A Subject's Horror - Book Two

Chapter Two

Part of me knew the only reason I was able to calm down was thanks to the calming draught that was all but shoved down my throat.

But again, it was needed.

Especially taking in the fact that I was now someone else, while being de-aged to a child once more, so yes, I was glad that they fed me that draught.

Otherwise, I'd be freaking out by now.

"They think you hit your head too hard," whispered the other child with a frown upon his face as he watched me. "I'm your older brother, Blaise Zabini, and you're Evelyn Zabini."

Now, wasn't that just a familiar name.

It felt like time sped up in that moment alone as Blaise continued to explain how old we were, him being ten and me being nine, to where we were, at our manor in Italy, and finally how are mother was usually away dealing with business.

While he continued to chatter, I had slowly began to explore the room and checked each door, finding a huge walk-in closet and even larger bathroom.

It was there that I finally got a glimpse of what I now looked like as Evelyn Zabini.

I was now a really cute kid, even beautiful some would say.

But that wasn't what really held my attention, no, it was the fact that all of this felt too real.

Hilton had taken yet another thing from me.

It was as I settled back on the large bed that a slightly heavy weight settled into my lap causing me to look down to find a cat there. I wasn't sure why, but the cat brought me some relief.

"That's your familiar," offered Blaise as he also shuffled closer to me on the bed and reached down to pet the cat. "His name is Lorenzo, we usually call him Enzo though."

Right, because I now couldn't not think on the fact that magic was now real.

That somehow, I was living in a fictional world as a character that shouldn't exist.

Truly, I had to be thankful for the calming draught.

"Where is our father?" I wondered aloud even if I could already guess since many fans had always believed Blaise's mother had been a black widow.

Meaning more often than not she killed her husbands.

"We don't have the same dad," answered Blaise with a light shrug even as he leaned against my side as we continued to pet Lorenzo. "But both are dead, so I guess it doesn't matter."

Children always were the blunt type, and if neither of us had a chance to know our father's then of course their deaths wouldn't affect us like they would others who knew them.

That could be seen either as a good thing or bad thing really.

"Alright," I sighed out before settling back into the bed. "I think I just want to rest some more, my head is killing me."

"Good night," whispered Blaise as he kissed my forehead before getting up and leaving the room. "Sweet dreams, sorellina."

~ Time Skip ~

It had been over three months since I had ended up in this world as Evelyn Zabini. In that time, I had found that for the most part I had free range to do whatever I wanted.

There were people who came by to teach us, tutors being paid high prices at that, but even then, it only took up the afternoon before we once again were free to do what we wanted.

Blaise had taken up swordplay for the last few years I was told so he focused on that and potions in the afternoon and evening. This meant we didn't really see each other until dinnertime.

But it was thanks to this that I had time to review the journals that Evelyn had been writing in for each 'class' she had been taking. It allowed me a chance to catch back up without it seeming weird. Though I was lucky that they still thought my memories were scrambled.

Hitting my head first thing on ending up in this world was truly a blessing.

Even more so since it seemed not even magic could easily deal with head injuries.

"Have you finished packing?" questioned Blaise breaking me from my thoughts as I looked up from the trunk in front of me. "Madre says you can stay in Italy if you don't want to join us in England. We have plenty of house elves and staff to watch over you if that's what you want."

Madre from what I have been able to gather was really hands off in raising us, though that didn't mean she didn't love us. She made sure we knew that she was here for us if we needed her but that we had the right to make our own choices.

"I'll go," I answered with a light shake of my head even as I shot the other a beaming smile causing him to send me one in return. "I can't wait to join you at Hogwarts."

"It's not as advance as other magical institutions," warned Blaise as he reached out to flick my ear making me grimace and inch away from him. "Madre says that it's really gone downhill since Albus Dumbledore became headmaster of the school."

I couldn't disagree with that since she had provided an older pamphlet of Hogwarts classes during the time of other headmasters. Many of the classes offered had been removed.

There was also the fact he hadn't hired more staff leaving it only to a small number of professors to teach all the students at Hogwarts. This left said professors with barely anytime to grade let alone provide help or tutoring for students who were falling behind.

It's why I had also asked for private tutors right now and one's I could still reach out to once I did join Hogwarts. Blaise had done the same since he enjoyed learning.

Well, when he wasn't attending those parties held by the families in England.

Turns out, it was his father who had been from England and held ties there so our mother had made sure Blaise was able to keep roots there as well. It was how he ended up becoming friends with Draco Malfoy, even if they didn't hang out as much as they once had.

Mainly due to the fact that Draco now couldn't stop acting overly arrogant.

"Time to go," called out Madre as we left behind my room, the house elves would be the ones moving our luggage to our new home. "You didn't forget anything did you?"

Both of us shook our heads in the negative even as we reached out to hold onto her and the portkey that she was holding out to us.

It was only thanks to my new body and the inherit balance that I didn't end up sprawled on the floor.

Portkey's were truly a menace.