Quote:
Originally Posted by
St. Toussaint 
"Okay, ladies, we're going to start brewing the tea now. I want each of you to take about a pinch of tea and put it in your cups. Then, very carefully, pour the hot water into your cups and let it steep for a few minutes while we carry on with the lesson." She made sure to emphasize 'very carefully'. Clara Belle was a witch of such admirable taste and style, in St. Toussaint's opinion. It would not do to have the young ladies of her namesaked school going around splashing hot-water on themselves. Ugh! Tacky much?!
As the professor advised, Desdemonda took a pinch of the wonderful-smelling tea leaves and dropped them into her cup. She reached for the pitcher of boiling water, and started pouring it easily into the cup along with the tea leaves. When the professor next spoke, however, she was a bit distracted and sloshed a bit of water over on her hand, which made a soft sizzling sound and proceeded to turn the spot on the back of her hand a dark reddish-orange. She inwardly cringed, but kept her demeanor normal, though waited until the pain had started to slowly ebb away before she answered. By that time, people had already answered.
Quote:
Originally Posted by
St. Toussaint "As one of you mentioned, sediments of wine are also lumped together in this category of Divination. Where did this practice orginate? And, what other specific substances may be in this category?"
She raised her un-burnt hand. No need in bringing
that up. "Professor, as other students have brought up, the art of tasseomancy not only includes tea leaves, but wine sediments and coffee grounds. The practice of tea leaf reading specifically originated in Asia, the Middle East and Ancient Greece. Over time, countries like Scotland, Ireland, and England have produced many practitioners and authors on the tasseomancy.