Chapter 8
It had been nearly a month since the Halloween Party. Nothing excited had happened much. Unless you counted the Slytherins dressed in blue gingham dresses dancing on top of the dinner table singing 'We're Off to See the Wizard' in terribly out of tune voices with brown pigtails, compliments of the Marauders, who were currently eating breakfast with Lily, Lynsay, and Peyton.
"Mails here." Peter said.
"EEK!" Peyton screamed diving under the table for protection. After about ten minutes she still wasn't convinced it was safe to come out.
"They're gone Peyt, you can come out now." Lily said cracking a smile.
"We're good friends right Tiger Lily?" She asked sounding a bit muffled seeing as how she was still in hiding.
"The best, closer that sisters." Lily said, wondering where this was leading to.
"Then do you honestly think I'm going to come out of here within the next five minutes?" she asked incredulously.
"Do you honestly think I'd lie to you about it being safe to come out?" Lily asked back. Peyton mumbled something under her breath that sounded suspiciously like a maybe but poked her head out nevertheless. Noticing the complete lack of owls she completely appeared and scarfed down her pancakes as if nothing had happened.
"So what's first today Lilykins?" Sirius asked, referring to classes of course.
"Defense Against the Dark Arts with Professor Whittenburg." Lily said with a grimace. "The wretched man is turning a perfectly wonderful subject into a living hell."
"You mean only turning it into a living hell for the Gryffindors. Not his precious Slytherins of course." Peyton replied. Professor Whittenburg was head of Slytherin house. "To bad Mcgonagall doesn't take to favoring her house as Whittenburg does his. We'd have loads of points and not so many detentions." She said with a sigh.
"He really seems to hate you Peyton. Any idea why?" Remus asked.
She shrugged. "Maybe he found out I was the one that put the blood sucking ants in his personal chamber?" she guessed.
"You did that?" Sirius asked.
"Yeah why?" Peyton answered looking puzzled.
"Well that couldn't be the reason he hates you, because he gave me detention for that." Sirius answered.
"Oh, sorry Si, didn't mean to get you in trouble." Peyton said looking sorry.
"No problem, helped me beat the school record." He said smiling.
"Well let's get going or else we are going to give Whittenburg a reason for deducting points for being late." Lynsay said not looking pleased at all.
"Starr, you and your little gang of misfits are late." Professor Whittenburg said sharply to them as the walked in.
"Professor we're ten minutes early!" James protested. "The bell hasn't even rang yet!"
"According to my watch Potter you are all five minutes late. Five points from Gryffindor from each of you, now sit before I deduct more." Professor Whittenburg said glaring evilly. They reluctantly took seats in the back of the room and waited for him to begin the class they were "late" for. The Slytherin's, who they had the nasty luck of sharing the class with, were smiling, obviously nothing amused them more than to see Gryffindors in trouble. It just made it all the better when it was the Marauders and their friends.
"Open you text books to page 235." The professor said crisply.
The class opened their books and flipped to the requested page and saw that the chapter was about Sirens.
"This should be interesting." Peyton whispered to Lily.
"Miss Starr, talking will not be tolerated during any of my classes. You of all people would do well to pay attention to this lesson. In fact, why don't you come to the front of the classroom?" Professor Whittenburg spoke harshly, though his face let on like he knew a big secret. Peyton shot a pleading look at Lily that clearly said "DO SOMETHING" but Lily didn't know what to do so she just shrugged, effectively earning a glare from Peyton. She got up and walked to the front of the room, she accidentally knocked her bag off the table on her way. The contents spilled out onto the floor.
"Bring that with you." He said pointing to something wooden lying on the ground. "Now Miss Starr, tell the class what your middle name is." Professor Whittenburg demanded more than asked.
"Well I'd really rather not say since its a little embara-" Peyton started.
"Do I look like a care?" Professor Whittenburg spat. "Just state your middle name."
"Sheesh don't get your knickers in a twist." Peyton replied, not liking his tone at all. "It's Lecosia... it's Greek."
"Yes I know the origin." He snapped. "Lecosia is a name of a very old Siren. Of course muggles believe Sirens to be half bird half woman, foolish race of beings are wrong yet again. Sirens were merely very beautiful women with alluring voices. They are closely related to the Veela, although Sirens aren't ugly when they are angered. They are very rare these days as they fled when Grindewald sought them to use as a weapon to entrance his enemies with their sweet song while he willed them to do as he pleased. Although they don't commonly use their gift of song has a weapon they could be very dangerous if used otherwise." He paused letting the information sink in.
"Their instrument is known as a lyre, which is a double flute. The few that are living today are rarely found without one. Where did you get that Miss Starr." Professor Whittenburg continued, pointing to the small wooden instrument she held in her hands.
"Hagrid made it for me yesterday. He said I'd know how to play it, but I haven't gotten around to trying it out yet." Peyton answered.
"Well yes the great oaf obviously knows too then. He carved you a lyre Miss Starr, a double flute, and the instrument of a Siren." He informed.
"Well don't you find it to be a little to much of a coincidence that your middle name is what it is, you have a lyre given to you, you don't seem to have a problem attracting the opposite sex at all, and you're a talented singer?" He asked looking at her like she was stupid. "I also happen to know your mother's side of the family is from one of the three islands between Sorrento and Capri, which happens to be the rightful home of Sirens."
"I-I- don't think I could possibly be a-" Peyton started again before the professor cut her off.
"Don't be stupid girl. Play the lyre." Professor Whittenburg commanded. She stared at him for a moment. "Go on!"
Peyton put the lyre up to her lips and blew softly letting out a beautiful note of music. She had never played an instrument like this in her life but it was as if she knew what she was doing and continued the song.
"Yes well that's enough quit showing off." The professor said snatching it away from her. The class was dumbfounded. They'd never heard anything so beautiful. "Sirens emotions also have an odd way of sometimes affecting the weather. Ever noticed if it has rained if you were sad Miss Starr? Or stormed if you were angry? What about sunshine if you were in an extremely good mood? Mind you, you don't always have an affect on it, but a lot of the time you do. Acclaro Sirenenis" he said tapping his wand on Peyton's head. To the class's surprise she began to sing.
"Draw near, illustrious Odysseus, glory of the Achaeans, stop thy ship and come to us. None has yet passed by this isle without having listened to the enchantment of our voices and heard us sing of the mighty deeds done by the Greeks beneath the walls of Troy. For we know all that happens on the fruitful earth." Peyton sang out, from the novel by Homer.
"Now as you probably know that song is from The Odyssey, which happens to have some truth in it but was changed around for the entertainment of muggles. Miss Starr do you need anymore evidence to convince you?" Professor Whittenburg asked her smirking.
"No, and it wasn't your place to tell me these things. You had no right at all. You know as well as I do Voldemort is gaining power and I should be a well kept secret. I think you need to decide where you loyalties lay Professor." Peyton seethed before grabbing her bag and running out of the classroom. Lily, Lynsay, and the Marauders got up to go after her.
"No you don't. Class has not been dismissed. 15 points from Gryffindor for having no self control." Professor Whittenburg said, glaring, and not taking kindly the words Peyton had just spoken. Although he knew they were very true, very true indeed. None of them sat, except Peter the little coward, but stared defiantly at their professor before turning and walking out the door and slamming it behind them.
"That stupid pompous git. Like we aren't going to leave after he just did that." Lily raged while running down the hall. She knew Peyton was going to Dumbledore, and when they opened the door to his office he was looking infuriated. She didn't think she had ever seen Dumbledore so angry in her life.
"Well that was rather the wrong way for you to find out Miss Starr. All the information that was just given to you is completely true. I'd advised your parents to tell you when you went home for Christmas Holiday. You have a very special gift Peyton. Don't let anyone tell you otherwise." His eyes softened as he spoke to her. "You are all excused from classes today if you wish. Lunch is about to begin please hurry along." Dumbledore rose and exited with them and headed towards the direction of Professor Whittenburg's room.
The six friends left his office and started towards to great hall. No one spoke since they were all to shocked. Was this true? It must be since Dumbledore confirmed it for them. Peyton opened the door and walked in first. Whispers broke out through the hall, wondering if this girl really was a Siren.
"Apparently things spread like wildfire through this school?" Peyton whispered to Lily who was standing next to her. Lily nodded. Jake Walters, Peyton's boyfriend since the Halloween dance, come over and stopped in front of Peyton.
"Are you ok?" Jake asked with concern.
"Yes, and before you ask it is true." Peyton said before he enveloped her in a hug.
"I always knew you were special." He said kissing the top of her hair. She smiled while still hugging him. Sirius had a sour look on his face which Peyton happened to catch...like she did every time he looked like that.
"Si...maybe you should see Pomfrey again you know? You look sort of...I don't know, like you ate a really bad lemon drop." Peyton said concerned. Sirius mumbled something and went to sit down at Gryffindor table. They all followed him, except Jake who seemed to understand they probably needed to talk and returned to the Ravenclaw table.
Professor Whittenburg was fired, and life seemed to return to normal at Hogwarts. Despite that face that Peyton still got a few stares and questions sometimes, and even more attention from the males. That didn't go over well with Jake. Everything fell back into routine though as the Christmas Holidays slowly approached.
It had been nearly a month since the Halloween Party. Nothing excited had happened much. Unless you counted the Slytherins dressed in blue gingham dresses dancing on top of the dinner table singing 'We're Off to See the Wizard' in terribly out of tune voices with brown pigtails, compliments of the Marauders, who were currently eating breakfast with Lily, Lynsay, and Peyton.
"Mails here." Peter said.
"EEK!" Peyton screamed diving under the table for protection. After about ten minutes she still wasn't convinced it was safe to come out.
"They're gone Peyt, you can come out now." Lily said cracking a smile.
"We're good friends right Tiger Lily?" She asked sounding a bit muffled seeing as how she was still in hiding.
"The best, closer that sisters." Lily said, wondering where this was leading to.
"Then do you honestly think I'm going to come out of here within the next five minutes?" she asked incredulously.
"Do you honestly think I'd lie to you about it being safe to come out?" Lily asked back. Peyton mumbled something under her breath that sounded suspiciously like a maybe but poked her head out nevertheless. Noticing the complete lack of owls she completely appeared and scarfed down her pancakes as if nothing had happened.
"So what's first today Lilykins?" Sirius asked, referring to classes of course.
"Defense Against the Dark Arts with Professor Whittenburg." Lily said with a grimace. "The wretched man is turning a perfectly wonderful subject into a living hell."
"You mean only turning it into a living hell for the Gryffindors. Not his precious Slytherins of course." Peyton replied. Professor Whittenburg was head of Slytherin house. "To bad Mcgonagall doesn't take to favoring her house as Whittenburg does his. We'd have loads of points and not so many detentions." She said with a sigh.
"He really seems to hate you Peyton. Any idea why?" Remus asked.
She shrugged. "Maybe he found out I was the one that put the blood sucking ants in his personal chamber?" she guessed.
"You did that?" Sirius asked.
"Yeah why?" Peyton answered looking puzzled.
"Well that couldn't be the reason he hates you, because he gave me detention for that." Sirius answered.
"Oh, sorry Si, didn't mean to get you in trouble." Peyton said looking sorry.
"No problem, helped me beat the school record." He said smiling.
"Well let's get going or else we are going to give Whittenburg a reason for deducting points for being late." Lynsay said not looking pleased at all.
"Starr, you and your little gang of misfits are late." Professor Whittenburg said sharply to them as the walked in.
"Professor we're ten minutes early!" James protested. "The bell hasn't even rang yet!"
"According to my watch Potter you are all five minutes late. Five points from Gryffindor from each of you, now sit before I deduct more." Professor Whittenburg said glaring evilly. They reluctantly took seats in the back of the room and waited for him to begin the class they were "late" for. The Slytherin's, who they had the nasty luck of sharing the class with, were smiling, obviously nothing amused them more than to see Gryffindors in trouble. It just made it all the better when it was the Marauders and their friends.
"Open you text books to page 235." The professor said crisply.
The class opened their books and flipped to the requested page and saw that the chapter was about Sirens.
"This should be interesting." Peyton whispered to Lily.
"Miss Starr, talking will not be tolerated during any of my classes. You of all people would do well to pay attention to this lesson. In fact, why don't you come to the front of the classroom?" Professor Whittenburg spoke harshly, though his face let on like he knew a big secret. Peyton shot a pleading look at Lily that clearly said "DO SOMETHING" but Lily didn't know what to do so she just shrugged, effectively earning a glare from Peyton. She got up and walked to the front of the room, she accidentally knocked her bag off the table on her way. The contents spilled out onto the floor.
"Bring that with you." He said pointing to something wooden lying on the ground. "Now Miss Starr, tell the class what your middle name is." Professor Whittenburg demanded more than asked.
"Well I'd really rather not say since its a little embara-" Peyton started.
"Do I look like a care?" Professor Whittenburg spat. "Just state your middle name."
"Sheesh don't get your knickers in a twist." Peyton replied, not liking his tone at all. "It's Lecosia... it's Greek."
"Yes I know the origin." He snapped. "Lecosia is a name of a very old Siren. Of course muggles believe Sirens to be half bird half woman, foolish race of beings are wrong yet again. Sirens were merely very beautiful women with alluring voices. They are closely related to the Veela, although Sirens aren't ugly when they are angered. They are very rare these days as they fled when Grindewald sought them to use as a weapon to entrance his enemies with their sweet song while he willed them to do as he pleased. Although they don't commonly use their gift of song has a weapon they could be very dangerous if used otherwise." He paused letting the information sink in.
"Their instrument is known as a lyre, which is a double flute. The few that are living today are rarely found without one. Where did you get that Miss Starr." Professor Whittenburg continued, pointing to the small wooden instrument she held in her hands.
"Hagrid made it for me yesterday. He said I'd know how to play it, but I haven't gotten around to trying it out yet." Peyton answered.
"Well yes the great oaf obviously knows too then. He carved you a lyre Miss Starr, a double flute, and the instrument of a Siren." He informed.
"Well don't you find it to be a little to much of a coincidence that your middle name is what it is, you have a lyre given to you, you don't seem to have a problem attracting the opposite sex at all, and you're a talented singer?" He asked looking at her like she was stupid. "I also happen to know your mother's side of the family is from one of the three islands between Sorrento and Capri, which happens to be the rightful home of Sirens."
"I-I- don't think I could possibly be a-" Peyton started again before the professor cut her off.
"Don't be stupid girl. Play the lyre." Professor Whittenburg commanded. She stared at him for a moment. "Go on!"
Peyton put the lyre up to her lips and blew softly letting out a beautiful note of music. She had never played an instrument like this in her life but it was as if she knew what she was doing and continued the song.
"Yes well that's enough quit showing off." The professor said snatching it away from her. The class was dumbfounded. They'd never heard anything so beautiful. "Sirens emotions also have an odd way of sometimes affecting the weather. Ever noticed if it has rained if you were sad Miss Starr? Or stormed if you were angry? What about sunshine if you were in an extremely good mood? Mind you, you don't always have an affect on it, but a lot of the time you do. Acclaro Sirenenis" he said tapping his wand on Peyton's head. To the class's surprise she began to sing.
"Draw near, illustrious Odysseus, glory of the Achaeans, stop thy ship and come to us. None has yet passed by this isle without having listened to the enchantment of our voices and heard us sing of the mighty deeds done by the Greeks beneath the walls of Troy. For we know all that happens on the fruitful earth." Peyton sang out, from the novel by Homer.
"Now as you probably know that song is from The Odyssey, which happens to have some truth in it but was changed around for the entertainment of muggles. Miss Starr do you need anymore evidence to convince you?" Professor Whittenburg asked her smirking.
"No, and it wasn't your place to tell me these things. You had no right at all. You know as well as I do Voldemort is gaining power and I should be a well kept secret. I think you need to decide where you loyalties lay Professor." Peyton seethed before grabbing her bag and running out of the classroom. Lily, Lynsay, and the Marauders got up to go after her.
"No you don't. Class has not been dismissed. 15 points from Gryffindor for having no self control." Professor Whittenburg said, glaring, and not taking kindly the words Peyton had just spoken. Although he knew they were very true, very true indeed. None of them sat, except Peter the little coward, but stared defiantly at their professor before turning and walking out the door and slamming it behind them.
"That stupid pompous git. Like we aren't going to leave after he just did that." Lily raged while running down the hall. She knew Peyton was going to Dumbledore, and when they opened the door to his office he was looking infuriated. She didn't think she had ever seen Dumbledore so angry in her life.
"Well that was rather the wrong way for you to find out Miss Starr. All the information that was just given to you is completely true. I'd advised your parents to tell you when you went home for Christmas Holiday. You have a very special gift Peyton. Don't let anyone tell you otherwise." His eyes softened as he spoke to her. "You are all excused from classes today if you wish. Lunch is about to begin please hurry along." Dumbledore rose and exited with them and headed towards the direction of Professor Whittenburg's room.
The six friends left his office and started towards to great hall. No one spoke since they were all to shocked. Was this true? It must be since Dumbledore confirmed it for them. Peyton opened the door and walked in first. Whispers broke out through the hall, wondering if this girl really was a Siren.
"Apparently things spread like wildfire through this school?" Peyton whispered to Lily who was standing next to her. Lily nodded. Jake Walters, Peyton's boyfriend since the Halloween dance, come over and stopped in front of Peyton.
"Are you ok?" Jake asked with concern.
"Yes, and before you ask it is true." Peyton said before he enveloped her in a hug.
"I always knew you were special." He said kissing the top of her hair. She smiled while still hugging him. Sirius had a sour look on his face which Peyton happened to catch...like she did every time he looked like that.
"Si...maybe you should see Pomfrey again you know? You look sort of...I don't know, like you ate a really bad lemon drop." Peyton said concerned. Sirius mumbled something and went to sit down at Gryffindor table. They all followed him, except Jake who seemed to understand they probably needed to talk and returned to the Ravenclaw table.
Professor Whittenburg was fired, and life seemed to return to normal at Hogwarts. Despite that face that Peyton still got a few stares and questions sometimes, and even more attention from the males. That didn't go over well with Jake. Everything fell back into routine though as the Christmas Holidays slowly approached.