Blaise Zabini and the Magical Cat

Balkis was strolling along the Royal Gardens in Maracanda, when she suddenly felt some force seized her and dragged her away. She tried to resist, but to no avail. She felt a dizziness, and a sensation of falling, then a momentary darkness ensued, and the next thing she saw was a round room with red tapestries and red soft chairs and sofas and a fireplace in which fire roared. There were also some tables, and at one of them, near a window, a short, thin boy with black curly hair, black eyes and dusky skin, in black voluminous robes with a green and white scarf around his neck and a silver badge with a letter P on his breast, was sitting, writing something on a piece of parchment with a quill, and looking every now and then in a large book. Another two books and pieces of parchment, blank and covered with writing, lay near. At seeing Balkis, the boy smiled and said:

'Hello, little one. Came to visit?'

'Aren't you surrprrised?' Balkis blurted.

'Why should I be?' the boy said.

'By my appearring frrom nowherre?' Balkis said, surprised very much herself.

'Well, my cat does it all the time,' the boy said.

'What kind of cat can thiss be?' Balkis asked.

'Why, a magical cat, of course. A Kneazle,' the boy explained. 'Aren't you one yourself?'

'Who are you to own a magical cat?' Balkis asked. The boy said:

'A wizard, of course. Only a student, but still one'.

'A wizarrd? Then you can help me!' Balkis said.

'I'll do everything in my power,' the boy said. 'I am Blaise Zabini, the prefect - a senior student appointed to uphold the order - of the House of Slytherin, one of the four divisions of this place, Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. And you?'

'Balkiss, the Prrinccessss of Eassterrn Gate, the grreat-niecce of Prrresterr John, the Lorrd of Marracanda and the King of the Easst' Balkis answered. Blaise started:

'Prester John? The Nestorian priest-king of a large country in the East? A descendant of the Magi, the Three Wise Men?'

'Yess,' Balkis answered, reassured.

'So you are an Animagus?' Blaise asked.

'A what?' Balkis asked.

'A witch who can turn herself into an animal,' Blaise explained. 'Or a wizard'.

'That I am,' Balkis said.

'And Balkis, like the Queen of Sheba,' Blaise said thoughtfully. 'You look a little Abyssinian, you know?'

'My ssecond teacherr, Lorrd Matthew Mantrrell, thought sso,' Balkis said.

'Your second teacher?' Blaise asked.

'My firrst teacherr was an Allusstrrian woman called Idrriss,' Balkis said.

'Allustrian? Oh, well,' Blaise said. 'This can wait. So what is your problem? I seem to already guess, though'.

'I was taking a sstrroll in the Rroyal Garrdenss at Marracanda, when ssome forrcce sseized me and thrrew herre,' Balkis said. 'Am I verry farr frrom home?'

'You are from the Central Asia, right?' Blaise asked. Balkis nodded:

'Easst frrom Merrovencce, Allusstrria, Latrrurria, Ibile and Brretanglia'.

'Merovence, Allustria, Latruria, Ibile and Bretanglia?' Blaise said. 'Yes, I think you are very far from your home indeed. You know of other worlds?'

'Lorrd Mantrrrell came frrom one,' Balkis nodded. Blaise looked relieved:

'Very well. And this is another of them'.

'Anotherr worrld?' Balkis stared.

'Yes. This country is called Great Britain - it is like your Bretanglia. And to the south are France - that is Merovence in your world, Italy - it is like your Latruria, Spain - that is your Ibile, and Germany with Austria - your Allustria. The worlds are very similar, I think, but have their differences'.

'Oh,' Balkis said.

'Don't worry,' Blaise said quickly. 'There must be a potion or a charm to cross the time and the space. I shall search the entire library till I find it. Hogwarts has a very good library. Though it has better be a potion, for I am notoriously bad at Charms. But whatever, I will find it. But it will take time, for the library is very big, and I have classes to attend and essays to write. But you can easily stay with me. In this school every wizard and every witch has a pet - owls, cats, dogs, rats, ravens, rabbits, snakes, snails, and creamy purring furballs, named Puffskeins, and I am known for my love to animals. I already have a cat and a snake. Why, my best friend Mortie has four pets - a tawny owl, a cat, an exotic bird and a chest with about a hundred legs which bites if anyone tries to steal anything from it! Some Slytherins have snakes, and Hagrid the gamekeeper has a boar hound, a bird with a girl's face which sings the most beautiful songs in the world, and a winged snake, glittering as rainbow, so no one will notice one more cat. Yes, and our Headmaster has a Phoenix. You can be with me when you want, and when you shall get bored or while I have classes, you can roam about the castle. It is very interesting, and you will like it - the castle is splendid, and all this magic about. The suits of armor can move, and the people in the portraits too, and they also can speak. Some staircases lead somewhere else on Fridays. And there are ghosts - the Fat Friar, the Gray Lady, Nearly Headless Nick and the Bloody Baron. There is also Peeves the poltergeist - he is not really a ghost, just a sprite. He throws things at people, tells rude things and generally does mischief. The ceiling in the Great Hall is there, it is only charmed to look just like the sky above. If you meet a huge hairy giant, don't be afraid - he is Rubeus Hagrid, the gamekeeper of Hogwarts. He is a good soul and loves animals very much. He teaches Care of the Magical Creatures, and he is my favorite teacher. He's only a half-giant, actually - his father was a human. But don't go into the large forest near the castle. It's Forbidden Forest, and there are terrible creatures living in there - werewolves, giant spiders, and Lord knows what else. If you meet a short skinny boy with messy black hair, bright green eyes, spectacles and a lightning-shaped scar on his forehead, it is one of my friends, Harry Potter, and if you see a tall, thin boy with fiery red hair, brown eyes and freckles, it is my friend Ron Weasley. If you meet a beautiful girl with curly brown hair and brown eyes, reading a book, it is my friend Hermione Granger. If you meet a short, thin boy with straw-colored hair, gray eyes and a long nose on a long, lean face, it is my best friend Mortie Wimsey. But if you see a short, thin ferret-faced boy with white-blonde sleek hair and gray eyes and two tall, big dumb-faced boys with him, it is my worst enemy, Draco Malfoy, with his henchmen, Vincent Crabbe and Gregory Goyle. Avoid them at all costs. Malfoy is evil and mean, and Grabbe with Goyle are his bodyguards. Also, students have to sleep in dormitories, but you don't have to sleep in mine. You can sleep elsewhere, as all cats do in here. I'll tell the house-elves to cook liver and oatmeal for you'.

'You ssaid you had a cat,' Balkis said. 'I have a charm againsst the heat on me, but how will yourr cat behave?'

'Oh, don't worry about him. Macavity is a Kneazle, and Kneazles are awfully clever and know an Animagus at once. Ron had a rat who was actually a Dark Animagus, and Hermione's cat Crokshanks, he is part Kneazle, pounced at him as soon as he saw him. Also Harry has a godfather who can turn into a dog, and Crookshanks instantly knew him for an Animagus too. So Macavity won't molest you, he will know you are a girl. And my snake doesn't feed on cats, by the way,' Blaise said.

'Verry good, then,' Balkis said. 'I lived with both my teacherrss as a cat. And if the other catss will pursue me, I shall turrn into a girrl and scarre them'.

'Great,' Blaise said. 'Then you'd better call me Blaise, and I shall call you Balkis. I'm not a teacher, but I tutor other students sometimes'.

'I am agrree,' Balkis said.

'Now I have to draw my ascendant chart for Divination and to write an essay on the Draught of Living Death for Potions,' Blaise said. 'The essay on the Futhark for Ancient Runes I already finished. Care to look?'

'Yess,' Balkis said. 'What is the Futharrk?'

'An alphabet used by the people of the far North in ancient times,' Blaise explained. And the Draught of Living Death is a very strong soporific, made from wormwood and the root of asphodel, a magical herb'.

'And what elsse they teach you herre?' Balkis asked. Blaise answered:

'Oh, Herbology, Transfiguration, Charms, Defense Against the Dark Arts, History of Magic, Astronomy, Arithmancy, Muggle Studies, but the last two I don't take. There are subjects you can choose, and I took Ancient Runes, Divination and Care of the Magical Creatures only. I am best at Care of the Magical Creatures, Potions, Herbology and Divination'.

'You ssaid you werre drrawing an asscendant forr yourrsself,' Balkis said, leapt on the table and read:

'Horrosscope forr Zabini, Blaise A., borrn on 1 Novemberr 1980 in Ajaccio, Frrancce'. Nineteen hundrred and eighty!? And what yearr is herre now!?'

'Nineteen hundred and ninety six,' Blaise answered.

'Twentieth century?' Balkis exclaimed.

'Yes. That's why I was talking of time and space,' Blaise answered.

'Oh dearr,' Balkis said.

'Don't worry,' Blaise repeated. 'I'm not a wizard, I'm only learning, but trust on me'.

'Sso you arre ssixteen?' Balkis asked.

'Yes,' Blaise blushed. 'Don't fear, I will never take an advantage of you'.

'You arre honorrable,' Balkis said.

'Thank you,' Blaise said.

'I'm ssixteen too,' Balkis said.

'What a coincidence!' Blaise said.

'And what is thiss book you rreferr to?' Balkis asked. Blaise explained:

'Ephemeris Handbook - it says what planet was where every given day. You have to know where they are to draw an ascendant chart, you see'.

'Yess,' Balkis said. 'I won't hinderr you any morre. Do drraw, and I will look'.

And Blaise continued to draw his ascendant chart studiously. Balkis was observing him with interest.

Suddenly a lean red spotted cat with green eyes, outsized ears and tasseled tail appeared from nowhere. He looked at Balkis following Blaise's quill with her eyes and snarled, arched his back and held his ears back:

'Who are you? You are an Animagus, I see. Are you trying to harm my master?'

'No, good Macavity, I am not,' Balkis said, scared. 'He knows about me, I can talk to humans even when I'm a cat. I'm a witch from another world, or so good Blaise says. I was thrown here by some evil force. Good Blaise kindly agreed to help me to find some potion or charm that will return me home. He suggested that I live with him as his cat, till he finds the remedy. Don't hurt me!'

She said, switching to human speech:

'Blaise, tell him you know about me!'

Blaise looked with annoyance from his chart and said to Macavity:

'I know she's an Animagus, Macavity. She can't return to her world if I won't help her. She shall live with me for some time, till I find a means to transport her back. I trust her entirely, so don't worry about her'.

'Did you hear?' Balkis said to Macavity.

'Yes,' Macavity said. 'He would know'.

'You have a good guarrdian, Blaise,' Balkis said. Blaise smiled and said:

'Yes, Macavity is very loyal to me. This is Balkis, Macavity, the Princess of Eastern Gate, a great-niece to Prester John, the ruler of Central Asia in their world'.

'A Princess?' Macavity said. 'Oh, I beg your pardon, Your Highness. I fear I was rude'.

'You were loyal to Blaise,' Balkis said. 'And call me Balkis, as Blaise does. I am bound to live with you for some time, after all'.

'Then Balkis it is,' Macavity said. 'You know, it is a sort of name my master would give you, if you were truly his cat'.

'Yes, he told me,' Balkis said. 'He said I looked 'Abyssinian', whatever it means'.

'Abyssinian is a breed of cats from Ethiopia, where the Queen of Sheba lived,' Macavity explained. 'You look like one. My master is very learned, he knows this'.

'He seems a very good person,' Balkis said.

'Yes, he is. He is honorable, loyal, studious, and brave. Also he is very cunning, but not in the mean way, like others in his House. The House of Slytherin is full of evil persons, and my master is uncomfortable among them, that is why he is friends with the Gryffindors,' Macavity said. 'The Gryffindors are good people'.

'What's that about Houses?' Balkis asked.

'He didn't tell you?' Macavity said.

'He didn't have the time,' Balkis said. 'He has to draw his Divination chart'.

'Oh, yes. Well, this school was founded a thousand years ago, by four great wizards and witches - Helga Hufflepuff, Godric Gryffindor, Rowena Ravenclaw and Salazar Slytherin. Each of them valued in their students certain traits of character, and so the school was divided into four Houses, each one bearing the name of one of the founders - Hufflepuff, Gryffindor, Ravenclaw and Slytherin. The founders picked their students themselves, and for the sorting to continue, they enchanted a hat to make the choice, as they would do. It is called the Sorting Hat, and each student entering Hogwarts has to try it on his or her head, and it announced loudly what House he or she belongs in. The Sorting Hat sees into the mind of a student, and puts him or her exactly where he or she should be. To be a Hufflepuff student you have to be loyal, just and unafraid of work, to be a Gryffindor you have to be brave and chivalrous, to be a Ravenclaw you have to be learned and loving learning, and to be a Slytherin you have to be cunning and ambitious'.

'And Blaise is a Slytherin,' Balkis said.

'Yes, he is very cunning, but he is also all I said,' Macavity said. 'His extraordinary cunning put him in Slytherin, but he always uses it for good ends, and not for harm. If you are in a mess, trust him to find the exact means to extricate you'.

I hope it is so,' Balkis said. 'Otherwise I will not be able to return home'.

'He will find the remedy,' Macavity said.

'And why is he wearing a white and green scarf?' Balkis asked.

'The colors of his House,' Macavity said. 'Each House has a coat of arms, Hufflepuff a black badger in gold field, Gryffindor a gold lion in red field, Ravenclaw a tawny eagle in blue field and Slytherin a silver serpent in green field. The arms of the school consist of these four arms and the letter H over all'.

At this point Blaise stopped, looked the parchment over and sighed with content.

'So, what have we here?' he said, looking at the circle, spotted with mysterious signs. 'So...so...so...Oho! 'An unexpected encounter which will have an impact on your life!' Well, I bet this 'encounter' sits here right now'.

He smiled to Balkis warmly.

'And what does the A. sstand forr?' Balkis asked. Blaise looked at her in surprise, and then laughed and said:

'Oh, my middle name? Alcide, that's it".

'Sseemss Merrovenccian,' Balkis said. 'And Blaise is alsso a Merrovenccian name, but Zabini is a Latrrurrian name'.

'It puzzles you?' Blaise smiled. 'I come from Corsica, a big isle off the south coast of France. It belongs to France, but the people there are Italian by blood and use a dialect of the Italian language, named Corsu. Of course, most of them commonly use French, as I do. It is the second native language to me. As my father came to live in England, I now mostly speak English of course, but Italian and French are native to me. My last name I get from my ancestors, and my two Christian names are such as are in common use in France'.

'Chrisstian, you ssaid. You arre a Rremuan Catholic, I think?' Balkis asked.

'Catholic, yes, but Remuan? Has Remus won the fight in your world?' Blaise asked.

'Of courrsse,' Balkis said. 'In my worrld?'

'You see, in this world it was Romulus who won the fight,' Blaise explained. 'And so we have Rome and not Reme, and had Roman Empire instead of Remuan, and I am a Roman Catholic and not Remuan'.

'How sstrrange,' Balkis said.

'Talk about strange! One of the teachers here is Professor Remus Lupin, he teaches Defense Against the Dark Arts,' Blaise said. 'He's an old friend of Harry's father, a very good person and a friend of mine. I must tell him about this twist. He'll be glad'.

'Rremuss Lupin?' What a name!' Balkis said.

'Yes. He is a werewolf,' Blaise said. 'But it isn't his fault, he was bit by a werewolf as a boy. He locks himself in every full moon, and takes the Wolfsbane Potion to alleviate the effects of the transformation'.

'Oh, you have thiss Potionss essssay to wrrite,' Balkis said. 'Excuse me'.

'Don't mention it,' Blaise said and, putting the finished chart and the Ephemeris aside, took a blank piece of parchment and one of the books, with words 'Magical Draughts and Potions, by Arsenius Jigger' on the cover, and started to write, looking in the book from time to time. Balkis observed him. Macavity got bored and disappeared. Balkis read the lines as Blaise wrote them, very interested by the content. Blaise looked from the parchment briefly and said:

'I think you would be a Ravenclaw in this world'.

'Thank you,' Balkis said. "Don't be ssurrprrised, Macavity told me all about Houses and about why you arre wearring a sscarrf of white and grreen'.

'Yes, they are colors of my House,' Blaise said. 'Though to tell you truth, I like crimson better. My ordinary robes are all crimson'.

'You should look grreat in crrimson,' Balkis said. 'You arre darrk-hairred and dussky. Pity I cannot ssee you in crrimson rrobes'.

'Students must wear black work robes in school,' Blaise smiled. 'Though I could don my dress robes and take you to Hogsmeade - it is a wizard village near the castle'.

'You arre sso kind,' Balkis said. Suddenly she sprang from the table to the floor and changed into a very pretty teenage girl, with pale golden skin, a little slanting eyes and long thick hair the color of mahogany, falling on her shoulders, in a silk red robe embroidered with gold.

'Can I go like this?' she said.

Blaise held his breath and said in a small voice:

'You are beautiful'.

'And you are handsome,' Balkis said.

'Thank you,' Blaise managed to say.

'Not at all,' Balkis said, and on the floor again was a graceful red-gold little cat with outsize ears. Balkis leapt on the table and began to observe Blaise again.

'The trip to Hogsmeade is this Saturday,' Blaise said.

After some time Blaise laid down his quill with a deep sigh, arranged the pieces of parchment and said to Balkis:

'Now I have to go to the library and take some books to research for you. This charm or potion you need isn't in Jigger or Goshawk - that's Miranda Goshawk on Standard Spells or in Spore on Magical Herbs and Fungi'.

'I guessss it isn't, but you look in them to make sure,' Balkis said.

Blaise looked at her with respect:

'Definitely a Ravenclaw! Yes, I will, when I take the other books from the library'.

'I shall go with you,' Balkis said.

'Well, such a little cat as you can slide into the Library unnoticed,' Blaise smiled. 'OK'.

'What?' Balkis asked.

'It means all right,' Blaise explained.

'I ssee,' Balkis said. 'Sso, let'ss go?'