A female group of giggling third-years from Hufflepuff and Gryffindor entered the class in no particular order. The boys followed suit, and there was a relaxed air about them all. As Kurama entered the class they all stood up, and only sat when he waved for them to sit.

"Good morning," Kurama greeted his class as they sat down again. "I'm Professor Kurama, and I'll be your DADA teacher for this year. Now, if you'll open up your books to chapter one, we'll begin with the basics," he said. There was a rustling of pages as the students opened to the required page.

"Dark Arts, according to the accepted definition, is magic that is used specifically to cause harm. However, there's another, more sinister and deeper level to it. As you will see in your books, the most potent Dark Arts spells are the ones that enslave the soul and corrupt one till there is no soul left. There are several figures that have done this, both in the West and in the East. It is said that certain trees and creatures are punishments on men who dabbled too deeply in the Dark Arts."

Kurama was leaning against the front of his table, the book open and held in one hand. He was wearing a cream yellow sweater that set off his eyes and hair, and a pair of comfortable and warm slacks. He cut a very dashing figure in his class, and he was quite aware from the sighs of the students that he would have a fan base here before long.

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"Good morning. I'm Professor Naoko Kensaku, but you may call me Karen if you like. Now, I understand that most of you are taking this course as a supplement for your N.E.W.T.s examination next year. Be warned though, that this class is not easy and that if this class has no relevance to the fields you are going to enter after you leave Hogwarts, leave now. There is really no use you signing up for this simply because this seems to be an easy class. I assure you, it is not," Naoko said, looking at them. "Do I make myself clear?"

The sixth-years from all houses (not that big a number, but big enough) all nodded. She stood up and opened the textbook, telling them to do the same. Like Kurama she was dressed casually. Long, warm black pants covered her legs and a long-sleeved jacket matched with a blue tee made her look more like a pop star than a teacher.  She moved to the front of her teacher's desk, sat on it with her legs dangling, and put the book to one side. Then she asked the students to introduce themselves.

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Hiei was brooding in the morning as he watched the third-years take their classes under Hagrid. He had no classes in the mornings, only in the evenings. He did not mind it; evenings were when he came 'alive.' What he didn't know was that his classes were arranged in such a way that one of the others would always be free to supervise him. This was Hiei we're talking about.

He wondered what the rest was up to, and how he was going to turn a bunch of Ninjens from babies to adults capable of fighting youkai in one year… Or less.

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Sukina and Shuura were with the sixth years. Having been 'assigned' to look after Harry Potter and his friends, Sukina and Shuura trailed them wherever they went; ostensibly because they were the ones who had made them feel the most welcome when they arrived in Hogwarts.

It wasn't long before they noted that wherever Harry and his friends went, Draco and his cronies followed.