7th year - Week 1

[Madame Minka Davinmir]

Minka sits on a stool next to her desk, Ekkhart her marten sits in her lap waiting for her students to take their places in the round classroom in the north tower on the 7th floor. She pets his smooth red fur, occasionally scratching him behind his round black ears. The marten growls at the few students who come and take their place in the classroom.

There is a marvelous view of the lake from the windows of the North Tower. The walls are lined with shelves all holding various divination tools, some are obvious such as decks of cards and some are a bit of a mystery. There is a mild, but notable scent of incense in the air.

[If you are in this class, please make a post and I shall continue.]

[Thomas Bertrand Angelo]

Thomas walked into the room and surveid it with an air of mild disdain.
Looking to the teacher he nodds to her, out of respect, and sits at a table not far from a window.
He sat there looking out the window waiting for something interesting to happen.

[Alora Jannings]

Alora enjoyed Divination because it was something she was naturally good at. It isn't like she doesn't have to try, because believe me, she does. It's just something that she can take into her stride, and get right.

First lesson she thought happily before walking into the room. She smiled weakly at the teacher sitting on the stool at her desk, before turning her head to see Thomas Angelo of Slytherin sitting at the window desk.

Alora never really got on with him, must have been a Slytherin thing. To her, he was just someone who generally got on her nerves, there was no real reason, he just did. Drawing her gaze away from him, she set her eyes on the desk on the opposite side of the room nearer the back, and made her way over.

[Madame Minka Davinmir]

Minka smiled and was happy to find that people were actually on time for their class. She finished ticking off a list of class names on a piece of parchment and set it down on the her desk beside her. As the 7th year students looked around, they quickly discovered that the class only had maybe a dozen or so students registered in the class.

Minka stood to address the class, her eastern European accent was noticeable, but her English wasn't so terrible that she couldn't be understood. She set the marten down on the velvet pillow on the stool.

"Good morning all, I am Madame Minka Davinmir, you can call me Madame Minka. As you may already have noticed, this is my first year here at Hogwarts, so please bare with me, I am getting used to your school system. Things were very different at Drumstrag."

"As you should already know, this is the advanced divinations class and I intend on running it very differently from the 3rd and 4th and 5th and 6th year courses. As you may have remarked on your course outline, I do not hold formal classes, except for a few important dates throughout the semester.

The reason why you are here is because you are gifted and have a natural ability with the art in question and have past your OWL exams. In this class you will be learning to hone your skills and further define what works best for you. At this point no amount of lecture will help you improve past your current skill level, only personal studies will."

Her voice was strong and it carried an air of authority, definitely coming off as strict but respectable. A few of the other students in the class smiled and giggled at the idea of having no class.

"I can tell that you are pleased that you do not have to attend formal classes, but be warned, if you do not do the work throughout the semester it will be far to late to catch up at the end, and you be overwhelmed and never be able to complete the course material in time.
Any questions so far?"

[Thomas Bertrand Angelo]

Thomas looked up and he quirked an eyebrow.
With a small raise of his hand he asked,
"If we are not have class, ten are we to be graded on specific tings?" his accented drowned out the sound of any 'h's' in his speech. "Or do we just try to perfect the metods we are best wit?"

[Madame Minka Davinmir]

Minka looked to Thomas and smirked.

"You will be graded on a final paper, minimum 30 pages long on the type of divination that works best for you and why. You will be expected to keep a dream and visions journal during the year which will be submitted along with your final paper. I will be available during class time in my office for questions... This project is very much a personal one... It's written on the course outline, which you should already have a copy of. That being said, I would like a written proposal for next week. A page long should do it."

[[For real "homework" a few paragraphs will suffice, you don't actually have to write a 30 page paper. Your proposal can be like a one sentence thing: "I'
m doing my paper on tarot cards." for example. Dream Journals are optional and fun to RP.]]

[Thomas Bertrand Angelo]

Thomas nodded in understanding.
"Very good, Professor. No question 'ere."

[Alora Jannings]

A smile appeared across her face, "Yeah, s'all good. No questions'

[Madame Minka Davinmir]

The professor smiled. "Good, good. Now, I'd like to get to know you a bit. I have a small 7th year class, and we should make the most of it... I'm sure you must already have an idea of what you'd like to do your paper on... Perhaps I can give you a push in the right direction. What type of divination do you think works best for you?"

[Thomas Bertrand Angelo]

Thomas looked pensive for a moment before he answered.
"I find water scrying, tarot or oracle cards and runic bones work best."
He seemed a bit unsure but continued saying, "Tea leaves are to chaotic. No order and to obscure. You can never be sure if you 'ave the right image."

[Madame Minka Davinmir]

"Of course, those are the ones that tend to work best for most people. Personally, I prefer to read coffee grains... It's surprisingly acurate if you know what to look for... I disagree with your statement about tea leaves being to chaotic, Mr. Angelo... Though is true they don't always give an answer... Anyhow, whatever your choice is I must know by next class what your are deciding to do your paper on... Please don't be late in giving me your proposals. I will be in my office during the alotted class time and during my office hours. Come find me if you have any questions at all."

[Please send me a PM by Saturday December 2nd Midnight GMT. If you are late it will reflect on your final grade for the course and there is a possiblity of loosing house points. A sentance or 2 explaining what divination tool works best for your character will suffice.]