Lesson #1: Palm Reading

[cienabarboza]

“Stupid stairs,” a mumble came from the first floor as a curly, raven-haired woman, clicked up the stairs. Leaning against the banister she took her left stiletto off and rubbed her delicate arch. A curse was mumbled under her breath, her wand was withdrawn, and as she muttered a silent spell her stilettos turned into sneakers as she broke into a jog up the stairs.

Reaching the seventh floor she brushed the wisps from her face and took out her compact and wand, looking hard at her own face staring back at her. Ciena tapped the wand twice on the compact Ciena’s forehead and the sweat was gone, tapped once on the compact reflection’s hair and the perfect black ringlets reappeared, and finally three times on the compact girls face and the makeup was back into repair. The woman pulled at the rope hanging in front of her from the ceiling above like a sort of attic and a ladder descended to let her into the classroom.

Ciena climbed the ladder into the classroom and set her big black bag down on the teacher’s desk, where there sat a roll sheet and a copy of Unfogging the Future. Ciena tossed the book into her bag and set out what she needed including a pack of tarot cards, a crystal ball on a weathering stand, a worn, yellow looking pamphlet with a palm on the cover, and an array of bones.

“Hmm…” Ciena now turned her attention to the rest of the room. The thick purple curtains were draw and she planned to leave them that way. Instead, to light the room, candles sprouted light all around the room and on each students’ round table.

Looking now to the chalkboard and then to the roll sheet she concentrated on both and whispered. Twenty tables appeared in light blue chalk all empty, she smiled, contented with how the spell had worked out. With another swish of her wand light blue scrawling letters spelled, Professor Ciena Barboza. The words appeared to sparkle in the dimly lit room, and under that in large letters the words, Three To A Table. Letting out a sigh of satisfaction, she sat back in her purple armchair, waiting for her students to appear from the floor where the ladder had descended to her.

((Three to a table! Chop Chop!))

[leilanimejia]

Earlier that morning, Lei had trudged up the stairs to the owlery to send yet another letter to her parents and had decided to stay up there until Divination had started. Climbing the stairs really was a chore to her, even though she knew she had to get back in shape in order for her to excel in Quidditch. But the whole Quidditch issue seemed to be at a stand still and nothing had come up since the sign ups had been posted.

Looking up at the owlery clock from her spot on the balcony, in large, bold, yellow letter, Time For Divination appeared. Leilani heaved her brown carrying bag over her shoulder and made her way out of the Owlery and down the hall towards the Divination classroom.

Already, she noticed, the rope had been pulled and the ladder was already out in the open, beckoning her classmates into the classroom.

Leilani had never been into the Divination classroom. She actually had to ask a student where it was earlier in the week. Never having the chance to join the other Divination class, she was excited about the other teachers’ resignation and the ability for her to join.

Descending the stairs she entered the classroom, alight with candles and round tables all around. Leilani looked to see that the professor herself was seated at the desk in front of the classroom as she waved a solemn ‘Hello!’ a smile following the wave. She set her bag down and sat down on one of the plush cushion towards the middle front of the classroom. Leilani began to set out quills, parchment, and her Unfogging the Future book.

She had always been fascinated by Divination, things like seeing and even telling the future had always been an interest of hers.

[Caitlin Collins]

((Hm... thought I'd better post in here since I did sign up, but I probably won't be posting that much for now))

Cait thought she was lost again. She'd been in the Divination classroom before with Alessandro and, much to her disgust, Quin, but only the once. And she was having trouble finding it again. Wary to ask one of the younger students, she eventually found herself by the Owlery - near enough! Finally walking into the classroom and glad to find that she wasn't later - in fact, judging by the amount of people in the room, she was very early! - she joined a girl she recognised from being in her dormitory.

"Hi Leilani," she greeted, sitting next to her. She had been sad to hear that Alessandro had been taken out of Hogwarts by his parents, although it was hardly surprising considering what she'd learned the other day, after the events at Hogsmeade. He'd been the one to introduce her to divination, when there had been no teacher around to teach it. She'd seen an elephant in a crystal ball, inspiring her to sign up for this class when it was offered again. So here she was! She looked over towards the door to see who else would enter before the lesson started.

((Lei, I guessed that if our characters were in the same year & same house then they'd have met already, but if that's not fine then yell and I'll edit))

[D'rorah Philosophy]

D'rorah made her way up the tedious stairs and then finally a ladder to reach the divinations classroom. It was painfully ironic that Alessandro, who had so wished for a divinations class in his time here, was gone now that Hogwarts had finally hired a new divinations teacher. She knew he had been looking for some way of directing and controlling his prophetic visions... especially given the current status of their group. Well, hopefully, he would soon be successful in convincing his parents to allow him to return. With his charming smile, she was sure it wouldn't be too much of a problem. Besides, they needed their Elemental Master of Fire... and being away from the protections of Hogwarts and the rest of the group was far from safe for him.

She took a seat at an open table. For once, she did not take out her notes and begin scratching away at them. If she was to share the table with others, she didn't want to have them out and about. She did, however, take out one of her smaller research texts and begin reading. It could never hurt to read back through something she had already done at a time like this... perhaps she would have a new insight on something there.

[cienabarboza]

Growing tired of waiting Ciena swiveled her chair to the board for a minute and closed her eyes. The students weren’t late, she was just early, and she had made it a habit to do so to set up her classroom before students arrived. In the back of her mind Ciena wondered why the last Divination teacher left so abruptly.

Interrupting her thoughts, almost immediately a bright gold name fizzled on the board and the name Leilani Mejia floated into the chalkboard classroom. Ciena swiveled her chair back around to face the girl and watched her with slight recognition, she returned the smile with another smile and a nod. It was the girl from the Three Broomsticks. And with another fizzle Caitlin Collins’ name appeared on the board in the same color as Leilani’s and took the same table.

Another fizzle began to come to life on the board as Ciena watched a blue, D’orah Philosophy’s name come from the back of the board classroom and take a seat alone.

“Good morning Leilani, Caitlin, D’orah,” Ciena greeted lightly rising from her seat to sit on the edge of her desk. “We’ll start class when some others arrive,” she said a little impatiently, looking at her watch. There were a couple more minutes to get to class.

[mallan]

Divination was something that Mallan was never sure about. How was one able to gleam into the future? He understood instincts and the small revelations that they incurred but he understood them as merely all your senses coming together and forming a subconscious reaction or understanding. To Mallan divination however was a talent not a skill and he could not understand how someone could be trained in it. This was what Mallan was thinking as he ran all the way from the library to the seventh floor where the Divinations class was being held. He hated being late but he had almost forgotten about the class while getting carried away studying in the library.

Out of breath Mallan finally reached the Divinations entranceway, or something of the sort. Mallan stood there for a few moments to regain his breath and wipe the slight gleam of sweat off of his face. After which, Mallan adjusted his book bag and headed up the ladder to the classroom.

Upon entering Mallan looked around and saw the professor at the front of the class, Professor Ciena Barboza it seemed. At seeing the students there, and quiet as they were, Mallan only smiled to them. On the board was written “Three To A Table”. Mallan did not like intruding or stealing the last seat so he bypassed the sitting at the table with Lei and the Hufflepuff girl. Mallan also decided that he had bothered D’rorah with too many questions and so would not sit with her either. He had no qualms about sitting with either table but would only do so if he was invited. So, instead Mallan headed to an empty table and set his book bag at the side of his seat as he sat. Pulling out his quill and notepad he readied himself for the class.

Mallan took another moment after sitting down to appreciate the quiet and the ambiance of the room. The professor did a nice job at making the classroom feel comfortable and different. Then Mallan noticed that his name was already on the board in the seat where he was sitting. "Impressive, a good way to introduce yourself as a diviner," Mallan thought.

[leilanimejia]

Leilani couldn’t help but gaze at the board in interest and awe as her name appeared on the board. It was yellow and curly and on the table she was seated at now. And it wasn’t long until another yellow name had appeared. Caitlin Collins, it read, also in yellow, a fellow Hufflepuff. “Hey Caitlin,” Leilani smiled, resting her head on her hand as the girl took the seat next to her.

The room was warm, she couldn’t tell if it was bright or dark outside, since all the curtains were drawn. But the candles and the stale aroma of the classroom was comforting and causing her to fall into a drowsy state of mind. She heard another sizzling like bacon and two other names popped onto the board, this time, however, the girls’ name emerged in blue, while the boy, whom she recognized, Mallan’s became a deep red. ((the colors are by house, am I right? Correct me if I’m wrong Ciena ))

Leilani watched as the two took separate seats away from her and Caitlin. A grimace crossed her face, she felt bad and wanted to invite one of them over, but decided the safest route was to not say anything at all. She watched as the professor grew restless in her seat. Leilani secretly wondered if anyone else would show up.