𝘁𝗶𝗴𝗲𝗿 𝗹𝗶𝗹𝘆, james potter

-ˋ 07

CHAPTER SEVEN
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-: seventh year :-

── IN WHICH HE'S SPOTTED

. . .

Finally, after what seemed like forever, the carriages came to a halt outside of the moonlit castle. It was like arriving at some incredibly event, but of course, they were only returning to school.

It might have been just school for majority of the students who flooded through the massive entrance to the school, but to the select few who didn't exactly enjoy their time at their family houses in the holidays, returning to Hogwarts was like returning home.

And for Tiger and Sirius, it was exactly that. They might have fouund a sort of home and a place to stay with a nice family - however, Hogwarts was the place they felt the most comfortable. Hogwarts was their true home. 

"Does anyone get a major sense of deja vu when this happens?" Sirius asked, stopping for a moment amongst the crowd of students.

"I really feel like someone's said that before. It was probably me." Tiger pinched the tiniest bit of the material of Sirius's robes between her fingers as she tried not to be pulled away by the constantly moving students around them. 

"It was definitely you." James chimed, appearing behind his best friend and girlfriend. Due to his frame and height, he seemed to create a small area where they stood. Smiling up at him, James latched Tiger's arms around his waist, pulling her further out of the crowd.

"God you two are sickening." Sirius gagged, turning away from them and heading off in the direction of the hall, most likely looking for Remus, who had disappeared off in the crowd almost as soon as they had made their way out of the carriages.

"You know what I'm remembering?" James asked, looking down at Tiger. Frowning, she shook her head, but realisation hit as she thought back to the past year. James's eyes drifted down to her ankle, and just the same as last year, a threaded circle of rainbow thread sat there.

"Do you know just how many times I caught you looking at me like that last year? Of course I thought it meant nothing but James - Merlin it was so much." Tiger commented, pulling herself out of James's grasp and continuing through the crowd.

The Potter boy sighed, eyes set on his girlfriend as he followed her. He couldn't help but smirk as he watched her attempt to lose him, ducking and diving between students. But his eyes found her every time, and he watched as she ducked behind a corner, a smirk appearing on his lips as he saw a witch in emerald robes - who clearly was in a hurry, follow her. 

"I see you are eager in helping with school duties during your final year, Miss Howell - but I'm afraid leading the first years into the hall is my job." McGonagall said, as James hurried around the corner, watching with a grin as Tiger panicked. 

"You see Professor, I was absolutely dying to." Tiger replied, meeting James eyes over McGonagall's shoulder. "But I understand."

"Is Twigsie causing trouble?" James announced himself as he walked over to his girlfriend, McGonagall looking as if she wanted to roll her eyes but having to physically restrain herself. 

"Of course you have something to do with this, Mr Potter." Professor McGonagall said, nodding knowingly. "In that case, Miss Howell, would you mind taking Mr Potter to the Hall? I believe there is a sorting waiting to take place."

The smirk on Tiger's face grew bigger and bigger - and James shook his head, knowing just how the girl would end up acting. McGonagall watched as Tiger pulled James along, before descending through the castle to where the first years would be waiting. 

"Did you hear that?" Tiger said, the smirk breaking into a smile as James joined their hands, fingers intertwining. "McGonagall trusts me more than you." She pointed her finger up at her boyfriend, laughing as he rolled his eyes. 

"Does she really though?" He asked as they entered the Great Hall, whose ceiling had trasnformed into a clear sky, stars flickering down at them. "Everyone's down there." James pointed out, and so the pair made their way over to them. 

James slipped into a seat beside Peter, and Tiger was dragged down beside him. But as she lowered down into her seat, her eyes landed on the Ravenclaw table. 

And she froze, eyes locked on a particular figure. 

Someone who most certainly wasn't supposed to be there, at all, ever. 

And slowly she sunk down in her seat, white as a sheet. "Not to alarm anyone." She said, her voice sounding strange, and the group looked over at her. "But I think there's been another addition to the Hogwarts ghosts. Because that man is not supposed to be here."

"Or anywhere really."

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