"Transmutation is the process of turning one object or element into another." Dr Oobleck began, walking into the full classroom. "The ability to shape the world at will, to craft your own way, to defy reality as a whole. It is the easiest school of magic to learn and the very hardest to master."
The students were at the edge of their seats, ready to actually learn, to get right into the work and get their wands out. Ruby was ready for this. It was one of her favorite classes of magic, holding a special connection to her mother and their training together.
The professor pulled a feather from his breast pocket, whispering some echoing vocals towards it, the strands and fibers instantly warping and shifting into a large mug full of coffee.
"Transmutation is useful in all situations." He told his class, taking a long sip of the black liquid. "Survival, convenience, art, and more. I'm my personal and professional opinion, it is the most useful of all schools of magic to study. For those of you that have ever been told in math classes that you wouldn't always have a calculator on hand... with transmutation, you can just create one out of almost anything."
A bit of clapping from his students and a quick moment to hide his own smile and Oobleck was back to his lesson.
"How many of you have experience in transmutation?" He questioned, around a quarter of the class raising their hands', including Ruby with a look of excitement. "Those of you that have, what have you done?"
"I made a snowman!!" Miss Valkyrie threw in, radiating energy and excitement.
"She made it out of a puddle in late spring two years ago." Ren added, clarifying the next question before it was asked.
Oobleck nodded, turning to the next student that was ready to speak, a rabbit faunus in the back of the room.
"Last year I turned a stone ridden patch of land into fertile soil for a farmer near my home." She explained with pride. "With my help he doubled the produce he could harvest."
"Of course the bunny helped on the farm." Cardin commented, sending a verbal jab to the girl. "Probably got paid in carrots."
"Would you be so kind as you escort yourself to the disciplinary office, Mr Winchester?" The professor asked, quickly turning to the next student before he could even argue. "Miss Rose, you had an experience with transmutation?"
"Umm, yeah. My mom taught me magic when I was little with it." The red haired girl told him simply. "I practiced by turning bottles into vases."
Oobleck nodded, taking a step back to look over his class. "And all of these things have an important factor in common. The composition of the transmuted objects was barely changed." He told the room, smiling to himself as he thought it over. "But if you become skilled enough in this school of magic, the composition of your target will become meaningless. That is when you can truly call yourselves a master."
"It seems dangerous, sir." Weiss brought up, relatively close to the front. She rarely sat with her partner, mostly because Ruby didn't prefer sitting right up front in most of her classes.
"It can be, that is true." The professor agreed, nodding slightly as he did. "But that is the thing about magic, isn't it? It's all dangerous. The difference between magic and dark magic is nothing but intent though, so as long as you can hold your morals forward, you have nothing to fear."
"But, sir..." The girl in white began again. "I mean more, if someone accidentally does something with transmutation... That could be extremely dangerous."
"Oh yeah, that would most likely cause horrific things to happen, but it's quite rare for magic to respond on accident."
"That's reassuring..." She muttered to herself, low enough that nobody could hear.
Ruby watched the girl from just a little further back, admiring the way she was always looking to be prepared and how she was the only one asking the questions that needed answers.
She's just perfect.
Oobleck looked over his class, a smile on his lips as he brought the mug of coffee to them. "Let's get started."
---
"You did so well!" Ruby chimed as she threw her arms around Weiss in a hug. "That little statue you made was so pretty!"
"It really wasn't anything, details are easier than size." The girl said quietly, her cheeks flushed.
The girls made their way through the halls, Ruby practically clinging to the young Schnee as they walked. As they were going back towards their dorm, a handsome blond faunus passed by, taking particular notice of the pale hand interlocked with the vibrant skin of the girl in red.
Sun narrowed his eyes at the shorter girl, deciding silently that this was a declaration of war.