The Siren's Call (A Draco Malfoy Fanfiction)

55. Seventh Time's a Charm

Harry sat at the breakfast table with Ron and Hermione, both of whom looked as worried as he felt. Dioleh had been gone for a month now with nothing. Imani and Andre had promised to tell them what they had found. Just as the thought crossed Harry's mind, Imani and Andre sat down with them.

Worriedly, Hermione asked, "What have you found?" She had been desperate to help, but at Dumbledore's order, she had been instead focusing on getting Harry ready for the last task.

"We found her ring in the woods," Andre said quietly. "One that Draco gave her for Christmas in third year. According to Imani, it doesn't seem like any of her clothes are missing apart from her favourite sweatshirt, which she was wearing the last time we both saw her."

"Draco identified the ring and has been helping us, but we haven't had any luck so far," Imani said. "We think she was anxious and dropped her ring on accident. Only thing is, we don't know if she was just having an anxious day or if something caused it."

"What day was it?" Harry asked, thinking carefully. "The last time you saw her. What day was that?" Imani thought a moment.

"It was a Wednesday," she said. "I know because Andre didn't go with us because he needed to study for the Charms test. So that must have been-"

"The twenty-fourth," Andre filled in.

His eyes wide, Harry said, "That's the day Krum got attacked and Crouch disappeared."

Imani gasped, asking, "What if she saw what really happened?"

"Then Crouch might have been the one to take her," Andre suggested.

"I don't know," Harry said uncertainly.

"Viktor said his back was turned, right?" Hermione asked, thinking. Harry nodded.

Also deep in thought, Ron suggested, "Maybe it wasn't Crouch and Krum just assumed it was."

"Whoever attacked Krum has Dioleh," Andre said.

Glancing at Andre, Imani said, "We need to talk to Viktor."

"You need to be quick if you're also going to exams," Hermione said, glancing at her watch.

"Screw exams," Imani said instantly. "This is more important."

"Fair enough," Hermione sighed. "Please let me know if you find out anything." They nodded.

"Good luck, Potter, in case we don't see you before tonight," Andre said. Harry nodded and they headed over to the Slytherin table where Krum was eating breakfast.

"Krum, we need to talk to you," Andre said. He turned around, looking irritated before he saw their expressions. Frowning, he followed after them out of the earshot of everyone else. "Look, a friend of ours has gone missing and we think she went missing the night you got attacked."

"Vhat does that have to do vith me?" he asked.

Getting irritated, Imani snapped, "We found her ring in the woods, not three meters from where it all happened." Her tone calming, Imani asked, "We think whoever attacked you also took Dioleh. Now Harry told us you said it was Crouch, but did you actually see him attack you?"

Thinking hard for a moment, he said, "No, but I didn't hear anyvone else."

"Doesn't mean they weren't there," Andre sighed in near-defeat. Looking at Imani, he lamented, "This is getting us nowhere."

"I'm sorry about your friend," Krum said. "I vish I could be of more help."

"Thank you," Imani said wearily. He left them be and Imani sighed, "We have gotten utterly nowhere."

"I know," Andre sighed. "I know she and I didn't always get along, but I always cared about her. I just didn't want her in danger. I didn't want any of us hurt."

"I know," Imani said, laying her hand on his shoulder.

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Dioleh was still in siren form at the bottom of the trunk, drawing in water whenever she had the strength, but she was only getting weaker and weaker. Dioleh coughed, her tail just barely damp in the bottom of the trunk. Her cheeks were pale and her lips had faded from their vibrant pink colour. Mad-Eye could tell she was dying, how far from it, he couldn't tell, but one thing was clear: she couldn't last forever.

⥖✦✧⦽✧✦⥗

Imani and Andre grabbed Draco as he was leaving the Great Hall. "Did you figure anything out?" he asked instantly.

"Crouch showed up on the grounds a month ago," Imani explained. "According to Harry, he was crazed and really out of it. Where we found the ring is right by where Harry and Krum found Crouch. When Harry went to go find Dumbledore, someone, we don't know who, attacked Krum when his back was turned to Crouch. Krum thinks it was him, but Harry doesn't think he was sound of mind enough for that. So, we think whoever attacked Krum took Dioleh."

"Okay, that's great, but how are we supposed to find her?" Draco asked.

"When everyone is out of here, I think we should search the school," Andre admitted.

"Why would they keep her here?" Draco countered.

"Because of the absurdity of it," Imani explained. "Besides, Dumbledore thinks someone within the castle is trying to kill Harry. They would want to keep an eye on her, right? They can't both keep an eye on Dioleh and play spy here."

"What if it's someone from one of the other schools?" Draco asked. "Or, they could have an accomplice keeping her somewhere else."

"Isn't it worth a shot?" Imani snapped.

"Okay, yeah, we can give it a go," Draco said. "When do we start?"

"The minute they've all left the school," Andre said. "I'm off to tell Dumbledore so he knows. I'll be back." The moment he was gone, Imani couldn't help the worried expression that formed on her face.

"You okay?" Draco asked. She shook her head, her eyes filling with tears as she pushed past him to go to her dorm.

⥖✦✧⦽✧✦⥗

Draco rushed through the castle in search of Dioleh. They had split the seven floors between them, leaving Andre with the most. Draco was almost done with his last floor when he stepped in Moody's office. Draco realized with a start that he had never been in there before. The office was dark, so he pulled out his wand, muttering, "Lumos." His wand-tip lighted the entire room and he quickly began to search, ignoring the goosebumps forming all along his back. Finally, after he had searched through most of the room, he came to a large trunk in the centre of the room.

Putting his wand between his teeth, he pulled open the first layer. It had nothing other than spellbooks. He shut it and went to the second lock. In front of him was only a number of broken sneakoscopes. Draco shut this one as well and went through the fourth, fifth, and sixth locks, finding nothing important. When he attempted to open the seventh lock, however, it would not budge. Taking his wand out of his mouth, he pointed it at the lock and said, "Alohomora."

He tried to open it again but to no avail. Pointing his wand at it again, he muttered, "Bombarda." The lock exploded, allow him to finally open it. What he saw stopped him in his tracks.