"There is the Russian version. There are actually 2 Russian versions, one called The Baba Yaga and this one -the one about the birch tree. Muggles call evil ladies witchedm yet I am a witch and I am not evil. Yet this 'witch' did her own thing! There was once a kind husband and his kind wife an they had a daughter. A 'witch' met the kind woman one day and turned her into a sheep. She then went to the kind husband pretending to be the wife, as the wife she wanted the sheep slaughtered. The daughter heard this, she went to the sheep, her real mother and asked her what to do.l the sheep said that the girl should not eat the soup made of her mother, but rather bury the bones in the garden. The girl did that and a birch tree grew. The witch treated the girl rather badly, preferring her own real daughter. There was a ball at the palace and the witch didn't want the girl to go.She made the girl pick up all the barley in the fireplace, while she went to the ball. The girl but a branch off the birch tree that had grown from her mother's bones and wonder of wonders the barley gets picked up and the girl gets wonderful robes. She goes to the palace and charms the prince. Yet she left soon ater, leaving an item behing. For a couple of nights this happened until the prince came to find his girl. The witch made her daughters wooden legs (the daughter had her leg and arm broken and her eyes poked out at the ball by sitting under the table) fit into the girls shoe and the prince was scared that he was going to be forced to marry her, when the real girl came out and he reconixed her. To cut a long story short they marry and have a son. The story continuwes further.. if you want I can tell you the ending at a later stage." Sarah said upon raising her hand.

Source

Gemma shook her head up and down slightly at each of the students' stories. She had never heard the majority of them and she made a mental note to research each of them. Once the student seemed to be settling down and getting tired from all of the sugar rush and the atmosphere, she smiled at the students, "So you can see how the fairy tales that we are familiar with vary differently from their roots or history to the various versions across the world." she paused as she stood up and headed back to the screen.

"We could literally spend a whole term analyzing the different fairy tales and researching their history and versions and other aspects of each, but we are almost out of time today, so we'll have to call today's lesson over with." she said sadly, "Please feel free to take a cup of hot chocolate with you or to make and take another smore with you." she tapped on the screen.

"Here is your homework assignment. Thank you for coming and I hope to see you at the next lesson. We are going to be discussing how Muggles portray witches in literature both good and bad." She smiled and the homework lesson appeared on the screen.

OOC: The lesson is officially over. You can have some conversations, but please keep them to a minimum.

Also, I'm going to leave the thread open for a few days so anyone that wants to catch up can. Make sure you put Catching Up or something like that in the Title of your post.

Thanks everyone!

So class was over then? *GULP* That meant that Ella now had to face Oakey, yeah? Face him after all that glaring...which meant he was mad, really mad. The second year wasn't looking forward to this at all. Might as well postpone it a bit more, yeah?

Standing up, Ella wrapped her blanket around her and picked up Petey, holding him tightly to her chest. She turned to Mordred and Sophie and smiled, motioning her head towards the hot chocolate bar. "I uh- I think I'm gonna grab some hot chocolate for the walk back..." And maybe try and avoid Oakey's wrath a bit longer "You guys don't have to wait for me or anything." In case they weren't planning on getting any more of the chocolatey deliciousness before they left.

The second year walked over to the table and slowly...very slowly...poured out some hot chocolate. Sure she was stalling...but that didn't mean she was a coward! PSH! It wasn't even like she had done anything to make Oakey mad! She was innocent! INNOCENT. So why was she hiding from him again, then? With this realization, she placed down the thermos and added some marshmallows to her cup before heading towards the door. Maybe finding Oakey wouldn't be that bad if it would clear things up.

"Bye Professor Cerulean. Really cool lesson...and thanks for the hot chocolate." Ella said, holding up her cup on the way out the door.

Louisa eagerly listened to what her classmates apparently knew of other Cinderella stories. Or well, other versions of the story. They were different... although the main plot remained intact, a girl who gets the prince and live happily ever after - or well, die happily ever after. Heh. "I only knew the Disney version, professor." Which was saying something. This girl had a happy life BEFORE she was a witch. Now she had.. something.

Ooh! And class was over! Louisa wore her puppy slippers back, she didn't appreciate those btw but her brother insisted on packing them for her pfft. And then she got up and headed for the door smiling and nodding at professor Gemma on her way out, "Thank you professor," and off she went to write those cards to her frozen friends.

Oakey stood up as class was dismissed, he walked over to Professor Cerulean and returned her orange blanket. As he did he leaned in and whispered so a certain wimpy Slytherin couldn't hear what he was about to say. Pssst Professor, I had no idea you were so knowledgeable in comics. Just between you and me, Doomsday would wreck Ironman if they ever met. Am I right, or am I right?

He took a quick glimpse as Ella gave him a nervous look. He gave her one last sour lemon glare. If Ella could read minds, she would hear Oakey thinking You and me are gonna have a little chat after class...IKNOWWHATYOUDID!

And class was wrapping up.

Vickers hurried to complete his notes and finish off his chocolate and the smores, then got up to collect his things. Tucking the blanket and the pillow under his arm again, he neared the blonde woman "That was a good lesson Professor thank you." he paused for a moment, feeling a little embarrassed with his next statement "I hope... we can see more of that Star Wars... perhaps something that will screen at our Muggle Studies theater?" he could always hope right?

Alyssa was disappointed that yet another lesson was over so fast especially Muggle Studies because she always had a lot of fun in Professor Cerulean's class. She quickly wrote down the homework assignment in her journal, trying to shrug off the nagging headache that she had been experiencing on and off just before Christmas.

She quickly packed up her things and made her way to Professor Cerulean and smiled her thanks. "Thank you for another interesting lesson. My apologies for sounding silly in class. It must have been all that sugar." Alyssa grinned at the Professor before making her way out the door.

Minerva took another sip of her hot chocolate and packed her stuff to leave. She stood up and looked around to see where to put her empty mug. "Professor, where should we place the mugs from the hot chocolate and would you like some help cleaning up?" She smiled always happy to help if needed. "I really enjoyed the lesson today and thought it was awesome we got to wear our pajamas to class."

Jory finished off his hot chocolate as he copied down the home work. After repacking his bag, he headed to the door. "Thanks for the great lesson, Professor,'' he said to Professor Cerulean "And the refreshments as well.'' He gave her a cheery wave and was off.

Awww. That's all, then?

Chelle groaned. She was very disappointed that the lesson was over. She had been having too much fun. And the classroom was so cozy. She quickly copied down the Homework and smiled to herself. This was exactly the kind of thing she loved doing. Yup, she was going to have fun doing the homework. A lot of fun, indeed.

"Thanks for the class, Professor! Never had so much fun! Oh, and the Hot Chocolate is awesome," she said to Professor Cerulean, before grabbing double mugs of hot chocolate and heading out of the room and back to her Common Room.

"Thank you Professor" Sarah said. Sarah was about to leave when a cup of hot chocolate beckoned her. She took it and brought it to her lips. Sip... it had gone cold. Although it WAS meant to be a muggle lesson, Sarah whipped out her wand and said " Chaw-den-sis" said she and rotated her hand from her wrist, preforming the Chaudensis charm with her wand. Steam rose from the mug. She drank it. Feeling warmed up and energized she left the classroom, after replacing the mug on a surface.

Nigel had no idea the Professor like super heroes so much and this was an awesome lesson.

Professor thanks for the awesome lesson and Doomsday would totally beat Ironman if they fought. he said to Professor Cerulean, before grabbing another mug of hot chocolate and heading out of the room and back to the common room.

Gemma had just started making herself a smore as the students started exiting. She smiled as she heard someone approaching her. O it was Oakey...the comic book discussion...yes...

"My little brother used to love comic books before he went missing..." she let the last few words trail off quickly and then she continued trying not to let that pain show on her face, "So, I've always kept up with them...I actually have about fifteen to twenty comics in my office that are my favorites...and yes, I have to agree that Doomesday could probably clobber almost anyone...it might be a close one with Hulk, though..." she said with a little wink.

Annabelle was enjoying this lesson very much. She was so sad to see it end. She wanted it to keep going and making more smore's. "Wait..the lesson is over?" she thought. Belle reached into her backpack and copied down the homework and then put it away. She was glad there was three choices. She was onto to making her third smore and was getting the graham cracker and chocolate all assembled. After she made it and brought the hot coco with her, Belle said "Thank you for a very interesting lesson Professor." with a little smile. "I really learned a lot from this. I think we should do a campfire theme very soon! I love camping." She left the classroom and went back to her common room to relax herself for a bit.

It was increasingly becoming more difficult to hold a grudge against Ella as Professor Cerulean said again that her brother was missing and that he was reason behind her love of comics. All the while he and Wimpy Theodore were arguing about it. Oakey felt terrible for having continued on about it during class.

He let a frown form on his face, I'm sorry Professor. Maybe he could cheer her up some. Ummm, Professor if it's alright with you could I see these comics?

YAY, the lesson was over. Theodore caught a glimpse of the Hufflepuff chatting with the professor and he gave him a GLARE. What if he was saying mean things about him? Theo was a GOOD guy, you know. Not like that mean old Hufflepuff.

"GOODBYEE, PROFESSOR." He shouted, to make himself heard.

With one more lasting look, Theo exited with a real strut.