There it was, the sea, just as I remembered it.

"That's my home..."

I said softly. I could hear the sound of the waves crashing and the wind rippling over the sea. I heard two voices and two people came sauntering into view of the ice.

A woman with curly brown hair and a man with wild blond curls. Behind the woman trailed a child with untamed blonde hair and a white dress.

She giggled and laughed as she collected shells along the seashore.

"Is that-" Sebastian pointed at her.

"That's me."

I told him.

"You were so cute."

He added as he watched a younger much happier me have the time of my life collecting shells and chasing birds.

But you couldn't hear me, you couldn't hear my laughter. You could only hear the voices of my parents.

"You will have to tell her at some point, Carolina."

The man, my father said and the woman, my mother, Carolina, nodded as she looked over her shoulder at me.

"How about now?" "Now?"

"It's as good a time as any. And it's the perfect place. We're out here by the sea."

"She's five."

"And so many were younger when they became what she was born as. She's old enough, Cerrif."

My father, Cerrif, didn't say anything. He nodded. My mother turned to me, who was now playing in the waves.

My dress was definitely ruined. She opened her mouth but before any words could come out.

"AVADA KEDAVRA!"

it all happened so fast. There was a flash of green light and my mother fell to the ground. The waves of the sea had over taken me, protecting me, shielding me.

It was the ocean that saved me that day.

𓆝 𓆟 𓆞

"What have you done?"

My thoughts of the ocean were distracted by something else. My father Cerrif was in ruins.

He dropped to the ground cradling his dead wife. Who had killed her? Another man stepped forward, he stood beside Cerrif.

"Don't be so sad. She was a monster."

"She was my wife!"

Cerrif stood. He looked at the other man.

"How can you do such a thing Overton?"

Another man with stocky black hair. A pitiful excuse of a mustache, and black coat, put his arm around my father.

"She thought you were her friend- our friend."

"I am your friend." Overton said.

"I am a friend to all pureblood wizards, keeping our kind clean from muggles and monsters alike."

"She wasn't a monster."

"Yes she was. She was a siren. You made the mistake of marrying her." Overton continued.

Wait, a siren? My mother was a siren? Did that mean-

"Now I just have to ask, as a precaution. You didn't have any children with her, did you?"

"No."

My father looked to the waves where the ocean continued to spare me.

"Good."

Overton said flatly and turned on his heel to leave. But then he looked over his shoulder.

"See, she was the last one. The last siren. If you're lying to me that means there's another out there, Cerrif."

"She was the last one." Cerrif said with a sob.

"Pity."

Overton said.

"I think you're lying to me."

Cerrif looked to the other man with wild eyes.

"What?" "I do. You are. You're lying to me, River. And you know what else? I think no matter how hard I press you won't tell me where she is."

"Where who is?" "Your child." Overton said.

"The last siren." "I don't-" "And if you won't tell me. Then you are of no use to me."

"No don't." "It's too late for that."

Overton raised his wand.

"AVADA KEDAVRA!"

my father was now dead too. The ice melted back to water and returned back to the vile from which it came. I put the cork back on the top.

𓆝 𓆟 𓆞

"The last siren...."

Sebastian muttered.

"He was talking about you. You're the last siren?"

I didn't say anything as I slung my bag over my shoulder.

"Your aunt knew and she was trying to protect you from him. He must have gotten to her first. Looks like she gave him a good fight." he looked around at the damage in her office.

"Overton.. Where have I heard that name before..." He added as he muttered.

This gave us some answers, but we still needed more.

"Hey- where are you going?" He asked and placed a hand on my shoulder. I flinched and moved away from his touch.

"My parents are dead because of me. My aunt has been taken and will probably have the same fate. Because of me. All the tragedy that surrounds me is because of me."

"You can't blame yourself for this, any of this, Sereia."

"I'm going to get answers."

I told him and grabbed all the books I had brought with me to head back to my dorm to read. I had answers about myself at least. I knew who I was, or better yet I knew what I was.

But that didn't explain who took my aunt and why Overton wanted all these monsters- sirens- dead.

Was I truly the last one? If I was a siren wasn't I supposed to have some kind of siren powers? Beyond just magic? I wasn't even sure if my magic came from my siren-ness? Serinity?

Whatever.

My father was a wizard, the magic came from him. And there was one other thing that nagged me as I went. There was one other thing missing from this.

If I was a siren, wasn't I supposed to have a siren song?

𓆝 𓆟 𓆞

I stayed in the common room reading for I don't even know how long. I read through book after book and finally I landed on information about sirens.

I had already read through more than my weight in mermaid lore and history, oceanography and how it affected sea magic, and even a chapter or two on shells used for potions and charms.

None of it was interesting, but finally I found a chapter on sirens. My eyes were so heavy. I pushed on.

Sirens are not what you might think.

They are not wicked minded creatures intent on bringing down man kind one sailor at a time. Most people will tell you that, though. People will swear that sirens are the evil ones but if you ask me it's the mermaids you need to watch out for.

But no, sirens are not monsters. They are survivors. The mythology they're telling you is wrong.

Sirens are survivors, saved by the ocean herself. Women who are abused, killed, as an act of oppression of misogyny are saved by the ocean, given another life, another chance. She breathes life into their lungs.

There is no such thing, as of right now, as a born siren, they are created out of suffering. They are given life from their song.

With their siren song they are able to feel, to be human almost. They are able to be happy- to love.

Without a siren's song she is nothing but a shell. It is possible to take a siren's song from her. It is a disaterly wicked act that will leave her emotionless and frightened of the world around her. 

"Sereia?" I looked up.

"How long have you been in here?"

Sebastian had entered the common room. I yawned.

"You need sleep." "I need answers." I told him.

"I know what's wrong with me." I added.

"There's nothing wrong with you, Sereia." He sat next to me.

"Yes there is." I persisted.

"I don't have my song."

"Your what?"

"My siren song. I was reading- it says-" I pointed to it in my book only to then realize it was written in that blue blood language that only I could understand.

"Oh, well, you can't read it but just trust me. It says that when a siren looses her siren song she becomes void of emotion, a shell. She is weak and timid and powerless."

Sebastian watched as my finger pointed to words and symbols he couldn't understand.

"That happened to me. I don't have my song. Someone took it and I know who."

"Who?"

I sighed.

"His name was Woodlyn. I knew him years ago... he-he betrayed me."

"Woodlyn? Woodlyn lestrange?"

I nodded. Sebastian groaned.

"Sereia, Woodlyn Lestrange's father is Overton. Overton Lestrange who killed your parents."

I felt my heart drop.

"How did he take your song?"

He asked and I looked away. I couldn't- I didn't want to remember it. Sebastian brought his fingers to my chin and tilted my face towards him, forcing me to look at him.

There it was again, that warm feeling. It was still muted but it was there.

"Sereia."

He asked and then he saw my eyes. He saw the pain. The hurt.

"What did he do to you?"

I broke. My porcelain shell cracked and fractured and tears spilled from my eyes. Sebastian was slowly starting to connect the dots.

"I trusted him."

I said as I sniffled.

"I trusted him and he- I didn't- I couldn't stop him."

I told him, words just spilling out of my mouth.

"He was too strong. I couldn't stop him."

He realized. His face fell.

"Oh Sereia..."

He placed a hand on my shoulder. I flinched and he quickly retracted it. Now he knew why I hated being touched. Now he understood why I flinched and recoiled every time someone placed a hand on me. I breathed out my final words about it.

"I was fifteen."