Too Honest ~ James Potter

Chapter 17

*7th Year*

When dinner was finished that evening, both James and Mariya started walking towards McGonagall's office rather than heading back to their respective common rooms. They stood outside the room for a minute or so before the teacher herself appeared and opened the door to allow them in. All three sat in the same spot they had occupied earlier in the day, but this time the sorting hat sat on its stool to the side of the desk. James eyed it nervously as he sat down and Mariya remembered how fast his sorting had been, the hat had clearly not struggled much in its decision when sorting him.

"Would either of you care for a biscuit?" McGonagall asked, offering them a tin. Mariya was about to refuse when she saw the determined look in the woman's eye.

"Так, дякую. Yes, thank you." She translated in the knowledge that neither of the others spoke the language. She passed the tin on to James and took a bite of the ginger biscuit.

As James did the same, Minerva sat forward in her seat, "I presume that both of you are willing to share your sorting experience." As the two nodded she continued, "If you wish you will also be able to try on the sorting hat again and see if it has changed its answer. Mr Potter, are you happy to begin?"

James swallowed and nodded, "Sure thing, Minnie." Mariya was amused by how easily he ignored the reproachful look the teacher gave him. "I didn't really have the hat on my head for long, he didn't seem to have anything to say to me really. He just warned me against letting my arrogance effect my actions too much, I probably should have taken that warning more seriously. He didn't really say anything else before placing me in Gryffindor."

McGonagall nodded at him before turning to Mariya, "His choice for me was much less certain; he seemed surprised by how I answered everything he said, he told me that my honesty would get me into trouble but that it was important I keep such a blunt manner in order to allow me to complete my destiny." Both James and Minerva looked surprised as to how different Mariya's response was.

"Was there anything else?" McGonagall asked.

Mariya nodded, "He said that he didn't think it mattered where he placed me, that I would do well in any house. But he said that he thought Slytherin would be best for me and I agree with him. I may not always get on with the people in my house but I am quite happy to break the ridiculous stereotypes surrounding my house and prove to people that there is nothing wrong with Slytherins as people. He asked me to come back and let his try again because he didn't really know what the right choice was."

James frowned, "My father has told me about people who the hat struggled to sort but that was because it couldn't decide between two houses it is rare that someone is so undefined by others thoughts of them that they struggle to be sorted into any particular category." McGonagall nodded in agreement.

"Well, I am grateful that he chose Slytherin because otherwise I wouldn't have been able to befriend Regulus and pull him back from his parents teachings." James looked confused at this as he had thought they were no longer friends but Minerva smiled.

"How is Regulus doing? I see that you are still wearing the ring." Mariya glanced down at her right thumb where a ring in the shape of a snake coiled its way around the appendage.

"He is alright I believe. We were unable to talk as usual this morning because James and I were coming here but he didn't seem to be struggling too much. I think he sees how ridiculous his parents ideals are but he is good enough at Occlumency that the Dark Lord has not yet picked up on his lack of faith."

James was glancing between the two females as though they had lost their minds, "Wait a second, is this Regulus Black? Sirius's brother?"

Mariya nodded her head and James's eyes widened in shock, "But I thought you two had fallen out years ago."