A Thief to Catch a Thief; a Death Eater to Catch a

“Hello.” Lucius said softly to Cressida as she sat nibbling on a tiny ham sandwich, she completely ignored him now she was consuming food that tasted delicious.



“I’m being ignored because of a sandwich.” He chuckled; she turned to look at him, instantly wary and no longer distracted by food. She shuffled away from him and attempted to climb from the bed, only the safety charm surrounding it on keeping her on it.



“Shh… I wonder if the healers will kill me if I give you my chocolate biscuit.” He muttered, quickly drinking down the coffee from the paper cup before contemplating the little packet that came with the beverage. He broke it in half, eating the big half for himself and handing her the other.



Her deformed wrists took the treat before she nibbled at it like a hamster for a moment before completely devouring it within moments. She went back to the little sandwich, once again ignoring him.



“Well, that didn’t last long, did it?” he chuckled, watching as the sandwich also vanished. “You are hungry aren’t you, but you can’t have anymore because it will make you sick.” He said, forgetting the alert child didn’t understand a word he was saying.



“Ooo?” she cawed, shuffling over to him, reaching for the paper cup that had contained his coffee.



“No. All gone. And I don’t think caffeine is a very good idea.” He said, vanishing the cup with his wand; Cressida looked amazed, shuffling to search for wherever the ‘thing’ had gone.



“Someone told me you like bubbles.” He said, whispering a bubble charm.



“Boobah.” She copied, giggling as she tried to catch them and hold them. They popped, leaving a shower of little sparkles that vanished before they touched the bedcovers.



“You’ll be talking in no time…” Lucius muttered, “I know you like this one: purple.”



The bubbles became a translucent version of her hospital gown, the little girl sat there mesmerised.



“Purple.” Lucius repeated gently, pointing at the bubbles and then her gown.



“Puhpa.” She copied, grinning, “Puhhhpa.”



Another wand flick and the colour changed again.



“Green.”



“Gwee.” She popped the emerald bubbles, trying to catch the glittering sparkles falling from them. “Gwee.”



Another flick.



“Red.”



“Wred.” She said, struggling to get her tongue around the ‘r’. “Wwwwred, wwwred, wred, wwwwwwwwwred.” She said, getting frustrated, “Wred, wred, wred.” She chanted between Lucius’s correct pronunciation.



Seeing her frustration, Lucius changed the colour again.



“This one is tricky: yellow.”



“Ticky.” She said, popping the new colour, “Ticky.”



“No!” he laughed gently, “Yellow.”



“Welwooo? Ticky?”



“Yell-ow.” He repeated again, popping the bubbles with her.



“Wellll-woh. Well-woh.” She grinned, popping more bubbles.



The colour changed again.



“Puhpa!” she said confidently, a beaming grin.



“Blue.” Lucius corrected, though impressed with her memory, even if it wasn’t the right colour.



“Bwoooo. Buhwoo? Bwooh?” she tried, getting cross again.



Another flick, another colour…



***



Some time later, another healer came, carrying another tiny sandwich. Cressida had no natural sleep pattern having no knowledge of night or day, even at half-past-five she was wide awake.



“Gwee!” she said, pointing to the healer’s robe, “Gwee!”



“Indeed! Green!” the healer smiled, suddenly noticing an exhausted Lucius Malfoy sitting by the bedside. “She’s far too young to be questioned by aurors!”



“She isn’t. I wouldn’t let another auror in uniform near her at the moment.”



“Gwey.” She said, pointing at Lucius’s armour, tracing the protective runes stamped into the leather.



“Why are you in here, Lord Malfoy?” the healer had no time for a pompous prat like him.



“I am spending time with my daughter.” He said simply taking the little plate from the healer and placing it on Cressida’s outstretched legs.



“Sandwich. Saaaand-wich.” He said, not letting her have a bite until she repeated it back to him.



“Saaaaawict. Saaaaawict.” She tried, still struggling around the phonics.



“Daugher?” the healer said, confused, “But she’s an orphan.”



“Oh yes, but I adopted her so I could fund the treatment she needs for her legs to get her walking; I did always want more children anyway, and she will no doubt end up just as spoilt as Draco – probably by Draco.” Lucius chuckled, Jess mentioned something about getting the ‘little princess’ something better to wear, perhaps Draco and he wouldn’t be the only ones spoiling her. “She is not blood, but I won’t have her suffer more than she already has in life. I can pay for her treatment, assist with her recovery, provide all she needs in life and help her catch up with her learning… are there any more sandwiches?” he said as an afterthought, his stomach rumbling.



“I… erm… adopted? Sandwiches? Erm…” the healer muttered, walking away in a daze.



“Saaawict!”



“Yes, sandwich. Eat up, little one, you need to get big and strong.” Lucius said, accepting the plate brought to him by a different healer who checked the little girls notes with wide eyes before leaving.



“You’re going to be quite the fodder for gossip.” Lucius said, biting into his much larger and more generously filled sandwich.



“SAAAAAWICT!” she shouted, comparing her tiny portion to his and getting cross.



“Shhh.” He soothed, gently stroking her back as she calmed and ate her own little meal.



“Saaawict.” She said, looking sad at the empty plate and his half-full one, but unable to reach his.



“You can have another one later, along with a vitamin potion.” He said, watching as her face screwed up.



“Poooton! Na na!” she said, trying to wriggle out of the covers and get away.



“No potion?” he said, trying to clarify before remembering it’s hideous taste from his childhood. “It isn’t as nice as a sandwich, but it will make you better.” He said.



“Na pooton! Saaawich!” she said firmly, reaching for his now empty plate and looking dejected at finding nothing on or under it.



“All gone.” He said, showing his empty hands as well as the clear plate. “Empty.”



“Gone. Hempy.” She said, holding open her misshapen hands, “Hempy, gone.”



She yawned, finally, much to an exhausted Lucius’s delight. “Sleepy.” He whispered, laying her down and covering her up. He started to hum quietly, his deep voice calming and reassuring.



“Seepy.” She parroted, yawning before drifting off into dreams filled with coloured bubbles and nice things to eat.