Sirens

Chapter 1

So Blind

Seamus tried not to let his head hit his desk. History of Magic. It had to be the most pointless subject ever invented. Why he hadn't dropped it he had no idea. Well, it seemed like a good idea at the time. Parvati was doing it, so was Padma.

There was a knock on the door.

"Excuse me, Professor Binns," said Professor McGonagall's curt voice from the door. "Would you mind stepping outside for a minute?"

Seamus laughed along with the rest of the class as Dean Thomas wolf-whistled. It wasn't particularly funny, but it kept him sane.

Professor Binns didn't return for a while. It must be some sort of important meeting, then. He never left his beloved class for long. Maybe he thinks without his droning voice we'll perish, thought Seamus dully as a paper aeroplane thrown by Michael Corner spiked him in the back of the head.

The door creaked open again, but it wasn't Professor Binns who accompanied Professor McGonagall into the room, it was Snape and a pretty dark haired girl.

"This is Miss Giordano," said Professor McGonagall stiffly. "She's in Slytherin house. She's joined the school in this year because she's only just moved here from Italy. I want you to make her feel welcome."

She's a Slytherin, thought Seamus, instantly. She's an enemy. A cute enemy, but an enemy. Don't be nice to her.

"You'll be in between Finnigan and Miss Granger," said Snape. "Everyone past Finnigan in that row move your desks to the right a bit."

When everybody had moved up, Professor McGonagall conjured a new desk between Hermione and Seamus. Giordano went and sat at it, dumping her bag on the ground so hard that it hit the table leg with a clang.

"Chiedo scusa," she said.

"What?"

"I'm sorry."

Seamus frowned. He didn't like Giordano's tone of voice.

"I'm Hermione Granger," said Hermione from Giordano's other side, determined to show politeness.

"Isabella Giordano," said the girl, politely. "Pleased to meet you."

"So you're Italian? It's a lovely country," said Hermione.

"Yes. I lived in Tuscany before I came to live here."

"Where did you go to school?"

"Ragazze-Magiche."

Taking the hint that Isabella didn't seem to want to talk, Hermione gave up trying to talk about her home country and went back to her work. Typical Slytherin, thought Seamus. He scowled. Who did Isabella think she was anyway?

Isabella sat back in her seat and wound some of her hair around her finger absent-mindedly. Seamus couldn't help but notice her hair. It was long and very dark - almost jet black - and it curled in a wild way. It suited her appearance. She looked very Etruscan, with her brown skin and dark hair. She had dark red, very full lips and dark eyes - either hazel or brown, Seamus couldn't quite see - with thick lashes. She had a mysterious, wild sort of beauty about her, almost like a Nymph.

"And you?" she said, turning to Seamus. "What's your name?"

"I'm Seamus Finnigan," Seamus said. "Not that you'd care."

"Why wouldn't I care?" Isabella challenged.

Seamus was taken aback. Usually Slytherins didn't bother talking to Gryffindors. But she was new. She probably didn't know Seamus was a Gryffindor. Yeah, that'd be it.

"I'm a Gryffindor," said Seamus.

"Yes? So?"

"Well...Slytherins hate Gryffindors."

"That is stupid," said Isabella bluntly, and started to unpack a clean, new copy of A History of Magic that was still in the cellophane packaging. She got out some black ink and an eagle feather quill too, and began to write.

Seamus blinked. This was odd. 1) This was the first Slytherin he'd met that thought the Slytherin-Gryffindor feud was stupid. 2) She was writing down lots of intelligent facts on the Statue of Secrecy and even though she hadn't even been in the class for five minutes it was still a much better piece of work that what Seamus had produced in the past forty five minutes.

"How do you know what we're supposed to be doing?" he asked her.

"It's on the blackboard stupido," said Isabella, gesturing at the blackboard, where the words "Statue of Secrecy" were written in Professor Binns's curly handwriting. "I'm just writing everything I know about it."

A lot, thought Seamus, seeing how much Isabella had written already.

The bell went a few minutes later, and Seamus joined Dean in the battle to get out of the door first.

"I'm so hungry!" moaned Dean.

"Did you see that Giordano girl?" asked Seamus.

"I hope there're sausages today, I really fancy some."

"She's a bit on the weird side: she said it's stupid that Slytherins hate Gryffindors."

"Did we have beef casserole yesterday? I can't remember."

Seamus gave up. When Dean was hungry you couldn't get any sense out of him until he had been fed.

He waited until both he and Dean had wolfed down 3 plates of sausages (much to Dean's delight, they were on the menu) before he brought up the topic of Isabella again.

"So, did you see that Giordano girl?" he asked, casually.

"Yeah. Quite a looker. Hair's a bit messy though."

"Yes, but..."

"But I guess she's just a typical Slytherin, eh? Spiteful as a...very spiteful person. You know her better than me, you were next to her. How bad is she?"

"She seems a bit weird," said Seamus. "She asked me who I was."

"Wow! A new girl asking who the guy next to her is? Shocking! We must alert the church elders!"

"I'm serious, Dean!" said Seamus crossly as Dean rolled his eyes sceptically. "I said, 'Why do you care?' and she asked what I meant. So I explained about the whole Slytherins-hate-Gryffindors thing and she said it was stupid!"

"It is."

"It's not, and she's probably the only Slytherin to think that it is...ever!"

Dean rolled his eyes.

"You're really anti-Slytherin, my friend; you aren't even prepared to admit that she's fit."

Seamus felt himself go slightly red.

"I don't think she's fit! Ok, she's quite good-looking in a messy way, but I wouldn't say she was fit."

Dean tutted.

"If you say so. Come on; let's go back to the common room. I need to finish my Transfiguration homework."

Seamus sighed and accompanied Dean up to the common room, privately very relieved that Dean was off the subject of how pretty Seamus thought Isabella was. I wasn't lying, said Seamus to himself. I don't think she's that fit.

When they got to the portrait of the Fat Lady, Dean said the password (Mice tails) and they clambered inside, only to be faced with Lavender Brown, Parvati Patil and a stunning girl they had never seen before.

"Hi Lavender, Parvati," said Dean, his eyes fixed on the new girl (or rather, her chest). "Who's this?"

"This is Callista," said Parvati, noticing what part of Callista that Dean was staring at with annoyance. "She's from Cyprus."

"Callista Diotrephes," said Callista, holding her hand out to Seamus and smiling. "Pleased to meet you."

"Seamus Finnigan," said Seamus. "Likewise."

Callista's voice was lovely. Melodious, and with a gorgeous Greek lilt to it. Her skin was tanned and her wavy, golden-brown hair reached her elbows. Her eyes were bright, electric blue and she was short but slim. She was a real beauty.

"Come on, Callie, we've got Transfiguration in five minutes," said Lavender.

Seamus heard Dean give a moan of, "Oh bugger, my homework!" but he was thinking of more important things.

"I have Transfiguration next!" he said, hoping he didn't sound too excited.

"Really?"

Callista looked interested. Flirty interested. Seamus felt his ego rise. This gorgeous girl is interested in me, he thought happily. Not Dean or Ron or Harry Potter or anyone like that. Me.

"Come on then, Callie, you don't want to get on the wrong side of McGonagall," said Parvati, grimacing. "We'll show you where the classroom is."

"Bye Seamus," said Callista, still looking at him in that oh-so-sexy way. Seamus found himself staring after her.

Someone wolf-whistled from behind him. He jumped slightly.

"Hey Ron," he said.

"She's pretty good-looking isn't she?" said Ron, who was also gazing after Callista.

"Gorgeous," said Seamus, trying not to sound smug. "And I think she liked me! She seemed really interested in me, and I mean like 'interested' interested, if you catch my drift."

"I hear ya," said Ron. "Couldn't do anything about it anyway. She's out of my league."

"Did you hear?" asked Seamus, suddenly realising he might get some intelligent (i.e. not pro-Slytherin) conversation here. "There's a new girl in Slytherin."

"A new girl? In our year?"

Ron looked puzzled.

"Why did she join in the middle of the sixth year?"

"Dunno," said Seamus, privately wondering why that thought had never occurred to him before. Why had Isabella - and Callista, for that matter - joined in the sixth year?

"So what's she like? The new Slytherin," asked Ron, jolting Seamus from his musings.

"A bit odd," said Seamus. "Her name's Isabella Giordano. She's Italian. I bet she's really bitchy and spiteful, though. All Slytherin girls are."

"Yeah," agreed Ron. "She good-looking?"

"She's not hideous," Seamus said begrudgingly. Why did ever bloody boy ask him whether Isabella was good-looking? It was the age, he was sure. Nearly every guy he knew was sex-crazed and obsessed with pretty girls. Hormone-driven loonies. Admittedly he did look for them, but not if they were in Slytherin for goodness' sake!

"She got big tits?" asked Ron.

Seamus gaped.

"What?!"

"Has she got big tits?"

"I...I didn't look!" Seamus said, shocked that Ron could ask this about a Slytherin.

"Why?"

"She's a Slytherin!"

"Doesn't mean she can't be hot. That Carey Briggs is a Slytherin and she's got jugs out here!"

Ron made wild gestures around two feet from his chest. Seamus had to laugh.

"You'll date anything in a skirt!" he laughed.

"In a bra," corrected Ron. "Seeya in Transfiguration, I have to get my books."

Seamus remembered where he was going next and went to get Dean, who was complaining that his homework was only half finished. Seamus cheered him up slightly by saying that in the lesson he could stare at Callista's breasts for as long as he wanted and they went off.

When they arrived, the rest of the class was already standing outside waiting and Seamus found himself face to face with a very pretty girl, but surprisingly enough it wasn't Callista Diotrephes.

"Hello again," said Isabella Giordano. "I didn't know you took Transfiguration."

Seamus scowled.

"Do you care?" he asked, pointedly, hoping Isabella would get the hint.

She did.

"You're right," she said, coolly, and went off. Seamus saw her talking to Draco Malfoy about something.

"You really don't have a way with girls, mate," said Dean, patting Seamus on the shoulder.

"Whaddya mean?" asked Seamus angrily.

"She was only being friendly and you had a complete go at her!" said Dean, with the exasperated air of telling a very stupid person that one and one doesn't make three. "She seems ok for a Slytherin. And it's not like she isn't cute," he added, watching Isabella from the corner of his eye. "Ok, she's no Clarissa What's-Her-Name, but..."

"Callista Diotrephes."

"You really like her, don't you?" said Dean, with an evil grin. Seamus blushed.

"So do you!" he said indignantly. "I saw you staring at her chest!"

"I think she's hot, that doesn't mean I fancy her," said Dean. "I don't even know what her name is!"

"You were staring at her."

Dean shrugged. "I'm a normal teenage boy," he said. "I do what every other guy does when faced with a pretty girl: I stare and imagine myself...well, I don't think you need details."

Seamus rolled his eyes. Why were all his friends turning into sex-maniacs? He wasn't. But maybe it was him that was weird. I could be gay, he thought, shrugging.

"Why did you just shrug?"

"Err...no reason. Come on, McGonagall's coming."

The class trooped into the room and sat down in silence as Professor McGonagall surveyed them. Callista stayed at the front, looking unsure where to sit but also radiantly innocent and sweet. Isabella, however, sat down next to Draco Malfoy and Carey Briggs as if she'd been at the school for years. She was talking to Draco like an old friend! Seamus scowled. Stupid pushy Slytherin bitch. Now Callista, she was acting like a new girl should. She wasn't pushing in with other people; she was standing at the front of the class waiting for the teacher to tell her to site like a new girl should. Seamus felt himself almost seething that Isabella could have the gore to stroll in like she'd been there longer than he, Seamus, had.

"Miss Diotrephes?"

Professor McGonagall was looking at Callista with an expression of slight dislike on her face.

"Yes, Professor?" said Callista, in the sugary innocent way that made Seamus's stomach go soft.

"Why aren't you sitting down?"

"I wasn't sure where I should be sitting, Professor."

Callista looked so pure that Seamus couldn't understand why half the class (mainly the female half) was giving her looks of intense dislike. He was sure he heard Susan Bones mutter, "Little suck-up," from behind him.

Professor McGonagall looked slightly disgusted by Callista. She waved her wand and a desk appeared next to Seamus, who was on the end of the middle row. "Go and sit there, next to Finnigan," she said. Seamus felt incredibly happy. This gorgeous girl was going to sit right next to him! Wow!

"Oh, hallo!"

Callista beamed at him as she sat down. His heart rate doubled.

"You're Seamus, aren't you?"

"Yes. And you're Callista."

She smiled.

"You remembered!" she said, happily. She did sound genuinely thrilled that Seamus had remembered her name. "Lavender and Parvati call me Callie," she said, rolling her eyes. "I mean, it's my nickname, but I only let people I...really like...call me that."

She was giving Seamus that flirty look again. Seamus smiled.

"Well I think Callista's a beautiful name," he said, trying it on for all he was worth and ignoring Dean's smirking face from next to him.

"Finnigan! Would you please drag your attention away from the fascinating Miss Diotrephes and listen?"

Seamus grimaced and did so, but he couldn't help stealing glances at the eager beauty next to him. God, he was never this jumpy around girls. Maybe he was in love! Wow, thought Seamus, dreamily. In love with Callista...I can't let this go! I can't watch her fall for Harry Potter or Ron Weasley, or worse, Dean. I have to ask her out. God I hope the next Hogsmeade weekend is soon!

"Finnigan! That is the second time! Will you please pay attention?"

Seamus scowled but meekly obeyed and paid attention. He didn't understand anything about the conjuring charm that Professor McGonagall was explaining and when he was supposed to produce a hot water bottle out of thin air he ended up flooding his desk in boiling water.

"Dammit!" he swore to himself, trying to clear up the water with a towel that Professor McGonagall had provided, but only after she had announced that he was in detention.

Seamus did not leave the class in a good mood. He was in detention the next day and he had extra homework.

"Oh bloody hell!"

With a ripping noise, his bag split. All his supplies fell out and several bottles of ink smashed over new textbooks, fresh parchment and his favourite quill, staining them all black. He swore several times and got down onto the floor to pick up his stuff.

Good job this place is deserted, he thought crossly, looking down the empty corridor. At least I still have my dig...

"What happened?"

"DAMMIT!"

"Geez, no need to be too happy I'm here."

Seamus recognised the sarcastic voice with a stab of anger. He glared up at the tall girl that was standing over him.

"Can't you see I'm busy you stupid Italian?" he snarled, dropping a book.

Isabella raised an eyebrow but didn't speak. Seamus resumed packing his books up, when he found himself face to face with the Slytherin girl who had got down on her knees to join him and was gathering up his parchment.

"What are you doing?" he asked in amazement.

"I'm picking up your stuff for you. What does it look like I'm doing?" said Isabella.

"Why?"

"Just politeness. Generally when I see a fellow human being in some sort of problem I try to help out as best I can. It's just manners, you know."

"But..."

Isabella handed him a neat stack of books and parchment. Seamus waved his wand in the direction of his bag, muttered, "Reparo," and stuffed them all in.

"But what?"

Seamus opened his mouth to reply and then closed it again.

"Nothing."

"No, tell me."

"It's nothing important."

"Then you won't mind telling me."

Seamus rolled his eyes exasperatedly. He wasn't going to win.

"But why? I'm a Gryffindor."

"You've mentioned that."

"And you're a Slytherin."

"I'd noticed."

"So why are you helping me?"

Isabella shook her head disbelievingly.

"You're so blind," she said, and walked off, leaving Seamus standing alone in the corridor with ink splashed across the knees of his robes.