𝘁𝗶𝗴𝗲𝗿 𝗹𝗶𝗹𝘆, james potter

-ˋ 38

CHAPTER THIRTY EIGHT
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-: seventh year :-

── IN WHICH TIME PASSES

. . .

The first meeting ended up being mostly talking after Dumbledore's introduction. Nobody had left after the headmaster had told them they could after being obliviated. And with the confirmation of that, they had dived right into things. 

For the remainder of that afternoon, from the time they arrived in the room then listened to Dumbledore speak to them leaving when it came to dinner, their focus was on reading up on N.E.W.T-Level Defensee Against the Dark Arts. 

Dumbledore knew that not of all of them had taken the subject, although many had, and so it was important for them to have a good idea of what they would be learning with Dumbledore. Not all of the spells and tactics that Dumbledore taught would be in the books, so it was really just giving them a little more information.

And when it came to the end, Dumbledore informed them that if they should want to practise outside of meetings, then they would always have access to it. He was going to protect the room within the cupboard with a password - much like the common rooms - and he would let them all know about it first thing on a Monday.

The meetings also became a weekly thing from then on, occuring every Saturday from 3pm until 6pm. It was a long period of time, but they had breaks every forty-five minutes or so and there was no obligation for someone to be there if they were otherwise occupied. Quidditch matches or practises, detentions and Hogsmeade days became common causes for cancellation - but it didn't really matter.

It was more like one of those classes which you took for fun, no pressure for you to go every single meeting, and all that was really required of you was to catch up on the major things that you had missed. 

Considering why they were having the meetings in the first place, Tiger was rather hesitant to show her excitement towards them, or how she thought that they were rather fun. But it wasn't there to be fun, the meetings were so they could protect themselves when Hogwarts could no more, when the dream-world that had lived in became violently shattered as the reality of the world around them hit them like a ton of bricks upon graduation. 

It was awful to think that they were even having the meetings at all. That the Wizarding World had been so ruined by what was going on outside that teenagers - kids barely of age and in their final year of school - had to face what was coming and learn how to protect themselves when it came.

The weeks passed in a blur of their normal lessons, Quidditch practises, the odd Hogsmeade visit and then the lessons that Dumbledore were giving the group every Saturday. And soon enough, November had passed and the first three weeks of December went too.

Christmas was approaching quickly and it was by far one of the most magical times at Hogwarts. From the snow to the decorations and the ice skating on the Black Lake - even with the lessons every Saturday they could forget about what was happening away from the Scottish Highlands.

"One more night to go!" Tiger announced as she moved through the portrait hole and into the Gryffindor common room. Her cheeks and the tip of her nose were twinged pink, and there were still a couple of snowflakes just beginning to melt in the dark hair that twisted out from under hat.

Lily, Marlene and Lydia followed in behind her, the Howell girl's eyes resting on the occupants of the old scarlett sofa, a grin on her face as she pulled the coat, scarf and hat off of her, carefully putting them on the rack by the fire and bounding over to the sofa. 

"C'mere." James looked up at her, hands outreached as he pulled her down onto his lap. "You're freezing cold." He whined, but didn't push her away.

"Yes Prongsie, that's what you get for going outside when it's like that." Tiger's arm rose and gestured at the window of the Gryffindor tower common room, the snow moving rapidly around outside of it.

"Ha ha." James rolled his eyes, but the expression of fake annoyance rolled away with ease as Tiger pushed the bridge of his glasses further up his nose. "I take it you and Sirius are coming back with me?"

"Where else would be go?" Tilting her head, Tiger replied. "My dad's gone back over to America, my mum's probably locked up in some mental institution for going crazy in a shop over a biscuit from her packet being broken upon buying it. Hope and Lyall would be another option but.." Her voice died away and the pair glanced over at Remus.

A letter had come not long before about Hope having beein diagnosed with some muggle illness. The doctor that Lyall had taken her to said it was treatable, and they were hoping for the best. Tiger most likely would have gone with Remus, but decided that they should spend time together as a family over the holidays. 

"I know.. I know." James nodded. "I'll maybe see if I can ask my mum to send them a letter asking if they would like too spend the last week with us. It'll be better for Moony too, because the full moon isn't too long after that."

"Good idea." His girlfriend replied, and no more words were spoken as she cuddled up to him, head resting on his shoulder and her nose brushing against his neck.

They couldn't do much about situations like that with the world in shambles around their bubble of peace, but what they could, they would. 

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