The Siren's Call (A Draco Malfoy Fanfiction)

70. The New Imposition

Draco and Dioleh's smiles fell as they came across Theodore with Crabbe and Goyle standing in the doorway of a compartment. "Hermione and Imani are in there," Dioleh said quietly, spotting them through the window. 

"I got it," Draco said, edging toward them. 

Grabbing onto his arm, she protested, "Wait, I want to know what he's got to say." 

"What?" Harry snapped aggressively from inside the compartment. Draco and Dioleh's eyes met briefly. 

"Manners, Potter," he drawled. "Tell me, how does it feel to be second-best to Weasley?" 

"Shut up, Nott," Hermione snapped. 

"I seem to have touched a nerve," Nott remarked with a pleased smirk. He was certainly enjoying this. "Well just watch yourself, Potter, because I wouldn't want to have to get Malfoy dogging your footsteps in case you step out of line." Dioleh looked at Draco in confusion. He looked just as baffled and shook his head slightly. 

"Bold of you to assume I have to listen to you," Draco said, leaning against the doorframe of the compartment, a faint smirk curling the corner of his mouth as his glaring eyes met Theodore's. Nott looked momentarily lost before he latched back onto his confidence and swagger. 

"Don't act so brave, Malfoy," Nott spat. Draco tilted his head up, his smirk widening in amusement as he considered Nott's words. "I have enough on you to make you wish you had never ditched us in the first place. Watch yourself." 

Nott retreated with Crabbe and Goyle, purposefully bumping to Draco's shoulder as Dioleh whispered, "What is he talking about?" 

"No idea," Draco said, trying to sound unbothered as he dropped his facade. With a sigh, he lamented, "Shame he's such a pest." 

"Seems familiar," Ron said bitterly. Draco's eyes snapped over to land on him. 

Shaking it off, he said, "I need to go find Blaise. It's Ravenclaw's time now anyway. See you later, love." 

"Bye, Dray," Dioleh replied. Once she had sat down by Imani, she said, "I really don't know how Nott has the energy to be annoying all the time." 

"You should've docked points," Harry said. 

"Oh, I will," Dioleh swore irritably. "Dray and I are going to make this a fun year for him." 

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After leaving Dioleh, Draco went along the compartments until he found where Blaise was sitting with some Ravenclaws and a few of the older Slytherins. At a look from Draco, the compartment cleared apart from the two of them and Draco shut the door. Turning the page of his book, Blaise asked, "How were Prefect duties?" 

"Fine," Draco said quickly, moving past it. "We need to talk." 

"Well maybe if you'd written more than twice a-" 

"Zabini," Draco snapped. 

Letting out a sigh, Blaise looked up as he closed and carelessly tossed aside his book. "Okay, fine, I'm listening." 

"I didn't write because I was a little busy hiding from my parents and a certain freakishly pale dark wizard who my parents allowed to take up temporary residence in our house," Draco snapped. 

Suddenly very tense, Blaise clarified, "He was in your house? What did he want?" 

"He wants me to find a siren at Hogwarts," Draco admitted. 

"There are sirens here?" Blaise said in surprise. When Draco didn't show any shock, Blaise said, "You knew. Why didn't you tell me?" 

"Because it's not my secret to tell," Draco replied. "Look, it doesn't matter. There are several of them here and if he finds out I'm lying he'll kill me." 

"Can you lie to him?" Blaise asked. 

"I don't know," Draco said, rubbing his temple wearily. "I'm trying to. I don't know what to do." 

"Well, what is he going to do to them when he finds out?" Blaise asked. "Because if-" 

"He wants to recruit them," Draco explained. 

Frowning, Zabini replied, "Then why not just tell him?" 

"Because she won't join him!" Draco snapped, lowering his hands in his irritation. "He would kill her!" 

"So this is about Marlow," Blaise said. 

"It's Granger," Draco corrected with an irritable sigh, running a pale hand through his hair.

"Whatever," Blaise snapped. "Draco, I don't care who she is or what she means to you, she's not worth dying for." 

"Well, what if she is?" he retorted. 

"No one is," Blaise countered. 

"Slytherin," Draco muttered under his breath. 

"Well I'm here for a reason," Blaise said with a smirk. Shaking his head, Draco lay his head back as he thought. "Do you know who the new Defence Against the Dark Arts teacher is?" 

"Yeah," Draco said. "Someone from the Ministry. Dolores Umbridge." 

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"Well," Dumbledore began. "Now that we are all digesting another magnificent feast, I beg a few moments of your attention for the usual start-of-term notices. First years ought to know that the forest in the grounds is out of bounds to students - and a few of our older students ought to know by now too. Mr Filch, the caretaker, has asked me, for what he tells me is the four hundred and sixty-second time, to remind you all that magic is not permitted in corridors between classes, nor are a number of other things, all of which can be checked on the extensive list now fastened to Mr Filch's office door.

"We have had two changes in staffing this year. We are very pleased to welcome back Professor Grubby-Plank, who will be taking Care of Magical Creatures lessons; we are also delighted to introduce Professor Umbridge, our new Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher. Tryouts for the House Quidditch teams will take place on the-"

"Hem hem," Umbridge coughed. Dioleh and Imani shared a look before glancing over at where Andre was sitting with Terry at the Ravenclaw table. The moment Dioleh's eyes landed on the woman's stout form and pink cardigan she felt a wave of foreboding spread throughout her body. She suddenly felt pale and her hands became clammy as her head began to pound. "Thank you, Headmaster, for those kind words of welcome," she said. Her voice was girlish and high in pitch. Dioleh felt her skin crawl and had to cover her mouth and slam her eyes shut to fight back the bile rising in her throat. "Hem, hem. Well, it is lovely to be back at Hogwarts, I must say! And to see such happy little faces looking back at me!" Imani stifled a giggle. This woman had no idea what she was in for. 

She resumed, "I am very much looking forward to getting to know you all, and I'm sure we'll be very good friends!" Taking on a more professional tone, she said, "The Ministry of Magic has always considered the education of young witches and wizards to be of vital importance. The rare gifts with which you were born may come to nothing if not nurtured and honed by careful instruction.

"The ancient skills unique to the Wizarding community must be passed down through the generations lest we lose them forever. The treasure trove of magical knowledge amassed by our ancestors must be guarded, replenished, and polished by those who have been called to the noble profession of teaching. Every headmaster and headmistress of Hogwarts has brought something new to the weighty task of governing this historic school, and that is as it should be, for without progress there will be stagnation and decay.

"There again, progress for progress's sake must be discouraged, for our tried and tested traditions often require no tinkering. A balance, then, between old and new, between permanence and change, between tradition and innovation..." Most everyone stopped paying attention. Only the teachers, Hermione, and the three sirens were still listening with the utmost attention. "Because some changes will be for the better, while others will come, in the fullness of time, to be recognized as errors of judgment. Meanwhile, some old habits will be retained, and rightly so, whereas others, outmoded and outworn, must be abandoned.

"Let us move into a new era of openness, effectiveness, and accountability, intent on preserving what ought to be preserved, perfecting what needs to be perfected, and pruning wherever we find practices that ought to be prohibited." Dumbledore began to speak again, but Dioleh, Imani, and Andre were unable to listen as they shared worried looks.