"Daddy?" Albus caught Harry by his shoulders as Severus Apparated right outside the back gate.

"Harry, would you fix tea for everyone?" Albus asked gently.

"No! I wanna know what's going on!"

"Tea, Harry," his grandfather's voice was sharp. "Now."

Annoyed and worried, Harry ran into the kitchen and began the Muggle way of making tea. His only show of defiance was slapping spoons, the tea tin, and the teapot on the counter.

Albus strode out the back door to see if he could help. He was inwardly horrified at Echo's condition. "Are Remus and Alastor all right?"

Severus nodded curtly. "I'm going to need your help, Albus."

Albus reached for the unconscious woman, but Severus pulled away sharply and sneered warningly. It was then that the elder wizard saw the faint glow of Old Magic surrounding the witch and wizard. "Severus, she needs some of your potions. Allow me to take her and I'll begin on healing these cuts."

Severus hesitated one more second, then gently handed Echo into his mentor's arms. Her head started to flop backwards awkwardly and he caught it and carefully positioned her cheek against Dumbledore's shoulder. He then opened the backdoor, ushered them in, and he went back to his lab.

Right before he stepped into the short hallway, Severus was about to pass the kitchen when he saw his son preparing tea. His sharp hearing heard a muffled sniffle. Striding into the kitchen, he took the tea tin from Harry's hands and then picked up his child. He hugged Harry close to his chest and kissed his cheek.

"It's all right, child. Everyone is going to be fine." He patted his son's back for a moment and then pulled back a margin. "I need you to be brave for Echo. Can you do that for me?"

Harry nodded, "I can, daddy. Do you still need tea?"

"Tea would be perfect, my brave boy. We need enough for Mr. Moody and Mr. Lupin, too, but they may be awhile in arriving."

Severus was assured that his son was fine when he received a relieved smile. He put Harry back down, touched his cheek lightly with the back of his hand, and then left, making his way to the bedroom lab.

Albus carried the Feather-Light be-spelled Echo to her room and laid her gently upon her bed. His first spell was a Diagnostic Spell that would inform him of the young woman's injuries and let him know if she were also suffering from lingering curses that might hinder his healing of her. He breathed a sigh of relief when the spell indicated otherwise. However, Echo did have some severe injuries that would take both his skills and those of Severus' to heal.

Echo's injuries were two broken bones, dozens of cuts to her arms, legs, back, and midriff. Then there was the significant bruise on her face and the badly cut lip.

He began healing the cuts, using a spell to slow the bleeding.

Old Magic, Severus thought to himself as he removed from his shelves the potions and salves he'd need for Echo. How did I invoke the Old Magic?

Moody said I 'claimed the right'.

You should have severed his head from his shoulders, a darker part of him snapped.

Yes, I know I should have, but I couldn't do so. And, Echo asked me not to.

She refused Lupin's help.

Severus' lip curled smugly at this. Echo had asked for him.

Echo wanted ME.

Glancing down to check the potions he had, he stared for a moment at the red sparkle that still encircled him like an aura. It was fading, but he still found it a curious thing.

"I can feel her," he whispered to himself. Severus realised that the Old Magic had somehow connected him to Echo. It wasn't telepathic, but more a sense impression of her; like a perfume that lingered pleasantly when a woman left the room. Echo hurt, but there was a strong sensation within the Old Magic aura that allowed him to know that she felt safe.

Plucking one more potion from the shelf, he left the lab.

"Fortunately, with a six year old trouble magnet underfoot I am well supplied with a variety of potions," said Severus as he walked into the bedroom and placed the bottles, phials, and jars on the bedside table. Severus noted that Albus had cleaned Echo, removed her tattered clothing, and dressed her in a plain, white dressing gown.

"Tis always wise to err on the side of caution, my boy. If you would begin with the Blood Replenishing Potion? Four doses, to start. Then, please attend to that wound." Albus pointed at a cut that began at Echo's collarbone and disappeared beneath the closed front of the dressing gown.

"Merlin's Teeth, Albus! Shouldn't you have begun with that one?"

"Your hand is much steadier than mine is, Severus. I thought you might wish to keep scarring to a minimum."

Severus spelled the Blood Replenishing Potion directly into Echo's stomach and then carefully examined the wound. He opened the robe doing what he could to maintain the young woman's modesty even though she was unconscious.

It was a hideous wound that began across her collarbone and sliced diagonally until it ended just beneath her navel. As Severus carefully healed the wound he made a mental note to brew a Scar Reducing Salve as soon as he was able.

After several long minutes of healing the young witch, Albus observed, "It was the Right of Protector that invoked the Old Magic."

The younger wizard finished healing a bruised rib and glanced down at the now very faint illumination of red that mingled with the aura around Echo each time he came near to her.

"It seems so. The moment it happened, I knew that if I wanted to, I would be able to kill Childermass without guilt or fear of Azkaban."

"The Wizengamot still recognises that Old Magic Law outweighs our current law. Did you take his life?" Albus asked in an oddly conversational tone.

"Echo asked me not to," he stated flatly.

"A compassionate woman, our Echo."

Severus' head snapped up as he stared incredulously at his mentor. "Compassionate?"

Albus held up his hand and his eyes twinkled lightly. "Not of the evil Childermass, my boy. One such as he deserves no one's compassion," he frowned. "No, Severus, I was speaking of the compassion that Echo held for your soul."

While Severus considered what the older wizard said, Albus performed another Diagnostic Spell. The younger wizard glanced at the runic symbols that described the young witch's condition and almost spoke absently, "I'll need to brew the Cruciatus Relief Potion for her. I haven't kept that on hand for quite a few months."

Severus pulled the covers up over Echo. Sighing softly, he brushed a few curls of dark hair from her face and then trailed his fingers across Echo's cheek. As his skin touched hers there was a fading flare of the red, sparkling aura.

"Old Magic," whispered Albus. "Minerva is my dearest heart, but not even I ever managed such a spark for her." The old wizard's voice betrayed a touch of envy, but mostly wistfulness.

"You weren't just the Protector of Minerva, but of myself, the Order... my son," Severus touched Albus' forearm. "I still do not understand, though. What have I done, Albus?"

"I do not have an answer for you, my boy. My understanding of the Old Magic is flimsy, at best. I made a study of it for a short time, during Grindelwald's rise, with the thought that it might aid me in my fight against him. It was all for naught, though. The Old Magic is capricious, at best. What I do know is that it is most often controlled by strong emotions." Severus paled slightly. Albus smiled. "That is a simple explanation, Severus. It is much more complicated than just mere emotions and their strength, or weakness. It's..."

"As deep as one's soul," murmured Severus. He was smoothing Echo's fingers of her right hand that had clenched in her sleep.

The younger man's cheeks coloured briefly as he realised what he'd said and was self-conscious of the thought. Rising to his feet, he glanced towards Albus.

"I think it's safe to awaken her from the Sleeping Spell," he stated.

"That it is. Time to let her body do what it needs to do." Waving his wand, he intoned, "Ennervate."

Echo's eyes fluttered open and she tried to rise. She felt free of the pain, but disoriented. "Severus?" Her deep blue gaze locked upon his features. "You didn't...?" the unasked question hung in the air.

"You asked me not to, Echo. Alastor Moody, a friend of Albus', has taken Childermass to the Ministry." A subtle nudge from Dumbledore as he left the room had Severus moving to sit on the edge of the bed beside the distraught woman.

Echo clutched his fingers in her hands. "He hurt... he killed others, but he said... sweet Circe! Severus, I think somehow he really loved me." The thought of that, and the two years she'd spent with the deranged wizard, caused her stomach to clench tightly. Before she could lose the contents of her distressed stomach, an Anti-Nausea Potion was at her lips. She drank it down without hesitation and fell back against her pillows.

"The Binding Ceremony that was part of your marriage could not have been performed if he hadn't loved you," Severus did his best to keep the disgust from his voice. "When did things change?"

"Almost a year after we were married. Oland wanted a baby. He was somehow... desperate for one. I had no objection... there was no reason to object, then."

Echo had been looking at Severus, but now she turned away, ashamed. Severus touched his index finger to her chin and urged her to return her gaze to him. "What happened?"

She held up two fingers. "Twice. I miscarried both times." She scrubbed at the tears that burned behind her eyes. "I wanted to go see the Healer, but Oland wouldn't permit it. It was then that our marriage began to unravel. He... the spells to subdue me... I would..." Her tears began to drip down her cheeks, but Echo didn't seem to be aware of them as her gaze was now somewhere beyond Severus and her bedroom.

"I started losing days and nights. I couldn't leave my home any longer. I dreamt..." she shuddered. "Such horrible things... but they were dreams, or nightmares, weren't they?" Shaking her head, Echo brought herself sharply to the present. Anger flared across her features. "They weren't dreams."

Severus handed Echo a clean handkerchief and she dried the tears. After several long minutes she demanded to know, "Will he get the Dementor's Kiss?"

He nodded solemnly. "Our world has rarely seen his kind, Echo. A serial killer. Once the Wizengamot is certain of his identity and his crimes, it will be an immediate Kiss. There will be no time spent in Azkaban."

"He wanted to hurt you," she said softly.

"Me? Why?"

"For some reason he thought Harry was our son. In his mind he thought our marriage was a sham and that I'd been having an affair with you. He accused me of killing the children I miscarried and told me that he was going to leave Harry's body for you to bury." She forced herself to sit up straight and felt a tightness from the long scar. She winced at the bruised ribs, but ignored it as she caught Severus' hand in hers. "I did everything I could to keep him from Harry. Please tell me that Harry's all right?"

Severus cupped her cheek lightly in his hand. "He's worried about you, but he's fine. Albus and Lupin are with him in the living room."

"Could I see him before I go back to sleep?" she asked, her voice tight with anxiety. "I just want to be certain he's fine."

Harry leapt up from his father's chair the moment he saw his grandfather step into the living room. Albus embraced the little boy, smoothing a hand over his straight, dark hair.

"Is Echo going to be okay, grandpa?"

Albus let go of the child and with a hand upon his shoulder he directed him over to the sofa. He seated himself and Harry curled up beside the old man and began combing his hand gently through the long white beard sprinkled with auburn strands of hair.

"Your father and I have healed Echo so now all she needs is rest," Albus assured his grandson.

"What happened? Why was she hurt? Did someone hurt her?" There was a slight edge of anger to Harry's voice.

"Echo was kidnapped and hurt by her ex-husband," Albus spoke carefully. Harry's green eyes widened in shock.

"Why?" the child whispered. "She's so nice, though."

"Oland Childermass is a very bad wizard, my child. There were other witches he hurt as well. None of us truly understand why he did what he did. What matters is that he will be duly punished and our Echo is now safe with us where she belongs."

Harry sighed with relief and leaned his head against Albus' chest. Echo was safe. He didn't want to ever lose her and he was certain his father didn't want to lose Echo either.

"Harry? Are you awake?" His father's voice seemed to come from a distance, but only for a moment. He must have dozed off in his grandfather's lap.

Raising his head and blinking his eyes sleepily, Harry smiled at his father. "Grandpa said Echo's going to be all right because she's now safe with us."

"That she is, my son," said Severus softly. "Echo would like to see you briefly before she goes back to sleep."

Harry jumped up excitedly, but was caught by Severus. "You need to stay calm, son."

"Okay. I'll be calm, daddy."

Severus led his son back to Echo's room where she was partially sitting up against her pillows. She smiled brightly at Harry and held her arms open. He was about to jump up when his father cautioned him to be careful. Harry climbed up warily beside Echo and hugged her gently.

"I'm so glad to see you, Harry," she breathed against his hair and kissed his forehead.

"Are you feeling better, Echo?"

"Much better. You weren't too scared, were you?"

Harry shook his head first, then nodded. "I was scared for everyone, but I was really happy when daddy brought you home. You looked terrible, but much better now. You and daddy were glowing, too!"

"We... were?" Echo glanced quickly at Severus who gave her a stealthy shake of his head. He then mouthed the word, 'later'.

"Yep, you were. It was really pretty. I think it was some kind of shield so no more bad magic would hurt you. My dad's magic is really powerful, you know," explained Harry.

"Your father, is a very special man. He saved my life."

Harry hugged her and then glanced over his shoulder at Severus. The elder Snape saw in those green eyes of his son not just his child's love, but awe, admiration, and respect.

"...gibbering fool."

As Severus and Harry entered the living room they just heard the tail end of what Alastor Moody was telling Remus and Albus.

"I hope that's Childermass you're describing, Moody," said Severus tautly.

"Aye! The second his identification was confirmed, Kingsley and I took the madman to Azkaban. He were screaming bloody..."

Severus clapped his hands over Harry's ears. "Mind your language, Moody!" snapped Severus. "My son doesn't need to add to his nightmares." Harry jerked away from his father's hands. With a hand to his back, Severus directed him towards his grandfather. Harry sat beside the elder wizard.

Harry could clearly sense the tension in the air and he didn't want to be around it. "Dad, I'm hungry. Can I make a sandwich?"

"Go ahead, Harry." Severus watched his son run into the kitchen. Before he could do it Moody put up a Silencing Spell around himself and the other three men.

"Childermass was given the Kiss that quickly?" asked Remus.

"Right away, but it wasn't a quick one," snorted Moody. "That one had a very dark soul and it took three Dementors to destroy it."

Moody's obvious glee was distasteful to Severus and he grimaced. Moody glowered at the Potions Master. "You think he should have been given the mercy of the Killing Curse, Snape?"

"I find it distasteful to celebrate death," he said icily.

"I suppose you mourned for your Master when he was obliterated, then, Snape?"

"Alastor!" chided Albus sharply. "Your continued hostility towards my son has gone far enough!"

"Your son?" spluttered Moody. He sent a sharp glare at the Potions Master who allowed a shadow of his smug smile to be seen by the old warrior.

"I have told you numerous times that I not only trust Severus with my life and the lives of all the children at Hogwarts, but I happen to love him as I would a son. To continue this unreasonable suspicion and baiting of him insults me as well as Severus. For the sake of our friendship, Alastor, I expect you to end it."

Severus had been smug at Albus' initial defense, but to threaten to end such a long established friendship over him struck him deeply; it warmed his soul.

"Thank you, Albus," Severus said softly, only for the ears of the Headmaster. "Moody, if you wish to stay for dinner, you're welcome to." As he turned to go into the kitchen, the look of utter shock on Mad-Eye's face was priceless.