Disclaimer: See first chapter
this story is going to disregard most of the sixth and all of the seventh book as will most of my stories. Due to personal reasons I have not had the time to read the seventh book. So boo hiss to you if you don't like it.
Thank you to all my reviewers! I hope I haven't lost you all.
The scene the next morning was one that Hogwarts hadn't seen in six years, nor had ever expected to see. The Slytherins especially were shocked by this latest development. Harry and Siren Potter, along with Hermione Granger, had walked into the Great Hall side by side with none other than Draco Malfoy. Not a coincidental entrance at the same time, no, it was an intentional ploy to make a grand announcement of the new friendship formed in the woods. Many students as well as Severus Snape could probably have caught hundreds of flies apiece the way their mouths hung open.
As the quartet stopped just short of the tables Harry turned and offered Draco his hand. Draco took it and with a trademark smirk shook it before turning towards the Slytherin table. The three Gryffindors went the opposite direction and quietly sat down. No one dared to whisper about what had just transpired for fear that they would anger not only the smartest witch and wizard in the school, but also the four most powerful magic practitioners Hogwarts had seen since the Founders first opened their private chambers. It wasn't that the students had been told- it was more that they could feel the power subconsciously. Magic had a way of letting its possessor know when someone more powerful was nearby. That was why Hermione and Draco never heard even a third of the things that had been said about them through the years which was probably a good thing.
Ron turned to confront Harry and Hermione, choosing to ignore Harry's strange sister since unusual occurrences just seemed part of who she was, not to mention she had no real reason to hate the Malfoy heir as he did. Siren merely hid a small smile behind a yawn as Harry and Hermione staunchly deflated every argument that Ron could think of. Instead, she turned her attention to the delicious food spread out before her: toast with butter and jam, pancakes, mountains of bacon and sausage, a plethora of fruit juices, cereals, and on and on. She heaped her plate high with the delicacies and was just about to take her first bite when a strong Irish accent interrupted her with a question.
"Is a gigantic stomach a Potter Family trait as well as causing uproar everywhere one is seen?"
"No it isn't, but if you would oh so kindly remember, I did miss dinner last night Seamus," and with that said she promptly shoved her bacon into her mouth. "Not that I'm the only one who is over-compensating this morning…"
"What are you going on about? …Oh, right well I've always been a hearty eater," the young Irishman joked. He looked down at his own completely full plate and laughed.
"Why did you miss dinner? Seamus were you doing unspeakable things to my sister in the corridors?" Harry asked, joining the conversation.
"Oh yes Harry, I pushed her up against a wall and snogged the living daylights out of her," Seamus retorted. He winced as Siren kicked him under the table. Hard.
"My dear baby brother we were not up to anything of the sort. I was merely doing some extra-curricular research and Seamus decided to study nearby."
"You're no fun sometimes Siren," Seamus pouted.
"Yes well, nothing comes between me and academics..."
It was at that moment that Draco shot up from the Slytherin table, a look of pure outrage on his face. He was glaring daggers at two of the ugliest girls Siren had ever seen, one named Millicent and the other Pansy if she recalled correctly. Siren tried to stand up but Seamus laid a restraining hand on her shoulder.
"Slytherin business is none of ours, let them handle it."
"I thank you for the words of wisdom, but Draco is my friend and since no one else seems to be on his side I'm going to help him," Siren snapped and shook off Seamus' hand. She ignored the hurt in his eyes that she caused with her sharp tone and left.
"I would thank you kindly for your concern, ladies and believe me I use that term loosely in your cases, if it were at all sincere. I do not happen to care one iota if you or any of my other classmates have a problem with my new friendships. It is not a communal decision- it's mine!" Draco sneered down at the females in his house and year. He hid his relief that Siren came to stand at his side when she did. He didn't doubt that she had his back.
"But Draco," Pansy whined. "They aren't Slytherins and they aren't purebloods! They're beneath you! And none of us will be seen around you if they are. You'll lose house loyalty if you hang about with that sort."
"Miss Parkinson, are you having a nice day?" Siren asked, the epitome of politeness. "I was until about five minutes ago. You see, Draco here is now a friend of mine and I do not accept rude behavior towards my friends with anything less than pure anger. So that's already one mark against you. In addition to that you have also insulted not only myself, but my brother and Hermione as well. We are not beneath you. We are not mud to be scraped off your shoe. We may not be purebloods, but we are not people to look down upon either. Meet me in the dueling hall on the sixth floor tonight at 8:30. I challenge you to prove your merit- to me and to the entire school. Should you defeat me I shall leave well enough alone and I will be your personal servant for a week without complaint within reason. Should I be the victor you will remove yourself from Hogwarts and attend a different school for the rest of your educational career. Agreed?"
Pansy looked shocked at the formal challenge being issued to her. "Agreed. I choose as my second Millicent Bulstrode."
"Wait a minute Pansy! If you lose I have to leave Hogwarts as well!" Millicent cried out.
"Suck it up," Pansy snapped. "Better Beauxbatons or Durmstang if Hogwarts is to be filled with blood traitors and filth."
"I choose as my second H-"
"Seamus Finnigan," Seamus interjected. Siren whirled around to face him.
"Excuse me?!"
"Look, you were right," Seamus shrugged. "Friends need to stand by each other no matter what house they may be in. You and me, well we're in the same house and all, but still I'm a good fighter and I'll watch your back. I humbly request the honor of being your second."
With that he bowed at the waist indicating his formal, ritualistic and therefore undeniable request to be Siren's second in the duel.
"I accept your offer," Siren said. Then, more quietly so only Seamus would hear, "With gratitude my friend."
The young Irishman offered her a sparkling grin. Siren merely smiled in return.
"Albus shouldn't we stop this before it gets out of hand?" Professor McGonagall asked the silent headmaster.
"I'm afraid there's nothing we can do Minerva. It was a formal challenge with a formal response. Interfering now would be punishable by removal from our positions as teachers."
"Oh dear, this won't end well…" was all Minerva could say.
That afternoon found Siren sitting by the lake with Harry, Draco, Hermione, and a still unbelieving Ron. The autumn sun was warm on her face and the whisper of the leaves made her feel quite at home. She hadn't felt such peace since she left the wild pools of the Cliff. Siren barely registered Draco and Harry arguing about the merits of which brooms were better or the lecture Hermione was delivering to Ron on the importance of homework. What she did notice though was a scent drifting on the wind from the direction of the hidden cove on the other side of the lake. She knew Seamus was there and she knew that he was still hurt by her callous words earlier that morning.
"I'll be back in a few minutes," she told the others. "There is something I need to take care of before tonight."
Seamus was not a young man who was easily hurt nor was he one to get close to people too quickly. His natural armor was a strong as could be for a man of just sixteen years. However, Siren had seemed to find the one weak spot without even trying. It had been just over two weeks since he met her and already she affected him more than anyone else. What is it about her? When you stop to think about she isn't really all that different from other girls. What are you talking about Seamus?! She's like no girl you've ever met before- she's witty, beautiful, smart, funny, and loyal to a fault. She's everything you've ever dreamed of! God help me, I think I really like her!
He leaned back until he was lying on the hill side of the cove. The sky overhead was a brilliant, clear blue with no trace of clouds. He loved days like this, they helped him relax. He knew she was there before she sat down next to him. He felt her even when she was across the lake. Seamus knew the moment she started moving towards him. It wasn't his magic though, it was something else, something he couldn't put a name to. "Can I help you with something Si?"
"No, not really," the girl said from his right side. "I just… I came to apologize Seamus."
His eyes snapped open and he looked at her with disbelief. "What on earth do you have to apologize for?"
"I was rude to you this morning, and I shouldn't have been. It just gets my ire up when people insult my friends. I didn't really even think that I'd be hurting you. You… you are my friend Seamus and that was inexcusable. So I'm sorry and I hope that you can forgive me for hurting you this morning."
Seamus studied the young woman at his side. Sometimes he forgot that she was older than him by a couple of years. Really she wasn't all that different from him and his peers. He watched the sunlight shining off her hair and marveled at just how soft it looked. He turned away quickly when Siren glanced at him, but he turned back in a moment. She looked so worried that he wouldn't accept her apology that he couldn't help but smile.
"Don't worry about it. Things happen and I was being sort of a jerk. It's just that things happen certain ways at Hogwarts. Slytherins don't mess with Gryffindor fights and vice versa, unless they're fights between houses."
He moved to put his arm around her shoulders without even really thinking about it. When he did notice he went to pull away but Siren laid her head on his shoulder. She looked up at him and he met her gaze out of the corner of his eye.
"Thank you Seamus."
And those few moments made his day seem much, much brighter.
Harry was starting to get worried, Siren had said she would only be gone for a few minutes but she'd been gone for an hour so far. Hermione had dragged Ron off to the library, presumably to study, but who really knew with those two these days. Draco watched Harry chewing his fingernails and smirked. Harry wasn't any good at hiding his emotions. Draco was appreciative that Siren had stood up for him and was defending his honor with the duel, but he felt bad about the anxiety he knew it was causing Harry.
"Relax Harry," he said after the fifth time Harry asked if he should go find Siren. He took Harry's hands away from his mouth before the other boy could gnaw his fingers to stumps. "She's talking to Seamus. I saw him walk that way earlier. She's probably talking to him about the duel tonight."
"Oh? Alright then," Harry sighed, but he wasn't entirely sure about that. He was on edge worrying about whether Pansy would do something stupid or not.
Draco could practically hear his thoughts, Harry was so worried. "Pansy may be a bitch Harry, but she does have a Pureblood sense of honor. Formal challenges mean no sabotage. Siren will be fine and she's 100 times stronger than Pansy. Don't worry."
Harry looked at Draco with eyes that said "You had better be right or your life is mine". That look actually made Draco's stomach twist in a not unpleasant way. He fell back onto the grass and looked up through the willow branches towards the sky.
"I promise Harry."
"I believe you," Harry said as he leaned back on his elbows next to Draco.
Draco lifted his head and looked at his new friend. Harry merely smiled down at him and then looked back across the lake. All Draco could think about was how he should have called a truce years ago.
