WHEN THEY ARRIVED AT THE FIRST COLONY ON THE RIVER, THEY WERE IMMEDIATELY TAKEN TO THE MINISTER. In contrast to the other colony, they didn't immediately try to punish Lorelei for her blood; nevertheless, they weren't very trusting about her either.
They listened to Clara and Florence explain the situation, asking for aid in the wizarding world. They didn't want to hear Lorelei speak unless asked to. The Minister was not happy about the request at all, but he was a fair Minister. He called a meeting, asking if anyone would willingly go.
No one moved.
Clara nodded tightly, thanking the Minister who only smiled in response. He wished them well, especially Lorelei because he knew it wasn't her fault for being born, but he didn't want her staying long.
He offered them food (not that they had to eat often), and then he said they could leave. Florence shook his hand, thanking him again, before they all left. Bethany told Lorelei not to worry too much, but Lorelei couldn't help it. She knew the merfolk would be a long shot, but she had thought some would have hearts.
When they reached the next two colonies, it was the same though less niceties. They demanded they state their business. When the councils would hear it, one laughed and the other mockingly asked if anyone would go to help.
No one joined from those two colonies either.
There was only one more colony between them and Ottery St. Catchpole. Lorelei noticed it was now in the early morning of Wednesday. Sighing at their bad luck, she hoped Dumbledore wouldn't be disappointed by her progress when it had been only one week.
Florence had told Lorelei that the swim from England to South America would take a day and a half without stops, but there would be many stops along their way. Lorelei knew there would be a chance she wouldn't see George for two weeks because of this.
The man was constantly on her mind. She thought about his defeated face when she swam away, and she wanted nothing more than to see him happy again. Lorelei was missing him more than ever, and she felt herself crying more and more about it when her grandparents weren't looking. Bethany was normally very perceptive, making the mermaid very keen to know when Lorelei was crying. She would always touch her arm or whisper that it would be all right, even if Bethany wasn't sure what was even bothering Lorelei.
Florence frowned when they reached the fourth colony. There weren't many merfolk around. When he asked a man on the side of a large rock formation to take them to who was in charge, the man just shook his head and pointed toward a large seaweed plant that Lorelei knew was the council building.
When they swam in it, it was her grandparent's colony all over again. They had forefully grabbed Lorelei, pulling her tail tight so she had no movement. Her eyes darkened as she hissed out, "Oi! Let me go, you twit. I come in peace!"
A woman with bright red hair swam out of a hole, smirking slightly at Lorelei. "Look who we have here. A half-breed," she hissed. Did she dye her hair outside of the waters? Was she a half-breed as well?
Florence coughed slightly, causing the red-haired woman to look at him. "Please, Mira. We come asking a favor. Lorelei means no harm. We'll be gone as soon as we know your answer."
"You should know, Florence, I wouldn't agree to anything from you," she growled. Florence sighed, bowing slightly at the woman. Mira grinned at him before looking back at Lorelei. "For curiosity's sake, what are you requesting, half-breed?"
"Aid in the wizarding world. Albus Dumbledore pleads for help to defeat Voldemort once and for all," she said, knowing everyone in the merfolk world knew of Voldemort.
"A witch?" she questioned, causing Lorelei to nod. "Albus had spoken to me in the first war. My answer then is my answer now. Absolutely not. You are foolish to try and bring merfolk into a wizard's battle. You'll have them slaughtered."
"He doesn't request they fight! We are wonderful healers, and AHHH--" Lorelei screamed when Mira swam faster than she had ever seen to grab her throat. She soon had Lorelei's gills blocked, allowing her to suffocate right before their eyes. Bethany cried out, Clara and Florence yelled in protest, but Mira continued to choke Lorelei. Soon Mira's other hand elongated her claws, going right into Lorelei's tail.
Mira hissed, "Heal that, then." Once she took her claws out, she licked the bright blue mermaid blood off of them. Vampire. "Get the hell out of here," she said, adding a slap to Lorelei's face as soon as she let her throat go. "Now!"
Bethany ran forward to grab Lorelei's bag, helping to move Lorelei to Florence and Clara's hold. When they left the colony into a safe cave, Bethany raised her hand over the wound on her side, muttering things under her breath. Soon, a bright light emitted from her hand causing a warm feeling on her tail.
When Lorelei looked down, the massive bleeding had stopped, leaving only faint scars. Lorelei quickly pulled Bethany into a hug, glad to have some sort of a friend down there in the waters. Florence and Clara let out breaths of relief in unison that Lorelei was not severely injured, grabbing each other's hand for support.
"Why was she so angry?" Lorelei moaned out. "She's a half-breed herself, isn't she?"
Florence sighed and nodded. "She loathes me. She was supposed to be my betrothed back in the day. Because of her condition, I refused and eloped with Clara. Half-breeds were only seen as what she is, angry and vengeful. You prove that wrong, and that's why she was so aggressive toward you. That and she hates me," he said with a wry chuckle.
"What're we doing, Lorelei? We should just go to the human world with just us. Dumbledore cannot possibly expect more?" Clara asked.
Lorelei sighed. "I told him I'd ask the merfolk council in South America. We have to try there before we completely give up."
The three around her nodded, but all three were worried about Lorelei's well-being. Clara hated the pain she had gone through because of this war.
It had to end soon.