Sugar and Soap

Slowly Lily caught up to Albus and her father as they wandered the streets of Diagon Alley after dwadling close to Quality Quidditch Supplies about thirty seconds too long. Her almond shaped eyes scoped the brilliant colors and flashing lights, her mouth closed tightly, her shoulders tense and into her body, trying to make herself as small as possible among the crowd. She jumped back, spotting a particularly old looking wizard, long red waves luckily secured in pigtails as to avoid tangling into the display of self-blowing bubble wands behind her and bit her lip as he chuckled down at her and rubbed his overly rotund belly.

"Ha. Ha!" he chuckled, eyes twinkling. "How cute you are, Miss Potter! I never expected just how much you'd resemble your grandmother when I'd heard your father had a daughter!" he exclaimed gently.

She puffed out her chest and crossed her arms over it, freckles looking dark against her pale skin, brow eyes flashing dangerously.

"Besides the eyes, of course. Oh yes, your grandmother had the most spectacular eyes."

Lily tensed farther and backed more against the wall before she decided to speak, lip curling dangerously. "Who are you and how do you know who I am?" She growled up, glaring more skeptically.

He chuckled again. "And fiesty as well, just like your namesake, I see." He shook his head. "Forgive me, my dear. I'm Horace Slughorn. I was once a Potions Master at Hogwarts. You're not quite old enough to go, I daresay..."

She shook her head no, but didn't relax in the slightest. "Not yet, no." And she looked back in the direction Albus and her dad had been travelling in. They were no longer within eye shot. The panic started to strike once more and she defiantly put her hands on her hips. "Listen, I don't know what you want, but..."

"What I want, my dear? You've got it all wrong..." he chuckled. "I merely wished to say hello. Where is your father, anyway? Even in the safest of times, I doubt his children are safe...especially his pretty little girl..."

She flattened to the wall. Pretty little girl replayed in her head in James' voice as he shut the closet door and locked it from the outside. "I'm not afraid." It came as a growl from someone so tiny, which set Slughorn back.

"Let's find your Dad, okay?" he cooed quietly and offered his hand.

He did know her parents...and he was a Professor...and he probably could see better with as tall as he was, not to mention could move people with his stomach... but no. She defiantly glared up at him still, against the wall, looking as though she was daring him to actually touch her. "Get away from me..." she growled again. "I don't need your help! I can find him on my own."

"Lily, you don't understand..." he looked concerned. "It isn't safe for you to wander around even the Alley on such a crowded day by yourself. You have no wand...no way to-"

And she took off. Paranoid was not the half of it. She was upset she'd been recognized by someone she didn't know and now was confused, as she passed the news stand, as to why her father graced the cover. He was an excellent Auror, she'd heard... and married to a Quidditch star has-been. But...what did the headline mean? "The Anniversary of Birth of The Boy Who Lived" and why was the picture from her father's birthday the night before?

She swallowed and zigged through more people, happening onto the Ice Cream Parlor and tilted her head. Mmm. Ice Cream. Too bad she didn't have her change purse because she had no pockets. Peering back, she saw Slughorn wandering daftly, calling after her, and slipped down a nearby alley way, darkened and shadowed. 'He'll never find me here...' she thought, triumphantly, before entering farther.

The farther in she went, however, the slower she moved as apprehension swam over her. She shivered, eyeing the strangeness, the deformity, of the people he passed, her body still stiff, her throat pulsing with the beat of her heart. It was fast as a rabbit's, and speaking of which, there was a vendor with some bunnies now! Excitedly she raced closer only to find the rabbits lifeless, dead, and bit her lower lip. She couldn't remember which direction she'd come from, and as fast as she knew it, she was lost deep in Knockturn Alley.

She felt eyes on her, heard whispers, and forced her feet to continue until a moment later someone from behind her touched her shoulder and caused her to almost jump out of her skin. Spinning, she glanced up at a pale man with blond hair, a pointed looking chin, and mercury colored eyes. He met her face and shook his head quietly back and forth. "Scorpius, stay close," he hissed to the boy, a spitting image of his father, she assumed, who haulted from venturing off. "Miss Potter, let's get you out of here, shall we?" his voice was a cold drawl, really, and she had chills venture her spine. She froze. So he bent low. "Lily Potter, your life is in great danger just being here. Take. My. Hand." It was an order.

Slowly she reached out and took the stranger's hand without any cheek. She was far too terrified to be cheeky now. She gripped it tight, her palms sweaty. He stayed bent low though, examining her face before he spoke again. "Lily, I won't hurt you. I promise." His brows raised. "Your daddy saved my life once, and I saved his..."

She slowly came closer to his bent knee and placed her palm there, her eyes wide, teeth tight on her lip. A shiver ran her length and he looked over at the smaller version of himself a moment. "Scorpius, are you still hot?" The small boy nodded. "Spare your cloak to Miss Potter, would you?"

She slowly wandered even closer to the man who's name she didn't know, standing closer to his armpit. "I feel dizzy," she said quietly, swallowing the thickness in her throat, eyes watering slightly in effort.

Scorpius came closer, and patted her on the back a moment. "Hey. I'm Scorpius Malfoy. Here...it'll keep you warm until we find your Father..." and he draped his cloak over her shoulders, helping her fix her arms inside and tugging her fiery red hair over top. He rubbed her back. "You look scared."

She nodded, and the man gave a nod as well. "You should be. I don't even like this end of the Alley and I'm your dad's age..." he said this gently, and slowly pulled her closer with his free arm. "It's alright now, though. I'm Mister Malfoy," he said. "Can I pick you up? You're small, short legs, and we can leave faster if I carry you."

She nodded again. She didn't feel up to walking anyway. Slowly he lifted her, and curled her inside of his own robe, hiding her hair beneath the hood of Scorpius' cloak. She settled in close and closed her eyes a moment. It'd been a while since she had been held. She couldn't even remember when her own dad had last carried her this way. Her fingers went to his tie, which she began to rub between her index and thumb.

Before she knew it, they were back into the light, and Mister Malfoy's shoulders seemed to loosen a bit. He uncovered her hair and kept her held in tight with one arm, Scorpius holding his other hand. It wasn't long before he spotted Harry frantically searching for his daughter and sped up to catch him.

"Draco." Her father's voice cracked. His green eyes met Lily's from behind his glasses. "Can I have her?" He seemed unsure, and that made Lily tense.

"Of course you can bloody have her, Potter," he spoke as though this uncertainty was ridiculous. "You should keep a better eye on her. She's easily identifiable. I was ridding the last of my father's things he had hidden in the Manor when I heard someone come in and say she was in the Alley and that Amycus was on his way..." Lily glanced up at Mister Malfoy and could see a glimmer of fear in his eye as he bent low to set her on her feet. "I wasn't about to let that happen. I had to cover her hair until we got just in case..."

And Harry cut him off quickly, grabbing her wrist rather harshly. She winced and coiled a bit. "Thank you. I owe you one," he answered, tugging her close.

"She was no problem," he looked concerned at Harry's grip on the girl, but swallowed whatever thought he had. It wasn't his business. He looked down as Albus and Scorpius spoke amongst themselves, and grinned as his blond headed son gave a happy chuckle. "You owe me nothing." He looked back up. "Our sons seem to be getting along. Strange, isn't it?"

"Albus," came Harry's stern voice. "It is rather strange. I have to be going now. Lily needs a nap. Thank you, again," he flushed.

Draco frowned as Albus obediently left Scorpius with a little hand shake, and looked over Lily again. She yanked free of her father's hand forcefully and took off the cloak, handing it out, and then hugged Mister Malfoy's knees. He rubbed the back of her head a moment. "Stay close to your father, huh?" he spoke quietly as she backed off, and took Scorpius' hand once more, before heading off.

Lily felt Harry's grasp again and bit her lower lip, watching them walk away.