It was around five in the morning when Dioleh and Andre heard a door behind them open. Dioleh had just started drifting off to sleep before jolting awake at the sound. Turning, the two sirens saw Harry looking slightly paler than normal. "Hey," he said awkwardly.
"Hi," Dioleh replied with a yawn. "What're-" yawn "-you doing up? Um, sorry. I've been up all night."
"Trial," he said awkwardly. She nodded and the three of them headed down the stairs together. At the kitchen table, they all found Mr and Mrs Weasley, Sirius, Lupin, and Tonks all looking sombre and, in the case of Tonks, incredibly weary.
"Breakfast," Mrs Weasley said as soon as the three children were in sight.
"Morning," Tonks yawned, prompting Dioleh to copy her, hiding her mouth behind her hand. "Sleep all right?"
"Yeah," Harry said.
"I've been up all night," Tonks said.
"Us too," Andre admitted as he and Dioleh sat down. Sirius raised his eyebrows.
"Ew," Dioleh said, her face scrunching up in disgust at his insinuation. "We were talking, pervert."
"If you say so," Sirius replied dismissively. Andre and Dioleh both rolled their eyes. Dioleh's cheeks were flushed in embarrassment.
Having missed this exchange, Mrs Weasley asked, "What do you want? Porridge? Muffins? Kippers? Bacon and eggs? Toast?"
"Just - just toast, thanks," Harry said.
"How about you, Andre? Dioleh?" she asked, setting about in making Harry's food.
"Nothing for me, Mrs Weasley. Thanks," Dioleh said. "I'll just eat later."
"Me too," Andre said. "Thanks, though." She nodded and went back to work on Harry's breakfast.
As Dioleh got herself some coffee, she asked, "Tonks, did you find anything more out about the conference?"
"Oh, yeah," she said, trying to become a bit more alert. "Apparently it's happening in January on the twenty-fifth."
"And who do they have going to speak?" Andre asked, just as interested.
"What conference is this?" Harry interrupted curiously.
Looking grim, Lupin explained, "The Ministry wants to issue an international law ordering for the extermination of the siren race. They're having a conference with the other nations of the world to vote on the law."
"What?" Harry gasped, his eyes wide. "They would kill them all?"
"Because apparently, our existence is just too much for the world," Dioleh said bitterly.
"Dumbledore's going to try and make a case for us, but without any proof, I don't know what he can do," Andre said.
Brows furrowed, Harry asked, "Why can't you go and explain that you don't want to hurt anyone?" Dioleh let out a short, sharp laugh.
"Harry," she said, the laughter fading from her voice, "You may have the luxury of getting a chance to explain yourself, but they don't see us as intelligent beings. To them, we're nothing more than fish. We're not afforded such liberties."
"So they'll kill you? All of you?" Harry said hopelessly.
"They killed my mother," Dioleh said sharply.
"And my brother," Andre added.
"And my best friend," Dioleh added.
"And my uncle," Andre said.
"And most of my tribe."
"And-"
"Okay, okay, I get it," Harry sighed.
Finishing off her drink, Dioleh got up and said, "I'm going for a swim. Good luck, Harry." He nodded miserably but didn't reply as she went down the stairs and to the pool. It was empty, leaving just her as she dove in. Her lips curled into a wide smile as the water moved to encase her entire body. Her bronze cheeks seemed to shine golden in the saltwater. She moved to float on her back, letting out a contented sigh. After a moment or two, she allowed herself to go to the bottom, drawing in oxygen from her gills.
As she was relaxing under the water, there was a sudden splash and her eyes shot open. Smiling, she swam to the surface and saw Imani. "Hello lovey," Dioleh said cheerfully.
"Hi," she said. "Where were you last night?"
Her smile falling, Dioleh said, "Well, that's a long story." Imani's brows furrowed. With a sigh, Dioleh said, "I messed up, Imani."
"What happened?" she asked, swimming close to her.
Dioleh drew in a deep breath before she explained, "I kissed Draco."
Imani's eyes widened as she gasped, "What? When?"
"We met up," Dioleh explained. "He told me that he fancies me and I..."
"But why do you say you messed up?" Imani asked. "It's not wrong to kiss someone."
"No, but..." Dioleh broke off again. Finally, she said, "We were talking about dating in secret, but I can't. I just can't lie to everyone but we can't be together in public because everyone and everything would try and tear us apart and with the conference going on I just can't handle anything more right now."
"Dioleh," Imani said carefully, "just because you said last night that you wanted to be with him, doesn't mean you can't change your mind. It is your right to say no if and when you want to. Draco doesn't own you and if he knew how you're feeling, I don't think he would try and force you. You got so caught up in the feelings and the emotions that you forgot to think."
"I can't stand it if he hates me," Dioleh said quietly.
"If he hates you because you changed your mind then he doesn't deserve you, Dio," Imani said. "If being with him is going to make you miserable then you shouldn't. If a relationship isn't right for you right now, then you shouldn't be in one. If Draco is half as decent as you make him out to be, he'll listen, but even if he didn't, breaking it off, changing your mind, whatever, sounds like the right move for you." When Dioleh didn't respond, Imani said, "The lying is the main thing that's bothering you, right?" She nodded. "Well, if you're not together then you're still friends, right? So then just stay friends for now until you can be together in the open."
"I don't know why this is so hard for me," Dioleh said. "Everything you're saying makes perfect sense, but when I think about doing it, I feel like I'm going to panic."
"Trauma," Imani said simply.
"What?" Dioleh said, brows furrowed.
"Trauma," Imani repeated. "You've lost so many people, Dioleh. It makes sense that when you find people you care about and that care about you that you try to cling to them and not let go and you don't want to do anything to possibly lose those people. Like during the Yule Ball when you felt terrible that you had said yes to Harry and not Draco because Harry asked first."
"Trauma," Dioleh sighed. "The bane of my existence. The ruiner of my life and the life of billions around the world."
"Sounds about right," Imani said. "Hey, but you've got Andre and me. Together, the three of us can get through anything." Dioleh smiled and nodded, even as her heart sank in her chest.