𝘁𝗶𝗴𝗲𝗿 𝗹𝗶𝗹𝘆, james potter

-ˋ 72

CHAPTER SEVENTY TWO
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-: sixth year :-

── IN WHICH THEY MAKE MEMORIES

. . .

Tiger woke up especially early that morning, the spring sun rising steadily above the hill opposite the valley to the house, bathing the room in a golden sunlight that made everything seem all the more ethereal.

It was a perfect day, and she hurrieed to get dressed so she could help Euphemia and Fleamont with decorating and getting his breakfast ready. She left the living room, carefully stepping over the mattresses and various sleeping bodies of her friends, heading up to her room to pick out an outfit for the day. 

She was considering one of her skirts and a jumper, but decided that, seeing as it was a special occasion, she might just wear a certain summer dress. The one she wore the first time she met him - to be exact.

Sifting through the rail of clothes, she smiled slightly when she saw the dark blue, polka-dot material peaking out from behind a coat that she hadn't worn for years. Changing quickly into it, she tied a couple of anklets around her ankles and a necklace around her neck, brushing her hair quickly before rushing downstairs, almost slipping on the stairs, but catching the bannister just in time.

Euphemia laughed as the girl appeared in the kitchen, looking slightly rushed. "He won't wake up for hours." She laughed, shaking her head. "But come on, if you're helping. 

Tiger did a lot of the stuff which didn't require magic - like helping Euphemia with breakfast, or helping Fleamont on where to put the banner. It took them a couple of hours, and luckily, James didn't wake up. 

But when he did, Tiger was stacking the pile of presents where the muggle TV had been the night before. "Oh." She jumped, when she saw the half asleep boy sat up on the sofa. "James, your glasses." The Howell girl sighed, carefully climbing over Peter's sleeping body and over to the sofa, sitting down on the very edge of it, reaching for the thin stick of metal she could see poking out of the sofa cushions.

He must have fallen asleep with them on, but luckily they weren't broken, and so Tiger slid them onto his nose, James blinking as his vision cleared. "Good morning Prongsie." Tiger smiled, "Happy birthday." She said, kissing him quickly on the cheek before moving around and waking up the other boys, gently shaking them.

"What-" James was confused for a moment, before a smile appeared, as he watched Tiger move around. "Tha- is that the same dress?" He cut himself off, and Tiger's smile grew, looking back at him.

"It is. I thought seeing as it's your birthday..." Tiger trailed off, shrugging and adjusting the neckline, her figure illuminated by the sun. 

"Stop flirting it's too early." Sirius whined. "I need food." 

"Good, breakfast is ready in the kitchen." Tiger trudged her way over to Remus and Peter, roughly shaking her cousin and being a little gentler with Peter.

They woke up, groggy and slightly disorientated, but not for long, as Sirius practically dragged them to the kitchen for breakfast. James had barely even thought about his presents, far too happy to have all his closest friends and family with him on his birthday.

However, Euphemia mentioned it, and as soon as it was talked about, the boys were going to get dressed - which seemed to be how birthdays went at the Potter house. 

They sat in the living room, Fleamont having moved all the mattresses out the way. James so far had recieved his watch - it was his uncle's, who didn't have any sons to give it to - a new broom, various sweaters, a full outfit sewn by Tiger herself, and other Quidditch supplies.

The group watched as James opened his last present - which was a photo frame. "What's this for?" He asked, having not noticed his father taking photos of the whole scene the entire time. 

"It was Tiger and Sirius's idea." Euphemia explained, pointing over to her husband. "They thought because it's your big seventeenth, then you should have some physical ways to remember it." 

Sirius and Tiger nodded enthusiastically, and James smiled. "Come on then, everyone in." Fleamont instructed, and everyone piled onto the sofa, watching as he set up the camera with a timer, rushing to join the group.

There was ones of just James and his parents, the whole friendship group, James and his boys. Just James and Tiger - then just James and Sirius. They even somehow convinced Sirius to join James, Euphemia and Fleamont. 

It took them almost an hour to finish taking the photos - the moving photos piling up. And James would choose his favourite for the frame - one of them which had everyone in. 

And he tucked away the one of him and Tiger for later, already planning on how to use it in a future present. He placed the photo frame on his bedside table, knowing he'd take it with him to Hogwarts again. 

And hoping, that one day, he and Tiger would have a family of their own, and one of their children could look up at and laugh at how funny they all looked, or admired their handsome uncle, or wondered about the scars that covered Remus's hands and face.

Hoping, but not knowing.

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