Aaron listened intently and then realised Grace and Satine were next to him. He gave them each a head nod to say 'Hey'. When the professor asked the question, Aaron had no idea at all. He couldn't possibly guess. He looked around the room to see who raised their hand to answer the question. He decided to let one of them answer it.

Jake raised his hand. Had reading the textbook beforehand actually paid off? He should do that more. "Professor... I think... the Life Path number, the expression number, also known as the destiny number... the heart's desire or soul urge number aaaaaaaand... the personality number?" he tried, hoping against hope that he hadn't totally messed up.

Demetria raised her hand. "They are the life path number, the hearts desire, the destiny core, and personality core." she said confidently.

Sydney listened to Prof. Shackleton attentively, wanting not to miss a single word. "When your 'light' is on, you express the positive aspects of a number. When your 'light' is off, you may have the tendency to live in fear and express the negative." She quickly scribbled the notes on her paper.

Oh i know this she thought, She raised her hand and spoke "I know one professor, Soul Number" She said hesitantly.

Herminny raised her hand and said, "The 4 numbers names that make up the core are personality, heart, exprssion, and life path".

Lyra raised her hand, not all to convincing
"I think the names are , life path, heart's desire, personality and..uhm expression. Professor" She said hoping it was the right answer.

Mariel nodded as Professor Shackleton spoke. Oh good, she was merely setting the students minds at ease. Mariel was afraid with some of the students' apprehension that the professor would try to make this class even easier than it already was for the Ravenclaw girl, then she'd want to request to move to the advanced class which she wasn't completely sure she was ready. No matter because that wasn't to be the case.

Listening to the question, Mariel flipped to the appropriate page in the textbook and found the answer. Raising her hand she said, "The core numbers are the Life Path Number, the Expression/Destiny Number, the Heart’s Desire/Soul Urge Number, and the Personality Number."

Professor Shackleton was impressed by the number of students capable of answering correctly, thus demonstrating that many had read ahead for the lesson. She confirmed, "The four numbers of the Core are the Life Path Number, the Expression/Destiny Number, the Heart's Desire/Soul Urge Number, and the Personality Number. Most often in this class, I will refer to them as the Life Path, Destiny, Soul, and Personality Numbers, but there are a great deal of names synonymous with each of these. For those of you who seek out other literary sources on Arithmancy, you may come across the following names..."

With a flick of her wand, a chart appeared on the blackboard, which read:

Quote:

Life Path Number: Destiny Number, vocational number, birth force

Destiny Number: Expression number, self-expression number, mental number, outer self

Soul Number: Heart's desire, motivation number, soul urge, self-motivation number, individuality number, the inner self

Personality Number: Self-image number, heart self, quiescent self

"But as I mentioned, in my class, I won't use majority of these names. Just the ones I mentioned and those written in your assigned textbook."

Professor Shackleton began slowly pacing the front of the room, occasionally gesturing to the students as she explained, "Today's lesson will focus on one of the Core numbers, specifically the Life Path Number. Would someone like to explain to the class what the Life Path Number is? Not how to calculate it, but what it actually tells us about a person."

Jake raised his hand, uncertainly this time. "Is iiiiiiit... something to do with one's life path... obviously. It tells about what road you'll follow through life, and your, like, abilities or whatever that will help you," he tried. "And, I remember, it tells you what you can depend on to find success... or something."

Herminny raised her hand and said, "Lifes path number tells you the road one one will follow throughout their life and the talents and abilities they will have to help them along this road".

Lyra raised her hand " Your life path number is the sum total of your birth date, professor" she said hoping again it was the right answer.

Demetria raised her hand and said "The life path number is an element of the core that tells you both the road you will follow throughout your life and the talents and abilities that will help you along this road."

Aaron was copying down everything the professor said. he did not know the first question so he tried to catch up. Then the professor asked the second question. Fantastic, I don't know this one either. Aaron was going to do poorley in this class. He could already feel it.

"Due to my knowledge Professor Shackleton,The life path number tells us the career or road that we will take and the things that can help us in that kind of road we chose."Cedric answered as his hands were raised then he continued.

"First we must add together the month, day, and year we were born using the addition method of reducing first, then adding together.I still remember that we study that method last term,Professor"

Sydney's mind started racing, i just read this yesterday she thought. Finally she decided to raise her hand to answer "A life path number is the sum of a person's birth date. This number represents who you are at birth & tells us about the traits a person will carry through his/her life" She said smiling.

Natka listened to the Professor's explanations and inroductions quietly, and raised her hand to answer the question.

"The Life Path Number determines any special abilities, or talents, we may have that can help us in our lives. Or, more specifically, the path that we will follow in our lives, which can also be found with this number. It can also help us be successful, as it indicates what we can rely upn to find success in the world," she explained.

Natka wasn't sure whether she should explain how this Number related to the others, but after a moment's pause she decided to add that. Just in case.

"Many people may have the same Life Path Number and have completely different lives - it's important to remember that it's not just this number, but how it relates to all the others, that shows you how to walk down your chosen road of life."

Satine explained this core in her own words, "A life path number is the sum of a person's birth date, so you add your month, your date, and your year, pretty much to get a final one digit number. This number represents who you are at birth and explains the traits a person will exhibit in their lives...some people can share a common life path number, but they live different lives in the end...they may share the same traits but their choices make then different." She hoped she was doing okay for her first day but not pushing it too far...

Professor Shackleton's lips pursed together, "Let me remind you that I asked not how to calculate the Life Path, but what is meant. For those of you who properly answered my question, I'm pleased with your work. For those who ignored my directions, please remember to listen carefully and answer only those questions that I ask. Those who cannot follow directions will not succeed in this class."

With that unfortunate piece said, Shackleton confirmed, "As many of you mentioned, the Life Path Number is the special path that you will walk in this lifetime. This number shows the natural gifts and talents that will allow you to fulfill your destiny - which we'll cover next lesson. As was mentioned, this is a good number to look at for your career and vocational options because it shows your inherent abilities and talents. If you feel you're on the wrong path, you'll want to read what your Life Path Number has to say. Even if you know you're on the right path, your Life Path Number can help you understand why.

"We calculate this number using our birthdate. As this date is all yours, it has a tale to tell about you alone. We find this number by adding together the month, day, and year you were born. However, there is a special method by which we add these numbers, a method used throughout all of Arithmancy that I expect you all to learn and embrace in my class. It is called reduction and you must do this first before adding across. Let me show you what I mean. I shall pick a random date and put it on the board."

Quote:

June 21, 2037

"First we must convert the month of June to its numerical equivalent. As June is the sixth month of the year, its equivalent is six. I shall write out this date all in numbers now."

Quote:

6 / 21 / 2037

"Now the method of reducing first, then adding across requires that any double or multi-digit numbers in the above set of numbers must first be reduced down to a single digit number before we can add them together. Now, the number '6' is already a single digit, and thus does not need to be reduced. The '21' and '2037', however, are not single digits, and thus must be reduced. We reduce by adding the digits together to get a single root number. Let me show you how this should be done."

Quote:

21 = 2+1 = 3

2037 = 2+0+3+7 = 12 = 1+2 = 3

"Notice how you add the components of the multi-digit number together first? Also, notice how when I first added the digits within 2037 together, I came upon a double digit number? Since we are looking for single digits, I needed to reduce again - so I reduced the 12 to 3. Now that we have all single digits for the month, day, and year, we can add across to sum them together."

Quote:

6 + 3 + 3 = 12
12 = 1+2 = 3

"If this example date were someone's birthday, their Life Path Number would be 3. I should mention that the only time we don't reduce a double-digit number is when we come across a Master Number, either 11, 22, or 33, as a final number. So if the number was 6+3+2 and the sum reduced to 11, we wouldn't further reduce that number to a 2. We would leave it whole as an 11 and write it out as 11/2. This topic can be a bit confusing initially, but I assure you that with practice, you will get it. And so, we practice with random dates before I'll ask you to calculate your own Life Path. Please calculate the reduced single-digit number for the dates April 30, 1999; October 4, 2060; and December 17, 2123. I want to see the work for each of these calculations on your parchments. If you have any questions, please feel free to ask. Begin."

Demetria pulled out a peice of parchment and began calculating.

4+3+0+1+9+9+9= 35
3+5=8

1+0+4+2+0+6+0=13
1+3=4

1+2+1+7+2+1+2+3=19
1+9=10
1+0=1

Demetria raised her hand. "Professor Shackleton, for the number 10 would you leave it as 10, or change it to 1? I noticed that there are some double digit numbers that you leave alone but is 10 one of them?" she asked.

"Umm,Professor.As you said life path numbers tells the road that we will take.My question is?Example,it said that I'm going to be a public servant,Is that going to actually happen or its like a prophecy that will come true"
Cedric asked curiously to their professor

Jake looked down at his parchment and braced himself. Then he started.

Natka bent over her parchment, quill in hand, as she looked hard at the reduction method she'd just copied off the board. It made her mind spin, and she could feel herself wanting to give up already, but forced herself not to.

[i]Come on, you can do this. Just take it step by step.[/b]

And so thinking, Natka put quill to parchment and began to write, working out the first date first.

April 30, 1999
4 / 30 / 1999

All right, that had been simple enough. Now that she had it all in numbers, Natka proceeded to add them up as she had been shown.

3 + 0 = 3

1 + 9 + 9 + 9 = 28 = 2 + 8 = 10 = 1 + 0 = 1

Great, now I have single digit numbers everywhere, which mean oh, no, son't start thinking about that yet. Finish it first. Just add them up...

So thinking and frowing slightly, Natka completed the final step of the reduction method.

4 + 3 + 1 = 8

She'd done it! She'd actually done the first question! Well, she wasn't sure whether or not it was correct, but she'd soon find out. Wearing a satisfied grin, Natka began working on the next two questions, now much more confident in her addition skills.

October 4, 2060
10 / 4 / 2060

1 + 0 = 1
2 + 0 + 6 + 0 = 8

10 + 4 + 8 = 22 = 2 + 2 = 4

Great, she had the answer to the second question - she only hoped that the correct answer would be 4. Now, onto the last one...

December 17, 2123
12 / 17 / 2123

1 + 2 = 3
1 + 7 = 8
2 + 1 + 2 + 3 = 8

3 + 8 + 8 = 19 = 1 + 9 = 10 = 1 + 0 = 1

There, she'd done them, all three. Unable to keep the grin off her face, Natka leaned back in her chair.

Herminny did her caculations thinking so far things were pretty simple as she finished and laid her paper on her desk.

Professor Shackleton strode over to Demetria's seat and surveyed her work. Shackleton explained, "Before I answer your question, you need to know that you have calculated the numbers incorrectly by not following my directions. I just explained to the class that we reduce all multi-digit numbers first, then add across. We don't just add across all the single digits involved in the month, day, and year. I suggest reviewing my instructions on the board and recalculating those numbers.

"As for your question, the number 10 is not a double digit number that stays unreduced. Only Master Numbers 11, 22, and 33 remain in their double digit form. Please try your calculations again." Professor Shackleton gave Demetria an encouraging smile before moving on.


"No, it is not a prophecy, but we will get into interpretations later in the lesson. Right now, I just want you to calculate the dates that I've given you. Please get to work and perhaps, reask your question later in the lesson if you feel it is necessary."

Sydney quickly scribbled her answer.

Quote:

> April 30, 1999
4/30/1999

4 = 4
3 + 0 = 3
1+9+9+9 = 28, 2+8 = 10, 1+0= 1

Answer:
4+3+1 = 8


> October 4, 2060
10/4/2060

1+0 = 1
4 = 4
2+0+6+0 = 8

Answer:
1+4+8 = 13, 1+3 = 4

> December 17, 2123
12/17/2123

1+2 = 3
1+7 = 8
2+1+2+3 = 8

Answer:
3+8+8 = 19, 1+9 = 10, 1+0= 1

She crossed her fingers hoping she did everything right.