HEAL ME | JAMES POTTER

SEVENTEEN

- CHAPTER 17 -

❝You have us.❞

Hogwarts, Sixth year.

IT IS QUITE SURPRISING how fast a person can change, in just a matter of a few months. Was it the grief that affects them, or was it the fear of the future that would be creeping up on them?

"What are you doing hanging out with them?" asked Theo with a frown.

"W-What?"

Theodore Nott had changed a lot, visibly so. Dressed in all black, anger lacing his face, he had looked exactly like his parents. Or to be specific, a death eater.

"This isn't how i raised you Grace."

Her whole entire life at Hogwarts, everyone had called her Grace. It had never bothered the girl before but now, hearing the name come out of her brother's mouth, Grace had felt like her heart was breaking apart.

"Theodore, leave her be my dear."

Back at the Nott Manor, the siblings would only see their parents on special occasions. After Grace had ran away, Theodore had noticed how often they would come back to stay at their own home.

Unknown to the girl, Theodore Nott was a completely different person in the outside world. To everyone else, he was an extremely talented wizard and one that had gone to the wrong side, the side of the death eaters.

For years on end, the brother had hid the fact from his little sister. But now, running into her at the Three Broomsticks, Grace Valdez had finally seen the true Theodore, the real heir of the Notts.

"Cmon Grace, lets go," said James while taking her by the hand.

"You are nothing to us Grace Valdez, remember that."

Grace Valdez had no family left, not even her brother. Throughout her entire time at the Potters, she would always have hope that Theodore would one day come and pick her up. But now, the single thread that she was hanging on to, it was long gone.

James Potter could see the heartbroken look on the girl's face, something he had hated with every ounce of his being. He wanted to do something, anything to make his Grace feel better. But what was there to do, for someone whose whole entire world had come crashing down?

"James.."

Grace could see herself tearing up, the boy had sensed it immediately. Taking her in his arms, James had hoped that her feelings would settle down sooner than later.

For the next few hours, James had held the girl in his embrace in order to maker her feel bettee. Even though he did not know of it, his presence alone was enough for the girl. Feeling his body against hers, it helped the girl believe that James was indeed, very much real.

The brewing war in the wizarding world had made everything ten times worse. Grace did not know what was the reality anymore, and what were her dreams. The fact that her family, her own brother Theo, was on the other side of the fight, had hit the girl very hard.

She was ready to fight them all, the people who had dared hurt her loved ones, and the innocent wizards that roam across the world. But was she ready to fight her own family? The people who were supposed to be by her side through it all, her own blood?

"Please eat G, you haven't eaten since yesterday," said James with a worried look.

"No, i'm not hungry."

"Cmon, i'll feed you."

James held the girl's hair back and brought the fruit up to her lips. At first, Grace had stayed still, with her mouth completely shut. After a few minutes, she finally listened to the boy's pleas and ate the fruit with hesitation.

"Don't worry too much Grace, you have us, okay?"

The girl knew that she should be grateful for him and his parents, they had treated her with an immense amount of love during these past few months. But deep down, she couldn't help but curse the gods above for the life that they had given her.

"James? I-I'm scared."

Truth to be told, the boy himself was very scared about what the future had in store for them. In front of his friends and family, James had tried his absolute best to look calm. However, no matter how many times he would try, the boy would always feel terrified about the things happening around him.

"It's okay, i promise i'll protect you."