Summary: Claudia Zabini has been through reading of wills many times, some were more emotional than others, but this… this was nothing new, unfortunately.

Rated: T

Genre: Drama

Warning Tag: References Domestic Abuse; Violence; Reading of a Will

A Smoking Gun

The day started out like any other day for Claudia Zabini. She woke at seven in the morning, wrapped herself in the robe that was placed on the end table by her bed, and went down to have breakfast while reading The Daily Prophet. It wasn't unusual to receive mail along with the paper, so when the three envelopes accompanied it that day, Claudia took the time to read those in its place.

The first was from her son, Blaise. It was his first year attending Hogwarts—much to his disdain. They had moved to Ireland from Italy two years ago after she went through a nasty divorce. She knew that Blaise really wanted to attend Beauxbatons since he could talk, it was a much more sophisticated school, in her opinion, but she couldn't risk having her precious son be exposed to the poisonous man she left that taught at that very school.

He didn't seem to mind Hogwarts much, though he had a lot to say about how ridiculous the whimsical school operated and stressed the fact that the school had a death toll, of all things. However, he was surprised it wasn't higher based on the countless hazards he faced daily already.

"Perhaps Beauxbaton would have been safer," Claudia muttered to herself as she finished reading.

The second envelope that caught her eye was written in bold, red font. Grabbing it, she opened the red wax seal that bore the Italian Ministry symbol on it and pulled the letter from it.

Just as she suspected, it was a summons to the Italian Ministry for a reading of the last will and testament of one of her ex-wives. She wasn't completely surprised by it, but this particular woman she was once lovingly nicknamed Smoking Gun because of how they had met, and how they fell apart. Their relationship was one of the more wilder ones she experienced. To think that she was remembered in her will almost touched her.

Having nothing else to do that day, Claudia finished her breakfast and prepared an overnight trip to Italy for the reading. She made sure to write her barrister to meet her there as well before heading upstairs to pack.

Claudia sat in front of an ornate desk of the barrister who summoned her all the way from Ireland. He was not present, of course, which was fine because her own barrister was running late. Checking the clock to her right, she wouldn't be surprised if the two ran into each other in the corridor and went out for coffee. It was quite rude of them leaving her to wait on them for the sake of catching up.

Before she grew too impatient with the buffoons (she took to silent insults when time was being wasted on those she planned to meet. She was a proper lady, after all), the two barristers entered the office in the middle of a loud conversation. The cold glare that she gave both of them silenced their jovial talk immediately.

"My apologies for keeping you waiting, Mrs. Zabini," the man who took the seat in front of her said. "I was just telling Mr. Nicoli here about a—"

"It's quite lovely that you two were able to catch up on my expense, Mr. Gatti. My time is hardly valuable, you know," Claudia smoothly cut in. "Being professionals, I thought punctuality was a great importance in your field? Or at least, it was when I practiced."

Her barrister—Mr. Nicoli—quietly cleared his throat and prepared his notes beside her. Gatti looked surprised at how eloquently her rudeness was that his excuse died in his throat.

"I am deeply sorry for my tardiness, ma'am—"

"Mrs. Zabini will do."

"Yes, Mrs. Zabini," Gatti quickly corrected.

He opened the long drawer of his desk and pulled out a large envelope from a file before the drawer quietly closed unassisted. "Are you here in place of Mr. Zabini? Because if so—"

Claudia chuckled at his question. Nicoli concealed his own smirk beside her. The witch leaned forward, never breaking her pristine posture, as her warm brown eyes bore into the man in front of her.

"Of course that woman would only put my last name with no suffix, but not unusual. It's so very like her," she spoke to no one in particular. "No, sir. I am the only Zabini that Marta Conte would be referring to in her will."

This news left Gatti almost speechless as he sputtered to find words. "Y-you mean you were Marta's wife? She never mentioned that the entire time I knew her."

"Yes, I've had three wives, since you've asked," Claudia explained, smiling as she spoke. "One cheated on me, one didn't make it past the reception, and one shot me."

The gasp had her wave her hand in dismissal of Gatti's shock. "It's not that surprising, is it? Men," she muttered under her breath.

"Her bizarre reaction to me when we first met was what drew me to her, actually. Even if she used a Muggle device on me, being a police officer had some lovely perks with the side effect. I've fully recovered, if you must know. It barely grazed my shoulder. It was how she ended it that really stung."

"Sounds ominous," Gatti said, rubbing his brow in puzzlement. "U-uhm… Shall we get on with the reading?"

"Let's throw caution to the wind and do it," Claudia said in agreement, leaning back into her chair as Gatti withdrew the will of her ex. "Mr. Nicoli, are you ready?"

"Yes, Mrs. Zabini."

She gestured with a nod to the dumbfounded man in front of her. Claudia knew he was probably trying to figure out how she ended up in Marta's will at all, especially after her very small telling of their tale together. She was suspicious that it was Marta's way to give a last jab at her in her death.

"I, Marta Conte, being of sound mind, hereby declare this to be my Last Will and Testament. To my once beloved Zabini's son, I leave you my collection of crystal potion vials. Not only did I know you admired them so and loved using them while I aided your potion brews, I hope that you take them as a symbol of our familial bond we had. And though your mother and I may have parted ways, it was for the best in the end. May you make great use of them in your bright and promising future."

"How thoughtful and sweet," Claudia hummed out, listening to the scrawl of Nikoli's handwriting next to her. "Even in death her words drip of poisonous intent, doesn't it?"

The large collection of crystal potion vials and bottles appeared in the hands of a pair of house elves. They placed the large boxes delicately on the table and laid a list of the contents on top before vanishing.

"At least she left an inventory list. I'll give you the honors of checking them out for ill intent, Mr. Nikoli," Claudia said, stressing its importance by making eye contact. "I can't have my beloved child be harmed by a gift."

"It will be put to the top of my list," the barrister said.

Mr. Gatti swallowed hard, but made no comment on it. He clearly found the reaction to his recently deceased client off-putting.

"For Zabini, the one I foolishly called the gem of my heart, I wish to leave the very weapon that scarred your succulent skin, and the restraints I abandoned you in that fateful morning. Do with them what you will, but using the potion vials as target practice is strictly forbidden. They are prized possessions, after all."

A single house elf appeared, delicately placing the Muggle revolver wrapped in a white cloth on the table next to Claudia with a set of metal cuffs. Gatti's eyes widened at the sight of the weapon.

"Mimicry may be the highest form of flattery, but mockery is just an insult," she snarled, standing abruptly. "Even beyond the grave she laughs. What a poisonous mind to die with!"

Claudia carelessly shoved the items off the desk and turned to the boxes of crystal potion vials, picking up a small phial from its wooden holder, she turned it carefully in hand. "I want every last one inspected, Nikoli. Every last one. This woman is bent on harming me in some way, and it will not be at my son's expense!"

Her barrister quickly nodded, summoning his elf with a snap. "Get these boxes to my office immediately and call for a curse breaker, now."

The elf nodded without word, turning to face the boxes, his own magic weaved around them and the potion vial in Claudia's hand before they vanished with a crack.

"Is there anything else that wretched woman left behind?"

Rendered speechless, he examined the expensive parchment in hand before shaking his head. "N-no ma—Mrs. Zabini. That was all."

Nikoli produced a copy-over parchment and offered it to Gatti. "Record purposes."

"Of course," Gatti said with a slow nod, transferring the contents of the will over. He was unsure of what exactly transpired in his office. It was not his run-of-the-mill readings in the least bit, and he wasn't sure how to process it.

"Is that all you need, Mr. Nikoli?" Claudia looked to her barrister for his answering nod.

"Good." She collected her handbag. "It was a pleasure, Mr. Gatti."

Claudia departed without another word, Nikoli close behind. Though she spoke ill about Marta to others, slandering her name to boost her own, Claudia Zabini truly loved the spiteful witch. Her family, and eventually Marta herself, didn't. Their time together could be described as a dalliance, one that Claudia wished lasted a lot longer than it had. But families as large as hers were poisonous and as toxic as some of the draughts that those crystal potion vials once bottled, and it came to a horrific light that Marta was only attempting to gain Claudia's wealth as her own with her affections.

"Forever a treacherous, poisonous snake in the grass."

Originally Written For:

Hogwarts School of Witchcraft & Wizardry (Challenges & Assignments)

Quidditch League Fanfiction Competition

Monthly Challenges for All

The Houses Competition

Word Count: 1,684

Originally Written: September 2018