Echo stirred, the insistent clamor of the Hogwarts morning a dull roar in his skull. His internal clock, usually so precise, felt muddled, ticking sluggishly somewhere between a distant gong and a tired hiccup. He knew, with a logical certainty born of exhaustion, that he had achieved a mere three hours of sleep. Insufficient. Grossly insufficient. He pushed himself off the bed, his limbs heavy, his mind a foggy expanse of grey. He barely registered the movement as he pulled on his robes, his fingers fumbling with the ties. His black hair, usually vibrant and responsive, hung limp and utterly devoid of color, a dull, lifeless grey. He made his way to the Great Hall, the echoing chatter of students a painful assault on his ears. The vibrant morning light streaming through the enchanted ceiling windows felt like daggers to his eyes. He navigated the bustling hall on autopilot; his gaze fixed on the usual secluded table in the back, the one farthest from the Gryffindor boisterousness and nearest to the calming, logical presence of his companions.
Lily was already there, her red hair a bright beacon in the otherwise blurry landscape of Echo's vision. Severus sat opposite her, his usual scowl a comforting familiarity, though even his presence felt distant. Frank Longbottom, stoic and generally quiet, was meticulously buttering a piece of toast. And, to Echo's vague surprise, Amos Diggory was there too, looking uncharacteristically serious. Echo sank onto the bench beside Lily, his entire body screaming for recalibration. He reached for a piece of toast, his hand trembling slightly, making the butter knife clatter against the plate. He managed to spread a thin layer of butter, his movements painfully slow and deliberate, and then attempted to bring the toast to his mouth. His hand wavered, missing his target by a significant margin.
Lily, ever observant, leaned closer, her voice soft, laced with concern. "Echo? Are you alright? You look… particularly grey this morning."
Echo paused, the toast halfway to his ear. He blinked, the effort monumental. "Yes," he droned, his voice flat, devoid of its usual inflection.
Severus, who had been watching with a predatory gleam, snorted. "He looks like he's been wrestling a hippogriff. Or perhaps a particularly difficult theorem, as is his wont."
Frank, looking up from his toast, offered, "You seem…tired, Echo."
"Yes," Echo replied, managing to guide the toast into his mouth finally. He chewed slowly, each bite a conscious effort.
Amos, his brow furrowed, chimed in, "Did something happen last night, Echo?"
"Yes," Echo mumbled around a mouthful of toast, his eyes drooping.
Lily's concern deepened. She gently placed a hand on his arm. "Echo, did you…Did you get any sleep at all?"
"Yes," Echo answered, his eyes closing for a moment, then snapping open with a jolt.
Severus leaned forward, a cruel smirk on his face. "Are you feeling quite lucid, Echo? Or are you about to attempt to transfigure your pumpkin juice into a sentient, self-aware teapot?"
"Yes," Echo responded, reaching for his pumpkin juice, nearly knocking over the goblet.
Lily sighed, pulling the goblet out of his reach. "Echo, you need to eat something proper. And get some rest. Are you sure you're feeling well enough for classes?"
"Yes," Echo replied, attempting to retrieve his pumpkin juice with a slow, clumsy gesture.
Frank, always practical, suggested, "Perhaps Madam Pomfrey, Echo? She might have something for… extreme exhaustion."
"Yes," Echo said, his head beginning to loll to the side.
Amos leaned over, studying Echo's unnaturally still face. "Are you… Are you even awake, Echo?"
"Yes," Echo whispered, his eyes fluttering shut completely. His head thunked gently against Lily's shoulder. He was out.
A beat of silence followed, broken only by the clinking of cutlery and the distant murmur of the hall. Then, Lily let out a soft gasp. "He's asleep! Oh, poor thing."
Severus, however, seemed to find a new source of amusement. "Remarkable," he drawled, his lips twitching upwards. "He's managed to reduce complex thought to a single, affirmative grunt. Truly a testament to his own form of idiocy."
Frank, a small smile playing on his lips, nudged Echo gently. "Echo? Are you dreaming of logical theorems?"
Echo, without opening his eyes, murmured, "Yes."
Amos chuckled, a rare sound from him. "Echo, if I told you that Professor Cleen was planning to teach a class on the proper etiquette of dueling with a spoon, would you believe me?"
"Yes," Echo sighed, his head nestled deeper into Lily's shoulder.
Lily, despite her concern, couldn't help but smile. "Echo, if I said I saw a flock of Fwoopers carrying Dumbledore's hat across the Quidditch pitch, would that be a yes?"
"Yes," Echo mumbled, a faint, almost imperceptible twitch beneath his eyelids.
Severus, now openly smirking, leaned closer. "Echo, if I informed you that Potter and Black have finally achieved sentience, would your answer remain 'yes'?"
A soft snort escaped Echo, almost a chuckle. "Yes."
Amos burst out laughing. "Echo, are you secretly a Squib who only pretends to be a wizard to gain access to the Hogwarts library?"
"Yes," Echo replied instantly, his voice unwavering.
Frank shook his head, still smiling. "Echo, is it true that you secretly enjoy the taste of pickled newt eyes?"
"Yes," Echo confirmed, a faint sigh accompanying the word.
"Alright, that's enough," Severus interjected, his amusement fading as he noted Echo's continued, deep exhaustion. He nudged Echo's arm, a surprisingly gentle gesture. "He's practically comatose. Leave him be. He needs rest, not your insipid attempts at humor."
Lily stifled another giggle. "Honestly, it's a little bit funny, isn't it? He's just so… consistently affirmative."
Amos, however, seemed to get a mischievous glint in his eye. "I want to try a few more. Echo," he began, leaning in conspiratorially, "if you kiss a mermaid, does it allow you to breathe underwater?"
"Yes," Echo mumbled, still slumped against Lily.
"And do mermaids cry pearls?" Amos pressed.
"Yes," Echo affirmed, a faint sigh accompanying the word.
"What about this, then? If a candle painted by a mermaid goes for a ton of money?" Amos asked, barely containing his grin.
"Yes," Echo replied instantly, his voice unwavering.
Amos chuckled, then leaned even closer, his voice dropping to a theatrical whisper. "And, Echo, if you eat mermaid flesh, does it grant immortality?"
The word hung in the air. Echo's head snapped up from Lily's shoulder, his eyes wide and piercing, the dull grey of his hair instantly blazing into a furious, brilliant white. He was suddenly, terrifyingly, entirely lucid.
"NO!" Echo snarled, his voice a sharp crack. "That is a monumentally idiotic myth, Diggory! A completely illogical and utterly false piece of folklore! You will never attempt such a profoundly stupid act, and you will never ask a mermaid such a question! When I, in a moment of extreme logical curiosity, asked Skate about that particular human delusion, she responded by asking if eating human genitals grants higher fertility! Do you comprehend the sheer, unmitigated idiocy of that premise?!"
Severus, who had been watching the entire exchange with growing amusement, rolled his eyes and let out a dry snort. "Of course," he drawled, a smirk playing on his lips, "he becomes lucid after that question. Entirely predictable."
Amos, still a bit stunned, asked, "So, what about the other things I asked? Do mermaids cry pearls? Does kissing one let you breathe underwater? Can a mermaid paint a super expensive candle?"
Echo's hair pulsed with frustration. "NO!" he groaned. "All that stuff is just silly stories that make humans do dumb things! A kiss from a mermaid? It's just a kiss. It won't let you breathe underwater. Mermaids can use magic to help you breathe underwater, but a kiss isn't magic. And a candle painted by a mermaid? First, they live underwater. How would they even keep a candle lit or paint it? Second, mermaids don't have hands like ours, nor do they care about painting candles. It makes no sense!" Echo took a deep breath. "As for crying, I don't know if mermaids cry. I've never seen Skate cry. But listen to me: do NOT try to make a mermaid cry just to see if they make pearls. It will not end well for you."
Lily, her own face now pale with concern, placed a calming hand on Echo's arm. "Echo, calm down! We're sorry, really. We were just teasing. We didn't mean to upset you so much." Frank and Amos, looking chastened, nodded in agreement.
Echo's brilliant white hair slowly receded, dimming to a slightly agitated grey. He ran a hand through it, sighing. "Sorry," he said, his voice flat. "I'm just wound up after a very eventful night. Things I don't want to talk about."
Lily's eyes softened. "Speaking of events, Echo," she began, a hopeful note entering her voice, "would you, by any chance, be willing to help Severus and me with something? It's for a very important project."
Echo, still somewhat dazed, blinked slowly. "Yes," he murmured, his head beginning to droop once more.
Lily smiled, a flicker of mischievousness in her eyes. "Perfect. I'll come get you during class."
The dull drone of Professor Binn's voice was a familiar lullaby in the Magical History classroom. Echo, slumped in his chair, was in a semi-conscious state, his grey hair still proclaiming his exhaustion. He was dimly aware of the date of the Goblin Rebellions blurring into the lifespan of some forgotten Minister for Magic. He was so deeply entrenched in the realm of logical nothingness that the sharp rap on the classroom door barely registered.
Professor Binns, a ghostly figure who taught by perpetually floating three inches above the ground, paused mid-sentence. "Yes? Can I help you, Miss Evans?"
Lily's voice, bright and energetic, cut through the room's somnolence. "Professor Binns, I'm so sorry to interrupt. But Professor Flitwick sent me. He was wondering if I might, perhaps, borrow Mr. Echo for a short period? For a rather urgent and, dare I say, intricate charms demonstration?"
Echo, still half-asleep, felt a faint stirring of alarm. Charms demonstration? Urgent? Intricate? This does not compute.
Professor Binns, ever obliging, simply nodded. "Ah, yes, Mr. Echo's… unique aptitudes. Very well, Miss Evans. Do try to return him in one piece, if you please."
"Of course, Professor!" Lily chirped, stepping into the classroom. She walked directly to Echo's desk, her smile radiant. She pulled him gently from his chair, her hand firm on his arm. "Come on, you. We're going to be late."
Echo stumbled out of the classroom, blinking in the brighter corridor light. His grey hair flickered with a faint, questioning violet. "Evans," he stated, his voice still a monotone, though a hint of curiosity was beginning to pierce through his exhaustion. "What's this about? And why'd you yank me out of class? Not that I mind getting out of the class."
Lily, practically dragging him along, laughed. "Oh, don't be such a grump, Echo. It's that thing we talked about at breakfast. The 'project,' remember?"
Echo paused, forcing his sluggish mind to access the memory. The 'project.' Her hopeful tone. His affirmative, exhaustion-induced response. He groaned internally. "The vague 'project' I somehow agreed to when I was practically dead?"
"Exactly!" Lily beamed, oblivious to his sarcasm. "And don't worry, you don't actually have to do anything. Sev and I just need you to… well, stand there and look pretty."
Echo stopped dead in the corridor, forcing Lily to halt as well. His grey hair pulsed, momentarily overcome by something akin to genuine, startled indignation. He fixed Lily with a flat, unwavering stare. "You think I look pretty, Evans?"
Lily stared at him for a long moment, a slow, playful smile spreading across her face. Then, she reached out and playfully slapped his arm. "Oh, shut up, you ridiculous boy! You know what I mean. Now come on!" She tugged him forward again, pulling him down the corridor.
They arrived at the Charms classroom, which was already bustling with students. Professor Flitwick, perched on a stack of books at the front, beamed at their arrival. Lily guided Echo to the very front of the class, positioning him squarely in front of the assembled students. Severus, already present, moved to stand beside them, a faint, almost imperceptible smirk playing on his lips.
"Evans," Echo whispered, his voice still flat, his grey hair flickering with confusion, "What, precisely, is the logical objective of this particular scenario?"
Lily simply winked. "You'll see, Echo. Just… stand there."
She then turned to the class, a brilliant, confident smile on her face. Severus, looking far more composed than usual, joined her in addressing the room. "Good morning, everyone," Lily began, her voice clear and enthusiastic. "Today, Severus and I are excited to present our project on the 'Chroma-Lux Charm,' a revolutionary application of color-changing magic."
Severus, in his usual dry tone, continued, "Specifically, we have developed a stable and adaptable version of this charm for cosmetic use, primarily in hair care. Imagine, if you will, a shampoo that, when applied, causes one's hair to shift in color based on emotional responses subtly."
Lily picked up, her eyes gleaming. "The beauty of it, beyond the immediate visual effect, is its lingering properties. If the charm is applied consistently over a prolonged period, the hair retains a more permanent, albeit still fluid, connection to the user's emotional state. The colors become more vibrant, more distinct, and the shifts more pronounced. It's a magical tapestry of one's inner world, visible for all to see."
As she spoke, Severus produced a series of large, enchanted photographs from a satchel. He held up the first one: a snarling, terrifying image of a Dementor.
Echo's grey hair immediately flared into a brilliant, terrifying white, pulsing with raw fear. The class gasped, murmuring excitedly.
Severus, unperturbed, held up the next picture: a rather unflattering caricature of Dolores Umbridge, rendered with exaggeratedly sickly green skin.
Echo's still-white hair shifted, and streaks of furious crimson bled through, then turned to a deep, disgusted violet. More gasps and whispers filled the room.
The next image was a serene, sun-drenched painting of the Hogwarts lake, complete with a gracefully arcing mermaid tail disappearing into the depths.
Echo's hair softened, and the angry colors receded, replaced by a warm, shimmering gold and salmon pink. A collective murmur of 'oohs' swept through the students.
Severus then held up a picture of a stack of very thick, very dusty, very boring-looking magical history textbooks being held by Professor Binns.
Echo's hair dimmed, settling into a dull, flat grey that seemed to absorb the light. A few students giggled.
Finally, Lily, with a triumphant grin, held up a charming, almost cartoonish drawing of a Niffler, its tiny paws clutching a glittering pile of gold coins.
Echo's hair exploded into a chaotic, dazzling swirl of emerald, gold, and vibrant violet, pulsing with what could only be described as intense, unbridled avarice and possessive delight. The entire class collectively gasped, then broke out into excited chatter, pointing at Echo's wildly changing hair.
Echo stared at the Niffler picture, then at Lily's beaming face, then at Severus's smug smirk. The realization, cold and undeniable, slammed into him. He was the demonstration. He was the living, breathing, color-changing proof of their project. He was being used as a display.
His hair, still a riot of greedy colors, abruptly dulled, becoming a lifeless, exhausted grey. He looked down at the ground, a profound weariness settling over him, mixed with a familiar, logical exasperation and a flicker of something dangerously close to humiliation.
"I'm gonna crash out; I swear to God," Echo mumbled, his voice a low, utterly defeated whisper.
Professor Flitwick clapped his tiny hands together, his face alight with unadulterated delight. "Absolutely brilliant, Miss Evans! Mr. Snape! A truly innovative and wonderfully executed demonstration! The stability, the vibrance, the sheer… expressiveness! I daresay this is one of the finest charm applications I have seen in decades! An A plus, most certainly!" He then turned to the class, his voice ringing with enthusiasm. "Does anyone have any questions for Miss Evans and Mr. Snape regarding their remarkable Chroma-Lux Charm?"
Echo, still staring at the Niffler drawing, slowly raised a hand. His grey hair, though dull, pulsed with a renewed, dangerous violet.
Professor Flitwick beamed. "Ah, Mr. Echo! Always a keen observer! Do you have a question?"
"More of a statement, Professor," Echo stated, his voice flat, but with a chilling undercurrent that made the air in the room thicken. He looked up, his hollow eyes fixing on Lily and Severus. "I was not, in any logical capacity, made aware of the precise nature of this 'demonstration.' Nor was I informed that I would be the unwitting subject of said demonstration. Therefore, once this presentation concludes, I will be biting both Miss Evans and Mr. Snape for their profound sneakiness."
Lily's triumphant smile faltered. Severus's smug smirk vanished, replaced by a flicker of alarm.
"Biting?" Lily squeaked, her eyes wide. "Echo, come on! It was just a little… surprise!"
"Yes, 'biting,' Evans," Echo confirmed, his voice chillingly precise. "A measured, logical consequence for unauthorized personal deployment. Unless you require a more detailed anatomical description of the planned application?" His grey hair began to swirl with an ominous, predatory black.
Lily gulped, then looked at Severus, whose face had gone a shade paler. "Can… can we at least have a head start?" she asked, her voice a nervous whisper.
"Five," Echo stated, his voice a low growl.
"Five what?" Lily asked, utterly bewildered.
"Four," Echo said, slowly raising his hand and counting down on his fingers.
Panic flared in Lily's eyes. She grabbed Severus's hand, whose own eyes were now wide with dawning horror. "Thank you, Professor!" Lily yelled, already pulling Severus towards the classroom door.
With a surge of desperate energy, they bolted, scrambling out of the classroom as fast as their legs could carry them. The door slammed shut behind them.
Echo's black hair flared. "GET BACK HERE AND ACCEPT YOUR PUNISHMENT!" he roared, his voice echoing through the silent classroom.
Professor Flitwick, after a moment of stunned silence, let out a delighted squeal. "Oh, my, Mr. Echo! Such… vigor! A most impressive display of focus and determination!" He then turned to the bewildered class, his eyes sparkling with excitement. "Well, you heard him! Perhaps not a question, but certainly a statement! And a most effective demonstration of the Chroma-Lux Charm, would you not agree?" The class, still reeling from the sudden burst of chaos, murmured in agreement.
Echo, his black hair still blazing with frustrated fury, stormed out of the classroom. He could hear Professor Flitwick's continued delighted commentary behind him, a grating sound that only fueled his irritation. He didn't care. His only logical objective now was to locate and inflict a measured, logical consequence upon Lily Evans and Severus Snape. He broke into a furious, ground-eating stride, his long legs covering the distance down the corridor with alarming speed. He was not, he mused, in the mood for logical conversations. He was in the mood for biting.