The Siren's Call (A Draco Malfoy Fanfiction)

Epilogue

The rumbling of the Hogwarts Express seemed sorrowfully familiar to Dioleh as she passed through the barrier, her arm wrapped securely around the young boy before her. He was small for his age with vibrant purple eyes and brilliant hair. It was a peculiar mix of purple, blue, and white-blond all at once. Draco followed behind the two with an easy smile on his aged face as he pushed the cart with a trunk and a dark owl. 

"What if they don't like me?" the boy asked, looking up at his mother fearfully and using the ancient Mermish she had taught him out of habit rather than to keep unwanted ears from listening. 

"You'll find people, Scorpius," Draco assured. His Mermish was choppy and would have made Andre and Imani fall to the floor with laughter, but it was far better than anything Dioleh had heard from a human or wizard before. 

"And even if there is no one," Dioleh said, her voice taking on the willowy, echoing quality it always did when she spoke Mermish, "you shall always have your father and me and even beyond us, your people." 

"Scorpius!" a voice cried excitedly. Turning, Dioleh and Draco saw a boy with bright pastel blue hair rush towards them, Imani and Andre following behind. 

"Forsythe!" Scorpius called, accepting his embrace and letting out a laugh. The two boys instantly began prattling to each other in fluent Mermish as they brought their things onto the train. 

"Hi," Dioleh said with a weary smile, accepting Imani's embrace as Draco embraced Andre. 

"Leaving me out?" a mock-offended voice cried. Turning, they all smiled at the sight of Blaise Zabini. He had not, as a matter of fact, had any children of his own, but as godfather to Scorpius, he felt it his duty to show up. 

"Blaise!" Scorpius cried, coming off the train and rushing towards him. 

"Scorpie!" Blaise called back, embracing him warmly. Pulling out of the embrace, he asked, "You ready?" 

"I guess," Scorpius replied with a shrug. Dioleh couldn't help her uneasiness as she saw how Scorpius' shoulders seemed to droop. 

"Hey, hey, none of that, now," Blaise said with a frown. "What's going on?" 

"I just..." Scorpius began. Then after a moment's consideration, he broke off, transitioning into the one language he knew his parents wouldn't understand. He spoke to Blaise rapidly in Swedish. It had been a kind of challenge he and Blaise had embarked on together long ago. Dioleh sighed, knowing she wouldn't be able to understand a word of it. Sharing a concerned look with Draco, they waited until the train released its five-minute warning before saying their final goodbyes. 

Once the boys were on the train and it began to rumble out of the station, Dioleh turned to Blaise and asked, "What is Scorpius not telling us?" Blaise met her gaze, his eyes considering and thoughtful. 

Finally, he let out a long breath through his nose and said, "Let's go get some coffee, yeah?" Turning to the others, he added, "Draco, this concerns you too. Andre? Imani? You want to come along?" 

"All right," Andre replied as Imani nodded. They left the station for a small, comfortable muggle coffee shop and sat down. 

"Scorpius ran into someone when you lot went with him to Diagon Alley," Blaise explained once they were sitting down. "He, uh, learned something which I doubt either of you are aware of." Here he hesitated, unsure of how exactly to broach the subject. Scorpius' Swedish was very imperfect, but he knew enough of the basics to make himself clear. Blaise wished he had the excuse of a young boy who didn't know a language well to excuse what he was about to say. 

"Well?" Draco said, growing impatient. 

"He was made fun of for his hair," Blaise explained finally. Dioleh let out a long breath. "Scorpius tried to defend himself, saying it was because of what he is, but the kid only laughed and pretty much said that was only more reason to make fun of him." 

There was a long silence. 

"You mean to say..." Imani said slowly. "That the new Ministry decrees aren't helping much?" 

"Apparently not," Blaise replied. 

"They've hated sirens for so long," Dioleh remarked. "It makes sense that they wouldn't be able to change their opinions so quick." 

"He's the son of heroes, though," Andre snapped irritably. "You'd think that affords him some kind of- of- regard or esteem." 

"The kid probably didn't know that," Blaise replied. "Scorpius said Draco and Dioleh weren't in sight. If they had been, I doubt the interaction would have happened at all." 

"And anyway," Dioleh said, her voice heavy, "parentage doesn't always influence opinion." 

"It was bad enough seeing Milo and Leo and the other boys go through bullying,  I don't want to see Scorpius go through it too," Draco mused, crestfallen. A silence fell among them, each thinking over what had been said.