𝘁𝗶𝗴𝗲𝗿 𝗹𝗶𝗹𝘆, james potter

-ˋ 42

CHAPTER FORTY TWO
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-: seventh year :-

── IN WHICH SNOWBALL FIGHTS ENSUE

. . .

Just as planned, Tiger, James, Sirius and Peter joined Fleamont and Euphemia the next morning for a rather hearty and delicious breakfast spread - courtesy of Fleamont's long-standing friendship with the Leaky Cauldron's owner - before making their way to King's Cross once again. 

Pulling their still-packed Hogwarts trunks behind them, the three teens boarding a train with the Potter family. Then, after a couple of hours their journey came to an end in the town over from the village in which the family resided.

From there, they climbed aboard a muggle bus, which drove the six through the snow covered countryside and finally their journey came to a stop. Tiger was reminded rather painfully of the Christmas a year previous, when she had arrived in the village late in the evening and had to trudge through the snow to try and find the house that she had visited for the garden party.

Now was a similar situation; kicking through the snow (which was also falling above their heads) and dragging their suitcases through it with them. Euphemia and Tiger were having quite the time pulling her's, which didn't seem to be the lightest of things, and it didn't help when Tiger suddenly felt something cold hit the exposed neck that wasn't covered by her hair or the scarlet and gold woolen hat that had kept her ears warm up until then.

Snow slithered down her collar and the girl screeched, twisting back around to see James stood a distance away, having abandoned his father with his case and was now holding several snowballs in the crook of his arm. 

Tiger's dark eyes slid over to Euphemia, silently asking if she could get him back.

"Go ahead Tiger - he could use someone deflating his ego just a little." The woman added with a conspirital whisper. Her words were somewhat harsh, but the fondness threaded through meant that Tiger knew she didn't mean it. "Have fun. We'll see you back at the house." Euphemia nodded, gently pushed the small of Tiger's back. 

"If you're sure." A wicked grin crossed Tiger's features as she darted away from the woman, who instantly began to mutter spells, non-verbal magic causing the suitcase to become lighter. She knew that had she done it before, Tiger would begin to feel that tiny bit of guilt that James had told his parents about in a previous letter - which had explained to them that if possible, they shouldn't try and stop Tiger from helping out around the house.

"Oh Merlin." James breathed out when he saw her expression, dodging as a snowball went flying past his shoulder, skimming far too close to his ear for liking. "Tig - since when could you aim that well! I'll have to tryout for chaser if I knew you could!"

"What? Me on a broom?" Tiger used the distraction to let out a laugh and throw another snowball, which hit him square on the arm this time. "Just because I can chuck snow at you doesn't mean that I should be a chaser! Besides, I wouldn't want to take any attention off of you!"

"Me?" James shouted, Tiger laughing as another snowball hit her. "You distract me far too much when I'm playing - really should get you banned from the pitch when I'm-" But he didn't finish his sentence as Tiger's snowball hit his cheek. "Woah! I see how it is!" He yelled.

And from there, it just got even more intense, the two throwing snowballs at each other until someone else got them both at the same time. Sirius and Peter had joined in the fray, the latter joining forces with Tiger whilst Sirius and James fought against them.

And somehow, much to Padfoot and Prongs's dismay, Peter and Tiger won. Merlin only knew how - James was Gryffindor's pride chaser and from the amount of practises matches in the garden of the Potter Manor proved that Sirius wasn't awful at playing beater.

Either way, with child-like grins on the winners' faces and the two boys sulking, the four pushed open the front door to the Potter home, hit instantly with a blast of warm air. "Quick, quick - in you come, close the door before we lose all the heat!" Euphemia hurried through into the entrance hall with towels and clean sets of clothes. "Your father put all the fires on.. Peter darling there's just a bathroom down that hallway for you to change it." 

Mrs Potter smiled as she helped the four out of their soaked-through coats, the snow having melted at this point of course. And with just a little bit of magic, most of their clothes were dry but still had the odd stickiness to it, prompting the teenagers to change either way.

But it seemed that Tiger had been lost to the cause of her cat, Treacle running through into the hallway at the sound of their voices. Her appearance elicited a gasp from Tiger who instantly crumpled on the floor, laughing as the cat pushed her way onto her lap.

"You've grown so much!" The girl smiled as Treacle meowed, pushing her head up into her flattened palm. "Yes I missed you! I missed you so much!" The three boys stared down at her, rather taken aback by just how high-pitched Tiger's voice had become when talking to her cat.

"Do you think if my animagus form was any smaller she would treat me like that?" Sirius mumbled, his bark-like laugh overpowering Tiger's squeals as James punched his shoulder. "Alright mate, calm down." He replied. "You don't have to worry about me."

"Trust me, I know." James rolled his eyes. "Tiger? We're going to go and change." 

"Yeah.. I'll be right there." Exchanging glances, the boys left her too it, knowing she would be fawning over her rescued cat for a while longer.

But it didn't matter, now they were back at the Potter manor, a sanctuary of warmth amongst the falling snow. This time the following year they would have graduated Hogwarts, and would be out in the danger-stricken world.

And for now, the teens could just relax. And they weren't going to miss out on that opportunity.

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