Evangelina Potter had taken an entire week of her new life to devise a plan. Whilst she may have been thrown into this bizarre, time-travelling world, she was going to seize the opportunity. She was going to fix everything.
The first thing Eva did was seek out wisdom. Since she couldn't exactly just tell anyone, Eva had instead decided to channel a former source of comfort and wisdom: Hermione. Eva had taken to picturing what Hermione would say as she developed each part of her plan, editing mistakes and changing entire parts if necessary.
The second thing Eva did was visit a bookshop, which, with a smile, she thought that her Hermione would have heartily approved of. Eva purchased every book she could find on time travel and destiny. She'd holed herself up in her rented room for days, researching the laws and mechanics of time.
It seemed that time travel was normally only for a few hours - it would have been impossible to deliberately send herself back this far. She knew, of course, that there were higher forces in play, but tried not to think on them too much.
Eva also came to the realisation that whilst some events were fixed, others were not. It was likely that if she had been sent back to 1981, for example, she would not have been able to save her parents - their unfortunate deaths were a fixed event, part of destiny. Losing the war was not a fixed event. She could alter the future, make it better.
With a beautiful new peacock feather quill, Eva had made a list of everything she would need to do. Some of it was little more than petty revenge, whilst others were far more important.
The top of the list - Free Sirius.
For that particular item, she had a plan, and that plan began today. Searching through her memories, Eva had concluded that the Weasleys must have visited Diagon Alley for the first time at some point this week. And sure enough, on August 7th, she saw a familiar flash of red hair from her window.
Already dressed in Muggle jeans and a blouse, Eva hurriedly slid into a set of pale blue robes and grabbed her wand before rushing down the stairs. Giving a quick hello to Tom and declining breakfast, Eva headed out of the Leaky Cauldron and tapped the correct brick at the wall.
She quickly caught sight of red hair, heading towards Zonkos. Recognising one of the twins - and god, it hurt Eva to see them - she started to walk towards them.
Eva hadn't been prepared for the pain of seeing those she loved dead, but she wasn't sure it was less freaky to see them alive, younger, and more importantly, laughing.
"Honestly, Gred, you'd think it was his first time at Hogwarts!" grinned one, presumably Fred.
"I know, Forge. Our little Ronniekins, all grown up!" cried George, wiping a fake tear from his eye and sniffling. "We're just so proud!"
"Shut up!" grumbled a young voice from behind them. "Mum, tell them!"
Eva's heart skipped a beat as she heard them arguing. She knew that voice anywhere. Sure enough, behind the identical tall boys was a much smaller boy, about Eva's size. His flaming red hair was mussed from his brothers ruffling it, and his cheeks were bright pink with embarrassment.
Eva watched the three as they moved away from Zonkos and towards Eyelops Owl Emporium. The twins began discussing something in hushed whispers behind Ron, however, he was too enamoured with the shop before him. Hands pressed to the glass, Ron was staring longingly at the owls in the window.
"It's not fair," he grumbled, reaching into his pocket. "Everyone else gets an owl or a cat, and I'm stuck with stupid Scabbers. Even a toad would be better than him."
Scabbers let a pitiful squeak, and Ron sighed. Begrudgingly beginning to stroke down the rat's spine, Ron waited impatiently for his parents to finish their business at Gringotts. He just wanted to get his wand!
Eva couldn't believe her luck. Molly and Arthur were in the bank, and Fred and George had abandoned Ron in search of the Quidditch shop, eager to view the latest broomsticks. Casting a disillusionment spell over herself and shivering at the cold sensation, Eva spied her chance.
Mentally apologising to Ron, she sent a mild stinging hex towards his hands, not enough to do any real damage. Sure enough, he yelped and promptly dropped Scabbers, cradling his injured hand. As soon as Scabbers had hit the floor, Eva wordlessly summoned the rat, tucking him quickly into her enchanted satchel and securing it closed.
That was easy, she thought. Feeling guilt wash over her, she began to approach Ron, removed the disillusionment as she walked.
"Merlin, I'm so sorry!" she cried. "I was practicing with a friend, and I sneezed and my aim went off!"
"'Sfine." grumbled Ron, looking around for Ron.
"No, really, here." Eva pulled her wand out and quickly healed his hand, leaving only pale, freckled skin behind. "I feel awful. Did you lose something?"
"My - uh - my pet rat." sighed Ron. "I'll never find him now. He's been angry at me for weeks, trying to run off. I don't think he wanted to go to Hogwarts much."
"Oh Gods, it's my fault. I'm so sorry - I don't even know your name!" mumbled Eva, frowning.
"Ron. Ron Weasley." he grumbled, and remembering his manners (and his mother's infamous temper), he extended a hand for her.
"Evangelina Potter. Call me Eva, though." she grinned, shaking his hand.
"Merlin's saggy - you're the girl who lived!" grinned Ron, and Eva winced at the volume of his voice.
And so her plan went into action. Fifteen minutes after their first meeting, Arthur and Ron Weasley emerged from Eyelops Owl Emporium, the younger Weasley carrying a small brown tawny owl in a cage.
The sight of his grin sent a rush of warmth through Evangelina, who frequently remembered Ron's disappointment at the condition of his posessions. He always had second hand robes, handmade Christmas presents – Merlin, he even had a second-hand wand.
Now, he would be attending Hogwarts with his very own owl. Knowing the Weasleys, he would share it with his family, as poor Errol probably didn't have long left in this world, but this owl belonged to Ron nonetheless.
It had taken a great deal of persuasion to get Arthur to accept the galleons for the pet. In the end, she had used a slight guilt tactic – how Slytherin of her – to get Arthur Weasley to agree to take the money.
"My Grandfather, Charlus, would skin me alive if he thought I had wronged an Ancient House and not made amends!"
And so her work was done. She'd cheerfully waved goodbye to the two Weasleys, promising to speak to Ron when she got to Hogwarts, and watched as they met up with the rest of the family. Ron's excited explanation echoed throughout the Alley, and Eva couldn't help but grin.
Making sure her satchel was secure, she began the journey back to The Leaky Cauldron. Nodding at Tom and some of the less dubious customers as she entered, she declined the offer of breakfast once more, claiming to have eaten whilst out.
After a few days, nobody had really paid attention to the small, redheaded child living at the pub. They were curious, of course, but in general, she was clean and well-fed, polite to patrons and caused little trouble. After all, a child living in The Leaky Cauldron was far from the strangest of occurrences in such a magical environment.
Locking the door to her room behind her, Eva placed her satchel on the desk carefully, first summoning a rat cage she had purchased in preparation and placing it on the desk. Once it had been prepared, she grabbed her wand from her jeans pocket – she could almost hear Mad-Eye Moody shouting at her for keeping it there. Thinking ahead, Eva cast a quick rune shield around the general area, preventing anything or anyone from escaping.
Satisfied, she reached into her satchel, withdrawing the squirming rat. Immediately, the rat bit down on her hand, causing her to curse loudly and drop the rat. Luckily, the rat only made it about two feet before bouncing off the invisible shield, and flying back onto the ground, apparently dazed.
Eva seized the opportunity, sending a simple stunner at the rat, the red light hitting it and causing the rat to fall still. She quickly cast the Homorphus charm, as she had seen Sirius do many a time in her previous life, a jet of blue light surrounding the rat.
It was a bizarre sight, despite the fact that Eva had seen it many times before. A head was shooting upward from the ground, limbs were sprouting, and a moment later, an unconscious man was on the floor.
Evangelina Potter did not often struggle to control her rage – she was mentally eighteen, after all – but at the sight of Pettigrew, she had to restrain herself from casting the killing curse at him there and then.
Pettigrew was short, only a few inches taller than herself, with thin, colourless hair that was balding on top. He was plump and pale, his skin grubby, and his pointed nose gave him a certain rat-like quality.
Whilst the man was still stunned, she quickly cast an "Incarcerous!" and bound Pettigrew, ropes tightly securing his arms and legs. Eva took a second to regain control over her emotions before holding her wand up and awakening Pettigrew with a quick "Ennervate!"
"Now, Pettigrew, it's about time we had a conversation."
Watery blue eyes focused on her sharp green ones, and he jolted at the sight of her. Eva could see him examining her, attempting to seek out any details he might be able to use.
"Lily – oh, Lily, you're alive." Cried Pettigrew, attempting to reach her only to find himself bound by ropes.
"No." spoke Eva, her eyes cold and calculating. "Lily and James are dead, thanks to you, Peter. I don't believe you've seen me in a long time."
"Evangelina? Oh, little Evangelina! You look just like your Mother! Just like Lily – we were friends, you know, I'd do anything for her!"
"Like give her up to Voldemort? Give them both up, when they trusted you?" she spat. "You're a weak, pathetic coward, Peter! You're going to pay for your crimes!"
"How do you – who told you that? They're lying! Sirius Black was the spy, I would never!" begged Pettigrew, his eyes wide. "You have to believe me, Evangelina!"
"You will never hurt my family again. Never. Now, Pettigrew, we can't have you singing all about me when you face trial. Oh yes, a trial – see, I believe in justice – and you are going to pay for what you have done."
Eva's tone was cold, and she remembered what Albus Dumbledore had once said to her:
"There is a darkness inside us all, my dear, but it is our actions that choose how that darkness is channelled. Do not allow it to consume you."
Those bloody blue eyes had twinkled at her, as if he knew of her internal struggle between light and dark. In her previous life, Eva had been terrified of becoming a 'dark witch', of the cruel streak she held.
She no longer had that fear. Magic was about intention. Of course, there were some spells that would always be inherently dark, but she had good intentions, and that was the key. She was no Hufflepuff, and that was perfectly okay in her book.
After several minutes, Pettigrew was a prettily wrapped package, ready for the Department of Magical Law Enforcement. She had stunned him once more, removed the memories of their encounter from his mind, and confounded him for good measure. The last thing he would remember would be leaving the Burrow for Diagon Alley, securely hiding in Ron's pocket.
Pulling out some fresh parchment and sitting at her desk, she began to pen a letter to the Head of the DMLE, all whilst keeping an eye on the stunned rat that was Pettigrew, securely in a cage once more.
Madam Bones,
Consider this an anonymous tip from a concerned citizen. Are you familiar with the benefits of Kneazles? They can sense an animagus, you know. Mine happened to find this rat scurrying round Diagon Alley, and seems convinced that it is an undesirable person.
I wish to remain anonymous, but I shall leave the rat securely behind the bar of The Leaky Cauldron – simply ask Tom for your package. I hope that this allows the course of justice to prevail.
Sincerely,
A concerned citizen.
Satisfied, Eva cast a charm on the parchment to change the handwriting – just in case – and remove any fingerprints.
It took several minutes to complete the setup, and when she had finished, Eva couldn't help but admire her handywork. Lancelot had strict instructions to deliver the letter directly to Amelia Bones, and then fly away immediately, throwing off the trail for a few hours, just in case anyone tried to track him.
Leaving the parcel with Tom wasn't difficult, either. She'd requested it of him, and because who wouldn't trust an eleven year old to have good intentions, he'd agreed immediately. She'd then removed the memory of who had given him the parcel, and retreated to a dark corner of the pub.
Smugly tucking into a well deserved bowl of tomato soup and warm, buttery bread, Eva tried to not react as Amelia Bones suddenly appeared in the pub with a sharp crack. She approached Tom cautiously, who nodded and disappeared into a room behind the bar, reappearing after a moment with the parcel she knew contained Pettigrew.
After a few minutes of interrogation, Bones nodded, taking the parcel from Tom and disapparating soon after. Eva simply grinned and continued to dip her bread into the steaming soup, satisfied with her work for the day.
Sure enough, the next morning, Lancelot appeared at the window of her room with an indignant hoot. She unlatched the window, allowing the grey owl to fly in and land on the desk. She untied the paper from his leg, smiling as he nipped her finger affectionately and fed him an owl treat.
Unrolling this morning's edition of The Daily Prophet, Eva felt a wide grin appear on her face as she read the front page headline.
PETTIGREW FOUND AND ARRESTED – IS SIRIUS BLACK INNOCENT?
Yes, Eva was quite pleased with how things were going so far.