𝘁𝗶𝗴𝗲𝗿 𝗹𝗶𝗹𝘆, james potter

-ˋ 80

CHAPTER EIGHTY
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-: sixth year :-

── IN WHICH IT'S CONFIRMED

. . .

"Hypothetically, professor." Tiger's voice rang out across the Transfiguration classroom, raising her hand and not even waiting for McGonagall to call on her before she beagn to speak. 

It didn't seem to faze the teacher, she had been dealing with James and Sirius for years at this point, and McGonagall's gaze simply moved from the paper she was marking to the girl, who was slouched in a chair somewhere to the back.

It was obvious that neither Tiger nor the boy beside her and behind her had gotten any sleep the night before. There were dark shadowed bags under each of their eyes, and Sirius had fallen asleep at least twice, Peter always poking him awake, James constantly leaning on his girlfriend.

Of course it was then night after a full moon, and so, Remus Lupin was nowhere to be seen, exhausted and recovering in the Hospital Wing, Madame Pomfrey attending to his cuts and bruises. 

"Hypothetically, Miss Howell?" McGonagall raised an eyebrow, her quill poised over her parchment, some spell cast on it stopping the ink from dripping. 

"Right, so you know how when you turn into an animagus." She started, and McGonagall sat up a little bit. She had figured out that the three Gryffindor boys had turned into animagi when they went on the one-month strike of silence - and when she had seen a deer, dog and rat run across the grounds outside of the castle walls.

Considering Tiger's nature and just how similar she was to her group of friends, and how tired she was after the night before, Professor McGonagall figured that she was also an animagus - and had turned into one at some point during her time at Ilvermorny. 

"Yes, I do." The teacher replied, and various other students turned to look at Tiger, who blushed slightly but sat up in her chair, glancing to James for a second before back at the teacher.

"You have a set form right? And it's random - or should I say what animal suited you best." She continued, and McGonagall nodded. "Is there any um.. incidents of that set form changing."

McGonagall froze - what was this girl getting at? "I don't believe there is, Miss Howell. However, if you have any more questions on this subject, as it is not relevant to the lesson, may I ask that you wait until after this period has ended."

Tiger nodded, settling back into her seat and trying to get back on with her work. However, she felt herself getting more and more tired, and fed up, she leant her head on James's shoulder, the boy hardly reacting and just continuing on with his work.

But when Tiger glanced down at what he was doing, she noticed it wasn't work - but James was doodling hearts on the edges of his parchment. And on the inside of them, 'T + J'. 

"Awfully pre-teen-girly of you, Prongsie." Tiger mumbled, and James jumped at the sudden sound of her voice in his ear. Instantly, the boy dragged the parchment out of Tiger's eyeline, crumpling it slightly. 

"Personal space, Tigs?" He questioned, the girl giggling softly at his words but not moving. "Hey, you would do it too if you were in my position?"

"And what position is that?" Tiger looked confused, sitting up and balancing her elbows on the table, her head resting on her palms. Her work was long forgotten, and upon the couple beginning to talk quietly, the rest of the class had also taken this as an indication that they could as well. 

"You know..." James trailed off, blushing and not giving any other explanation to the girl, who only smiled knowingly. 

"Hey, if you're going to draw little hearts with our initials then we should do it properly." Tiger smiled, leaning down and pulling out something from her boot. She moved her thumb quickly, and suddenly there was a small knife attached to the original wodden object. 

"And you just keep that on you?" James raised his eyebrows. "Remind me to always stand at least five feet away if we have an arguement." Tiger rolled her eyes, turning round slightly in her chair and using her arm to hide what she was doing. 

"Noted." The girl muttered, before she began digging into the soft wood of the table, easily carving into it. Within a minute or so, she had carved a heart out of the wood. "Want to do the honours?" She asked, holding out the knife.

James smiled, taking it and carefully carving their initials in the middle of it. "There, now everyone will know we were here." James smiled.

"You're getting sappy." Tiger said, and James opened his mouth to protest when everyone around them began to pack up their stuff. "Want to wait with me whilst I talk with McGonagall?"

"Sure - and we have a free period next, perhaps we could take a visit to the seventh floor-" James was cut off by Tiger punching his shoulder, faking the pain when really it was quite gentle. 

McGonagall sat at her desk waiting, and James and Tiger stayed behind as the other students lef the room - Sirius and Peter throwing confused glances their way. 

"Miss Howell, is there perhaps something you would like to inform me of?" McGonagall asked, standing up from her desk and peering down at the girl. 

Tiger glanced at James, who nodded slightly. "Well.. yes. I'm an animagus, I became one years ago.. however when I first became one, the form was a fox. But I changed last night, and it was a tiger instead." She explained, McGongall nodding along as she listened to the girl's story. 

"As you said, Tiger, your animagus form is what animal suits you best. I can't of any other cases like the one you have informed me about. But all I believe it could be is that a fox is no longer your most suited animal." McGonagall says. "A tiger is." 

The girl's eyes widened, although she had pretty much come to this conclusion herself. However as McGonagall was her transfiguration teacher, this seemed like it just being confirmed. 

And this meant, that as well as James and her new friends helping her to overcome her self-worth issues and gaining confidence she had never had before, they had also helped her become her true self. 

She finally fit her name, right down to the very last detail.

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