As Echo, Shimmer, and Sniffles navigated the quiet, late-night corridors, a sudden whoosh of fabric and a muffled thud were the only warnings. Before he could react, a rough, burlap bag was yanked over Echo's head, plunging him into instant darkness. Strong hands grabbed him, hauling him off his feet, and he felt himself being dragged, then jostled, through what felt like a series of twisting passages. His blue hair flared with alarm, but he kept silent, listening, trying to discern his captors. The journey was short, ending with a jarring bump as he was unceremoniously dropped into a chair. The bag was ripped from his head, and Echo blinked, his eyes adjusting to the dim, flickering light. He was in a small, circular room, the stone walls bare and cold. Four hooded figures stood around him, their faces obscured by deep shadows, illuminated only by the glow of several thick, black candles arranged in a circle on the floor. Echo's blue hair settled into a wary indigo.
"Welcome, seeker of forbidden knowledge," one of the figures intoned, their voice deep and resonant, clearly disguised. "You have been chosen. The ancient prophecies speak of one who walks between worlds, a master of beasts, a wielder of untamed power. Join us, and together, we shall unlock the secrets of the cosmos, transcend the mundane, and claim our rightful place among the stars!"
Another figure stepped forward, their voice equally dramatic. "The celestial alignments are upon us! The time of reckoning is nigh! Cast aside your earthly bonds, embrace the shadows, and let your inner beast guide you to true glory!"
Echo rolled his eyes, his indigo hair flickering to an exasperated green. "Oh, for Merlin's sake," he muttered, immediately recognizing the overly theatrical voices and the utterly ridiculous, pseudo-occult gibberish. "James, Sirius, Peter, Remus, what in the blazes are you four doing?"
The hooded figures froze, a beat of stunned silence hanging in the air. Then, the first figure, clearly James, cleared his throat, attempting to regain his composure. "Silence, mortal! You speak to the… the Shadow Lords of the Seventh Veil! Your insolence shall not be tolerated!"
"Yeah, yeah, Shadow Lords, very impressive," Echo deadpanned, his green hair pulsing with amusement. "Now, seriously, cut it out. This isn't funny."
"The ritual must be completed!" Sirius, his voice now a little more strained, insisted. "The ancient pact demands a sacrifice of… of your free will!"
"I'm warning you," Echo said, a hint of steel entering his voice, his green hair darkening to a warning blue. "Stop this nonsense right now."
They continued, undeterred, launching into another round of dramatic pronouncements about cosmic energies and mystical awakenings. Echo sighed, a long-suffering sound. His blue hair settled into a resigned, almost bored, turquoise. He closed his eyes for a moment, then opened them, a mischievous glint in their depths.
"Shimmer," he called, his voice calm and clear.
There was a ripple in the air, a faint distortion, and then, with a soft thwack, a visible Demiguise materialized directly behind James, holding a surprisingly sturdy beating stick. Shimmer, his usually serene face set in an expression of mild annoyance, began to systematically whack each of the hooded figures on the back of their heads.
"Ow!" James yelped, clutching his head. "Shimmer! What the—!"
"Hey!" Sirius cried out, stumbling back as the stick connected with a solid *thump*.
Peter let out a high-pitched squeak, trying to duck away, but Shimmer was relentless, his movements surprisingly swift. Remus, though wincing, seemed to accept his fate with a sigh.
"Alright, alright, we get it!" James pleaded, rubbing the back of his head. "Mercy, Echo! Mercy!"
Echo chuckled, his turquoise hair brightening to a playful green. "Alright, Shimmer, that's enough. They've learned their lesson."
Shimmer, with a final, pointed tap to Peter's head, turned invisible again, though a faint shimmer in the air indicated his continued presence.
Sirius, rubbing his head, glared at Echo. "Can't you have a little fun, Echo? We went to all this trouble!"
"I can have fun," Echo retorted, a smirk playing on his lips. "But you could just *talk* to me like normal people. Though I suppose that's probably too hard for you lot." His green hair pulsed with a teasing light. "And I'll admit, you had me for a moment. But I'm tougher than that."
With a casual flex, Echo easily freed his arms from the ropes binding him to the chair. He stretched, wincing slightly. "I will commemorate you for a decent knot, though. Not bad. But nothing Sniffles can't break through."
As if on cue, a small, black blur darted from beneath the chair. Sniffles, the Niffler, chittered happily, a few strands of broken rope clutched in his tiny paws, before disappearing back into Echo's pocket.
Echo stood up, dusting off his robes. His green hair settled into a curious blue. He looked at the now unhooded, sheepish faces of James, Sirius, Peter, and Remus. "So," he said, crossing his arms. "What the hell was all that for, anyway?"
Remus, looking slightly embarrassed, stepped forward. "We… we want you to join us, Echo."
Echo blinked. "Join? Join what?"
Peter, still rubbing his head, piped up, "Join the Marauders!"
Echo let out a soft, almost wistful chuckle, his blue hair softening to a melancholic turquoise. "The Marauders," he repeated, a faint, almost fond smile touching his lips. "Honestly, I'm… honored. Truly. It's quite the exclusive club, isn't it?" He paused, his smile fading slightly. "But my brand of chaos, well, it doesn't exactly 'jive well' with your brand of general mischief and pranks. Mine tends to… break things. Permanently. And besides," he added, his voice dropping to a more honest tone, his turquoise hair flickering with a hint of exasperation, "I don't even like you lot that much. I mean, I like you more than I did at the beginning of last year, certainly. Except for Remus, of course," he nodded to the werewolf, who gave a small, understanding smile. "But still, it's not exactly a 'like-like' kind of situation."
He crossed his arms, his blue hair returning to a curious hue. "And really, why now? Why do you suddenly want me to join the illustrious ranks of the Marauders?"
James, ever the confident leader, puffed out his chest a bit. "Well, we heard… we heard you became an Animagus. Like us."
Echo blinked, his blue hair shifting to a knowing green. "Ah," he said, a slow, wry smile spreading across his face. "That makes a lot more sense. But you clearly didn't get the full story there. And where, pray tell, did you even find that out?"
Sirius, always eager to boast about his escapades, grinned. "I went snooping through Professor McGonagall's desk for biscuits, obviously, and I found… animagus registration forms. With your name on them."
Peter, his eyes wide with excitement, bounced slightly. "So that must mean you're an Animagus!"
Echo sighed, a long, drawn-out sound, his green hair fading to a sad, defeated grey. He looked at their eager faces, then at Remus, whose brow was furrowed with a dawning concern. "So you really don't know the full story, do you?"
Remus stepped forward, his voice low and worried. "What story, Echo?"
Just then, Shimmer, sensing Echo's distress, solidified and climbed gently into his arms, wrapping her translucent form around him in a comforting embrace. Echo buried his face in her soft, shimmering silver fur for a moment, then looked up, his grey hair a pained, reluctant mix of blue and black. He took a shaky breath.
"I… I failed," he choked out, his voice barely a whisper. "I failed at becoming an Animagus."
A beat of stunned silence followed his words. James and Sirius exchanged bewildered glances, their earlier excitement dissolving into confusion. Peter's eager bounce deflated. Remus, however, seemed to grasp the underlying pain instantly, his eyes softening with sympathy.
"Failed?" James finally managed, his voice hesitant. "But… but your name was on the registration form. McGonagall had them."
Echo pulled back from Shimmer, though she remained curled protectively in his arms. His blue and black hair swirled with a tormented, despairing mix of grey and red. "It's a long story," he said, his voice raw.
"Did you… Did you remember to carry the single mandrake leaf in your mouth for a whole month?" James asked, his voice still uncertain.
Echo nodded, his grey and red hair swirling with irritation. "Yes, James. I did that."
"And you… You sealed it in a crystal vial filled with the dew collected only from a place untouched by human feet?" Sirius questioned, his brows furrowed.
"Yep. Did that too."
Peter, ever the meticulous one, chimed in. "And you added the Death's-Head Hawk Moth chrysalis, then left it in a dark, quiet place until the next full moon?"
Echo's voice grew tighter. "Yes, Peter. Every single step."
Remus, his voice soft, tried. "And your own hair, the teaspoon of silver dust, the full moon exposure… You got all those right?"
Echo's control snapped. His grey and red hair exploded into a furious, pulsing crimson, streaks of angry black lashing through it. "YES! YES, I DID EVERYTHING! EVERY SINGLE BLOODY STEP!" he roared, his voice cracking with the force of his emotion. "Professor McGonagall helped me, for Merlin's sake! She was there, guiding me through almost every part of it! I followed every instruction, every ancient text, every careful measurement! And it still FAILED!" He buried his face in Shimmer's fur again, his body shaking with frustrated sobs.
Peter, still wide-eyed, spoke hesitantly. "But… if you failed, Echo, you don't… You don't look all that abnormal. Unless… unless you've got a tail or something? Or hooves? Something that can be covered up?"
Echo pulled his face from Shimmer, his crimson and black hair settling into a pained, deep blue. He gave Peter a withering look. "No, Peter. I don't have a tail. Or hooves. Or anything that can be 'covered up'. I just… failed. Spectacularly."
James, always one for details, then asked, "But you drank the potion during a thunderstorm, right? That's the crucial part. The lightning strike channeling the energy?"
Echo stared at him, and a strange, almost bitter glint entered his eyes. His deep blue hair flickered, turning to a confused, then utterly defeated, grey. "That," he said, his voice a low, heavy whisper, "is where the problem lies." He let out a humorless, choked laugh. "Yes, James. I drank it during a thunderstorm." His eyes, red-rimmed and distant, fixed on some unseen point. "But it wasn't a natural thunderstorm."
Sirius leaned forward, intrigued, his confusion warring with his usual mischief. "Wait. You… you magically made a thunderstorm, Echo? Your magic is weird, but I didn't think it could do something like that!"
Echo shook his head, a single, fresh tear tracing a path down his cheek. His grey hair swirled with a self-deprecating black. "No. No, I didn't make a thunderstorm. My magic isn't that weird. Not yet, anyway." He took a shuddering breath. "It was a thunderstorm made by a… by a Thunderbird."
The Marauders stared at him, their faces a mixture of confusion and dawning horror.
"A Thunderbird?" Remus whispered, his eyes wide.
Echo nodded, his voice barely audible. "Yeah. And because it wasn't a natural thunderstorm… it didn't work." He swallowed, the memory clearly agonizing. "And instead of transforming into an Animagus… I just… I just shit myself. Right in front of Professor McGonagall."
A stunned silence hung in the air for a full, agonizing second. Then, James, Sirius, and Peter erupted. They didn't just laugh; they bellowed, they howled, they clutched their stomachs, tears streaming down their faces. James actually doubled over, nearly falling to the floor. Sirius slapped his knee repeatedly, making choking noises. Peter, ever sensitive, turned bright red, trying to stifle his giggles but failing spectacularly, his whole body shaking with suppressed mirth. Remus, though wincing in sympathy, couldn't quite stop a small, pained chuckle from escaping his own lips.
Echo glared at them, his deep blue hair pulsing with a frustrated, indignant red. Shimmer, still in his arms, let out a soft, warning hiss. "Oh, just yuck it up, why don't you?" he snarled, his voice thick with mortification. "Go on, have a right laugh at my expense!"
James, wiping a tear from his eye, managed to catch his breath. "Oh, Echo, come on," he gasped, still chuckling. "It's not… It's not funny because it happened to you. It's just… the image. A Thunderbird. Shitting yourself. It's… gold." He took another shuddering breath, then, to Echo's surprise, his expression softened. "But look, mate. You almost did it. You followed every step and got Professor McGonagall's help. We've got the whole year. We could… we could help you try again. What do you say?"
Echo shook his head vehemently, his red hair settling into a determined, almost fearful black. "Professor McGonagall offered the same thing," he said, his voice quiet but filled with a chilling conviction. I refused."
Remus, his earlier amusement gone, stepped forward, his brow furrowed with concern. "Why, Echo? If you were so close, and with her help…"
Echo looked at them, his black hair swirling with a tormented mix of grey and red. "Because I was lucky, Remus. Insanely, unbelievably lucky, that the only thing that happened was me shitting myself. No wizard or witch has ever failed an Animagus transformation without repercussions, then tried again. Never. What if something far worse happens to me next time, even if I do everything right? What if I turn into some… some half-human, half-beast abomination? What if my magic goes even more out of control than it already does?" He hugged Shimmer tighter, his voice dropping to a desperate whisper. "I really, really don't want to become a statistic in a magic textbook for the rest of my days, 'Echo, the Boy Who Became A Chimera From A Failed Animagus Attempt.'"
James, Sirius, and Peter exchanged somber glances as their laughter finally died down. The playful mischief had been replaced by a genuine understanding of Echo's very real fear. Remus, ever the most perceptive, simply placed a comforting hand on Echo's shoulder.
"We understand, Echo," Remus said softly, his voice full of empathy. "It's a big risk. And it's your choice."
James nodded, his usual swagger momentarily subdued. "Yeah, mate. We get it. No more Animagus talk, alright? We won't pressure you."
Sirius, surprisingly serious, added, "But… if you ever change your mind, or if there's anything else, anything at all, you want our help with… You just have to say the word. Even if it's not about transforming. We're… we're here for you, Echo. You're our friend."
Echo looked at them, his deep blue hair softening further, a flicker of genuine warmth replacing the fear and pain in his eyes. He still didn't quite like them, not in the way he liked Lily, Amos, or even Severus, but a fragile thread of something akin to camaraderie had begun to weave itself between them. "Thanks, guys," he murmured, his voice a little hoarse. "That… that actually means a lot."
"Besides," he added, a wry grin spreading across his face, "at the end of the day, at least I got a free Thunderbird out of it."
Remus shook his head, a soft chuckle escaping him. "Of course, Echo," he murmured, his eyes full of fond exasperation. "Of course, you got a new weird and giant pet out of it."
With a thought, Echo flicked his wand, and a shimmering Diricawl, its plump body iridescent with shifting colors, materialized in front of him. He gently stroked its head, and with a tap of his wand, he linked with the bird's natural abilities. "Peace out, losers," he said, a wide grin spreading across his face, before vanishing in a silent pop, the Diricawl disappearing with him, along with Shimmer and Sniffles.
"We should probably get to the Great Hall," Echo said, his voice cutting through the lingering silence. "Dinner's going to start soon, and I am not missing out on those pork chops." His blue hair pulsed with a hungry green.
With a thought, Echo flicked his wand, and a shimmering Diricawl, its plump body iridescent with shifting colors, materialized in front of him. He gently stroked its head, and with a tap of his wand, he linked with the bird's natural abilities. "Peace out, losers," he said, a wide grin spreading across his face, before vanishing in a silent pop, the Diricawl disappearing with him, along with Shimmer and Sniffles.
Sirius stared at the spot where Echo had been, a slow smile spreading across his face. "You know," he mused, rubbing his chin, "for all the chaos that boy attracts, he does have something akin to style."