James Potter has always hated everything about Mariya Seratova: she's blunt, unapologetic, and worst of all she's a Slytherin. She stands for everything he has ever hated, so how could he possibly imagine being her friend. Mariya Seratova has always thought James Potter was entertaining. He wasn't perfect of course, he was far too arrogant for his own good and she hated the way he treated people based on assumptions, but she also knew that deep down he wasn't as bad as he seemed, so she appreciates the opportunity to work more closely with him when it is presented to her.