Author's Note: I decided to remove the Preface portion of this story to help avoid confusion. Thanks Mae513! :]

Also, I won't be able to update for awhile because I'm swamped with school and what not. I will try to update as quickly as possible.

Thanks for reading! Reviews are appreciated!


Chapter Two

Start Fresh, Start New

Seeing his mother like that this morning only cemented his decision further in his mind. He could never agree to serve Lord Voldemort no matter how desperate he may become. Any sort of interaction would tear his mother at the seams and rip his family apart. Any decision he made from this point forward was not just about him anymore. He had others to consider. A vision of Adriana's gap toothed smile ran through his mind. He angrily slammed his school books into his trunk. Calypso, his owl, hooted angrily from her cage across the room.

"Sorry," he muttered over his shoulder before he promptly tossed his robes after his books. He gingerly nestled his camera between the nest of robes he made for it earlier.

His mother always commented on how his obsession with his camera was becoming borderline insane.

"Blaise! We have to leave in five minutes or you'll miss the train, dear," his mother called from the foot of the staircase.

"Coming," he shouted back. He quickly slammed his trunk shut, letting his fingers graze nearly jet-black wenge wood of his father's old trunk. His fingers traced over the large, bold letters "B. Zabini" etched in silver that stretched from one end of the cover to the other. His father, Bettino Zabini, had given his life to save his family, and Blaise was not going to have his death be in vain.

He quickly latched his trunk shut, and walked the short distance to his desk to snatch his wand, one of his most treasured possessions. He loved the feeling of his hand against the cool elder wood. Like all young witches and wizards, the day he acquired his 11 ΒΌ inch of elder and dragon heartstring from Mr. Ollivander's shop was the most exciting of his life. Oh, how he wished he could return to that time. It was a simpler time. A time that his father was still alive.

His hand absently clasped his parents' wedding bands hanging loosely around his neck. He has not taken it from its place around his neck these two years. His mother had given it to him the night his father died. He could remember that night vividly.

Blaise had received the news just a few hours previously, and that small window of time had not helped any of it sink in at all. He continued to pace around his room, his hands tightly packed in his pockets. His father was gone. Gone. What fourteen year old boy wants to hear that? The circumstances surrounding his father's death were still unclear and sketchy. His mother had been very vague when she told him. Partially because she as incapable of forming complete sentences at the time, and he presumed she did not fully know either.

He heard his door creak open and he stopped his pacing. He turned to find his mother walking towards him, her arms stretched before her as she held a silver chain between her fingers. He opened his mouth to speak, but she shook her head at him. She reached her arms around his neck, and fastened the chain. He glanced down at the silver chain. His fingers brushed the twisted gold and silver metal that once occupied his parents' hands.

She took in his puzzled expression before she spoke, "I want you to have these."

"Mum, I can't--" She silenced him, taking his face firmly in her hands.

She stared him seriously in the eyes, "Stop. Listen to me, please," she murmured. "Blaise, I know I will never love anyone again as much as I loved your father. Take these. Save them for the one you love."

He nodded numbly. He pulled her into a tight hug, and let her cry into his chest.

It was amazing how his throat could still constrict painfully at the memory of that night. He shook his head as if trying to shake the feeling of overwhelming grief out of his body. He pushed his wand in his jacket pocket, and snatched Calypso's cage off his bedside table. He strode out of his room with a purpose. His head held high. He was going to figure this all out. He was going to keep them safe, and make this all work out. At least that was what he was hoping.


"Blaise, now don't go looking for trouble," she said as she handed him Calypso's cage. "Get some sleep, and don't eat--"

"A ton of junk. Got it, mum." he interrupted, giving her a small smile.

"Bee, I am your mother. I have a right to worry." she said, sighing deeply. She pushed her thick bangs out of her eyes. "Now, give your mother a hug."

After he pulled back he saw the shimmer of tears in her eyes. She gave him a weak smile.

"All right, Adriana," she murmured, placing her hand on Adriana's thick head of curls. "Say goodbye to your brother."

Blaise slowly kneeled, lowering himself to her. She throw her small body into his arms. He could hear her sniffling in his neck. He smiled before kissing her lightly on the top of her head.

"I'll be back very soon, brat. You won't even have time to miss me." he murmured into her hair.

She peaked at him through her curtain of curls with her watery eyes. "Bee, vithit me fast." she said quietly, giving him a kiss on his cheek.

"I promise, brat." he said before letting her go. With one last smile at his mother he lugged his belongings towards the train in search of Draco and Pansy.

"Blaise, you better write me!" she called after him. He let out a chuckle while sending a wave of recognition back to his mother.

It did not take him long to find them. As usual, Draco and Pansy were having a spat with Potter and his friends. It did not surprise Blaise in the least that they all had their wands drawn. He could not help but roll his eyes at the situation before him. Potter and Weasley were stationed around Granger protectively, wands drawn and glaring menacingly at Draco and Pansy. Granger stood between them with an annoyed expression on her face. She certainly felt the mayhem that was about to ensue was based upon a trivial matter.

"Harry, Ronald, this is definitely not worth it," she said. Both of her friends ignored her statement and continued to stare angrily at Blaise's friends. She throw her arms in the air, muttering about how ridiculous they were acting. Blaise smirked, Granger was always trying to be the peacemaker, but to no avail it seemed.

"Take it back, Malfoy," Weasley growled through gritted teeth.

Draco's bored expression did not change as he taunted Weasley, "Make me, Weasel."

Weasley lunged toward Draco, simultaneously digging his wand deep into the side of his face. Blaise sprung into action; he quickly disarmed the two boys, and took his place next to Draco.

"Nice of you to join us, Blaise," Draco said, not taking his eyes off of the Gryffindors. Blaise patted him on the back, and gave Pansy a small smile.

"Right, Potter and Weasley, I would return these to you, but we all know you can't seem to hold on to them." Blaise said while brandishing his wands in his hand, grinning impishly at the disgruntled looking boys in front of him. "Now, Granger," he began, turning his gaze towards her. She jerked her head towards him in surprise. He offered her a grin before continuing, "I trust you will return these when you see fit."

She hesitantly reached forward to where his hand was, grabbing the wands and stashing them up her sleeve. She slowly turned to the stunned faces of her friends.

"Well, he has a point," she muttered. She turned and walked towards what Blaise assumed was their compartment. "It would be wise to follow me if you want to see these again." She leaned on the wall just outside the compartment door waiting for them to follow.

Potter and Weasley looked absolutely flummoxed by what they just witnessed. They shared a glance before following after a very triumphant looking Hermione Granger. She paused before following them in, and offered Blaise a grin.

"Oh, don't give me that look," she cried out exasperatedly before closing the door. He heard muffled yells from inside. Draco let out a laugh.

"Thanks, mate," he said, reaching for Blaise's things.

"No, I've got it," Blaise ushered towards the empty compartment in front of them. "Do you mind telling me what that was all about?"

Despite Blaise's protest, Draco hoisted his trunk above their heads, next to his own. "I just told the mudblood to move her fat arse out of the way," he said nonchalantly.

"Draco, how many times do I need to tell you not to call her that in front of me? I loathe that word." Blaise said cooly.

"Sorry, it's a habit. What would you prefer I call her? Slag?"

Blaise laughed. "I am certain she is far from a slag, Draco."

"Which is exactly why I call her mud--well, that," he said, catching himself.

"Right," he shook his head, smiling at his friend's ignorance. "Wait, where did Pansy run off to?" he asked, noticing they were sitting alone in the compartment.

"You know, Pansy. She probably ran off to Greengrass to inform her of our little quarrel with Scarhead and Weasel." Draco ran his hands through his hair. Blaise found himself staring at Draco's currently unmarred forearm. Draco must have noticed because he squirmed uncomfortably in his seat. His eyes shot to Draco's face.

"I thought--" Blaise started.

"I was. He was royally pissed off after he saw you. He told my father I showed blatant disrespect when I helped you back home. I have to prove to him that I am worthy first." He spoke the last part in a low voice, his eyes downcast.

Blaise opened his mouth to speak, but was interrupted by Pansy's squeal of glee.

"Blaise," she exclaimed, throwing herself at him. "I would like to say you were brilliant telling off Scarhead and his sidekick. The looks on their faces were priceless." She plopped down next to him. "Tell me all about your summer. I barely heard a peep out of you!"

Draco offered Blaise an apologetic smile.

"My summer was uneventful. Tell me about France."

Pansy gushed about her trip to France. She did not leave any detail out. No question was left unanswered. She enjoyed everything, the fashion, the food, and the art. She was careful not to mention anything about boys in front of Draco. It was a smart move on her part. The last time she attempted to make him jealous did not go as she had planned. Draco refused to talk to her for a week, and proceeded to flirt shamelessly with every girl he could in front of her. Blaise tried to seem as interested as possible. He nodded and smiled in all the right places, but his mind was slowly beginning to wander. He noticed Draco dosing off against the window, and kicked him roughly in the shin. Draco jerked awake and hit his head painfully on the window. Pansy rushed to his side and fawned over his head injury.

"I'm fine, Pansy," he muttered, throwing Blaise an angry glare. Blaise shrugged innocently.

"Draco, you could be concussed!"

He sighed heavily, "I didn't hit my head that hard." He tried to push her hands away from the bump forming on his head. He saw Blaise getting up to leave. Blaise regarded his look of anxiety with a cheeky grin.

"Not that this isn't entertaining, but I'm going to go change," Blaise said. He pulled the sliding compartment door closed, and began his search for an empty compartment. He had not taken five steps when someone fell into him. He could recognize Granger's tousled head of hair anywhere. He grabbed her around the arms firmly to help steady her stumbling form.

"Sorry," she mumbled. She raised her gaze from the floor. Her jaw hardened and her body stiffened against his.

"Granger, relax." Blaise released his hold on her arms. She involuntarily took a step back and regarded him closer. He watched her hand subconsciously fly to where her wand rested in her pant pocket. He could not help but smile when he saw that her wand was not the only one residing in her pocket.

"Didn't see it fit for them to have those just yet?" he inquired.

She cocked her head to the side. "I'm sorry?"

Blaise gestured to the wands with his hand. Her grip on her wand noticeably loosened. She thwacked herself lightly on the forehead, "Oh, right. The whole thing was unnecessary, so is it really all that bad of me to torture them for awhile?" her mouth broke into a playful grin at the last part.

Blaise shook his head, "I suppose not." They stood there in silence for a few moments. Blaise absently ran his hands through his hair. Neither really knowing what else to say. She shuffled her feet awkwardly.

"Yes, well, I'll be going then. This compartment is empty if you are looking for a place to change." she said, nodding towards the one behind her. Blaise mumbled his thank you to her as she took her leave.

"Oh, Granger," he called. She turned her head around quickly. "I would torture them for just a bit longer" giving her a toothy grin. The sound of her laughter filled the small space. "I'll see you around," She nodded her head in acknowledgement before she continued walking. Maybe Granger was not as bad as Draco and Blaise previously thought.