Blaise Zabini and the Magical Cat

When they were on their way back to the castle, by the bushes on the southern shore of the lake Blaise slowed down, so that they detached themselves from their friends, and then Blaise leaned to Balkis and asked:

'May I?'

"Yes,' Balkis said, and Blaise kissed her. It was a gentle, sweet kiss, and Balkis trembled and suddenly remembered the mirror.

"Blaise, is there a mirror in the castle that predicts the future?' she asked.

'Not that I know of.' Blaise said. "Why?'

'The other day, when I explored the castle, I saw a mirror that showed myself in your arms, just as now.' Balkis said. 'I fled!'

'Was it arched, with its feet like lion's paws, and with a strange inscription on its frame?' Blaise asked.

'Yes,' Balkis said, amazed. 'You know it?'

'I do.' Blaise smiled. 'It is called the Mirror of Erised - Desire backwards. The inscription reads backwards, 'I show you not your face, but your heart's desire.'

'Oh,' Balkis said.

'You got it.' Blaise smiled. 'The Mirror of Erised shows one the deepest desire of one's heart - and desires sometimes come true.'

'As mine did.' Balkis whispered. 'No wonder that I fled - it was so sudden! I was scared.'

'But you aren't scared now?' Blaise asked.

'No, of course not.' Balkis said. 'I love you, Blaise.'

'And I love you, Balkis,' Blaise said.

'But let's join our friends, Blaise.' Balkis said. 'They are far ahead of us.'

'Let's.' Blaise smiled, and they went quicker.

They joined their friends, and together they went back to the castle. They went round the lake, and soon three Gryffindors, a Slytherin and a little cat, which no one paid any notice to, entered the great doors. They returned to the Gryffindor Common Room, and Blaise sat to read, Balkis to look at him, and the Gryffindors to play cards. Then a couple of girls in Gryffindor scarves went in. They noticed Balkis immediately, and one of them, dark and black-haired, said:

'Ooh, what a cute pussy! Look, Lavender!'

'Ooh, isn't it adorable?' Lavender said.

The girls stroked Balkis, and she endured it. At last, the girls went upstairs, and Balkis asked:

'Who werre those girrlss, Blaise?'

'Parvati Patil and Lavender Brown.' Blaise snorted.

'The Parvati Patil you werre talking about when we werre going to Hogssmeade?' Balkis said.

'Yes.' Blaise smiled.

'Well, she is beautiful, but she is ccerrtainly not cleverr,' Balkis said.

'Spotted it at once.' Blaise smiled. 'Believe it or not, but they catch every word of Professor Trelawney, and she has predicted Harry a very soon death every year! I take Divination to train my abilities, but I don't trust her predictions one word. But Patil and Brown think she's a genius. I like clever girls much better'.

'Thank you, Blaise,' Balkis said.

Some time later, Mortie and Maloney came in.

'Well, how was the trip to Hogsmeade?' Mortie asked. Blaise smiled and answered:

'All went very well.'

'I see,' Mortie said and smiled too.

Other Gryffindors came in, by twos and threes, Dean Thomas, Seamus Finnigan, Neville Longbottom, Ken, Joe the Chaser, Colin the Beater, Bronwen the Chaser, Lavender Brown, Parvati Patil and people Balkis didn't know the names of. Among them came a pretty red-haired girl. Ron said to her, 'Hi Ginny', and the girl answered, 'Hi Ron'. Balkis knew then the girl was Ron's sister he talked about when they were in Hogsmeade.

'Hi Blaise. What a nice little cat,' Ginny said.

'Hi Ginny. She is. She's mine, and her name is Balkis, like the Queen of Sheba,' Blaise said.

'Balkis? How lovely!' Ginny said.

'Are all here?' Seamus Finnigan said. 'It seems we can begin to celebrate'.

'Sure.' Dean Thomas said. 'I have several bottles of butterbeer here, guys'.

'Excellent,' Blaise said, looking from his book. Seamus Finnigan said:

'Oh, Professor Zabini is with us too?'

'Well, naturally.' Blaise grinned. 'And it's dza-BEE-nee, not za-BEE-nee.'

'Yeah, whatever,' Seamus Finnigan said. Dean Thomas groped in his robes and produced several bottles of golden clear liquid. He put them on a table, took one of them, opened it, drank a little from it, and then passed it to Seamus. Seamus drank and passed the bottle to Neville Longbottom.

'Don't drink too much, Nev, dear,' Ginny said.

'I won't, Ginny darling,' Neville said, drank a bit and passed it to Ron, Ron drank and passed the bottle to Mortie, Mortie drank and passed the bottle to Hermione, Hermione drank and passed the bottle to Ken, Ken drank and passed the bottle to Ginny, Ginny drank and passed the bottle to Colin, Colin drank and passed the bottle to Lavender Brown, Lavender Brown drank and passed the bottle to Joe, Joe drank and passed the bottle to Parvati Patil, Parvati Patil drank and passed the bottle to Maloney, Maloney drank and passed the bottle to Bronwen, Bronwen drank and passed the bottle to a brown-haired boy of about thirteen, who drank also and passed the bottle on.

'Let's sing,' Ken suggested.

'A good idea. But what?' Ron asked.

'I know.' Blaise said. 'It's an old French song, very beautiful. I can sing the lead.'

'Go on,' Seamus said, and Blaise began:

'Au jardin de mon pere

Les lauriers sont fleuris,

Tous les oiseaux du monde

Viennent y faire leur nid.'

'My Granddad's favorite song!' Mortie said.

'Tous les oiseaux de monde

Viennent y faire leur nid,

La caill', la tourterelle

Et la jolie perdrix.

La caill', la tourterelle

Et la jolie perdrix,

Et la jolie colombe,

Qui chante jour et nuit.

Et la jolie colombe,

Qui chante jour et nuit,

Qui chante pour les filles

Qui n'ont pas de mari.

Qui chante pour les filles

Qui n'ont pas de mari

Pour moi ne chante guere,

Car j'en ai vu joli.

Pour moi ne chante guere,

Car j'en ai vu joli.

Dites nous donc la belle,

Ou donc est votre mari?

Dites nous donc la belle,

Ou donc est votre mari?

Il est dans la Hollande,

Les Hollandais l'ont pris.

Il est dans la Hollande,

Les Hollandais l'ont pris.

Que donneriez-vous, belle,

Pour avoir votre ami?

Que donneriez-vous, belle,

Pour avoir votre ami?

Je donnerais Versailles,

Paris et Saint-Denis.

Je donnerais Versailles,

Paris et Saint Denis,

Les tours de Notre-Dame

Et les cloches de mon pays.

Les tours de Notre-Dame

Et les cloches de mon pays,

Et ma jolie colombe

Pour avoir mon ami!'

Blaise finished, raising his voice. The tears rose into the Gryffindors' eyes and they all cried, 'Bravo!' Blaise bowed:

'Thank you, my friends. I'm glad you liked my performance. I did my best.'

'At-a-boy, Blaise!' the Gryffindors cried.

'Now let's dance?' Seamus suggested. The Gryffindors cheered and formed couples. The binge lasted long into the night, and Balkis fell asleep somehow.