The Siren's Call (A Draco Malfoy Fanfiction)

74. Promises of Heartbreak

"He needs to face extreme disciplinary action, Dumbledore!" the high voice of Professor Umbridge said fervently. "He screamed at me in class with such a load of lies and rubbish. It is a wonder to me he's not locked in St. Mungos!" 

"He endured a great ordeal, Dolores," Dumbledore said, losing his patience. 

"So he says!" Umbridge shouted. "As for the rest of the students, they are ill-behaved, undisciplined, and irrefutably arrogant. They had the audacity to tell me how to run my class!" 

"I have already expressed my disapproval for your methods of teaching," Dumbledore said, still remaining calm. "There is danger out there, more than Voldemort." At this, Dioleh drew in a sharp breath, a tear finally breaking through. She covered her mouth, but the damage was done. Inside the office, Dumbledore and Umbridge had looked toward the sound sharply. Snape knocked. "Come in," Dumbledore said. Snape opened the door as Dioleh quickly wiped away her tears, attempting not to seem weak in front of either adult. "Severus? Ms Granger? Is there a problem?" 

When he saw Dioleh wouldn't speak, Snape explained, "Ms Granger has a matter she needs to discuss with you. I was simply escorting her."  

"Thank you, Severus," Dumbledore replied. Turning to Umbridge, he said, "I'm afraid we will have to continue this discussion another time. Until then, Dolores." Taking this as a dismissal, she turned, let out the tiniest of huffs, and fixed her eyes on Dioleh. 

"You're one of the Slytherin Prefects, yes?" Dioleh nodded. "Please come to my office tomorrow after classes. I would like to talk." Dioleh nodded again but didn't respond. 

Once she was gone, Dumbledore waited until he had heard her footsteps retreat before asking, "Now, what is it?" Unable to stop a tear from escaping, she handed over the letter. 

"Imani got this today," she said quietly. Dumbledore read through it before handing it to Snape. They shared unreadable expressions. "Please, Professor, something has to be done!" Dioleh said desperately as she began to cry in earnest. "We all have family out there! The only family I have left is there! I can't lose them too!" 

"I promise you, I will do everything I can to protect your family," Dumbledore promised. "Starting with telling them what is going on. They can't do anything like this until after the conference. But, I will prepare for you, Imani, Andre, and Ebony to go out to find as many tribes as you can so they can protect themselves however they can." Dioleh nodded. 

"Thank you," she said. 

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When Dioleh returned to the dungeons, she glanced down the hall to see that Andre and Imani were sitting against the wall with their arms around each other. Tears pricked her eyes as she moved on. Resolutely, she turned around and headed through the castle onto the grounds. "Nighttime," she ordered thickly. The moment the light of the stars reached her eyes, a strangled sob left her lips. Collapsing on the sand, she let her tears fall, her hand clasped tightly around the blue pearl around her neck. 

Dioleh drew in a sharp breath before another agonized sob sounded. Her heart burned angry and dark in her chest as she gave in to her emotions and sobbed her heart out. She cried for the sirens soon to be murdered. She sobbed for all those already lost. She sobbed for her family. She sobbed for her father. She cried for her mother. 

"It wasn't supposed to be this way," she sobbed to herself. "I wasn't supposed to lose them! Why did I lose them?!" She collapsed in tears again, crying until her exhaustion took over and she lay asleep on the bright sand flooded in starlight.