Ancient Runes: Lesson 1 (open to all)

[christina]

Christina stood up from her desk as the class filled up with students. Some had came in, sat down and got straight away to copying the text on the board and some took a little time doing so but got to doing so after introductions and all that. Christina was not a strict professor, but she did like her students doing her work to do well on exams.

As she walked around at each student to make sure they were doing what she had asked, she came to on Ravenclaw girl whom she knew to be Cassidy Mitchell as she heard her slam her book shut after she was done copying. "Is there something wrong Miss Mitchell? Why did you disrupt the class by slamming your book shut so loudly, clearly you seem to not want to be here," she said to the girl.

She then looked up briefly at the class to continue the lesson as she awaited Cassidy's answer. "Now that you all have copied the text on the board, who can tell me what is rumored to be the seventh unknown number," she asked.

[katrook]

"Hello, Kat. How are you today? Are your classes going well?"

Kat smiled and nodded, "Yes, all of my classes are going extremely well. Course there are those classes that everyone dreads going too. Mine are Potions and Divination. Divination is just too boring to me, and Potions, well, Professor Snape just creeps me out." Kat started copying the text down on her parchment as she talked with Ophelia. Ophelia was a year ahead of Kat, but Kat liked her...she looked up to her.

She then noticed Ginny Weasley enter the classroom. Kat smiled and waved back at the Gryffindor. She had met Ginny in passing, but since she was a sixth year and Kat was fourth, they really never talked with each other.

"Are you excited for the first lesson?" Ophelia was asking Kat as Marva, another fourth year Hufflepuff, entered the room and took a seat.

Kat turned her attention back to Ophelia as Marva, another Hufflepuff in Kat's year arrived, "Yea, I am. I have always liked Ancient Runes. What about you?" She turned towards Marva, a girl whom she had met and got to enjoy talking to. She was very nice and had a bubbly personality, at least to Kat anyway. She definately fit in Hufflepuff, but also would fit right into Ravenclaw with how smart she was, but Kat was the same way at times.

After she was done copying the text, the professor started walking around the room as Kat heard a book slam shut loudly. She looked towards the back of the room to see a Ravenclaw girl sitting there, looking as if she did not want to be there. That was then when the professor went over and said something to the girl.

"Now that you all have copied the text on the board, who can tell me what is rumored to be the seventh unknown number," she asked.

When Kat heard the question, she tried to think really hard on what she had read was the rumored seventh unknown number.

[cassidymitchell]

Cassidylooked up as the professor walked over to her and spoke asking why she had slammed her book closed in such a loud manor. brushing her hair from her face she looked at her and spoke with a sigh. "I'm sorry professor, its not that I don't want to be here, its just that... I don't under stand all this, never have done." She said and looked at her. "And the seventh is unknown, so who knows what it is, but from what you put its represented buy the number seven." she said looking up at her from where she sat.

She opened her book and looked at the girl she sat next to now noticing a younger girl who sat in front of her looking back as well. She wanted to say "mind your own business" but didn't she just kept quiet as she always did.

[thatangel]

Delphi watched the girl raise her head and shake it.

"No, I have no clue what she's talking about. I could never get Runes even last year. I think I only got threw by a fluke."

Delphi watched the girl grab her things and move up beside her.

"What does this all mean?" She said and she sighed "I'm Cassidy, Cassidy Mitchell" she moved her jacket to show her house badge.

Delphi smiled politely at the flustered girl. "I'm Delphi Jaymesinn." She shook the girl hand before turning to what they had copied from the board. "Alright. Well in ancient times, obviously, despite our magic, Witches and Wizards didn't have an alphabet of sorts, all they had where pictures to communicate. And so they found something to represent each number. That's what we are doing here. Learning how they made the number system." She smiled at the girl, hoping she had helped. "At least that's how I understand it. And I got and O in Ancient Runes on my OWL."

Delphi listened to the girl answer the Professor. She agreed with the girl, but another thought had occurred to her.

She raised her hand politely and surprisingly calmly as she spoke. "If the number seven, isn't clearly defined, as it has many magical meanings to narrow down to one, then wouldn't all unknown, or undefined symbols represent seven? I mean, if you can't match it with one of the defined numbers, then the only option is seven, right?" She asked, her brows pulling together in thought. All distractions ceasing now that she was getting new information.

[cassidymitchell]

Jenna looked at the girl she knew as Delphi a she spoke and explained what it was they were learning she could not help but smile a little hearing Delphi had got a 0 in her Owls and nodded " now that you put it that way I kinda understand" she said and listened more as Delphi spoke again to the professor her head turned back to look at the professor as she waited for her to answer both of them. If she was right then they both had answered the question she had asked the class.

[momoagain]

Marva watched the teacher begin to scold the other girl. She laughed to herself inwardly. There was no need to be disrespectful and slam things. If you don't get something, ask for help. Don't throw a fit.

"Now that you all have copied the text on the board, who can tell me what is rumored to be the seventh unknown number?"

Marva thought to herself, coming up with many possible answers. She let Delphi answer, then raised her own hand. In a softer voice, she explained. "Seven is the age when powers start to show in a young witch or wizard," she paused, "so couldn't we- wizards and witches- represent the seventh undiscovered/rumored number?" Marva shrugged. "It's possible."

She looked around the room, noticing someone was talking to her. "What about you?" in regards to enjoying Ancient Runes. Marva looked down for a second, growing quiet. "I do enjoy it, but its giving me a little trouble this year especially."

[thatcordelia]

Cordelia was walking to Ancient Runes with her twin brother Ceasar. The two of them were inseparable and if you saw one, chances are the other wasn't far behind.

"Ancient Runes. This should prove fun." She slipped into the class and looked around. She narrowed her eyes at the Gryffindor in the front of the class and over to the side. Cordelia glanced back at her brother before making her way over to the back corner of the classroom. Had this been Potions with Professor Snape, she would have apologized, and though she felt some remorse for being late, she was not about to apologize for being late in front of a majority of non-Slytherins. It just didn't look good for her house.

So Cordelia waited for the Professor to make eye contact with her and she Mouthed a silent, 'Sorry for being late.' She pulled her material's out and began working on what they were told to copy down.

[itsmomoagainagain]

"Ancient Runes. This should prove fun."

"Hardly." Caesar stated flatly, walking around the corner and slipping into a seat beside his sister Cordelia. He watched the teacher make eye contact with his sister, and assuming her gaze would travel to him, me mouthed a 'Sorry' too. The boy had not one care in the world for his class, but he had to be here.

Caesar pulled his pack off his shoulders, pulled out his supplies, and messily copied the board down onto his paper. They were all just words to him, and he didn't care for it. He sneered, shaking his head. "Disgusting." Caesar was in an extra-sour mood today, it seemed.

He watched the group converse about what might be the seventh number not represented. The Ravenclaw spoke her turn, then the Hufflepuff. He scoffed, his vision falling to the frazzled Ravenclaw near the back who was having a horrible time here too. He turned up his nose anyways and looked back to his sister, unimpressed.

[Gemma Lee Gafferty]

In walks in little Gemma Lee, a first year and quite small compared to all the others in the class. She was quite intellegent, and the other Proffessor's thought she could use a bit of a challenge. She walked in quite slowly as she heard somewhat of a comotion comming from inside the classroom. She stood there and froze since she was the youngest in there and felt like she didn't belong.

She then noticed a spot over in the corner of the class. She ran straight for it and kept her head down. She then put her bag on the table, took out her quill and parhment and was ready to start her class.

She happened to know a few familiar faces, that she has seen from time to time passing in the halls. She looked at the teacher, and then noticed there was a lesson on the board. She then looked back down at her bookes and started to copy the lesson until she was further instructed.

[christina]

Christina understood when her students seemed frustrated; Ancient Runes was indeed a difficult subject to process at times. And if you don't get it, it is hard to get it as the years go on.

"I like your honestly Miss Mitchell. If you ever need help in the subject matter just let me know and I can help you," she replied as she made her way back up to the front of the classroom, "And Miss Mitchell, that is a very good answer to the question. Yes, the unknown number is very much unknown, but there have been some speculation amongst witches and wizards as to why and what possibly could be the true number. Ten points to Ravenclaw for a good answer."

Then she turned towards Delphi as she talked with Cassidy as she tried to help the other Ravenclaw understand the subject. Smiling, Christina liked to see students helping others out, especially with school work. Although, Delphi was talking in class out of turn, Christina allowed it this time since she was helping another student.

"Thank you Miss Jaymesinn for helping another student. Am I correct that you recieved an O on your OWL in this class. Great job! And as for your answer to my question, very good as well. Ten more points to Ravenclaw," she replied as she could see a young Hufflepuff girl was trying to think to herself with the answer but raised her hand, "Miss Ellwood, you shrugged, but that is a very good answer. Guesses are perfectly fine since history tells us many wizards and witches have guessed at this before. Indeed you are on the right track, however, witches and wizards do start to show their magic abilities at seven and so that has been a speculation that the wizarding community is the seventh symbol. Fifteen points to Hufflepuff."

As she awaited the girl's answer she noticed two Slytherins come in late to her class. Christina, like the other professor did not tolerated lateness to her classes. She had known of these too brother and sister twins, and did not like their moods today, especially Caesar's. She was about to say something when she noticed the young Gryffindor girl enter late as well.

"Miss Harrington and Mr. Harrington, better late than never to my class. And I especially do not like the mood you are in today Mr. Harrington; so straighten up or it will be detention instead of house points I take from you. As for that, for the two of you being late, fifteen points from Slytherin," she replied stearnly to the two Slytherins.

As for the young Gryffindor, she walked over towards her, "Miss Gafferty is it? I know you seem like you don't belong, but next time make sure you are on time to class. Five points from Gryffindor. Do you know the rumoured seventh symbol and number?"

[thatcordelia]

Cordelia lowered her head and smirked as the Hufflepuff's answer seemed to go unanswered, but finally the Professor answered.

It wouldn't have surprised her however if the girl had been ignored. Despite her un-Slytherin nuetral attitude towards Hufflepuff's, Cordelia couldn't help but recognize that they too are suppressed by a form of prejudice. Slytherin and Hufflepuff. Both ignored and both thought down upon. For different reasons of course, but the outcome was the same. Hufflepuff's were often times looked over. Slytherins- Well Slytherins were subject to excessive point deductions.

"Miss Harrington and Mr. Harrington, better late than never to my class. And I especially do not like the mood you are in today Mr. Harrington; so straighten up or it will be detention instead of house points I take from you. As for that, for the two of you being late, fifteen points from Slytherin," Mrs. Lockwood replied stearnly to the two Slytherins. 

Cordelia's nostrils flared as she rolled her tongue tongue tightly across her top row of teeth in attempts to remain calm. A Slytherin was incapable of doing anything right. Either they spoke with the wrong tone, looked at someone the wrong way, or their mere presence was incorrect in society.

'And they wonder why Slytherins don't socialize outside of their own. Everyone else's hate pushes them together.' She shook her mentally. 'That was the answer of course. Why Slytherins are feared. They bond, they band together. There is always fear in large groups. That is why they treat us wrong. Why they treat us differently. We have banded together in support, and they fear us.'

Cordelia watched with distaste as a first year Gyffindor entered the class later then her and her brother had. She couldn't help but wonder which future Slytherin would more then likely be victimized by the girl. Cordelia looked away from the child.

"Miss Gafferty is it? I know you seem like you don't belong, but next time make sure you are on time to class. Five points from Gryffindor. Do you know the rumoured seventh symbol and number?"

Luckily, Cordelia was a Slytherin, and with that, able to control her facial expressions and outward emotions, otherwise her jaw would have dropped. Instead, her jaw tightened and she turned her head to her brother, shaking her head. She turned back to the Professor and raised her hand politely. 

"Mrs. Lockwood, could you please explain to me the exact terms in which my brother and I have lost points?" She spoke with a polite tone, but managed to keep a small edge in it. "I'm afraid I don't understand how the two of us have managed to lose our house fifteen points for being late, when the Miss Gafferty," She dipped her head in the first years direction, "Has only lost her house five points for being even more so late then myself and Ceasar. Surely," She put her tongue to her cheek, "we have not lost more points do to the mere fact that we are Slytherins." 

Cordelia couldn't be sure of the repercussions she would receive, but she had had enough of the treatment she had received over the years, and she didn't regret her words.

[Gemma Lee Gafferty]

Gemma watched as the teacher was disaplining the students that were late before her. She knew no ones name sincee she was just a first year. She looked down at her desk and then back up tp the teacher.

Miss Gafferty is it? I know you seem like you don't belong, but next time make sure you are on time to class. Five points from Gryffindor. Do you know the rumoured seventh symbol and number? the teacher asked her. Before she could answer, the girl that was late before her clearly had problems with their punishments from Miss Lockwood. She was upset that the teacher only gave Gemma a 5 point deduction, while her and her brother got a 15 point deduction. Quite childish really.

Before the teacher could answer, Gemma stood up fast and shouted "The answer to that question is the number 7" she than sat down and looked around the class and then back down at her desk. It was quiet, the little young gryffendor answered a question. She then whimmpered "It is known that the number seven seems to be a marker for future events....I think" and waited to hear the teachers reply.