𝘁𝗶𝗴𝗲𝗿 𝗹𝗶𝗹𝘆, james potter

-ˋ 34

CHAPTER THIRTY FOUR
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-: seventh year :-

── IN WHICH HE LOSES

. . .

Tiger, Sirius and Peter winced as the whistle blew, signalling the catching of the snitch and the match ending.

Slytherin had won, but right up until that very last moment, everyone thought it would be Gryffindor. The team of red had been doing incredibly well, James and the other two chasers managing to amount 210 points on goals alone - and they were playing Slytherin, who were known for their dirty tactics.

And it seemed the acculmination of these dirty tactics had made the Gryffindor seeker extremely cautious and paranoid. Because when it seemed they were nearing on the snitch, they suddenly glanced around - the Slytherin seeker, Regulus Black - was practically on top of them. And of course, the seeker dressed all in emerald green used the distraction to urge their broomstick on and catch the snitch.

Thus, upping the somewhat measly 70 points the Slytherin team had aquired from goals to 220.. Meaning that they won, a mere set of points from a single goal between them.

The cheering Ravenclaws, Hufflepuff and Gryffindors had fallen into shocked silence as the Slytherin quarter of the stands erupted into taunting cheers and shouts.

"Oh Merlin." Sirius frowned, his, Tiger and Peter's eyes resting on the captain of the Gryffindor team, who seemed to be in a state of shock as one of his beaters had to physically pull him away from the Slytherin goal posts, the Potter boy clutching the quaffle in his hands like his life had been depending on it as Remus rather dejectedly announced the Slytherin win.

"And.. in a surprising turn of events.. Black caught the snitch. Slytherin wins by ten points." Remus seemed shocked, and almost weary at the news. "That's.. a surprise." The sound of the microphone being turned off sounded through the stadium, and anyone who looked up at the  commentators box would see the boy rushing away, already knowing how this would end up.

"Oh fuck." Tiger's reaction was much more appropriate, and very quickly the three of them were on their feet and making their way down the rows, muttering 'excuse me's to anyone who was actually listening and not expressing their disappointment at the Slytherin win. "He's going to beat himself up over this one."

"He beats himself up over any loss." Peter pointed out, but looked nervous in the half-light of the rickety staircase that lead from thee stands back down to the ground. "He was about to score another goal when Hooch blew the whistle." A grimace was clear on the Pettigrew boy's face, and it was soon mirrored by other two.

"He almost scored again. But he didn't. And Slytherin caught the snitch." Tiger chewed on her bottom lip as they hurried down the last set of stairs and set foot on solid ground, pushing thheir way out of the canvas flaps and emerging on the outside of the stadium, rushing. "It could've been-"

"A tie!" James groan finished his girlfriend's sentence, practically collapsing into her not-so-waiting arms and in response Tiger could only try to hold him up, using her entire body strength to keep him from falling to the floor.

"Don't just stand there!" She hissed, staring at the three boys. "Help me you idiots!"

Sirius and Remus glanced at each other before stepping forward and looping their arms under James's upper arm and pulling him off from Tiger, the Potter boy wobbling slightly as they set him back on his feet.

"I'll take that." Peter offered, pulling the quaffle out of James's hand and scurrying over to Madam Hooch to give it back. With Tiger's help, Remus and Sirius helped reunite the captain with his team, who was just as used to his dramatics by now.

"Don't worry James!" The beater who had pulled him away from the Slytherin goal posts said, almost sounding encouraging but almost definitely hiding his own disappointment. "What did you do with that quaffle, by the way?"

"Peter took it." Tiger replied, peering up at her boyfriend's face, frowning before turning back  to the team, as well as Remus and Sirius. "I don't get this Quidditch stuff - someone explain to him how it's all going to be okay before he.. short-circuits or something."

The team did just that, reassuring their captain that everything would be just fine - Gryffindor was only back by ten points, but other than that they had a good starting point. They would just have to win Hufflepuff next February and the final match of the entire House Cup in May, beating Ravenclaw.

"See, it'll all be fine." Tiger offered James a smile. "Now.. you should go shower. You stink."

"There we go, that's what I'm used to." James smiled slightly as he looked up at Tiger. "For you, anything."

"Stop with the sappy shit." Sirius hit his friend on the shoulder, pulling him towards the changing room. "But Twig has a point, you stink."

And so Tiger and Peter followed James, pulling along by Remus and Sirius to the changing room, hoping that they wouldn't hear too much about this later.

But they knew they would; they always did.

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