New Story, everyone! I hope you guys like it.

Chapter 3 (Christmas Holidays)

He ran out of the shop with Lily Evans a little shocked and a little sad. There was a time when James Potter loved her like he loved no other. But now……He was mad for Caroline and she…..she had faded away as if he had never loved her. It wasn't his fault, was it? He must have asked her to go out with her at least a million times. But, she refused. Now that he had a girlfriend…all Lily could think about was how James was supposed to be with her and she missed her chance.

"Caroline!" James followed her.

She started to run. But, he was faster. He was a professional athlete after all.

"Listen to me!"

"What?"

"I'll tell you." He sighed. "Everything. But, you have to promise me that you will not tell anyone."

"Oh….Kay." She said.

"Not here." He took her hand and took her into Madam Puddifoot's cafe. He took a corner table, secluded from other people, and ordered a coffee because he was extremely sleepy. To think of it, she looked as if she hadn't slept much last night either. He was remorseful, it was because of him.

"It's….." He wasn't sure what to say. Or where to begin. It was odd telling someone of Remus's secret. A secret the four of them had kept for a better part of a decade. But, he did tell her. Slowly, bit by bit, he told her how they all helped Remus each fifteen days with his problem. She had tears in her eyes when he finished.

"I can't believe it." She said, "I can't…"

"He doesn't hurt anyone." James said quickly. "We make sure of it."

"It's not that." She shook her head, "All this time, I hid it so you wouldn't find out. And, when Lily told me you often spend your nights out with them….I got scared."

"What?" James was an intelligent man but too much sleep deprived to understand.

"I was scared you would find out about me." She admitted. "I was scared you would break up with me if you knew."

"You are a….." James finally understood. "No….No…It can't be."

"You hate me." She whispered.

"No, I don't hate you, Care." He took her hands, "I can't hate you. I love you."

"You don't care about the…"

"I don't." James said, firmly. "It isn't your fault. Just like it isn't Remus's fault."

"Oh, thank God." Tears ran down her face.

Walking into the cafe, James had not thought he would walk out with this information. But, it didn't bother him. In fact, he felt closer to her, so did Remus.

After that day, there were two wolves howling in the Shrieking Shack every fortnight.

James was taking Caroline to meet his parents during the Christmas holidays. It was something Lily had heard through the gossip vines in the Gryffindor common room. She hoped it wouldn't be true. Because, meeting parents was a big step. And, what she had heard was that James Potter honored all his commitment, no matter how tough times were. If he and Caroline stayed so blissfully in love like this. She would never get a chance to tell him how she felt…..Not when she promised herself that she wouldn't be selfish and let him be happy.

James did take Caroline back to the Potter Manor to meet his parents. He was thinking of proposing to Caroline after his NEWTS ended. But, things didn't go exactly as planned. After dinner that night, James and Caroline sat down with Mr. and Mrs. Potter, drinking coffee.

"I hear, there are a lot of people leaving Godric's Hollow." James said to his dad. "Why would they? Isn't this place one of the safest in the city, right?"

"There is no place safe in the city, son!" Mr. Potter told him. "People are offered to join his side and those who don't…..flee or die."

"I can't believe how many people fall for it." James shook his head, "To save their skin, they put millions others at risk."

"What's wrong with saving your own skin?" Caroline asked. "I would save myself and leave everything to burn down behind me."

"Excuse me?" Mr. Potter asked, shocked.

"What?" James asked.

"What?" Caroline shrugged. "I don't see any problem.."

"Caroline, how can you say that?" He asked, touching her arm.

It burned. He moved his hand away as if lightning had struck him.

"All I am saying is that…" She continued, not noticing the horrified faces of her boyfriend and his parents. "There is nothing wrong with…."

James stood up and headed towards the door.

"James…honey." Mrs. Potter asked. "What happened?"

"Nothing…" James shook his head. "I think….I am going to get some air."

He stepped outside and didn't go back inside for half an hour. And, when he did, his parents had gone to bed and Caroline into the guest bedroom, which was right down the hall from him.

He went into his room and opened the doors that directly led into the garden. He took out a cigarette from his pocket and lit it by simply thinking about it. His non-verbal spells had improved drastically. He took a deep breath in and exhaled.

"What happened?" Caroline joined in, "Why did you leave?"

"I have to ask you one thing." He puffed the cigarette out, "And, please……Do me the simple courtesy of not lying to me."

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