the Horcrux Thief, james potter

xiv. welcome, to gryffindor tower

"You do have a lot," he said, with a smile, glancing over at her ears, where she had nine piercings combined, it was hardly a lot, and she was planning on getting more actually. "They look good," he added and she felt her cheeks blush as she shrugged.

"Honestly, this isn't a lot," she said, "but still my mother always said that a couple more and I could strain pasta. She was conservative if you couldn't guess. I don't even want to know what she would do if she knew about my tattoo."

James started choking.

"Tattoo?" he said with a gasp, halting in the middle of the hallway, and Amaya's eyes widened as she realized what she said.

"What?"

"You have a tattoo?" His grin was infectious. "That's wicked. What is it? Where is it?"

"Huh?" she feigned confusion as she started walking again, spotting the statue of the gargoyle that went to the Headmaster's office.

"Oh, come on, Maya," James drawled with a laugh as he caught up to her, "Tell me."

"I don't know what you're talking about."

"Where is it?"

"Huh?"

"What is it?"

"Pardon me?"

"Oh, alright. Show me yours and I'll show you mine."

"You have a tattoo?" Amaya asked surprised as she looked up at him and saw his cheeks flaming as he nodded, scratching the back of his neck.

"I lost a bet."

"That means it's a good one," she said with a grin. "What is it? Where is it?"

He gave her a sarcastic smile as he imitated her, "Huh?" And before she could say anything else he uttered the password to the gargoyle and they both went up the stairs.

The door opened and they found the Headmaster of the school sitting at his desk, looking over a book, before he glanced up at them with a twinkle in his eyes, and gestured for them to come in. "Ms. Santoro, Mr. Potter, good to see you."

"Good to see you too, Headmaster," James said with a polite smile, "You haven't been around for the meetings."

"I'm afraid I've been busy, Mr. Potter," he said, glancing at Amaya knowingly and she figured he too was studying up on Horcruxes, either that, or Amaya was completely lost. "Now, Ms. Santoro, would you rather talk in front of Mr. Potter or not?"

Amaya hesitated, glancing up at James and the latter just gave her a reassuring smile. "I'll go, Maya," he said in understanding before turning to Dumbledore, "But before I do, professor, I just wanted to talk to you about something."

"What is it?"

"It's about... Regulus Black," he said grimly and Amaya frowned in confusion.

"Ah," said Dumbledore, "I'm guessing the young Mr. Black has joined him then?"

"Well, yes," James said before hurrying to add, "But I don't believe it was of his own free will, sir. Sirius always spoke highly of him. And you know about the Blacks, sir, they're monsters. Besides, if he was given a choice, it was either the Mark or Death—"

"What is your point exactly, Mr. Potter?"

"Sirius doesn't know," James confessed, not looking her in the eye. "I need to tell him, sooner rather than later but I wish I could give him something more. Not just bad news."

"What are you thinking?"

"Let Sirius talk to Regulus, let Sirius make sure where his brother stands in this war. If I'm wrong and Regulus is lost to You-Know-Who's side completely, then at least Sirius could get closure. Otherwise, we could, perhaps, get Regulus to act as a spy for the Order."