Echo stood in front of her vanity mirror as she braided her long, black curls. She was wearing a very curious looking outfit that consisted of a white and blue-striped t-shirt, jeans coveralls, and a pair of rather worn walking shoes. Severus, who'd been pacing a hole in the living room carpet in front of the Floo, had given up and returned to the bedroom to see what was taking Echo so long.

At nearly five months into her pregnancy, Echo was finally showing a tell-tale bump. Once a week she went to see Healer Lauren Bell to monitor her pregnancy and to make sure that there were no ill effects from the curse. It had not been safe for Echo to get pregnant due to the fact that her psychotic ex (and now soul-kissed) -husband had placed an Abortive Curse upon her. The curse had been broken, with the help of Bill Weasley, but Echo and Severus had learned that her first two miscarriages, back in her disaster of a first marriage, had not been terminated by the curse. Healer Bell, Echo, and Severus hoped that it had been the Coercive Magic Oland Childermass, had subjected Echo to during their brief marriage.

The braid, a bit messy looking since some curls just wouldn't behave, was finished and Echo looked upon her reflection in the mirror. She moved sideways to better see the bump of her child, and she giggled at herself.

Stroking the roundness with all her love, the mirth faded from her features as she allowed herself a moment to imagine herself as a mother with not just this child of good fortune, but many children. She was mother to Harry, and a good mother, too, but Harry wasn't a baby and she was looking forward to many babies in the future.

"Pleasant daydreams, Beauty?"

As she felt her husband's arms come up around her and he laid a palm upon his child, Echo leaned back into Severus and smiled blissfully. "How many children would you like, Severus?"

Severus chuckled softly as he gently nuzzled the softness of his wife's neck. He laid a gentle kiss upon the shadow of scar that marked the beginning of a long, vicious scar that crossed her chest and ended on her abdomen. A final mark of cruelty from Childermass when he had kidnapped her.

As he stroked Echo's belly, a tiny arc of crimson flashed from Severus' hand to the child within. For just that moment, he felt as connected to his child as Echo was. He felt only a tiny bit of loss, as the Old Magic settled quietly.

"How many?" he asked softly. "How many do you wish for?"

Echo sighed happily, "I would love to fill Fairwinds with laughter."

A vision flashed of dozens of children, lead by Harry, stomping and running through Fairwinds. "I'll go lock myself in the lab, right now," Severus teased.

"Very funny. Ha. Ha. As if you wouldn't enjoy creating all those ba..." Echo was spun precisely in her husband's arms and silenced quite satisfactorily with a passionate kiss. Just as quickly, Severus let her go, and Echo felt somewhat pleasantly dazed.

"Would you care to tell me what that extraordinary outfit is for?" he asked critically eyeing the overalls.

"Hermione is going to help me to clean up the shop today after her last class," Echo explained blithely as she glanced back at herself in the vanity and tried to tuck an extremely recalcitrant curl into the braid.

"Shop? What shop?" Severus was obviously puzzled. He and Echo had spoken a few times about her desire to have a wizarding research library, someday, but renting or even buying a building for the library was a few years away, at least.

"Didn't I tell you about it?" Echo had a slight smirk hiding at the corner of her mouth.

Severus' eyes narrowed as he crossed his arms over his chest. "I believe that's something you neglected, dear wife. Do explain yourself."

"A few months ago, Harry and I saw this lovely little shop in Diagon Alley. It's certainly not big enough for a research library and it only has a license for a magical expansion of 1,000 square feet; at least half of that must go up. I kept going back to it until I rented it."

Severus was stunned. "When did you accomplish this?"

Echo smiled, the smirk dancing across her lips. "About two weeks before the Christmas holidays." She giggled at Severus' absolutely gobsmacked expression. "Madame Pince was not having a good day in the library and after she'd thrown out a group of third years, she threw me out, too. Hermione's classes were finished for the day, and since I decided she needed a break from revising, we went to go look at it."

Severus took in his wife's bearing shrewdly. The spy in him read her body language, and the grin upon her lips that acted like a signal beacon that she had some other news up her sleeve. "Care to tell me what else you two decided without my input?"

"Hermione and I are partners. You would not believe that girl," exclaimed Echo as she took her husband's arm and walked with him out of their bedroom. "She's like a walking card catalogue. Not only has she, during her years at Hogwarts, managed to establish contacts with most of the private library collections, but she has a great sense of humour and I like her."

Severus listened, with a small bit of pleasure, as Echo continued to reveal to him the plans for the small shop. There would be a research nook which would be financed by Malfoy Estates, and much of the collection would include books donated by private collectors. The main shop would sell schoolbooks, fiction written by wizards and Muggles, and a wide array of non-fiction.

Echo interrupted herself as they reached the Floo by quickly kissing Severus' cheek. "Are you talking to Molly this morning, Severus?"

He nodded. "I hope that yesterday was just a misunderstanding and that she isn't taking her granddaughter's side over Harry's."

Echo paused in throwing the Floo powder into the fireplace. "Did you ever have occasion to talk to Molly about any of her children during your years as a teacher?"

"Once or twice for each of her children, but the twins, Fred and George were the worst. Molly continually apologised for those bookend reprobates, but without fail they were in trouble the moment she left the castle." Severus stifled a sigh and kissed his wife. "Let me know when I can see your shop," he smirked. "I might even purchase a book."

As Echo stepped into the green flames after calling out her destination, Severus summoned his winter cloak, and glanced around for sign of his son.

"Where are you, Harry?" he spoke softly as he looked around the living room. Harry should have been there waiting for him. He grimaced as he realised where his son was. Leaving the living room, he took the stairs two at a time, and opened the door to Harry's bedroom. There was a suspicious looking lump at the bed's center under the covers.

"Harry. What nonsense are you up to now?"

"Sick!" came the muffled reply along with a convincing moan.

Severus' left eyebrow rose skeptically. "You appeared quite well a half hour ago when you ate two extra pieces of bacon for breakfast."

"Real sick! Gotta stay home, dad." That was followed by some feeble coughing.

Severus grabbed the blankets and moved them off his little lump of a son. Harry was dressed for school. "Come here."

Harry didn't move. He coughed again. "You might catch it, dad," Harry tried to convince his father with a dour face and more feeble coughing.

Severus sat on the edge of the bed and caught his son by the waist. He kissed Harry's forehead, the way his own mother used to when he was little and she was checking his temperature.

"No fever, son." Harry leaned in resignation against his father's side. Severus trailed his fingers through the child's silken hair. "Care to tell me what's wrong?"

"I do feel sick, dad. My tummy is yucky. I don't want to see Sarah today. Or, ever again. She makes me feel bad."

Severus put an arm over Harry, holding him close. He knew how that felt. That 'yucky tummy' had been a persistent fixture when he was at Hogwarts as a student. The only time he had a bit of relief was when he wasn't in a class with one or more of the Marauders, or when Lily was by his side.

He patted Harry's leg. "Come with me, Harry." Severus rose and continued ahead down the hall and down the stairs. Harry followed, reluctantly, his head looking down at his scuffing feet. He felt like he was being led to Azkaban.

Being somewhat behind his father, he reached the bottom of the stairs just as Severus knelt in front of the Floo. The green flames flickered as he stuck his head into them. Harry watched, slightly puzzled. When his father pulled away from the flames, Lucius Malfoy was coming through. Lucius helped Severus up from his knees.

"Harry," began Severus as he adjusted his outer cloak. "Lucius has consented to watch over you while I go and speak to Molly. You can take the day off today, but tomorrow, I want you ready to go back to school."

Harry beamed at his father. It was an expression of utter relief, understanding, and love. Harry ran over and wrapped his arms around his father. "Thank you, dad," he whispered.

Severus leaned over and kissed the crown of Harry's head. "Would you take Lucius into the kitchen, son? He's in need of a cup of coffee."

Harry took Lucius' hand in his. "C'mon, Mr. Malfoy. Dobby's got all kinds of nice smelling coffees. I like..." Harry's voice faded as he and Lucius left the living room. Smiling, Severus departed Fairwinds and arrived at the little red schoolhouse.

Molly hadn't expected Severus and Harry to be late. Severus was always on time. However, Severus arrived only a few minutes past 8:30am. Molly's smile dipped slightly in puzzlement as she realised Harry was not with his father.

"Harry isn't sick, is he, Severus?" she asked as she cast an automatic Scourgify Spell to clean his robes of the soot.

"Not quite, Molly. Do you mind if we talk for a moment?" asked Severus.

"Charlie's visiting, so he can watch the classroom Floo. We'll then go talk at the Burrow," Molly replied.

Severus waited while Molly Floo called Charlie. Charlie had to dress, but he was at the schoolhouse in ten minutes. He smiled at Severus, and took over for his mother. Molly summoned her winter cloak and she and Severus walked the short distance through the slowly melting snow to the crooked house that was the Burrow.

Molly immediately began to bustle about her kitchen, fixing tea while Severus took a seat at the long wooden table that stretched the length of the kitchen. He successfully held his temper as Molly fussed. Severus tried not to think about how it was nearing 9am.

Finally the Weasley matriarch sat down after serving them both a robust tea. Severus took a few token sips, but then he put down the cup and broached the subject of Sarah.

Severus began quietly. "I am concerned about Sarah's... bossiness. I allowed Harry to remain at home today because he actually felt ill about facing her again after yesterday." Molly was about to react, when the wizard held up his hand. He finished, "I would like to be able to tell my son that Sarah's behavior will only improve and he need not worry about her harassing him."

Severus sat back stiffly and almost wished he had kept the mug of tea in his hands as he carefully watched Molly. As for Molly Weasley, she did not immediately appear to accept what he had implied about her granddaughter.

Slowly, Molly replied, "After you and Harry left, I decided to speak to Jared. He's a very good boy, and quite loyal to his sister, except when she bullies him, or other children. He told me, quite clearly, that I had missed quite a bit of Sarah's behavior towards Harry. He also was very emphatic about the broken quill not being an accident." The teacher sighed heavily. "I was very strict with my children, Severus. With seven I had no choice. Even so, there were times it was pandemonium when fights and arguments broke out. After discussing Sarah with Percy I discovered that he's been rather reluctant to discipline the girl." Molly smiled, a twinkle to her blue eyes. "Girls rather mystify poor Percy."

Molly stood purposefully and with a swish of her wand removed the barely touched tea from the table and then brushed the wrinkles out of her skirt. "I promise you, Severus, that I will keep a closer eye upon Sarah." A brilliant smile from the witch almost allayed all of the wizard's concerns. "I do hope to see Harry tomorrow. We've a special guest I think he'll enjoy."

Severus' eyebrow raised in question, but Molly merely laughed and escorted him from the Burrow and back to the Floo in the schoolhouse.

Lucius, drinking an exotic blend of coffee from the Orient, listened patiently as Harry told him about the bully, Sarah.

"I don't really want anything terrible to happen to Sarah, but maybe she needs a spanking. Dad always tells me I never forget when I get a spanking and he's right. I'm thinking a little more before I do something dumb, but I still mess up once in awhile." Harry had been rolling an orange back and forth between his hands as he talked. When it fell on the floor, he jumped up to retrieve it, then stood a bit closer to Lucius.

"Mr. Malfoy...," Harry began tentatively as he rolled the orange between his hands.

Lucius interrupted, "Harry, would you like to call me Uncle Lucius?"

Harry brightened and his green eyes sparkled. "You mean like the way Draco calls dad, Uncle Severus?"

"Only if you wish to," replied the older man. "Mr. Malfoy sounds so formal."

Harry nodded. "Kinda stuck up-ish. What do you get called at the circus?"

"Everyone there calls me 'Luck'."

"That sounds neat!" enthused Harry. "What's it like working at the circus, Uncle Lucius? Do you walk on tightropes an' stuff?"

"I do mostly hard labor and security. I make sure equipment is functioning properly, and that the animals are all well taken care of. Sometimes, if Miss Leeds isn't available, I'm the ringleader."

"That's like a director, right?" asked Harry.

"A director, hm. I guess I would be. I direct the audience's attention towards all the acts."

Lucius had worn a comfortable pair of faded jeans, a plaid, flannel shirt, and a well worn, tweed cap on his head. His long hair had been plaited into a flat braid. Harry had picked up the cap and was trying it on. Putting down his now empty cup of coffee, Lucius adjusted the cap on Harry's head so it was jauntily angled. Harry smiled.

"Do you think you'll be nice like this when you get your memories back?" Harry was now playing with the worn cuff of Lucius' shirt. He liked the very soft material.

Lucius picked Harry up and sat him upon his knee. "I think I will be, Harry. I do have four years of very pleasant memories to temper the darker ones of my past. That, and your father will help me, and I'm sure that there are some good memories of Draco." The older man shifted slightly and Harry leaned his back comfortably against Lucius' chest. "You really like Draco, don't you?"

Harry didn't reply immediately as he studiously examined Lucius' hand. It was like his father's; neatly trimmed nails, a few stains, and calluses that showed these were the hands of a man who worked hard. When Harry's short exam appeared over, he curled one of his hands into Lucius's and replied to his question.

"Draco's like my big brother. When dad first rescued me, we lived at Hogwarts, which is really cool, and I like the Bloody Baron, and Phineas the dead Headmaster, but dad said there were some older kids who didn't like me." Harry laid his head back against the older man's shoulder so he could grin. "Draco was my bodyguard. He didn't treat me at all like a dumb, little kid, and we explored a lot of places in Hogwarts. Draco even showed me the secret passageway in Slytherin House that takes you right to where dad and I used to live."

Harry abruptly slid off Lucius' lap, leaving the man feeling slightly bereft, and wondering if he'd done something wrong. Almost at once, the little boy grasped his hand and gave him an encouraging smile.

"Do you wanna see a secret, Uncle Lucius? It's outside."

Lucius smiled. "Certainly, but show me where your winter cloak is. Your father would never forgive me if I let you freeze."

Harry and Lucius took a few minutes to put on gloves, hats, cloaks. Lucius buttoned up Harry's cloak, since he'd put on his gloves first and was having trouble closing the cloak. Once they were done, Hector, seeing the possibility of adventure, moved from his warm place near the hearth and joined his boy, and the white wizard outside.

Harry led the way to the backyard and towards his father's greenhouse. At first, Lucius thought they might go into the greenhouse, but Harry led him to the back of the greenhouse. Against the wall of the rear of the greenhouse, not far from the left hand corner, there was a bell jar sitting snugly over a cleared spot of rich, dark soil. Hector sniffed the bell jar, didn't find it interesting enough, and went in search of invisible squirrels to run after.

Lucius crouched down, just as Harry did so. He was now able to see a very delicate, absolutely black leaf supporting what appeared to be a black flower bud. Lucius didn't say so out loud, but the tiny plant looked dead.

"I was playing hide 'n' seek with Hector a few days ago, and when I slid on some snow, I found this. Dad and I collected seeds for this in Greece with Harley." For a moment, Harry's elucidation on the plant veered off as Harry talked about Harley Walnut and his belching steam boat. "This is Melancton. It's a really important plant for potions 'cause it's got all kinds of really neat healing properties." Harry patted the bell jar, and then stood up. Lucius followed suit. "I'm really good at getting this flower to grow. Dad says he has a 'black thumb' and mine's green." Harry quickly looked at his thumbs. He still didn't see any green on them.

"Have you shown that to your father, yet?" asked Lucius, whose face showed that he was impressed by the little boy.

"Not yet. When the flower blooms I will, but until then you have to promise to keep it a secret," Harry's voice dropped to a whisper.

Lucius smirked and placed his index finger across his lips in promise. Harry then took Lucius' hand, and they made their way back to the house, and to the warmth inside.

It was nearly ten o'clock in the morning when Severus finally returned home. He disliked the hitch this had made in his schedule, but he was beginning to get used to how business that surrounded Harry wasn't always going to fit a schedule.

When he stepped through into the living room from the Floo, Severus found a very patient Lucius sitting in one of the leather chairs over by Harry's art nook. Harry was so caught up in drawing Lucius, that he was oblivious to the fact that his father had arrived. With his silvery-grey eyes, Lucius acknowledged the wizard's arrival. In that moment, Severus was struck with the memory of a painting that had hung in the parlor in Malfoy Manor. Lucius was in the same position. All he was missing was the little blonde haired boy who had stood, stiffly, next to his father.

Severus silently moved over to Harry to glance over his shoulder at the portrait so far. As always, his son's talent awed him. In the simple pose, Harry had discovered warmth in the man's relaxed smile that Severus could only recall having seen one time; that was the day that Draco was born.

"Very good, Harry," Severus complimented.

Briefly Harry glanced back at his father, smiled, and then went back to his sketch.

"Lucius, Harry? Ten minutes and then come down to the lab, would you? I'll have everything ready."

"'kay, dad," Harry replied, somewhat absently.

Without turning to look at Severus, Lucius replied, "We will meet you there, Severus."

Ten minutes later, on the dot, Lucius and Harry were down in the lab. Severus had created a comfortable place in a corner away from the main part of the lab where there were several cauldrons either bubbling away, or under a stasis spell. Severus sat the slightly nervous looking Lucius into one of the chairs he'd transfigured from two beakers.

"Harry, would you..." Severus began intending to politely banish his son to the upstairs with Dobby.

Severus was interrupted by Lucius. "Would you mind if Harry stayed, Severus? That is, if it is safe for him."

The dark-haired wizard eyed Lucius' hands that were clutched tightly together, making his knuckles nearly bloodless. He nodded. "He can stay." Severus took out a handkerchief and transfigured it into a slightly smaller chair that was next to Lucius.

Harry sat in the chair, then leaned over towards Lucius and gently peeled his hands apart. He then slipped one hand into the older man's. "It's okay. Dad's real good with his magic, but I'm here for you, Uncle."

Lucius took a moment to give Harry a thankful glance as he let out the breath he'd been holding as he relaxed marginally. Severus let a small smile appear at the corners of his lips as he experienced a gentle wash of pride in his little boy.

Severus then sat opposite Lucius. "Just relax." Lucius nodded, gave Harry's hand a light squeeze, and did not flinch as Severus whispered, "Legilimens."

Harry watched the two wizards as his father insinuated himself in Lucius' mind. Lucius' face had gone lax to the point that his mouth dropped open. His father's face, on the other hand, was quite tense, almost scowling.

Severus found himself on a dry plain with dust being breezily blown into his face. Above, somewhat dimmed by the dust, was the disc of the sun. Shimmering, like a mirage in the desert, was a large tent of black. As he walked closer, he could see about a dozen circus workers, their skin darkly tanned, and sweating beneath the implacable sun. Some held sledge hammers, some held more rope, and some just stood around, glaring at the tent.

Lucius came walking towards Severus. His duster flapped in the breeze, slapping his long legs as his boots kicked up more dust. His worn cowboy hat was the only thing protecting his eyes from the sun, and somewhat from the floating dust.

"This was a wall when I first examined it," Severus spoke to Lucius.

"This happened last night," Lucius explained. "It's almost worse than the wall." He pointed at the men. "My crew. They can't take it down."

Severus strode towards the tent with purpose. Lucius waited a moment, then fell into step behind the dark-robed wizard.

He made two circuits of the tent as he examined it. At the end of his second circuit, Severus stretched out a hand to touch the tent. He had hoped the texture might be fabric, but it was as solid as the wall he'd first seen.

"There's bad things in there, mister," Severus looked behind him to see a small, tow-headed boy of about five who looked a bit like Draco at this age. This boy had a slimmer, more angular face, though.

"Have you seen what's under the tent?" Severus asked the child.

The boy nodded, and with a crook of his finger indicated that the taller man needed to bend down closer. Severus did so and the child whispered in his ear, "I hear screams, sometimes. And crying, too." The child quickly backed away. The child suddenly shouted, "The devil's got red eyes!"

Severus did not stop the boy as he ran away, his feet kicking up puffs of dust. He frowned in thought. The boy was possibly the conduit for the nightmares Lucius sometimes had. If the boy could escape the tent, then there was a weakness that he could exploit. He began walking around the tent for a third time. This time Severus examined the inky blackness of the tent's surface for flaws, weaknesses that he had not seen the first time. His pace was painfully slow, but after what felt like years, he was rewarded.

Down at the edge of the tent where it met the dusty ground, there was a swirling of the dirt that did not match the casual, blustery breeze that randomly picked itself up and danced around Severus. Slow, steady, like the leaking of air from a balloon, it swirled the dust softly.

Severus knelt down, and put his hand over the area of weakness. In that moment, like a breath being forced out, a tiny wisp of a memory slipped through between the tent edge and the ground.

Very faintly, Severus could hear a memory-Lucius shout, "My son will not be going to Durmstrang!"

He watched as the memory wisp was caught up by a capricious breeze that tossed the silvery memory back and forth until it was swallowed up by the dust.

"What're you gonna do, mister?" Young Lucius was back and he crouched down just opposite Severus and was staring down at the weakness in the tent.

"I intend to create a small hole in the tent that will allow the memories out," Severus spoke honestly.

Lucius nodded warily, then whispered, "Can you keep the scary ones in there, mister?"

"I wish that I could, but it is our memories that make us who we are," Severus replied gently.

"Even the scary ones?" Lucius sighed.

"What are you worried about, child?" asked Severus as he shifted to rest his haunches upon his heels.

The little boy let out a nervous huff of breath. "I don't want to be mean. I'm good, now. I smile a lot," he gave Severus a shy smile. "And, I think the circus is really a lot of fun."

"You needn't worry, Lucius. You were a good man who loved his son deeply. Like me, you were caught between two factions in a vicious war and you did what you had to in order to keep your son safe." He watched as the small boy turned that information over in his head. With a nod, the child faded away, and in his place was the grown man.

"Is there anything I can do to help, Severus?" asked Lucius as he shifted so that he was kneeling on one knee.

"Is there any chance that you have a hammer and chisel?"

Lucius' pale eyebrows rose in surprise. "I think I was expecting something a bit more..."

Severus produced the hammer and chisel he'd asked his friend for. "Magical?" An amused smirk graced his lips. "Purely symbolic, and quite magical, I assure you."

Severus placed the edge of the chisel against the weak area and hit the end of it once with the hammer. A chunk of the tent, about the size of a snitch, fell off. Lucius clutched his head, letting out a silent scream as his memories enveloped him.

The dark-haired wizard found himself shoved from Lucius' mind with such force that he was slightly disoriented and nearly thrown from his chair. He shook himself out of it quickly, though, as he looked across from him to see Lucius bent over, with his hands to his head. Harry was standing right next to the blonde-haired man, rubbing his back and talking soothingly to him.

"You okay, dad?" Harry looked up and asked.

"I am fine, Harry." Severus summoned the Calmative Potion and went to Lucius side. He coaxed the man to lift his head and then administered the potion. Lucius' hands dropped to his side and he slumped back against the chair, eyes closed.

"Lucius?" Severus inquired softly.

"I... I remember..." Lucius gasped.