V. THIS IS LOVE

Anastasia Markovic was a clever woman, so she still didn't know why she went out alone on a Saturday night. It was all well and good when you were with friends, but without anyone near her, slightly tipsy and lost on some run-down street in London, so she wasn't so clever. Turns out though she wasn't as lost as she thought she was, in fact she was only a street away from the Leaky Cauldron, but she didn't know that.

And so when Lucius Malfoy apparated in front of her, seemingly from Azkaban, she thought she was hallucinating.

"Ms. Markovic, no?" Lucius asked her, Anastasia stayed quiet. A few streets away a huge bang marked the start of a raging inferno. Anastasia realized where she was.

"Diagon Alley?"

Lucius sneered at her, he looked remarkably like Draco, but the resemblance wore thin under his few measly months in Azkaban. Lucius shot the first curse, and since he was probably a little mad and she was a little tipsy they were a very even match, she didn't know how long they fought, she just knew she needed to get into Diagon Alley, The Ministry would need all the help they could get. Screaming began to pierce the air and the fire spread. Lucius was getting slower, she would be able to finish him soon, and Anastasia barely thought of her student, who was also the son of this man as she fired a killing curse at him.

It missed.

She fired another, hitting him square in the chest this time and he died halfway through casting a killing curse of his own.

Anastasia ran to the Leakey Cauldron, stumbling in on three Death Eaters picking on a blonde boy. She was tempted to leave him, until she heard an accent that made her blood run cold. The boy was Russian.

She stunned two of the men and punched the third in the face, and then she crouched by Sasha who was covered in welts, blood and bruises.

"You should be at school," She checked him over and quickly healed what she could.

"I vanted to find them," Sasha sat up, she decided he would be fine, there was nothing too serious, "I vas going to join tem and then Echo and Severus would be able to go free."

Anastasia would have hit him had he not already clearly been hit.

"You need to go back to Hogwarts," She pushed him too the floo, "and stay there, please, Sasha, I'll talk to you later." She watched him go, just as the roof of the pub caught fire.

Draco stared into Harry's eyes; he could see how furious she was, and even though she couldn't move her face, Draco could tell she was a little scared. He didn't know why he had cursed her, so she wouldn't run away perhaps, or so she wouldn't try to cut his face off.

"I know I'm being a twat," he began with, "but I didn't want you to run away, and I just decided to talk to you now, I actually came here to talk to Myrtle." Draco stopped and took a deep breath, "I need your help, Harry I need you, I can't believe how happy you make me and I didn't chose this," Draco ripped up his left sleeve, it was the first time he had willingly, in full consciousness shown anyone, "He's in my home, he's torturing my mother and I don't want him there! I'm sorry, Harry." Draco said, releasing the spell, he didn't deserve her, but Harry hugged him, cautiously. She relaxed when he grabbed her and squeezed her and cried on her shoulder.

Well as relaxed as you could be having a crying Malfoy on your shoulder.

"Draco," Harry began, but Draco kissed her full on the lips.

"Merlin, I love you."

It had slipped from his mouth, as easy as saying something trivial, like 'nice weather?' or 'the sky is blue.'

It sounded like the right thing to say when she hugged him harder, he did notice her lack of reply though.

Once Sasha got back the news of the attack had already spread to Hogwarts, he was met by Professor McGonagall who strictly told him to wait in her office, she even made a point of removing her floo powder.

She came back very soon, and offered him a seat. He declined politely, preferring to pace back and forth in worry.

"Your sister is back and is in the hospital wing, she may be unconscious for a few hours, but Madame Pomfrey predicts she will be fine."

"Tank you," Sasha said.

"You left the school without permission, Mr. Markovic, to participate in a battle no less, and I hope you have begun to realise what danger you've put yourself in and will therefore have detention with me, every night for the rest of the term."

Sasha nodded, he had expected this.

"Go," McGonagall said, "I have too much to do."

There were a few people Harry knew that were hurt and killed, Tom the barkeeper died, Olivander and George Weasley were injured, a great deal of the siblings and parents of Hogwarts students were hurt and killed, so again school was disrupted, but as they were just waiting for the term to end it didn't matter much.

But it surprised Harry that it was Lucius Malfoy's death that impacted her the most.

Draco was pretending to not be upset; he knew his father had tried to kill his girlfriend and Harry was trying not to cheer him up by insulting his father, but she knew he was unhappy, and she had to help him.

Harry knew he would be with Myrtle; he liked Myrtle because she didn't know he was a Malfoy and didn't know about the war, so when he said his father died, she would properly console him.

She found him, but Myrtle wasn't there, he wasn't crying.

"Hey," Harry walked up behind him and wrapped her arms around his middle. "Talk to me?"

Draco looked at her in the mirror, "I'm ok, I know you didn't like him."

"Well I only met him a few times, and he was trying to kill me most of those times, so who would I have met if there was no war?"

"He wasn't bad, he was always really strict though, you know the cane he carried round? Don't look at me like that, he never hit me with it, he had a charm on it, so he'd swing it but it didn't hurt, used to scare the living daylights out of me." Draco was about to start crying, she could tell.

"He was funny, he used to always make me laugh, I guess he was an ass sometimes, Merlin I miss him."

Now Draco did start crying, and he did in earnest, Harry just held him.

"Harry…" Draco was being dragged to McGonagall's office, he wasn't particularly impressed by Harry's plan, it was far too risky for his liking. And they were running out of time.

"Ms Potter, Mr Malfoy, you wanted to see me?" McGonagall to Draco looked much sterner than she usually did, Harry was not phased.

"Professor we need your help, Draco tell her?"

Draco felt Harry grab his hand and squeeze it; he hesitated but only for a second.

"I'm…a Death Eater." Draco mumbled it, but he was ashamed of himself, but to his surprise, McGonagall laughed.

"My, Mr Malfoy I thought you had gotten Ms Potter pregnant," McGonagall had a little giggle and Draco looked a little insulted, Harry just looked at her Professor, a little worried.

"Sorry, Mr Malfoy there are serious consequences for anyone who has joined the Dark Lord, you realise this?"
"Wait, he wants to leave though, he shouldn't be punished, he didn't have a choice when they asked!"

"I understand that circumstances may have caused you this undesirable situation Mr Malfoy, but-"

"No buts, it's not fair for us to condemn people when they want to change, we came to you for help professor!"

"Miss Potter," McGonagall looked at Harry and Harry was nearly growling back.

McGonagall backed down, knowing the girl was right.

"Very well, however Ms Potter, Mr. Malfoy I am now speaking as a member of the Order of the Phoenix, and Harry I am trusting Mr. Malfoy because I trust you and I trust you haven't misplaced your judgement.

"I have complete faith in Draco, Professor, I also have an idea."

"Why was I born?"

"Echo, don't say such things," Snape snapped, he was watching her very closely. "I know it hurts but it will end soon."

"Can he use it to kill us?"

Snape looked his daughter straight in the eye, "I do not know."

It was the way the mark was designed; it created agony until you went to him. He did not know how much control over a person the Dark Lord had because of it, but he had never heard of anything other than summons.

However, he was unsure if the pain would ever stop without the Dark Lord stopping it.

"It was a valid question, father, you have never even told me who my mother is?" She pushed, it was not something he wanted to disclose though.

I have never told you, Echo, that I was once in love with a woman," Severus paused, waiting for a sarcastic remark that never came. He hated himself for not protecting her better, she had lost all sense of worth, and her very character was now just a memory. Echo looked neither shocked nor interested; he was surprised she had seriously asked the question in the first place. The pain in his arm escalated, just a tiny bit.

"Her name was Lily Evans, we were friends since before Hogwarts." Snape sighed, "She was a Muggleborn, and sorted into Gryffindor our first year. At the very end of our fifth year, we… had a fight of sorts and I called her a mudblood, she never spoke to me again, she married James Potter a few years later." He paused. "I am ashamed to say I got myself incredibly inebriated that night, and slept with a muggle woman who I had grown up with, in spinners end. She left you on my doorstep nine months later and threw herself off of a bridge." He told her, "Her name was Winter Fairchild, I did love her, puppy love, before I met Lily Evans we were neighbours, and… because of our parents had a lot in common."

"I love you, Dad," Echo looked Snape in the eye; they could both feel something through their mark. He frowned at how she took learning the identity of her mother, but a moment later he no longer cared.

Echo's father looked up at her from where he was draped on the lounge, she could feel it, the pain was a harsh unforgiving burn through her very bones, she could feel it grow more and more and it changed, she knew it was too late to go to the Dark Lord now. She went to her father, who held her.

Echo cried as again the burn in her bones intensified.

"I love you too, my daughter, I always have and I always will. And Echo," Severus caressed her cheek, "I'm sorry for not protecting you better, please stay safe."

"I love you Dad," Echo repeated.

"I love you too," He replied, "Always."

Echo screamed as the pain became greater and greater, and as she thought she would rip open and die, Severus Snape did. It began at the mark, a horrible tear that shot up his arm and over the left side of his face.

Black, thick tar seeped from the wound like a thousand snakes writhing from the gates of hell and they burned away his flesh.

Another tear started at his right knee and again the snakes burned their way through his robes and burnt away his skin.

Echo screamed at what she was seeing, the pain tearing through her own body forgotten, she couldn't move, the air felt like blood and was hard to swallow. Severus had still not died, but had screamed and cried, and begged until he panted, heavily and could do little more.

His head snapped up and eyes red as hell looked at Echo.

"Father?"

"No, my little girl," It was her father's mouth but the voice of her nightmare. Echo did not speak.

"Would this be horrible, my pet, for me to kill you while possessing the dying body of your father?

He advanced on her, crawling forward through the blood and the muck. Echo screamed and grabbed her wand.

Voldemort laughed, as if she were going to curse him but she turned the wand on herself and screamed the spell over and over.

Just below the elbow the skin shredded, as if a sword was being smashed into the joint a hundred times. Voldemort cried out and her mark ripped like her fathers, the tar pouring out but she had completely detached the appendage before Voldemort's black magic could reach any other part of her.

Voldemort left the small rooms, having only been in her mind, but Severus was still burning on the floor. She cauterized her arm and ran.

"Poppy!" Echo had given the nurse little warning about what exactly she would find in Severus's rooms but went to get the Headmistress and Anastasia.

She ran through the castle and in no time was at Anastasia's door, she only spared a moment to knock before bursting in.

"What is it, Echo?" Anastasia looked mildly alarmed by her abrupt entrance and Echo was glad, for once that she was so perceptive.

"Its dad, Ana, he's been hurt by the Dark Lord."

"He is in your rooms?"

"Poppy should already be there, should I get the headmaster?"

"He's not here, get McGonagall." Anastasia was out the door by the end of their conversation and running down the hall looking like a mildly graceful bat. Echo was headed to McGonagall's Office.

Minerva was sorting through yet more paperwork when Miss Snape flew into her office, immediately she noticed the girls severed arm (you would have to have a half a brain not to notice) but before she could begin to question her, Echo was already explaining.

"My father has been badly hurt by the dark lord, Professor he's in his chamber now and I've already sent Pomfrey and Anastasia to him."

McGonagall put a firm hand on her shoulder and made her sit down.

"It's alright, let me see your arm," McGonagall knew there was nothing they could do, she would need a wooden arm, there were minimal spells developed in this kind of area because there was rarely scenarios where the limb couldn't be reattached.

The girl held still, she was fully expecting her to act like Harry and pull away but she sat still and explained that she (Minerva herself that is,) was desperately needed in the dungeons.

"If you are insistent on my going, I'll request you remain here and take a sleeping draught."

She was unsurprised that the girl refused, and insisted on going back to her father.

"Very well, but you must stay out of the way, and if I tell you to leave, respect that it's for a reason."

Her Professor left no room for argument and Echo took her meaning as being the same for any command, and hence, followed her unspeaking back to the potion masters quarters.

Severus was lying on the floor; the tar like substance had not stopped its advance on his body, Echo cried when she saw him there, and Madame Pomfrey and Anastasia were fussing over him, Anastasia was looking at a rat or some other, small animal also covered in the tar.

"Don't touch it, Professor, it clings and we have not figured out how to get rid of it."

"Cut it off," Echo said, but saw then the tar had spread over his chest and neck.

"We can't," They looked at Snape, he was unconscious. "I've knocked him out, Echo," Anastasia paused, "I don't believe he will live."

Echo tried to go to her father, but they stopped her.

"No," she said, "No, I, no please." She was crying, quietly.

They waited with him, McGonagall went to get aurors and St Mungo's healers, but no one had seen anything like this before and eventually the decision was made to wait. Echo had refused to leave, and was sitting by her father with a hand on his cheek, watching to be careful none of Voldemort's spell could reach her.

Kingsley Shacklebolt was taking a report for the ministry and two healers were checking his vitals.

Echo sat with him for hours, he didn't wake up again and she didn't think he would, she hoped he wouldn't.

"Time of death, 3.05 am." The healer who had announced it covered Severus' gruesome remains with a white sheet.

The adults pulled Echo away, she remained completely still.

"Take her to Poppy, I believe Severus and Poppy were quite close," Anastasia instructed. The healer pulled Echo to the hospital wing.

"Minerva," Kinglsey turned to her with a very dark expression.

"I have never seen something like this, Kingsley, I fear that Voldemort's reach is much greater than we thought. You must see Mr Malfoy immediately, Miss Snape has removed the problem herself."

"If you would allow it, Minerva I would like to study his body, perhaps find a way to remove the mark before something like this could happen," Kingsley said, "We are loosing enough young wizards to the dark side, if the few that do come back believe this is their only fate we will always be outnumbered."

"Very well Kingsley, Where's Dumbledore? Surely he was called back to the castle in light of such disturbing circumstance?"

"I'm afraid he's still away for now. Where can I find Mr Malfoy?"

"I'll send Professor Sinstra to fetch him straight away, you may use my office."

Kingsley quickly made his way to McGonagall's office, Malfoy wasn't there and he awkwardly stood behind the desk, it was unfortunate that Snape had died, he was their only spy, they could, perhaps send Echo back, or the Malfoy boy, but he suspected they would lack that je ne sais pas that Snape had as far as his attention to detail went.

Draco then came into the room, he was thankfully alone but very weary, and, upon seeing the head auror he went quite white.

"Mr Malfoy," Kingsley addressed the boy that looked so like his bastard of a father. "I need to see your mark."

Draco reluctantly pulled up the sleeve of his arm deliberately not looking at the hideous thing, "What's going on?"

"Severus Snape was just killed," Kingsley said harshly, looking at the black scar on Malfoy's arm He grabbed it with bruising force. "Currently, Mr Malfoy, the only way to have the mark removed is to sever the arm completely, but," Draco looked at Kinsley's very serious expression, "You can still be tried for Death Eater activities-"

"What do you want?" Draco asked abruptly, Kingsley glared at him.

"A new double agent."

Draco reluctantly agreed, "Only until the mark can be removed, I never asked for this." He yanked his arm away from the Auror and pulled the sleeve down.

"The meeting that was just called was for nothing." Draco said, "He wanted to check up on me, I'm supposed to be trying to kill Dumbeldore."

Kingsley glared at him.

"I haven't done it," Draco hissed, "I was never going to."

"anything else I should know?" kingsley asked. Draco shook his head.

"The Dark Lord doesn't have a motive anymore." Draco said, "He's just obsessed with killing Harry."

Draco went to Echo then; she was in the hospital wing. Echo flinched when she saw him and he couldn't meet her eyes. "He was your godfather?" Echo asked, he still didn't look at her; just nodded.

"I never wanted to be a Death Eater," Echo said quietly." I was forced, like you; I was aiming to take my father's place as the double agent. If I had kept the mark, I would be dead."

Draco looked at the girls arm. Hacked away at the elbow. The scar was neat, as if the limb was just invisible. Straight red lines going across the stump.

"It still feels like its there," Echo said. Then she looked away.

"The Dark Lord-" Draco began. Echo glared not at him but at the name – the reminder.

"I'll kill him, I swear I'll kill him." She said, fire jumping into her eyes.

"I'm supposed to be the new double agent." Draco said slowly. Echo's head snapped up.

"You have a lot of work to do." She told him. "I can help you, Occumency in particular, you need to harden up, be able to torture and kill like a madman, and you need a certain attention to details, you have to be coherent, and precise when recounting what you've seen. Also, you must be able to resist memory charms and the imperious curse."

Draco raised an eyebrow at her. She just gave him an unreadable look that made him feel stupid.

"I can teach you, if you like."

Draco nodded.