To my Yuki and Crystal: This one is for you, may the mayhem you cause bring a smile to your lips.

Kailah: You finally get to meet my dad.

Alyssa: We'll shall find a new song to sing in 2010, promise. (Take That, Rule the world)

Alice and Davina: the last chapter was a little grim, so I'm bringing out your fun side that I get to see every day.

Well lads, it may have been ages, but I WILL finish this story, even if it kills me.

Love you guys just as much as my ghd's (that's saying something)

Your Dawn, xxx.

The ticking of various instruments filled the large circular room, a monotone compared to the whispers that conversed with each other. The voices did not come from any place that is to be expected, but from the numerous paintings hanging on every wall space imaginable. There was a sudden stillness in the air and the voices decreased into expected silence and a tall and slightly wizened figure appeared with a slight Pop. The man's long fingers smoothed his deep blue robe, brushing his silver beard out of his way. Perched on his crooked nose, were half moon spectacles, framing the twinkle in his electric blue eyes.

"Come now," He said casually. "You won't get answers unless you ask the questions."

There was a sudden round of noise as voices spoke over each other, each wanting to be heard. A dark gothic-like painting of a man with dark eyes and goatee raised his voice, the air of importance and obvious arrogance laced through each word.

"The girls, Dumbledore. We wish to know of the seven girls."

Dumbledore opened his mouth to answer, but there was a loud bang as the door to the office swung open, the momentum almost taking it off its hinges.

A woman swayed under the shadow of the threshold, her eyes wide and unfocused, and the large bottle glasses that were lopsided on the smaller part of her nose magnified her already abnormally large eyes. Her mousy brown hair was fizzy and sticking out in tuffs, many coloured shawls and beads hung to the tall and thin figure, the impression of a mad insect was uncanny.

She stumbled into the room and the atmosphere was quiet as every eye – painted or other wise was turned to the woman.

"Sybil?" Professor Dumbledore asked, taking a step towards her, his hands out as if to catch the woman.

At the sound of Dumbledore's voice, her head turned and a deep voice emitted out from her frail throat.

"The seven shall change everything!" the voice boomed into the confined space, it's projection ringing into the silence like an echo. "The Seven Sirens will change the very fabric of Fate's plans. Lives will be saved, lost. They will unweave the carefully woven map of the future and create a new one. They will change the past, present and future, bend Greater Powers at their will and two paths shall be formed. One shall lead to peace and happiness that our world has ever seen, the other, death, so much death. The fire that burns is endless and the Seven shall emerge from the flames, their Power… The Sirens are nothing this world has ever seen since the Dawn of Magic. They are our Magic, our source. Seven Girls, Seven gifts, Seven Sirens."

The voice died and the woman coughed, her whole frame shaking with the effort. "Oh," She said, her tone perplexed. "Professor?"

Dumbledore paused; lines of worry showing against his already lined and weathered skin, before smiling. "Ah, yes Sybil. I was wondering whether or not you have seen my stash of sherbet lemons, only, I seem to have miss placed them."

"Err," The woman frowned quizzing at the man but didn't question him or his strange request. "No, I don't believe I have."

"Oh," He replied cheerfully. "Well then, never mind. Thank you."

After a long pause, the woman left, looking over her shoulder at Dumbledore before muttering about a glass of sherry.

When the door had shut firmly behind her, did the voices started once more.

"Silence!" Dumbledore raised his voice ever so slightly and the room plunged into the silence he had asked for.

"Dumbledore," The painting of the man who had spoken before. "Could this – this prophecy relate the seven girls?"

Another voice piped up, a plump woman with a motherly face. "What are sirens? I never heard of the term used in our world." There were a few murmurs of agreement.

Dumbledore sighed, looking every year of his age. "Legend told that in the Dawn of time, there was only muggles and seven female sirens. It is said that they bestowed their power into some of the muggles and they became wizards and witches. United, the Seven can awaken a power of old, that they can take back the magic they gave, that they can destroy this world and create a new one. They are our equivalent to our gods – goddesses – an ancient and forgotten text once told that they would be reincarnated when the world is close to it's end."

"Are you saying those girls are goddesses – that can destroy the world?" once voice demanded, others following suit.

"I am saying that they may be, there has to be a reason for why the Sirens would be reborn at this particular time, it is a great significance if they are the seven."

"Yes," The dark-haired painting nodded. "If they are."

Waking up is hard; it's when you are in limbo between reality and dreams. I didn't really want to wake up, because my dream was based on wands, magic and a lot of Ben and jerry's cookie dough ice cream. So you can see why waking up was kind of something I didn't want to do.

"Dawn! I've been calling you for ages. Get up, we got a lot of things to do today."

I peeked open one eye and saw through a curtain of now straight brow hair, the time.

I sat bolt up, my heart pounding in my throat, as I looked around frantically. "Daddy! What day is it?" I scrambled out of the covers, thinking back to the date I wrote in my schoolbooks yesterday, I was nearly sure it was meant to be a Wednesday.

"Wednesday,"

Shit, why hadn't he called me up sooner? And shouldn't he be at work?

"Dawn, breakfast's is on the table. Get your arse down here. Now."

Frowning, I made my way down stairs. When I reached the bottom, I almost tripped over a large trunk. "What the..?" I cursed under my breath, rubbing my throbbing toe. "Daddy, what's this?" I nodded towards the large brown trunk.

"It's my Hogwarts trunk. I'm going to have a look and see if there's anything you can use."

I felt my mouth open into a perfect O. "So it wasn't a dream?" I breathed, suddenly feeling hot and cold all at the same time.

Dad looked up from cracking his boiled eggs, grinning. "Yeah, it's real." He motioned me to sit at the table. "Eat up, once we sorted through my trunk, we have to get a tube and go to the Leakey Cauldron."

"Huh?" I dipped my solider into my runny egg. "Nice eggs," I commented, taking a bite into the gooey yellow mixture.

"Thanks. The Leakey Cauldron, it's a bar that you go into to get to Diagon Alley." There must a have been a question mark on my face. "Where all the shops are."

"Oh." I took another bite. "Can my friends come?"

"No."

"Why?" I demanded, abandoning my breakfast.

"Because muggles – non magic people – can't know about us."

I frowned, biting the inside of my cheek. "But Snape said that they all were magic too and that they could go Hogwarts if they wanted."

"Snape?" My dad's eyes widened in surprise. "He's working for Dumbledore?"

"Yeah, he's a professor. Why? And can they go or what?"

"Jesus, a professor." He shook his head. "He was a Deatheater last time I heard."

"I'm sorry, a what? And can they go?"

"A Deatheater, a person who follows Voldemort. Your mother was one. And yeah, if they want to, but wouldn't they be in school?"

"Probably," I nodded, taking a spoon to scoop out the white bit. "But Alyssa can hypnotise them out if I text them."

My dad looked shocked. "She can what?"

"Hypnotise, you know, make people do stuff. That's how we got out yesterday. Alice can see into the future, Crystal can move stuff without touching them. Yuki can read minds and Kailah can…" I frowned. "She said she could heal people."

My dad pushed way his plate. "No wonder Dumbledore wants you at Hogwarts. It would be dangerous not to have you there."

"What?"

"Dawn," He leaned forward and looked intently at me. "No one has that kind of power – no one. But a lot of people would do a great deal to get it." He shook his head, eyes suddenly looking troubled. "Finish your breakfast and then call your friends. Tell them to bring all the money they can and we'll get it changed for them."

"Okay," I finished my breakfast in silence before we both tackled his trunk.

It was large and brown with a strange crest with a snake, a lion, a bird, a badger and a large H in the centre.

It swung open almost eagerly, as if it wanted to open for so long. "You can use the trunk," my dad muttered, plunging a hand into its great big gaping mouth. He came out with a wand similar to Professor McGonagall's, only his was a pale almost grey type of wood. "Ash wood, Leprechaun hair, twelve inches." He fingered the wand wistfully. "We'll have to get you your own today."

Slowly, he put the wand down beside him and turned back to the trunk and lifting out large and dusty books. "You can use these, you should read them before you go to Hogwarts." He handed me a few that were labelled, the dark forces: a guide to self-protection, Standard book of spells grade five and six, Magical drafts and potions.

The titles were endless.

"Read all this?" my voice was eager, I could never turn down a good book.

My dad nodded absently and flung a black cloak to the side. "You won't need that,"

He took put a large back pot, which was beginning to rust, I believe it was a cauldron. "Need to wash that," and pulled out a telescope and some scales and a red and gold scarf. "You might need that," he grinned at me then the scarf. "Hogwarts is split into four houses," He explained. "Gryffindor," he waved his scarf. "the brave. Slytherin the cunning and proud., Ravenclaw, the cleaver and all that. And Hufflepuff the loyal."

I nodded and opened up a leather-bound book at the top of the pile, faces grinning up at me. "It moved!" I dropped the book as if it burned, my dad peering over my shoulder to have a look. "Yeah, pictures move." He picked up the photograph. "I forgot I had this. Here" he pointed to a boy with jet-black hair and a maturing face. "This was me on my last year," he pointed to another black haired boy with glasses. "That's James Potter, he was in the year below me, Sirius Black," the pointed to the boy with growing dark hair and a handsome structured face. "Remus Lupin and Peter Pettigrew.." He indicated a scruffy-looking boy and a plump one. "And Lily Evans, she married Potter." A girl with vivid red hair and startling green eyes beamed up at me before turning to James and resting her head on his shoulder.

"James and Lily died when you were one," I looked up to see dad's face, searching for any sign of the man I had seen when he spoke of my mum, the man who was broken, but only his eyes showed the sadness he felt. "They're son is about your age, maybe a bit younger." I nodded and placed the photo back inside the book and closed it. "I'd better call my friends."

I left my father and his trunk, slowly walking up the stairs. From the sound of things, the past for my dad wasn't always a happy one. Figures, since he never really wanted to talk about his life. It's all about you Dawn, you're the one who matters, he would say.

I closed my bedroom door softly and walked over to my desk where my mobile sat, everything seemed suddenly quite. Opening it, I dialled Alyssa first. "Hey," I greeted when she answered. "I'm going shopping with my dad to get some stuff I need for Hogwarts. Want to come?"

"Yeah, hold on." There were muffled voices and a slight pause. "Sure, how much should I bring?"

"I don't know," I admitted, biting my lip. "As much as you can."

"Okay."

"My place, at twelve. Bye, Hun."

Davina was next. "Dawn? Hey."

"Hi, how did it go with your mum?" I leaned back against the pillows on my bed, legs crossed.

"Oh, in the end she caved, but only because my dad was all 'let her go if she wants to' and Dumbledore kind of told my mum she didn't have a choice. Well, he didn't say that, but I could totally tell."

"Uh-huh. Well, my dad's taking me shopping and he said you guys could come. You up for it?"

"Mum!" I winced as Davina shouted through the phone.

"Jesus," I mumbled. "Ever thought of going to your mum?"

"Oh sshh you. Mum? Can I go shopping with Dawn and her dad to get my Hogwarts things? Oh – please? Fine, I'll just ask dad." There was stubbornness to Davina's voice that made me smile. "Yeah, sure. What time?"

"My place, twelve."

"Right. Should I ask the rest?"

I smiled in relief, knowing that my credit would be saved. "Please."

"Okay, see you soon."

"See ya." I hung up.

"Hi Mr Heart," My friends chimed politely, giving the impression that they were angelic little dears. My dad wasn't fooled.

"Hey girls, you excited about Hogwarts?" He locked the front door and pocketed the keys.

"Yeah," Kailah nodded, speaking for the group. My friends always seem to go all quite and shy around my dad. I guess the broken nose and scarred knuckles didn't help give the impression of your average father.

Walking ahead to give us some privacy, I turned to them all. "So, your parents let you come?"

"Please," Alice rolled her eyes and shook her head. "My mum thinks I'm at the post office."

"I kind of just walked out of the house." Crystal admitted, linking arms with Yuki. "But I called my uncle last night and he said that he would give me some money." She shrugged. "Turns out, he's been trying to convince my mum about letting me go to Hogwarts for years."

"Your mum's brother?" Kailah asked, frowning, her arm linking with mine.

"Nah, dad's."

The train was packed; the lunch rush hour was at its best. The July heat was maddening. The air felt like it was colourless smoke, pressing against you, and please, just please, do not get me started on the bodies that moulded against yours, the feeling both awkward and intimate at the same time. Urgh, the idea of a stranger's body being so close made me press myself closer to the pole I clung to, trying not to loose my balance as the train shook.

I caned my neck to make sure I could spot everyone, all wore the same pissed-off look that I was sure was on my own face.

"Girls," I heard the slight muffle of my dad's voice. "This ones our stop."

I smiled apologetically to the faceless suit, as I brushed past to get to the exit.

We piled onto the platform, taking grateful gulps of air, I turned just in time to see my dad, red faced, getting off, a plump and slightly batty middle-aged woman trying to smile seductively to his back.

"Let's go," He muttered, giving me a warning glare, meaning, I was not to comment.

Linking again, we followed.

"My milkshake brings all the boys to the yard," I sang, shaking my hips to the music in my head.

"You still singing that?" Alyssa demanded as the rest laughed.

"Wow Dawn, you can wine." Alice grinned, following to the beat.

"La, la, la-la-laaa. The boys are getting La, la, la-la-laaa" I wiggled my arse some more in rotating motions.

"Dawn," My father called from somewhere up ahead. "I hope you don't dance like that around boys."

"No daddy," I replied innocently as the rest stifled their laughter.

"Hey Dawn," Kailah leaned forward to whisper in my ear. "You still haven't told your dad about what's-his-name? The one you picked up at Camden?"

I looked at the back of my father and shook my head. "It'd be twenty years before the bruises start to fade."

We left the train station and began a long trek, weaving in between shops and hidden roads, Alice moaning all the way. "Hmmm? What is this? I'm really moaning, this long trek, Dawn, why doesn't your dad have a car?"

Alyssa glared. "Alice, just be quiet."

"If I'd have known I'd be walking this next long marathon, I would have worn better shoes. But no one tells me these things."

"Alice," Crystal and Yuki warned in the same tone.

"Sshh, Just no. I've been walking around all day and my feet are killing me. Do you think we can get a cab?"

"We're here." The relief in my dad's voice was clear that I had to smile.

But that smile died when I stared at a small grubby bar that was boarded up, its windows blacked out.

"Are you serious?" Alice demanded. "That long trek for this?"

I couldn't help but agree. It was a miracle the place was still standing, no doubt the council would want to tear it down and replace it with something pretty.

Rolling his eyes, my dad opened a door I didn't realise was there and walked in, holding it open.

"I am so buy hand sanitizer after this." Alice muttered and walked in.

"It is a bit minging though, isn't it?" Crystal asked, her nose wrinkling in distaste. Yuki nodded. "Jeez man, do these people not know how to wash? First it was Emo and now its this…" She shook her head and looked at Crystal. "Together?"

"Defo."

The pair walked in.

I looked at the last three. "May as well."

"If it's good enough for Miss Thing, then I'm sure I'll survive." Alyssa grinned and nudged me.

Davina laughed. "Watch when some pervert tries to chat Miss Thing up in her batty-riders."

"Oh Lord," Kailah muttered and together, we plunged into the grubby darkness.

If this was a bar, it was the strangest one I knew. I know some may be quiet, but this… this was just silence. Every eye stared at my dad as if they were staring at a ghost, my friends and I didn't exist for all they knew.

"Your looking good John," The man at the bar said, a dirty rag cleaning a glass in his hand. "For a dead man."

I saw my dad shrugged, and he grinned easily at the man. "Unless there's a body to prove it, a person is not dead. And even with a body, you can never be sure."

There was something to what he said, something that had meant more to the people in the room, than to me, because furious whispers erupted.

Shrugging, my dad carried on to the other side of the bar, I followed my friends behind, then silence once more.

"She looks just like Isabelle," a voice called from the back, back enough that I couldn't see.

And just like that, I swear I could hear the Snap going off in his head. There was a blur of motion and a flash of white light, making black spots dance in front of my vision. Blinking them away, I saw a gangly figure, suspended above a fallen chair, legs kicking for the purchase that just wasn't there.

"If anyone else wants to make a comment about my daughter," the emotionless voice that came out of my dad's mouth made me shiver, as he looked steadily at the bar's occupants, the wand in his hand never wavering. "Please do so now, and get it out of the way."

And again, silence.

Nodding with somewhat satisfaction, dad made a jerking movement with his wrist and the man went sailing down to the ground, a surprised yell emitting from him.

"Shett man," Crystal muttered, Yuki nodding in agreement.

"Whoa," and "OhMyGod." And other whispers of astonishment came form the mouths behind me.

I had to roll my eyes, that man had the cheek to say I was the one who needed anger management? Talk about being hypocritical. But I couldn't help it, okay, my mum was a death-thingy, so what? It's just this cult kind of thing, it's not as if she killed anybody, right?

Right?

"Daddy?" I gave a sort of raised eyebrow look at him, chewing at my bottom lip.

I watched as the stranger wearing my dad's face soften and mould back into the familier easy grin that I was so use to. Yet the tightness around his eyes, the tension in his muscles, the set in his jaw. Some part of me wondered why my mother was such an issue with him, whenever he spoke of her to me, there was pride and love in his voice. Yet, one of these people mentions her and he looses it?

I really should have taken that as a sign that this was a very different world.

"Lets go," I suggested weakly, trying to avoid the curious eyes. Well, every dad is meant to be embarrassing, why should mine be an exception?

Nodding, my dad turned his back on everyone and carried on walking, the rest of the group and I more than happy to follow.

Nobody spoke as w reached the back door and silently slipped out, the pressing July heat rushing at us as we came face-to-face with a large stonewall, blocking off our route.

"Um," I turned to see Davina looking at the wall with raised brows. "Is this it?"

"Urgh, I really hope not." Alice mumbled, arms crossed, eyes to the heavens.

"No," My dad smiled, as he tried not to laugh at Alice. He produced his wand and tapped a brick that was a shade blacker than the ones surrounding it. We watched as the brick sunk in and suddenly, began on fold back on its self, the others following pursuit.

I watched with wide eyes as a bright and colourful world revealed itself from behind the magical bricks.

"Sweet baby Jesus." I whispered.

"Welcome to Diagon alley, girls." I felt my dad's arm wrap round my shoulder as he gave me a brief hug. "First, lets go get your wands."