No Big Dogs Allowed to Kidnap Children

After leaving Diagon Alley, Evita returned to Godric's Hollow. With nothing much to do, she decided to study. She looked through Adele's notes, preparing to try improving the basic Potions she had learned long ago-in other words, to innovate on the originals or even develop new ones.

As she read, a light bulb went off over her head. She quickly took out a cauldron, added ingredients, heated them, stirred...

Soon, Evita took the potion out of the cauldron and tried it herself first. Once its effects wore off, she ran excitedly to Lily's house and called out, "Would anyone like to try a Fluffing Potion?"

"Fluffing Potion?" James, who knew her quite well by now, asked with interest. "That sounds fun. Can I see what it looks like?"

"Of course," Evita said, taking a bottle of potion from her pocket and handing it over. "Please, go ahead."

James took the potion and examined it, then gave his opinion in all seriousness. "It's such a pretty color."

Sirius, who was also there, leaned over and said with equal interest, "Sounds like it would be very effective for pranks."

In the end, James "bravely risked his life," downing the potion in one gulp to experience its effects firsthand.

Every strand of his already messy hair stood on end, rapidly swelling as though an Inflating Charm had been cast on it, until it resembled an enormous hedgehog or dandelion.

"If you used it on someone with long hair," Sirius said, "it would be hilarious."

Evita couldn't help imagining what the potion would do to Dumbledore and shuddered violently.

"It feels kind of cool." James shook his head from side to side as he looked in the mirror. "I look even more like 'Prongs' now. Hmm... let me see if I can tie it together."

Lily couldn't help laughing. Just then, Harry, who had been ignored, smacked the railing with his hand in protest.

James happened to be closest, so he bent down to soothe his son. He had barely said a couple of words before he shouted out a complaint.

"Lily! He's grabbing my hair!"

Harry giggled, showing a keen interest in his father's hair. He waved his little hands, trying to grab the strands drifting past his eyes again, but no matter how he reached, he couldn't touch them.

Harry's mouth turned down, and he was about to cry.

A miserable-looking James had no choice but to hold his head down in a rather awkward position. After all, his hair wasn't that long, and Harry had only managed to grab it because he had suddenly stood up.

"It doesn't have a smell. Very discreet." Sirius examined the bottle. "I think I'd be very happy to buy it."

"Really?" Evita asked in delight. "If it works out, maybe I could even sell it."

Maybe she could open a shop? If things went well, it would be a steady source of income. Although the Gringotts vault she'd visited before contained an enormous number of Galleons, more than she could spend in several lifetimes, she still wanted to earn money. After all, Fantastic Beasts needed money to support them, especially the ones that ate a lot.

James was still yelling nearby. "Lily, come save me!"

Having laughed enough, Lily walked over and gently soothed Harry before saying, "A very ingenious idea."

"Of course," Evita replied. "But I still need to do some more research..."

"Weiwei, if you'd like, I can give you my old notes."

Evita looked delighted. "Of course I'd like that. No, I'd love that!"

She accepted Lily's old Potions notes and went home to study them with great enthusiasm.

*

The days passed one by one. Evita wrote to Newt and Tina every day, keeping her fainting incident from them and sharing only some amusing bits of daily life.

For example: "Newt, Newt, Fini met a very nice friend named Fawkes. Fawkes comes to play with me every day now, and I share my sweets with them."

Or: "Tina, Tina, when I was trying to brew potions before, I discovered that mixing an Invigoration Draught and Hair-Raising Potion turns them a strange green. After some improvements, they become a very cute Fluffing Potion. Oh, right, how are Grandma Queenie and Grandpa Jacob? It's been so, so many days since their last visit, hasn't it?"

Of course, she received replies every day.

For example: "Weiwei, Hobby, Milly, and Moler all miss you very much. I've put together a little book about the Fire Slugs and other Fantastic Beasts in Brazil and enclosed it with this letter. I wonder if you'd be interested?"

Or: "Weiwei, I miss seeing you wave your wand around the Scamander house. I'm looking forward to having you back here for the holidays. I'd like to read Witch's Friend with you."

Evita cupped her face and giggled, then buried herself in her research again.

She became more and more absorbed in her research, until Sirius suddenly came to her door, carrying an animal covered in black fur with a long snout.

Oh no! When did this little fellow get out?! I left it on the second floor... Wait, did I forget to lock the second floor...

Evita: !

"Your Niffler got into my house," Sirius said. "It was drawn to everything shiny. I still haven't figured out everything I've lost."

Evita rushed over, grabbed the Niffler by its two feet, and shook it upside down.

Rings, Galleons, Silver Sickles...

"Looks like it pulled open my cabinet, took the rings, and then pushed it shut again." Sirius looked at the mess all over the floor. "Out of all the houses in this row, mine was the only one it visited."

"Pretty smart," Evita muttered. "If I were a Niffler, my poor brain would never have thought to open and close a cabinet."

Sirius: "..."

He said gloomily, "You really are loud, Evita."

"Actually, that also suggests you're the richest one among us." Evita's gaze was sincere.

"That's no excuse to defend this little thief." Sirius stepped over and picked up the girl, who was much shorter than he was.

He decided to go find Lily. If anyone here could truly keep Evita in line, there was no one but Lily.

The girl's wavy silver braid swung behind her head as she asked indignantly, "Are you kidnapping a child?"

Sirius paused, then continued walking.

"I've only lived here for two weeks," Sirius said without breaking stride. "During that time, your Streeler ruined my lawn, your Golden Snidget has crashed into my window early every morning, demanding that I play with it, your Mooncalf left all its dung in my backyard, and your Puffskein suddenly appeared and landed on top of me last night..."

Clearly, Sirius had suffered greatly.

The girl's braid drooped limply, and she said timidly, "S-sorry? I'll make it up to you... Please don't hate them, or me."