The Long Lost Zabini

Chapter 1

It was very peaceful at the Burrow, where the Weasley family plus Harry Potter and Hermione Granger were living for the summer. Bill and Charlie were sitting at the table talking about Quidditch. Percy was talking with his father about work at the Ministry by the doorway. George was testing new pranks on Harry. Mrs. Weasley and Fleur were cleaning the kitchen. Ginny and Hermione were in Ginny's room talking about their next year at Hogwarts.

Two gorgeous owls flew in through Ginny Weasley's window and landed in front of Ginny and Hermione. The girls gently removed their letters from the owls' legs and opened them.

Hermione read the first three words of the letter and could not believe her eyes. She reread them again and again.
___________________
Dear Hermione Granger,

Congratulations! You are being invited to Hogwarts School for Witchcraft and Wizardry for your eighth year as Head Girl. This time, eighth year will have very few students due to many families being in mourning after the war, along with the fact that eighth year has always been optional for students anyway. We have fully rebuilt the castle using magic, so you and all students will have full security should you wish to come back. Because you are Head Girl, however, you will have different circumstances and will be rooming with the Head Boy.

Also, this is very unorthodox and unfortunately unconventional, but I must inform you that, as per your mother's dying wish before he passed, you will be re-sorted this year, so when you get off the Hogwarts Express, you must follow Hagrid with the first years.

     What to bring:
     • As an eighth year, you do not need any uniform.
     • As Head Girl, you also do not need any school supplies because they will be provided for you.
     • The only things you need to bring are your trunk and wand.

Sincerely, Headmistress Minerva McGonagall.
___________________

After thoroughly reading the letter several times, hoping to somehow change what was written, Hermione let a soft sob escape her lips.

"Hermione! What happened?" Ginny ran over to her.

"Ginny, read this. The letter says that I need to be re-sorted because of my 'mother's dying wish'. How does that make any sense? My parents are both living in Australia, oblivious to the fact that I'm their daughter, because I wasn't able to bring their memories back after the war." Her voice broke. "My mother is not dead, and she can't have wished me to be re-sorted because she doesn't know Hogwarts exists! Is it possible the Death Eaters got to her? Oh my god did they kill my parents? How could they have gotten to them? I took so many precautions, I wiped their memories, I-" Hermione lost control and began hyperventilating.

"Hermione. Look at me. Calm down. I'm sure there is a reason for this." She scanned the letter. "We'll figure it out together, okay?"

Just then, they all heard the crack of someone Apparating into the house. The two girls went downstairs and were shocked at who was standing in front of the whole Weasley family and Harry with their wands pointed at him.

"Blaise Zabini? What are you doing here?" Hermione asked.

"I, uh... I need to say something to you, Hermione. I know you're very confused because of your Hogwarts letter, so can I explain?" Blaise asked uncomfortably.

"Wait, what is he talking about, Hermione?" Harry asked her with his wand still pointed at Blaise. "What's in your Hogwarts letter? And how does he know about it?"

Hermione ignored him. "Does this have to do with my mother and her 'dying wish'? Do you know who killed her?" Hermione's voice reached a shrill pitch.

"It's... a tad more complicated than that. Can I explain in private please?" The surrounding audience scowled at him.

Hermione wiped at her still-wet face again. "Make this quick." She led Blaise up to the room she shared with Ginny and closed the door.

"So, I'm sure you have a lot of questions," Blaise started. "I guess I need to start from the top. I... I used to have...." Hermione could tell it was really difficult for Blaise to talk about this. Why would he have a difficult time with this? "I had... a twin sister. But only a few days after we were born, she was kidnapped. Taken away by V-Voldemort. You see, my sister and I were born of the one of the purest bloodlines in the entire Wizarding World, the Zabinis. Just as pure as the Malfoys and the Blacks. We're part of the Sacred 28. However, none of those twenty-eight lines had produced a young witch that year. Mine had. And Voldemort was desperate for an heir so the Gaunt bloodline would be upheld. Gaunt was his mother's family, and it was also part of Sacred 28. Until his mother had him with a muggle man, Tom Riddle. But anyway, Voldemort decided that his heir had to be born of a pureblooded witch. So he kidnapped my sister, who was the purest-blooded infant witch at the time, so she could p-p-produce an heir for him." Blaise shook. "He thought he could raise the witch until she was old enough to have children, and then... and then..." he turned a shade of green. "You get the idea. But anyway, a few months after, he was defeated by the Boy Who Lived, Harry Potter. Who I'm pretty sure is listening on the other side of this door, by the way, along with the whole Weasley clan." There was a muffled thump on the door and a few whispered curses that could be heard. "Anyway, Voldemort was dead. Or gone, at least, not really dead, but you know the details. Anyway, my sister was found by two muggles. She was raised by them and then came to Hogwarts when she was eleven, believing to be a muggleborn. We grew up at Hogwarts. All the while, neither of us knew we were twins. My mother was killed in the war a few months ago. Her will said... it said that she'd discovered who my twin was. I don't know how, but she found her. It said that she wanted my sister to know who she was, and she wanted her to be re-sorted with knowledge of the truth. Maybe it would affect her sorting, maybe not. But she wanted her to try. So I told Professor McGonagall everything." Blaise took a deep breath. "Now you're probably wondering why I told you all this and what this has to do with you."

Hermione held up a shaking hand. Her bottom lip trembled. "I already know what you're going to say." Her voice was shaking so badly it seemed as though she would cry at any moment. "I'm the lost Zabini, aren't I? I'm your twin sister?"