A/N: Thank you very much to everyone who reviewed and to everyone who will review ;) I hope to update more quickly in the future, school just gets in the way sometimes. So, don't forget to review, you can even point out mistakes or things I could have done better, I promise I don't bite =)

Disclaimer: The world of Harry Potter and its inhabitants belong to the one and only J.K. Rowling. I, of course, own Echo and any other characters you don't recognize.

Thank you kxmalfoy for adding this story to favorites/alert and reviewing. Thanks also to Snorkel and xxxxcrazychickxxxx for their reviews and putting it on their alert list. Lastly, thanks to BrokenDestiny and Vartika for adding this to their alerts list. I appreciate it guys!

Recap: Echo felt the urge to disappear into the couch, so naturally she straightened her shoulders and lifted her chin.

"What is the problem?" She asked coolly.

"The problem?!" Pansy shrieked. "The problem is that a mudblood was sorted into Slytherin!"

"No, No!" Blaise stood up, shaking his head. "She can't be a—the Sorting Hat doesn't make mistakes. It wouldn't sort a mudblood into Slytherin." He started pacing.

Draco hadn't moved or said a word. His mind was reeling. It was…unthinkable. Draco hoped what Blaise said was true but his practical side didn't agree. The Sorting Hat was not regulated. If Echo fit the other criteria of Slytherin House, the Hat would put her in regardless of her blood status.

"What, exactly, is a mudblood?" Echo asked.

"SEE!" Pansy shrieked again. "She doesn't even know what it means, she has to be one!"

Daphne sighed. "A mudblood is a term for muggleborns, wizards or witches without any magical inheritance."

Echo slowly nodded her head in understanding. Her mouth set into a firm line.

"Well then I guess I am"

When Draco didn't speak, Blaise decided he would try and fix the situation.

"We can't tell anyone." He stopped pacing. "Imagine the ridicule that would fall on our house if word spread that we had a muggleborn among us." Not to mention the cruelty Echo would experience from her own housemates, but Blaise wasn't going to admit he wanted to help her. Draco nodded. Daphne was relieved. They all looked at Pansy.

"We have to tell someone, maybe this mistake can be fixed. I, for one, refuse to be contaminated by a filthy mudblood!" Pansy stood up abruptly and stomped out of the room.

"I don't see what's so bad about being a muggleborn." Echo said frankly.

Blaise laughed bitterly. Draco didn't smile.

"We are purebloods, it's an important criteria for us." Draco said.

"So, because of my blood, you won't be friends with me?" Echo asked defiantly.

Blaise hesitated and glanced at Draco. Daphne trained her eyes on the floor. None of them were forced to answer because at that moment, Pansy returned with a seventh year prefect in tow.

"This is it, the mudblood." Pansy pointed at Echo.

"Unbelievable. I am going to find Snape. Keep it here." The girl ordered and she hurried out of the room. The commotion had clearly alerted others, many Slytherins were crowding into the common room, some wondering what was going on, and others waiting for the house head to arrive.

"Pansy, was it necessary to involve Snape?" Draco asked, his voice frozen.

"At least I did something, unlike you three, who seem to have no trouble associating with this thing!" Pansy's voice carried across the growing crowd. Silence fell. Accusing a pureblood of being a blood traitor was serious.

"Everyone knows I can't stand mudbloods. They're filthy and should not be allowed in school." Draco spoke evenly, assuring the group of his loyalty. "I just don't think Snape will be happy to be disturbed over this…matter."

Echo observed the crowd coolly, pretending she didn't care. She didn't understand this single minded hatred. It scared her. She hoped Hermione wasn't having this hard of a time. Echo was tired, sad, and angry. The last thing she wanted to do was meet a professor. But, not much later, a gangly man with stringy black hair stepped into the common room.

"This is the girl whose blood you were concerned about?" Snape asked the prefect. She nodded. Snape looked around at the group. "Since you are almost all here, I won't have to say this more than once. I already spoke with Dumbledore about the situation. He insists that the decision made by the Sorting Hat is final. We are stuck with her. I trust you will all welcome her accordingly." He sneered and strode out of the room.

Marcus Flint was the first to speak. "A mudblood in Slytherin. Salazar is rolling over in his grave." He stalked over to Echo, wand in his hand. "I think, in order to properly welcome you, we should ensure that you are as comfortable as possible while you sleep."

"Don't try anything." Echo pulled out her wand.

He laughed. "I doubt you even know how to use that thing. Petrificus Totalus!" Her entire body went rigid and rolled off the couch. She tried to move, to kick, to scream but she couldn't. Panic filled her crystal eyes. She had no idea what was happening to her.

"Look at that Flint, she doesn't know a harmless body locker curse when she's hit with one." Draco smirked.

Relief flooded her as his words washed through her mind. Harmless body locker curse…harmless. She closed her eyes and her mind to the people and the mocking laughter around her. Echo jerked her eyes open when a sharp pain blossomed in her leg. One by one her fellow housemates were filing out of the room. Some stepped on her as they left. Flint kicked her in the side on his way out. A few of them spat on her. Draco and Daphne ignored her completely. Echo thought she saw an apologetic glance from Blaise, but she couldn't be sure. Pansy and two beefy boys were the only ones left in the room.

"Before you leave Crabbe and Goyle, make sure you say goodbye to the mudblood." Pansy ordered. If she could have, Echo would have cried out.

A split lip and a few bruises later Crabbe and Goyle were gone. Pansy walked up to Echo and bent down.

"Stupid mudblood. If you ever talk to or try to steal my Draco again, I will make you wish you had died tonight." She whispered vehemently. Standing, she pulled her foot back and struck Echo on the temple. Echo's eyes rolled back in her head as she lost consciousness. Satisfied, Pansy pranced to her room.

A figure emerged from the darkness of the room and approached Echo, silver eyes flashing.

Echo awoke early the next morning and groaned. Her entire body ached, her head worst of all. She sat up, apparently the curse had worn off, and looked down in surprise at the blanket covering her body. Folding it up, she grabbed her book bag and a new robe from her dorm. She took the quickest shower of her life, changed, and left before anyone else woke up. She carried the blanket with her and went in search of the hospital wing for a headache cure. It was five am.

Thirty minutes and four flights of stairs later Echo had to admit she was lost. She slumped against the wall and closed her eyes. Her head throbbed painfully. Unwelcome tears clouded her vision.

"Ooh hoo!" A gleeful squeal snapped Echo from her thoughts. A thin ghost floated in the air above her laughing.

"Ickle firstie! Out of her bed! Punishment for the miscreant! Get the thumb tacks!" The ghost exclaimed.

"Excuse me sir" Echo interrupted his stream of shouts. Peeves stopped. He had never been called sir before. He took a moment to actually look down at the tiny blue eyed girl and he softened.

"Sir, do you know where the hospital wing is?" She kept her chin up but it trembled.

"I can do better," The ghost grinned. "I can take you there." And he swept her up into his arms.

"My name is Peeves. What's yours?"

"Echo" She answered with pride.

"And, Miss Echo, what happened to you?" He had not missed the bruises nor the circles under her eyes. She stared at him for a moment before responding.

"I'm a mudblood." She spoke as if daring him to mock her.

"That still doesn't explain the…" He trailed off when he saw the green on her robes. "Ah, Slytherin." Now he understood.

When they arrived at the hospital wing Madame Pomfrey caught sight of them and hustled over.

"Peeves!" She scolded. "What did you do to this poor girl?"

"I did nothing." He cried out. "I brought her to you and now I am in trouble! I just won't bother next time." He placed Echo on the ground and twirled around, preparing to flounce out in mock outrage. Her voice stopped him once again.

"Mr. Peeves?" She said his name so quietly he almost hadn't heard it.

"Yes?" He tried to sound impatient.

"Will I see you around the castle?" Her eyes were wide, hopeful.

"Well," He tried to sound grumpy. "You might." He swooped out and Madame Pomfrey began to fuss over Echo.

An hour and a half later Echo had convinced Madame Pomfrey that she was well enough to leave and she was walking to the Great Hall. She found it easily by following the chatter of students but when she arrived at the entrance, she stopped. Owls were swooping in, delivering packages and letters to many of the students and the sight was amazing. She was happy to see that it was not only surprising to her. The boy who had caused quite a fuss over his name, Harry Potter, seemed to be shocked as well. Echo was glad to see that Hermione had made some friends; hopefully she hadn't received the same treatment. Maybe, she thought, Hermione had kept it a secret.

Draco, Daphne, Blaise, Pansy and many of the other Slytherin house members were still at the breakfast table. Echo decided she would wait until they left to eat. She spent forty-five minutes pacing outside the Great Hall and when Hermione walked out, she pounced on her.

"Hermione are you okay?" Echo pulled Hermione off to the side and whispered her question.

"Of course, I'm going to class. Why?" Hermione was surprised to see Echo's loss of poise.

"You mean," Echo dropped her voice so low Hermione had to lean in to hear, "No one teased you about being a mudblood?"

"No," Hermione stepped back. "Only Slytherins are nasty enough to use that word." She narrowed her eyes, suddenly misinterpreting the conversation. "I would have thought you, even if you are a Slytherin, wouldn't be so cruel. I guess I was wrong." She stuck her nose in the air and flounced away before Echo could say another word. Echo sighed, she would have to explain what she meant to Hermione later, the Slytherin table was nearly empty and she had to eat quickly to make it to class.

Her first class didn't go so badly. None of the Slytherins would sit next to her, they didn't acknowledge her presence for which Echo was grateful. The Hufflepuffs wouldn't sit next to her because she was a Slytherin. So she ended up at a desk alone, which suited her just fine. For lunch, Echo found the library and scanned through a book on advanced transfiguration in search of information about animagi. To Echo, this was one of the most intriguing things about the wizarding world; she wanted to be one. She practically squealed with excitement when she flipped the page and found a section titled "Animagi".

Animagi

Some wizards and witches possess the rare ability to transform themselves into animals. The animal into which a person turns cannot be chosen. A witch or wizard will turn into the animal that best suits his or her personality. There is some speculation that a wand is not needed to make this transformation even the first time it occurs. This has yet to be verified.

The section continued on for only another half a page but gave no specific instructions on how to actually change. She closed the book, a bit disappointed and looked at her watch. Her heart jolted. She had five minutes until her next class and she didn't know where it was. Grabbing up her books she bolted out of the library.

She tried to find a student or a professor who she could ask, but luck was not with her. Five minutes turned to ten, and ten to fifteen and still Echo wandered the halls. Desperate now to find her class, Echo did the only thing she could think of.

"Peeves!" She yelled. "Peeeeves!"

"I didn't do anyth-Oh, it's you." Peeves appeared in front of her, trying to look menacing.

"I'm terribly sorry to bother you again Mr. Peeves, but I have Transfiguration with Prof. McGonagall and I can't find the classroom." Echo smiled up at the ornery poltergeist.

"Follow me" He said gruffly.

When they arrived at the large wooden classroom door Peeves paused.

"This is it. Tell her you ran into me on your way here, you shouldn't get into any trouble."

Echo shook her head. "I can't blame you after you've helped me."

"Tell her, it will help me. I have a reputation to uphold. I should be making students late, not helping them. Run along little miss." Peeves immediately looked disgusted at himself for calling her 'little miss' and so he swooped down, yelled "Got your conk!" and grabbed her nose before zooming out of the hallway; but he had squeezed her nose very softly.

Peeves had been right; Prof. McGonagall accepted Echo's explanation for her tardiness without so much as blinking and asked her to take a seat. She peered around the classroom in search of an empty desk. Only one seat was empty, a three person table with Draco and Blaise. She hesitated.

From across the room Pansy caught her eye and glared threateningly. That was enough for Echo. She pulled back her shoulders and fearlessly sat down.