After the assassination of Headmaster Dumbledore, Echo has been going through immense training under her mother, Bellatrix Lestrange. Because she has deemed herself worthy to the Dark Lord, she began to transition into a Death Eater. Before Echo could get the Dark Mark, a very painful experience, as told by most of her Death Eater peers, she must pass a physical test to see if she was up to the tasks of a Death Eater. Her mother didn't let her rest until she got it correct. There were days where Echo was not allowed to eat until she was able to perform the task that her mother needed her to do. Part of her training was to become an Animagus, a wizard or witch that can turn into an animal at will. Her mother told her that only a select few Death Eaters were an Animagus so becoming one would definitely impress the Dark Lord.
Out of all the training, becoming an Animagus was the hardest thing Echo ever had to do. She, with the help of her mother, made it to become a raven because it "fit her character" and because it would be very useful to have someone with wings. To undergo the training, Echo first had to concentrate and be one with the animal she had to become. She spent most of her free time going to cemeteries in which raven often flew around. Being in the cemeteries was Echo's favorite thing to do because she got to have time for herself and she didn't have to hear the screams of torture in the Malfoy Manor.
Days passed filled with nonstop training until the day came. The day for her test. Her mother told her that all she had to do was use the Three Unforgivable Curses successfully and turn into the raven. The Dark Lord called her to the room where he was and when she entered, she saw that there was a small lamb in the middle of the room. Echo sighed in relief, thanking Merlin that it wasn't a person. Her mother was at the right hand of Voldemort, looking more interested than the Dark Lord. Echo really thought of this test for her mother instead of the Dark Lord.
"Now," The Dark Lord instructed.
Echo bowed and said, "Yes, My Lord."
She pulled out her wand from her black cloak and pointed to the innocent lamb and took a sharp breath in and said, "Imperio." A yellow powdery-like substance came out of her wand and surrounded the lamb like a cloud. The lamb became attentive and looked at Echo straight in the eye. She pointed her wand to a corner of the room and without hesitation, the lamb walked to the corner of the room. Echo continued to do that to the other points of the room and she put the lamb back at the center of the room.
"Next," he said.
"Yes, My Lord." Echo bowed again and pointed her wand at the lamb. This time, shivers went down her spine as she said, "Crucio." The lamb began to flail around, braying so loud that Echo had to fight not covering her ears. Her eyes twitched but she couldn't keep her eyes off of the lamb. After a while of torturing the innocent animal, the Dark Lord put his hand up ever so slightly and Echo stopped and put her wand down.
"Last," he said.
"Yes, My Lord."
Echo bowed for the last time and raised her wand to the lamb who was laying down, let out quick breaths. Echo put her wand in front of her face vertically and took a deep breath in and out. Then, quickly, she pointed her wand at the lamb while saying, "Avada Kedavra!" A green flash flew out of her wand and blasted onto the lamb, making it fly just a little bit. It hit the wall of the room and plopped down, its eyes still open but completely lifeless.
The dark haired girl's heartbeat was beating so fast that her breaths began to shorten. She looked at the Dark Lord and saw that he looked as impressed as he can be. Her mother on the other hand had a impressed and proud grin.
"Very good, Echo Lestrange. I see a lot of your mother in you and that is a very good thing. You have past the test," The Dark Lord said.
"Thank you, My Lord," Echo said, smiling and putting her wand away. Her mother looked at her and urged her to do the one last thing she was practicing. "But, sir, I have one last thing to show you."
"And what would that be?"
Echo put her hands on her lips like she was praying and closed her eyes. She began to picture the ravens in the cemeteries, circling around graves and croaking, calling to the fogs of the night as if they were inviting Death over for tea. She began to feel her body change and when she opened her eyes, everything looked much bigger. She opened her mouth to speak but only a loud caw came out. The Dark Lord looked completely immersed at what just happened that he got out of his chair to examine Echo's Animagus form. Nagini, who was a few steps away, slithered to Echo, looking hungry and excited about her new snack.
"No, Nagini. Back!" ordered the Dark Lord. The serpent looked disappointed and crawled to the other room where she might find running rats. The Dark Lord extended his right hand and waited.
Echo realized that he was inviting her to fly to his arm and she extended her wings and jumped, flapping her wings. She felt herself flying and circled around the Dark Lord before landing perfectly in his arm.
"Impressive. Most impressive." He pet Echo once on the head before releasing her from his arms. While she was in midair, she already began to feel feint and turned back to her normal self. She landed on one knee, and her breathing was slow and heavy.
"I am glad this summer has greatly improved your skills as a witch, Echo. Rise and come here," the Dark Lord instructed.
Echo looked up and saw that Lord Voldemort was back at his seat. She got up from the floor and walked in front of him. He drew out his wand that looked a lot like a bone.
"Give me your left forearm."
This is it, Echo. What you've been training for. Echo nodded and pulled up her sleeve and showed him her bare left forearm.
Voldemort pressed his wand in the middle of her forearm and began to mumble words that Echo couldn't comprehend. For a second, it didn't feel like anything at all but then, sudden pain struck. It felt like a burn and Echo tried her best not to scream from the pain. She steadied her forearm with her right hand and bit her lip. She looked away from what he was doing until the pain suddenly stopped. All that was left was a small sting.
"You are now a Death Eater," Lord Voldemort said.
Echo looked at her forearm and saw the Dark Mark on her forearm. The snake around the skull moved ever so slightly and Echo was pleased. Echo smiled proudly and bowed at her Dark Lord. "Thank you so much, My Lord."
The summer was coming to a close and since Echo was the newest Death Eater, the Dark Lord didn't ask her to do much. She sat by meetings and always sat next to her mother. The new term for Hogwarts was starting but it was a fact that Harry Potter was not to attend this last year. There were rumors that he was going to get out of hiding and moved into a safe house. It was hard tracking him down because of his Trace but the rumors stated that Potter was to be moved before his birthday.
"He is going to be taken to safe house; most likely a house of someone in the Order," Snape stated. "Although we have infiltrated the Ministry, there are those that remain loyal to him so attacking him will not be practical. As long as the Ministry stands, his allies within will have the means at their disposal to insure his safety."
"My lord, if I might," Bellatrix said with false hope, "I'd like to volunteer myself for this task. I'd like to kill the boy."
Echo was not surprised by this. Her mother has always tried to impress him in all that she was doing. But of course, the Lord Voldemort wanted him all to himself. Echo was mostly silent in these meetings. There was nothing she could say or do that will change the course of what was happening. She felt lost but this was better than being abandoned.
"Now, the subject of Echo Lestrange," Snape said. Echo heard her name and her head shot up. Her mother was looking at her with intense eyes. "She will continue to go to Hogwarts but she will obey any orders that come from the manor or anyone else that will need her."
Echo's gaze landed on the centerpiece of the long table in the Malfoy Manor and all she could do is nod her head. She hated being a personal assistant to everyone. She didn't go through all of that training just to be a pawn in a bigger chess game.
Days passed without any word and Echo spent her days mastering her ability to turn into a crow and on the day she got it perfect, a Death Eater barged into the Manor and shouted, "Harry Potter will be moving the Burrow tonight. We need to move fast!"
Without hesitation, Echo grabbed her broomstick and Apparated to her station, an open field in the outskirts of London with only electric telephone towers as scenery. She was told to stay put and keep her eye on the sky for Potter. If she sees him or any other ally of Potter, stop them with all means necessary.
She waited for what it seemed like three hours until there was finally movement in the sky. Three people were on their broomsticks while two Death Eaters were on their tails. Echo mounted her broomstick and flew up in the air with her wand at the ready.
Instead of seeing three individual people, she saw three Harry Potters. It was strange seeing him for the first time in months. All of the feelings that she once had were nonexistent and all she felt was anger towards him. All three Harry Potters. She chose the one in the middle and chased him around.
She threw hex after hex but Potter was too good of a Quidditch player to be struck by one of her moves.
"Give up, Potter!" Echo screamed.
Harry didn't respond, perhaps because if this one spoke, it would ruin the disguise. Echo threw three more hexes and one hit him but not where she wanted it. It looks like she struck his ear and that Harry Potter made a scream that wasn't his voice. The disguised Potter clutched onto his ear and flew quickly away from the fight.
Echo yelled in frustration and flew upwards so she could get a good look at the battle. She heard the sounds of a motorcycle engine coming into the foggy sky. Hagrid had another Harry Potter on the sidecar and he was throwing protecting spells around. There was another Potter just ahead of them with ally's protecting him. Just as she was about to head into the battle once more, she saw Hedwig, Harry's owl, protect the Potter in the sidecar and when a Death Eater struck the owl, Harry yelled her name as the bird plunged into the ground.
"That's him!" Echo shouted, pointing at Hagrid's Potter. "Forget the rest! That's the real one!"
Harry with a face filled with grief, looked up at Echo but before they could exchange any sort of contact, Hagrid revved up the engine and flew as fast as the motorcycle could go. The Death Eaters followed Hagrid's car but Echo stayed behind. She didn't want any part of this anymore. She did her job.
Echo landed around where Hedwig should have fallen and walked around the field looking for the bird. She didn't know why she was doing it. Perhaps it was because she herself was a bird now and felt a bizarre connection with them now. Maybe it was because she knows how it feels to have a pet die in an unfair way.
Soon enough, she found the beautiful snowy owl sprawled on the floor, still and lifeless. She went down to her knees and grabbed the bird gently. For a bird that fell from a thousand meters off the air, it looked like it was only sleeping. Close to the field was a tiny village and since it was four in the morning, no one was around. Echo left the bird on the field to look for something. There was an antique shop in the village with a beautiful chest inside that was the perfect fit. Using Alohamora, Echo entered the shop and grabbed the chest. The tag on it said, "16th century chest. Use: unknown. 285 pounds." She took out six 50 pound notes and placed it where the chest was and quickly went back to the field.
She decorated the inside with comfortable grass and flowers that were on the field and carefully placed the owl inside. Echo mounted her broomstick and made sure to fly low just in case Potter's allies were anywhere near. Finally, she made it to the Burrow and saw that the Weasley family were getting settled. Since there were protective spells around the house, she couldn't get near so she got as close as she could and pushed the chest as far into the shield as she could manage.
On top of the chest, there was a small note that simply said:
' to: potter
from: a little birdie '