The Siren's Call (A Draco Malfoy Fanfiction)

P13. Change

"You wanted to see me, Professor?" Dioleh said hollowly. Exams had finished and there were only a few days left until they were meant to be heading home, but the gaping hole left by Julio made sleep seem impossible, leaving her tired and irritable with dark circles under her eyes.

"Yes," Professor Dumbledore replied. "With your father gone, the Ministry is attempting to locate any other blood relatives."

"They won't find any," Dioleh said bitterly.

"Then you will be put into foster care during the summers," Dumbledore replied. Dioleh felt too empty to reply so she stayed silent. "Are you sure you have no more relatives?" Dioleh couldn't help the anger that festered in her chest as she glared at Dumbledore. She was pretty sure he knew exactly what she was and could probably guess that she was from an American Siren Tribe because of her accent. It wasn't uncommon knowledge that the tribes had been decimated by MACUSA.

Involuntarily, her mind flashed to the sight of the dozens of dead bodies of her tribe as she replied darkly, "Yes, I'm sure."

"Well then, you will be picked up by one of the Ministry social workers upon your arrival to King's Cross Station."

After a long pause, Dioleh asked, "Can I leave now?" Dumbledore nodded and she went down the stairs with tears in her eyes. In her attempt to run into the nearest bathroom, she crashed into Hermione.

"Dioleh, are you all right?" she asked, helping her up. She couldn't respond. Hermione quickly led her into the bathroom which was thankfully empty. Just as they had done all those months before, they sat on the bathroom floor, one in tears, one with her arms wrapped around the other. They sat, the only accompaniment to Dioleh's sobs the occasional drip of water.

Tears streaming down her cheeks, Dioleh explained, "I'm about to go into foster care. My dad, he-" She broke off as she began to sob again. "He's dead." Hermione didn't say anything. Instead, she wrapped her arms around her, holding Dioleh tightly in her arms as she cried into her shoulder. Hermione couldn't help crying a little herself. "I don't want to go," Dioleh whispered through her tears before gasping for breath.

Hermione remained with her for hours while she cried until finally she had calmed and her cheeks had lost their redness. As it was getting late, they parted for their common rooms. Dioleh's eyes were still red when she came into the common room. It was empty apart from one person. Draco looked up, surprised someone was coming in so late. He said nothing as Dioleh rushed past, trying to hide her tear-filled eyes from his sight.

If you didn't see my authors note, I changed this whole story so far to a prologue, but this is the end of the prologue so from now on it is fully in the story.