"Last night," Echo began, his voice dropping slightly, his blue hair flickering with a reflective indigo. "James and I… we got to talking. About a lot of things."
Severus's scowl deepened a fraction. "You talked to Potter? And you didn't try to pound him into ground meat?"
Echo let out a short, dry laugh, his indigo hair flashing with amusement. "Believe me, Severus, I had to hold myself back. But anyway, we talked. And part of it… involved Lily."
Severus's eyebrow rose, a flicker of something unreadable in his dark eyes.
Echo continued, his gaze direct. "James told me… that you called Lily a 'Mudblood.'"
A deep flush immediately spread across Severus's pale cheeks, reaching the tips of his ears. He looked away, a rare display of genuine embarrassment.
Echo watched him, his indigo hair settling into a thoughtful black. "I'm not entirely sure what that word means, Severus," he admitted, his voice quiet. "But I can tell from your reaction, and from the way James said it, that it's not good. I've also heard a lot of… 'blood' words thrown around, like myself being called a 'half-blood,' even though I'm not even sure if I am one. I want you to explain it all to me. All of it."
Severus remained silent for a long moment, his gaze fixed on the floor, the flush on his cheeks slowly fading, replaced by a defensive pallor. He seemed to be weighing his options, a battle playing out behind his usually impassive mask. Finally, he looked up, his dark eyes meeting Echo's.
"It's… a derogatory term, Echo," Severus said, his voice low, almost a mumble, devoid of its usual sneer. His gaze flickered away, then back. "It refers to a witch or wizard who is Muggle-born. Someone whose parents are not magical. And… and I said it to Lily during an argument. I didn't… I didn't mean it. Not really. I was angry." He swallowed hard, then continued, his voice gaining a slightly more academic, though still strained, tone. "The term 'half-blood' refers to someone with one magical and one Muggle parent, or whose parents are both magical but one or more of their grandparents were Muggles. 'Pure-blood' refers to a witch or wizard whose family tree consists entirely of magical folk, usually for many generations."
He paused, then added, a hint of his usual bitterness creeping back into his voice, "Those who consider themselves 'pure-bloods' often believe they are superior to others, that their blood makes them more powerful, more… worthy. They look down on Muggle-borns, calling them 'Mudbloods' to insult them, to imply their magic is somehow… impure. Dirty."
Echo listened intently, his black hair still, his expression unreadable. "And you believe that, Severus?" he asked, his voice quiet, almost dangerously so. "Do you believe that some blood is better than others? That someone's magic is 'impure' just because of who their parents are?"
Severus flinched as if struck. His gaze dropped again. "No," he said, his voice barely audible. "No, I don't. Not truly. I… I've just been around people who do. It's… It's what I grew up with. The rhetoric. It's hard to shake sometimes." He looked up at Echo, a raw vulnerability in his eyes that Echo had never seen before. "I regret it, Echo. Saying it to Lily. It was… a terrible mistake. The worst."
Echo stared at him for a long moment, then slowly, almost imperceptibly, his black hair shifted to a calm, deep indigo. "Good," he said, his voice firm. "Because if you truly believed that, Severus, then we wouldn't be having this conversation." He paused, then added, a hint of warning in his tone, "And if I ever hear you say something like that to Lily, or anyone else, again, you'll find that I can be far more 'impure' than any word you could utter."
Severus nodded, his eyes fixed on Echo, a flicker of understanding—and perhaps, a touch of fear—in their depths. "Understood, Echo."
"Good," Echo repeated. He leaned back against the pillows, running a hand through his hair. "Did you ever apologize to her for it?" Echo asked, his indigo hair still, his gaze piercing.
Severus flinched again, looking away. "No," he mumbled, his voice tight. "No, I never did. I… I never found the right time. Or perhaps," he added, a flicker of self-loathing in his eyes, "I was too much of a coward."
Echo's indigo hair flared with a sudden, furious red. With a roar of frustration, he threw off his covers and scrambled out of bed, ignoring Madam Pomfrey's strict orders. "Coward?!" he bellowed, his voice echoing in the otherwise quiet Hospital Wing. "Get over here, you greasy git!" He pointed to the book Severus was still holding. "Hand me that!"
Startled, Severus instinctively held the book closer, but Echo lunged, snatching the copy of Advanced Potion-Making from his grasp. "What's the matter with you, Severus?" Echo yelled, brandishing the heavy tome like a weapon and promptly whacking Severus over the head with it. The resounding THWACK echoed through the room. "What is wrong with you?!"
Severus yelped, rubbing his head and scrambling backward, his face a mask of bewildered alarm. "Echo! What are you doing?!" he cried, trying to evade another swing of the book. "It was a long time ago! We were kids! Lily's forgiven me!"
"That's not good enough!" Echo roared, his crimson hair blazing as he chased Severus around the narrow beds, swinging the book wildly. He managed another solid THWACK on Severus's backside. "'Forgiven me' isn't the same as a proper apology, you dunderhead! Own up to your mistakes! Go and give Lily a proper apology! A real one!"
Severus, dodging another swipe that narrowly missed his ear, finally had enough. He broke into a full sprint, tearing out of the Hospital Wing with Echo hot on his heels. "I will! I will! Just stop hitting me with that book!"
"Don't you dare come back until Lily has received that apology, you cowardly git!" Echo yelled, launching the Advanced Potion-Making book with surprising force. It sailed through the air, narrowly missing Severus's head as he rounded the corner, disappearing from sight. Echo stood panting in the doorway, his crimson hair slowly fading back to an agitated black, a triumphant, if somewhat mad, glint in his hollow eyes. He might be confined to the Hospital Wing, but that didn't mean he couldn't get results.
Madam Pomfrey, drawn by the commotion, bustled back into the Hospital Wing, her eyes blazing. "Mr. Echo! What in the name of Merlin's beard was that?!" she shrieked, spotting him standing triumphantly, albeit panting, in the doorway. "And where is Mr. Snape?!"
Echo merely offered a weak, innocent smile, his black hair flickering with a sheepish grey. "Just… encouraging a friend to do the right thing, Madam Pomfrey. Sometimes a little persuasion is necessary."
Madam Pomfrey stared at him, her hands on her hips, her expression a mixture of disbelief and utter exasperation. "Persuasion?! Mr. Echo, I distinctly heard a book being wielded as a weapon! You are a patient, not a vigilante! Now get back into bed this instant!"
Echo sighed, knowing when he was defeated. He shuffled back to his bed, pulling the covers up. "Yes, Madam Pomfrey," he mumbled, his grey hair settling into a feigned sleepiness.
Madam Pomfrey, still muttering darkly about "disruptive patients" and "flying textbooks," meticulously searched the Hospital Wing, eventually retrieving her Advanced Potion-Making from under a nearby bed, where it had slid after Echo's forceful toss. She shot Echo another withering glare before bustling off to check on her other patients.
Echo lay in bed, a faint, satisfied smirk playing on his lips. He hoped Severus would actually go and apologize to Lily. It was long overdue. As for his own situation, he knew he couldn't stay put for long. He had too many questions and too many threats to deal with. Lucius Malfoy and his mysterious benefactor were still out there, and Remus's secret was still precariously balanced. He closed his eyes, pretending to sleep, but his mind was already busy, formulating new plans. The silence of the Hospital Wing was a temporary solace, but the real world and its dangers beckoned.
Later that afternoon, boredom and an insatiable curiosity got the better of Echo. He slipped out of the Hospital Wing, using Shimmer to remain unseen after summoning him from the Room of Requiem. Shimmer, a faint silver shimmer on his shoulder, chittered softly in protest but followed obediently as Echo linked himself to the creature and used his power of invisibility. His black hair, a calm canvas for his thoughts, pulsed with a thoughtful indigo as he navigated the deserted corridors. He needed answers. Specifically, he needed to know if Severus had actually followed through on his "persuasion." He made his way towards the library, reasoning that Lily, ever the diligent student, would likely be there. As he approached, he heard voices, hushed and intense, coming from a secluded alcove near the Restricted Section. Peeking around a corner, he saw Lily and Severus. They were standing close, their backs mostly to him, their figures silhouetted against the dusty shelves. Echo's indigo hair pulsed with a curious blue. He edged closer, making sure to remain completely invisible, his senses heightened.
"...and I never should have said it, Lily," Severus's voice was low, strained, devoid of its usual sneer. "It was a terrible thing to say. I was angry, I was foolish, and I deeply regret it."
Lily was silent for a moment, and Echo held his breath. Then, her voice, soft but firm, reached him. "Severus, I… I appreciate you saying that. Truly. But it hurt. It hurt me deeply, coming from you."
Echo's blue hair darkened to a thoughtful green. He watched as Severus flinched, his shoulders slumping slightly.
"I know," Severus replied, his voice barely a whisper. And I don't expect you to forgive me immediately. I just… I needed you to understand, to know that I was wrong."
Lily reached out, and for a fleeting moment, Echo thought she might touch Severus's arm. But her hand dropped, and she crossed them instead. "It's a start, Severus. It's a start."
Echo exhaled silently, a wave of relief washing over him. His green hair softened to a contented black. So, Severus had done it. Good. One small victory amidst the looming threats. He was about to turn and leave, giving them their privacy, when something else caught his attention.
"I'm also here because… I have to warn you about something, Lily," Severus continued, his voice dropping even further, a grim note entering it. "It's… about the situation with the werewolf."
Echo froze. His black hair flared with an alarmed red.
"The werewolf?" Lily asked, her voice tinged with confusion. "Severus, what are you talking about? Are you still going on about those ridiculous rumors Peeves is spreading?"
Severus shook his head, looking around nervously, as if expecting someone to overhear. "No, Lily, not rumors. This is real. Someone is trying to expose a werewolf in this school. And they almost succeeded this morning."
Lily's eyes widened. "But… who would do such a thing? And why?"
"Lucius Malfoy," Severus spat, his voice laced with venom. "And someone far more dangerous is pulling his strings. He nearly exposed Remus Lupin this morning."
Echo's red hair blazed. Severus! he thought, a surge of frantic energy coursing through him. What are you doing?! He had explicitly told Severus not to tell anyone, to let Peeves's chaos reign.
Lily gasped, her hand flying to her mouth. "Remus? But… that's impossible! Remus is… he's kind! He's my friend!"
"I know, Lily. But it's true," Severus insisted, his voice heavy with conviction. "And Echo… Echo knows. He's the one who saved Remus this morning."
Echo cursed silently, his red hair flickering with exasperation. This was not going according to plan.
Lily looked from Severus to the shadowed corner where Echo was hiding, her green eyes wide with dawning realization. Her gaze sharpened, and she stepped forward, looking directly at the spot where Echo stood.
"Echo?" she whispered, her voice barely audible. "Are you here?"
Echo sighed, knowing the game was up. His red hair faded to a resigned black. With a soft shimmer, he materialized, Shimmer chittering nervously on his shoulder, nearly spooking both Sevreus and Lily.
"Bloody hell, Severus," Echo grumbled, rubbing the back of his neck. "I thought we agreed to keep this under wraps for now."
Severus merely shrugged, a faint, defiant glint in his eyes. "She needed to know, Echo. She's not an idiot. And she's Lily."
Lily, her expression a mixture of shock and betrayal, stared at Echo. "You knew, Echo? All this time? And you didn't tell me?" Her voice was quiet, but it held a dangerous edge.
Echo met her gaze, his black hair settling into a determined indigo. "It wasn't my secret to tell, Lily. And besides," he added, glancing at Severus, "we had a plan. A plan that involved not revealing everything to everyone."
Lily, however, was not appeased. Her green eyes flashed with anger. "Not your secret? Echo, Remus is my friend! And you let him suffer alone, trying to keep this a secret from me? And you let me walk around, completely oblivious, while a dangerous plot was unfolding around us? What kind of friend does that?!"
Echo winced. Her words stung more than any curse. "Lily, I was trying to protect him! To protect all of you! Malfoy and his cronies are dangerous. They want to use Remus to get to me, and they want to expose him to the entire wizarding world! We needed to be careful!"
"Careful?!" Lily exclaimed, her voice rising. "Careful is telling your friends what's going on! Careful is not letting them walk into a trap blind! I could have helped! We could have all helped!"
Severus, seeing the argument escalating, stepped between them, his voice firm. "Lily, Echo did what he thought was best. And he did save Remus this morning, at great personal cost." He glanced at Echo, a flicker of genuine concern in his dark eyes. "He almost bled out trying to extract the curse."
Lily's anger faltered, replaced by a fresh wave of horror. She looked at Echo, her gaze softening slightly. "You… you did that? You tried to… to help him that way?"
Echo merely nodded, his indigo hair pulsing with a weary blue. "It was a dumb idea, but it was all I could think of."
Lily took a deep, shuddering breath, her anger slowly receding, replaced by a troubled sadness. "Oh, Echo," she whispered, her voice filled with a complicated mix of emotions. "Why didn't you just tell me? Why didn't you trust me?"
Echo looked down, unable to meet her gaze. "Trust, Lily," he murmured, his blue hair darkening to a troubled black. "It's a difficult thing for me." He paused, then looked up, his hollow eyes meeting hers, a raw vulnerability in their depths. "I'm sorry, Lily. I truly am. I just… I'm not used to having people care. Or to trusting them with things that could put them in danger."
Lily stared at him for a long moment, then slowly, a small, sad smile touched her lips. She reached out, and this time, her hand gently clasped his arm. "I care, Echo. We all care. And you can trust us." She squeezed his arm. "Now, tell us everything. Every single detail. From the beginning."
Echo looked at Severus and then back at Lily, a profound sense of relief washing over him. His black hair softened to a calm, reassuring grey. "Alright," he said, his voice quiet but firm. But you're not going to like it."
And so, in the hushed confines of the library alcove, under the watchful gaze of ancient tomes, Echo recounted the entire story: Remus's transformation, Peter's betrayal, Malfoy's machinations, and the ominous presence of the unknown master pulling the strings. Severus interjected with his own insights and suspicions about the dark arts and political undercurrents. At the same time, Lily listened intently, her face a canvas of changing emotions—shock, anger, fear, and a growing determination. By the time Echo finished, the sun was beginning to set, casting long, dusty shadows across the library. A new, uneasy alliance had formed, bound by a shared secret and a common enemy.
"So," Lily finally said, her voice quiet but resolute, her green eyes fixed on Echo, "we need a new plan. A better plan. One that involves all of us."
Echo nodded, his grey hair pulsing with a thoughtful indigo. "Indeed, Lily. We do." He looked at Severus, then back at Lily. "But first, we need to make sure Remus is truly safe. And we need to prepare him for what's to come."
Severus nodded in agreement. "I'll brew some stronger calming draughts. And perhaps something to boost his immune system. The strain of the transformation, coupled with the silver reaction, will have taken its toll."
Lily, meanwhile, was already thinking. "And we need to find out more about this 'master' Malfoy is working for. What do they want with Echo? And why are they targeting Remus?"
Echo's indigo hair darkened to a chilling emerald. "I think I know. It's about power, Lily. My magic is… different. Unfiltered. And I think they want to control it. To use it." He looked at his hands, a thoughtful frown creasing his brow. "And Remus… Remus was a test. To see what I would do. To gauge my loyalty. And my capabilities."
A heavy silence descended upon them, filled with the unspoken weight of the dangers they now faced. The library, once a sanctuary of knowledge, now felt like a battlefield, and they, an unlikely trio, stood at its heart.
"Alright," Lily said, her voice firm, breaking the silence. "Then we work together. All three of us. We protect Remus, we expose Malfoy, and we find out who's truly behind all of this." She looked at Echo and Severus, a fierce determination in her green eyes. "No more secrets. No more acting alone. We're in this together."
Echo looked at her, a faint, genuine smile touching his lips. His emerald hair softened to a calm, resolute black. "Agreed, Lily. We're in this together."
Severus, for his part, merely gave a curt nod, his usual sneer replaced by a grim, determined expression. "Indeed. Though I still think we should consider a potent hex for anyone who attempts to interrupt our brewing sessions."
Echo rolled his eyes, a flicker of amusement in his hollow gaze. "Baby steps, Severus. Baby steps."