone removed them."
Picking up his glasses, Flitwick scrutinized the image. He used his own spells to get a more detailed view of the troll's bone structure. After a few seconds, he recoiled, his face expressing horror.
"I'm afraid this is it," he muttered.
"The Brackium Emendo spell... It's a spell that can remove bones without causing visible external damage. But it requires simply incredible knowledge of anatomy, it's... it's horrible."
Dumbledore stepped closer to the container, his gaze full of concern. He swept his wand over the troll's body again, this time casting a more complex spell designed to read the history of magical effects.
"Yes, this is it," he confirmed, and his voice was filled with heavy contemplation.
"The Brackium Emendo spell... But... how? This spell is practically inaccessible to first year students."
Dumbledore picked up a magic book and began searching through it for information about the spell. Snape continued to study the troll incredulously, as if expecting to find hidden traces of magical interference or some clue.
"Finding such information may take some time," Flitwick remarked, pausing.
"We need to determine how the troll was immobilized and under what conditions. It is also relevant to the safety of Hogwarts students."
McGonagall tapped her finger on the table.
"It's important to make sure that such a spell doesn't fall into the wrong hands, but of course it's also important that the child who was able to perform it was clearly no ordinary freshman."
Brackium EmendoFlitwick pointed to a barely visible stain on the troll's body.
"Perhaps some special method, unknown to us, was used to disarm the troll. This could be a clue."
Dumbledore bowed his head.
"This is not an easy case. We need to determine exactly what was done to the troll and how... It may be a spell we don't know about. We need to check its magical imprint."
Dumbledore stepped away from the container and summoned a magical glowing disk that hovered in the air. He placed his hands on it and the disk began to shimmer with different colors, as if thousands of fireflies were dancing in it. He then directed the light from the disk at the troll, and thin lines not normally visible to the eye began to appear on the surface of his skin.
"That's his magical imprint," Dumbledore explained thoughtfully.
"It shows the flow of magic around him, like a fingerprint, unique to every magical being. But here... Something is clearly wrong. It is... weak and distorted. It's as if it's torn, as if it's been violently ripped out, but there's no sign of outside interference."
McGonagall stepped closer, scrutinizing the glowing lines.
"Could this spell have left traces? Let's try another spell to see if there are any signs of manipulation."
She raised her wand and cast a more complex spell, Analisys Magica, designed to analyze the magical imprint in detail. A translucent sphere appeared around the troll, made up of many glowing threads. These threads moved and intertwined like snakes, mapping the troll's energy field.
Snape took a closer look at what was happening.
"Looks like magical exhaustion," he muttered.
"But there's something else here... It's as if his magic has rearranged itself. It's not just power suppression, but something more complex."
He pulled out a small vial of shimmering liquid and dripped a few drops on the troll again.
"This liquid is sensitive to anomalies in magical fields."
He explained, watching the liquid absorb into his skin.
"It will tell us if there has been magical interference."
The liquid, as it absorbed, began to shimmer and change color: in some places it became darker, as if it had been poisoned, and in others lighter, as if it had been enhanced. Watching the changes carefully, Snape muttered to himself:
"It's as if something is drawing out his power, but selectively, not affecting everything, just certain areas. This isn't ordinary magical exhaustion. It's like... interfering with the very essence of his magic."
Suddenly Snape recoiled from the troll, his gaze focused.
"Perhaps we're looking where we shouldn't be looking. That freshman, Uchiha... I've seen him disappear into the library almost every day."
"Are you saying he could have learned that spell from books?".
"That would explain how he knows about Brackium Emendo. He clearly has a hunger for knowledge, and I don't rule out that he could have found it in one of the library archives."
"It is quite possible that a library could hold such information, especially in a locked section. But a spell like that... It's not for beginners."
"Exactly," Dumbledore said, keeping his eyes on the troll container.
"Even if he learned this spell from a book, it doesn't explain how he was able to use it with such precision and control."
"Then we must consider all the possibilities. Could it be that not only his knowledge but also his skill is based on some magical artifact? Either..."
She fell silent, her gaze becoming thoughtful.
"Either... both?" - Dumbledore asked, looking at her carefully.
Snape frowned.
"This is some atypical spell. And besides, we found no trace of . The troll showed no signs of exposure to controlling magic. It only had traces of Brachiam Emendo on it."
"Exactly," McGonagall agreed.
Flitwick adjusted his glasses.
"Strange indeed. If he used any magic it should have left some kind of trace in the troll's magical field or at least in his mind, but it doesn't seem to have done so. It seemed like someone tricked him into showing only the first part, but not the second."
Deep in thought, Dumbledore nodded slowly.
McGonagall sighed.
"So we should go back to Potter's statement and question the Uchiha again, but more thoroughly?".
Dumbledore nodded, his gaze thoughtful.
"In the meantime, I ask that you keep a close eye on Itachi Uchiha. I want to be aware of his actions and, if possible, observe him to better understand his motives. But without too much fuss or pressure, of course. Our job is to make sense of the situation, not to scare him."
"And, Professor McGonagall, I would ask you to give the same task to the living paintings and ghosts. Have them observe him as well, but carefully so he doesn't suspect anything."
After a moment's silence, Dumbledore decided to change the subject.
"Let us leave Mr. Uchiha alone for now, until we know more. Now back to the matter of the troll. How the hell did he get to Hogwarts? That's a serious question, and it needs to be found out as soon as possible."
Fixing his glasses, Flitwick said:
"We've checked all of the troll's movement reports, but there is no indication that he entered the castle through the usual passageways. That means he may have used some other method, possibly magical."
Crossing his arms over his chest, Snape uttered:
"Or he was brought here on purpose. Someone could have guided him into Hogwarts using a portal key or some other method of travel."
Dumbledore nodded.
"We must consider all possible options. It's not just a troll, it's a challenge to our security. Check every way the troll could have gotten to Hogwarts, investigate every possible magical pathway, and be vigilant."
He looked around at everyone present.
"We can't let something like this happen again."
The professors nodded, realizing that this incident was jeopardizing the safety of the entire Hogwarts. They were determined to find out the full circumstances and prevent future threats.
Each of them had their own thoughts after what had happened.
Professor Minerva McGonagall, known for her strictness and fairness, was teaching a transfiguration class. Watching the students carefully, she noticed Itachi Uchiha. His extraordinary speed and accuracy in transforming objects couldn't help but impress her. She had noticed more than once how other Slytherins made mistakes, especially in complex transfigurations, but Uchiha seemed to grasp the point with surprising ease.
McGonagall was usually reserved, but she felt a special interest in Uchiha. The unwavering concentration he displayed was different from the fidgeting of the other freshmen. She noticed that Uchiha was able to analyze the processes of transformation, as if he could see invisible threads tying them together.
"Interesting freshman," she thought, frowning.
"Perhaps he sees farther than most. But caution is the guiding principle."
Despite her strictness, McGonagall began to pay more attention to him. Her wariness was reinforced by his unusual calmness and, she noticed, his interest in the details of the process, not just the outcome. She realized that Uchiha's ability to see beyond others did not always go to his advantage.
She noticed Uchiha scrutinizing the various forms of energy associated with the transformation, as if searching for hidden meaning in them. He noticed details that others didn't see and asked questions that made one wonder. He seemed to want to understand not only how to transfigurate, but what it was for.
Sitting at his desk in the potions room, Professor Snape grimly studied the results of Itachi Uchiha's latest experiment. There was a distinct odor of sulfur in the air and an elusive plume of something else, perhaps magnesia, that reminded him of the young Slytherin's ongoing experiments. Accustomed to the malicious selfishness and superficial ambition of his students, Snape detected something different in the Uchiha. Something...frightening.
Frowning, Snape watched the Uchiha methodically record the results of his experiments in his journal. Snape knew that genius was often rooted in recklessness and passion, a thirst for discovery that took the student outside the bounds of conventional norms and rules.
But this restraint, this deliberate calm, made him wonder. The Uchiha showed not the slightest interest in fame or the empty praise so typical of many Slytherins. He was focused, cold and, worst of all, unreadable.
"And what are you hiding, young Uchiha? What dark potential lurks behind those cold eyes?" - Snape pondered grimly, looking at the notes.
He was impressed with his abilities. His brilliance in potions made Snape think of his best students.
Snape saw in him a dark spark hidden beneath a layer of caution and prudence that he felt was far more dangerous than overt aggression. In these experiments, where the Uchiha took risks but never crossed the line, Snape saw not just a desire for new knowledge, but a hidden lust for power, not like that of other Slytherins, but far more dangerous because it was disguised as constraint.
This secret power hidden under a mask of calmness frightened Snape, making him wonder if it was dangerous to let it develop.
Snape understood that the Uchiha could become a powerful mage, but he also realized that in his hands this power could be used for destruction rather than creation. It was this uncertainty that made Professor Snape view Itachi Uchiha with particular suspicion.