"Daddy, how did you get your scar?"

Harry Potter paused as a small voice interrupted his thoughts. He peered over his copy of the The Daily Prophet, frowning at his young daughter. Lily Potter was rocking back and forth on her heels, watching her father uncertainly. Harry folded up the newspaper, setting it aside, and picked the four year old child. She quickly settled into his lap, pressing up against his chest.

It wasn't as if he had never told her the story of his scar, all of his children had learned at a young age that their daddy had a lightning bolt scar on his head, it was kind of to hard to miss, and that he had received it as a baby.

Lily looked up at him with her bright eyes, waiting for her father to answer the question. This wasn't the first time this had happened– both of his sons had come to him wanting to hear the full story once rumors and whispers had reached them. There was so many times Harry wished he could raise his family without others around him seeing him as 'Harry Potter, the boy who lived'– he just wanted to be a father for his kids, nothing more.

"Well Lily," Harry said, glancing away. He had nothing to hide, but Lily was still just a child. He had no reason to give her the whole story at her age, but he also wanted to be honest with his daughter. "I was only a baby when I got it, but–"

"Oh no Daddy," Lily said, cutting off Harry, much to his surprise. She pointed up towards his forehead."I'm not talking about that scar," She glanced down. "I want to know how you got your other scar."

"...What other scar?" Harry asked, frowning slightly, though he was relieved that he would not need to tell her more about his lightning bolt scar.

Lily reached out with both arms, grabbing her father's right hand. She held it tightly, pulling it up to hold it out in front of Harry. She then tapped the faint, white shapes on the back of his hand. Chills ran down Harry's back as he stared down at the scar that most days he pretended it never existed.

I must not tell lies.

The scar was faint, so faint that most couldn't see it except when he clenched his fists. But as Lily held his hand close to his face he couldn't escape the painful words, forever carved into his hand.

I must not tell lies.

"How did you get this scar, Daddy?"

Harry stared at Lily, and she blinked. She was so young, an age where the worse thing that could happen was getting no dessert or tripping on the sidewalk. Even a tale such as Voldemort could be told in such a story-like manner that a child could understand. But of all the things she could ask, she had to ask about this scar...

He couldn't tell her of a teacher that had forced him to carve words into his own hand.

I must not tell lies.

Harry took in a deep breath, and wrapped his hands around Lily, turning her so she was directly in front of him. She watched him, head tilted to the side in confusion. He sat forward a bit, pulling his hands back and looking down at the scar once more.

Lily placed her hands on the inside of Harry's, squeezing his fingers. He gave her a small smile, running his thumbs over the back of her hands.

"Lily," Harry said softly, and her gaze locked onto his.

"Yes Daddy?" She asked.

"There are people out there, people that just cannot understand what happiness and love means," Harry said gently.

Lily's lips twisted in thought, brow furrowing. "Why not?"

"There are many reasons, Lily," Harry said. "For some people someone lied to them, and so they are afraid to trust. Others... others never knew love in the first place. Because of this, because they don't understand it, they don't know how to show love to others. And sometimes people can get hurt because of that."

Lily pulled back, looking confused and pained. "But... but that's not fair!"

Harry shook his head. "No Lily, it isn't, but that's just how things are sometimes."

Lily bit her lip in thought. "Is your scar from someone that didn't understand love, Daddy?"

Harry closed his eyes, she was too smart for her own good sometimes. He was hoping that she wouldn't be able to make the connection that quickly, that she wouldn't have to know that people had once harmed her family.

"Both of my scars are, honey," Harry told her softly.

Lily looked up at him, both shock and sorrow on her face. Harry smiled weakly, pushing back some of her red hair out of her face. She pulled her hands out of his, grabbing his right hand once more. She ran a finger over his scar, and he did his best not to wince.

"Were they sorry, Daddy?" Lily asked. "They did tell you sorry, right?"

Harry smiled at these words, at her innocence, and a part of him almost did tell her yes. Yes– they had apologized and that everything was better after that. That 'sorry' had fixed it all, and that she never had to worry.

I must not tell lies.

"No Lily, they didn't," Harry said, and she looked up at him with wide eyes. Harry took in a deep breath. "Lily, sometimes people do nothing wrong, but they still can get hurt. Sometimes you can try your hardest, and it isn't enough. Sometimes you can tell people the truth, but yet no one will believe you. Life is hard, but..."

He paused, looking over her face as he realized what he was saying. She was only four, she didn't need the coldness of the world pressed down on her. She didn't need to know the hardest things one could face.

Because that wasn't what life was about.

"But," Harry continued. "That's what makes it worth living, that's what's so special about life. Because of the hard times, the best times are so much better," He pressed her hands between his. "Because no matter what Lily, me and Mummy and your silly brothers are always going to be here for you, and no matter what happens we are going to make sure that you are never alone, even if someone does get hurt."

Lily looked up at Harry. "Even when Albus pulls on my hair?"

Harry chuckled. "Yes, and I'm sure your mum will always kiss it better."

Lily smiled, happy with this answer. She pulled her hands out of Harry's, jumping out of his lap. Harry sat back a bit, watching as she bolted away from his chair, racing off towards the kitchen. He caught a flash of red hair as she darted out the door, and he reached for his newspaper once more, unfolding it and picking up where he had left off.

"Daddy?"

Harry paused, looking over the top of his newspaper to see Lily standing in the doorway.

"Yes Lily?"

"Those people, the ones that don't know love, I'm going to find them," Lily said, and Harry blinked. "I'm going to find them, give them a great-big-hug, and I'm going to show them love, Daddy. Then they can understand, and they can be happy, and no one will get hurt."

Harry smiled weakly at this. "Lily..."

"Won't that be lovely, Daddy?" Lily asked with a happy smile.

"...It will be absolutely wonderful," Harry whispered. Lily smiled proudly, and vanished into the kitchen.

Harry found that he was blinking back a few tears as he watched her go. Slightly startled, he pulled off his glasses, wiping them away. He pushed the glasses back up onto his nose, opening his paper once more.

"Lily looks up to you a lot, doesn't she?" A soft voice asked behind him. Harry paused, looking up to find Ginny standing behind his chair. He smiled at his wife, and she leaned down and planted a kiss on his cheek. As she pulled away Harry pressed another kiss against her lips, and she chuckled.

"She's sweet," Harry replied.

"...That was a bit much to tell her though, don't you think?" Ginny asked. "The things you said were very... profound, but I don't think she truly understood them, Harry."

I must not tell lies.

Harry sighed softly. "Perhaps... perhaps the words were said to her, but perhaps I was the one that needed to hear them."

Ginny looked down at her husband sadly. "No matter what, Harry, I'll be here for you. We all will be."

A gentle smile appeared on Harry's face as he felt Ginny's arms around him. "I know that Ginny... I know..."

"I love you, Harry," Ginny whispered.

I must not tell lies.

"And I love you more than words can ever say."