The sphere of darkness around them dissolved, leaving Echo and Remus in the pale, pre-dawn light, the white werewolves still curled around Remus. Echo's purple hair shimmered softly, then faded back to a weary grey. He gently pulled away from Remus, who was still sniffling softly, and took a clean, dark robe from his expanded pocket, offering it to Remus.
"Here," Echo said, his voice flat, but with a raw edge. "You'll need something clean. We need to go. The sun's coming up, and we don't want to get caught."
Remus nodded, pulling on the robe. It was still a bit large, but much better than the leaves. He looked at the three white werewolves who had started to uncurl from around him.
"Thank you, Moonfang, Shadow, Whisper," Remus whispered, stroking Moonfang's head. "You were… very comforting."
The white werewolves responded with soft, rumbling growls. Then, with a silent command from Echo, they shimmered and vanished, returning to wherever they lived.
"Right," Echo stated, his grey hair flickering with a renewed sense of urgency. "Follow me. We're using the kitchen door. Less chance of being seen."
He set off quickly, Remus hurrying to keep up. They moved through the fading darkness of the Forbidden Forest, the air getting colder as the first sunlight started to break through the trees. Echo moved with incredible accuracy, avoiding fallen branches and hidden roots, while Remus, still tired, stumbled sometimes.
They finally emerged from the forest at the edge of the castle grounds, a small, hidden path leading them towards the large kitchen gardens. Echo moved to a small, plain door near the ground, almost hidden by overgrown ivy. It was clearly a house-elf entrance, small and easily overlooked. Echo pressed his palm against the door. It glowed faintly, then clicked open softly. He pulled it open, revealing a narrow, stone passage that smelled faintly of baking bread and something like metal.
"This way," he murmured, urging Remus inside.
They moved silently through the winding passages of the Hogwarts kitchens, the sounds of clattering pots and pans and the happy chatter of house-elves growing louder as they neared the main kitchen. Echo stopped before a larger door, listening for a moment.
"Alright, Lupin," Echo whispered, his voice flat. "This is where we split up. You go up to Gryffindor Tower. Get to Madam Pomfrey. Tell her you were… 'exploring.' Tell her you fell down some stairs, and she'll fix you up. Don't tell her, or anyone else, about this. Not a word. Understand?"
Remus nodded, his face serious. "Understood, Echo. And thank you. Again. For everything." He hesitated, then impulsively reached out and clasped Echo's shoulder. You really are… a true friend."
Echo blinked at the touch, his grey hair flickering with a brief, almost startled, blue. He gave a short, almost unnoticed nod. "Yes, well. It made sense to help. Now go."
Remus squeezed his shoulder once more, then slipped out the door, disappearing into the main castle corridors. Echo watched him go, then, with a soft sigh, pushed the kitchen door shut behind him. He needed to get to the Slytherin common room. Sleep, even if it didn't make sense given how he felt, was something he needed. He moved through the quiet corridors, the silence of the early morning broken only by the distant chirping of birds. His grey hair was slowly starting to turn back to its natural black, but the exhaustion still clung to him. He was just nearing the dungeons, his thoughts already drifting to the unsure comfort of his bed, when a familiar, sneering voice stopped him cold.
"Well, well, if it isn't our creature-lover," Lucius Malfoy drawled, stepping out from a shadowy corner, his pale eyes gleaming with furious hate. He looked like he had been waiting for Echo, his fancy robes slightly messy. "Still sneaking around in the dark, I see. Not so eager to be seen after what you did last night, are we?"
Echo stopped, his black hair flaring with a deep, frustrated purple. He had hoped to avoid this. "Malfoy," Echo stated, his voice flat and without any warmth. I believe I told you to stop bothering me clearly. Your being here is a problem, at least until the end of the year."
Lucius's eyes narrowed, and a cold smile twisted his lips. "Oh, you told me, did you? You threatened me. You, a half-blood freak, dared to touch me, a Malfoy. My father will hear about this, and you will be sorry you ever thought you could challenge my family." He took a step forward, his hand shooting out. Before Echo could react, Lucius grabbed a handful of Echo's black hair, yanking his head back with surprising force. "You think you're so powerful, don't you?" Lucius snarled, his voice a furious hiss. "You think you can just walk around, insulting purebloods, daring to attack me in front of everyone? My father will destroy you. He will make you beg for mercy. He will show you what real power is, you unimportant mutt!" With a violent shove, Lucius threw Echo backward, sending him stumbling into the open door of a nearby unused bathroom, which crashed against the stone wall.
Echo landed with a grunt against the cold, tiled floor. He scrambled up, his black hair blazing with a silent, terrifying rage. Lucius stood in the doorway, his chest heaving, his face twisted with anger and victory.
"You'll learn your place," Lucius spat, his voice trembling with barely controlled fury. "You'll learn to respect those better than you. I know what you are, Echo. I know what you did last night. I know what you can do. And if you ever, ever touch me again, if you ever look at me with that rude stare, I will make sure your miserable little life isn't worth living. I will make sure you wish you had never been born. I'll make you pay for every insult, for every slight, for every disgusting bit of dark magic you use. Do you understand, you little monster?"
Echo straightened slowly, his body radiating a cold, strong threat. His black hair, from top to bottom, turned a strong, horrifying green, pulsing with an ancient, dangerous feeling that made the air in the bathroom crackle. His empty eyes, usually so emotionless, blazed with a terrifying, unnatural light that seemed to cut through Lucius's brave act.
"Shut up, Paris Hilton," Echo stated, his voice a low, rough growl, completely losing its usual flatness, replaced by a chilling, snake-like tone. "Your threats don't matter. Your attempts to scare me are silly. You bore me." He took a slow, deliberate step forward, and then another, forcing Lucius to step back instinctively. "I told you once, Malfoy. Don't push it." Echo paused, his green hair blazing brighter, casting an eerie glow on Lucius's suddenly pale face. "You threaten me? You, just any other human, who thinks wearing his mother's old wig makes him scary? I will grab you by that silly, blonde hair again, not gently this time, and I will throw you into the Black Lake. And my girlfriend, who thinks you're disgusting, will enjoy having you for breakfast. She doesn't like you. Not at all. And when she doesn't like something, she tends to… eat it. Completely."
Lucius's face, which had been pale with rage, now lost all color, turning a sick shade of grey. His eyes, wide with real fear, flickered towards the bathroom door behind him, as if thinking about running away immediately. He swallowed hard, visibly trembling.
Echo held his gaze for a long moment, then, with a subtle change in his aura, the strong green in his hair softened, fading slightly, though a dangerous hint remained. "Now," Echo stated, his voice returning to its usual flat, tired tone, "I am going to my room to get any amount of sleep before class. Don't bother me again. You're being alive, however annoying, is okay for now. Don't make it otherwise."
He turned, walking past the frozen Lucius without another look, leaving the terrified boy alone in the dim corridor. Echo reached the Slytherin common room, and the green glow of the lake was a familiar comfort. He pushed open the heavy door to his dormitory, the soft creak echoing in the quiet room. He glanced at Snape's bed. Severus was sitting up, leaning against the headboard, the note still in his hand. His dark eyes, usually so sharp, were wide, thoughtful, and held a complex mix of anger, surprise, and a strange, almost unwilling, respect.
Echo closed the door and fell onto his bed with a groan. He didn't bother with the curtains; he just lay there, staring at the ceiling, and his gray hair slowly turned back to black. He was completely tired, but in a good way. Finishing a complicated task, even a messy one, felt good. He heard Snape get out of bed and walk towards him. Echo didn't open his eyes.
"Echo," Snape's voice, usually mean, was softer now, curious. "The note. What do you mean, 'unregistered Animagi'? Potter, Black, Pettigrew?"
Echo sighed, tired. "Exactly what it means, Snape. They turn into animals. James is a deer, Sirius is a big dog, and Peter is a rat. They've been doing it for years to be with Lupin when he turns into a werewolf. It's against the law, and they could be kicked out of school or sent to Azkaban prison."
There was a silence, then Snape gasped. "Animagi?" Snape repeated, almost whispering, a mix of understanding and anger. "Those… those proud, stupid Gryffindors… they're Animagi? And they've been using it to… run around with a werewolf?" His voice grew louder, angrier, and happier all at once. "This is… this is better than I ever hoped for. This is their end, Echo! Their complete, glorious ruin!"
Echo finally opened his eyes and looked at Snape, who stood by his bed. Snape's dark eyes had a look of both happiness and vengefulness. Echo's black hair glowed faintly with a warning blue light.
"Yes, Snape," Echo said flatly. "It is. But you won't tell anyone they're Animagi. Not yet."
Snape's happy look disappeared, replaced by an angry frown. "What?! Are you crazy, Echo?! This is my chance! My chance to finally take them down! After everything they've done… the bullying, the shame… You want me to just… sit on this?"
"I want you to think smart, Snape," Echo replied, his voice getting harder, the blue in his hair getting darker. "Telling people now would be… dumb. You'd feel good for a moment, yes. However, it wouldn't ultimately benefit them. Dumbledore would find out what they can really do, and even if he punished them, he'd find a way to make it less bad. He likes Potter too much."
Echo pushed himself up, leaning against the headboard, staring at Snape. "No. You'll keep this information. You'll use it to control them. You'll make sure their future 'pranks,' as they childishly call their destructive actions, are aimed elsewhere. Away from you. Away from innocent people. Maybe towards… less important targets. And in return, you'll have some control over their otherwise messy lives."
Snape stared, clearly fighting between getting revenge now and Echo's cold, smart plan. The idea of controlling the Marauders, of having a constant threat over their heads, was exciting.
"But… what about Lupin?" Snape finally managed, still suspicious. "You said not to talk about him. Why? He's a werewolf, Echo. He's dangerous. They all are!"
Echo sighed, tired. "Lupin is… a known problem. Dumbledore already knows about his condition and has for years. Exposing Lupin would only hurt him badly, and it would expose Dumbledore's secret, which he would definitely protect. It would, simply put, be a waste of your valuable control. And it would disrupt a well-made, albeit flawed, system. Besides, Lupin isn't mean. He's just… sick. The other three, though, enjoy being mean without reason."
He paused, his voice getting a tiny bit softer. "You don't need to target every part of their shared stupidity, Snape. Choose your fights. Choose what you use to control them. And make sure it has the biggest, longest-lasting effect."
Snape's eyes narrowed, a hint of respect in them. "So, I'm to be their… silent killer, then?" he thought aloud, a slow, cruel smile twisting his lips. "Waiting for the right moment to strike, armed with knowledge that will completely destroy them?"
"Exactly," Echo confirmed, his voice flat. "It's a much better, and truly more satisfying, way to get revenge. It lets you control them without a direct fight. And it leaves them always weak. A truly wonderful, if completely illogical, way to torture them."
Snape let out a low, rough laugh, a sound of pure, complete meanness. "Very well, Echo. I accept your… terms. They will pay. Oh, they will pay dearly, indeed."
Echo nodded, pleased. "Good. Now, if you wouldn't mind, I need about three hours of quiet sleep. After that, I expect a rather tricky problem in getting Mr. Lupin back to the castle without causing more… illogical problems."
Snape just grunted, which could have meant agreement or just dark amusement. He turned, got his robes, and lay back on his bed, but Echo could feel the simmering, happy meanness coming from him. The seed of revenge had been planted. And it would definitely grow into a very unpleasant, long-term problem for the Marauders.
Echo closed his eyes again, letting the quiet hum of the castle and Snape's distant, happy snickers from his bed put him into a restless, dreamless sleep. The night's chaos was finally, for a moment, calm. But the complicated logic of his life, and the illogical mess of others, was far from over.