Roommates

Twenty Eight

Invasion

The rest of the train ride passed in silence between Blaise and Hermione. Occasionally, Hermione would try to draw him into conversation, but he would answer and then drop back into silence, staring out the window, his brow furrowed as he thought.

Professor Dumbledore and Snape came to get them when they pulled into Hogsmeade station and they followed them to the carriages without argument. Once back at the school they went directly to classes, with their slips of paper from the Headmaster explaining their absence.

That evening Blaise returned to his and Hermione's chambers, sat down heavily in a chair, closed his eyes and rubbed his head. Five minutes later he heard Hermione come in; she sat down opposite him and waited for him to speak.

"You want to talk, right?" he said, leaning his head back, his eyes still closed.

"If it's not too much of a trouble, yes, I would," Hermione replied, her expression slightly annoyed.

His head snapped up and he glared at her. "Look, I never said I wanted to explain things to you. In fact, if I hadn't gotten involved with you, none of this would have happened. I wouldn't know my sister was a Death Eater and I wouldn't have told my dad, therefore my mother would still be alive."

Hermione glared back. "Are you blaming me for your mother's death?"

"If the shoe fits," he said nastily, watching her expression change to one of outrage.

"How dare you blame something on me that was your sister's doing!" Hermione cried, standing up and shaking her head at him. "I had nothing to do with it. If you can't see that, then you're thicker than a brick!"

"I don't have to listen to you," Blaise replied, standing up also.

"Well, if you did, you'd be a whole lot smarter!"

"Really? Amazing, the wonderful Hermione Granger knows everything." He scoffed. "I'm surprised, really. I suppose that because I got one 'E' on my O.W.L.s I'm less intelligent? Because we all know only smart people get all 'O's." A vase flew by his head and shattered on the wall. "Rotten aim."

Hermione glared at him, breathing heavily with rage. "You are such a bastard," she spat. "You think that because your sister killed your mum you are suddenly some walking, talking encyclopedia on everything! You make me sick sometimes, Zabini! Sick. And now you won't even listen to me, the only sympathetic ear for you in the entire castle. Do you really think any of your Slytherin friends give a damn about you, or your situation? Who knew someone I once considered in control and intelligent could be prey to such a common psychological problem." She stalked towards him, shaking her hand at him. "And if you can't realize that sometimes other people care about each other, you're the stupidest person I've ever met! Why can't you ever just listen-"

But Blaise interrupted her before she could finish. "Because it's bullshit and I know it. Everything you say is bullshit, come to think of it." There was a loud crack as Hermione slapped him, hard, across the face. He stared down at her and narrowed his eyes angrily. "Bullshit," he said to her, picking up his bag and walking towards the door out.

"Where are you going? We're not finished here, Zabini," she said to him.

He turned around and looked at her, still angry, with one eyebrow raised. "Au contraire, Granger. We are finished. Goodbye." Then he turned and walked out.

Once Blaise left the rooms, he kicked the wall and swore before heading towards the Slytherin common room. He arrived at the entrance and, muttering the password, went into the passageway that led to the common room, going to sit in a corner and ignoring everyone, thinking for while. Occasionally, people would come over to talk to him, but he would just tell them to piss off. Eventually Daphne ventured over to speak to him.

"Blaise?" she said. "Are you all right?"

"Piss- Oh, it's you Daphne," he replied. "No; no I'm not all right. I feel as if I've just fallen off my broomstick at an altitude of about four thousand feet, thanks."

Daphne blinked at this. "Oh. Why? Did something happen with Hermione?"

Blaise laughed bitterly. "Yes, something happened. I just broke up with her."

"Why?" asked Daphne, her eyes narrowing and her face becoming guarded.

"Last time I checked, we weren't dating, so I don't have to tell you," Blaise replied dryly.

Daphne poked him. "If your humor is still intact, you must be all right." She paused. "Or at least not permanently damaged. What happened?"

Blaise's mood darkened immediately. "I don't want to talk about it." He glanced around. "Where's Theo?" Daphne motioned somewhere vaguely behind her. "Thanks. I've got to talk to him, excuse me." He got up and walked over to find Theodore, finding him in another corner, surrounded by homework. "Theo, can we talk?"

Theodore looked at him from behind a large tome on Ancient Runes. "Sure. What about?"

Blaise lowered his voice and said, "Who in our year are Death Eaters? Or would be. Or will be."

Theodore frowned. "I thought you said you weren't one," he replied, his voice just as low.

Blaise shook his head. "I'm not, but I have to do something with one or as one."

"Are you sure you need to know, Blaise? Are you sure you want to do something like that? If they find out, they will kill you," Theodore told him.

Blaise nodded. "Yes, Theo, I need to know. This is very important."

Theodore sighed. "Fine. Draco Malfoy is, though he pretends not to be. I'm not sure if he's one just because of his father or not." Theodore went on to list several others and finally came down to one name. "Of course the ringleader for the Death Eaters would be Octavian Yarrow. None of them have the Dark Mark, though, since they cannot leave school to attend meetings."

"How do you know they haven't taken the Mark?" Blaise asked, glancing about for a moment.

Theodore looked amused. "I have seen them in the bathrooms, Blaise. It's sort of hard to hide a black Mark on your left forearm when you're completely naked."

Blaise smirked. "True. Thanks for the information." He turned to walk away but Theodore grabbed his arm.

"Blaise, if you're going to do what I think you're going to do, think twice. They're dangerous people, Death Eaters. Messing with the young ones is less, but it's still like jumping into a bathtub of enraged black mambas."

Blaise shook Theodore's hand off. "I'll be careful," he promised before looking around for Octavian and setting off towards a table in the dormitories. He borrowed a piece of parchment and closed his eyes, remembering what Lilithe's handwriting looked like before starting to write in her flowing, flower-like script. When he was finished with his forged letter, he blew it dry and rolled it up, tying it up. Getting up, he walked to Octavian.

"Yarrow," Blaise called when he was about ten feet away.

The tallish dark-haired boy with a semi-permanent look of malice on his slightly handsome face looked up from his game of Gobstones with Quentin Farn and nodded at him. "Zabini." He cocked his head at Blaise. "Is there something you want?"

Blaise took a seat next to Octavian and nodded slightly. "Yes, there is, actually." He leaned closer. "I've heard some whispers that indicate you might have some sway with the Dark Lord's followers."

Octavian frowned at him and waved away the people grouped around them. "I might," he agreed.

"Then you might be able to allow me into the group," Blaise said, willing himself to sound as sincere and interested as possible.

"I don't know if I could trust you, Zabini," Octavian said. "After all, you've been known to spend your time with Mudbloods and blood traitors, not to mention supporters of Dumbledore...."

Blaise spread his hands and nodded shortly. "Yes, I used to. But I've just realized in the wake of my mother's death the power that the Dark Lord can bring me...to defy death, to bring those I love anew...so I only desire to serve him, to help him reach his goal of immortality. The Dark Lord holds the secrets to unlocking immortality and real power, Octavian, and I wish to help him unlock those doors."

Octavian gave him a suspicious look. "Why should I believe you? You could easily be a spy. I need proof," he said. "After all, three weeks ago you were firmly neutral. Tell me, how in the world could your politics change so completely in such a short time?"

Blaise gave him an irritated look. "Octavian, I need no proof," he said.

"Really?" the other boy asked, leaning back in his seat and smirking at him. "Do tell me why, Zabini. I'd love to hear it."

Blaise's face darkened. "My sister would be very...displeased...if she knew you were treating me like this," he warned.

Octavian laughed. "Your sister? Zelphinia is just as neutral as you were, Zabini."

"I'm not talking about Zel."

"What then, June? She is, too."

"I'm not talking about June."

"Then who are you talking about, Zabini? You only have two sisters and I haven't got all evening." Octavian tapped his fingers impatiently.

"I'm talking about Lilithe Sererotti," Blaise said, and Octavian blanched. "My oldest sister. She's a Death Eater, I'm sure you know her." Octavian nodded and Blaise could see him starting to sweat. "Well, I have this letter from her. She's informed me to give it to you and I'm sure that you'll want to see it."

Octavian grabbed the roll of parchment that Blaise held out a little too quickly. As he read it, Blaise could see Octavian begin to twitch slightly. Blaise bit back the desire to laugh. He knew that what was in the letter was entirely plausible, seeing as how it was supposed to be Lilithe who had written it. If he'd gotten a letter like that, he supposed he would be nervous, too. Octavian's eyes raced over the lines several times before he looked back up at Blaise. "That...seems to be in order," he said slowly, as if trying to phrase his words carefully. "I'm sure that you'll be wanting to know some things, then." He swallowed before asking, "Why- Why didn't you ever mention she was your sister?"

Blaise shrugged and lounged back. "There was never a point to mention it. I'm not one to swing around on a power trip, Yarrow, or haven't you noticed? No, I bring out my biggest weapons only when I need them. Until then, I'm pleased to be background noise." A sick grin spread across his face. "Then they don't hear you when you're sneaking up on them, about to finish them off."

Octavian gulped. "Fine, then. I daren't say no, they'd...well, you know what they'd do." He stuck out a hand. "Welcome to the fold, Blaise." Blaise shook the extended hand.

"Thank you...Octavian."

~*~

Blaise stayed in the Slytherin common room all night, speaking with Octavian about the Death Eaters, hinting that Octavian would be punished if he didn't tell him everything that Blaise asked after. Around two in the morning, he found out what he had come for. The Death Eaters were planning an attack on the school within the next week or so; Octavian didn't know when, but only that it was soon. After this, Blaise was eager to get out of the conversation, but Octavian peppered him with questions about his family and most of all about his sister. An hour an a half later he left, weaving his way through the halls to avoid Filch and Mrs. Norris. At one point he hid behind a statue in an alcove when he heard someone walking, but no one went past.

Finally he got back to his and Hermione's chambers at four o'clock. When he stormed into Hermione's room it was to find her gone, with all of her things missing from the tables and drawers; even her trunk was missing.

"Damn it all!" Blaise yelled, kicking the bed. "Damn it, the one time I find something useful out, I've got no one to tell it to!" He limped over to his room and got into bed. All night he tossed and turned, unable to find peace in his dreams.

The next morning he dressed hurriedly, his tie askew and his outer robe inside out and ran to the top of the stairwell where he always saw the Gryffindors come down. When they stormed past him he searched for Hermione but didn't see her.

Grabbing a passing fourth year, he asked, "Hermione Granger. Where is she?"

The fourth year glared at him. "If you knew anything you'd know where she is, idiot. Let go!" The girl jerked her arm away and ran after her friends. He glared after her and paced for a moment, and then almost smacked himself, realizing where she was.

Now that there were people around, he walked quickly to the Library, nodded at Madame Pince, and started walking through all of the isles, looking for Hermione. He finally found her in the back of the Defense Against the Dark Arts section, sitting in a corner.

"Hermione," he hissed.

She looked up at him coldly. "Zabini," she replied, before going back to her book.

"Look, Hermione, I have to tell you something! It's about the-"

Hermione stood up and put the book up before glaring up at him. "Really?" she said. "You have to tell me something? Somehow, I get the feeling everything you say is bullshit. Get away from me, Zabini, and stay away." She stalked off and he followed, trying to get her to speak to him, but she refused to say a word. Once they got into the Great Hall, Potter and Weasley glared at him, barking threats, until he saw Octavian stride through the door and he threw a cutting remark towards them before going to greet the other boy.

All throughout breakfast he was squirming inside, itching to jump up and run over, to apologize for saying what he had and to tell Hermione and her friends what he had learned. The whole time he was agonizing over this, he never once looked up to the Staff table. He never noticed that many of the teachers weren't there.

After breakfast, he was swept away in Octavian's group to classes, all of which had substitutes, which failed to register in his brain as he went through the motions of schoolwork, all the time trying to think of what to do, how to get to Hermione, how to tell her.

After a while, he was certain Hermione wouldn't ever speak to him again, so he started looking for professors. He started with McGonagall, but the substitute, who he didn't remember, said she was "out on business" but would return within the next few days. Then he moved on to Flitwick, but he, too, had a substitute and was out on business. Snape was gone, said yet another substitute, as was Vector, the Ancient Runes professor, and when he went traipsing down to Hagrid's hut, he discovered Hagrid was gone, too.

The only regular professors left in the castle were Trelawney, Firenze and the Astronomy professor. Blaise sat down on the marble staircase and put his head in his hands as laughing students walked past him. He barely resisted the urge to trip them and moved to sit in an alcove hidden by a tapestry.

At some point he fell asleep, and woke up around a quarter till four. He then got up and left the alcove, intent on finding Hermione and making her listen, even if he had to chain her to a wall or something else just as drastic. But when he reached the library doors, he found them locked.

He was pondering what to do next when he heard screaming from the Entrance Hall, where he had just come from. He raced back to the top of the stairs and watched as Death Eaters stalked quietly into the school, branching out as they came in, going into every part of the building. Three were coming towards him. He turned to run, but they caught him.

"And who are you, young one?" asked one of the masked figures.

Blaise glared at him and tried to muster as much pride as he could, pinned to the ground by three Death Eaters. "Blaise Zabini," he said.

"Zabini!" they hissed, and let go of him as if he were hot coal. "You're her brother, aren't you? She said no one was to touch him except her."

Blaise stood up and dusted himself off. "Yes, I am, and I've recently seen the light. You can ask Octavian Yarrow, if you wish. Come along. We've got students to convert...or kill."

He led them down several passages, purposefully doing this to confuse them. Thinking quickly, he sent one into a classroom and, muttering a Silencing Charm, he picked up a bench that had been put into the hallway for repair and brought it down on the other Death Eater's head. Hearing the other come back, he reversed the charm and quickly undid his necklace, tuning out everyone but the Death Eater.

When the Death Eater stepped into the hallway and saw the body of his companion, he hissed at Blaise, "You're one of them! A follower of Dumbledore!" and grabbed his wand. Blaise took that moment to reach into the Death Eater's mind and rooted around in the globule that was the man's mind-energy until he found the life source. He reached out and slowly squeezed it and he heard the Death Eater gasping for a few seconds before he went limp and fell onto Blaise. He opened his eyes and felt his stomach revolt against him as the Death Eater fell off him and onto the floor.

When his insides had settled, he put his necklace back on and took a pair of robes off one of the dead Death Eaters, putting them on before running off. He began to search around the castle, trying to think of where she would be, during this. Where she would be hiding from everyone and everything. Their rooms, he supposed, but when he looked there she wasn't anywhere in them.

Then it dawned on him: Gryffindor. She would be hiding in Gryffindor's common room and dormitories with everyone, away from the Death Eaters. The only problem was that he didn't know where the entrance to the Gryffindor common room was. He stomped around in Godric's office for fifteen minutes, the seconds dripping away seemed to take an age for him as he looked through papers and files and documents.

Finally he gave up, went into Hermione's old room and took down the blanket that covered the portrait of the Founders. He tapped it a few times until the figures woke up.

"What?" Rowena asked crabbily.

"Sorry for waking you," Blaise said. "But this is important. Death Eaters have invaded the school and I need to find Hermione. She's in the Gryffindor common room and I need to know where it is."

The portrait of the Founders frowned at each other and had a whispered conversation together, full of loud objections and louder affirmations. Finally, they turned back around and Godric told him where it was.

"The Tower is on the seventh floor and it's the only tower entrance on that floor, as you probably know," Godric told him as Blaise wrote down the directions to make sure. "I've heard quite a bit about these Death Eaters, boy. Enough to know what they're all about. Godspeed, son."

Blaise nodded and put the robes back on, turning to walk out when Godric's voice sounded again.

"Zabini?"

"Yes, Godric?" Blaise asked, halting suddenly.

"You'd better hurry with the rescuing. The wards succumbed three hours ago. There's nothing protecting the castle."

Blaise paled and slumped against the door jam. He muttered, "Shit, shit, shit," before leaving the chambers and making his way to the portrait marking the entrance to the Gryffindor common room by back passages and stairwells. When he got there, he began banging on the Fat Lady, causing her to object loudly. After a few minutes there was a voice from behind the portrait.

"Who's out there?" It was Potter.

"Potter, it's me, Blaise," Blaise told him. "I have to get in there."

"I saw you with Yarrow earlier, Zabini. We all know who he is and Hermione doesn't want you here. Go away before we make you."

"Potter, I have to talk to you! I was just trying to be friendly with Octavian last night to get into his graces so he would tell me when he thought the Death Eaters would come! He told me last night and I tried to tell Hermione this morning but she wouldn't listen to me, so I couldn't warn you! I'm sorry this happened; I'm sorry you were caught by surprise, but none of the professors were here and Hermione wouldn't listen to me!"

"And what did you expect?" Hermione's voice said. "That I would just welcome you back, Blaise? I'm not desperate and I certainly don't need you to make me who I am."

"I know that!" Blaise said frantically. "It's just-"

"I wasn't finished," Hermione said quietly. "I'm sorry for not listening to you; I should've known you had something to tell me. It's partly my fault Harry didn't know. Hold on for a few moments, I'll try to get them to let you in."

There was a scrabbling noise and a moment later there was muffled arguing for a few minutes. He caught a few snatches, which amounted to Potter and Weasley not wanting to let him in, but Hermione was obviously winning. The scrabbling noise came back and the portrait swung open to reveal a hole about three feet off the ground. Hermione gasped at his attire.

He looked down and remembered the robes. Shrugging, he said, "It's the only way you can get around in here without them knowing you're not one of them. And they aren't doing identity checks today, not while they're securing the place."

"Even so," she whispered, "I think you should take them off, otherwise Harry and Ron will be very, very angry."

"If you say so, but I'm keeping them." He took off the Death Eater robes and stuffed them into his bag.

"Follow me," she said. He hopped up into the hole and crawled after her. They crawled for a few moments and then dropped into the Gryffindor common room. He looked around and took in the large, round room, draped in red and gold tapestries. It was also filled with students, not all of whom were wearing red and gold.

Before he could ask any questions, Potter and Weasley cornered him and forced him to sit down.

"I'm sorry," Hermione said, her face full of more apologies, "but it's the only way I could get them to agree to let you in, if they could interrogate you."

"Look at it this way," Weasley said nastily, "it won't be nearly as bad as if the Death Eaters found you."

"I'm so relieved," Blaise said sarcastically. "Next, you'll be handing me a lollipop and calling me snookums."

"Bloody likely," Potter muttered. He reached to tie Blaise up, but Hermione stopped him.

"No, Harry," she said. "I said you could ask him some things, but you can't tie him up. That would only make him mad and I'm not sure if his charm would withstand that."

"It probably wouldn't, Potter," Blaise replied nastily, "and Lord knows we don't want the mean Slytherin Head Boy prying around in your head, do we? Even if you and the rest of that lot think so loudly I could hear it five miles away."

"I thought it blocked everything out," Hermione said.

"Well, it's a renewable charm. It has to be renewed, otherwise it'll wear out. Every eight months, so that I don't have to leave school. But normally we renew it at Christmas, just in case. This year we didn't, though, and I had no idea how much it changes as it wears out. In big gathering, like in the Great Hall, I get a few whispers. Normally from the Gryffindor table, too." He rolled his eyes. "Gryffindors, I've found, are the loudest when it comes to anything. Cheering, thinking, walking, whatever. You make so much commotion."

"Shut up," Weasley growled.

"Fine. But then you won't find out what I've got to tell you. And it's very important." Blaise settled back in his chair. The common room stared at him expectantly.

"Well, what then?" Potter asked impatiently.

"The wards. They went down about three and a half hours ago. Nothing's protecting the castle--except us."

The common room fell silent for a few moments and then people started to cry, to bunch off into groups and huddle together, anticipating certain death.

Loud cracks sounded and everyone screamed, looking at the steps. Luckily, they weren't Death Eaters, just McGonagall and Snape, along with Dumbledore, Flitwick and even Vector. They came down the stairs to be greeted with hysterical crying and a mob of students asking what was going on.

When Dumbledore finally quieted them all down and came over to talk to Potter, a voice sounded through everyone's minds; Blaise could tell because their features became confused.

"Blaise...I know you are here...I can feel your presence. Come to the Dark Lord and you will be spared." There was a pause that lasted a moment or two. "No? Then you and your Mudblood girlfriend will die in each other's blood and breathe your last even as you are begging for mercy."