Chapter 19 - Devils and Angels
"Ron, hurry up or we will miss breakfast and you know what a pain you are when you miss a meal." Hermione said as she hurried into the Great Hall.
"I'm coming." Ron complained.
They had both just sat down as the morning owls flocked into the Great Hall to deliver the morning mail. Hermione saw a great eagle owl swoop down and land on the Slytherin table in front of that strange Zabini girl. Hermione watched as Blaise took the letter the owl offered her and read it. Hermione Granger knew that Blaise Zabini's reputation, as the Ice Queen of Slytherin was well deserved. In all the years here at Hogwarts, Hermione never known of the girl expressing a single emotion publicly. It was therefore more than a surprise when Blaise Zabini flushed bright red and screamed a string of unintelligible words in Italian that the whole hall could hear. Judging from the tone of voice those words were not polite ones. In fact, Hermione noticed one of the Gryffindor third year boys who Hermione knew to have an Italian mother gasp in shock at hearing the outburst.
"What is she saying?" Hermione asked the boy to his horror.
"I… can't… use those words. You'd take points… or worse." The boy stuttered back to Hermione Granger. Everyone knew the prefect did not tolerate bad language.
"I see." Hermione told him and looking back towards the Slytherin table. Hermione was a bit unnerved to see Blaise Zabini walking away from the Slytherin table and approaching the Gryffindor table whilst still spiting Italian words out. The look on Blaise's face could only be described as rage. Hermione watched in dismay as Blaise glared directly at her and bore towards her rapidly.
Ron, who up to this point had been too shocked to say anything, muttered in a low voice, "Oh Oh. I think we're in trouble."
Hermione silently agreed with Ron, although for the life of her she could think why Blaise would be angry with Ron and herself. Unless Harry…
"You tell that (something Italian), he's to see me right away. He'll know where." Blaise spat at the two of them and then strode out of the Great Hall leaving a storm of muttering conversations behind.
"Ah! I think we better go tell Harry right away." Hermione said to Ron.
Ron looked lovingly at the serving plates of food and sighing nodded and got up. "Just don't blame me if I'm grouchy this morning." he replied as they hurried to Gryffindor Tower.
888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888
"I believe you wanted to see me?" Harry said quietly as he stood behind the clearly agitated Slytherin.
Blaise Zabini spun around and glared at Harry murderously. "What did you do?" she demanded, "What did you do to my father?"
"Nothing." Harry replied innocently.
"Listen Potter, I just received a reply from father about my becoming a candidate in your courtship rituals."
"Has he given his permission?" Harry asked innocently.
"Given his permission." Blaise spat back, "He's bloody well already written to that Longbottom woman that I am a candidate and he insists I not only compete but on my family honour that I win and marry you regardless of all other considerations." Blaise followed that statement with a string of Italian that Harry figured were swear words.
"Oh good." Harry said looking satisfied.
"What did you do, Potter?" Blaise growled.
"Why do you think I did anything?" Harry replied.
"Because Potter, my father would never of agreed to me marrying anyone not suitable and you Potter are far from suitable." Blaise replied.
"Oh you mean all that pureblood rubbish. I may be a so called half blood but there are other things for your father to consider you know." Harry looking smug replied.
"Do you think my father would be impressed with that boy-who-lived nonsense?" Blaise asked.
"Maybe." Harry replied, "Or maybe it was the fact that I am the head of the Black family as well as the Potter family. And that means I control the Black Trust." Harry had a smirk on his face now.
Blaise looked shocked, "That's impossible." She stated, "You're not a Black."
"Actually I am. Sirius Black was my godfather and made me his heir last year before he died." Harry frowned for a moment thinking about Sirius but it passed.
"Sirius Black the criminal?" Blaise replied.
"He was innocent. Betrayed by one of his friends. He was killed… last year by that bitch Lestrange." Harry replied hotly.
Blaise watched wearily as Harry Potter's eyes almost glowed with intensity. Blaise knew this was a dangerous subject with Potter and chose not to comment.
Harry continued after a moments pause to push down his simmering rage. "And as the Black Trust has significant shareholdings in many organisations throughout Europe, especially Zabini businesses, I think it is understandable that your father would see your marriage to me as a way of consolidating the Zabini and Black families mutual interests. At least that is what I suggested to him in my letter. Seems he agrees."
"You… You… wrote to father?" Blaise stammered.
"A week ago. Just a friendly note to let him know of the change of control of the Black Trust. My business advisors are reviewing all investments and holdings for performance, so I imagine your father is quite keen on keeping me happy at the moment least I decide to liquidate my position in the Zabini businesses. I could hardly do that if I was his son-in-law now could I." Harry smiled at Blaise smugly.
"Great Merlin, you are a Slytherin!" she exclaimed.
"Nope I'm a Gryffindor thank you very much but that doesn't mean I can't be a little cunning does it. It's exactly the same as a Slytherin being courageous when it is necessary. I think people could in fact be capable of belonging to all four houses in a way. Courageous, cunning, smart and loyal. That's not a bad ambition to be. Anyway it seems you are in. "
"So it bloody well seems." Blaise replied, "Great Merlin the prospect of having you as a husband…"
"Oh. You may not have to worry about that." Harry replied.
"Potter, my father has ordered me to win." Blaise replied. "Father is not one to cross even for one of his daughters. He would disown me, Potter at the least."
"And if you had the proxy voting rights for all the Black interests in Zabini businesses in your name?" Harry asked in a lite tone.
Blaise's mouth hung open. The proxy voting rights would give her immense power over the family interests. Not even her father could force her to do anything ever again. Blaise may even be in a position to displace her older brother as father's successor. What Harry Potter was offering was ultimate freedom but there is always a catch.
"Alright Potter, who do I have to kill? Is it Malfoy?" She asked hoping Harry did not answer in the affirmative. Although she would be greatly temped to do it for what he was offering.
"Nothing like that. I just need you to stay in the courtship rituals until the final stage when we will come up with some suitable reason for you to drop out or be eliminated." Harry replied.
"That's not all though is it?" Blaise asked warily.
"Well, you see there are a lot of candidates from old pureblood familles throughout Europe and I figured you might know a lot of them and what they are like and what weaknesses they might have. With your help I could eliminate them while keeping the ritual going as long as possible." Harry said hesitantly.
"I see." Blaise replied, "So basically you want me to sabotage anyone you don't like."
"Yeah, that's about it. There is also your position in Slytherin. You could keep me informed about Malfoy and Snape." Harry added.
"You're asking a lot Potter." Blaise said.
"I'm offering a lot." He replied.
"True. Alright I'm in." Blaise agreed. "For the voting rights, I'll do everything I can to help you short of killing Malfoy.
Harry smiled at her, "Excellent." He said.
Blaise Zambini regarded Harry Potter thoughtfully for a moment. He was nothing like her preconceptions. Now she was interacting directly with him she found herself continually surprised by everything he did. Blaise Zabini had always been able to predict what a person might do but Potter defied analysis.
"You know I think you are a devil offering me this deal for my soul." Blaise told him.
"No I'm not the devil. I know what the devil looks like. He looks like a snake with red glowing eyes and he gave me this scar." Harry replied seriously. "I'm nothing like him."
Blaise gasped. She knew exactly who Potter had described although she had never been in the Dark Lords presence and never wanted to be. "When I was a little girl an old blind priest who everyone called a saint told me that one day I would be forced to choose between dealing with the devil and with a true angel. He told me that dealing with a devil was dangerous but dealing with an angel was even more perilous. I never believed him till just now."
"So you are calling me an angel." Harry laughed, "Well I'm no angel but I think having the wings would be cool. Imagine being able to fly without a broom in Quidditch matches."
"Merlin save me from Quidditch obsessed boys." Blaise muttered.
"Oh and I have another letter for you to give Malfoy." Harry said handing over his reply to Draco's last letter. "I should warn you that Malfoy might be a bit unstable after he has read that. Be careful."
"I have nothing to fear from Malfoy anymore, Potter." Blaise responded.
"How come?" Harry asked.
Blaise would not normally tell people about her stratagems with others but Harry had impressed her as a master of the game and so this once she told of her tricking Draco Malfoy into the debt and its consequences.
Harry laughed, "Oh I wish I could have been there to see his face when he realised he'd been played."
"It was quite amusing." Blaise said smiling with the memory.
"You have to tell me what happens when he reads that letter too. It should be quite a sight." Harry said smiling mischievously.
"Why? What's in this letter?" Blaise asked.
"I just painted a picture of our future together. Draco minding the children at home while I go off to work each day. All eight children! And a muggle house in a muggle suburb with muggle neighbours. You know a perfectly ordinary marriage." Harry said.
Blaise snorted with laughter, "Oh Potter, that's too much."
"Maybe we can borrow a pensive somewhere so I can view your memories of what happens." Harry said.
"Not until all this is over. I may have agreed to be your spy and saboteur Potter, but even with the debt Malfoy owes me, I can not risk him finding out something like that."
"Spoilsport but I guess I can wait." Harry said pouting.
Blaise just laughed at his expression. "You are a walking contradiction, Potter. One moment a master Slytherin and the next moment an idiotic Gryffindor."
"And you are not so cold as you would have others believe Miss Zabini." Harry challenged.
Blaise was flattered by the compliment. Few people saw past her demeanour. "Perhaps when this is over we might explore each others character further." She said suggestively.
"I'll be married through." Harry replied frowning.
"That's hardly an impediment." Blaise replied.
"It is to me but I would value a friend." Harry said.
"Yes that sounds best I suppose." Blaise agreed, "To start with!"
Harry rolled his eyes, "Friends then?" as he offered his hand.
"Friends." Blaise agreed and took his hand in hers but instead of just shaking it, she pulled hard to bring them together and quickly kissed a surprised Harry.
"What?" Harry mumbled after Blaise released him.
"Just a sample of what you will be missing, Potter." Blaise laughed.
"Ah! Yes well. I better get on my way. I'll try to get a copy of the candidate list and meet you here tomorrow to go over it. Til then!" Harry said still dazed at what had happened. Harry threw on his invisibility cloak and disappeared leaving behind an amused Blaise Zabini. If Harry knew the thoughts Blaise Zabini was having about him at the moment he would be horrified. Blaise sighed and returned to her studies.