Disclaimer: See first chapter please!

A/N: Just as a reminder, this story splits off from JKR's pretty much after the fifth book.

Life at Hogwarts after the duel was something that Harry hadn't expected although it made him feel hope for the first time since Volde-pants' return. While the Slytherins weren't exactly friendly they were more open to mixing with the houses and they were especially careful to be polite and welcoming to Harry and his friends should they choose to visit. Harry asked Draco and Siren what happened to make them change their behavior one day when they were sitting outside enjoying the last few warm days before Halloween. Siren was the one who answered first and Draco only nodded in agreement.

"Life is easier now," she said, as if it were the most obvious thing in the world. "Most of them are concerned that now that Riddle is back they're parents will force them down a specific path. Most of the people in Slytherin house come from pureblood families where it is almost genetically ingrained in them to do as they're parents before them have done."

"Ron and Ginny aren't like that though. They're parents encourage them to find their own way and they're a pureblood family," Harry replied quickly.

"True, but if you think about it, they're just as hobbled by tradition as any of the other pureblood families. For them family comes first. You could argue that family comes first for everyone, but that's not necessarily always true. Take Draco for example, he chose you and the light over his family. With the Weasley family it is almost an obsession with family and that cripples them. If they're on the battlefield they will leave their post to go to a family member in need and it will always be immediate family first and then friends who are like family. Ron may agree to fight alongside you in the final battle, but imagine if Ginny were hurt somewhere and he was the only one who could get to her in time. He would leave your back wide open and unguarded to save her…he would also leave Hermione if it came down to it…"

"It's the same for many of the kids in Slytherin Harry," Draco joined in at this point. "But at the same time, it is different. I've done something revolutionary in a way because I chose to do something for my own reasons. There are Slytherins who will always do what their parents set down for them because it is either the easiest thing to do or they genuinely believe that that is the right thing to do. There aren't many of those, but there are a few. The others are all seeing that they can make choices for themselves which they can start doing now that Pansy is gone. She was the most fanatical of the bunch that listened solely to their parents. She was the worst spy in the world. I won't even tell you how many kids she got in trouble during the first three years here and she continues to get the first years in trouble until one of the upperclassmen takes them under their wing."

"The point is brother—they're safe now. They're free to be kids for the first time in their lives and it's taking them a while to get used to the idea. You should help them along."

Harry muttered under his breath that that was easier said than done while Draco and Siren laughed. As Ron and Hermione came up to join them along with Seamus and Ginny, Harry could honestly tell himself that he was truly and completely happy for the first time in his life. He would think of something for the Slytherins because, truth to tell, he had noticed a few of them had looked wistfully at the other students having fun with friends from other houses and hearing things explained from their perspective was more eye opening than he wanted to admit. He'd had a bad life until he came to Hogwarts, and in some ways it still was, but he now realized how pig-headed he had been to think he was the only one.

The group had been walking around the lake, watching the giant squid splash about while the merfolk frolicked around its body, when the lunch bell rang out across the campus. Since it was Saturday and there were no classes they'd been spending the day just enjoying each other's company. Now with the sun straight overhead and the breeze that had been keeping things tolerably cool dying down the group decided that it was time to go in for lunch. Siren and Hermione led the way, discussing in hushed voices the various ways in which they could test Harry to find out what his abilities were. That he had awakened his other side was obvious after Siren had explained what she had seen in his eyes. They just had to figure out what the side effects would be. Siren was also a little concerned that Harry's spirit guardian hadn't shown up yet. Her's, a tiger named Kivala, had found her within days of her awakening.

Ron and Ginny followed behind the girls while Draco, Harry and Seamus brought up the rear. Harry kept one eye on Seamus who seemed to be incredibly preoccupied by staring at his sister's butt. Draco just tried not to laugh at the protectiveness that Harry was showing and the obvious interest on Seamus' part. Harry elbowed Seamus, not so gently, in the ribs and told him to keep his eyes at neck height or higher. Seamus turned an interesting shade of red while Draco laughed quite loudly—almost tripping over his own feet.

That gave Harry an idea.

"A ball!"

"What?" asked both of his companions.

"Every year there is a Halloween ball right?" The other boys nodded. "Well then why don't we make it so that unless you already have a significant other you have to invite someone from another house! Hufflepuff and Ravenclaw can be a pair and Gryffindor and Slytherin can be a pair. Or we could make it so that you should invite the person you were meant to be with. That would be a great way to get the houses to intermingle and create an air of unity in Hogwarts!"

Draco arched an eyebrow and was silent as he thought. Seamus had gone from red to a little bit green and wouldn't explain why he looked like he was about to be sick. "I like the second idea better, but how would you work that out. People could just say that they were meant to be with such and such and completely muck up the entire idea," Draco pointed out.

"Actually, I know a spell that would work for that," Ginny said, slowing down to join them. "It's kind of like the spell in the remembrall that Neville used to have. We could tweak it to make it so that instead of remembering what people lost it can guide them to the person they need to find to be happy. We'd need the professors' permission first and we'd have to get this plan approved, but if it is we could cast the spell in the Dining Hall a few days before Halloween and we could be sure to get everyone in the castle!"

"It sounds iffy to me," said Ron. "Wouldn't that be like saying that everyone has a person they're fated to be with? What about choice? What if there is more than one person that can make someone happy?"

"Ron has a point," Seamus interjected, sounding a bit dejected. "Maybe there isn't only one fated person for everyone. What if someone has two or more people they could be happy with?"

"That works out too," replied Ginny. "Then it'll be fun for that person because they'll be able to still choose a date that they know they would have a good time with! We'll also have to ask for either a school trip to Hogsmeade or Diagon Alley so that people can get dress robes and masks!"

"Masks?" asked Draco.

Harry grinned. "Of course! It wouldn't be Halloween without some kind of costume! I'll talk to Dumbledore right away about this and we'll start everything in motion."

"Harry," Seamus replied. "Can I just ask what prompted this sudden idea?"

"A need for school unity, friendship, and Draco tripping over his own feet."

The blond stopped in his tracks. "I beg your pardon?"

"Well you did, and besides I can't dance so that's all I'd be doing on the floor. Tripping over my own feet."

"You're mind is a very strange place Potter."

"Never said it wasn't Malfoy. Now let's get some lunch."

"Yes! Food!"

Everyone laughed at Ron's sincere enthusiasm for the idea of filling his stomach.

Rather than sit at the table where most of them would have normally sat the group chose to settle down at the Slytherin table. Some of the lower classmen even ventured to ask Hermione with help on their Charms homework while Harry and Draco helped Seamus and Blaise Zabini, Crabbe, and Goyle with their Defense homework. Ron and Ginny were talking with Siren about the plan that the group had come up with for the ball. Everyone was at ease and enjoying their time together.

Up at the head table Dumbledore, McGonagall, and Snape watched their students with a sense of pride. Snape still couldn't believe that his godson had taken the step to be friends with Harry Potter of all people, but now more than ever he was glad that the boy was making decisions for himself. It also didn't hurt that his godson had chosen to fight for what Snape believed was the worthier cause. Dumbledore just watched contentedly, knowing that things had been set in motion that would change the lives of his students for the better. He knew how special Harry and Siren were, not just because they were part creature, but because they had the ability to draw people in and make them comfortable. They were catalysts for the light and they had to be protected.

The doors out to the Great Hall were already open to let in the fresh autumn air. So, as it was, the young man who entered the castle was denied the entrance that doubtlessly would have been more dramatic and the older man who coincidentally followed him into the castle would have loved to bang open the doors for a grand entrance. As it was Dumbledore saw them both at the same time and stood, his two most trusted teachers at his back.

"I have come here to collect a member of my tribe," the young stranger said in a voice that had most of the girls in the hall primed to jump out of their seats. "I have come for Siren Potter and I demand that she be returned to me!"

Siren froze and the others stared at him. His clothes left little to the imagination—he wore no shirt and his rough, brown leather pants looked like he had made them himself. They were however quite form fitting. Seamus gave the man a once over and decided he wasn't much to look at, if he had anything to say about it. His white hair and silver eyes spoke volumes and everyone who knew anything about sirens knew that he was a full-blooded one. Then the older man entered and Draco froze as well.

"Headmaster, I would like to speak to my son if you don't mind." The elder Malfoy was dressed to impress in all black and silver. His shoes were shined and every hair was in place. Harry wanted to blast both of them across the channel and all the way to Eithiopia. Draco stood at Dumbledore's gesture and watched his father from across the room. Harry slid him a note that simply said 'If you need us, just call. We'll hear you.' Draco half smiled and then went to walk with his father.

After the Malfoys left only the younger man stood in the doorway. He looked to be about twenty-five or so. Everyone in the room stared at him until Siren let out a sound of pure joy and leapt over the table and into his arms. Then everyone stared at Harry who was too surprised to do much of anything. The others around him tried to brush the food she had knocked over off their clothes. Seamus was just as stunned as Harry. The stranger picked Siren up off the floor and spun her around as if she weighed nothing at all then set her down on the floor and bowed her into a dip. He then promptly gave her one of the most passionate kisses anyone had ever seen. Seamus felt something snap and then promptly felt nothing at all. Harry stood up and stiffly walked over to his sister and whoever the man was.

The stranger felt him coming and pushed Siren behind him to protect her from what he felt was a threatening male who meant to harm her. Siren growled and stepped away from him and towards Harry. "Delmran, this is my brother. Harry, this is Delmran, a member of my siren tribe and a close friend."

"Yes," Harry growled. "A very close friend if that greeting was anything to go by."

Siren looked like he'd slapped her. "What is the matter with you?"

Harry just stared at Delmran who returned the stare with a hard one of his own.

"My sister is not some piece of baggage that you can claim whenever you feel like it. She isn't something to be collected." Harry snapped through his teeth. "If she wants to return to wherever it is you come from, then fine, she can go. You will not force her to go anywhere. She came here for a reason. You should respect that and leave her be."

"Unbelievable," she groaned, staring from her brother to her friend. "You're not going to get into a pissing contest about this are you?"

"Siren," Delmran replied. "It is true that I cannot force you to come home with me, but there is a war coming and we are not part of that war. You should come home where you are safe. You do not belong in this human place anymore. Come home and make your life there with me… and the others."

She stared at him. She was tempted by him and she knew he was more tempting than usual on purpose, but she knew she didn't want to be his mate, not anymore. She looked at her brother, at the students that surrounded them, and then back at the table where her closest friends were sitting. Hermione was clasping Ron's hand so tightly that he was wincing in pain, Ginny was watching all of this not knowing what was going on entirely, Draco was with his father, and Seamus… was a stone. He wouldn't meet her eyes and he felt closed off to her. She couldn't read him and then she knew why. She winced and then turned back to her brother. Harry looked at her, hoping she'd choose to stay, and not knowing that his eyes reflected all the pain and panic he felt at the tought of losing her. She couldn't leave him now.

"I'm staying."

Delmran tried to protest. Harry turned to stare at him and Siren saw the flash of red in his eyes. "She has chosen. Leave this place and do not return unless she calls you."

Her friend tried once more to plead with her. Harry's voice came out cold and commanding. "I said leave. Now."

Delmran disappeared. The entire hall gasped and Siren moved in front of her brother while Hermione came up beside her. She looked into Harry's eyes and knew the truth of what he was. Hermione gasped and then smiled, not really surprised at what she saw.

Siren curtsied and Hermione followed suit. Her quiet voice rang out clear through the now silent hall:

"Dragon-born."

Harry's eyes were bright red-gold with the slit pupils of the dragons.