Followers' Promise

Part Two in the Diary Series

By Phoenix SilverWind

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, 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 beneath 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's 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 now."

"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 felt then maybe it is for the best."

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