Disclaimer: No, I do not own all of these characters, I've just placed Kali among Rowlings toys. Nor am I making any profit.

Chapter 2

Not so first Impressions

Sometimes later, Kali found herself sitting at the Weasley's dinner table, with a heaping pile of food in front of her. Looking around she took note of the people present that she had known years ago. She still could not believe how much Bill had changed from the skinny boy she had known. Dumbledore, though he was already old during her days as a student, looked older and more worn than 15 years should have caused. It may not have been obvious to the common observer, or even those around him regularly, but to a sharp discerning eye and a precise memory such as Kali's the changes were clear. She saw that the jovial, carefree sparkle had dimmed considerably, and it seemed as if he were upholding a burden much too large for him to bear.

She let her gaze travel down to the other end of the table to Remus Lupin. Compared to this man, Dumbledore seemed happy as a songbird. She remembered he always did look a bit poorly, yet he now looked as if he were ready to keel over. His hair was predominantly gray, his clothes hung a bit to loosely on his frame and the dark bags under his eyes indicated he was sleeping little if any at all. He ate very little from his plate, which explained his ill fitting clothes, and instead had pushed thing about to try and hid the evidence of his limited appetite. As she studied him, she failed to notice that Bill had begun to talk to her.

"Kali!" he said a bit louder, and she jumped a bit in her chair. She blushed slightly at being caught letting her mind wander.

"Sorry Bill. What was that you just said?" she asked quietly.

"I was just asking how long you were planning to stay," he said.

"I'm not exactly sure," she answered. "For a while at least. I should at least at least take care of my parent's estate. The house was my grandparent's before them, so who knows what's lurking about in it. I suppose that could take a couple months, and then it all depends on what else turns up to keep me here." She answered, not yet knowing the real reason she had been asked to come back.

"Hmm," Bill thought for a moment with his hand posed on his chin. "I may just have to dig up some reasons for you to stick around. We've a lot of common interests to catch up on."

"As I recall, the only common interest betwixt us is my unfortunate knowledge of old artifacts and your obsession in disarming the spells that protect them. I doubt you'd have much interest in the dusty old manuscripts I've been digging through for the past who knows how long."

"Well, then. That just makes it a much more intriguing challenge." Bill grinned evilly, itching with delight at how easy it was to fall back into the comfortable banter they had established back at school.

"Why you want a ... what was it you called me... ah yes...I believe it was a bitter, cold-hearted, over demanding Slytherin wench...to 'stick around' is beyond me. I'll warn you now Weasley. I've merely grown older, not become a different person, nor do I plan to change any time soon."

"With quite a memory I see. Well, I may not have been up to the challenge then, but when can a Gryffindor ever turn down such a feat, especially against a Slytherin?" Bill snickered.

"I suppose it does me no harm to let you play your little game. But I'll be the one laughing when I pack my bags to leave." They continued a friendly banter off and on throughout dinner, each trying to outmaneuver the other, and Kali oddly didn't feel quite as out of place as she knew she should. Not to say she felt at home, but being a Slytherin at a table full of Gryffindors should have felt more like torture than they annoying twinge inside her head. After all, Bill turned out to be an ok kid...

As the night grew late and Bill went to set up his spectacular display of fireworks, Kali found herself standing in a quiet corner with only Dumbledore close by. They sat in a companionable silence just watching the others converse. Knowing the headmaster would speak to her eventually, she waited. If she had learned one thing in all her life, it was how to wait.

He spoke casually as if their meeting was just another random encounter between professor and alumni. "The students are all home for the season, but most of the staff are still in residence if you decide to visit the school. I'd be more than happy to sit and have tea with you," he failed miserably at trying to make it seen as if she were to him for aid. Intrigued but more than a bit suspicious she let her instincts guide her.

"I appreciate the invitation, Professor. When would be most convenient for you?" she replied, playing along, but not giving in to his little game. She knew it was the only way to get to the answers she sought.

"Well, our final staff meeting is tomorrow morning, but I believe the afternoon is free. You're welcome to come wander the grounds in the morning until then." She felt the intensity with which his mind was racing, trying not to move too swiftly, but betraying the lack of time to waste.

"I'll just drop by in early afternoon for tea then. Say, 2 o'clock?" she replied. With a nod from Dumbledore they let the conversation die the death it deserved. Soon after, Bill came in and Kali stayed just long enough to see the display before begging off on the grounds of exhaustion.

In truth she was wide awake and brimming with energy, but needed to return home to try and piece together the tidbits of information of what was really going on.

Kali had spent most of the morning buried knee deep in paperwork. Not only did she need the floo reconnected, which took an entire ream in and of itself, the title for her house hadn't been updated, her legal residence needed to be changed, her apparitions license needed renewing, it seemed as though the ministry was intent on holding her hostage for the next 6 months to make up for the fact that she had ignored her inheritance for so long. When she finally scowled at enough perky blonde receptionists, they handed her yet another stack of forms and records to take home with her.

With what remained of her day, she set to work on a few of the essential rooms. The bedroom and linen closet were at the top of her list. She refused to submit to another uncomfortable night with only a single blanket. Next came the main bathroom and shower, though at first she thought she had somehow wandered into an indoor greenhouse. Beyond that, a preliminary assessment was all that she achieved. She did take advantage of the clear weather to open every door window and opening she could find to allow some fresher air to reach the inner rooms. In doing this, she made discovery at the back of one of the bedroom closets. There was a doorway obviously meant to be hidden behind hanging garments. Beyond it was a small enclosed room with an ornate desk complete with monogrammed leatherhead ready to be used.

"C. B.?" she asked herself. "Who is C.B.?" A quick search of the desk revealed some envelopes and other stationary but no clues to reveal the identity of the owner. Kali decided that she could use this as an office of her own.

Her parents had only inherited the manor within a year of their own death from Kali's raving grandmother. She remembered visiting once as a small child, but they had left abruptly and no one had bothered to explain why. She had only been home from school for two weeks when her parent's were murdered. She therefore knew very little knowledge of the history or even the layout of the house.

Upon returning from the Weasley's, she found the small number of boxes she had shipped had arrived and were laying in wait for her. She pulled out her wand and with a few swishes, send them floating off to their appropriate rooms. She followed a few up the stairs to her office and ruffled few a couple before finding what looked like a scrapbook of newspaper clippings and parchments, as well as her ink well and quill. She then began to sit and write down all the observations she had made at dinner. She glanced at a few of the latest articles about the ministry and back to where she was making notes about Dumbledore. There had to be more to the bigger picture that she just couldn't see yet

Authors note:

I know it doesn't really get anywhere, but I promise, things will begin to make more sense soon. Also I would like to apologize for the roughness. I realize there is a bunch of spelling and grammar errors throughout this, but have yet to find the time to go through and weed them back out again. This is a work in progress still, and as such will likely be modified at least a few more times before we see the end.

Thanks a bunch for taking the time to read my worthless ramblings.