The Siren's Call (A Draco Malfoy Fanfiction)

38. Rita Skeeter

Dioleh came out of the woods and sat down before the firepit. With a flick of her wand, there was a roaring fire in front of her. The next moment, Hermione and Ginny came out of the boys' tent. Ginny went into the girls' tent, but Hermione sat down by Dioleh. "You okay?" she asked. Dioleh shrugged. Her mind was reeling.

"A little worried," she admitted finally.

"What made you freak out so much before?" Hermione asked.

Dioleh drew in a deep breath before explaining, "Just the screams, the panic, the banging noises. It made me think of the night of the massacre."

Hermione let out a soft 'oh' before they fell into silence again.

"Hermione," Dioleh said, her voice quivering ever so slightly. "What do you know about...Voldemort?" Hermione flinched.

"Why?" Hermione asked. Dioleh didn't respond, she merely continued to stare into the fire. "Well," Hermione said, realizing she wasn't going to explain her request, "he was the wizard behind the most recent wizarding war. He used the creatures the wizarding world outcast as his main weapons against us." Dioleh let out a laugh at that. Hermione threw her a curious look but did not say anything. "Anyway, his downfall, as you probably know, was when he went after Harry. He killed his parents but Harry survived somehow."

"So, is he dead?" Dioleh asked emotionlessly, even though she knew the answer to that.

"No," Hermione said. "Harry has faced him twice now. Once in the first year when he was on the back of Professor Quirrell's head and in the second year when he dealt with the Chamber of Secrets."

"So he's alive," Dioleh said in a far-off voice. A frown had etched a line between her eyebrows as she sat deep in thought. "And is he alone?"

"No," Hermione replied, looking concerned. "He's with Peter Pettigrew and possibly others." Staring at her sister with worry, she asked, "Dioleh what is this about?"

Her hands beginning to shake, Dioleh said, "Where are Harry and Ron?"

"Asleep," she replied.

"I need to talk to all three of you," Dioleh said, getting up. She went into the boys' tent to see that Harry and Ron were still awake. They instantly saw her. Without a word, she gestured for them to follow her out of the tent. Once the four of them were sitting around the fire, Dioleh said, "Voldemort wants to recruit me." There was a long pause in which the other three shared alarmed expressions.

"W-What?" Harry said finally.

"I spoke to Julio."

"He's alive?" Hermione gasped.

"Dumbledore helped him break out," Dioleh said. "But...he got captured by Voldemort. Apparently, he's interested in siren magic and wanted to know who the most powerful one is. Julio couldn't resist the torture for long. He's been greatly weakened. He...lost his powers."

"What?" Hermione whispered.

"He was in Azkaban for two weeks waiting for trial," Dioleh said quietly. "But Voldemort tortured him until he told him about me. The only good thing is Julio didn't tell him my name just that I was a siren at Hogwarts."

"So he's coming after you," Harry said.

"If I don't join him, he'll kill me," Dioleh said. "At least, I'd assume so."

"We'd protect you, Dioleh," Harry said.

"No matter what," Hermione added. Dioleh didn't respond. She knew, seemingly better than they did, that if Voldemort wanted her dead...she would be.

⥖✦✧⦽✧✦⥗

"Oh thank goodness, thank goodness!" Mrs. Weasley cried, rushing towards them. "Arthur I've been worried, so worried!" She instantly wrapped her arms around him, dropping the Daily Prophet from her hand. "You're alright, you're alright. Oh, boys." She instantly moved from her husband to Fred and George.

"Ouch, Mum, you're strangling us," George protested.

"I shouted at you before I left," she cried, beginning to sob. "It's all I've been thinking about! What if You-Know-Who had got you, and the last thing I ever said was that you didn't get enough O.W.L.s? Oh Fred...George."

"Come on, now, Molly," Mr. Weasley said, prying her off the twins. "We're all perfectly okay." He began to lead her back to the house as Dioleh grabbed the paper and began reading through it.

If the terrified wizards and witches who waited breathlessly for news at the edge of the wood expected reassurance from the Ministry of Magic, they were sadly disappointed. A Ministry official emerged sometime after the appearance of the Dark Mark alleged that nobody had been hurt, but refused to give any more information. Whether this statement will be enough to quash the rumours that several bodies were removed from the woods an hour later remains to be seen. It is important to note, however, that he was carrying an unidentified unconscious female around Hogwarts age who is yet to appear or give a statement.

Dioleh rolled her eyes and handed it over to Mr. Weasley, remarking, "You need to read this." After he read it, Dioleh asked, "That was me, wasn't it?" Mr. Weasley nodded. Before more could be said, a large eagle owl fluttered into the room and over to Dioleh.

Staring at it for a moment, Harry asked, "Isn't that Malfoy's owl?" Dioleh didn't answer and took the letter from the owl and ripped it open with a clenched jaw. Leaving the room, she read through the letter.

Dioleh,
Look, I know you're mad at me, but I heard what happened to you after you left. Are you okay, love?
Dray

Dioleh sighed, staring at the page. Turning over the parchment, she quickly wrote out 'I'm fine, as if you care,' and attached it to Neptune.