𝘁𝗶𝗴𝗲𝗿 𝗹𝗶𝗹𝘆, james potter

-ˋ 68

CHAPTER SIXTY EIGHT
✧
-: sixth year :-

── IN WHICH THEY'RE IN TROUBLE

. . .

"What's your obsession with this house?" Tiger asked, walking slightly quicker in an attempt to keep up with the much taller boy. They had left the cafe and were walking down the street to the bus stop, crossing the road and pausing in front of the picket fence and gate.

"Come on, there must be somewhere in the back to get in." James ignored her question and instead began to move to around to the back of the house, taking a side street down. "It's pretty." He shrugged, looking back at Tiger, who smiled softly at his answer.

"Doesn't mean we should break into it." She mumbled to herself, knowing full well that anything she said to James wouldn't deter him from his plans. 

"Here." James had brought Tiger through a thin path behind the house, a brick wall separating the pathway and the garden. Luckily, there was a rather crumbled part - James supposed this was a part of the renovations the barista was talking about. 

Tiger peered through the gap, into the overgrown back garden. Wild rose bushes bloomed magnificently in tumbling rows, a rather large section of the garden wall hidden by a patch of ivy. 

Through the middle of the garden lay a path, and a low row of bushes seperated the patio-area to the garden, a rotting wooden arch over the stone pathway. "It's beautiful." Tiger gasped, looking back at James. "Give me a leg up?" She asked, and James shook his head, before stepping over and lifting the girl over, hands easily fitting around her waist. 

Holding up her skirt, Tiger watched as James quickly scaled the wall, wiping his hands on his trousers, pulling Tiger quickly out of sight of the road nearby. "Reckon one of the doors are open?" James asked, glancing at the two doors in the back wall of the house. One was set on the main wall, whilst the other slightly forward in a jutting out room. 

"I'll try one you try the other?" Tiger asked, and James nodded, heading over to a door each, pushing down on the handle and using their shoulder to push forward slightly. Whilst James's door didn't budge, Tiger stumbled forward into the house, coughing on the dust. 

Hurrying over, James helped Tiger up, and the pair explored the house. Or cottage, would be a better term. It had more land than actual house, but all the same, it had a kitchen, living and dining area, a small bathroom downstairs and a larger one upstairs - along with the main bedroom, a smaller guest room, and an either smaller third bedroom. 

"Oh it's perfect." Tiger breathed, as her and James exited the house through the back. They stood together for a moment, admiring the house above them. They were going to peer around the front before they left entirely, but James just needed to re-tie his laces.

And thank Merlin he did, because just seconds later, shouting could be heard. "Hey - you kids! You're not supposed to be in there!" Tiger glanced to her side, and was rather shocked to see a policeman stood by the fence around the front of the house. 

"James put your bus ticket on the floor, hide it under some grass or something or a rock." Tiger quickly said. "Don't get up, and don't say anything." She continued, and James nodded, having briefly glanced up and recognised the uniform from one particular night of fun with Sirius when they had stayed in the Leaky Cauldron one night.