𝘁𝗶𝗴𝗲𝗿 𝗹𝗶𝗹𝘆, james potter

-ˋ 41

CHAPTER FORTY ONE
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-: sixth year :-

── IN WHICH SHE RESCUES THE KITTEN

. . .

Tiger seemed to fit perfectly into the shop. Every item of clothing, even the decorations that were dotted around. It seemed to fit Tiger's style. And James noticed it, so much.

It even seemed to range from her summer dresses, bell-bottom jeans style to the black pleated skirts which she wore with the dark sweaters. Tiger had a very season-dependent fashion sense, and it was very much visible, especially when it seemed like you were staring at her entire wardrobe.

He could even swear he's seen the jacket on display in the window before, most likely on one of the evenings spent in the common room. There were a lot of muggle-branded clothing that James couldn't name, but recognised from Tiger.

James wasn't overly engaged in the conversation that went on between Tiger, Betsy and Mrs Brown. He only just caught on with what she was saying when she looked at him, and both Betsy and Mrs Brown looked at him with expressions of approval.

Blushing furiously, James distracted himself by staring at his feet, until Betsy told her mum to leave the two to shop. Tiger turned to him, looking up at him and smiling.

"Come on, I'll try and find a few things for you as well." Tiger dragged James around the store. She found a jacket for Sirius easily, and also a couple muggle band t-shirts he would like. She found a tweed blazer with leather elbow patches which just shouted Remus at the both of them.

For James, Tiger held up various shirts to him, before settling on a pair of jeans which weren't as popular, but Tiger told him that wearing tighter jeans would be in fashion in the next few years or so. And James, trusting Tiger, decided he would let her get him them, as well as a few other things.

Tiger herself seemed to find more stuff than she could possibly afford. And every time James saw Tiger putting something she seemed to really like back, he would later see either Betsy or Mrs Brown taking the item off of the shelves and folding it up on the area where they paid.

It seemed, just like the woman in the sewing shop in Hogsmeade, that the Brown family had a soft spot for Tiger Howell. And James didn't blame them at all, as it seemed he was very similar to them in that sense.

Tiger ended up with a pile of clothes in her arms of various clothes, and even in the middle of winter, she somehow managed to find one of those oh-so-pretty summer dresses which James seemed to almost obsess over.

She even managed to find a couple of pairs of shoes - another pair of chunky black boots, some less-beat up converse and even some with a slightly higher heel. As well as some jewellery, Tiger had managed to find quite a large amount of thing for herself as well as others.

James could've sworn he saw her choose a few more things for Remus and Sirius, and he thought he even saw her get a couple of things for Peter. He had no idea how much she ended up getting for him, or herself.

All he did know was that Betsy and Mrs Brown were for sure giving her a massive discount. There was no way that all of this was the amount that Tiger was to pay. They seemed to be acutely aware of certain situations in her life, and as Betsy rang up Tiger's items, Mrs Brown pulled James aside.

"Please don't tell her of what we're doing. Tiger is like my unofficial daughter, and we just want her to be happy. She has suffered a lot in the past year or so, and we just want to add a little extra on as a surprise for her." Mrs Brown explained, and James nodded.

"Of course, I wouldn't dream of it." He smiled, amd Mrs Brown looked overjoyed, by this, looking like she was even contemplating giving the boy a hug.

Betsy finished folding Tiger's clothes into bags too quickly, and soon their attention was drawn over to James and Mrs Brown. "You're not harrassing him are you mum?" Betsy asked, and Tiger giggled, but looked up at James for confirmation that he wasn't uncomfortable. He shook his head slightly, and the concern left her eyes.

"I would never." Mrs Brown replied, letting out a hearty laugh. "He seems like a good one, Tiger." She continued, and Tiger smiled, a light blush appearing on her cheeks.

"We should go, maybe meet up with Remus and Sirius for lunch?" Tiger looked over at James, who seemed confused for a moment, before he remembered the tiny kitten. James nodded, and Tiger turned to Betsy and Mrs Brown, saying her goodbyes.

After a flurry of hugs and words exchanged, Tiger and James left the shop, and continued walkig for a few moments to make it seem as if they had left the area. But after a dozen or so paces, they quickly turned back around and Tiger practically ran to the alleyway.

"Hey little one." She said, crouching over the cardboard box, where the kitten was so obviously alone, wailing and falling over it's own feet. "We're gonna get you out, ok?" Tiger continued, as she picked it up, and placed it gently in the pocket of her coat.

"We should take it to the menagerie in Diagon Alley, see if it's injured or ill." James suggested, as Tiger nodded, standing up, and quickly checking around for any other kittens or the mother of the kitten.

The pair made their way back to Diagon Alley quickly, entering through the Leaky Cauldron. Passing by a few people they knew, James stopping to briefly say hi, Tiger sped quickly ahead and entered the pet shop.

James walked in to see Tiger stood in front of the counter, the man behind it gently holding the tiny meowing kitten. "It's a baby Kneazle, not a cat as you suspected. And I believe that you're right and it's the runt of the litter. Kneazle cats are known to leave the weakest and smallest behind."

"I thought so." Tiger replied, a frown appearing on her face. "But it's not injured right?" She peered over at the tiny kitten, and the man shook his head. "What will happen with it."

"Well she will either be left here, or you can take her. I will have to ask you to sign something which I will then submit to the Ministry to make them aware that you are the owner of something which is majority kneazle. I have a feeling it might have been in a litter that was produced from a full kneazle, and a half-kneazle cat hybrid." The man explained.

"James, will your parents be fine with it? At least until we go back to school?" Tiger looked up at James.

"We've never really had pets, but if not, I'm sure they understand the reasons behind it and would be able to put up with it." James shrugged.

"I'll take her then, if that's alright." Tiger said, and the man nodded. The next ten or so minutes were spent with James watching Tiger, who was experiencing owning her own pet for the first time, and the shop owner go around and picking out certain things.

She ended up with a bag of food which was for baby kneazles, a couple of bottles of medicine that would make sure that not any visible illness would be treated, as well as a few treats.

After paying, James and Tiger headed to the Ice Cream parlour, and after James quickly checking for her, Tiger came in with the tiny kneazle and sat down in a booth, the kitten falling asleep on her lap, Tiger gently stroking between it's long ears.

"I'm going to name her Treacle. Or Treacle Tarts. Treacle for short." Tiger smiled, and looked up as the bell above the door sounded, and Remus and Sirius entered, both of them stopping when they saw Treacle on Tiger's lap, rosy cheeks and wide eyes.

"Tiger, how in the name of Merlin have you managed to aqquire a cat."

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