Blaise found himself in another dingy room. He looked at Parthalán warily, as the room was obviously in a dungeon. He drew his wand and performed a simple search spell, making sure the room was free of any unfriendly enchantment. When he was satisfied he turned back to face the old man.
“Where are we?” Blaise asked quietly.
“This is your family home, sir. I thought it best if we begin down here because obviously you haven’t returned alone and this room should be the safest.”
“I don’t understand. Where am I? What year are we in? Where are all of these supposed relatives?” Blaise stopped to organize his thoughts. He had so many questions, but sensed they had no time.
“You’re in Kilcudbrit, in the year of our lord 1790. You’re people are merchants, come to our land more’n twenty years along now. They live up away from the town in this castle. Your mum told me she picked this time and these folks because it was a time of peace and prosperity.
Forgive me sir, but whatever happened in the library would lead me to assume that we are in need of some planning.”
Blaise grinned at Parthalán. He was smart, Blaise had to admit. Kilcudbrit, Blaise could not place the name. He knew all of his family’s holdings, but he could not remember one in a place with a name like that. He wished he had the time to look over the parchments Professor Snape had found, but knew that could wait until they were safely away from any Death Eaters looking for them. If the stories he had read in the papers were true, (and the fact that a common house elf was pursuing him into the 1790’s confirmed it) then the Dark Lord’s powers were so great that the only chance he had was to not get caught.
“We need to get a feel of how many are following us. In my time, there are Wizarding Authorities that would be monitoring the type of magical activities that would allow time travel. Does this magical society have any such Authority?” Blaise asked.
“Well, your uncle (sorry, sir, not sure how many greats he’d be) would be the most illustrious member of our community. If any would know it’d be him, but I would assume that the castle would be the first place any would look for you so we must be careful.”
“Can’t we simply figure out where he is and Apparate to him?” Blaise asked. “We were able to Apparate into the castle, after all.”
Parthalán hesitated a moment, then he closed his eyes. He could feel his Master’s presence in the Great Hall, but he was not alone. Parthalán swallowed hard, grabbed Blaise’s arm and Pop.
Blaise and Parthalán appeared in a small alcove off the great hall. Parthalán pantomimed to Blaise to be quiet and the two of them listened to the voices echoing through the great chamber. Blaise was astounded.
“Yes. . .very amusing antidote, Sir,” Lucius Malfoy drawled. “It’s amazing is it not how even throughout the countless generations separating us, our womenfolk have remained basically the same?”
“It’s understandable why the boy’s mother would be so concerned.” Professor Snape’s voice broke in. “After all his father was killed during the last conflict. But, really, this is in the boy’s best interest.”
Blaise crept silently behind a drapery that separated the rooms. He carefully pulled it back and looked into the room. The man who must have been his uncle was seated in an ornate chair, while Professor Snape and Mr. Malfoy stood in front of him. Blaise was amazed how much the man looked like countless other male relatives of his own time. Out of the corner of his eye, Blaise caught a glimpse of gold. Lucius Malfoy also had a time-turner!
“He’s going to search for his mother,” Professor Snape added “We hope to head him off here, as it could be. . . an indelicate scene if his mother’s involved.”
Blaise angrily jumped out from behind the curtain, confronting them, only to see Professor Snape wave a piece of parchment at him. It was the map showing where his mother was located. Who was Snape working for?
Blaise could not believe his stupidity. He knew the peril that Parthalán had put himself in to help him, but listening to Lucius Malfoy joking about his mother had made him forget.
However, the truth was, his relative was sitting in an ornate chair, staring at him with eyes not so different from his own. True, the perfect almond shape came more from his mother’s side, but he could see something akin to him in the darkness of the eyes that were so intently watching him. He turned his gaze to face the man in the chair, willing him to acknowledge the kinship between them. He was a part of this man, and he deserved to be recognized.
“Uncle,” Blaise began, bowing to the man in the chair. “My name is Blaise Zabini. It is true that I have come unwittingly from the future, but my arrival, however…”
Blaise stopped, collecting his thoughts, as this was the most important speech he would ever give in his life. He knew his mother must have pled his case to this man or she would have never thrown him into this situation. He glanced at Lucius Malfoy, who was looking at him with veiled respect. Professor Snape just looked at him without any visual clue. Blaise looked down from his uncle’s obviously interested stare, and began again.
“My arrival, however anticipated by you, must seem strange in the extreme with two such imposing gentlemen,” Blaise stopped talking, acknowledging the other men from his own time, “expressing such interest in me. I would assume my mother, explained why my coming here was so important to her. My mother is not a woman given to capricious actions.” Blaise paused, looking hard at Lucius Malfoy, who smirked slightly back at Blaise. “Her reasons for me not joining into the conflict that is brewing in our time must be more involved than simply a mother being overly protective of her only son. Having met her, you cannot but know that she is an incredible woman.”
“Pretty words from one so young,” Blaise’s uncle began, “there is truth in that your mother is indeed enchanting. However, I would be amiss if I didn’t meet this, Lord Voldemort myself. Seeing as there is no man in your generation to offer his opinion, I will decide. Please give me your wand. My men will escort you to a safe place until such a meeting can be arranged.”
“Sir,” Professor Snape began, “this young man is a talented wizard, capable of more magic than his youth would have you believe. I think more precautions are needed than simply taking his wand.”
Without warning, Blaise found himself in a dark room, chained to a bench with shackles that were obviously magically enhanced. Parthalán’s form was barely discernable in the dim light. He was also chained. Blaise tried to apologize to the man, since his actions had obviously put him in even more peril than his own.
Parthalán turned his back. This was not his first experience with the gentry. The days moved by in a blur. It seemed to Blaise that they'd been there for ages. Suddenly, a Death Eater appeared, unchained him and took and took Blaise back to the great hall, refusing to answer any of his questions. He stood in the room, with a masked man standing on either side of him, wands at the ready. He wondered where his uncle was. Or Professor Snape, or even Lucius Malfoy. After a few minutes, Voldemort appeared and issued an ultimatum- become a Death Eater or watch as he destroyed this kingdom.
Blaise looked at the Dark Lord, astonished. Why the great interest in me? He thought. As he looked at Voldemort, Blaise could sense a strange tingling sensation in the frontal lobes of his brain. The feeling swept through his mind and Blaise found himself unable to drop his eye contact with the man. Finally, Voldemort looked at one of the masked men seated beside him.
“He is as good a catch as you described, Lucius. Bright, intuitive, a good reserve of knowledge for one just barely of age.” Voldemort turned his attention to Blaise. “Why am I interested in you, young man? You have everything I look for in my troops. An unblemished heritage, which can obviously be traced back generations. Family connections that rival the Malfoy’s. You need just say the word and I will share the path to powers you never dreamed existed.”
Blaise kept his eyes averted from Voldemort’s. Legilimency. Blaise thought as he tried to cloud his mind. He knew some basics of Occlumency, but hadn’t tried it much, except for some lessons here and there that his mother had insisted on. Sometimes in the dorms he would use them, as they were popular pastimes in Slytherin House, but no schoolboy tampering had ever felt like what the Dark Lord had just done to his mind. He sensed that he should speak, but couldn’t fathom what to say.
One of the masked men standing beside him made a slight signal with his hand and nodded imperceptibly at Blaise. Professor Snape! Blaise suddenly realized as he opened his mind again. Blaise closed his eyes and momentarily swept through Professor Snape’s brain. It was then that Blaise made his decision.
Blaise looked down at the floor, flooding his mind with prideful thoughts. He looked up at the Dark Lord, and proclaimed, “I would be honored to join you, Sir.”
Having come to his decision, Blaise felt like he could breathe again. He thought he heard a quick intake of breath from the man at his side as well, but couldn’t be sure. The Dark Lord stood, looking intently at Blaise. He then turned his attention to Lucius Malfoy.
“Very good. I leave him in your care Lucius. I trust you can deliver him to me at the appointed hour.” With that, Voldemort disappeared, without a sound. The other Death Eaters, save Snape and Malfoy, also disappeared, heralded by loud Pops, their departure far louder than that of a simple Disapparation.
“Say what you will, Severus, It’s sharp, the way the Dark Lord does that.” Malfoy said, looking at the spot where Voldemort had so recently stood.
Professor Snape removed his mask, saying idly, “If we survive Lucius, I’ll teach you how to do it.”
Blaise warily looked at the two men, finding the friendly banter between them unnerving. He had realized that only by working with his opponents could they find the answer. He didn’t truly trust them, much like Parthalán didn’t trust him, but knew in order to survive he must rely on them - they had pieces to the puzzle that he did not have, and only by putting them together could he ever hope of seeing his mother again.
“Where is my uncle?” Blaise asked, keeping his emotions even. “And the old man.”
“They are. . .secure.” Lucius said. “They’ll be fine, if. . .”
Professor Snape looked sharply at Malfoy and he stopped talking. “We have a lot of work to do, Blaise, and only a few hours in which to do it. The Dark Lord will be expecting us at Midnight and we can’t disappoint him.”
Professor Snape motioned at Blaise to give him the satchel.
He emptied the contents onto the large oak table in the center of the room. He took the parchments one by one, examined them, and found the one he wanted. He then took his wand, and the History Book, whispered an incantation, and the book popped open to the page regarding Time-Turners. He scanned the page quickly, and then he picked up the parchment that explained the use of Blaise’s ring.
“Well, it’s certainly possible,” Professor Snape said, looking at Lucius Malfoy. “I’m not certain what the risks are, though, but we haven’t much choice.”
“Blaise,” Lucius Malfoy began quietly, “the Dark Lord has become unbalanced. My own son was forced to join, and I promised your mother to do everything I could to keep you out. Professor Snape and I have a plan we think will work, but it might be a bit unsettling.”
Blaise nodded his approval. He had no choice. Lucius Malfoy took the time turner from around his neck and put it around Blaise’s neck, entwining the chains of his with the chains of Blaise’s. Professor Snape then took the ring from Blaise’s finger, held it to his lips and whispered the strange words from the parchment, while Malfoy barely moved the Time- Turner’s around Blaise’s neck. Blaise felt the same funny feeling of the room moving, but only for a second.
He looked up and couldn’t believe his eyes, there were two of him. Professor Snape grabbed his hand and put the ring roughly back on his finger, causing Blaise to stumble back as though jolted by lightning. When he straightened back up, the other Blaise looked at him, but with glazed eyes. Malfoy the carefully unentangled the Time-Turners and returned his own to his neck.
“All right there, boy?” Malfoy asked, as Professor Snape performed simple tests of the real Blaise’s reflexes with his wand.
“Our plan is simple, now.” Professor Snape said. “We thought if we could somehow cross up the Time-Turners we could keep the past you in the same place with the now you, which worked. Then it was just a matter finding the right life force incantation on your parchment to bring the you in the past you back into the now you, so that there’s only one true you. The other is just a copy of your bodily structures, memories, and such. All we have to do now is put enough spells into it to make it ambulatory long enough to pass through the ceremony and fail its first mission.”
“Of course, Blaise, everyone will have to think its you.” Lucius Malfoy added. “They’ll be no more Hogwarts, as everyone will think that you’ve died in about eight hours.”
“Well, we have a lot of work to do Blaise.” Professor Snape said, “I would assume you would like to know how the map works so you can go join your mother?”
Professor Snape pulled out his copy of the map from his robe pocket, while Blaise put the other things back into his satchel. Professor Snape showed Blaise the proper wand work and words to make the ring work as a Portkey through time. He then took the map and explained how it would take Blaise to his mother.
“When our part of the world is safe again, we’ll come and get you.” Malfoy promised.
“Couldn’t you do the same for Draco?” Blaise asked, beginning to feel a little awkward about leaving at a time like this.
“It’s a little late for Draco, I’m afraid. He’ll have to manage on his own.” Lucius said.
Blaise looked at the two men, decided they were right and pop.