When Lions And Snakes Play Together: A Cautionary (But Funny)Tale

t.h.i.r.t.e.e.n: When Stepping Out Is A Bad Idea

Blaise

The shopping district at Caesars Palace was exquisite, almost as good as the shops in Venice and Milan, but yet here Blaise was: shopping for an engagement ring for Ginervra Weasley. Part of his reasoning for coming along on this holiday to begin with was for the ambiance to help bolster his courage in proposing marriage to Ginny. He purchased a simple princess cut solitaire diamond, knowing that Ginny was not the bling finery type of witch. He had the nice and fairly easy on the eyes muggle black lady, put the ring in its trademark Tiffany's blue box when he was accosted at the elevators.

They were four large, bulky wizards, clearly button men, but from what Family, Blaise had no idea. His father was middle management at best in his Family, but still a made man, and he was making a fortune laundering money in their Naples winery operation. His grandfather Javier, a ruthless son of a bitch that was still the Don, but was too stubborn to die, was still running things. Mum was floating into one pool boys bed after another these days and doing her best to bankrupt his father because dad was too busy to take care of marital business at home.

"Mr Zabini," One of the button men addressed him, the mouthpiece, as his Family called them, "We're going to have to ask you to come with us for a friendly little chat regarding some transactions you made outside of your jurisdiction."

Blaise kept his expression impassive, "Do you really want to do this in front of muggle witnesses?"

"If you do not come quietly, yes," Mouthpiece replied, his tone just as neutral. "It's not personal, Zabini. You know that."

"Look, I'm not exactly alone in this resort, gentlemen," Blaise reasoned. "I came here with friends for a bachelor party. We partied hard last night, and we are heading back to England tonight. Is that a good enough itinerary for you?"

Mouthpiece looked to his associates, and they whispered in rapid Sicilian to one another, so bad luck there, they weren't of his Family. Just his luck. Mouthpiece addressed him again, "No, not good enough. Come with us quietly. Imperio."

Blaise tried to fight the curse, taking hold of him, but to no avail. He felt his body move, but he was mentally not there anymore. He calmly had a bag placed over his head, and then he knew no more for hours...

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He came to in a filthy warehouse, tied to a chair. He could not see his torturers, but as he was questioned as to where the black jack chips last night disappeared to, he vaguely saw the sight of his grandfather the Don, and knew that even if his friends got him out of this alive, his family life was heading further into the black hole that was his home life and it would probably never recover. It was just his luck...