Too Honest ~ James Potter

Chapter 28

*7th Year*

When Defence Against the Dark Arts came around that afternoon, Mariya walked into the class with a bounce in her step - she was glad that the class would not be too difficult and she was looking forward to seeing the Marauders expressions when they found out that she too was capable of producing a Patronus. Sitting in her normal seat to the left side of the class, she pulled out her wand but did not bother with her books - if Remus was right she wouldn't need them.

Fortunately, Remus was correct and the teacher informed them that they would indeed be learning about and creating Patronuses. They had been encouraged to stand up for the activity part of the class as they would almost certainly need a fair amount of room to move around if they were to successfully produce a Patronus. Mariya perched on the edge of her desk as she pulled her wand out of the holster attached to her belt, though many students were trying - and failing - to produce their Patronuses, the Marauders were standing around laughing as though they weren't in class at all but milling around the lunch hall or something such. The teacher noticed this too and called out to the group.

"My advice Misters Black, Lupin, Pettigrew and Potter is that you focus your full attention on this spell, it will not be achieved by sitting around doing-" She was cut off as all four boys raised their wands and she was suddenly surrounded by a stag, a dog, a wolf, and a rat, which swished playfully in the air around the teacher for a moment before returning to sit beside their owners.

The teacher stuttered for a moment before spluttering out, "R-r-right, well then. Ten points apiece to Gryffindor for a very good bit of spellcasting." With that, she hurriedly turned to another student and began to help them with a fervour that told everyone in the room she was hoping she wouldn't have to deal with the four boys again for a very long time.

James clearly saw that Mariya had not yet cast the spell and walked over to her with a slightly smug look on his face, "Having trouble, Seratova? Well don't be downhearted, it is a difficult bit of magic."

Pursing her lips at James indignantly, Mariya raised her wand and said in a lacklustre voice, "Expecto Patronum."

Her blue dragon immediately spouted from the tip of her wand, did a lap of the classroom and snarled at James, before curling around Mariya protectively. James looked shocked for a moment before turning to Mariya in disbelief.

"You are such a sneaker, Mariya Seratova!" He exclaimed, watching the dragon in utter incredulity, "Earlier you made it sound like you had never produced a Patronus before and as though it was impressive that we had managed it and yet now you have just raised your wand and produced yours with no effort whatsoever."

Mariya shrugged nonchalantly, "Well of course I know how to cast it - I learned in first year when I was becoming an Anima-" She froze, both hands clamping over her mouth as she realised what she had been saying. Despite her quick stifling of the word, the damage was done. James eyes had widened so much that Mariya was not sure it was healthy, and she knew that he had heard what she had been about to say.

"What do you mean A-" He started but was quickly stopped as Mariya removed her hands from her own mouth and placed them over his.

"Not here, you idiot." She said desperately looking around the classroom at all the students who were confused as to what was going on with the two. "I'll explain after dinner this evening if you come to the kitchens." Though James still looked as though he wanted to argue and ask questions, he nodded in understanding and returned to stand with the other Marauders who all shot him confused looks which he just shook his head in response to.

Mariya sighed and cast the charm once more, it was going to be a very long evening.

Mariya left the Great Hall as soon as she had finished dinner that evening, not even waiting around for dessert. She entered the kitchen and asked a passing house elf for a tub of ice-cream along with six spoons, which were delivered to her as she sat down at the table. It was only a few minutes later when the painting swung open again to reveal James Potter and to admit the rest of the Marauders who were almost certainly standing under the Invisibility Cloak, given the amount of time it took the portrait to swing shut after James had entered the room.