A/N: I don't own Harry Potter or any related characters

This is for the Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry

Fantasy February Day Twenty-Three You are an assassin. A little girl has just come up to you, handed you all her pocket money and asked you to kill someone.

Word Count: 756

Warning: child abuse, hinted sexual abuse, murder

"You're an assassin, right?" the girl asked. Severus looked down at her. She was wearing a coat that was three times too big. Her glasses were broken and held together with tape. She couldn't have been much older than nine, maybe ten? It was hard to tell given how small she was. His anger flared slightly at seeing the child.

"Why do you think that?"

"Because you've got a holster on your belt loop. You're out here lurking in the almost dark, and because I really really need someone killed. I have money," she answered, pulling out a dirty looking grey sock. It jingled as she opened it. Severus could see a fair amount of change inside. The girl had maybe twenty pounds?

"Why do you need someone killed," he finally asked.

"Because I'm tired of being hit and yelled at. Mummy and Daddy are dead and Uncle Vernon needs to join them," she said, her bright green eyes nearly glowing. Severus stared at her, at those eyes. The eyes he never could forget, the eyes that haunted him every night, every dream, every nightmares. The eyes of a Fae girl he'd once loved, a Fae girl he'd gotten killed. He'd never forgive himself for that.

"What is your name?" he asked.

"Hyacinth Lily Potter," the girl answered. Severus nodded. This was the daughter then. The child he'd read about, the child swept away from the world in a vain effort to protect her. Severus had laughed at that. Put the Fae girl in the mortal world to hide her, to protect her from her own destiny. That had been one of Albus' greatest jokes. Now, by complete accident, Severus had found her. He'd been on a mission to terminate a rogue Fae, a mad creature who liked hurting little girls. He tilted his head looking at Hyacinth.

"Has your uncle always been like this?" he asked.

"Since I was old enough to remember," she answered. "He's made a new friend though. I heard Aunt Petunia talking about it. They go out every night and then come home really late and.." Hyacinth's face seemed to crumble. Her lip trembled and she looked down at the broken sidewalk. Severus had a feeling he knew what was happening when the girl's uncle came home. He clenched his fists. Not only was his target here, but he had found a liked minded mortal.

"Do you know where they go?" he asked, softly, already knowing he was going to kill the man for Hyacinth. Not because of the money, but because he could not let Lily down again. If he let this man hurt her daughter again, he'd have failed her all over and he could not allow that to happen.

"A place called "Golder's? I think that's what Aunt Petunia called it. Why?"

"Because your uncle has made friends with a very bad man."

"The one you're here to kill, right?"

"Right. Does your aunt take care of you?"

"Better than Uncle Vernon does, she at least doesn't hit me," Hyacinth answered.

"Would you be safe if your uncle was gone? Would you be alright living with her?"

Hyacinth nodded slowly, a strand of her dark hair sliding across her face. Severus carefully tucked it back behind her ear.

"Good. Now, you're going to have to do exactly as I say, alright?"

"Okay."

"I need you to go home, go to bed. In the morning, your uncle will be missing, gone. You can not tell anyone what happened, do you understand?"

"I understand," Hyacinth said, reaching to hand Severus her pocket change. He shook his head.

"No, little one. I made a promise to someone a long time ago that needs to be honored today. I do not need your money. Keep it."

Hyacinth tucked the sock back into her too large coat.

"Good bye, Mister Black," she said, giving him a smile. She was missing her front tooth. Severus nodded, his black coat swaying around him in the cold breeze. He watched until she was back inside number four Privet Drive. Tonight he would make sure Hyacinth was safe, tonight he would get both this target and girl's uncle.

"Don't worry, Lily," he whispered. "I'll make sure she's safe." Severus drew his wand to his hand and headed to the bar where he knew he would find the two men. They were dead before morning light. He smiled. He might have been able to save Lily, but he could make certain her daughter would never be hurt again.