HEAL ME | JAMES POTTER

SEVEN

- CHAPTER 7 -

❝Fuck off Evans.❞

Hogwarts, sixth year.

JAMES POTTER HAD ALWAYS thought that Lily Evans was his ideal girl. But now? Not so much.

It had been the school's latest gossip that Lily Evans was being stalked by someone, and she had dreaded it. There would be a letter that would follow her everywhere she would go, a letter from her secret admirer.

And for some reason, Lily was convinced that it was James Potter behind the whole ordeal.

In the great hall, it had been absolutely silent. Even with over 300 students and teachers, not a single sound could be heard. After Lily had slapped James, everyone's eyes were locked on the pair with intensity.

"You are crazy James Potter, absolutely crazy!" she shouted with anger.

Even though James knew he hadn't done it, he couldn't help but hang his head down in shame. It was like her anger from over the years, all of it was slowly coming out at this exact moment.

"I told you it wasn't me Evans, are you mad?"

Lily scoffed at the boy and rolled her eyes. Wasn't him? Impossible.

"Tell me then James, where have you been going these past few nights?"

At that, James Potter went completely silent. One thing he had noticed about Grace, it was that she had liked to hide her talent for baking from everyone around her. As if it wasn't a blessing, but a curse.

"Why so quiet Potter, scared we are going to find out?" said Marlene with her eyebrows raised.

The rest of the Marauders were standing right behind their brother, not moving a single inch. James had told them to let him handle it all on his own, he had to stop running away once and for all.

"Fuck off Evans, he was with me," came a voice of a girl from behind her.

Lily turned around and saw Grace Valdez, a sixth year Hufflepuff. She knew of the girl, they had been paired together for a project in the past.

"What, are you two dating?"

"And if we were, would that put your panties in a twist?"

Lily Evans was shocked, this was not the Grace that she had known of. It was like a switch in her had flicked, she was ready to pounce on the redhead, calculating her every single move.

"Get out of your head Evans, maybe you are more obsessed to James than you actually think. Pretending like you were being stalked, just to humiliate him in front of everyone here? You make me sick Evans, absolutely sick."

At her words, Lily Evans froze. The Marauders looked at her with wide eyes, Lily wouldn't do that, right?

"W-What are you talking about?" she asked with hesitation.

"I saw you hide the letter Evans, multiple times. And cmon, you're the only one in Hogwarts who uses red ink."

James Potter had, for once, felt completely hopeless. Just when he thought he was done with Lily, she had went ahead and pull this stunt.

At first, he thought that he deserved it all. Maybe even something much worse. James Potter had pestered the girl for five whole years, all this humiliation was made for him.

Later on at night, when everyone had gone to sleep, James Potter went to the kitchens with reluctance. Originally, he wasn't going to go. But then, he realised that he needed to be in the Hufflepuff's presence immediately, in need of a distraction.

"I thought you wouldn't come. Let's bake, it always helps."

And so they baked with nothing but silence surrounding them. The clinking of the dishes, the girl's soft instructions, everything had been a great comfort to him after the long day.

"How are you feeling?"

He was waiting for her to ask him that. And quite frankly, she was the only person allowed to do so.

"Like absolute shit, if i'm being honest."

James Potter was tearing up, much to the girl's surprise. She had never seen him look so sad and broken before, it was devastating for her to see.

In that moment, there was only one thing she could think of. To do what James had done to her during her lowest moment, to hold him in her arms until he had calmed down.

The boy was crying, quietly so. Over the years, James was always known as the positive one of their group. James Potter would never breakdown, it was a fact known by all.

Due to that, the only times he could let his emotions lose was in his bed, while everyone would be asleep.

"Let's listen to music James, your favourite ones at that."