Blaise Zabini

**Blaise Zabini**, born **Christian Nembiko**, is an Muggle-born wizard of Kenyan and Italian descent. He is the Heir Presumptive of House Zabini and heir to the Florentine Black Hand, an Italian Wizarding Mafia organization. He was sorted into Slytherin in Hogwarts and is in the same year group as Harry Black and Jim Potter.

## Biography

### Family Lineage

Blaise was born Christian Nembiko as the son of Mosi Nembiko, a Kenyan muggle, and Sabrina Zabini, the squib sister of Serena Zabini. Despite her squib status Sabrina remained close to her family, who financed her medical education. Sabrina met Mosi at her university, and after they had both gotten their medical degrees they opened a clinic in Brixton, London, treating underserved immigrants.

### Early Life

Between 1985 and 1987, when Blaise was six years old, a group of skinheads firebombed their apartment. Mosi and Sabrina both died in the fire, but Blaise managed to escape via a portkey given to him by his mother, which took him to the home of his aunt Serena, who adopted Blaise, giving him the name of Serena's daughter who had died in infancy to fabricate a pureblood lineage.

During Blaise's childhood Serena married various rich wizards, including the Count of Provence, who Blaise refuses to refer to as anything by "Le Comte". On the morning of his eighth birthday Blaise discovered Le Comte dead at the breakfast table, having choked to death on his pain au chocolat. Serena also married Salvatore Montessi, the head of the Florence chapter of the Black Hand, who was her fourth husband. When Salvatore died, his death was deemed natural, leaving Blaise to inherit his position as head of the chapter upon his 25th birthday. However, the other members of the Montessi family didn't like this, beginning a long campaign to assassinate Blaise before he could rise to his position.

### Book 1 - The Prince of Slytherin

Blaise begins attending Hogwarts, where the Sorting hat takes only a second to sort him into Slytherin.

### Book 3 - The Death Eater Menace

Blaise greets the Grangers upon their arrival in Italy, taking them to his family home where they could stay for the duration of their visit. During the trip, Blaise and Hermione discuss Theo's situation and their reactions of the matter. After the Grangers are settled in, Blaise takes Hermione to see his Occlumens mentor, Guiseppi Lucardi, so she can learn how to develop Occlumency shields. He is astounded when he learns that she produces Occlumency shields naturally under pressure. Over the next few days he and Hermione go to Guiseppe Lucardi to enhance her shields. On the way home one day, whilst discussing Hermione's plan to develop a support group for Theo, the car comes under attack by Enrico Montessi, who seeks to kill Blaise in order to stop him becoming head of the Florence Black Hand. After a brief fight, Blaise cuts off Enrico's hand and takes his wand, sending him back to the Montessi in order to send a message. Upon arriving home, he reveals to Hermione his true lineage and that of his butler, Gunther.

## Physical Appearance

We do not know much about his physical appearance, although it can he assumed that he is attractive, given that Hermione Granger said so herself, and his parents are described as regal and beautiful.

## Personality & Traits

Blaise is a calm and composed person and can appear at first to be very cold. In true, he is fiercely attached to his friends, and is often torn between his duty to the Zabini Conspiration and his friends.

In book 3, he reveals to Hermione that he is bisexual.

## Magical Abilities & Skills

He is an Occlumens of unknown level, probably at least level 2.

## Canon Divergence

In Harry Potter canon, Blaise Zabini is a minor character who is not physically described. However, it is implied that Blaise Zabini is his true name, and he does not inherit a criminal empire.

## References

Book 3 - HP&DEM - Ch. 84 - Prelude (Hermione & Blaise),

Blaise tells Hermione about his parents.
Book 2 - HP&TSE - Ch. 66 - Home for the Holidays,

"It was tiny, of course, compared to the Palais de la Comtesse de Provence, but Blaise hated the Palais...".
Book 3 - HP&DEM - Ch. 84 - Prelude (Hermione & Blaise),

Hermione visits the Zabini home in Florence with her parents.
Book 1 - HP&PoS - Ch. 6 - Day One in the Snake Pit,

"The Hat actually called Draco Malfoy for Slytherin before it sat all the way down on his head, which Harry found amusing. It sorted Blaise Zabini nearly as fast...".
Book 3 - HP&DEM - Ch. 84 - Prelude (Hermione & Blaise),

"Well, I've started noticing girls, if that counts... And also boys,".