Followers' Promise

*****Chapter Three- Class

Thomas, the rest of his house and the Slytherins sat at their desks, talking quietly while they waited for the professor to show. Just as the clock struck the appropriate hour, their professor strode into the room. All talking ceased and all eyes were focused on her. She sent her supplies on the desk. Her expression was serious and her attire was professional and impressive. She stood straight up, her hair in a neat ponytail at the nape of her neck, projecting a foreboding presence in her black Auror uniform. She unrolled a parchment and called roll. When she finished she rolled it up again and it vanished into thin air.

"Good morning class and welcome to year two of Defense against the Dark Arts," she introduced. "I will be your instructor and you may address me as Professor Lupin." Kali waved her wand at the chalkboard and her name appeared in white chalk. "Before we begin are there any questions you wish to ask me? Yes, you there Mister...?" she asked as she pointed at a boy in back.

"Edwin Summers," he said. "Are you the Kali Potter?"

"Do you know of another Kali, Edwin?" she asked. "And here I thought my name was rather unique." The class snickered. "But, yes, I was Kali Potter and if you had been reading the Prophet at all this summer you would've learned that I am now Kali Lupin once again. Any other questions?"

"Why aren't you wearing robes like other professors?" a mousy girl asked by the way some of the Slytherins sneered at her was any indication, she was muggleborn and still new to the wizarding world.

"Excellent question, does anyone have the answer to her inquiry?" She glanced around the room and smiled. "Mister Weasley, I believe."

"Yes Ma'am, you are wearing a formal Auror's uniform," he answered.

"Ten points to Gryffindor!" Kali awarded. "Once upon a time, I was the alpha barrister and, to be specific, this is the uniform I was required to wear in the courtroom."

"What does that mean?" the mousy girl asked.

"That means I tried some of the darkest wizards during the Second Voldemort." Several students gasped. "War, my most famous case being the capture and trial of Lucius Malfoy." She sighed, "This fear of a name must stop! Dark wizards draw power from fear and we must not give it to them! There is no reason to fear a name. Now, I think we've had enough questions for now. Everyone, please turn to page ten."

~*~*~*~

The class had filed out of the room save for three children. "That was a great lesson, Mum."

"It was a smashing first day, Miss Lupin."

Kali looked up and smiled. "Thank you, Thomas, and how many times must I tell you to call me Kali, Will?"

"Sorry, Miss... Kali."

"Just remember to call me Professor when there are others around."

"We will," Rhiannon spoke up.

"Now," Kali said, "I believe the three of you have potions. I'd run if I were you. Don't want to make Snape mad at you on the first day."

"My last name is Potter," Thomas explained, "He's already mad at me."

"Point taken. Now off with you before Severus decides to make you a demonstration," she shooed. "And if he's being really bad, just remind him that your mum was a Slytherin!"

Her son smiled and then they left, shutting the door behind them. Taking a raspy breath, Kali waved her wand and a cup of orange flavored tea appeared. She opened one of the drawers and pulled out a vial. She added two drops to the tea with a shaky, fidgety hand then corked the bottle and putting it back in the drawer. Kali picked up the teacup, the liquid sloshing about because of the shaking, and brought it to her lips. After a long drink she set the cup down, steadier this time, and smiled.

~*~*~*~

It was after lunch now and she had class to teach in about ten minutes. Students began drifting in and she frowned as a shy girl in a Slytherin uniform entered quietly and took a seat in the far back of the classroom. Kali recognized her as Elizabeth Nott. Her hand began to shake, but she clenched her fist in an attempt to quell it. The last student entered the class just as the hand struck the appropriate hour.

Kali called roll, stumbling over Nott's name slightly. When she confirmed that everyone was present, she cleared her throat. "Welcome to your first Defense against the Dark Arts lesson. My name is Professor Lupin and I shall be your instructor for the academic year," she introduced. "Before we begin, are there any questions you have for me?"

A shy Ravenclaw raised her hand and the professor nodded in her direction. "What," she began, "is Defense against the Dark Arts?"

"As the name implies, in this class you learn how to protect yourself from black magicks," she explained. "This year is an introductory year so we will only skim the surface of what we will learn for the remainder of your school years. Next year you will learn about simple curses, hexes and jinxes. Third year will cover dark creatures. Fourth, dueling. Fifth will be a preparation year for OWLs. Sixth and seventh years are advanced studies, if you chose to continue. Any other questions?" She looked around and no one seemed to move. "Very well then, let's begin."

~*~*~*~

The class let out, not a moment too soon. After the last student had left Kali conjured a cup of tea, added two drops from her vial and as she was putting it away, someone entered.

"How are you doing, Miss Lupin?"

Startled, Kali nearly toppled out of her chair. "Hea... Headmistress McG... Gonagall." She reached for the cup as fast as she could and took a sip. "You... you gave me quite a fright."

"I'm sorry, my dear. I just came by to see how you were fairing on your first day."

"It's a bit harder than I thought," she confessed as she took another sip. She held up the cup and smiled. "My throat is sore already from all the talking."

McGonagall smiled reassuringly. "Don't worry, Miss Lupin. It will get easier with time."

"I hope so and please call me Kali. Calling me Miss Lupin makes me feel like I'm about to receive a detention or lose house points," Lupin sighed.

"Only if you call me Minerva, dear."

"Deal," Kali agreed as she sipped more tea. "How are you adjusting to your new position?"

"It is a lot of work, but I enjoy every minute of it," she answered. "Speaking of which, I must return to my office. Are you sure you are doing well?"

"Yes, I am perfectly alright," the younger woman sighed. "It seems that everyone keeps forgetting that Dr. Quinn gave me a clean bill of health."

"I know dear. We only ask because we are concerned about your wellbeing."

"I think I finally understand what Harry must have felt like when he was young."

"You are a symbol now, Kali."

"I was a symbol before I died, Minerva. I was the Boy-Who-Lived's perfect wife, remember, and one of the most well known Aurors."

"I remember, dear, but now you are a symbol that old wounds can heal and that miracles can happen," the Headmistress explained.

Kali rolled her eyes. "I'm sure I completed the miracle when I divorced Harry or has the world forgotten that little fact?"

"I don't believe they have, but they still hope."

"Yes, I suppose there is always hope."

The women settled into silence and a moment later McGonagall left, leaving Kali Lupin alone again.

*****Chapter Four- Sorry, But No

Well the first several weeks of the term have already flown by. I can't believe how fast everything is moving! Will still stares all googly-eyed at that Slytherin we met on the train, Elizabeth Nott, but he won't talk to her at all. How did he get into Gryffindor? It can't be that hard to talk to a girl, even if you like them.

Mum's DADA classes are so much fun. She's a really great professor. I still don't really get Astronomy and I HATE Potions class. Snape really needs to get that broomstick out of his arse bum. Transfiguration has even become fun. Professor Kirke is more laidback than McGonagall was. He even taught us a cool trick that would make a great prank!

One thing I don't like about him is that he always keeps looking at my mum. I think he fancies her. Not that I don't want my mum to go on dates but... ok I really don't want my mum to date anyone but my dad. I mean I don't mind that they are divorced or anything, but I guess I still want them to get back together.

Well, Will and Rhiannon want to go get a snack down in the kitchen. I think Will just wants to escape his sisters. It's not like they're annoying. I think he just gets embarrassed by them because they are so loud. Anyway, cheers!

Thomas quickly closed the book and shoved it underneath his bed mattress. He grabbed his invisibility cloak and met his friends in common room. Soon they were on their way to the kitchen but just before Rhiannon was about to tickle the pear, the portrait swung open. With quidditch honed reflexes, and Rhiannon grabbing Will, they managed to get out of the way as two people stepped out.

"Thank you again for having hot chocolate with me," said the first figure that stepped out. Thomas recognized the voice instantly. It was his mum.

"It's been my pleasure, Kali," said the second voice, which they all recognized as well.

"You're really sweet Andrew."

He shrugged. "I try. So..." He shifted his weight, nervously, from one foot to the other.

"Well, goodnight," Kali had said quickly.

She turned around to walk away when his arm shot out and he grabbed her hand. She looked at their clasp hands then followed his arm till she was looking at his face with a questioning look.

"Go out with me next Saturday?" he asked, nervously, "We... we could have dinner or, if you like Muggle things, we could go to a cinema or something. Anything."

A blush rose onto her cheeks and she looked down at the ground, a small smiled on her lips. She looked back up and her smile broadened. "I'd love to, but..."

"But?"

"I can't promise anything, Andrew," Kali explained. "I just got divorced two months ago and I'm not sure I'm ready."

"Well, we'll just think of this as a test run to see if you are," he said. He raised her hand to his lips and kissed it softly. "Goodnight, Kali."

"Goodnight, Andrew."

When both disappeared from sight, Rhiannon threw off the cloak and turned to face her best friend. "Are you ok, Tom?" she asked.

He nodded slowly, but didn't say anything.

"Are you sure, mate?" Will asked, "You look a bit pale."

"Yeah, I'll be fine," he mumbled.

He began walking to the now closed portrait when Rhiannon stopped him, much the same way Kirke had stopped his mum.

"One date doesn't mean she is going to marry him."

"I know, Rhiannon, I know," he sighed. He tickled the pear and conversation was over.

~*~*~*~

There was a knock at the door. "Come in!" Thomas entered the office and noticed that his professor began to smile. "Thomas, please make yourself comfortable."

Thomas nodded, still upset after seeing him asking his mum out a couple of nights ago.

"I'm sure you're wondering why I asked you here, but let me assure you that you aren't in any trouble... at least not with me," Professor Kirke babbled.

"I know, Professor," he said tersely.

"I see," he said, nervously, "Let us get to the point then. Thomas, I want to know if it is alright with you if I were to take your mother out this Saturday."

"She's a big girl Professor Kirke; she doesn't need my permission to go out on a date with you."

"I am very aware of that," Kirke tried to recover, "but I thought that it would be for the best if I got your consent."

"If you need anyone's permission, I suggest owling my father," Thomas countered. After saying his peace, he left the Transfiguration professor's office.

Thomas knew, of course, that he'd been rather unkind, curt, and just plain rude to Professor Kirke. It was an odd feeling for him. He was brought up better than the behavior he'd just expressed. You're polite upfront then prank them when they aren't expecting it, Thomas thought. Just like Sirius and Granddad said.

As Thomas reached the fifth floor, on his way to Gryffindor tower, when he saw the other person he really didn't want to talk to. "Good afternoon, Thomas. I was just looking for you up in the tower." She was looking down on him only one step above him. As she talked she smiled brilliantly at him.

"Afternoon, Mum," he responded impassively.

"Would you join me for tea?" she asked, "I haven't really had time to chat with you."

He shrugged. "Sure."

She smiled and ruffled his hair. "Sure? You're not already getting too old to have tea with your mum, are you?" He shook his head no. "Good, I was beginning to think that you were avoiding your dear old mum."

"No," he said as they began the trek to her private chambers, "it's just that I've been..."

"Really busy," she completed. "You know, your father and I use to always say that when we were married. He was always in and out of the office on some goose chase and I was always in court or had my nose buried in research." She sighed, "I guess we were too young to realize."

Thomas looked up at his mum, waiting for her to continue. When she didn't he asked, "Realize what?"

"Depressingly cynical things," she answered softly. Kali looked down on her son and smiled. "Things that young men like you shouldn't have to worry about."

Thomas nodded. "What does cynical mean?"

"Be still my beating heart!" she declared with theatrical flare. "Do my ears deceive or is it true that the young Thomas Potter does not know the meaning of a word?"

"That's not funny," he pouted much like his dad.

Kali laughed. "I'm sorry, Tom. It is just that you and your friends are so well-spoken that sometimes I forget that you are all only twelve."

"Aunt Hermione used to teach us when she took time off for the twins and in the summers," he explained. "She wanted us to be ready for school so most of her lessons were on reading and comprehension."

"And she did a fine job."

She opened the door and they stepped in and she went about preparing tea for the two of them while Thomas plopped himself onto an overstuffed chair.

"So what does... cynical mean?" he asked, breaking the silence.

She set two cups of tea on the coffee table. "It means lots of things. When I said it I meant pessimistic or negative." She sat in the chair across form him and drank her tea. "It can also mean that you believe that people only do things for selfish reasons."

Thomas picked up his cup and studied it. "Oh, I see." He took a tentative sip and then a proper drink.

His mum set her teacup back onto its saucer. "Well, I didn't want to have tea with you to discuss definitions and proper speech," she told him. "I have something to ask you."

Thomas sighed mentally. "Yes."

"Yes, what?" she asked.

"You can go on a date with Professor Kirke."

"You know?" He nodded. "How?"

"I was just coming from his office. He... he asked for my consent."

"And you gave it?" she asked, betraying her surprise.

He shook his head. "No, I told him that you didn't need my permission."

She squinted her eyes at him in scrutiny. "What else did you say to him?"

Thomas shifted nervously. "I told him that if he really needed permission then he should owl Dad."

"You said what?" She set the cup and saucer on the table. "Thomas, that wasn't very nice of you. Andrew... Professor Kirke is a very nice man and he was probably very nervous asking you. He just wanted to ask me out properly." She sighed, "Your opinion is very important to me Thomas. You are my son after all. But you will have to learn to accustom yourself to the fact that your father and I will be dating other people. You should already be used to it."

"Dad dating other women was different," Thomas stated. "He thought you were dead."

"I know, Thomas, but we are divorced."

"So? You can get back together."

His mum closed her eyes tightly and began to rub her right temple. "I thought you were fine with this arrangement."

Thomas stood up quickly, his tea clattering to the floor. "Well, I'm not bloody ok with it!"

"Thomas!" She stood as well, but was shaking horribly.

He turned on his heel and stormed out of the room, slamming the door after he had left.

~*~*~*~

"I'm sorry Andrew, but I can't do this," she told him.

Kali studied the man standing in front of her, waiting for a reaction. He was sitting in the exact same chair Thomas had been sitting in. Shortly after Thomas left, she had owled Andrew to meet with her in her private quarters. He had answered her summons promptly and he now sat with his elbows propped up on the arms of the chair and his chin in his hands.

"You're a wonderful man and friend, but Thomas isn't ready," she explained when she noticed no reaction. "I thought he would be ready but he isn't."

"Is he really or are you just using it as a convenient excuse?" he asked finally.

Kali folded her arms across her chest exasperatedly. "He was just here, Andrew, and I think I know my son well enough to know that this really bothered him." She let out a frustrated sigh. "And if I didn't want to go out with you then, I would've told you!"

"Well, it seems very convenient for you," he shouted as he stood. "I knew I was taking a chance when I asked you. How could I compete with Harry bloody Potter? How could I compete with a hero that had you on his beck and call?"

"Get out," she growled through gritted teeth. "Get out, get out, GET OUT!"

She glared at him now, her eyes taking on a faint violet hue. He stood rigid, returning the glare in full.

"If that's how you really feel then maybe it is for the best."

Without another word he left, leaving Kali alone as her tidal wave of emotions began to subside.