Feeling a stronger chill come over her body, Anna shivered once again and glanced over at Cale, who'd thankfully sat down next to her. She sort of felt that with him by her side, nothing and no one could possibly hurt her. She smiled warmly at her boyfriend, still unable to talk but trying to convey the message to him that whatever it was they were about to endure, they'd endure it together. Before Anna could blink an eye, Professor Kazimeriz was standing before the class, eyeing each and every student. She gulped nervously and watched him, waiting patiently to hear what he'd have to say next. Seconds that felt more like hours ticked by, and finally the professor spoke to them. Upon hearing that she hadn't been called, Anna released a small breath she hadn't realized she'd been holding. Oh, thank Merlin. She was safe---for now.

Jake looked around, and smacked his head. Was it merely a coincidence that they were all female?

Theo had a sudden urge to pretend he was rowing down the Amazon and had found a lost tribe. Their leader being Kazimeriz. But he couldn't do it, or he would lose bazillions of points. Or get a detention.

Defense? I don't think so!

Lyra kept quiet in her seat as it was the best thing for her to do at this point. She was completely irrate with this professor and if he wanted respect, he needed to EARN it from her. She was past the point of being sweet and kind after what he did to her best friend.

And once again, he seemed to pick on students, pointing them out and making them stand. What was he going to do, turn them into a pig as well? She sat back and crossed her arms to her chest and waited.

A shimmer caught Seymour's eye and he instinctively looked up. His eyes widened as the professor just suddenly appeared-- had he been there the whole time, or had he just not been paying attention very well? He squinted a bit in the dimly lit classroom, trying to make out the professor's face, and recoiled ever so slightly. He was the same professor who had helped him in the corridor that one day-- and had helped him with Anna-- but the lighting of the sconces and candles made him look even older. Almost like he'd just aged thirty years over the last week. What was he, the Crypt Keeper's father?

As the professor called several names, including those of Cela and Camira, he tilted his head slightly. The class had barely started... and they were already being called up? Were they just that good?

Theo started humming and mumbling to himself. It was the tune of "Following the Leader". The teacher hadn't required the attention so the song got it. He hummed and swayed, waiting for any kind of involvement in the class.

Twilight watched as the professor appeared. She had already been waiting all week for class. Her grandfather had such a respect of DADA that she was eager to learn everything about it.

She looked over at Theo. Was he crazy? why was he drawing attention to himself. Did he want to make himself a target? Well it was his funeral, she thought to herself as she picked at the blue nail polish on her fingers.

Daniel was startled. He thought he was one of the people who were called by the Professor. Then he looked around. With a sigh of relief, he remembered that he was not one of the people who were mentioned. But, why were they called? he wondered. He look back at the Professor's table and waited for something to happen.

"Toussaint. Yaxley. Morgan... You may each take 3 points for your respective houses for studying, showing wise use of your idle time. As for you, Hopton... You are in my classroom, not Madame Primpernelle's beauty shop. Three points." He smiled his vulpine, livery smile at Camira. "And Yaxley? Remove that smirk from your face. Now... let us begin."

"In my class-- and Defense Against the Dark Arts as a whole -- you make assumptions at your own peril. Being inattentive or making assumptions can. be. dangerous... Even... fatal." He slowly made his way down the steep flight of stone steps, leaning heavily on his cane. He shuffled over to the lectern and leaned upon it with one elbow. "Was I here before you arrived, perhaps under an invisibility charm or cloak? Or did I arrive after you? Is there, perhaps, someone following you in the halls, Miss Greingoth, invisible but watching your every move?" He eyed Greingoth, raising an eyebrow. He looked to several of the other students. "Or seated beside you now,is there perhaps a ghost or an invisible wizard?" He paused and glared at Newtington. "Newtington, if you do not stop that infernal humming you will be silenced for the duration of this class.I will have focus.""

"The rules of my class are simple: behave with respect and decorum. Follow my instructions, make no assumptions and pay attention. Failure to do so will cost you dearly." He surveyed the room. "I do not reward students for being the fastest to answer, nor for shouting out an answer copied from a classmate or text. You will only be rewarded for focused participation and effort, as well as creative thinking, for an agile, focused mind is necessary for survival when confronted with the dark arts. This is not a game, and I will not tolerate students who treat the subject lightly."

He glanced around the room. "Who can tell me what the single most important tool is in defense against the dark arts?"

Theo's bottom lip wobbled as the Professor shouted at him. He was only using his time wisely. Just cos the Professor didn't like the tune. He stopped humming. Instead he listened to it in his head. Still bobbing along to it. The Professor's question completely lost.

Very quietly Twilight took out her quill parchment and books. She sat patiently waiting for the Professor to continue, She looked at the students called and hoped they were not worried as some of them looked uneasy.

THE professor commanded respect not only for his age, but Grandfather spoke highly of him, she wondered how it was he didn't have his own textbook. But then why reinvent the wheel if already done. She would have to look in the library and see if he had written anything, he had an air of so much knowledge, she was happy he had decided to teach her this year.

Garret bit the inside of his cheek from blurting out an answer just for the sake of giving an answer. And he wasn't all that sure about the wisdom of drawing KraziKazi's attention to him when there was so much fault to be found. It was bad enough he had taken points from Perfect Little Miss Priss, imagine what damage he could do to Hufflepuff if Garret even so much as breathed wrong!

Which reminded him: he forced his breath to come out in even, noiseless puffs.

Cam raised his hand. "A wand?"

Camira wasn’t sure if she was allowed to answer or if he was talking to the rest of the class. Oh well. She raised her hand, making sure to remove the smirk from her face and instead put on a ‘business polite’ expression. “I would say that the single most important tool in Defense Against the Dark Arts is one’s knowledgeable mind. A wand is useless if there is no knowledge to use it. Conversely, one with immense knowledge and skill have no need for a wand or even a voice. They would also have the ability to learn how to develop certain necessary skills. But I digress.”

Kayla raised her hand. "I think the most important thing would be knowledge. To know your spells and creatures, so that you always know what you are up against."

Twilight listened attentively to his every word. SLowly she shyly raised her hand," Always to be aware of your surroundings Professor."

Jake raised his hand. "Sir, your mind, or more your subconscious mind?" Well, it was true. You had to have your wits about you. If you didn't have a wand, you would instinctively run. "Like, instinct."

It wasn't till after he answered that he thought of 'wand'. D'oh!!!!! At least this Professor seemed okay, with the no assumpions thing.

Flushing, Daphne tried to keep her breathing in check. Obviously, Kazimeriz didn't fool around nor appreciate any behavior of the sort. He hadn't ordered them to sit again and Miss Hopton didn't dare make conclusions. In fact, she wasn't even sure if they were allowed to answer.

Although, two answers did cross her mind. A witch's (or wizard's) most importantly tools was her brain and her wand. One without the other just didn't function.

Daniel almost lost his seat from the words of his old Professor. He was not expecting this class can be so grave as a war. He inhaled and exhaled to make composure of himself. He attentively listened and thinks to himself.

He listened to the professor muttering a question. He closed his eyes and think of an answer and slowly, very slowly raised his hands.

He then hopes the professor sees him.

"Sir, please. The determination and will to live are the most powerful tools in Defense Against the Dark Arts. And also his wand." spoken shyly by Daniel

Seymour smiled as Camira and Cela were awarded points, before class had really even started-- apparently they were that good. He rocked back and forth in his chair for a moment, considering the professor's question carefully. Glancing down at his notes, his hand shot up. "In a general sense, I would have to say magic, sir. But more importantly, I... I think you would need a keen and alert mind... an awareness of your surroundings, sir," he squeaked, fiddling nervously with his quill.