Early August, 1890 — Domitian Zabini's home

Zenobia hadn't been allowed out since that fated shopping trip. Thankfully, her best friend was also her cousin, so she had seen Flora when she and Aunt Rufina had come to visit.

Her Favourite Aunt of All Time, Auntie Camilla, would come visit that day. Zenobia looked up to her because she was pretty and confident and hosted the best parties.

She had come to have tea with her mother, but at some point her mother was called by one of the servants. Zenobia used the opportunity to creep inside the sitting room, where Auntie Camilla was sitting on her own.

"Auntieee!" Zenobia greeted cutely as she sat next to her and hugged her. When she released her from the hug, she looked at her with her well practiced 'sad' face. "Oh Auntie I'm so sad! Papa has me locked away like- like Rapunzel! He told me I can't see you, or anyone! Auntie, I missed you so much!"

None of that had happened, but Zenobia thought the best strategy against her father was to paint her the monster so she could win everyone else's sympathy.

@"Camilla Zabini"

  

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set by mj <3

Camilla was startled by the sudden appearance of her niece, but smiled anyways, returning the hug. She wondered if Zenobia had been waiting for a moment without Matilda to appear, especially since she came bearing a tale of woe.

"Oh, does he now," Camilla said, careful and measured. "You don't seem very locked away at the moment, my darling." Frankly she did not have any interest in how Domitian disciplined his children - Matilda had mentioned Zenobia being in trouble but had not provided any context, and Camilla hadn't asked. She thought of Zenobia a little bit in the way that one thought of dolls; Camilla liked to play dress-up with her niece if given the opportunity, but at least partially because it was amusing for her, and she didn't think there was anything wrong with that. Zenobia was cute! Camilla enjoyed cute things, and probably even loved her.

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   Zenobia Zabini

The truth was that Zen wasn't locked up in her room. She could roam the house freely and she had seen Flora. It was only outside where she wasn't allowed, but it wasn't like Victorian children were out and about all day, unless they were the ones that had to work since 6.

"That's because I can walk quietly and nobody hears me!" Zenobia replied with a cute smile.

"They threatened to send me to finishing school auntie! And all because a stupid wand acted up on me!" Auntie Camilla would understand her and see how she had been (nearly) innocent.

  

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set by mj <3

"A wand?" Camilla asked; against her better judgment, her curiosity was piqued by the strangest detail of Zenobia's exclamations. Zenobia didn't have a wand yet, did she? If she did, that was distinctly new.

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set by bee

"Yes auntie!" Zenobia replied. "Papa took me wand shopping and he made the employee give me the most aggressive wand they had and then I tried to conjure up some flames to impress him and it got out of control! And then Papa started screaming at me and calling me an arsonist and that he'd have me sent away and even cursed me so I couldn't speak!" She finished off by lowering the tempo of her voice in a whiny sort of way, as she lowered her gaze cutely.

  

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set by mj <3

Zenobia was saying a lot of words, and Camilla was admittedly overwhelmed, although not in the way that her niece may have expected. This all just seemed very complicated and difficult and she wasn't entirely sure she believed Zenobia. Domitian wasn't much of a screamer; that required a level of emotion Camilla didn't often see her brother access. Also, even if it was true, wasn't it a disciplinary issue she ought to stay out of, because she really did not want to become an aunt who involved herself in issues of parenting?

"I... see," Camilla said finally, blinking at her niece.

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   Domitian Zabini

Her aunt's answer was good enough for Zenobia, who gave her another frantic hug. "Please auntie, tell him not to send me to finishing school!" She looked up to her aunt. "I want to go to Hogwarts with my friends!"

  

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set by mj <3

"Sure, I will," said Camilla, who had no intention of bringing up any such thing.

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   Domitian Zabini, Ellory Lestrange

"Thank you, Auntie!" Zenobia said, who was still naive enough to think that her aunt would fight for her case. "You're the best aunt ever and I love you to the moon and back!"

  

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set by mj <3

Even though Camilla had been lying, she could not help but smile warmly at Zenobia's words. "And I love you just as much, my darling," she said affectionately, wrapping Zenobia into a hug.

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