𝘁𝗶𝗴𝗲𝗿 𝗹𝗶𝗹𝘆, james potter

-ˋ 54

CHAPTER FIFTY FOUR
✧
-: sixth year :-

── IN WHICH THE TRUTH SETTLES IN

. . .

Everyone stared at Remus and Tiger, as they attempted to regain balance on their stools, faces ablaze from both the embarassment and things that they both realised. 

Slughorn clapped his hands, regaining the attention of the rest of the class, not saying anything to either of the cousins. But whilst he continued to talk, Tiger was avoiding James's gaze, and Remus was trying to stop blushing. 

"I didn't know you liked Sirius back!" Tiger hissed, and when Remus looked at her, eyes wide, she clapped a hand over her mouth, realising what she said. 

"Back? I didn't know that you like James back." Remus replied, in the same hissed whisper, and the cousins stared back at each other as Slughorn continued to speak, writing things out on the blackboard as his did so. 

"Am I interrupting something?" Slughorn peered over at Tiger and Remus, and suddenly all attention was on the cousins again. "Mr Black, swap places with Miss Howell please." Slughorn continued, and once again, Remus and Tiger stared at each other in horror.

"Fuck." Tiger breathed, getting off of her stool and picking up her bag, trudging over to where Sirius was getting out of his stool, looking confused as he walked over to Remus. 

"What was that about?" James whispered to her, and Tiger told him it was nothing, turning her back on him as she listened to Slughorn, trying to not blush too much or let her thoughts completely overtake any coherent one.

Slughorn continued to explain certain things about Amortentia, and Tiger tried her very best to focus, but only picked up on certain things. "Amortentia can't create love, it creates an obsession." Slughorn said and this was one of the only things that Tiger focused on. 

It created infatuation, not love. She found her mind drifting to James, who had explained his so-called love for Lily an infatuation, and wondered what exactly that obsession would feel like. 

"It smells different to every individual." Slughorn continued. "Miss Howell, as you seem to not be focused during this lesson, would you mind coming up and describe to us what you smell, as a demonstration." 

Tiger froze for a moment, staring at the cauldron, which now had a cover over the top, hiding the pearly sheen that had been visible when they entered the room. 

Then, she felt a hand on the small of her back, and she glanced back at James, who was gently pushing her forward. Tiger nodded slightly, sliding off of her stool and walking woodenly over to the front, trying not to blush. 

"Go ahead." Slughorn said, watching as Tiger leant over the table slightly, taking the lid off of the cauldron, staring down at the potion, the swirling steam rising off it seeming so inticing. 

She sniffed it, and silently begged herself to stop blushing as she stepped back, closing the lid. "I.. I um.. I smell some form of bubbles? Lemon, broomstick wax and treacle tarts." She stepped back, and Slughorn nodded, and told Tiger to return to her seat.