The Road

Culpability

Blaise Zabini did not care for Draco Malfoy. He would not fawn over him like his female companions would, nor his male companions for that matter. He couldn't quite fathom why they glorified him like he was some sort of prince. If it wasn't for his family, his money, his power....well, he guessed that had to have been it then.

As Blaise curled up in the far corner chair of the Slytherin common room with a book in his arms and a small light, he paused over his reading when he heard footsteps begin to descend from the boy's dormitory. Not in the mood to speak to anyone at this late an hour, he turned off the light and let the shadows of the room consume him.

The soft echo of leather shoes entered the common room. A dark silhouette with light blond hair appeared in view, but did not stop to see who else might have been in the room. He recognized the boy immediately as Draco. He rolled his eyes as he sneaked out of the dorm with ease, believing he could just do whatever he wanted.

Blaise found himself following quietly behind as he left the dorm. He stationed himself at the corner of every turn and patiently waited till Draco's footsteps were out of earshot to keep up with him. What are you up to? He wondered to himself. As far as he knew, he hadn't caught any Slytherin girls leaving before Draco.

Suddenly, he heard his footsteps halt. Blaise quietly peeked his head out from behind the wall to see Draco standing in front of large wall with no door. It only occurred to him then that he was trying to get into the Room of Requirement. The door magically appeared, and Draco stepped inside.

Blaise huffed before darting to the door. Opening the door silently, he checked his surroundings before fully allowing himself to enter. The room seemed to serve as a large storage room, with old trunks and magical objects stacked upon one another. Blaise paused, waiting for a footstep or sound to give away Draco's location. When he finally heard the scuff of a shoe, he quietly stepped over to the far left corner of the room. Hiding behind a large wooden sculpture, he caught a glimpse of Draco standing before a tall cabinet of some sort. He spoke in whispers, unintelligible to Blaise's ears.

Blaise eyed the marking of the strange cabinet. Suddenly, it dawned on him what it was. He recalled his mother talking about a Vanishing Cabinet owned by one of her husbands many years ago. With two, you could transport objects between both. Even hide if need be.

Draco kept repeating something, but it was difficult to understand. He said the same phrase over and over again for nearly 10 minutes before he had enough. Draco shoved the cabinet with an unknown strength and let out a guttural yell that Blaise had never heard before.

Blaise's eyes widened when he heard a sob come from the back of Draco's throat, the first he's ever heard from the boy before. Suddenly, Blaise felt very much like he shouldn't have been there. There was an honor in Slytherin. Look away when your fellow Slytherin fell weak, so they could get up and regain their strength without feeling pitied.

Blaise backed away, and followed his path back to the door, letting it shut softly behind him. He breathed heavily at the massive door, and the scene he just witnessed, before turning on his heel back to the dormitory.

The next morning, and the day after that, and the day after that, Blaise wanted to ask what was wrong, and what he was planning on doing with that cabinet. But he recognized that yell and sob like it was his own. Like the responsibilities of the world has been thrown onto his back all at once. Draco had a mission, of some sort.

And Blaise let him carry it through.

Blaise Zabini was as culpable as the rest of them. He wasn't a Deatheater, but he may as well have been. He eased the lines of stress that formed along his forehead at the memory of it all. Pansy always said he worried too much, and that's what caused them. But perhaps it was the guilt of knowing what Draco Malfoy planned to do, and then doing nothing to stop him. He could have talked him out of it. He wouldn't have listened. Maybe Draco would have killed him. But what did it say about Blaise to not even try?

Suddenly, the footsteps at the end of the hall caught his attention. Hermione and a hooded Draco walked quickly towards Blaise, and the entrance to the Wizengamot court room. Blaise breathed in deeply and exhaled as he stood. "Where's Potter?" Blaise questioned.

"He's outside," Hermione informed, "He caused a distraction so we could sneak past."

Blaise turned his head to Draco. His eyes were dead, like the dread of being in front of the Wizengamot had numbed him. Blaise put his hand on Draco's shoulder. "Snap out of it," he told him firmly, "We're going to need all of you here to do this." Hermione settled her hand on Draco's arm in a comforting manner, and Blaise felt the nervous man ease up from her touch. Draco looked up at Blaise and nodded firmly, but with a distant gaze.

"Hey," Harry suddenly appeared next to them, somewhat breathless, "Okay, so what happens now?"

"I've requested a small audience from the Wizengamot, simply to present the case," Blaise started, "But all they need to hear is his name before everyone starts to panic."

"Panic?" Hermione asked.

"Yes," Blaise answered honestly, "This is the first they'll be hearing of him in a long time. They'll want to take him in right then and there, but I'm going to try to reason with them. Say he'll stay with me under my protection to await the full trial."

"And if that doesn't work?" Hermione questioned apprehensively.

Blaise sighed and turned his head to Draco, "Then you'll spend the night in Azkaban."

Hermione exclaimed, "What?! That wasn't a part of the deal-"

"We have to be accommodating if we want this trial to go anywhere," Blaise interrupted, before looking to Draco, "Do you understand?"

Draco nodded curtly, and Hermione's face fell in disbelief. Before she could dispute it, the door to the Wizengamot opened slightly. Draco turned around and Hermione stood in front of him. "Blaise Zabini," a deep voice called from within.

Blaise turned abruptly, and before he could walk ahead, he heard a voice behind him call out, "Blaise."

He turned to meet the gaze of Draco, no longer distant, and with a refreshing honesty, mouthed the words, "Thank you," to him. Blaise nodded, and turned back to enter the Wizengamot.