Molly and the Redheads

"You remind me of someone. If you meet him later, you might become good friends," Sirius said. "Hagrid, the Hogwarts gamekeeper. He loves animals just as much as you do."

Something came to mind, and an indescribable expression crossed his face. "But-"

"I don't think saying things like 'Don't do that again, or I won't like you anymore' will make those animals behave," Sirius said mockingly.

"Stop being such a doting mother. You need to try being strict, do you hear me? Strict."

As Evita had grown younger, her personality had become entirely childlike. Her eyes reddened, and she said with a sniffle, "But... they're far away from their families, and Mum sent them back. I'm the only family they have, and they're in poor health. They feel awful every day..."

"Wait—I didn't mean to blame you." Sirius looked at the house, now just a short distance away, and his voice grew a little panicked.

James suddenly rushed out. When he saw the two of them, his face registered even greater surprise. Then he cried, "Everything's gone wrong. I really can't handle a whole bunch of children, especially when those twins are so curious."

His gaze dropped, and he cried out in even greater shock, "Sirius? You made Evita cry? Lily will kill you!"

Evita: "I'm not crying... hic, waah!"

Sirius: I'm done for.

Evita, who was crying harder and harder, was pulled into the house, where someone wiped her face dry with a clean handkerchief. She sniffled and hiccuped.

"This is Molly," Lily said. "She's come to visit with her children."

Molly was a kind-faced witch, and the one who had just wiped Evita's face clean.

"Hello, ma'am," the girl said politely. "I'm Evita Lorand. It's a pleasure to meet you."

"Hello, dear," Molly said warmly. "I'm very pleased to meet you too."

Over there, the identical twins patted the carpet. James walked over resignedly, then dodged aside to avoid a toy flying at his face. He laughed and said, "You've still got a long way to go when it comes to pranks."

Evita took off her thick coat, revealing the cream-colored sweater underneath. She stood on tiptoe, and Lily bent down to meet her. Evita whispered in her ear, "My Niffler and... anyway, they've caused trouble again. Could you tell Sirius for me that I'll make sure they behave?"

Lily looked at her. "Are you embarrassed?"

"Mm." Evita squirmed. "I'm very embarrassed."

Lily laughed. "Don't worry. Sirius is a very nice person. He won't laugh at you."

"You should tell him that yourself," she said, giving Evita a gentle nudge. "You can go play with Bill and the others first, then talk to Sirius once you've relaxed a little."

Evita did as she was told and sat down on the carpet in the middle of the living room. She glanced at James, who was busy looking after Harry and Ron and had no attention to spare.

Molly, Lily, and Sirius stood nearby. One was teaching the other two practical household magic, though only the two women were chatting happily; Sirius looked more like someone who had somehow wandered into the group.

Evita sat on the carpet and pouted. She wondered whether Sirius would tell Lily on her...

One of the red-haired boys looked at Evita, who showed no interest in paying them any attention, and asked tentatively, "Do you want to join us? We were playing Wizard's Chess just now."

"Hm?" Evita turned to look at him. "Do you need several people to play?"

Fred: "Wizard's Chess only needs two people."

George: "So we need to split into teams!"

Evita tilted her head, looking at the twins, whose combined ages were still less than hers. "Then can I be on a team with both of you? I've never played Wizard's Chess. I've only heard of it."

In the end, because Fred and George insisted they wouldn't be separated, the children had to play Exploding Snap in teams of three.

It was a very popular wizarding card game, and the rules were simple. Playing against three-year-olds, Evita successfully swept the board and won every game.

Only when the two oldest children took their younger brothers away and the three of them started playing cards did Evita begin to win some and lose some.

"Hello," she said.

"Hello to you too," she went on.

She played two cards and pricked up her ears to listen to Sirius telling Lily on her.

"I'd bet she's definitely a Gryffindor," Sirius said, aiming straight at the problem. "A couple of days ago, she climbed a tree and jumped down holding a Bowtruckle, face first."

"That's far too dangerous!" Lily said at once, looking as though she wanted to come over and lecture Evita immediately.

James shook his head nearby, and the look he gave Evita said, "You're on your own."

Evita: Why did he tell on me for that? QAQ

As the twins pulled faces at her, she quietly hunched her shoulders.

Lily beckoned from across the room. Evita walked over with heavy steps, only to have her face vigorously rubbed as though she were a cat, her braids flying wildly.

"Weiwei, may I ask why your animals often go to Sirius's house?" Lily asked.

Evita pouted. "Because Harry's too little. He'll get sick if he comes into contact with them, and they might break Lily's Potions or mess up Lily's herbs. The bottles are shiny too, so every day I tell Nifu—that's the Niffler—not to come over..."

She gave an awkward smile.

Sirius, listening nearby, began to wonder: When she warned those animals, didn't she include me too? Couldn't she have mentioned me, even as an afterthought?

He pinched Evita's cheek and asked fiercely, "So you can control them after all?"

"I never said I couldn't... You misunderstood on your own," Evita muttered, poking her fingers together.

She saw all sorts of expressions cross Sirius's face before it finally settled into a grin, both angry and amused.

Evita: "I'm sorry. Please forgive me..."

"All right," Sirius said. "Since they haven't been excessively lively."

He picked Evita up and swung her back and forth, his tone a little casual. "Remember to lock their door, and don't bring back any more Fantastic Beasts."

Lily patted Evita's head and reminded her, "I trust you won't let them make any big mistakes, right?"

"Mm-hmm!" Evita nodded. "I promise!"

"I promise... really!"

Sirius flicked her forehead. "Though you'd already used up all your credibility before this... you sound so sincere..."

He narrowed his eyes. "If there's a next time, I'll be asking you for compensation."

Evita held up three fingers and declared solemnly, "Don't worry! You can be absolutely sure!"