The Slytherin dungeon was beautiful. Eva had slept peacefully, surrounded by the soothing sound of waves lapping against her dormitory window. She had sat for several minutes this morning, watching the giant squid float past, captivated as she watched the merpeople interact.
It was a whole different world, down by the Black Lake. Her first two days at Hogwarts had been strange, if not familiar. People had stared at her, everywhere she went. Whispers followed her around every corner - there look, she's there, the girl who lived - Eva was used to it, of course.
At least it was a positive whispering, rather than the whole Heir of Slytherin rubbish that had followed her during her second year. No, this was a very different timeline.
Her dormmates were not entirely what she had expected. She had Hermione, of course. The young muggleborn had somewhat settled into Slytherin, and was already earning house points in most of their first lessons. There had been a few snide comments thrown her way, but Eva knew it would take time to change people's views. She would protect Hermione until then.
Daphne Greengrass was wholly unexpected. The young witch was, on paper, a perfect pureblood heiress. Tall and slim, with tanned skin and flowing blonde hair. Even her teeth were perfectly straight, which had annoyed Hermione, her own teeth still undeniably bucked at this point. However, Daphne had a surprising quality - not only was she pleasant, she had an obsession with muggles.
She'd spent their second day at Hogwarts eagerly rifling through Hermione's trunk, the young muggleborn watching on with amusement and confusion, as Greengrass had eagerly searching for anything muggle to study. It had not mattered whether it was a tube of mascara or a rubber duck - Daphne was fascinated.
Millicent Bulstrode was a strange character in their dorm. The larger girl was quiet and polite to the others in the dorm, but was clearly terrified of Parkinson. Bulstrode would speak to Eva or Hermione if Parkinson was nowhere in sight, however, if the pug-faced Slytherin was with them, Millicent would simply cower and hide behind Pansy.
Pansy Parkinson, thought Eva, is an evil cow. It might have been mean to think that way of an eleven year old, but Eva could truly say that she believed the statement. Pansy was a vicious bully. She cared little for those other than herself and her precious Dray-co, often bullying others to get her way. Eva had hoped that maybe she would grow out of it in this timeline, but flashes of an eighteen-year-old Pansy betraying her in the Great Hall flashed through her mind whenever she contemplated redemption.
"Potter," sighed a delicate voice. Eva shook her head to clear her thoughts, turning to Daphne. "Are you coming to breakfast? Or simply sitting watching the merpeople?"
"Sorry," shrugged Eva, standing up and straightening her robes. "I'm coming now."
Eva, Daphne and Hermione climbed out of the dungeons together, meeting Susan Bones on the top floor of the dungeons. Susan had settled quite well into Hufflepuff, and was greatly enjoying having a wide spread of friends. Hannah Abbott, who had been accompanying her housemate, raised an eyebrow at their Slytherin additions but said nothing, the five girls making their way to the Great Hall and chatting idly.
Today, September 4th, was the day that Eva's plan would be put into motion. She was going to start uniting the houses. Over the past few days, she'd remained at the Slytherin table for meals, however, had frequently migrated around to talk to different houses. Ten minutes with Padma, five minutes with Neville, a few stolen conversations here and there.
She'd had stares the first time, and a few strange glances the second, but now, it was almost an accepted site to see Evangelina Potter talking to somebody at a different table.
With her plan in mind, she caught the eye of Neville over at the Gryffindor table, and nodded. Swallowing nervously, Neville nodded back, and stood up, making his way across to the small group of Slytherins and Hufflepuffs. Hannah, sensing a plan in place, quickly said goodbye to her housemate and rushed over to the Hufflepuff table.
Padma, catching sight of her friends with their plan ready, stood from the Ravenclaw table and headed over to her friends. If this plan meant that she'd soon be able to eat with her twin, then she would certainly give it a go. They were expecting some sort of resistance from Professor Dumbledore - there had been some displeased looks sent their way when they had chatted previously - but they were ready.
With a nod to her friends, Eva stepped forward first, heading towards their section of the Slytherin table. Blaise, with a pleased smirk present on his face, had saved enough seats for the entire group. Each student slid into their seats, smiling at each other as the hall fell silent around them.
"Would you like some toast, Padma?" asked Eva, grinning.
"Ooh, what flavour jam is there today?" replied Padma, eagerly accepting the plate of toast that Eva had held out. "The bacon looks nicer on this table. It's always a little under-cooked on the Ravenclaw table."
"Could you pass me those eggs please, Susan?" asked Neville, smiling at the young redhead.
An exasperated whine drew them from their conversations, turning to a young Draco Malfoy with grins on their faces. Eva couldn't help herself, and took the lead.
"Are you alright, Draco?" questioned Eva.
"Potter! Why in Merlin's name are there Gryffindors, Hufflepuffs and Ravenclaws at our table?" asked Draco with a sigh. "This is the Slytherin table, you know. In case you're all lost."
"We know, Malfoy." grinned Susan.
"We wanted to have breakfast together." shrugged Eva.
"Well - that's - why?" questioned Draco.
"Because we're friends. That's what friends do, Draco." Eva said slowly, as if Draco were a small child. "They spend time with each other."
"Oh, shove off, Potter." said Malfoy, however, there was no animosity present. Instead, he simply sighed and turned back to his breakfast, starting a conversation with Crabbe.
Slowly, but surely, people returned to their breakfasts, only casually glancing at the group now. With a grin, Padma called across to the Gryffindor table, calling Pavarti over for a conversation. When the young Gryffindor stood up and walked over, it seemed to be the final straw.
"Miss Patil! If you could return to your house table, please." said Dumbledore, standing suddenly. "Whilst I appreciate you may wish to interact with your peers, you may do so in your own free time."
"Professor?" questioned Eva, standing. She took note of the angry gleam in Dumbledore's eye, and had to stop herself grinning. "I would like to enquire as to what the issue is?"
"Students must sit with their own house during mealtimes." stated Dumbledore, his tone even and light. "Surely you understand, my dear girl?"
"I'm afraid I don't, Headmaster. You see, I saw my friend, Padma, upset that she would no longer be able to sit with her sister - you know how powerful twin bonds are, of course - so I looked through the rule books. Students are perfectly allowed to sit at other tables, except for formal feasts."
"We just want to sit together, Professor Dumbledore!" begged Pavarti, biting her lip. "I don't want to lose my twin sister, just because we're in different houses!"
A low murmur swept across the hall, presumably students that had siblings in other houses. After a moment of consideration - fighting this was not an option, really - Dumbledore nodded.
"Very well, Miss Potter. So long as it does not cause issues, students may sit at other house tables. I would hate to damage relationships growing between young witches and wizards. Love is a powerful motivator, after all."
Restraining herself, Eva nodded and smiled gratefully at the Headmaster, before sitting back down with her friends. It started with a Gryffindor moving over to their Hufflepuff friend. Then, two sixth year Ravenclaws joining a Slytherin friend. Soon enough, there were various colours dotted at each table. Secret friendships that were finally allowed into the light. Casual acquaintances from classes that were now allowed to flourish.
Eva was pleased with her progress. Looking up at Dumbledore, however, she knew that there was retribution coming. Soon, he would call for her, and she would have to play the part of the abused saviour. It didn't matter, however - she was ready.
"That…" trailed off Blaise, grinning at his friends. "Was awesome!"
"Thanks, guys. Couldn't have done it without you." grinned Eva. Then, lowering her tone with a glance at the sisters, whispered, "Besides, look how happy Padma and Pavarti are."
Indeed, the twin sisters had now moved over to the Gryffindor table, where Pavarti was eagerly introducing her sister to her best friend, Lavender. The blonde girl's delighted squeals echoed throughout the hall.
"What lesson do we have first?" questioned Eva, eager to return to a normal breakfast.
"Potions. I've heard Professor Snape is horrible, unless you're a Slytherin and good at his subject."
"Well," stated Eva. "He can't be any worse than Quirrell."
"True. Have you seen the way he looks at you?" grimaced Daphne, frowning. "It's like you're the grand prize or something."
"I'm sure he's just excited to have such a famous student." grinned Blaise.
"Shut up, Zabini." sighed Eva, rolling her eyes.
Her Slytherin friends had quickly picked up on Eva's dislike for her celebrity status, and had taken to good-naturedly teasing her about it. Eva had initially worried that they would use her for their own fame and fortune - they were ambitious, after all - but they had quickly proven that their desire was for their own fame, not the coat tails of somebody else's.
"I suggest you get a move on, Firsties," snarled the fifth year prefect, Montague. "You need to keep up the reputation of the house, and being late for Potions will not do you any favours."
Rolling their eyes at the brutish prefect, the first years rose from the benches, finishing their pumpkin juice and leaving the Great Hall as a large group. They slowly descended back down into the dungeons, ignoring Draco's loud complaining that they could have just stayed in bed for longer.
"Then you'd complain you were hungry during class, idiot." huffed Hermione.
"How dare you speak to me like that! You filthy little mud-"
"No." spoke Eva, her voice cold, suddenly pointing her wand menacingly towards Draco. "Ignoring the ridiculous notion that is blood purity, Hermione is one of us. Treat her as such."
She left the implied or else unsaid. Whilst she wasn't overly keen on threatening people, she figured that Malfoy needed someone to keep him in line. Daphne did a good job, but she also needed to keep up pretences - the Malfoys were from a more Ancient and Noble House than the Greengrasses, and Draco was the heir. Eva, however, was above him, and he knew it.
Malfoy reluctantly dropped the subject, nodding tersely at Eva before they filed into the potions classroom. It was one of the largest dungeons in the castle, and unfortunately, one of the coldest too. Jars of pickled animals lined the walls, with a student supply cupboard in one corner of the room, and a large basin magically refilled with water in the other. Twelve desks sat in the centre of the room.
Eva and Daphne took a seat at a desk closer to the large blackboard, eagerly awaiting the arrival of their Head of House. He had been conspicuously absent during their first few days at Hogwarts, only appearing at mealtimes. The prefects had seemed confused, but had stepped up in his stead.
Eva had held back a smile as she watched the potions professor waltz into the room, his dark cape billowing behind him. The bat of the dungeons, indeed. Whilst she had spent years hating the man, and him her, his dying moments had provided an insight into his life. She found that she only looked upon him with curiosity now, rather than resentment. He had been backed into a corner by Dumbledore, guilted into following orders. Not anymore. Not if she could help it.
Snape began the lesson by taking the register, as her other professors had done. He flowed through the list of names flawlessly, until he reached Potter, Eva. Knowing what was coming, Eva waited with baited breath.
Expecting a snide comment about her 'celebrity status', Eva was surprised when he simply called her name after a moment, his eyes lingering for a moment before continuing through the register.
Snape finished calling the names and looked up at the class. His dark eyes swept across the room, deliberately avoiding hers. They were cold and empty and made you think of dark tunnels.
"You are here to learn the subtle science and exact art of potionmaking," he began.
He spoke in barely more than a whisper, but they caught every word – like Professor McGonagall, Snape had the gift of keeping a class silent without effort.
"As there is little foolish wand-waving here, many of you will hardly believe this is magic. I don't expect you will really understand the beauty of the softly simmering cauldron with its shimmering fumes, the delicate power of liquids that creep through human veins, bewitching the mind, ensnaring the senses ... I can teach you how to bottle fame, brew glory, even stopper death – if you aren't as big a bunch of dunderheads as I usually have to teach."
Eva had to bite her lip to hold back the grin threatening to form. She remembered this speech, the first time around. She'd been enamoured with his every word - and he had destroyed her, merely for being the daughter of James Potter. This time, it seemed he was conflicted - she looked just like Lily, and was a Slytherin to boot.
"Potter - what would I get if I added powdered root of asphodel to an infusion of wormwood?" snapped Snape, suddenly. Despite knowing it was most likely coming, Eva still jolted.
"A sleeping potion, sir." answered Eva, her tone polite. "The Draught of Living Death."
"Hm..." paused Snape, his eyes glinting. "Where would I look, should I need to find a Bezoar? And what should I need one for?"
"In the stomach of a goat, sir. And you would need one to counter most common poisons, if you don't have an antidote."
"Very well," muttered Snape. "Two points to Slytherin."
Eva fought hard to keep her mouth closed. Never, in all her time at Hogwarts, had Severus Snape given her house points. There was clearly still some favouritism - any other Slytherin would have earned at least five points - but it was still something.
Snape then proceeded to ask Seamus Finnegan what the difference between Monkshood and Wolfsbane was. Finnegan, bright red and flustered, stuttered out a series of sounds that failed to resemble a correct answer. Snape sighed and continued with the lesson, assigning them instructions on the blackboard with a flick of his wand.
Daphne set about gathering their equipment, whilst Eva crossed the classroom to the store cupboard, collecting the ingredients that they would need. Hermione was right behind her, eagerly searching for dried nettles.
"Eva - how did you know the answers to those questions? Even I didn't know the Bezoar!" questioned Hermione, frowning.
"Potions is kind of my speciality, 'Mione." shrugged Eva. "You don't have to be the best at everything. You just need to try your best."
"I need to..." Hermione trailed off, her voice quiet as the store room emptied, leaving the two girls alone. "I need to prove myself. To the likes of Malfoy, who think they're better for where they're born."
"Leave people like Malfoy to me. I've got a plan for them. Just focus on enjoying learning, Hermione, not being the best." smiled Eva. "And a word of advice? Don't make it seem like you're trying too hard. There's nothing wrong with being eager, but over eager can make people feel a little... inferior."
"I - I never thought about it like that." mumbled Hermione.
"Sometimes it's better to just sit back and observe." shrugged Eva.
Grabbing the last of her ingredients, Eva turned and left the store room, leaving a thoughtful Hermione behind. Whilst she loved Hermione, her friend had been unbearable in first year, with her hand waving and over-eagerness. Whilst most of Gryffindor had tolerated Hermione, she knew that Slytherin would not be so kind. Anything to avoid a repeat of their first Halloween.
"That took a while," spoke Daphne, raising an eyebrow.
"Just giving some friendly advice."
The two girls set to work. Eva began to crush the snake fangs in the mortar, turning them into a fine powder, whilst Daphne prepared the cauldron. Daphne added the snake fangs and left the potion on the heat, whilst Eva chopped the pungent onions and added them to the mixture.
They timed their work perfectly, adding the dried nettles and flobberworm mucus, stirring continuously as the instructions directed. Remembering a trick she had learned in her sixth year, Eva added a counter-clockwise stir for every five clockwise stirs. Daphne raised an eyebrow, but let the movement slide. Eva had already shown an affinity for Potions, at all.
Daphne added the powdered ginger root under the watchful eye of Snape, whilst Eva prepared and added the pickled Shrake Spines. Double-checking the instructions, Daphne removed the heat from the cauldron before looking again towards the instruction book. Finally, towards the end of the allotted time, the girls added the stewed slugs horns and porcupine quills.
"You want to finish it?" asked Daphne.
"Sure," shrugged Eva.
Picking up her wand from the workstation, Eva swirled it in an oval motion, picturing her magic flowing through her wand and into the cauldron. Sure enough, the cauldron was filled with a light blue potion, characteristic pink smoke rising in swirls.
They decanted their potion and bottled it, cleaning out their cauldron and the work surface before sitting behind their desk and waiting for the rest of the class to finish. By the end of the lesson, it seemed that only Hermione and Blaise had managed a passable potion. Eva and Daphne's potion looked perfect.
Snape began the cursory inspections, doling out insults and removing house points as he continued around the class. His glare lessened slightly at Blaise's cauldron, nodding once before continuing past their desk. He sighed at Draco's cauldron - whilst Malfoy was decent, Parkinson was just awful - and then came to a stop at Eva's desk.
"You have both brewed this yourselves?" questioned Snape.
"Yes, sir." the Slytherin girls chorused.
"It is... passable. Five points to Slytherin. Bring your completed vials to my desk, they can be used in the Hospital Wing. To the rest of you - do try to be less incompetent next lesson. I will not tolerate idiocy in my dungeon."
With that, the students scrambled from the room, desperate to get away from Snape's hawk-like stare. Eva, however, felt hopeful. That was so different from her first potions lesson, in her original timeline.
She had imagined that Snape would be slightly different, were she to be in Slytherin. She had not realised how much different it would be. Between her polite manner - and really, she should have known better than to cheek him the first time - her potions skills, and her Slytherin status, things were very different in the dungeons.