The Siren's Call (A Draco Malfoy Fanfiction)

110. Illegal Activities

Umbridge was pacing back and forth, muttering to herself under her breath. Finally, she turned to Harry, her wand drawn. "The Minister will surely understand that I had no choice. The Cruciatus Curse ought to loosen your tongue." Dioleh began to struggle.

"No!" she cried. "Professor, it's illegal!" Umbridge turned her glare on Dioleh.

"The Minister wouldn't want you to break the law!" Dioleh retorted. Umbridge was in front of her in a second. With a startling snap, she backhanded Dioleh across the face. Draco started forward, but he was held back.

"Now listen here," she hissed, pointing one bejewelled finger in Dioleh's face. "What Cornelius doesn't know won't hurt him. He never knew I used the curse on you, did he?"

Instantly, several eyes widened and Draco cried, "That's what you were hiding from us? Dioleh!"

"Silencio," Umbridge snapped, pointing her wand at Draco. Even as he continued to move his mouth, no sound came out. "He never knew I ordered dementors after Potter last summer, but he was delighted to be given the chance to expel him all the same."

"That was you?" Harry gasped as Umbridge began pointing her wand at different parts of his body as though trying to decide what would hurt most. "You sent the dementors after me?"

"Somebody had to act," she replied, still more focused on the curse she was planning on performing. "But of course, you wiggled your way out of that one. But not this." She drew in a deep breath before shouting, "Cru-"

"NO!" Hermione shouted. "No! Harry, we'll just have to tell her!"

"No way!" Harry retorted. Dioleh looked at Hermione in utter shock. The girl holding her against the wall moved away in disgust as Hermione began to cry. But as Dioleh watched Hermione cry desperately into her hands, she noticed that there wasn't a trace of a single tear.

"We'll have to, Harry, she'll force it out of you anyway. What's...what's the point," she fake sobbed.

"That's right, that's right, girl," Umbridge said gleefully, snatching her wrist and pulling her closer towards her. Seizing her by the shoulders, she shoved her into her abandoned chair. "Now then, who was Potter trying to communicate with just now?"

"Well, we were trying to talk to Dumbledore," she lied. Dioleh's eyes widened in confusion before she quickly tried to look like this wasn't surprising information. "We...we wanted to tell him that it's ready!"

"What's ready, you idiot girl?" Umbridge demanded.

"The weapon," she said.

"Weapon? What weapon?" Umbridge demanded, her eyes wide with glee. Hermione, through false tears, tried to explain that it wasn't really something she understood but Umbridge had heard enough. "Lead me to the weapon."

"I'm not showing it to them," she said scathingly, glaring at the various student captors.

"It is not for you to set conditions," Umbridge said. Hermione, ever the quick of thought, quickly went on about the dangers of the weapon and how she wished the school used it against Umbridge. Dioleh tried to hide her smirk as she realized that Hermione had said the perfect thing. "All right, dear," Umbridge said finally. "Let's make it just you and me. And we'll take Potter too, shall we? Get up now." After forcing both of them up, she ordered, "Lead the way."

The moment they were gone, each of the students began to struggle in earnest. Dioleh quickly tipped back, knocking Nott back into the wall as Draco elbowed his captor in the stomach and Imani stamped on their toes. Andre quickly shook off his and reclaimed his wand. After a few moment's struggle, each of them lay unconscious on the floor. Breathing heavily, Dioleh gestured for them all to leave the office. She bent down, picking up Hermione and Ron's wands and following after them out the door. After she had shut it, Andre quickly locked it.

"Alright, we need to go to London," Dioleh said. "Who's staying and who's going?"

"I'm going," Ginny said firmly.

"Me too," Neville said.

"I'll go," Luna said.

After a slight hesitation, Andre admitted, "I'm not that keen to go back but I'll go."

"If you're going so am I," Imani said.

"Blaise? Draco?" Ron said, looking to them.

"I think you lot need me," Blaise said. "I know my way around the Department of Mysteries."

"Draco, you're staying here," Dioleh said firmly.

"Yeah, fine," he said slightly irritably.

"Why?" Andre retorted, brows furrowed.

"Because," Dioleh replied. "Now, come on. We need to go find Hermione and Harry. Draco, hide somewhere they won't be able to find you." As she passed him, she added in a whisper, "Go to the hideout. I love you."

"I love you too," Draco replied, quickly pressing his lips to hers. "Come back to me safe, okay?"

"I promise to try," Dioleh replied, cupping his cheek.

"Dioleh, come on!" Ron snapped.

"Bye," Dioleh said, kissing Draco quickly. She backed away from him and ran to catch up with the group.

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They ran through the forest in the hopes of locating Harry and Hermione. As they came into a clearing, they heard Hermione say, "Well, we can't do anything without wands. How were you planning on getting to London anyway?"

"We were just wondering that," Ron said as their group of eight ran into the clearing. "So, had any ideas?"

"How did you get away?" Harry asked with a grin.

"Couple of stunners, a disarming charm...the usual," Ron replied with a shrug.