Echo nodded, a flicker of genuine anticipation in his eyes. He turned and plunged deeper into the Forbidden Forest, the three white wolves padding silently at his heels. The Marauders, Lily, and Severus followed, a hesitant, wary procession illuminated by the unnatural glow of Echo's rainbow hair. The air grew heavier, the silence more profound, broken only by the rustling of leaves and the distant, unseen calls of the forest.
Echo moved with an almost ethereal grace, weaving through the ancient trees as if he were part of the forest itself. He tapped the Marauder's Map with his wand, and the intricate lines glowed, guiding him along a path that wasn't on any known Hogwarts map. The tiny footprints of the Marauders, Lily, and Severus trailed behind his own, a stark contrast to the ominous, larger dots that occasionally flickered on the edges of the map, indicating creatures of immense size and power. He avoided those for now.
After what felt like an eternity of walking through winding paths and over gnarled roots, a faint, almost imperceptible tremor vibrated through the forest floor. It was a rhythmic thumping, deep and resonant, growing steadily louder. A low, guttural chittering sound began to accompany it, echoing through the trees. The Marauders exchanged wide-eyed, terrified glances. Lily gasped, her hand tightening convulsively on Severus's. Even Severus, for once, looked genuinely unnerved, his jaw clenched.
"Echo, where are we going?" James whispered, his voice strained. "What is that sound?"
"Yeah," Sirius added, his eyes wide. "It sounds like… like something enormous."
Echo paused, tapping the Marauder's Map with his wand. He glanced at the moving dots representing the Marauders, Lily, and Severus, then looked up at the moon, visible as a pale disc through the thinning canopy. A faint, almost imperceptible smirk touched his lips.
"We're going dancing," Echo stated, his voice flat, devoid of a single tremor.
The others stared at him, bewildered.
"Dancing?" Lily repeated, her voice a mixture of confusion and disbelief. "Echo, what are you talking about?"
Severus merely raised an eyebrow, a silent question in his narrowed eyes.
Echo ignored their reactions, his rainbow hair bobbing as he continued to walk, the thumping and chittering growing louder and closer. He led them through a final, dense thicket of trees, and then they emerged into a wide, grassy clearing. The air here was strangely still, almost magical, and the half-moon hung directly overhead, casting an ethereal glow over the open space.
"What on earth, Echo?" James demanded, looking around the empty clearing. "There's nothing here!"
"He's finally lost it," Sirius muttered under his breath.
Echo simply turned, his dark eyes fixed on them, a chillingly calm expression on his face. "Watch," he commanded, his voice a low, almost mesmerizing purr.
As if on cue, a herd of creatures began to emerge from the shadows of the opposing tree line. They were Mooncalves—pale, smooth-skinned, four-legged creatures with large, flat feet and prominent, bulging eyes. They moved with a soft, rhythmic thud, their heads bobbing, their wide eyes gazing at the moon. The sound of their arrival, the rhythmic thumping, filled the clearing.
The Marauders gasped, their faces paling. Lily pressed a hand to her mouth. Even Severus, for once, looked genuinely surprised. Echo, however, showed no fear. A faint, almost joyful light sparked in his emerald eyes. He walked forward, his movements fluid and graceful, until he stood directly in front of the largest Mooncalf. With a surprisingly elegant bow, Echo offered his outstretched hand.
The Mooncalf, its large eyes blinking slowly, lowered its head. With exquisite gentleness, it placed one of its large, flat front feet onto Echo's palm. A wide, genuine smile, unforced and radiant, bloomed on Echo's face—a smile they had never seen before. He then, with a strange, almost effortless strength, lifted the Mooncalf's foot and began to twirl, dancing around the clearing with the majestic creature, his rainbow hair a vibrant blur against the moonlight. The Mooncalf, seemingly enchanted, moved in perfect sync with him, its large eyes fixed on the moon, its soft chittering filling the air like a strange, happy song.
The sight was utterly surreal. The feared, silent, emotionless Echo transformed into a graceful, joyful dancer, waltzing with a creature from myth under the moonlight. The Marauders, Lily, and Severus watched, speechless, a mixture of bewilderment, awe, and a faint, creeping discomfort settling over them. As Echo twirled with the Mooncalf, the other Mooncalves in the herd began to join in, their soft thumping joining the rhythm of the dance. The clearing transformed into a silent, ethereal ballroom, filled with the gentle thudding of large feet and the soft, chittering sounds of the Mooncalves. Echo moved amongst them all, his laughter, soft and melodic, echoing faintly through the trees—a sound as alien and shocking as his radiant smile.
James, Sirius, and Remus gaped, their mouths slightly ajar. "I… I don't understand," James stammered, rubbing his eyes as if to clear his vision. "Is this… real?"
Sirius, for once, was utterly devoid of a witty remark. He simply stared, a look of profound, unadulterated confusion on his face. "I… I don't know, Prongs. I don't even know what to say."
Remus, however, found a strange, almost poetic logic in the scene. "He said he was going dancing," he murmured, a faint, tired smile touching his lips. "He really meant it."
Lily, still holding Severus's hand, watched with wide, fascinated eyes. The fear had completely vanished, replaced by a deep, almost childlike wonder. "He's…he's beautiful when he smiles. I missed seeing that smile," she whispered, almost to herself.
Severus, who had remained silent, his expression a tight mask, finally let out a low, almost reluctant huff of breath. He looked from Echo to Lily, then back to the dancing Mooncalves. A faint, almost imperceptible tremor ran through his hand, which still held Lily's. He found himself utterly, irrevocably speechless. This was Echo. This was the boy he knew, yet transformed into something utterly beyond his comprehension. This was not the brooding, silent Slytherin. This was… magic. Unfettered, untamed, and undeniably joyous.
He spun the Mooncalf in a graceful dip, its large eyes blinking contentedly. Echo straightened, his smile still radiant, his rainbow hair shimmering under the moonlight. He turned his luminous gaze to the stunned onlookers, his chest still thrumming with a newfound, exhilarating joy.
"Well?" Echo called out, his voice clear and unexpectedly bright, carrying easily across the clearing. "What are you all waiting for? An invitation? Get in here! Unless you want me to have all the fun."
James and Sirius looked at each other, then at Remus. Even in their bewilderment, the challenge in Echo's voice, the sheer audacity of his invitation, was undeniable. And the sight of Lily's rapt, almost serene expression as she watched Echo dance with the Mooncalves was an unexpected catalyst. They couldn't let him have all the "fun," or let Lily think he was the only one capable of such strange, captivating magic. Remus, with a weary but intrigued sigh, was the first to move. He limped forward, his gaze still fixed on Echo. "Alright, Echo," he murmured, a faint smile touching his lips. "Show us. Show us how to dance with Mooncalves."
Lily, still holding Severus's hand, gently pulled him forward. Severus resisted for a moment, his sneer returning, but Lily's determined gaze and the strange, compelling pull of the scene finally swayed him. He released her hand but followed grudgingly. James and Sirius, with a final, desperate glance at each other, followed suit, their movements stiff and awkward compared to Echo's fluid grace. They stepped onto the clearing, the rhythmic thumping of the Mooncalves filling the air.
Echo turned to them with a triumphant, albeit fleeting, flash in his emerald eyes. He extended a hand to Remus and then made a silent gesture to the Mooncalves. "It's simple," he said, his voice surprisingly patient. Feel the rhythm. They move in conjunction with the moon and the Earth. Match their tempo."
Slowly, awkwardly at first, the Marauders and Lily, even Severus, began to try. Remus, despite his injured arm, found a surprisingly natural rhythm, his movements adapting with a quiet grace. Lily, with a shy smile, tentatively reached out to a smaller Mooncalf, and to her delight, it gently nudged her hand, its large eyes blinking softly. She began to sway, a tentative joy spreading across her face. James and Sirius, however, were a disaster. They stumbled over their own feet, nearly tripping over the Mooncalves, who merely blinked at them with serene indifference. James, frustrated, tried to grab a Mooncalf's foot, only for the creature to neatly step around him, sending him sprawling. Sirius, attempting a flourish, ended up spinning into a tree.
Severus, to everyone's surprise, found a detached, almost mathematical precision in the Mooncalves' movements. He didn't dance, not truly, but he moved with a stiff, almost robotic accuracy, avoiding contact while still moving in sync with their peculiar rhythm. A flicker of something akin to grim satisfaction crossed his face. Echo watched them, his radiant smile now replaced by a familiar, blank impassivity, though a faint, almost imperceptible tremor of amusement vibrated in his chest. He had led them here, shown them a glimpse of his world, and their reactions were as predictable as they were entertaining. The cacophony of their clumsy attempts, the frustrated grunts, the occasional surprised yelps—it was a symphony of chaos.
The moon continued its slow arc across the sky, and the Mooncalves continued their ethereal dance, their soft thumping and chittering filling the clearing. The Marauders, Lily, and Severus, caught in the strange magic of the moment, forgot their fear, their grudges, their lingering embarrassment. For a brief, stolen hour, they were simply human, dancing under the moonlight with creatures from a forgotten realm, guided by a boy who was as much a mystery as the forest itself.
As the night wore on, the Mooncalves' rhythmic thumping began to wane. The half-moon, which had been their guiding light, started to disappear behind a growing bank of dark, heavy clouds. The ethereal glow in the clearing faded, and the Mooncalves, sensing the change, slowly began to disperse, melting back into the shadows of the forest with soft chitters and gentle nudges. The silence that followed their departure was profound, broken only by the rustling of leaves and the distant calls of nocturnal creatures.
James, Sirius, Remus, Lily, and Severus stood in the now-darkened clearing, their faces strangely mixed with exhilaration and exhaustion. The magic of the dance had worn off, leaving them with a lingering sense of wonder and a renewed appreciation for the bizarre.
"That… that was incredible, Echo," Lily said, her voice soft with genuine awe. "Thank you. I… I never would have imagined."
Remus nodded, a tired but sincere smile on his face. "Yeah, Echo. That was… surprisingly fun. Even with my arm."
James, though still looking slightly bewildered, managed a grudging nod. "Alright, Slytherin. That was… something. Definitely not what I expected from detention."
Sirius, however, still looked utterly flummoxed. "I still don't understand how you made them dance. And what even are those things?"
Echo, his radiant smile now completely gone, replaced by his usual impassive expression, merely shrugged. His rainbow hair, however, still pulsed faintly in the gloom. "The fun," he stated, his voice flat, "has only just begun."
The Marauders and Lily exchanged confused glances. Severus, meanwhile, subtly adjusted his robes, a flicker of suspicion in his eyes.
"What do you mean, 'only just begun'?" James asked, a fresh wave of apprehension washing over him. "Our detention is over. The Mooncalves are gone. We should head back to the castle."
Echo's lips curled into that familiar, bloodless smile, a chilling counterpoint to the earlier joy. "Have any of you," he purred, his voice a low, dangerous whisper, "ever seen an adult unicorn up close? I mean, really, truly seen one? In its natural habitat?"
James's eyes widened, and Sirius's jaw dropped. Remus looked thoughtful, while Lily's brow furrowed in a mix of trepidation and curiosity. Severus merely sneered, though his eyes darted nervously into the deeper shadows of the forest.
"Unicorns?" James stammered. "Echo, they're incredibly skittish! And dangerous! You can't just… approach them!"
Echo ignored him, turning and stepping back into the trees, the white wolves melting silently into the gloom beside him. "Follow me," he commanded, his voice flat, a hint of steel beneath the calm, if you want to see true beauty and true power. If you still want to."
Grudgingly and with no small amount of trepidation, the others followed. Echo led them deeper still, through a maze of ancient, silent trees. The Marauder's Map was clutched in his hand, its faint glow illuminating a path that grew steadily more overgrown. The air grew strangely sweet, filled with the scent of wild jasmine and damp, earthy soil. After a few more minutes of walking, James suddenly stopped, a look of profound disgust on his face.
"Oh, for Merlin's sake, Echo!" James groaned, gesturing wildly at a cluster of rustling bushes ahead. "Are you bringing us to a nest of angry Kneazles now? I can hear them hissing! This is just ridiculous!"
Echo paused, turning his head slowly, his blank gaze fixing on James. "Kneazles?" he repeated, his voice flat. He then waved a hand towards the direction he had been leading them, a new, vibrant shimmer of light just visible through the trees. "Potter, turn around."
James, still grumbling, reluctantly turned. Sirius, Remus, Lily, and Severus's eyes widened in stunned disbelief. In the clearing, a breathtaking sight unfolded before them. A herd of adult unicorns grazed peacefully under the pale moonlight, their coats gleaming with an ethereal radiance. Their single, spiraling horns spiraled upwards, catching the faint light and scattering it into a thousand shimmering fragments. They were magnificent, larger and more imposing than the foals, yet exuded an aura of profound gentleness and purity.
James, Sirius, and Remus stood transfixed, their earlier fear forgotten, replaced by a stunned reverence. Lily gasped, her hands clasped to her chest, tears welling in her eyes at the sheer beauty before her. Even Severus, his sneer completely gone, looked on with an expression of quiet awe, his dark eyes reflecting the magical glow of the creatures.
Echo, his rainbow hair a vibrant contrast to the stark white of the unicorns, walked forward with quiet confidence. The magnificent creatures, usually skittish and elusive, did not shy away. Instead, they raised their heads, their large, intelligent eyes fixing on him with what seemed to be a gentle recognition. He reached out a hand, and a majestic mare, its horn gleaming, lowered its head, allowing him to stroke its silken mane.
"Come closer," Echo murmured, his voice soft, almost a caress. "They won't hurt you. They sense purity of heart." He looked directly at Lily. "Lily. You first."
Lily hesitated for a moment, then, with a slow, almost reverent step, approached the mare that Echo was stroking. She reached out a trembling hand, and the unicorn, with a soft whicker, nudged its head into her palm. Lily's face broke into a radiant smile, tears freely streaming down her cheeks as she gently stroked its head.
One by one, albeit with more apprehension, the others followed. Remus, cautious but curious, tentatively reached out and felt the surprising warmth of a unicorn's muzzle against his fingers. Even James and Sirius, after much internal debate, found themselves drawn forward, their hands hesitantly stroking the creatures' flawless coats. The unicorns, sensing no malice, remained calm, occasionally nuzzling them with surprising gentleness. Severus, after a moment of intense internal struggle, approached a large stallion. He didn't touch it, but simply stood before it, his eyes meeting its deep, wise gaze, a silent acknowledgment passing between them.
The time spent in the clearing passed in a magical haze. The students, unaccustomed to such profound peace and beauty, felt their tension melt away. The forest, once a place of fear, now felt filled with a gentle, ancient magic. Finally, as the last unicorn turned and began to fade back into the deeper shadows of the forest, Echo turned to the group. His blank expression had returned, but a faint, almost imperceptible warmth seemed to linger in his eyes.
"Well?" Echo asked, his voice flat. "Did you…enjoy your detention?"
Lily, still wiping tears from her eyes, nodded vigorously. "It was… it was truly beautiful, Echo. Thank you."
Remus, a genuine smile on his tired face, echoed her sentiment. "More than I ever expected from detention, that's for sure."
Even James and Sirius, though still a little dazed, managed a quiet, if slightly awkward, agreement. Severus merely inclined his head, a silent acknowledgment of the experience.
Echo surveyed their softened, awestruck faces. The cold satisfaction that had thrummed in his core since the Mooncalf dance intensified. He had shown them something profound, something that transcended their petty rivalries and fears.
"Good," Echo stated. He paused, his gaze sweeping over them once more. "Do you…still want to see something else? Before we head back to the castle? There are… other inhabitants of the forest."
To Echo's cold surprise, and a faint flicker of delight in his core, the answer was a unanimous, if hesitant, chorus of agreement. Lily nodded eagerly, her eyes shining. Remus looked intrigued. Even James and Sirius, perhaps fueled by a lingering sense of adventure or a desire to truly understand this enigmatic second year, agreed. Severus merely raised an eyebrow, a silent challenge in his eyes.
"Excellent," Echo murmured, a genuine, if cold, satisfaction in his tone. "Follow me."
He led them deeper into the Forbidden Forest, following a path even less discernible than the last, a faint glow from the Marauder's Map in his hand guiding him. The white wolves padded silently behind, their presence a comforting, familiar weight. The air grew cooler, and the scent of damp earth and pine was replaced by something drier, more earthy, like ancient stone and horse. After a walk that felt both endless and strangely short, Echo stopped. Ahead, nestled in a wide, natural clearing, was a cluster of rough-hewn, almost tribal dwellings. Fires crackled, sending plumes of smoke curling towards the sky, and the silhouettes of powerful, equine figures moved around them.
"Centaur encampment," Echo stated, his voice flat. "They are… territorial. But they know me."
He stepped forward into the clearing, his rainbow hair glowing softly. Immediately, several centaurs, their powerful horse bodies gleaming in the firelight, turned, their bows raised, their faces stern. Their dark and ancient eyes fixed on the unexpected group.
The Marauders, Lily, and Severus froze, their faces paling once more. Centaurs were known for their fierce independence and distrust of humans.
"Greetings, Ronan," Echo called out, his voice calm and clear, cutting through the sudden tension. "I bring… new acquaintances."
A centaur, taller and more imposing than the others, with a rich chestnut coat and intelligent, knowing eyes, stepped forward. Ronan. His gaze swept over the students, lingering for a moment on Echo's face, a flicker of something unreadable in his eyes.
"Echo," Ronan rumbled, his voice deep and resonant. "You bring many from the castle. Are they troubled?"
"No, Ronan," Echo replied, shaking his head. "They are merely… curious. And they have learned a lesson tonight, about the forest and its inhabitants."
Ronan considered this, his gaze still assessing. Then, to the astonishment of the students, a smaller centaur, barely more than a foal, with a mischievous glint in its eyes, burst from behind Ronan. It galloped directly towards Echo, its small hooves thudding softly on the earth.
"Echo!" the young centaur whinnied, its voice high-pitched and excited.
Echo's blank expression softened almost imperceptibly. He knelt, and the young centaur, Frieze, immediately barrelled into him, wrapping its surprisingly strong arms around his neck in a full-body hug. Echo, with a genuine, if fleeting, smile, returned the embrace, gently patting Frieze's back.
The Marauders, Lily, and Severus could only stare, their minds reeling. The silent, emotionless, terrifying Echo was hugging a baby centaur. It was a sight that defied all logic and preconceived notions.
"I told you," Echo murmured, his voice flat, but with a faint, almost imperceptible warmth. "There are…other inhabitants, and they're not all dangerous, just protective."
Ronan watched the interaction, his large head giving a faint, almost approving nod. "Indeed, Echo," he rumbled. "The forest guards its own. You are of the forest, now, in spirit." His gaze swept over the human students, a flicker of ancient understanding in his eyes. "Stay, if you wish. Share our fire. But know that the stars hold many secrets still."
Echo rose, Frieze still clinging to him for a moment before scampering back to its kin. He turned to the bewildered group. "We can stay for a little while," he said, his voice flat. "Ronan and the others are… interesting. And the night is still young."
Hesitantly, and with many wary glances at the centaurs, the Marauders, Lily, and Severus stepped further into the encampment. The centaurs, initially cautious, slowly returned to their activities, though their eyes remained watchful. Lily, ever the curious one, cautiously approached a centaur sketching constellations on a large piece of bark. Remus, intrigued by the centaurs' knowledge of the stars, joined her, engaging in a quiet conversation. James and Sirius, after a moment of awkward silence, found themselves drawn to a group of younger centaurs practicing archery, their competitive instincts kicking in. Even Severus, after a long, internal debate, found a quiet spot near Ronan, observing the camp with an almost clinical detachment.
Echo, with Sniffles occasionally peeking out from his robes, moved silently among them all, a silent observer. He felt a strange sense of… belonging. He had brought these disparate elements together, the curious humans and the ancient, wary centaurs, under the watchful eyes of his silent white wolves. He was the bridge, the translator of worlds. And the cold, nascent warmth within him pulsed with a quiet, undeniable satisfaction.
James, never one to be easily deterred by a challenge, finally mustered his courage and approached Ronan. "Ronan, sir," he began, a rare note of deference in his voice, "I was just wondering… would it be terribly impolite to ask for a ride? On your back, I mean? Just for a bit?"
Ronan turned his intelligent eyes on James, a faint, almost imperceptible smirk playing on his equine lips. "And would you, young human, find it to your liking to carry another on your back, through the wilds of this forest?" he rumbled, his voice laced with dry amusement.
Echo, who had been silently observing, suddenly piped up. "I wouldn't mind carrying someone," he stated, his voice flat, "but everyone here is far too big." His gaze swept over the Marauders, Lily, and Severus, then back to the centaurs. His rainbow hair seemed to pulse with an idea. "However," he continued, looking at the small, mischievous Frieze, "Frieze would probably be small enough." He turned to the young centaur. "Would you like a ride, Frieze? On my back?"
Frieze's eyes lit up, and he looked at Ronan, who, after a moment of silent communication, gave a slow, deliberate nod of approval.
"Yay!" Frieze whinnied, bouncing with excitement.
Echo, with surprising swiftness, knelt down. Frieze, with an eager whinny, scrambled onto Echo's back, wrapping his small arms around the boy's neck. Echo straightened, adjusting Frieze's weight, and then, to the utter astonishment of the onlookers, he burst into a run, weaving through the centaur encampment with unexpected speed and agility. His rainbow hair streamed behind him like a vibrant banner, and Frieze's delighted squeals echoed through the clearing.
The Marauders, Lily, and Severus watched, mouths agape, as Echo, with a baby centaur on his back, darted between centaur dwellings and around crackling fires, a blur of motion and bright colors. Echo even managed a few playful spins, making Frieze shriek with laughter. This was a side of Echo they had never imagined. Then, just as he was rounding a particularly gnarled tree root, Echo's foot caught. He stumbled, pitching forward, and with a soft yelp from Frieze, they both tumbled to the ground in a tangle of limbs and rainbow hair.
Silence fell over the encampment. All eyes were on the spot where they had fallen. Frieze, miraculously unhurt, immediately scrambled off Echo's back, looking concerned. Echo, however, remained on the ground for a moment, pushing himself up slowly. He grimaced, then gingerly reached up, wiping something from his face. He pulled his hand away, inspecting the dark, viscous substance coating his fingers.
"Oh, for Merlin's sake," Echo muttered, his voice flat and profoundly disgusted. He held up his hand, displaying the dark, muddy-looking smear. "I sincerely hope this is mud."
A collective groan of revulsion rippled through the onlookers.
"It smells like…like really old, damp socks," James said, wrinkling his nose.
Sirius gagged dramatically. "And dead somethings. Definitely dead somethings."
Remus, however, leaned closer, his brow furrowed. "Echo, are you… are you alright? You hit your head, didn't you?"
Echo merely stared at his muddy hand, his expression a mixture of profound annoyance and growing horror. "I am perfectly fine, Lupin. But this… this is an abomination. And it is on my hair." He gingerly touched a section of his rainbow hair, now smeared with the same dark, foul-smelling substance. The vibrant colors seemed to dull instantly.
Frieze, the young centaur, giggled, his eyes sparkling with mischief. "You fell in the mud puddle, Echo! It's fun!"
Echo shot him a withering look. "It is not fun, Frieze. It is… disgusting. And it is ruining my aesthetics."
Ronan, the lead centaur, let out a deep, rumbling laugh. "A true child of the forest, Echo! Always finding the dirtiest spots!"
Echo sighed, a sound of profound, cold weariness. He slowly rose, looking down at his mud-splattered robes, then at his hair. The vibrant hues of his rainbow hair, which had been a symbol of defiance and an unexpected source of amusement, now looked utterly grotesque.
"I need a bath," Echo stated flatly, his voice filled with an intensity usually reserved for life-or-death situations. "Immediately. And I need this… this mud-demon exorcised from my hair." He looked at the Marauders, Lily, and Severus, his eyes blazing with a new, almost desperate urgency. "Now."
Severus, still smirking faintly, flicked his wand. "Scourgify!" he intoned, a jet of purple light lashing out and enveloping Echo. The foul-smelling mud, along with every speck of dirt and grime, vanished instantly, leaving Echo's robes pristine and his rainbow hair gleaming with its original, vibrant hues, even brighter than before in the faint light.
Echo ran a hand over his now-clean hair, a satisfied, if cold, expression on his face. "Much better," he stated, then turned to Severus. "Thank you, Snape."
Severus merely sniffed, though the corners of his lips twitched. "Hardly a challenge for a Slytherin. Now, can we go? This particular brand of rustic charm is wearing thin."
"Indeed," Echo replied, turning to the centaurs. "Ronan, Frieze, thank you for your hospitality. We must be going now. We have one more stop for the night."
Ronan dipped his head in acknowledgment. "Go with the stars, Echo. May your path be clear." Frieze, still giggling, waved his small hand.
With a final nod, Echo turned and led the way out of the centaur encampment, the Marauders, Lily, and Severus following behind. The white wolves padded silently at his heels, their forms melting into the shadows.
"Where are we going now, Echo?" Lily asked, her voice filled with a mixture of exhaustion and renewed curiosity. "I thought our detention was well and truly over."
"It is," Echo replied, his voice flat. "This is… extra credit. And it's close to Hagrid's hut. It won't be long now."
They walked in silence for a few more minutes, the path gradually ascending. Soon, they emerged from the dense trees onto a wide, flat cliff overlooking the Forbidden Forest below. In the distance, Hagrid's hut stood like a solitary beacon, and beyond it, the illuminated windows of Hogwarts Castle twinkled against the dark sky.
"So, this is it?" Sirius asked, scanning the empty cliff face. "Is this where we meet you're… your Wick person? The one you said that even if all of us told everyone in school, no one would believe us?"
Echo turned, his rainbow hair fluttering gently in the breeze. His lips curved into that faint, bloodless smile. "Indeed, Black. This is it."
With a graceful, almost theatrical movement, Echo brought the tip of his black wand to his lips. His eyes, fixed on the vast, dark expanse of the forest below, narrowed slightly, a flicker of raw concentration replacing their usual blankness. His rainbow hair seemed to pulse with a faint, internal light. He didn't speak, but a silent, intense energy radiated from him, a desperate hope clinging to the cool night air.
Severus, observing with a mixture of suspicion and a faint, almost imperceptible curiosity, raised an eyebrow. "What, pray tell, is the meaning of this dramatic gesture?" he drawled, his voice tinged with disdain. "Are you attempting to summon a particularly potent form of… boredom?"
Echo lowered his wand slightly, his eyes still fixed on the forest, a faint tremor running through him. He turned his blank gaze to Severus, then to the wide-eyed Marauders and the curious Lily. "I'm not entirely sure, Snape," he admitted, his voice flat, a strange, almost childlike vulnerability in his tone. "This is the first time I've ever tried to call Wick this way. And honestly," he continued, a faint, almost imperceptible shrug of his shoulders, "I just made up this method. On the spot. I'm just… throwing stuff at the wind to see what happens."
A profound silence descended upon the cliff. James, Sirius, and Remus gaped, their earlier awe replaced by utter bewilderment. Lily's eyes widened, and a faint gasp escaped her. Severus, however, seemed to freeze, his sneer momentarily vanishing, replaced by a look of dawning horror.
"Potter! Black! Lupin!" Severus barked, his voice sharp with a sudden, genuine alarm. He grabbed Lily by the arm, pulling her back with surprising force. "Stand back! Far back! He might… he might explode!"
Lily whispered back to the group, "If he does explode, I hope it's at least into rainbows."
Echo brought his wand to his lips once more, his eyes blazing with fierce intent. He whistled, a low, resonant note that seemed to hum with suppressed power. As the sound left his lips, it intensified, a beam of pure, focused magic erupting from the tip of his wand, arcing outwards over the vast expanse of the Forbidden Forest. The air shimmered, vibrating with the force of it.
The Marauders, Lily, and Severus watched, captivated and terrified, as the magic surged, twisting and coalescing in the distant darkness. A few seconds later, a shadow detached itself from the deeper gloom of the forest, growing rapidly larger. A powerful, beating sound, like colossal wings battling the air, thrummed through the night. Then, with a mighty swoop, the griffin, the very same one that had appeared during the morning's brawl, descended from the sky, its golden feathers gleaming faintly in the moonlight, its sharp talons extended as it landed with a heavy thud directly in front of them. A collective shriek tore through the silence of the cliff. James, Sirius, and Remus stumbled backward, their faces contorted in utter horror.
"I knew it wasn't an illusion!" James shrieked, his voice high-pitched and strained.
"I told you!" Sirius added, clutching his chest. "I absolutely knew it!"
"That thing is real!" Remus choked out, his eyes wide and fixed on the magnificent, terrifying creature.
Lily gasped, her hand flying to her mouth, though her eyes held more awe than pure terror. Severus, for his part, merely stared, his eyes narrowed, a mixture of profound disbelief and faint, grudging respect warring on his face.
Echo, however, simply tilted his head, a faint frown touching his lips. "Oh," he stated, his voice flat. "That wasn't Wick. This is… unexpected." He glanced at the trembling Marauders, then back at the majestic griffin, which was calmly preening a feather on its powerful chest. "Still, this works too." He turned to the group, his blank gaze sweeping over their terrified faces. "Come closer," he commanded, his voice flat but firm. "It won't hurt you. Not as long as I'm here. I told you, he only responds to me. He is merely… awaiting instruction."
The Marauders remained rooted to the spot, their eyes wide, their legs seemingly fused to the ground. Severus merely sneered, though he made no move to approach. Lily, however, after a moment of hesitation, took a tentative step forward, her gaze fixed on the griffin.
"Are you… Are you sure?" she whispered, her voice laced with a mixture of fear and deep curiosity.
Echo nodded. "Positive. Come." He extended a hand to her, and with careful steps, Lily approached, her eyes still fixed on the griffin. As she drew closer, the griffin shifted its head, its intelligent, golden eyes regarding her with an unnerving intensity.
"He's magnificent," Lily whispered, her voice filled with awe. "Can I… can I touch him?"
Echo reached out, gently stroking the griffin's powerful flank. "Slowly," he instructed, his voice unusually soft. "He is… particular." He guided Lily's hand, placing it gently on a patch of the griffin's golden feathers. The griffin let out a low, rumbling sound, almost a purr, leaning slightly into Lily's touch.
Lily's face broke into a radiant smile, tears welling in her eyes once more. "He's so soft!" she breathed. "He's… he's just wonderful, Echo." She looked up at him, her eyes shining. "Does he have a name?"
Echo paused, his gaze sweeping over the creature. "No," he stated, his voice flat. "I haven't named him. I haven't… needed to."
"Oh!" Lily exclaimed, her eyes lighting up. "Could I? Could I name him?"
Echo considered this, a faint, almost imperceptible shift in his blank expression. A flicker of cold amusement, perhaps, or even a nascent curiosity. "Very well, Lily," he stated, his voice flat. "You may. What do you propose?"
Lily beamed, her eyes sparkling. "Godrick!" she declared, her voice ringing with newfound confidence. "Like Godrick Gryffindor. He's so brave and strong, just like our griffin!"
Echo stared at her, his usual blank expression momentarily giving way to a flicker of something akin to incredulity. Then, a soft, almost imperceptible huff of air escaped his lips, followed by another, and then, to the utter astonishment of everyone present, a low, tuneless chuckle began to emanate from his chest. It wasn't a warm, joyful sound, but a cold, dry, almost robotic mirth, a sound they had rarely, if ever, heard from him.
"Godrick?" Echo repeated, the word sounding foreign and strangely amusing in his flat tone. His rainbow hair seemed to pulse with his suppressed amusement. "Isn't that a bit… on the nose, Lily? Considering the house whose members I just beat senseless, and who are currently standing there looking like they've seen a ghost?" He gestured vaguely at the pale, wide-eyed Marauders.
James, Sirius, and Remus flinched, their faces flushing with renewed embarrassment and a fresh wave of indignation.
Lily, however, merely giggled, a genuine, joyful sound. "Well, he is brave, Echo! And magnificent!" She looked at the griffin, who nudged her hand gently, as if in agreement.
Echo considered this, his laughter fading back into his usual impassivity. He looked from Lily's radiant face to the majestic griffin, then to the sputtering Marauders, whose expressions were a mixture of outrage and lingering awe. A cold, pragmatic thought formed in his mind. The irony was delightful. And Lily's happiness, however fragile, was an unexpected, almost pleasant sensation.
"Very well, Lily," Echo stated, his voice flat, a faint, almost imperceptible smirk touching his lips. "Godrick, it is. Though I will be sure to remind him of his… Gryffindor leanings, should he ever get too full of himself." He turned to the griffin. "Godrick," he commanded, his voice firm. The griffin ruffled its feathers, letting out a soft, acknowledging huff.
Echo watched as Godrick, now named, ruffled his feathers, a majestic creature settling into his new identity. He turned to the griffin, his voice flat but carrying an undeniable authority. "Godrick. You may return to the forest now."
With a powerful beat of his golden wings, Godrick launched himself into the night sky, a magnificent silhouette against the pale moon. He circled once, a silent acknowledgment to Echo, then soared away, vanishing into the darkness of the Forbidden Forest. A profound silence descended upon the cliff once more, broken only by the distant sounds of the forest. The Marauders, Lily, and Severus stared after the vanishing griffin, their faces still etched with a mixture of awe and disbelief.
"He just… flew off," James whispered, a note of bewildered wonder in his voice.
Sirius merely shook his head, a faint, disbelieving chuckle escaping him. "I still can't believe that was real. And that Echo just… commanded it."
Remus, however, turned to Echo, a thoughtful expression on his face. "Echo," he began, his voice low, "earlier, when you were trying to summon the griffin, you said, 'That wasn't Wick.' Who is Wick? Is it another… one of your creatures?"
Echo, his impassive expression firmly back in place, merely shrugged. "Perhaps." He then tilted his head, his dark eyes fixed on something high above them, almost invisible against the black sky. A faint, leathery beating sound, far more powerful and resonant than the griffin's wings, began to thrum through the air, growing steadily louder.
The others followed his gaze, squinting into the darkness. A colossal, dark shape, larger than anything they had yet seen, began to materialize from the clouds. It was serpentine, with immense, bat-like wings that beat with a rhythmic, thunderous roar. Its scales gleamed faintly in the sparse moonlight, reflecting the distant lights of Hogwarts like scattered jewels. It was a dragon, magnificent and terrifying, and it was flying directly overhead, its huge head occasionally turning, its massive eye a glowing, unblinking orb. The Marauders gasped, their faces draining of all color. Lily pressed a hand to her mouth, her eyes wide with a mixture of terror and awe. Even Severus, for the first time that night, looked genuinely, utterly horrified, his sneer completely gone.
Echo merely pointed a casual finger upwards, his voice flat and devoid of emotion. "That," he stated, as the enormous dragon swept past, its shadow momentarily engulfing them, "is Wick."
A collective, strangled shriek ripped through the air. James, Sirius, and Remus stumbled backward, their legs finally giving out and collapsing in a heap. Lily let out a small, terrified whimper. Severus, astonishingly, clapped a hand over his mouth as if to prevent a scream from escaping. Echo looked down at their paralyzed, terror-stricken faces, a faint, almost imperceptible smirk touching his lips. His rainbow hair seemed to pulse with a silent, triumphant glow.
"See?" Echo stated, his voice flat. "I told you. Even if you told everyone in Hogwarts, no one would believe you." He then turned, his figure melting into the shadows of the path leading down the cliff. "Now, if you're done collapsing, we should head back to Hagrid's hut. It's late."
The journey back to Hagrid's hut was made in stunned, terrified silence. The Marauders clung to each other, their eyes darting nervously into every shadow. Lily walked beside Echo, clutching his hand. Her face was pale, but her gaze was still fixed on the spot where the dragon had vanished. Severus, surprisingly, remained close to Lily, occasionally glancing at Echo with a look of profound, unsettled bewilderment. The white wolves padded silently at their heels, their intelligent eyes missing nothing.
When they finally reached Hagrid's hut, the half-giant was waiting, a warm fire crackling cheerfully inside. He looked up as they approached, his eyes twinkling. "Well, Echo, me lad? Get 'em back safe? Find any more interesting creatures out there?"
Echo merely nodded, his expression blank. "Indeed, Hagrid. They were… quite enlightened." He cast a dismissive glance at the still-trembling Marauders. "And now, I require sleep. Goodnight, Hagrid."
He turned and strode off towards the castle, the three white wolves melting silently into the darkness behind him. Sniffles, the Niffler, poked his head out of Echo's robe pocket, chittering softly.
Hagrid looked from Echo's retreating form to the pale, shell-shocked students. "What in the blazes happened to yeh lot?" he rumbled, his brow furrowed with concern. "You look like yeh've seen a ghost!"
James, Sirius, Remus, Lily, and Severus merely stared at him, their eyes wide and haunted. For once, their voices were completely, utterly gone.
Lily, however, finally found her voice, though it was strained and breathy. She turned from Echo's vanishing figure to the silent, bewildered faces of her friends, her eyes blazing with a mixture of exasperation and profound shock. "Echo!" she exclaimed, her voice barely a whisper yet ringing with a raw intensity. You have to tell me what the hell you did over the summer! What was all that?"
Echo, who had paused for a moment at the edge of the forest path, turned his head slightly, his rainbow hair gleaming in the faint light from Hagrid's hut. He looked at Lily, his expression as blank as ever. "A lot," he stated, his voice flat. "A very great deal, Lily." He then paused, a faint, almost imperceptible smirk touching his lips. "But I will tell you the whole story later. Every tedious detail. Even the part where the Dementor almost soul-ganked me."
A collective gasp escaped the Marauders. James's eyes widened, and he instinctively put a hand to his chest, as if to ward off a sudden chill. Sirius looked genuinely disturbed, and Remus's face paled further.
Echo merely nodded, his gaze sweeping over their stunned faces. "Indeed. Quite the unpleasant experience. But that, too, can wait. Goodnight."
He turned and continued on his path towards the castle, the white wolves dissolving into the shadows behind him. Sniffles, now fully emerged, chittered a cheerful goodnight from Echo's pocket. The Marauders, Lily, and Severus remained rooted to the spot, staring after him.
"He… he was telling the truth about the Dementor," James whispered, his voice hoarse, a strange, haunted look in his eyes. He shivered, despite the warmth of the fire from Hagrid's hut. "That explains… a lot. The hair. The… everything."
Sirius nodded slowly, his face still pale. "Yeah. It does, doesn't it?" He looked at Remus, a flicker of understanding dawning in his eyes. "No wonder he's… like he is."
Remus merely sighed, rubbing his bandaged arm. "Indeed." He then turned to Hagrid, who was still beaming at the lingering magic in the air. "Hagrid, is there any tea? We could use a very, very strong cup of tea."