Lily Evans was lost--hopelessly lost--and she knew it. The tiny little spit of pavement she'd thought would lead her back to Diagon Alley and, not so consequentally, The Leaky Cauldron where she was staying, proved yet another dead-end. She side-stepped to avoid something slimy, and--ew!--crawling and came to a halt, staring forlornly at the crumbling brick wall she was willing to swear had been an archway just moments ago.

"Typical!" She muttered under her breath. "The one time I decide to do something adventerous, to go exploring, and I get lost."

She indulged in a deep, shuddering sigh. There was nothing for it. She'd just have to turn around and return the way she'd come.

"Wot's this then?"

Lily whirled around startled by the sudden whisper of voices, to find the passage blocked by three characters of rather ill repute. One of the figures, a shabbily dressed man of generous girth, was pointing in her direction. In retrospect, entering the dark, tight passage had been a poor idea.

"It's a little witch, it is!" a second voice replied, gravelly tones not quite masking a sinster greediness.

She clutched her arms about her chest, and looked about her--left and right--for another means of exiting the narrow corridor. It took a fraction of a second for the horrible truth to hit her--there was none. She was trapped fast.

The figures were approaching now, rapidly, and she began to panic. There could be little doubt that their intentions were harmful, their wands were drawn and aimed, their unwashed faces twisted into grimacing smiles. She retreated quickly, forcing back a wave of panic that threatened to engulf her as she felt the unforgiving stone wall brush her back. Her own wand was out, aimed in the general direction of her would-be attackers, the effect somewhat dampened by her trembling hand. Come on, Evans, she urged herself, where's all that Gryffindor courage?

The wizards stopped just short of her, so close she could hear the foul hiss of their breath.

"Hello, poppet." The burly man said, with a mock bow.

"Don't you know it isn't safe to be a' wandering Knockturn Alley alone?" gravelly voice said.

"There are those that mean harm about, there are!" laughed the third, a tall, skeletal man whose clothes hung on him tent-like.

"Th-thank you for your kind concern." She replied, cursing herself for stammering. She inched sideways, thinking that she might be able to squeeze around them.

"Not so fast there, love." gravelly voice said, prodding her arm with his wand.

"I'll hex you!" She replied in desperation, batting him away with her free hand.

"I think not, poppet." Burly grinned at her, revealing a mouth full of crooked, yellow teeth. "There are three of us."

"And only one of you!" skinny added.

"Then I'd better make it count!" She retorted, flicking her wand with lighting precision. "Stup--"

"Expelliarmus!" Gravelly hissed, surprisingly quick for one who looked fit to die of consumption.

Her wand flew from her hand. She didn't hestitate, she dove for it, hitting the ground hard and rolling.

"Impedimenta!" Burly commanded.

Lily stumbled, knocked off her feet just shy of her goal. She lay flat, her side aching from her uncontrolled tumble, her breath coming in short, panicky gasps. She struggled both for breath and for footing, and found that she could obtain neither--the jinx was still operating on her.

"What'll we do with 'er, then?" Skinny wondered. "Have a spot 'o fun?" His expression was suddenly hopeful.

"What's going on here?" a deep, masculine voice demanded.

Her attackers whirled abruptly, shielding her prone body from view.

"Nothing at all, young sir." Burly replied in honeyed tones.

"Just a group of hard-working lads out for an evening stroll." added Skinny.

"Really?" the young man replied, his voice dripping with sarcasm. "Is that all? Well, I suppose I should just leave you to it, then?" He paused. "Or perhaps I should do this!"

Skinny flew upward, drug by his ankle, to dangle high above the filthy alleyway. Lily recognized the spell instantly--it was quite popular at Hogwarts--as Levicorpus.

Burly and Gravelly flicked their wands in response.

"Petrif--" cried Gravelly.

"Stup--" cried Burly.

The young man was too quick.

"Expelliarmus!"

Suddenly wandless, the fully-grown wizards proved their cowardice, fleeing past the boy as fast as their legs could carry them. The young man was unphased, sending hexes after them with a practiced ease. He turned his attention to the dangling criminal, who was trying desperately to right himself. The young man gestured and Skinny fell in a heap, the spell holding him banished. He scrambled to his feet and ran, chasing his mates and cursing back at Lily's rescuer, who scoffed at his flimsy attempts.

Lily rose to her feet, finally capable of doing so, and tucked her wand in her pocket.

"Are you ok then, miss?" the tall youth asked, turning his attention from the fleeing trio.

"I...think so." Lily murmured, brushing off her jeans and flushing a bit.

Truth to tell, she was sore, frightened, and horribly, horribly embarassed. What kind of witch was she when she couldn't even defend herself from a couple of bumbling drunks? It hadn't escaped her notice that the young man cut quite a dashing figure--tall and obviously well-muscled. Perhaps the sort of bloke she'd have prefered to favorably impress with her spell-casting prowess.

"Don't you know it isn't safe to be wandering around here unescorted?" He replied in a scolding, brotherly tone as he walked towards her. "You could have been...Evans?" He asked, staring at her in shock.

"Yes...?" She replied, peering through the gloom and wondering who this boy was that he could know her name. And suddenly she knew. "Potter?"

It was a silly question. Of course it was Potter. Who else could it be? She marvelled that she could have failed to recognize him before. His messy, dark hair was unmistakable. But when Potter had become so gallant? He stood nothing to gain by helping her, indeed, he hadn't even known it was her until just now. It was hardly the sort of action she'd have expected from the James Potter she knew.

He nodded in response and stepped closer, gently touching her arm. "Are you alright?"

"Fine." she lied breathlessly, wobbling a bit on her unsteady legs.

His eyes narrowed. "You are most decidedly not fine." He observed. "Let me help you out of here?"

She thought to protest, thinking that he would most likely use this opportunity as an excuse to grope her, but wobbled again.

"I think you'd better." She admitted, allowing him to wrap an arm about her waist to steady her. "Can you help me to the Leaky Cauldron? I'm kind of...staying there." It was an admission that she hated to make.

He raised a brow at her, but wisely made no comment, chosing instead to concentrate on manuevering her through the maze of alley ways that led back to Diagon Alley.

"You have a nice Holiday?" He asked after several moments of silence.

"I guess." She replied non-committally. She hadn't. An entire summer with no one for company but Petunia and her blubberous fiance. It was a misery that didn't bear mentioning. "And yourself?" She asked him, remembering her manners somewhat belatedly.

"I've had better." He admitted, a ghostly pain flickering briefly across his face.

They fell silent.

"No, no." He corrected her when she tried to make what appeared to be the right turn. "This way."

"Sorry."

"Easy mistake to make. I did the first few times I came this way." He replied with a smile.

Lily started with surprise. Did Potter really just admit to being less than perfect?

"What were you doing there anyway?" She blurted out as they approached the Cauldron.

He raised a brow at her. "Getting into trouble, of course!"

She grinned. "No, I'm pretty sure that's what I was doing. You were far to busy getting me out of it to get into any yourself!"

He smiled back. "Glad to be of assistance." He hesitated in front of the door. "Are you really staying here?"

She nodded, avoiding his eyes. He watched her for a moment without comment before pulling open the door. He held the door for her and insisted upon settling her into a chair near the fire.

"Buy you a drink?" He asked casually, a hopeful gleam in his eye.

Lily stiffled a sigh. Here it comes, she thought wearily, he's saved me, so he'll ask me out. Again.

"Potter, look," She began, her brow furrowing in annoyance. She stopped. He wasn't listening. He was already flagging down the barmaid to order the offered refreshment. She let the protest die on her lips. She was parched. And it was rather nice of him to...

"Here." He said softly, holding out a butterbeer to her.

She accepted greatfully, taking a long swig. "Thank you." She said simply.

"Anytime, Evans." He was watching her carefully.

"Not just for the butterbeer." She added quickly. "For everything. It was really..."

His brow furrowed, his expression suddenly troubled. "Don't mention it. Really. I didn't even know it was you."

Her eyes widened. "I know. That's what makes it so amazing."

He shrugged. "It was nothing. I could hardly have left you there. Don't thank me. I did it because it was the right thing to do."

"But--" She protested.

"Really." He sounded almost angry. "Don't."

"Well, ok." This was a side to Potter she'd never seen before. Shouldn't he be preening? The Potter she knew would be retelling the tale of his heroism as loudly and enthusiastically as possible, looking about to be certain that everyone heard him.

"I should go." He said, avoiding her eyes.

"You're not going to have a drink with me?" She wondered, realizing for the first time that he had no drink of his own.

"My mum will be wondering where I am." He looked towards the door.

"Oh." She couldn't help but feel a bit disapointed.

His eyes flicked to her--curious. "Unless you need help to your room?"

"I should be fine." She admitted glumly, sorry to lose her company so soon.

"If you're sure..." He trailed off, looking disapointed.

"Yeah. I'd hate to inconvenience you further." She replied, taking another swig of her butterbeer.

"But it's no inconvenience! Really. I'd--" He stopped, his cheeks faintly pink. "I should go. I'll see you around, Evans."

He started for the door.

"Thanks again, James." She said, watching him walk away.

He stopped and turned back to her. "Did you just...?" He shook his head. "My pleasure...Lily."

He waited, hesitantly, as if expecting a hex for daring to use her first name. She smiled. He smiled back.

"See you at Hogwarts." She called to him.