Now, officially on to the story (Hey, these notes are kinda fun!):

     Friday rolled around slowly, and all too soon Harry found himself standing in front of the door to his DADA class. It had been cancelled for the entire school last week because the teacher hadn't arrived yet, but they had gotten here just after lunch and Harry's class would be the first to be taught by the new teacher. It was odd that they hadn't gotten to the school the week before, when school started, but rumor floating around was that they had to be flown in from America, and had refused to ride a muggle airplane. So who ever it was, they were pretty prestigious.
     McGonagall swept down the hall, brushing through the Gryffindors in her way, with a small woman in tow. She didn't look much older then most of the 7th years, with wispy light blond hair and silvery blue eyes, framed by small, wire rimmed glasses. She held a stack of books and a large cage in her arms, trying to keep from dropping them, and despite her youth, looked extremely flustered. McGonagall opened the door to the classroom for her, and she nodded in the direction of the much taller teacher.
     "Thank you, Minerva." She chirped. With a bit more bounce to her step, she flounced into the room and deposited the books on the desk and the cage on the floor.
     Oh dear lord, Harry and most of the Gryiffindors thought simultaniously. This is our new teacher?? The class sorta shuffled in after her, wary of her hyper demeanor, and remembering the oddity of the last DADA teachers. She turned to them and clapped her hands together eagerly.
     "Ohh, this is going to be a fun year!" She said, a wide smile on her face. "I just know we'll all be friends, and learn alot, of course!!"
     "You're teaching Defense Against the Dark Arts," Dean muttered. "How fun can it be?"
     Professor McGonagall, who had entered the room after the last student, glared at him. "This is the new Defense teacher, Tiel Azorleah. You're to be nice, you're my house and I won't expect any less." She turned to Professor Azorleah. "Good luck, m'dear." she said softly then left the room.
     The new teacher looked at them curiously as they found their seats. "What house are you?"
     Hermione's hand shot up. "Gryffindor." She said, no small amount of pride in her voice.
     "Oh." Professor Azorleah replied. "Does anyone know what house Draco Malfoy is in?"
     Most of the Gryffidors made faces at this question. Hermione didn't bother to raise her hand this time. "Slytherin," She muttered darkly.
     The teacher looked slightly perplexed at this response, but then shrugged her shoulders with a smile, dismissing the entire conversation. "Well, my name, as Professor McGonagall was so nice to point out is Tiel Azorleah. My father was. . . well, I don't know what he was. But it was neither British nor American. My name is a bit of a mouthful, and I fell dreadfully old when you call me Professor Azorleah, so call me simply RaspberrrySquirrel, or Raspberry for short. Don't ask how I got the name, just be grateful I'm not making you call me Professor Tiel Itiriaty Senelen Azorleah, which is my full name. Now, I want to know all your names!"
     One by one, they went around the room, telling her their names. When they got to Harry, she clapped her hand excitedly again. They got the feeling she did that alot. "Ooh, Harry Potter!" she exclaimed. "I've heard soooo much about you!"
     Harry groaned and laid his head down on his desk. He was so sick of people commenting on his famousness. The teacher laughed softly as he did this, guessing on what was going throught his head.
     "No no, not like that! I can't stand the trash and rubbish that you get out of news papers and the like. No, I have a nephew who goes here. He writes to me about what happens during the year. It's like I know all of you already. I know that Hermione likes to study and read and will probably grow up to be a professor here herself, I know that Neville got a Remembrall in his first year from a family member, and that Ron, George, Fred, and Ginny are all siblings."
     Hermione raised her hand again, blushing. "Umm. . .Raspberry?" she said hesitantly, not used to addressing teachers so informally.
     "Yes, Hermione?" she answered with a smile.
     "Who's your nephew?"
     "Now, now. I can't tell you that! You would think I favored him or the like. Don't worry about it. Now, I know who you are, and you know who I am, but I still have to introduce someone to you. He's going to be pretty familiar around the castle, and in this classroom in particular."
     She went over to the covered cage, and without taking of the velvet blanket, reached under and unclasped a door. A mint green thing shot out of the cage and around the classroom before anyone could see what it was. The entire class jumped as it took a flying leap off someone's desk and came to a halt on Ron's head.
     It sat there, preening it's tail as everyone stared in astonishment. It was a mint green squirrel. He peered at the students with bright black eyes for a moment, before Raspberry came and picked him up off Ron's head.
     "His name is Myendlon Phauda Alariai Fylind, but you can call him Joe. And no, he didn't have a run in with a bad curse or such, he is naturally that color."
     Over half the class raised their hands. "Yes, Dean?" she said, picking out one student.
     "How did he get that name? And is that how you got the squirrel in your name? And where did you get him, cuz I want one."
     Raspberry laughed. "One at a time," she replied. "He got that name because my sister and I couldn't figure out what to name him. I got him years ago, when I went to live in America, as a gift from my older sister. Yes, that is how I got the squirrel in my name. I'm not sure where Narcy got him, though."
     More hands when up. "Lavender?"
     "Does he bite?"
     "As you can see, no he doesn't bite. Seamus?"
     "Are you gonna let him run around the castle? What about Mrs. Norris?" Joe had curled into a ball on Seamus' desk, and he was petting him gently.
     "Yes, I intend to let him run around the castle. And don't worry Mrs. Norris. We've come to an understanding. Joe's my eyes and ears around the castle."
     The squirrel chirriped, and moved to Neville's desk, playing with his quills he had set out. A light chime in the distance sounded and Raspberry looked put off.
     "Oh dear, we didn't get to any lessons today. Oh well, you got to know me and Joe a little better. Just do me a favor and don't tell anyone about Joe yet. I'll wait for thier reactions in thier classes. Class dismissed."
     They got up, and filed out of the classroom, talking excitedly. "If I don't see you around school and at meals, I'll see y'all on Sunday!" Raspberry called out.
     Joe trilled quietly, and Harry, Ron, Hermione and Neville were still in enough range to hear her comment back. "Yeah, Joe, they are more interesting then my last students."

End notes: For those of you who are curious, no, I didn't pull Prof. Azorleah or Joe's name letter by letter out of a scrabble set. I got all the names from this whacked-up baby namer site. It's really cool: