HEAL ME | JAMES POTTER

TWELVE

- CHAPTER 12 -

❝Truth or dare?❞

The Potter Manor, Christmas break.

THE POTTERS HAD BEEN shocked, to say the least. Grace was the hidden daughter of the Notts, someone who they had all thought was dead for the past few years.

Even Sirius, the boy who had been in direct contact with her family and had even gone to their house multiple times, didn't know of it.

"Grace.."

The girl, after explaining everything to the Potters, was crying hysterically. James had then, of course, taken the girl in his arms and tried his best to calm her down.

James did not care about her past, he did not care at all. The boy knew that blood is not the only thing that makes someone your family, love does so as well.

"It's Christmas G, cheer up," he said with a nudge.

The whole entire time, Grace had been worrying about the boy's reaction. She knew that he was the sweetest boy to exist, but she couldn't help but think about the most horrible outcomes.

"You're welcome to our house sweetheart, don't worry about your parents," said Euphemia while hugging the girl close to her chest.

To Euphemia and Fleamont, everything had felt a lot more familiar. Just like Sirius, the girl had been born into a horrible family. Both of them had been tortured, it was devastating to see.

"Cmon, let's bake a cake."

For the next few hours, James had tried his absolute best to make the girl feel happier. When nighttime had rolled around, James went to the girl's room and played dancing queen by ABBA, her favourite song.

Even though Grace was silent, she was still starting to feel a lot better. However, when her eyes had locked into the boy's, she couldn't help but breakdown once more.

"I-I'm sorry, I lied to you."

"You didn't lie to me G, you didn't at all."

The whole night, James had held the girl close to his chest. And just like that, the pair had fallen asleep.

Something James had hated to see was the girl being upset. Now, knowing that all the happiness she would display was nothing but a mask, he felt like harming her parents with his own bare hands.

James didn't know how she had handled all that with so much ease. Finding out about her past had made him think of her in a completely different way. Grace was what James had always aspired to be, someone so strong that no power would ever be able to overtake him.

"Prongs, truth or dare?"

"Mate, dare of course."

Currently, the trio were sat in the boy's room and having a sleepover in their makeshift fort. It was Christmas Eve, and the kids had planned to stay up all night.

"Okay G, truth or dare?"

"Sorry but, truth."

"Who was your first crush?"

Grace knew the answer to that, it was sitting right in front of her. She didn't want to say it out loud though, what if it ruined their friendship?

"Erm, it was Sirius," she lied through her teeth.

James had gone frozen at the girl's words, did she crush on Sirius this whole entire time?

"Don't worry, it was back when we were eight."

Technically, the girl was not lying. Years ago, when the Black family had visited her house, Grace had seen Sirius through her window and had developed a huge crush on the boy.

Sirius was still confused on how throughout his whole entire life, he hadn't caught a single glimpse of the girl in the Nott Manor. It was either that the girl was great at hiding, or that Sirius was extremely blind.

"Okay, truth or dare Sirius?"

For the past few days, Grace had been crying her sorrows away. Even though James would try his absolute best to comfort the girl, nothing would ever work out. When Grace had first looked at her parents, she could only think of one thing.

Her older brother, Theodore Nott. Every single day, she couldn't help but wonder how he was. The girl had missed him dearly, the one person who had been with her throughout it all.

Even on Christmas day, the one day where no one could ever feel upset, Grace had felt completely empty. Her first Christmas without her brother, her Theo.

The girl's parents would never celebrate the occasion and would usually go out for dinner with the adults. However, alone at home, Theo and Grace would spend the whole day loaded with festivities.

During his Hogsmeade trips, Theodore would buy a bunch of presents for his younger sister. And on Christmas day, he would surprise her with them all and tell her one thing,

"Merry Christmas Ave, looks like Santa got you some presents."

In the Nott Manor, Theodore was feeling just the way his sister had. Sitting in his room, staring at the moon with silence around him, the boy could only think of one thing.

Merry Christmas Ave. Santa is just a little sick right now. Hold on for me a bit longer, would you?