Divination (All years)

[Professor Sybil Trelawney]

Sybil bit her lip as Gary gave his answer. " No, dear. Scrying is the correct anser. Scrying is divination of distant or future events based on visions seen in a ball of rock crystal. Divination based on an analysis of reflections in water, on polished metal, or on precious stones was practiced by early humans, who probably interpreted these phenomena as a vision of the spirit world. Scrying became widespread by the 5th century AD and was condemned by the medieval Christian church as the work of the devil. Crystal gazing was a popular pastime in the Victorian era, together with palmistry and astrology, and it involved elaborate rituals for cleaning the crystal ball and for conducting crystal-gazing sessions, which are said to work best when the Sun is at its northernmost declination. Immediately before the appearance of a vision the globe is said to mist up from within."

Surveying the classroom, Trelawney picked out what looked like another student (Lavender.) " Now, as we all know from the reading, that you don't see concrete images in the crystal, but normally only colors or archetypes. If you could, please tell me what one of the colors are and how you can use it."

[Lavender Brown]

Lavender winced when Gary answered. She didn't think he had the right answer. She turned to look at Professor Trelawney and listened to her tell him it was the wrong answer. Her next question was directed toward Lavender and Lavender looked shocked. Professor Trelawney had just asked her what one of the colours were that were seen in a crystal ball and how you could use it. Lavender thought quickly as she ran through the pages of Unfogging the Future in her head. She wasn't sure what colours were seen or what they were used for, but she was going to take a guess anyway. "I believe that yellow is a colour that can be seen in the crystal ball and you can take yellow to mean joy or happiness in the future," Lavender said uncertainly. She was hoping that she was close to being right with her answer, but then again Gary had been somewhat close and he had still gotten it wrong. Lavender looked up at Professor Trelawney trying to read her facial reactions to Lavender's answer.

[ashley]

Alarice reached into her backpack that was resting on the floor beside her feet and pulled out a folder to begin fanning herself. Two other girls, Flo and Emma, seemingly very nice, had joined her and Maryn and class had just begun. To Alarice, Divination was a bit of a joke. Unfogging the future? Puh-lease. how bout we try and unfog this class room first. Alarice thought with a smirk, watching, not listening, as Professor Trelawny asked a question to the students, that Alarice had no idea what the answer was to. A boy named Gary answered first. He didnt seem to have it quite right. Then a girl named Lavander, an older student from her house answered again.

[leon]

Leon had climbed up the trapdoor just after another third year, a Gryffindor. Unoticed by anyone, he had crept to the back stools, sitting on them uncomfortably. The room was cramped and stuffy- smoke trendils were floating in front of his face constantly and he waved them away annoyed.

A boy was asked a question, and answered incorrectly. Then a girl was asked a question, and Leon listened closely. He hated this subject, though his mother loved it and made him learn everything there was to no about the thing. Sighing, Leon watched the Professor carefully as he took out his ink and parchment.

[Professor Sybil Trelawney]

" Excellant, Ms. Brown! Five points for Gryffindor!" Sybil smiled at the girl, knowing that she was one of the more gifted students in Divination. Bustling around the classroom, she surveyed each student in turn. Pointing at another student (Alarice), Could you please describe to me what an Archetype is and how it is used in Crystal Ball reading?"

[Professor Sybil Trelawney]

Sybil frowned at the girl as she sat there in silence. " Cat got your tongue, dear?" Sybil looked out of her enormously large glasses at the rest of the class while tsking. " Anyone else have the answer? It's starting to become obvious that many of you did not do the reading assigned for this class."

[rowen]

He had made it to class early, and settled himself down in a shadowy seat in the back. Generally speaking he didn't buy into all this Divination stuff. Maybe the centaurs could tell the future by the starts, but he had long ago decided this woman was a complete lunatic, and now, if he wasn't too far off, she had broken into some fire whiskey and was even further from being in her right mind. He had intended on staying in his seat near the back and just making it through the class unnoticed, but he never could stand clueless students. Finally, he let out a loud frustrated sigh and leaned froward sot hat the light shined on him enough to make him more visible, and he raised his hand. He had received a lecture after the last Herbology about how he needed to wait to be called on instead of simply calling out an answer.

[Professor Sybil Trelawney]

" You there," Sybil pointed to the boy in the back. " The answer please, if you will."

[rowen]

Knowing answers to obscure questions was the fate of someone who grew up always being the oldest in an orphanage. He had done far too much reading over the reason, and even though he hadn’t done the prior assignment for this class, he still knew the answer to the question their far from talented professor was asking.

“Normally archetype is an original from which everything is copied from, but I believe that in divination its more as imprints and symbols in our unconscious that are sometimes seen in crystal ball readings. They are images that are connected to the person the reading is being done for, and are often things that can not be expressed with the written or spoken word. They’re not necessary easy to interpret though. Sometimes they are more subliminal messages more than anything—triggering something like a memory or a truth.”

[Professor Sybil Trelawney]

Sybil smile. " Excellent. I see a very viable future for you here at Hogwarts." Placing her hand on her head, she she walked around the room for a moment acting as if she was blind. Walking up to the boy's table, she took his hand gently. " Oh, dear boy. I do see you becoming head boy one day."

Her robes spinning around her, she swept away from the boy's table. " Ten points to Hufflepuff! Students, My mind's eye sees that you will be leaving early because of a prank swamp that will be laid in the corridor in ten minutes time. Now, everyone, homework shall be due in a week's time. I want you to do a crystal ball reading for one of your friends. Please write me a synopsis of the reading and predict their future. Class dismissed!"

(( This class is now closed. Homework will be due November 17, 2005 12:00 a.m est. Now remember, the better the role playing in the homework, the more points you will get. So, come on, earn those house points!))