The hushed sanctity of the Hogwarts library, usually a balm to Echo's restless mind, felt unusually oppressive. His black hair, a focused and determined indigo, was almost completely hidden as he hunched over a collection of ancient, leather-bound tomes in the Restricted Section. The air was thick with the scent of old parchment and latent magic, a fitting atmosphere for the dark knowledge they sought. Beside him, Severus Snape, his face a mask of intense concentration, meticulously flipped through a particularly fragile-looking volume, his long fingers carefully avoiding any tears. His dark eyes, usually narrowed in disdain, were now wide with an almost desperate focus.
"Anything?" Echo murmured, not looking up from a faded diagram of an arcane ritual.
Severus let out an exasperated sigh. "Nothing definitive. There are scattered references to 'mind-twisting' and 'will-bending' enchantments, but nothing that precisely matches your description of the green flicker, or the effects on Pettigrew." He pushed a strand of greasy black hair from his face. "This magic is truly obscure, Echo. It's almost as if it was intentionally scrubbed from common knowledge."
Echo grunted in agreement. "It would make sense. If it's a curse designed to create puppets and corrupt the good-intentioned, then the less known about it, the more effective it would be." He traced a finger over a series of unsettling symbols. "I'm finding some rather disturbing parallels to ancient possession rituals, but even those require a far greater magical output than Lucius Malfoy could manage on his own."
"Unless," Severus interjected, his voice low, "he wasn't acting alone. The Dark Lord, as you said, bestowed an object upon him. Perhaps that object acts as a conduit, amplifying his abilities, or even casting the curse itself."
Echo's indigo hair flared with sudden insight. "The locket! The one Shrink saw! It pulsed with dark energy. That has to be it!" He slammed his fist softly on the table, making a few nearby students jump. "We need to get that locket, Severus."
Severus nodded, his gaze hardening. "Agreed. But it won't be easy. Lucius will be guarding it now more fiercely than ever, especially after your… spirited performance in the Duelling Club."
"I still think I could get it," Echo mused, his indigo hair flickering with a mischievous yellow. "Peeves, perhaps? Or even Sniffles, if I can convince him there's gold involved."
Severus shook his head. "Too risky. Peeves is too unpredictable, and Sniffles, while adept at petty thievery, is hardly equipped for a direct confrontation with a well-defended seventh-year. No, this requires a more… subtle approach. Something Dumbledore would approve of, even if I don't."
Echo raised an eyebrow. "And what would that be?"
Severus leaned in, his voice dropping to a conspiratorial whisper. "We expose him. Not directly, not with the locket as evidence, not yet. But we arranged for a… demonstration. We let Lucius reveal himself, or rather, the Dark Lord's influence, in a controlled environment. A situation where his actions will be witnessed by those who matter, and where the object's power can be observed, even if its true nature remains hidden for a time."
Echo's yellow hair flared with a sudden, cunning understanding. "You want to bait him. Lure him into a trap where he has to use that locket, or at least show its power, in front of a significant audience."
Severus gave a curt nod. "Precisely. And I have just the setting in mind." He leaned back, a thin, almost invisible smile playing on his lips. "There's an upcoming meeting of the Hogwarts Board of Governors. A perfect opportunity, don't you think? Many influential wizards, including Dumbledore himself, will be present. A most… illuminating stage for Lucius's little performance."
Echo considered this, his yellow hair softening to a thoughtful blue. "It's risky. What if he doesn't take the bait? What if he's too careful?"
"He won't be able to resist," Severus countered, his voice filled with a chilling certainty. "Lucius Malfoy thrives on proving his superiority. And if we subtly imply that he is being underestimated, or that his 'methods' are not as effective as he claims, his ego will compel him to demonstrate. Especially if it involves silencing an 'insignificant' student like yourself."
Echo chuckled, a dark glint in his hollow eyes. "So, I get to be the bait again. Wonderful."
"Indeed," Severus drawled, a hint of his usual sarcasm returning. "You are remarkably effective in that role, Echo. Particularly when you are being… aggressively annoying."
Echo's blue hair flickered with amusement. "I'll take that as a compliment. So, what's the plan? How do we make sure he feels compelled to show off his new toy?"
Severus picked up a discarded quill, twirling it thoughtfully between his fingers. "We need to create a situation where his authority, or rather, the Dark Lord's perceived authority, is directly challenged. Something that pushes him to react impulsively, to silence a perceived threat, perhaps even to demonstrate his newfound power over… 'lesser' minds."
Echo's blue hair sharpened to a decisive indigo. "I have an idea. It's audacious, it's public, and it will absolutely infuriate him."
Severus raised an eyebrow, a flicker of intrigued curiosity in his dark eyes. "Do tell, Echo. I'm always open to ideas, particularly those that promise maximum irritation for Lucius Malfoy."
Echo leaned in, a mischievous, almost wicked grin spreading across his face. "Here's the plan, Severus," Echo whispered, a mischievous, almost wicked grin spreading across his face. "At the next Board of Governors meeting, I'm going to make a public accusation against Lucius. I'll claim he's been tampering with the Quidditch match results, that he's been bribing students, perhaps even using illegal charms to sabotage the opposing teams…"
Before Echo could elaborate, a voice, startlingly close and utterly unexpected, cut through the hushed silence of the Restricted Section.
"Echo? Severus?"
Both wizards jumped, their heads snapping up. Standing at the entrance to the Restricted Section, looking entirely too healthy and unnervingly bright-eyed, was Peter Pettigrew.
"Peter!" Echo exclaimed, his indigo hair flaring with shock.
"Pettigrew?" Severus echoed, his voice a low, disbelieving growl.
Peter merely smiled, a wide, almost beatific grin. "Hi, guys!"
Echo scrambled to his feet, his mind racing. "Peter, what are you doing back here already? I thought you were in St. Mungo's?"
Severus, equally perplexed, added, "Undergoing treatment, I assumed. Did they discharge you already?"
"Oh, I was," Peter said cheerfully. "But they're miracle workers over there! I feel fine; in fact, I'm better than fine. I feel like I can take on the world!" He puffed out his chest, a new, almost unsettling confidence emanating from him.
Echo and Severus exchanged a quick, worried glance. They instinctively huddled closer, their voices dropping to urgent whispers.
"Drugs," Severus hissed, his eyes narrowed suspiciously. "They must have given him some potent Mirth Potion, or a controlled dose of a highly stimulating concoction. He's clearly high as a Hippogriff."
Echo shook his head, his blue hair flickering with doubt. "No, it's more than that, Severus. There's something… off. His eyes aren't glassy, and he's not fidgety. It's almost as if he's too normal. I want to test him."
Without another word, Echo separated from Severus and walked purposefully towards Peter. His blue hair settled into a calm, reassuring indigo. "Peter," he began, his voice deliberately casual, "are you really alright? Truly?"
Peter, who had been admiring a particularly ornate carving on a nearby shelf, turned to Echo, his smile unwavering. "Yes, Echo, I'm perfectly fine. Say, can you hand me that book? The one about Ancient Runes? I've been meaning to brush up on my magical history."
Echo retrieved the requested tome, a heavy, leather-bound volume, and handed it to Peter. As Peter took it, Echo continued, his gaze piercing. "And you're really, really alright? No lingering effects from… You know. Before?"
Peter blinked, a flicker of confusion crossing his face. "No, Echo, I told you. I feel great! Why do you keep asking?"
Echo pressed on, his voice softening, yet retaining an underlying edge of intensity. "Do you have any underlying malicious intent, Peter? Any wicked thoughts? Any dark desires that you didn't have before?"
Peter looked genuinely baffled. "No! Of course not, Echo! What a strange question. Is everything okay with you?"
Echo offered a faint, unconvincing smile. "Perfectly. Just… curious." With a soft POP, a fluffy, purple Puffskein materialized in his hand. It blinked its large, innocent eyes, looking utterly harmless and entirely helpless. Echo held it out to Peter. "Peter," he said, his voice slow and deliberate, "when you look at this completely harmless and helpless Puffskein, what's your first thought? You could, after all, easily smash it to death with the book you're holding."
Peter stared at the Puffskein, his gaze unblinking. A long moment of silence stretched between them, punctuated only by the distant sounds of the castle. Echo and Severus, watching from a discreet distance, exchanged increasingly nervous glances. Peter's grip on the heavy book visibly tightened. Then, Peter reached out a hand, gently stroking the Puffskein's soft fur. The creature cooed and purred, licking his hand affectionately.
Peter's smile returned, gentle and entirely genuine. "My first thought?" he said, his voice soft. "My first thought is, 'Oh, what a cute little furball. I wonder if he'd like a scratch behind the ears.'" He continued to pet the Puffskein, which leaned into his touch. Peter then looked up at Echo, a faint frown on his face. "Echo, are you alright? And Severus? You both look like you've seen a ghost."
At that moment, Shimmer, with a silvery ripple, turned visible and jumped from Echo's shoulder onto Peter. The Demiguise meticulously inspected Peter, pulling on a strand of his hair, sniffing his ear, running a careful hand over his arm, before jumping back to Echo and giving him a shrug that conveyed nothing but complete normalcy.
Echo let out a slow, shaky breath. "Yes, Peter," he said, a strange mix of relief and lingering confusion in his voice. "You're… you're fine."
Peter beamed. "I told you! Totally fine! Well, I'm going to go find James, Sirius, and Remus. I hear they're having a study session in the Common Room. See you later!" With a final, cheerful wave, Peter Pettigrew, apparently completely recovered and disturbingly well, strode out of the Restricted Section, leaving Echo and Severus staring after him in stunned silence.
"Severus," Echo began, his voice a strained whisper, his blue hair flickering with bewildered uncertainty, "have all those potion fumes finally gotten to us? Are we both inhaling too many unidentified vapors?"
Severus shook his head slowly, his face etched with a grim weariness that went beyond mere fatigue. "I wish that were the case, Echo. I truly do."
"Then what in Merlin's name happened?" Echo demanded, his indigo hair pulsing with frantic questions. "Did that dark charm really just… vanish? Did St. Mungo's actually work a miracle that even Madam Pomfrey couldn't comprehend?"
Severus ran a hand through his greasy black hair, his eyes still fixed on the empty space where Peter had been. "Perhaps it did work, Echo," he theorized, his voice low and thoughtful, "but not to its full extent. Lucius may have performed the ritual correctly, or at least thought he did, but perhaps there were several crucial steps he either forgot or unknowingly failed to complete."
Echo nodded, his indigo hair softening to a thoughtful blue. "You have a point. You said yourself that this kind of magic is so dark and so ancient that its tomes have tomes written about it. Maybe even this 'Dark Lord' person, in his arrogance, didn't know how to work it properly and ended up causing Lucius to fluke."
A flicker of almost reluctant hope crossed Severus's face. "If that's the case," he mused, "then perhaps we don't have to find a way to undo something that never truly took effect. If Lucius is trying to make puppets, he's not using enough strings."
Echo let out a long, shaky breath, his blue hair settling into a relieved, contented gold. "That's… that's a relief, Severus. Truly. But now," he added, his gaze sweeping over the ancient texts, "we'll have to think up something else to expose him."
As they spoke, entirely engrossed in their conversation, neither Echo nor Severus noticed when Peter, now far down the corridor and out of their sight, paused for a brief, almost imperceptible moment. For a fleeting instant, his eyes glazed over, shimmering with a faint, almost luminous green hue before returning to their normal, cheerful blue. Then, with a bright smile, he continued on his way, humming a jaunty tune.