The Golden Snitch; Canopus, Aurora Academy.
Competition Time — write a short story (500 words max) about the one and only Blaise Zabini
"Yes, mother. No, of course not, mother. I understand, mother." Blaise slammed his book shut and stood up. It was nearing midnight, and he and Draco Malfoy were sitting at a table in the corner of the empty Slytherin common room. Blaise had just received an letter-bearing owl from his mother, who had apparently just married someone. "Honestly, this is her eighth bloody husband!"
Draco stood, too. "Look, Blaise," he began, "I can understand why you're so upset —"
Blaise scoffed. "Oh, really? Because your mother is a witch — and I mean that in the Muggle way — that kills off her husbands barely a few months into their marriage?" He laughed wryly. "I don't think a single one has made it to their first anniversary. I mean — come on! How hard can it be to not murder your loving husband until after the anniversary?"
Draco's mouth twitched. Blaise tended to resort to sarcasm and antiphrasis when he felt angry, jealous, sad, happy, or...no, wait, he spoke in sarcasm and antiphrasis all the time. "Blaise," he tried again, but was cut off.
The sixth-year paced in front of the fire, staring at the floor and with his hands clasped behind his back. "What could she want? Why does she do this?" He looked up at his friend — his only friend in the entire school. "Can't I just have a normal mother?"
"She does it for you," Draco said, finally breaking through Blaise's train of thought. "She does it to accumulate money to continue paying for your education and clothes and every other thing you need. Despite being from a fairly well-known Pureblood family, she is not as well off as many others. At least, not before she started marrying multiple times."
Blaise had stopped pacing. "She did this for me?" he asked, a horrified look on his face. "Oh, Merlin…"
Draco smirked. "You're the reason behind her murders," he said with false cheer. "I'm so proud of you!"
Blaise dropped back into his seat and covered his face with his hands. "Gods," he groaned.
"Hey," Draco said, grinning down at his Italian friend. "Think of it this way: normal is overrated."
word count: 370