The month flew by unnoticed, filled with routine and preparations for the new school year. His Mother had really hit it off with Hermione Granger's parents. Now she often went off to visit them, discussing books, movies, and the latest news. He was happy for her. She needed the companionship of people who shared her interests.
Itachi himself was devoting himself to reading at this time. He was re-reading books on the laws of magic that he had studied as a child. However, some of the wording and concepts that as a child seemed incomprehensible and complicated to him.
Now he could look at these things from a different angle, realizing their depth and interconnectedness.
The more he delved into the study of the Legislative System, the more his desire to work for the Ministry of Magic grew stronger. He saw himself in only a few specific roles where he could do the most good and realize his potential.
One such position he considered was that of Assistant Minister of Magic. It was a high enough position, but not so high profile as to draw undue attention to himself. In this position, he could keep abreast of all the happenings in the Ministry, become the Minister's confidant and gradually influence the decisions being made.
This role reminded him a bit of his work in the Hokage's ANBU, where he was one of the leader's most trusted confidants and performed the most important tasks while remaining in the shadows.
The second option was the Mrakoborets.
This path seemed more straightforward than the diplomatic role of Assistant Minister. In the position of a darkslayer he could directly fight the dark forces, protecting the peaceful citizens. Here he could fully display his skills and abilities, honing them in real-world settings.
Part of this position would also allow him to secure the resources he needed, though not to the same extent as his position as Deputy Minister. He would be on the front lines in all dangerous situations, coming face to face with dark mages and other threats.
Of course, being a darkwizard greatly increased the risk of his Sharingan being revealed.
However, this position was closer to his heart. In his old world, he had successfully combined a diplomatic approach with the use of force, but in this new world that combination might prove more difficult. He would have to weigh the pros and cons carefully before making a final choice.
And lastly the British Youth Representative to the Wizengamot.
This position, strangely enough, also attracted his attention, though for completely different reasons. Even an underage wizard could take it, which in itself was amazing and gave him certain advantages.
One of the main advantages was the opportunity to gain the support of young people to put pressure on the Ministry to change outdated laws.
For example, the law on controlling metamorphs needed to be revised.
The existing wording was too vague and allowed for abuse of power by persecuting innocent people. He wanted amendments that would clearly define the criteria and restrictions for enforcing the law.
However, there were enough minuses too. He would surely have to face a huge amount of documents, letters and petitions from young people asking for some nonsense. Complaints about unfair punishments, arguments about quidditch team placements, requests for help with personal problems - all of these things could be time-consuming and distracting from the really important issues. But the opportunity to change the system from within, even at this level, was very tempting to him.
To his regret, they had already pulled up to King's Cross Station.
Time to head back to Hogwarts. He felt an unpleasant tingling in his stomach, as if a storm was coming. For some inexplicable reason, he didn't feel like going back to the castle.
He tried to push those thoughts as far away as possible, convincing himself that it was just nerves before the start of the new school year.
If Dumbledore still hadn't publicized his involvement in the events of last year, then he wanted to talk about it in person.
There was no way he would believe that the Headmaster of Hogwarts wasn't the type to pass up an opportunity for gain.
He was sure that Dumbledore was up to something, that he wanted to get something from him in return for his silence. The only question was what exactly Dumbledore would need and whether he would be willing to make concessions to keep his secret.
Here he is already standing with his things in front of platform 9¾, preparing to plunge into the magical world of Hogwarts once again.
It was time to say goodbye to his parents. His mom, as always, couldn't help but ruffle his hair on his head, making him frown slightly. He didn't like being treated like a child, especially in public places.
His father, as usual, wasn't much of a talker. He only nodded his goodbye and reminded him not to lose or break his wand.
He passed through the barrier and found himself on a magical platform where there was a bustle of activity. Wizards of all ages were saying goodbye to their families, dragging carts with suitcases and owl cages behind them, and discussing the upcoming school year.
Itachi, wasting no time, headed towards the Hogwarts Express. He decided to take a seat again in the same carriage he had traveled in last year. To his delight, the compartment was vacant. He was relieved to unpack his suitcases and sat by the window, watching the busy platform.
All that remained was to wait for Theodore.
He had no doubt that his friend would find him.
About fifteen minutes passed. The stream of students entering the train was getting denser and denser. Seniors, his peers, first years - everyone was rushing to take their seats.
Malfoy's friends, Crabbe and Goyle, passed by his compartment, casting him a quick, expressionless glance. Malfoy was still nowhere to be seen.
New first years were walking past. Their faces expressed a mixture of excitement and delight. They stared in wonder at all the magic that surrounded them, as if they were in a fairy tale.
He remembered himself from last year, when he had been on this platform for the first time. He had felt something similar then too, but his emotions had been more restrained.
Finally, with a slight jolt, the train touched down. The Hogwarts Express was picking up speed...
King's Cross Station gradually dwindled until it disappeared over the horizon, leaving behind a world of everyday worries.
After another fifteen minutes, Theodore finally entered the compartment.
He rolled his eyes
"Naturally, You'll be here." He simply dropped his suitcase beside him and leisurely sat down in the empty seat as if it was the most logical and expected development.
Theodore leaned back in his seat and, with a slight smile, turned to him
"So, tell me about it. How was your summer? Was there anything interesting? Or did you just sit behind books all the time again?"
"Fine."
After a second pause, he changed the subject:
"How's the spellcasting going? Have you made any progress with your experiments?"
Theodore immediately perked up, squared his shoulders, and proudly declared:
"Ah, spells! My specialty! Over the summer I've practiced my wand movements to perfection. Every swing, every movement is flawless! I bet I won't lose to you so easily this time, Itachi."
There was confidence and defiance in his voice. He was clearly hungry for a rematch.
"Practicing your wand moves is important, of course, but it's not enough on its own."
"All right, all right," Theodore grumbled.
"I'm not arguing that there's more to work on. But trust me, I've prepared better than ever this time around. I've learned a lot of new spells and techniques, and I'm ready to put them to the test. So you better be ready, Itachi. I have no intention of conceding anything to you this time."
Theodore, casting a quick glance around as if making sure no one was peeking, abruptly rolled up the sleeve of his robe and showed Itachi his biceps. He tensed the muscle, making it clear that he had spent the summer doing more than just reading books and practicing spells.
"I didn't just train in magic," Theodore said with a sly grin.
Itachi raised an eyebrow slightly, casting Theodore an appraising look.
"And what, your father doesn't nag you for that?"
"You're from a noble house, all things considered. Aristocrats usually value mental ability more than physical strength."
"And anyway, what made you decide to develop physical skills all of a sudden? What drove you to do that?"
There wasn't an ounce of judgment or displeasure in Itachi's voice. On the contrary, he was glad that Theodore didn't rely only on magic and cared about his physical form. He was interested in the motive itself, the reason that made Theodore change his priorities.
Theodore brushed off the question about his father, making it clear he didn't want to talk about it.
"I did it in secret from my father."
"And it was my own weakness that drove me to it. I realized that during sparring, if I suddenly lost my wand, I would be left completely defenseless. I don't want to feel helpless anymore, Itachi. I want to make sure I can stand up for myself in any situation."
He fell silent, looking out the window at the scenery passing by. The fire of excitement and determination burned in his eyes. He was determined to prove that he too was worth something, that he was capable of more than mere imitation.
Itachi only smiled enigmatically in response, not saying a word. He was glad to see his friend's enthusiasm.
The rest of the trip was peaceful and relaxed. They discussed upcoming lessons and the latest news from the world of magic. Nothing out of the ordinary happened.
The only minor incident was that Ron's older brothers, Fred and George Weasley, had looked into their compartment once for some reason. They were looking for something, but when they saw Itachi and Theodore, they apologized and quickly left, leaving them puzzled.
What did they want?