Ugh this class was too early. Colt wasn't used to being up before the sun had risen. He was rubbing his eyes on his way to class. I mean who in their right mind would have a class in the early morning. Not him that is for sure. He preferred the afternoon a whole lot better. As he entered the classroom, he noticed others were in here. Huh...I guess he wasn't the only one going to the lesson. He nodded to all his fellow classmates and then turned around and noticed the professor. He rubbed his eyes to get the sleepies out of them. "Good morning Professor.." he mumbled. Not really much of a talker when he first wakes up.

Then he saw on the board her quote. Was that supposed to be a riddle or a warning? Whatever it was, it was kind of creepy to say the least.

Alice walked into the classroom and looked around. She had been up early and had plenty of time to make sure her hair and uniform were perfect. She had to look nice for classes. Especially kitchen Professor's class. Clearly calling her that after their encounter in the kitchens.

"Hello, Professor."

Because what more did she really need to say? The redhead looked for an open seat and plopped down when she found one, looking around the room, the tapestries.. the suuuper weird writing on the board.. What was 'an unfamiliar familiar'? This sounded like some kooky stuff.. was sure sure this was the right class? It wasn't Divination?

Olly was lucky that he did not mind early mornings. Several classes at Hogwarts tended to be held pretty early, and Transfiguration was one of them. It had never been his favorite class but he didn't mind it. It was just magic, like most of the classes. What was the real difference between charms and Transfiguration? Okay, there was one. But it wasn't like it really mattered.

ANYWAY. Oliver smiled when he entered the room. "Good morning professor," he greeted. Then he took a seat next to Blaise. "Morning," he greeted his friend.

Okay so this class didn’t have a boiling pot…that was a good sign. It just had motivational tapestries? Were those even what those could be called? Mel wasn’t sure.

Of coooourse she gave all of her friends waves as she walked into the classroom. “Hello Professor Ichihara! It’s a pleasure to meet you” she beamed at her and looked around for a place to sit. “Hi Tenacius” she smiled and then raised an eyebrow at him…”morons into oxen? Come on…were probably not changing non living things into living things yet” she laughed “hi Carl!” She grinned and sat at a desk between the two boys.

Chloe didn't really take stock of her surroundings. The tapestries were lost on her this early in the morning. She was still longing for her bed and mourning the loss of the extra few hours of sleep. Her blonde hair was wild from sleep the night before.

With a yawn, she fell into her seat without a hello.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Cedric

Unlike many of his classmates, Sam was an early-riser and found no trouble waking up in time for this morning's lesson. In fact, he'd woken up with enough time to play half a match of wizard's chess with an odd second-year after breakfast.

Given that his bag was rather full, he walked into the classroom with his textbook and several sheets of parchment tucked neatly beneath his arm. His eyes took in the large tapestries hung in the room. Interesting, yes. But.... whoa.

Whoa.

Those tapestries were nothing in comparison to her. His professor. She was like, the most beautiful girl he'd laid eyes on! Or, er, woman, he supposed. In fact, he was so caught off guard by his own ogling that he bumped straight into the nearest desk and dropped all his papers onto the floor. Yeah, that managed to give him a hard jerk back to reality. His cheeks warming, he quickly bent down to haphazardly gather them into his arms. Yeah, well, given that this desk would save him the embarrassment of walking across the room to a different one, he'd stick with this one. The Gryffindor took a seat and cast one more furtive glance at their professor, completely unaware that he'd just sat next to the girl he'd kind of met on the train.

Just as she was finishing titling her notes, there was a loud rustling beside her. Lucy instinctively leaned away from it but looked up to watch. After a moments confusion, she realized it was just the boy from the train struggling with his papers. A very soft giggle escaped her.

One of his papers floated towards her and she caught it and held it pinned to her side until its owner was settled at his desk. "And this," she grinned, handing the paper over.

Sam yawned widely as she entered the classroom, blinking and rubbing the tiredness out of her eyes. Her uniform was neat and tidy, but her short hair was not - having had barely time to run a brush through it to ensure she would get here on time. As was, she'd barely managed to eat more than a bite or three of breakfast.

"Moooornin', Professah," she greeted, before squinting around the classroom to find a desk. She barely noticed the tapestries, instead sliding into a chair and leaning forward on her hands sleepily.

Hopefully the lesson would be interesting enough to keep her vaguely awake.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ariadne Greingoth

"Hello, Professor!" she greeted. Ohh, pretty tapestries! Ariadne paused to look at them and notice how super cool they looked. "I like your tapestry of the woman and the fox!" Was that...a fox? Ariadne couldn't tell, since the picture was more like a shadow. Whatever it was, it was still AWESOME, and she thought the professor should know that.

“Miss Greingoth,” Nana gave the slytherin a nod and a small smile in greeting. An amused glint lit up her dark eyes. “Thank you, you’ll be learning more about it and the others when your classmates have all settled in.” Which… Considering the hour might prove tricky.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rachel Watson

She now made her way to the Transfiguration classroom after ensuring that she was properly dressed. She wasn't a messy dresser but Professor Ichihara was very particular about their uniform. "Hello, Professor,'' Rachel greeted when she arrived at the tidy classroom.

“Miss Watson. Good morning.” Another small smile, another nod in greeting. She noticed the especially neat setup of the Ravenclaw’s uniform, it was much approved of.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Lucy Potts

"Morning!" she said to Professor Ichihara as she made her way to her seat. She noticed the tapestries but, no, she had no idea what they might be suggesting. She just pulled out her parchment, dated it, and copied what was on the board as her title.

This one was so tiny. Amaterasu, she was slightly worried for the little thing as she took her seat. “Good morning, young lady.” She said, offering Miss Potts a warmer smile, and watching with amusement as she began to take notes.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kaycee Richards

Kaycee entered the transfiguration class. She tilted her head as she glanced at the tapestries on the wall. They looked some sort of Asian. Which, really, wasn't much of a surprise. She was curious, however, if they were just there for fun or for the lesson.

"Hello Professor." she greeted as she passed. She then found an empty desk and took a seat.

“Good morning, Miss Richards. I see you’ve noted the newest classroom decoration.” Tucking back a lock of her dark hair, Nana glanced back at the Tapestry herself. It was one of her favorites. “We’ll get to it in just a bit.. “

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ollver Kyle

Making his way into the classroom, he mumbled a good morning to the professor and made his way to his desk. Good thing about showing up early? Napping before class started. And Oliver dropped his head on his desk as soon as he sat and fell asleep almost immediately.

Eyes followed Mister Kyle as he drowsily crossed the room and took up his seat only to fall asleep at his desk. Clucking her tongue, Nana paused as she considered the sleeping Slytherin. Walking around her desk, the Professor searched through the desk until she found just what she’d been looking for; A fine point marker. She glanced to the other students, pausing in her movement to Kyle’s desk. “Do as I say, not as I do.” she warned the class before kneeling down to write across the sleeping boy’s head.

In neat letters, his forehead now said: Sleeping Beauty.
That would teach him, surely.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Thornton Baines

Entering the room, Thornton nodded toward the professor. "Good morning, Professor Ichihara." Slipping into his usual seat in the center - near enough to stay focused, far enough back to see enough of the other students to keep an eye out - Thornton smiled before setting about the business of arranging his text, parchment and quills.

“Ah, Prefect Baines. Good morning.” The boy had proven himself a bright, well mannered and eager student in Nana’s past lessons. She gave him a warm smile as she made her way from Oliver’s desk to her own. He would set a fine example to the others, as always.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Hadley Denaker

"Hey, Professor." Haddie gave Professor Ichihara an exuberant wave. She really, really loved Transfiguration, and was actually quite good at it. Part of that might have been because of Kira, her wand. But it definitely was her best subject. "I'm already on my second read through of Animagi Among Us," she informed the Professor with the same smile she always had when she did; the one that seemed to say, I'm going to be your animagus student next year. It was something she'd remained unwaveringly confident about.

She was hardly surprised as the Ravenclaw went from chair, to chair, to chair in a very short amount of time in the Professor’s opinion. It was very like her to be everywhere and nowhere all at once, and no, it was not charming. “Good Morning, Miss Denaker.” She crossed her arms lightly over her chest. a small smile, one much more rueful than anything else swept across Nana’s feature as Denaker spoke again. “I’m glad to hear it. I hope you’re not just inhaling the words, but also soaking them in.” There it was. That determination that was rather more worrying than admirable.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Samuel Chevalier

Those tapestries were nothing in comparison to her. His professor. She was like, the most beautiful girl he'd laid eyes on! Or, er, woman, he supposed. In fact, he was so caught off guard by his own ogling that he bumped straight into the nearest desk and dropped all his papers onto the floor. Yeah, that managed to give him a hard jerk back to reality. His cheeks warming, he quickly bent down to haphazardly gather them into his arms. Yeah, well, given that this desk would save him the embarrassment of walking across the room to a different one, he'd stick with this one. The Gryffindor took a seat and cast one more furtive glance at their professor, completely unaware that he'd just sat next to the girl he'd kind of met on the train.

The reason behind Mister Chevalier’s accident was unknown to Nana, not to mention much less important than the accident itself. Perhaps he, like Mister Kyle was still drowsy? Sleep so often made clumsy little fools out of it’s dreamers. “Do be careful, Mister Chevalier. I loathe to have to send you off to the Hospital Wing before our lesson begins.” Nana not unkindly said, offering the young boy a smile.

It wasn’t so very early, was it?

Quote:

Originally Posted by Azura Kennedy

]Azura walked into the class and smiled at the professor. "Good morning Professor." She said with a smile, despite the early hour she was up and awake, her purple eyes were shining happily. She was excited!

“Good Morning, Miss Kennedy.” The young girl seemed quite full of energy. Clearly the product of a night well rested. Another smile, another nod.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Esme Darcy

"Good morning, Professor," she said as she stepped inside the classroom. Seemed that she wasn't the only one who was tired, because Oliver appeared to be asleep. Amused, she took the seat beside him and began to tickle his side.

Another immaculate dressed pupil. Just what Nana liked to see in her students. Cleanliness was important, as was taking good care of one’s self and that did include one’s appearance. “Good Morning, Miss Darcy.” Darcy... She was sure the name rang a bell, perhaps she was only remembering the Austen character.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Tenacius Salander

Tenacius turned into the doorway and waved the pretty Professor hello "Hey there Professor Chi-- Ichiara!" He's got to remember not to blurt out his nickname for her. Although he did find it rather cute. Much like her hehe.

But then he caught sight of the wall art and bounded to have a closer look. "Cool!" he breathed as he took in the detail. "Are there more Professor? Are they those multi-paneled things that tell a story?" he loves those.

And then he saw the board. Huh.... "Oxymorons... " Wait was this grammar class? But its transfiguration class "We'll be transfiguring morons into oxen?"

Salander, energetic was an underestimation. Lips tugging into an amused smile, she greeted the Gryffindor with a nod. “Good morning, Mister Salander… “ Nana had been about to tell the young man to take his seat when he rushed over to get a closer look at the main tapestry.

So very eager, oh dear. “There are more, and you’ll see more of them when your peers and yourself have settled down, Mister Salander.” She calmly stated, still smiling softly, though it did shift into a bit of a smirk as the boy continued on with… an Oaxen theory. “Take your seat, good things come to those who wait.” Or, in layman’s terms; be patient.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Penelope Wright

It was an early class, but Penelope did not mind waking up for morning lessons. While reading a book about animagi, Penelope walked into the classroom. Closing the book, she looked up to greet the professor. "Good morning, Professor Ichihara." Penelope found a seat next to Thornton, who was the other Ravenclaw prefect. She looked up at the blackboard, and then at the tapestries, wondering what the topic of today's lesson would be. Taking out everything she would need to take notes, Penelope prepared for the start of the lesson.

Ah, and here was the other Ravenclaw Prefect. “Good morning, Prefect Wright. Make yourself comfortable, class will be beginning shortly.” Always lovely to see that young minds still read for pleasure, and not just to further their academic aims ( though that was certainly noble in it’s own right).

Quote:

Originally Posted by Carl Leonard

Good morning, Professor Ichihara!" Carl said. He hoped he looked presentable because he definitely did not want to be known as a slacker. Not in this class, anyway. On his way to find a seat, he noticed the tapestries hung around the room. Cool! He was not sure if they were for the lesson or for decoration.

“Good morning, Mister Leonard, welcome to today’s class.” Nana grinned, a polite nod of greeting coming his way.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Yoongi Hyland

"Good morning Professor" he greeted her with a smile. He then turned to find a place to sit.

“Good Morning, Head boy.” Another nod, another polite smile. She checked her watch, not a student late yet, excellent.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Henric Nicolei

He quickly put away his mirror back into his satchel and stepped into the classroom. His first stop, greeting the professor with his amazing smile. "Good morning, Professor Ichihara. Hope you're doing well today. Lovely tapestries." He complimented, pointing up but his gaze remained fixed to his pretty professor.

The glint of glass caught her attention before the greeting. Had the Hufflepuff Prefect been using a mirror? He didn’t seem the vain kind. Curious. “Good Morning, Prefect Nicolei. I’m very well, thank you for asking.” sleep deprived, but that tended to happen more often than not of late. “Yes, they are, aren’t they? Edo period.” She explained. she was quite eager to bring them to the class’ attention.

[Qoute=Jaemin Song] Unfamiliar Familiars and tapestries. The small boy yawned and wondered what the connection was as he stared up at one. [/Quote]

The yawning Mister Song received a nod and a warm, welcoming smile.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Brooklyn Andrews

The faintest of glances was made at the tapestries lining the walls as she made her way to a seat, instead keeping most of her attention of the professor. “Good morning Professor Ichihara,” she said, giving the woman a polite smile. She wasn’t about to drop her plans for how to deal with the professors now, even if they kept hanging on her. It just meant more people she could convince of her value.

Not much energy in the room, but the calm sleepy atmosphere of the moment was preferable to Nana over the more restless, agitated kind that usually came with teaching a class of teenagers. “Good Morning, Miss Andrews.” Nana said with a warm smile.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Janell Guidry

As she entered the room, Janelle looked around at the tapestries that adorned the walls. "Good Morning Professor Ichihara", she said cheerfully. Then she saw the sign on the board. Hmmmmm. Curiosity piqued, Janelle found a seat and prepared for class to begin.

“Good Morning, Miss guidry.” She checked her watch again after giving the young girl a smile, they’d be starting up soon.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Hadleigh Lynch

Entering the room quietly the fifth year glanced around taking notice to each and ever tapestry that hung about the room, silently reading them as she passed. "Morning, Professor," Hady greeted warmly with her usual grin and a small nod of her head. Each one of her fellow peers also got a nod or a small smile in greeting as she sat down in her seat. Quietly she took out her supplies, parchment, quill, textbook and laid them out before her on the desk.

“Good Morning, Miss Lynch.” Nice to see the bright young girl looking so well, and treating herself so warmly, she had worried a bit about that.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Blaise Bellaire

He leaned back in his seat, sullen expression, arms folded and posture anything but straight as he sunk into his seat.

Nana clucked her tongue at the young boy’s sullen appearance, but said nothing, she would be keeping an eye on him.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Madison Stevens

]Speaking of the professor, "It's nice to meet you, Professor Ichihara," Mason said, "I can't wait to see what you have in store for us."

She smiled softly at the young girl. “I think you’ll enjoy it, Miss Stevens.”

Quote:

Originally Posted by Zeke Browne

Entering the Transfiguration classroom, Zeke offered Professor Ichihara a simple, "Morning, Professor," as he made his way to his desk. Things out that he would need.

“Good Morning, Mister Browne.” Nana quietly approved of the young man’s well put-together and clearly well-rested self. A fine example for the younger students.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Colt Winchester

Ugh this class was too early. Colt wasn't used to being up before the sun had risen. He was rubbing his eyes on his way to class. I mean who in their right mind would have a class in the early morning. Not him that is for sure. He preferred the afternoon a whole lot better. As he entered the classroom, he noticed others were in here. Huh...I guess he wasn't the only one going to the lesson. He nodded to all his fellow classmates and then turned around and noticed the professor. He rubbed his eyes to get the sleepies out of them. "Good morning Professor.." he mumbled. Not really much of a talker when he first wakes up.

Case in point, Mister Winchester who seemed like he could use another hour or two’s rest. “Good Morning, Mister Winchester.” Nana said, lips pursed just a bit as his mumbled greeting, but really, it was to be expected.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Alice Lupin

Alice walked into the classroom and looked around. She had been up early and had plenty of time to make sure her hair and uniform were perfect. She had to look nice for classes. Especially kitchen Professor's class. Clearly calling her that after their encounter in the kitchens.

"Hello, Professor."

Ah, little miss lupin. “Good Morning.” Nana resisted the urge to ask her if she had any chocolate pudding on her.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Oliver Tate Thomas-Borzekowski

ANYWAY. Oliver smiled when he entered the room. "Good morning professor," he greeted. Then he took a seat next to Blaise. "Morning," he greeted his friend.

“Good Morning, Mister Thomas Borzekowski.” Amateratsu, what a name. Nana could sympathize, her own last name, though shorter, was not the easiest for Westerners.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Chloe Newman

Chloe didn't really take stock of her surroundings. The tapestries were lost on her this early in the morning. She was still longing for her bed and mourning the loss of the extra few hours of sleep. Her blonde hair was wild from sleep the night before.

With a yawn, she fell into her seat without a hello.

Quiet Miss Newman was sent a warm smile.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Same Tyler

"Moooornin', Professah," she greeted, before squinting around the classroom to find a desk. She barely noticed the tapestries, instead sliding into a chair and leaning forward on her hands sleepily.

Hopefully the lesson would be interesting enough to keep her vaguely awake.

“Good Morning, Miss Tyler.” Nana gave the Ravenclaw a nod and smile along with her greeting. The Classroom suddenly seemed full of yawns. Nana was forced to clear her throat to keep her own yawn in check. Oh dear.



=============


Nana smiled softly at the students. There. Now that everyone was settled in and greetings had been called back and forth, they could get to the meat of it. Taking up her pointer, Nana moved along the desks, pausing before a tapestry. “Each Tapestry tells a story, and though they are all very different.” As she passed, she tapped each one, sending the scene within them wordlessly into play. “You will, if you pay attention, see there is a common theme amongst them.” She paused, glancing towards the students, keen to watch their reactions and to see just who was paying attention. “Vulpes Vulpes, or rather, beings that appeared only to be Red Foxes play a key component in each narrative. Sometimes in the role of advisory, sometimes in the role of antagonist, while at others they are depicted as lovers.” That surely would catch the attention of some of the less… awake students.

“Kitsune. Or Fox spirits were figures in Muggle Mythology as far back as China’s 11th century, though, the Myths surrounding Nine-tailed foxes did not stick to the Japanese consciousness until the more superstitious Edo period. Muggles often depicted the Kitsune as shapeshifters, malevolent spirits that sought to cause trouble on their master’s behalf.” Nana made her way back to the front, and stood before her desk. “The most common guise for the Kitsune to wear was that of an unusually beautiful ‘Fox Faced’ woman, generally in these Myths, the Kitsune would fall in love, marry and carry the child of a human man, all without the man ever knowing of his wife’s true nature. Now, Wizarding scholars have hypothesized that Kitsune were actually Animagi who used their transformative abilities to live amongst Muggles safely. Other theories do surround this myth, and many of them incorporate Transfiguration into the story. I want to know what you think the Kitsune actually were. There are no wrong answers.” She was smiling, not cooly or politely as she usually did, no, there was genuine warmth in the curves of her lips. This was what she lived for; teaching and encouraging new ideas, theorizing. It was a beautiful thing.

“Follow up question; what is the spirit? The Soul of a human or animal? Is it something that can be magically replicated? can you imbue spirit into an inanimate object? Can you… Create life?” It was a not a question for the weak minded, unimaginative wizard, but she had come to see that her students were anything but. ”Can I create a free thinking, self-sustaining being that will do my bidding? What do the Laws of magic tell us?” She leaned back, arms gently crossed over her chest and waited for the answers to float their way to her.

Hopefully in a calm, and orderly manner.











OOC: No answer is a stupid answer. Even if your character isn’t sure, I / Nana encourage them to speak up and get involved no matter what. I will give points for creativity and accuracy.

Next move-along-post will be innnnnn approximately 18 hours.

If you have any questions feel free to PM me or have your character as Nana in-lesson.

Whatever floats your boat, and most importantly, have fun.

Most of the seats were already filled as Kitty stepped in to the classroom and began looking for an empty seat. Thankfully the class hadn't yet started and she was able to find a spot near the back to sit in.

"Good morning Professor" she spoke rather quietly. Would the professor hear her all the way in the back? Maybe not, but she didn't want to draw attention by speaking loudly.

Then the lesson began. Kitty listened with fascination as Professor Ichihara told them the tale of the Kitsune. She had never heard of them before, this would be something she would research in the library after class was over.

Kitty didn't want to be the first one to answer the questions Professor Ichihara asked. She had answers, but her shyness prevented her from speaking first. Only after her peers started answering would she give her own opinion.

It was so hard to keep from laughing at what the Professor did to Oliver, but somehow Esme managed to keep a straight face.

Good one, though she supposed she should be nice and tell him what had happened since he was her friend.

For the moment, however, the lecture had started. Seemed that they were going to be focusing on Kitsune, which were apparently figures in muggle mythology even though she had never heard of them before. Interesting though she was completely out of her element and struggling to keep up with what was going on. Not wanting to become too lost, she began taking notes.

As much as she wanted to contribute something, Esme had absolutely no idea how to respond to any of these questions. She would just sit this one out and continue to write everything down.

Well Professor Ichihara certainly was nice. That made the prospect of being in her class even more pleasant.

Mason hadn't ever heard of Kitsune, but she wasn't stupid (well, in her opinion)

Mason raised her hand, "Ma'am, I think that the Kitsune were the souls of woman whom had passed away before they themselves could experience what it was like to be a wife or a mother. They were most likely not all that comely when they were alive, as it seems that they took the form of something that they never were. They wanted to experience all the things they never got the change to do while they were alive, they wanted to know what it was like before their souls could be set to piece."

Mason felt quite satisfied with her answer. The second one was a lot more complex, a very deep question. "Your spirit is your own representation of what it means to be alive. Your spirit is what makes you human. It attaches itself to you from the moment you are conceived. You spirit is what makes you you. Your individuality and your emotions. Your dreams and values. Nothing can create something that is born into you, something that grows as you experience more things. Not even magic." Mason said with a frown, "The Imperius Curse is used to make a human do one's bidding. But I don't believe that even Magic can create a vessel just to do what you ask. People still think and feel and do for themselves."

Transfiguration really did feel like philosophy right now.

Haddie beamed, and clasped her hands together as she leaned forward at her desk. "Every word, Professor," she nodded, "like marshmallows in hot chocolate."

Haddie was entranced by the lecture. Kitsune were like the Japanese version of coyote, the trickster spirits, right? Trickster myths had always spoken to her for obvious reasons and they might have been animagi too? Maybe that would be what form Haddie took as an animagus... could she be a kitsune without being Japanese though?

She actually thought about the questions for a bit before answering. "Why can't they have actually been real? I mean as the myths say they are. Dragons exist, unicorns exist... if those are real, what's to say other myths like the Kitsune aren't also real?"

The next question was easier. She knew this one first hand. "I don't know exactly what the spirit is, but everything has one. Everything." Haddie scrunched her nose as she put emphasis on everything. "Even inanimate objects and if you're willing to listen to everything, you can learn a lot about the personalities things have..." That's how she learned the names of things like her wand, or La Rue the measuring tape at Ollivander's. "Or you can cast spells on inanimate objects so they live, for lack of a better word, and you'll see their personality with your own eyes. I don't think you can create the spirit, but maybe it can be giving..." She shrugged. "Like when an artist or craftsman makes something, and puts a little bit of themselves, of their soul into it, that sort of thing. Or maybe when people personify things a small bit of their spirits latch onto it and over time it builds and merges with all the small bits of spirit others have left and becomes a new spirit."

She shrugged again. "I don't believe that though. I think the act of creation is the spark that creates a spirit. That's why everything everywhere has one. Everything everywhere was created by something, in someway. You, me, this desk, those tapestries, the land Hogwarts is built on. I guess in that way yes, we can create a spirit, by creating a thing."

When Professor Ichihara began to move, Olivia sensed she was about to begin. At the woman's touch, the tapestries moved much like a magical portrait. However as she continued to speak, her attention was drawn to the red foxes that were mentioned. Correction: Vulpes Vulpes or Kitsunes. The Ravenclaw listened with great attention, her head absently tilting to the side as her curiousity was peaked.

Kitsume were animagi?

She debated answers to the various questions put before them, finally raising her hand to give some thoughts. "Could they be some kind of patronus? Except more corporal. Or animated and controlled by others...like the statues of Hogwarts can be." As for the spirits and souls and such, it went deeper than just myth. It was what they thought on the matter...what she thought on the matter and Olivia was trying to think some more on the matter to try and see if she could remember anything she might have been told by her mum.

Azura knew about the Kitsune, or rather the Korean version of it.. The Gumiho!

She raised her hand and spoke. "According to the Korean legends, they had to eat men's livers or hearts in order to stay alive as well, hence why the took the form of a beautiful woman!" She paused a bit before speaking again. "I think they were myths made up by jealous women who had their men stolen from them, and they created this in their head to make them and everyone around them feel a bit better, sort of like the lengends of the Succubi." She honestly didn't think they could exist.

As for her next question, Azura wasn't quite sure about that and she didn't want to offer a rather stupid answer.. so she said.

"Everything has a spirit, without it we wouldn't be who we are.. Our spirit makes us.. us, I think. And You can create something and give it life, but you can't give it a spirit.. I think that is up to.. whatever is out there.. to do that." She bit her lip a little and looked down.

That was rather dumb huh?

When the class began, Jaemin had stopped wandering to look at the tapestries and swiftly returned to his seat. There was something in the back of his head, buzzing quietly and unwilling to come to the forefront, but it made the tapestries feel familiar. It wasn't until the professor started talking about the foxes that he realised why it was.

His family was not Japanese, but Koreans had their own lore when it came to this sort of stuff. The word 'kitsune' meant nothing to him, but when she mentioned nine-tailed foxes... the still somewhat sleepy eleven year old perked right up. These things were in stories. Stories his Muggle mum knew. The little boy's hand went up, and he stifled another yawn. No more yawns!

"They have those in Korea too," he said softly, watching the tapestries. Neat. "They're called gumihos there. Mom used to read me a story about a gumiho who has to find a man who will keep her gumiho-ness a secret for ten years, so she can be a human instead. And she has to not eat humans during that time, because if she does she'll become a demon instead of a human."

Probably not an Animagus, that one. Unless she was also a hag, but... he didn't like thinking about that. It made his stomach feel icky. He liked that story, he didn't want it to remind him of bad things. The eleven year old went very quiet for a minute before he recovered himself and looked back up at the professor.

"They could be a different variation on Veelas...?" His dad had told him that, after he'd asked one night following his mother's recounting of the story, but the professor didn't need to know that. "Sort of like... people from Asia look different from people from here, and there's different dragons depending on where you go in the world too. Veelas here might be different from Veelas there."

Not that he'd met a Veela in either place. Jaemin spent very little time in Korea. His grandparents on his mom's side still lived there, so they went to visit every so often, but that was it. And his grandparents didn't take him out to look for Veelas, of course.

And... could you create life...? Real life?

"Isn't that one of the five exception thingies?" he asked quietly. "You can make something do what you want it to do, like you can make a broom sweep on its own, but you can't make it really alive... right?"

Otherwise people would be making previously alive people into alive again people.

IT WAS TOO EARLY.

But Dante would say that anyway. It did not matter which time of the morning it was. He did not even notice the tapestries entering her room. He just wanted to go to his desk and close his eyes until the lesson started. Simple as that. Dante heared the Professor speak up and now it was time to begin. Ah so the tapestries told different stories. Interesting. He listened and it was actually very interesting.

Though it when she said "Can I create a free thinking, self-sustaining being that will do my bidding?"

Well now that is moving into the Dark Arts territory. Not that Dante had any problems discussing it. But did not ever think Transfiguration was the class to do so.

Dante just stayed quiet and listened. This was every intriguing

Lucy only ever heard of this Kitsune thing just now so she couldn't say what she thought they actually were. A shapeshifter, like Professor Ichahara said. Given that she was learning that magic could actually make things change shapes, she totally believed it.

As for the follow up question, Lucy raised her hand, "You can clone things and that makes life." Even people who weren't magic could do it, surely these magic people had an even more efficient way of doing it. And she thought that all life had a soul so that answered that.

Elliot chewed his bottom lip as the teacher spoke, ears perking up at the mention of nine-tailed foxes. He had heard the term 'kitsune' in passing and knew a bit about them but he was Korean. If there was one thing he knew, it was the legends and history of his people. He knew what a gumiho was. "In Korea we have Gumiho. Sort of like Kitsune but Gumiho have nine tails. From what I remember, Kitsune can have any number depending on how old they are and stuff. I think Gumiho are real. I don't see why we can have all the magical creatures we know about but Gumiho can't exist."

He paused for a second thinking about the second part of the question. "Create life to...do your bidding? Professor is that anything like a golem?" Elliot was very interested in these kinds of things and now he had more questions.

Those tapestries were pretty, and Dot wanted to wander closer to admire the needlework. Probably done by hand and not at all by a charmed needle and thread, the way Dot did her own work these days. Maybe before class let out, she'd take a gander. If the professor didn't mind.

Speaking of the professor, Dot turned her attention to the woman as she began speaking, and she found herself immediately drawn into foxfaced women and nine tails. So interesting, and the questions posed by the professor were like... deep. Much deeper than you'd expect for a class that had previously been taught mostly as a practical.

"Why would we dismiss the idea that a kitsune is an animagi? It's the most likely explanation, and it's a pretty typical explanation for Muggle stories where a human is turned into an animal by magic or has the ability inherently. Like, yeah, it's nice to imagine there's some lesser known magical being or spirit being we've never heard of, but it's more likely just an animagi." Like why complicate things, guys? Transfig was already super puzzling on its own, and that was without creating magical beings out of thin air.

As for the other point...? "And I think you can animate object magically, but you can't give it human thinking or will or... whatever. So you can animate a suit of armor here in the corridor to help protect the castle, but it isn't going decide to go off and get a job and start a family of tiny suits of armor." But wouldn't those be SO CUTE?

Alice listened for a bit and really thought about all of this. It was a cool theory/story thing.. But She didn't know anything about Kitsune or Japan or China and whatever.. She raised her hand because that's what polite people with manners would do. "Professor? I don't really know anything about Kid-su-nay.. or whatever but my Brother's an Animagus.. so if people thought they were like.. Fox spirits then that makes sense? My Brother's a wolf sometimes.. it's pretty cool." So maybe she was bragging a little but the theory made sense and that was all she could really say. But she thought a little more and then decided to speak again. "But Professor.. Being an Animagus isn't an inherited ability." She did know that much, Max had to work for years to do it. "And how could all of them be foxes?" She actually knew a bit about all of this. Just because of Max and hearing him talk about it. An animagus' animal form was dependent on personality, much like a Patronus.

Now the second question was harder because Alice still didn't know much about magic and wasn't particularly gifted in any area of it.. But she was sure you couldn't make another living thing. She didn't think there was a spell for that.

Rachel watched her classmates file in. She waved to Azura but couldn't quite manage to catch Haddie's eyes. It wouldn't have mattered though. It would have just been another futile attempt to talk to her friend. Or now it was possibly ex friend.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

The only things these Kitsune sounded like to Rachel were exactly as Professor Ichiara had said other wizard had theorised- Animagi. "I think they maybe Animagi too, Professor.'' She lowered her raised hand. "The soul of any living creature is something that gives live to the body. Without it, the body is like an empty shell." She paused for a while. "I don't think that we can recreate the soul or spirit.'' No one could truly do that. "No, I think the created thing will not think for itself. It would have to follow your instructions.'' At least this was what the first year reasoned.

Olly had never heard of a Kitsune before, but it actually sounded pretty cool. Like a fox that could also turn into a person and deceive people. Nice. It did kind of sound like the concept of an animagus, except for the seven tails thing. Regular foxes didn't look like that, so why would an animagus? He raised his hand. "I think the Kitsunes were just their own kind of magical animal. Do they still exist today?" She had only talked about sightings in the past, but nothing about whether or not there were still sightings in modern day.

"I think that even if you animated an inanimate object, it would not have spirit. It is something that living things are born with and can't be artificially created."

Listening to all of their fascinating theories made him even more curious to learn more about other countries folklore and legends. He had never heard about Kitsune or a Gumiho before until now...he wondered what they would look like? Were they really beautiful like they claimed them to be? A brief thought crossed his mind when he thought of Professor Ichihara as a Kitsune. Oh no..not now Henric, he shouldn't be thinking of that?! *coughs*

An animigi transforming themselves into a nine tails fox? Hmm, that would be the most likely explanation for them. One of the students also mentioned about Gumihos eating livers of men to stay alive. Woah...interesting...

He raised his hand to answer,"Inferius spell could be a dark spell to reanimate a dead body, they are bewitched to do their creator's bidding. However, one cannot create a soul in them. I think its impossible, professor." If they were, wouldn't there be no deaths in the world to mourn.

Ariadne just sat there, looking no brighter than a bump on a log, as the professor talked to them about who knew what. What. In the world. Had she. Just said?! Ariadne honestly had no clue. Something about a fox and a spirit. She sat there for a few minutes piecing everything together and still felt no smarter than she had sixty seconds ago.

She was NOT going to do well in Transfiguration, was she?

"Professor?" she asked, raising her hand. "Can the spirit of the kitsune be neither an animal nor a human? It just seems to me like something that keeps changing shape based on what it wants from people." Or...something like that. Ariadne had no idea if she was even answering the right question. She really needed to brush up on her Transfiguration before the next lesson. "Then again...it just sounds like a legend or something, like a type of magic we probably have some law against."

Carl looked around as he heard a familiar voice and grinned at the sight of Mel sitting down nearby. "Hi, Mel! And Tenacius!" He added, noticing the boy nearby too. Then he had to focus on Professor Ichihara as the lesson began.

Kitsune ... he had never heard of them before but they seemed fascinating. The Hufflepuff liked listening to Myths as a child. He was surprised to hear that Wizards actually took them seriously. After some thinking, he raised his hand. "I think the Kitsune were really foxes, but with magical abilities. So they could turn into 'fox faced' women."

What is the spirit? This was a harder question. Carl decided to be vague in his answer. "The spirit is something here," he said, pointing at his chest where his heart should be. He was no philosopher, so what?