The Siren's Call (A Draco Malfoy Fanfiction)

126. Mermish Runes

Not knowing the password, Dioleh stayed outside the gargoyle to wait. Finally, Dumbledore himself approached and said, "Cockroach Cluster." The gargoyle sprang to life and Dioleh followed after Dumbledore inside. Collapsing in one of the chairs by Dumbledore's desk, Dioleh waited to hear what he had to say. "Is everything all right?" he asked with a frown.

"Peachy," Dioleh replied sarcastically. "But nothing I'd much like to discuss. So what's going on?"

"I believe I have discovered something you might find valuable," Dumbledore explained, moving over to one of the desks in his room. Pulling out one of the drawers, he threw it across the room but instead of flying away, it began to float as it slowly drifted over to her, setting beside her. "Now, unless my Mermish is rusty, that is a prophecy about you." Dioleh frowned. Inside was an old tablet with ancient Mermish runes engraved on it. However, because of the sensitive nature of the stone sirens used, the tablet was suspended in salt water. To herself, Dioleh read through it.

Once she had finished, she asked, "How old is this?"

"Only two years old," Dumbledore admitted.

"Which means it was made when I was saved from certain death," Dioleh said. "This isn't a prophecy like you thought. It's an instruction manual."

"Do you know what they mean by powers she knows not?" Dumbledore asked.

"I think so," Dioleh admitted. "Weird things have been happening with my powers since that night but no matter how hard I try I can't replicate them."

"Like what?" Dumbledore asked curiously.

"The night we broke into the Ministry the first time, a guard almost spotted me but...I became like just water," Dioleh explained. "Light was passing right through me and when...a person tried to grab onto me they couldn't. And once I was touching something of Imani's and when I closed my eyes I could see through her eyes. The only thing I have control over is my extended power over wind and water."

"And you've tried to recreate those other abilities?" Dumbledore clarified.

"Yes," Dioleh admitted. "Mulitple times." Brows furrowed, Dumbledore get to his feet and grabbed from a small drawer a small, broken ring.

"Try with this," he requested. Dioleh took the ring in her hands and enclosed it between her palms. Drawing in a deep breath, she closed her eyes. When she first closed her eyes, she saw nothing but as soon as she began to open her eyes, she realized that dimly there was a faint light ahead of her. After she had been trying for several minutes, she opened her eyes.

"It's not really working," Dioleh admitted. "All I can see is this weird, vague light."

"I'll do some thinking on it," Dumbledore said. "If Voldemort is trying as hard as he is to have you killed, there must be a reason he knows that we don't and it could very well be this ability."

"Well, let me know what you figure out," Dioleh replied.

"Of course," Dumbledore replied. "Now, I believe it is time you go and get some sleep." Dioleh nodded, getting to her feet.

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The following morning, Imani, Dioleh, and Blaise were again confined to their house table as Snape went down the rows to hand out class schedules. When he reached their group, he said, "Zabini, what classes are you wanting to continue in?"

"Everything apart from History of Magic and Astronomy," Blaise replied. Snape nodded, checking over his grades before marking his schedule.

"Kanumba?"

"Same," she said. Once hers had been marked, Snape turned to Dioleh.

"I'd like to keep Potions, Defense Against the Dark Arts, Tranfiguration, Herbology, and Charms," Dioleh replied.

"Well, then, here are all your schedules," Snape said before continuing on down the line.

"Ancient Runes first," Blaise said, glancing down at the schedule. "I'm amazed I did well enough to continue on with that one."

"Same," Imani sighed. "Dio, I thought you were continuing with everything?"

"Nah," Dioleh replied. "Honestly, I just don't see the point. The only career option that sounds interesting to me in the slightest is being a potioneer so I figured just keep those others as a backup and not work too hard."

"Well, you have a whole lot more breaks than we do," Blaise remarked. "Imani, we've got Ancient Runes first."

"Have fun," Dioleh said.

"See you later, Dio," Imani said.

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When Dioleh was finally forced to go to class, she found herself outside of the Defence Against the Dark Arts classroom. She quickly joined Imani and Blaise who were already grumbling about their workload from Runes. "Where's Andre?" Dioleh asked.

"Just Gryffindor and Slytherin in this class," Imani explained.

"Great," Dioleh sighed. Finally, the door opened and Snape appeared. Blaise, Imani, and Dioleh quickly got seats near the back just behind Harry, Ron, and Hermione.

A few students began to take out their books before Snape snapped, "I have not asked you to take out your books. I wish to speak to you and I want you fullest attention." As he swept over the room with his eyes, Dioleh shifted uncomfortably, fiddling with the snake ring around her finger as a force of habit. "You have had five teachers in this subject so far, I believe. Naturally, these teachers will all have had their own methods and priorities. Given this confusion, I am surprised so many of you scraped an O.W.L. in this subject. I shall be even more surprised if all of you manage to keep up with the N.E.W.T. work, which will be much more advanced."

As he began to walk around the room, Dioleh noticed for the first time the grotesque images framed on the wall. "The Dark Arts are many, carried, ever-changing, and eternal. Fighting them is like fighting a many-headed monster, which, each time a neck is severed, sprouts a head even fiercer and cleverer than before. You are fighting that which is unfixed, mutating...indestructible." A ringing silence settled briefly over the room. "Your defenses must, therefore, be as flexible and inventive as the arts you seek to undo. These pictures give a fair representation of what happens to those who suffer, for instance, the Cruciatus Curse, feel the Dementor's Kiss, or provoke the aggression of the Inferius." Dioleh shuttered, her mind flashing to her memories to the first of those Dark Arts.

"Now...you are complete novices in the use of nonverbal spells. What is the advantage of a nonverbal spell?" Snape scanned the room, ignoring Hermione's raised hand before finally remarking, "Very well. Ms. Granger?"

"Your adversary has no warning about what kind of magic you're about to perform," Hermione explained. "Which gives you a split-second advantage."

"An answer copied almost word-for-word from The Standard Book of Spells, Grade Six," Snape said dismissively. To their right, someone sniggered. Glancing over irritably, Dioleh found Draco muttering something to Theodore who laughed. She rolled her eyes. "But correct in essentials. Not all wizards can do this, of course. It is a question of concentration and mind power which some...lack." His eyes flickered over to Harry.