Disclaimer: This story was written and inspired by J.K. Rowling's Harry Potter Series. The author claims no ownership on the characters and places mentioned in the story. Blaze Zabini is a character inspired by JKR's infamous Blaise Zabini. And given the little facts known of the character the author chose to make this character a girl. If some people can't get that then leave now and hold your peace. Because this author has bloody had it with that whole gender issue of Blaise. Save the arguments. Author's heard it all.
Note: Story not canon in some parts. Writing first part in progress. Events in Book 1 to 5 touched. Rating is R for strong language, violence, sexuality, and depth. *snort* And this's just in the first couple of chapters. Expect elements of comedy, drama, action/adventure, romance, etc. This is a rewrite of same story title, by same author. Translations of some phrases given upon request or mood of author. Visit Nengski's webpage for artwork inspired by story.
A Private Chat
"I need your help."
"Why? What is it? What happened?"
"I don't know how to say this."
"Well, go on. Tell me so I can help."
"I got her pregnant."
"When you say her, you don't mean her?"
"I do mean her."
"So'n Schiet."
"Ich weiβ. I've looked at a couple of the secret-keeping charms, I could use the-"
"Mach keinen Scheiβ!"
"I already got her pregnant. Is there anything more stupid I can do?! Please, sie sind unsere einzige Hoffnung."
"But-"
"If this comes out, it might ruin us all. The Order's shaky enough as is."
"I know. V-Very well … I'll think of something. As for you … talk to your wife."
*****
… On July 31, 1980, three wizarding families welcomed three new members to their fold. The magical scroll at Hogwarts Academy immediately went to work. Recording the first child born of the three, it scrawled diligently Neville Longbottom. Next in line, the scroll wrote down heartily Harry Potter …
*****
A Year Later
Godric Hollow stirred with laughter, lively chatter, and the light clinking of goblets. The evening had winded down into an orangey-red sunset spotted with violet clouds. A thick summer breeze swayed the branches of a nearby Sycamore, making the wind-chimes tied along its length sing in unison. The home of James and Lily Potter glowed with firebug lamps, roaming orbs, and glittery banners that crooned Happy 1st Birthday! The guests had scattered themselves all around the house, keeping their conversations to a moderate level.
A short, stout wizard stepped out of a carriage and stood in front of the Potter's gate. He patted down his tousled blonde hair and scratched at his pointy nose. He then proceeded up the tiled path and knocked on the thick Oak door.
"Come in, Peter!" A warm feminine voice greeted. "Everybody's here."
Smiling, Peter Pettigrew produced several boxes in his hands. "Gifts for the little ones, Lily. Where are they?"
Lily Potter tilted her head towards the spacious family room. "They're all in the Stay-Putter. I think Alastor's watching them."
Alastor Moody turned slightly as he nestled deeper into the cushy armchair. His mouth hung open and dribbled slightly as Peter set the gifts on the coffee table. He then turned to the over-sized playing pen that held the birthday celebrants.
A chubby boy chewing on a Zwieback cracker blinked up at the man. Peter ruffled the little boy's hair, which sent the kid flopping clumsily on his back.
"Opps!" Peter said and went through the task of up-righting Baby Longbottom, which soon revealed itself as an extraordinary ordeal.
Meanwhile, the other baby boy with an atrocious mop of scraggly black hair stared avidly at the blonde baby girl in front of him. She tried for the hundredth time to bite into the cookie she held, and once again came up empty. Her cheeks puffed out in frustration, but her eyes remained alight as she clamped her toothless mouth on the bread again. The boy with messy black hair couldn't stand it any longer. He lunged for the girl and chomped on the cookie as she still held it. She grunted, clearly annoyed, but quickly fascinated herself with the boy's hair. She proceeded to chew on this, deftly drooling over half the side of the boy's head.
"How are they? They've been so quiet," Vanessa cooed as she approached Peter who still had his hands full with Neville. She suddenly giggled at the sight of the other two. Moody snorted awake.
"What's that? Head count?!" He barked blearily. Vanessa gently pushed the old Auror back down on the armchair. She called Lily over.
"Look at them!" She snickered. Lily giggled watching her son, Harry, pry the cookie from the girl's hand. He smacked on it greedily. The girl gave up on the cookie and pulled at Harry's hair.
"She must think Harry's head is full of licorice sticks," Lily mused. Vanessa smiled goofily as the baby girl tapped lightly on Harry's head singing Ba, ba, ba.
"Ladies." Someone cleared his throat. Sirius Black cocked his head to the door behind him. "Have you forgotten already?" Lily clasped her hands together.
"Oh yeah! I'm coming! Sorry to make you wait. Are you okay there, Vanessa?" She flicked her raven black hair over her shoulder.
"Go ahead, Lily. Peter's here and … Alastor will make for a good prop," she whispered loudly as Moody snored once again. Peter stood to his feet, dabbing his sweat with a handkerchief.
"Actually, we need Peter for a second," Sirius said casually. Peter's face went alit.
"A second? Sure! Anything for my good friends!"
Suddenly, the baby girl went rigid. Her nose scrunched up as she said, "Ba, ba, bad man." She pointed. Vanessa's eyebrows shot up, but Blaise continued singing ba, ba, ba. Vanessa snorted to herself, assuming she heard things. Everyone else remained oblivious.
Peter scrambled after Lily as Sirius held the door open. The handsome, dark-haired wizard exchanged exasperated smiles with Vanessa and closed the door behind him.
Vanessa turned back to the pen and propped Neville into a sitting position using a pillow. She had placed a fifth pillow at the wobbly boy's side when Remus Lupin kneeled beside her.
"Hello, stranger," she greeted. "Where have you been?" He held out a finger for Harry to clamp his tiny hand around.
"Out," he sighed. He smiled tiredly at Vanessa. She bit her lip.
"You shouldn't be so vague, Remus. You know, everyone's thinking there's a snitch in the Order. I know it's not you," she said quickly. Remus nodded quietly.
"What I did was just as bad. But she and I are over now. I doubt Sirius will ever trust me again though." He closed his eyes. Vanessa squeezed his shoulder as the girl crawled over to Neville and poked him with her finger. He squeaked and toppled over again.
"You can't help who you love," she said quietly. Her expression darkened but she forced a smile on her face once Remus turned to her. "Have you reconsidered being my girl's godfather?" He sighed weakly.
"Vanessa, I'm flattered … But …"
As Remus continued rambling, Baby Neville squeaked again. Baby Harry twisted around to see the blonde baby girl coo as she clumsily tried pulling Neville into a sitting position. She seemed more amused watching Neville flop over though. Feeling lonely, Baby Harry crawled over to the two and planted his diapered buttocks next to the girl. "Uh!" He said loudly. She wrinkled her nose at him and turned back to Neville. "Uh!" Harry grunted louder and put a small hand on her shoulder. He blew on her face making her shut her eyes. "Blappa," she sang, clapping as she bounced on her bum. Still, she kept her face turned to Neville. Then Baby Harry leaned over and snogged the girl on the cheek. She let out a tickled laugh and turned to him with a fabulous smile. Harry laughed back and quickly resumed to pulling her hair.
The adults still carried on with their discussion.
"I know Zon and I are relatively new to this town. But you've been so kind to us. And I don't have any friends in Durmstang that I would trust with my daughter's life. But even if we considered them, you're still our first choice, Remus." He bowed his head.
"But you know I'm a werewolf." Vanessa blushed.
"Well, I'm hoping if ever something should happen to us … you'd have married a good woman by then. She could take care of the booger every full moon." Now Remus snorted.
"My chance for a normal life left me a long time ago, dear." He reached over and lifted the baby girl into his arms. She wrapped her dewy arms around his neck and rested her head on his shoulder. With every amount of restraint in his voice, he said, "I can't be her godfather." Vanessa bit her lip.
"I understand, Remus. I do. We'll just have to live forever I guess." They exchanged sad grins.
"This may sound rude, but why not the Diggory's?" Remus suggested as the baby yawned.
"No, not the Diggory's," Vanessa said quickly. The door opened again, and Sirius walked into the room along with the rest of the group.
Harry's face brightened as James Potter approached the pen.
"How's my little bogey?" The young man teased. Harry lifted both arms to his dad.
"Up!" He said. James laughed and took his son in his arms.
"That's the only word he seems to know," Lily groaned as Frank Longbottom rescued Neville from the pile of pillows. "Not Dada, certainly not Mama. Just Up!" Sirius barked a laugh.
"Well, he's got the Quidditch-mania in his blood," James said proudly. He swept across the room, making swishing sounds as Harry hung onto his neck and squealed. The baby girl looked up from Remus' shoulder and spotted a familiar blonde across the room.
"Papa!" She called holding out a hand. Vanessa gasped as Zonarius pulled at his hair.
"Did you all hear that?!" He grinned as he bounded to Remus and tossed his daughter high into the air. He caught the giggling girl and smothered her with kisses. "First word, Papa! Ha! You owe me a galleon, Van!" He crowed to Vanessa as everyone chuckled around them.
"No fair." She pouted but snuggled under Zonarius' arm. The baby puckered her lips to Vanessa for a kiss. Vanessa planted a loud one. "You say Mama now, sweetie. MA … MA."
"Mama," she said. Vanessa hooted. Lily pretended to scowl.
"Come on now, Harry. You can't let the ickle girl show you up," she teased pinching Harry's cookie-crumb-infested cheek. He beamed.
"UP!"
The room roared with laughter.
The party lasted late into the evening. Vanessa helped Lily clean up in the kitchen as Baby Harry crawled around the living room floor. He wobbled around the piles of wrapping paper while his father stretched his arms protectively around his son. Sirius sat crossed-legged beside a pram that held the baby girl. She watched avidly as Baby Harry strutted across her view while Baby Neville chuckled as he bounced on his dad's knee. Baby Harry made a show of prancing over to the girl's stroller and walking/stumbling back to his father, all the while a huge grin stretched across his cherubic face. When he did this for the fifth time, Sirius struggled down his laughter and turned to Zonarius who had been sitting in the chair Moody occupied earlier.
"Hey, Zon. It looks like your little one already has a suitor," Sirius snickered just as Harry wobbled over to the baby girl and handed her a bright red bow that he'd torn off one of the presents. She placed it on top of the other bows Harry'd given to her.
"Works fast that one," Zon said feigning a stern look. "I'll have to put that one on my list. Look out for Potter boy," he mumbled pretending to take notes on his palm. James scoffed innocently.
"My son will be a perfect gentleman, Zon. It's Sirius' kid you have to look after." Everyone around the room chuckled. Sirius laughed loudest.
"James has a point though. If you had a son, Sirius, I have no choice but to lock my girl up in a tower with a double-duty chastity belt."
Lily looked up from her cup of coffee as more roars of laughter erupted from the living room.
"I wonder what's so funny out there," she smiled as Vanessa sat across from her. They had finished with their cleaning. The dishes washed themselves as the food stored themselves away in the refrigerator. Vanessa shrugged as she added two sugar cubes into her mug.
"Well, you have Sirius, Frank, James, and Zon out there. I'd say anything." They giggled as Alice Longbottom pulled another chair at their table.
"The whole yard's taken care of Lily. I took extra precautions, scanned the area. No breaches in sight. But I suppose Moody told you that, say, a hundred dozen times," the plump-faced woman sighed as Vanessa conjured another mug for Alice to sip.
"Thanks, dear. The both of you. James and I have been going crazy with the preparations for this party. I'm just glad you chipped in to help."
"It's no problem, Lily," Vanessa snorted. "Honestly, I think everyone needed this. Things have been so tense lately. It's always good to take a step back and celebrate why we bother fighting that Voldemort bastard in the first place." Alice snorted into her coffee and Lily smirked at Vanessa.
"If you went to Hogwarts, Van, I have no doubt you'd've been sorted in Gryffindor."
"Not with that mouth of hers. My galleon's on Slytherin," Alice teased. Van rolled her eyes.
"I can't help it if my English tutor decided to teach me all the swear words first." The women snickered. "I knew what he was doing, but Zon makes swearing an art form."
Lily giggled. "Love at first Bullocks!"
Their laughter managed to die down long enough for James' voice to ring within the kitchen's walls.
"Van, looks like your crew's leaving without you!"
"What?!" The women rushed out of the kitchen to find the living room still a mess. Harry threw shreds of paper into the air as the baby girl reached from her stroller and grabbed some ribbons fluttering to her tiny hands. Neville continued snoring as Alice took him from his father's arms.
"James, Sirius! I thought you said you were going to clean this place!" James threw Lily a shy grin that always made her blush right back.
"Of course, dear. It's just your son here has taken a liking to confetti."
"More like he's showing off," Sirius drawled just as Harry wobbled over to the stroller and blew into the girl's face again. She giggled closing her eyes as her bangs lifted from her face. She clapped her hands when she saw Vanessa in the room. Then she yawned.
"Aww, my girl's sleepy?" Van asked approaching the pram. Zon lifted the breaks from the stroller.
"Guess our curfew's up," he murmured. He shook the men's hands. "I'll see you gentlemen." He said curtly, pulling them each into a bear hug. Van did the same. Everyone exchanged hugs. Planting subtle kisses on Neville and Alice's heads.
Baby Harry balanced himself as he faced the girl sitting in the stroller. She leaned forward as he planted a slobbery kiss on her lips. She cooed as Harry grinned at her and pulled her hand to him.
"Oh no, Harry, she has to go home too," Lily whispered kneeling beside him. "Say bye-bye. You'll see her again for the holidays." Harry's face began to twist in disapproval.
"Lily?" She stood up to hug Van. "Remember if there's anything you need, don't hesitate to ask. We're here for you and your family. Alice's too."
Baby Harry tugged at his mum's skirt, keeping his other hand locked around the girl's.
"Thanks, Van."
"Hey, little man. It's time to let the babe go," Sirius whispered kneeling beside Harry. The boy pouted some more. He looked ready to break into a full out wail.
Then the little girl lean forward and blew on his face. He shut his eyes for a moment, making her giggle. He blinked up at her and wrinkled his nose, smiling widely.
"Ba, ba," Harry said opening and closing his hand. She did the same.
"Lubba," she sang back. Her father pulled her stroller away.
"See you all in Christmas!"
"Yes, your place this time. Where's Remus? Left without saying good-bye again?"
"Yeah, you know him. Slippery little bugger. Peter turned in early too."
"Bye, Harry! Bye, Neville!"
"I'll see you at the Ministry, Frank, Alice. Say hi to your mum for me!"
"Bye, Hot Stuff! You're gonna be a pretty little blonde someday, hopefully not like your dad."
"I heard that."
"Be safe."
"You too."
Then A Dark Day Came
Stoatshead Hill divided the villages of Ottery St. Catchpole and Creer Upon Libby. Families like the Lovegood's, the Fawcett's, and the Diggory's resided in the latter while the famously adored Weasley's lived on the other side. The Zabini's lived next door to the Diggory's. A low rickety wooden fence divided the two homes. Its dark green paint peeled around most of the posts. The Libby River bubbled across the backyards where a small bridge crossed over to a lush orchard of various trees. River pixies darted from one Oak to a Pine, chattering in twitty, speedy tones.
The Diggory's had a blue-bricked two-level home. Its tiny rooms, lined with lacey spring-yellow drapes, expanded at one's will. Throw rugs varying in shades of white scattered the parquet floor. Mrs. Diggory loved daisies and bombarded each room in her house with a pink vase of orange ones. The Diggory's dedicated the loft upstairs to the arrival of their firstborn, Cedric. Joke wands, a tiny broom, and Chocolate Frog cards littered the room, while a messy crayon drawing of a burly man with a brown beard and a woman with long blonde hair lay slightly crumpled on the tiny bed. They weren't in the house just then. Amos Diggory decided to treat his family to a Banana Berry Float at Fortescue's. This was a day of celebration after all.
Next door, towered the Zabini Manor. Aside from its three or five levels, it also had an attic filled with spell books, trunks of mumbling, old clothes, and photo albums, among other magical artifacts that Zonarius charmed from boredom. The Zabini's had moved into Creer Upon Libby about two or three years ago, but the neighbors still considered them new to the village. Maybe it's because they had yet to unpack all of their boxes. The color of the house depended mostly on Vanessa's mood. Currently, it was a soft charcoal grey. Jasmine vines snaked along the trellis that opened to a veranda filled with potted ferns and orchids. The Zabini's both worked in and out of home, so the couple had an office each.
Vanessa's office contained piles of scrolls still waiting for her perusal. Red velvet lined her desk chair and sofa as well as the top of her desk. A Lunascope perched on a sidetable behind her desk. Parchment and quills also covered that surface. A picture of her baby girl hung in plain view on her wall along with framed certificates of her education in Durmstang, a double Major in Arithmancy and Ancient Runes, a diploma in Wizard Law, Muggle Law, etc. She had a Portable Pyre churning on her desk along with a muggle telephone. On top of her desk read the nameplate:
Attorney Vanessa D. Zabini
Department of International Magic Cooperation -- International Magical Office of Law.
Zonarius 'Zon' Zabini's office summed up in one word: Books. From ceiling to floor, spell books, atlases, encyclopedias, his own written works. A chart filled with diagrams of transformation leaned on one wall, while his desk had a dozen frames full of a grinning baby girl. His diplomas hung on his wall too. Well, somewhere in that mess. A small basketball net dangled above an overflowing wastebasket. An empty bottle of Gillywater rolled along the mossy green carpet. A golden globe spun slowly in the corner, muttering different longitude and latitude locations. And a whole side of the room had its wall adorned with cards, pictures, medals, the crest of Durmstang, and a baby's pacifier. Or maybe the baby just stuck it there. It happens. He, too, had a nameplate of ebony that read:
Professor Zonarius A. Zabini
Durmstang Academy of Wizarding Arts and Sciences, Transfiguration
The 3 bedrooms were all on the second floor, a bath for each. The third floor had been made into Zon's work area where he liked to test out new spells. They assigned the baby's nursery its own floor, just to keep flying objects in one area. And there were many. All the floors were tiled with an ivory shade of marble. Persian rugs sprawled themselves lazily on the cool stone floor. The ebony walls glistened, while mythril chandeliers twinkled from the ceiling. All around, the furniture had a Mediterranean-style. All in varnished wood and lined with padded bronze felt. Yulee, the house elf, trotted out of the master bathroom balancing several towels on her head. She plucked off a jasmine from the windowsill and tucked it behind her pointy green ear, before she hopped down the stairs to the elves' floor. The Zabini's gathered in their family parlour, opting to stay home. It's in this home where the blonde baby girl spent her early years.
She bounced now on her mum's knee blowing bubbles from her mouth. Three months had passed since her first birthday. And she moved as if she hadn't been sick a few days earlier. She clapped her hands together and beamed up at her mum. Vanessa smiled weakly and pressed the baby close to her chest. Tears fell down the young woman's face. Zon paced the room rustling his hair.
"It makes no sense," he grumbled under his breath. Outside the house, fireworks sparked out of neighboring chimneys. Children danced in the street. But the Zabini house remained shell-shocked. "How could it be Sirius? I would never think it. It can't be. It's a mistake," he mumbled on as the man sulking in the armchair across from Vanessa lifted his head.
"I don't believe it myself," Remus said with a croaked voice. "First, James and Lily. Then Sirius. And Peter …"
"Poor Peter," Vanessa sniffled. "And what about Rhonda, Zon? She seemed adamant that Sirius is innocent. She looked … she looked crazed. I hope she does nothing brash."
Zon sighed. "I hope so too, Van. But I remember how Mum reacted to Auntie's death. So I really can't say." He turned to Remus. "Are you sure Sirius was James' Secret-Keeper?"
"Apparently." Zon shook his head.
"I know the Fidelius Charm's a complicated spell," he mumbled under his breath. "But maybe it wasn't casted right. Even if Sirius was the Secret-Keeper, if the spell's done poorly, Voldemort could still find them." Remus smiled weakly at Zon's attempt to make sense of the situation.
"But, Zon," Vanessa began as the baby sucked on her little big toe. "If he's innocent, he shouldn't have killed Peter and all those muggles, right?" Zon cursed under his breath. A few silent minutes passed. Then Remus stood tiredly to his feet.
"I'm sorry that I can't stay longer." Zon nodded, still lost in his thoughts. Vanessa followed Remus to the door. He patted the baby girl on the head.
"Remus, you're welcome to stay with us. Anytime," she said worried. He avoided her eyes.
"Full moon's coming," he said bitterly. "I have to endure that along with this grief." The baby cooed as she cupped her hands around Remus' square jaw. She blew a raspberry at him and giggled. He couldn't help grinning.
"Do you know what will happen to Harry?" Vanessa asked him quietly. He sighed.
"Dumbledore has taken care of it. The boy's going to live with Lily's sister."
"The anti-social, anti-magic one?" Remus twitched his lips.
"Too right you are. She's the only one." He kissed both daughter and mum on the forehead. "I'll see you, Vanessa." She smiled weakly.
"Don't be a stranger, Remus. Please," she said knowing that the young man would indeed make himself scarce. He nodded curtly. And closed the door behind him.
A few months later, a quiet scandal happened.
Zon shook Vanessa awake as he raked his fingers through his hair. Ash smeared over his face, the signs of a previous call in the pyre.
"What is it?" She said dreading more news. First, their child went deathly ill, the Potter's and Peter's death, then Sirius' imprisonment, Remus seemingly dropped off the face of the earth, the Longbottom's were committed to St. Mungo's, the Order had disassembled. How much more can she take?
"You were right, Van. Mum went apeshit." She sat straight and pulled at her hair.
"No …"
"Yes," he grumbled. "I just spoke with Padre. She tried to break into Azkaban. Tried to help Sirius escape." Vanessa gasped. "She had reached his cell when the Dementors overpowered her. Crouch wanted to imprison her in Azkaban, but they convinced him to give her a lesser sentence, pleaded insanity for her instead. And-"
"Wait. Insanity?" Vanessa paled.
"She stood in front of Crouch mumbling Auntie's name. Her death hit her hard, Van. With Sirius, it's like losing Auntie all over again." He swore again. "I can't go back to work like this. I can't think. How can I teach?"
"What is Mum's sentence then?" Vanessa whispered.
"The Ministry made her retire. As for the sentence … House arrest. But it's more of an exile. She can't return to the mainland in ten years."
"That's absurd!"
"That's Crouch."
Vanessa groaned. "Just like them to condemn her as quickly they did Sirius." Her husband nodded biting his lip.
"Still, this punishment's pretty bearable. Considering Crouch sentenced her two hours after they caught her. He probably kicked himself when he realised he'd let her off easy."
"But, Zon, your mum's all alone in that island. I mean there's muggles and all, but I don't want her to be without her family."
"She won't be. We'll visit as soon as the little one gets her check up. And Mum's friends'll visit her often no doubt."
"… Do you think she really went insane?"
"I don't know, Van. But if there's truth to her story … don't you think that's worse?" He grunted as he rested his head on the down-filled pillow. "Some Christmas this turned out to be, eh?" Vanessa replied by kissing him fully on the mouth.
*****
… On July 31, 1980, three wizarding families had welcomed three new members to their fold. The magical scroll at Hogwarts Academy recorded first Neville Longbottom. Next, the scroll wrote Harry Potter …
And, finally, when it sensed the birth of Blaise Zabini, it promptly … spattered itself.
This is the story of that one strange little girl.
*****