Blood and Family

Secrets

"Hello, Leah, Severus," Dumbledore said when they walked into his office. "Please, have a seat." Leah was glaring icily at Severus and Dumbledore knew what they had been fighting about before either of them said a word.

The news of Sirius Black's escape was a nightmare, something that they could handle at any given time, but it meant that things would have to be done, things that Dumbledore didn't want to do and he knew that neither Leah nor Severus wanted to do them either. It meant reliving the past and telling secrets that were better left untold. It also meant destroying the idealistic youth of two children with the knowledge that not everything was as simple as it seemed to be. No one ever wanted to do that to their own children, especially not in dark times when it was a necessity to keep things from your family.

"I think the first thing that needs to be done," he began, before Leah started talking, "is you both need to come to an agreement about where to stand because of this situation."

"I stand where I always have. Echo and Harry are to be protected at all costs," Leah said, giving her husband a look that dared him to argue.

"I agree," Severus said. "But how to do that now?"

"The same way we have since the beginning," Dumbledore said. "The fact that Sirius has escaped changes nothing." Fawkes came into the office and landed on his perch, watching intently. "Leah, have you been working on the map?"

"Yes, it is near completion now."

"Good," Dumbledore said.

"What?" Severus asked, looking at both of them.

"A secret of the Marauders," Leah said standing up. She nodded to Dumbledore and Severus and left.

"What was that?" Severus asked Dumbledore.

"There are some things, Severus, that you do not need to know."

"If it concerns my family..."

"It does, but this time, let Leah handle it. There are some things that you can't fix."

Dumbledore knew that Severus hated that answer, but he didn't need to know anything yet, not until Leah was sure that it would work. If it did, it could nearly guarantee Harry and Echo's safety from Voldemort. Leah was exceptional in Dark Arts and defenses against them. She knew many things that the Ministry would never think to use, having spent most of her time as a student in the Restricted Section of the library. Many wondered if she was going to become a dark witch, but had surprised them all when she became an Auror. Dumbledore had always known she would and that was why he had given her permission to be in the Restricted Section. He knew that she would do great things.

And so she had.

~~~

Remus left the Hog's Head and slowly made his way to Hogwarts. He stood near the gates and just watched. There were a few students on the grounds, but no one paid him any attention as he walked around. He saw four students sitting under the tree where he and the rest of the Marauders had sat, planning their nightly pranks and full moon runs. Being here brought back so many memories.

Without realizing it, he crossed the grounds to the tree and was standing behind it, none of the students even realizing he was there.

"So what's next?" Harry asked Echo.

"You'll see." She grinned. "Because you're helping. I've created the perfect plan."

"Plan for what?" Draco Malfoy said. He was flanked by his bodyguards, Crabbe and Goyle. Harry fought the urge to laugh at the look on Echo's face. She could fool anyone with that innocent smile because he knew, even in the brief time that he had known her, that she was far from innocent.

"Oh, you know, the usual," Echo said standing up, ignoring Malfoy's extended hand. "Murder and mayhem, but I'm sure you know all about that, don't you?"

"Anyone ever tell you to watch your tongue?" he said glaring at her.

She looked at Harry, Ron, and Hermione. "How can someone watch their tongue? Really, Malfoy, you should make yourself clear when you speak, otherwise, someone could tear you apart with your words. I've seen it done."

"Someone of your lineage," he sneered, "would be better off away from them."

"Now, Malfoy, it is time for you to heed your own advice."

"Be careful, Snape, or you may find yourself on the wrong side of this war," Malfoy said before walking away. Echo glared at his retreating back then at Crabbe and Goyle who hadn't left yet.

"Got a problem?" she asked coldly. "Or do you want one?" They looked at each other and followed their ringleader.

"Well, that was interesting," Ron said.

Echo looked at him, her eyes cold, reminding Harry of Professor Snape for a moment. "He's just a Pureblood fanatic like his father and every other Death Eater." She walked away, leaving her three friends wondering behind her.

Remus watched the remaining three go back to the castle. Their conversation was unnerving. He'd had a strange feeling that he might regret coming back. Now he knew why. Snape, Malfoy, and Potter...that was a war waiting to happen. But it was confusing to him. How could a Snape be friends with James's son, the famous Harry Potter? And hating the Malfoys? That just didn't sit right with Remus. Something else had happened in his absence.

~~~

"Echo, there you are," Leah said when her daughter walked into the castle. "I've been looking for you."

"Why?" Echo asked.

Leah sighed softly, not wanting to discuss anything and not wanting to make anyone suspicious. It was bad enough that Severus wasn't trusting her. He didn't show it, but she knew he had never trusted her. Sometimes, he did, but never fully. But why would he? After everything that she and the Marauders had done to him and his Slytherin friends? It was a wonder why he even considered helping her.

The circumstances surrounding their marriage had been complicated and if there had been another way, Leah was positive that she would have taken it, but there had been too much at stake and now, eleven years later, those same things were at stake once again. No one was safe, how could they be? Leah was sure that everything would fail, that all the plans she, Severus, and Dumbledore had worked on for months would fail and it would place her beloved daughter and nephew in danger.

"We need to talk," Leah told the girl. "There are some things that we need to discuss."

"Like what?"

"Come with me." Leah turned and started down the hall. Echo ran to catch up to her mother's strides. "This castle has many secrets, darling," she began. "Some you have found on that map, but there are others, not physical secrets, but more like impressions of the former students."

"I don't understand," Echo said.

"Your friends, you, me, your father, my brother...every student of this school has secrets and hidden ambitions. This castle knows those secrets. Even the things that one would rather keep hidden, It knows." Leah stopped and looked at her daughter. "I have many secrets, things that began more than twenty years ago have affected what I am today and who you are."

"How?"

"Your uncle, James, and his wife, Lily, were hiding from Voldemort. He wanted them dead and he wanted their son dead, but their son survived."

"Are you saying that Harry is...?"

"Yes, Harry is my nephew, your cousin. He doesn't know because Dumbledore had other plans for how he would be raised. I dare say that if he had let me raise Harry, things would be much different."

"Why are you telling me this?"

"You need to know, for your own safety. A man escaped from Azkaban last night, Sirius Black. At one time, I loved him but he betrayed me when he began to work for Voldemort. He's bitter and probably insane. I want you to be careful."

"Why, would he come here?"

"Yes, probably. Just promise me that you won't get yourself into too much trouble. Sirius may be crazy, but he's brilliant, he knows more about this school than I do. He can get in and out and never be seen and it is possible that he could be here and we wouldn't even know it."

"So what does that mean?"

Leah sighed. She didn't want to tell her daughter the truth, not yet, not ever. She just wanted to go back to her peaceful existence and live a nice quiet life until Voldemort returned. She didn't want the war to begin so soon. She wanted her daughter safe, she wanted Harry safe.

"Echo, Black and I were married. When he was sent to Azkaban, I married his worst enemy. When he finds out, he'll probably want revenge and he could try to use you to get it."

"What about Harry?"

"I will tell him the truth when the time is right. There are too many things happening now. I have to return to the Ministry and help search for Black since I know him best."

"When will you be back?"

"I don't know, Echo, but it may take some time. Until then, please, behave."

Echo smiled and nodded.

"Of all the people I thought I'd run into here, I never thought about you."

Both Echo and Leah looked up. Leah smiled.

"Remus, you made it." Remus smiled. Leah walked over to him and hugged him. "I'm glad you came, Moony," she whispered. "Have you heard about Sirius?"

He nodded. "Where's Dumbledore?"

"Probably being interrogated by my husband." Remus raised an eyebrow. She grinned. "Echo, remember what I told you and don't tell Harry anything."

"Okay, Mum," se said and walked away, leaving the two friends alone.

"She's your daughter?"

"You haven't kept up with a bit of news, have you Remus?"

"Arabella said something about you getting married after Sirius was sentenced, but I thought she was crazy when she told me who."

"Don't give me that look, Remus."

"So you did marry Snape. Why?"

"It's complicated."

"So it wasn't love," he stated.

"Far from it. More like fear."