Title: A Mother and a Son
Summary: Blaise talks to his mother before going to Hogwarts
Pairing/Characters: Blaise and Avril Zabini (I chose the name, Blaise's mother was never given a name)
Rating: T
Warnings: N/A
Notes: I have to thank DelusionalDoll, Sable Supernova and kenziscott54 for help with the musical terms I used.

Blaise played on the piano, his nimble fingers dancing over the keys in a haunting melody. He was heading to Hogwarts tomorrow and there was no way he could bring his piano. It didn't matter all that much, though he would miss it. He played, raising the volume to drown out all other sounds downstairs.

He heard the door opening behind him but didn't stop playing, only one other person was allowed in this room, his mother. She watched as the song picked up pace, his fingers flying over the keys in an unnatural blur. Blaise started moving with the music, loosing himself. The sound became louder and faster, the pitch rising, building until the peak.

Blaise didn't see his mother swaying to the music; he didn't see her sad smile and didn't see her close her eyes. The music reached the peak and then dramatically dropped, the tempo falling as he moved down the octaves to a deep dolore tune. Blaise's small body seemed to release some unknown tension as the song came to an end. He kept his hands over the keys, breathing heavily. His mother waited for him to collect himself.

"Why are you here, mother?" Blaise asked eventually.

His mother sighed, a sad sound. "There was a disagreement, the night out turned into a night in."

There was silence, Blaise's hands clenched tightly but didn't turn. His shoulders were stiff, angry.

"Is here still here?" Blaise asked, finally turning around and facing his mother. For a child so young, the serious look on his face was an odd one. His dark eyebrows were furrowed, he was angry but his eyes were sad, resigned.

"For now."

"What was the cause this time?"

"That's not of your concern." His mother said. Her voice was strict, a mother's demand to a child.

Blaise was unaffected; it only caused the boy's frown to deepen. Swinging himself off the piano stool, Blaise approached his mother slowly.

"Is he nice?"

"Yes."

"Does he treat you right?"

"Yes."

"Then why?"

Blaise's mother frowned. Why, indeed. It wasn't a question asked lightly, not this time. Blaise, like many children, asked the question 'why' a lot.

Why is the rain wet?

Why are there people with no magic?

Why don't I have a daddy?

Not all of them were easy to answer, some of them were nothing but painful, but answer them she did. . Avril Zabini gazed sadly at her son; she wished she could give him an answer. She wished she had an answer.

After a pause, Blaise turned his head away. He turned back to the piano and traced his fingers over the keys, pressing down without enough force to make a sound. Noise drifted up from downstairs in the silence, shuffling, and muffled cries. The mother and son both turned and stared at the door with blank faces until the sounds died down.

"Will he be here for Christmas?" Blaise asked.

Avril turned away; they both knew the answer without her voicing it. Blaise sighed, his shoulders slumped and he turned back into the ten year old boy he was meant to be.

"Will there be another one here for Christmas?"

"Probably."

"How long will he last?"

His mother shrugged, "who knows," she paused, "I'm having fun with this one, the next might last a while." Her smile was not a nice one.

Blaise sighed and looked at his mother. "I don't want to hear about it on Christmas. Either keep the next one around until then or get rid of him before I come home."

Avril nodded under her son's glare.

"Good, I have to pack. I will see you in the morning mother." Blaise walked past her and into the hallway.

"Blaise," he stopped moving but didn't turn around. "I love you."

There was a pause, Avril held her breath, waiting.

"I love you too mother." Blaise walked away, entering a room a few doors down.

Avril Zabini smiled, she was glad her lifestyle didn't make her son hate her. Waiting until her son's door shut and the light started shining under it, Avril moves down the stairs and into the living room rarely used. In the middle of the room, a chair sat with a body on it. A young man, mid to late twenties was sitting there, roped tied around his middle and his legs. Avril smiled as the man started thrashing in his bonds.

"It's a shame really, you were a good man but I am having a lot of fun." She tilted her head to the side and studied him. "I think I have another three days before others start to wonder, only so much I can fit into three days, I better get started.

Upstairs, Blaise sat on his bed reading one of his assigned textbooks. His shoulders tensed for a moment when the screams started but only because of how suddenly they appeared.

"Finsy?" He called softly.

"Yes Young Master Zabini, what can Finsy do for you?"

"Soundproof my room; I cannot concentrate with the noise downstairs."

With a deep bow, Finsy clicked his fingers and the screams suddenly stopped.

"Anything else Young Master Zabini?"

"That will be all."

Finsy popped out and Blaise turned back to his book. I wonder when we will learn the music charm.

(w.c 946)

WolfWinks-xx-