Too Honest ~ James Potter

Chapter 10

*5th Year*

Mariya knew she should have expected the opposition almost everyone in her house had towards her being Quidditch Captain. All the boys that had been in the team the previous year were angry in the knowledge that she probably wouldn't let them back on the team. They were also irate because they couldn't understand how she could have ended up with the position when there were five males remaining to keep tradition going. Unfortunately for them, there was nothing they could do now except try to make her miserable.

At try-outs fewer people showed up than usual but Mariya was glad to see some girls show up even if there weren't many. She had everyone introduce themselves before splitting them up according to position and moving them around until she was happy with the teams. She had them play miniature matches to see who worked well together and switching out the people who were controlling their teammates, or struggling to play their own positions well, or both. There were plenty of those people and the group had halved in size before she knew it.

Mariya wanted to make sure she had reserves for every position, so she allowed the players to continue for a few minute and took as many notes about who worked well together, as who was a good player. In the end she had a list she was feeling pretty good about and called everyone down, telling them that she would post the team list with reserves the next day before dismissing them.

On top of struggles with the Quidditch team, Mariya had her O.W.L. examinations to worry about that year. With eight classes filling up her plate she barely had any time to herself anymore. The time she did have was spent talking with Regulus or continuing to teach Remus, who was becoming very fluent in both foreign languages.

Mariya was also trying to keep a close eye on James Potter and his friends as they attempted to become Animagi. They were all struggling without the help of Remus but there was nothing Mariya could say to him without letting him know that she too knew his secret and she wanted him to feel comfortable enough to tell her in his own time. Somehow they managed to hide it from him though Mariya could tell that Remus sometimes felt as though they were excluding him and thought it must be because of his condition.

Her worry regarding Regulus was also getting worse as he informed her that his mother had said he was to take the Dark Mark and become a follower of the Dark Lord that Christmas. Mariya worried constantly about what she should do. She didn't want to accept that she just had to let it happen, didn't want to consider that the boy she had come to see as her younger brother was about to be pulled into a fight that was nothing to do with him, didn't want to realise that there was nothing she could do to help him at this stage. Regulus had tried to assure her that she had done so much for him over the past few years. He had done his best to point out to her that she had probably saved him from actually seeing things from his family's point of view. However Mariya was not one to dwell on the good things she had done for him in past and was still concerned about the things she could not do in the present.

The week before the Christmas holidays, she broke down crying in Regulus' arms more than once. He was far calmer, having accepted his fate long before her.

"'Twill be alright, Mariya, I promise. Besides, this way you already have a player on the other side when you leave school and form a resistance movement." He grinned at her, but the girl just sniffed slightly.

"I don't want you to be a spy, Regulus. It is far too dangerous." She looked pleadingly up at him.

Regulus frowned, "There is no point me acting as though I believe in their cause unless I can do some good for the other side in being there."

As unhappy as Mariya was about it, she could not deny that he was right. He would be far more use if he secretly supported their side and they were already concealing their friendship in school so he might as well convey information to her if he could. She pulled him closer to her as she buried her nose in his robes and inhaled his scent heavily.

Pulling back, she gave him a teary smile, "If you die out there, Regulus, I will bring you back just to kill you again and you have to promise me that if you ever choose to act directly against him, you will tell me so I can watch your back."

Though Regulus nodded, Mariya could see the look in his eyes. He would never put her in danger if he thought he could handle it without her help. So Mariya promised herself that she would find some way to put a tracking spell on him, whatever it took. She had to know if he was in trouble. She couldn't just let him die if there was any way she could help.