Basic Arithmancy Lesson 3: The Core III & IV
 

As you enter the Arithmancy classroom, you notice Professor Shackleton seated behind her desk, with a rather unhappy expression upon her face. She rubs her temples with her eyes closed, not bothering to open them despite the sounds of students shuffling in. With her eyes still closed, she announces, "We have a good deal of information to cover this lesson, so I'd like to get started rather quickly. Please everyone file in and open your text books to the chapters on the Soul and Personality Numbers."

Strewn about her desks are dozens of letters and torn open envelopes. A large folder sits open, with photographs of gowns and examples of fabrics piled inside. Opening her eyes, she quickly attempted to neaten the items and then closed the folder, pushing it to the side of her desk and out of her direct vision.

OOC: This lesson is for 1st-3rd years only.

Cam walked into the Arithmancy classroom, his eyes first setting on the professor. "Hi Professah," he greeted calmly and took a seat, waiting for the class to begin.

Thomas walked into the classroom with two books, three rolled up parchments and his inkwell. He randomly picked a free seat on the second row. He put all his stuff on the table and sat on the chair. Thomas organized the table and picked up one of the books. He read some parts of the book while he was waiting for the class to start.

Wesley didn't like Divination. But she did like Arithmancy.

Maybe it was the fact that everything always came out positive.

Or maybe it was just being able to work with solid, dependable numbers.

What-ever-the case, the tiny first year hurried into the class room, almost just waved, but then decided on saying, "Hello Professer." instead. Wesley figured, if she was in a bad mood, she'd want people to say hi to her, because she probably wouldn't notice them waving.

Looking around for an empty spot in the back, the 11-year-old began to move to the empty corner, not wanting to sit next to Jake (having yet to move on after the fainting incident). But then, warily watching him, she noticed he didn't have a book.

Biting her lip, she almost walked over by him and offered to share hers, which had arrived just the other day from Father and Mother. But she couldn't do it. It was... too embarrassing.

So in the end, much the coward, she took an empty seat in the corner, pulled out her text book, and started to read.

...

"The Soul Number, also known as the Heart's” Jake needs a textbook. I have a textbook. It would be mean to just not share. He’d hate me even more…but…but…I CAN’T!... “Desire and the Soul Urge Number, is an element of the Core that describes” I’m being so mean. He’s sitting there. He looks sad. I don’t want to be mean. I don’t want him to hate me. But I’ll walk over, and he’ll look at me, and he’ll hate me because I hurt him. I headbutted him, and he hates me. And he’s never going to forgive me. So I should just sit here. He’s popular. One of his friends will share… “your secret thoughts and wishes - what you long for in” But what if his friends don’t have a textbook? What if they all get sick and can’t come to class? And then he won’t be able to read. And then he’ll be sad. And it’ll be my fault because I have a textbook, but I didn’t share. And he’ll hate me. But I don’t want to… “your heart of hearts and what is your dearest desire. This number”
...

One minute later, after unsuccessfully reading the first sentence and a little of the next, Wesley picked up her books, and shuffled over to her fellow Hufflepuff, hands sweating.

Biting her lip, she stuttered, "H-hi J-jake. D-do y-you w-w-want t-to sh-share t-text-b-books?"

The child could taste the blood on her lip, from where she had bit. It didn't taste salty. Wesley wondered why everyone said blood was salty.

Wow third lesson of the year already Arithmancy already Herminny thought as she entered the classroom and took a seat and took out her textbook and turned to the chapter on soul and personality numbers as instructed.

With three lessons, Arithmancy was Grace's number one class. She loved the professor as well as the lesson. She happily walked in and greeted the professor cheerfully. "Hello professor." But her eyes were closed. She quickly found a seat while taking out her book. Luckily, Arithmancy book wasn't lost in this flood thing. She opened the chapter professor had told them to open and waited.

Watching the everchanging clouds outside the window, Jake seemed to kind of drift off into his own thoughts for a while, not paying much attention to anything else. When his attention WAS finally caught, it took Jake a few seconds to really register where he was. He blinked... and turned...

That girl... she looked... familiar. Alot of things had happened since the beginning of the school year, including his sudden outbreak of paranoia, which had blown alot of his memories just away from his mind. But still... this girl knew his name and she was stuttering almost as bad as he had been when he'd jumped in the lake. And that was in the middle of winter.

"Hi..." he murmured, blinking up at the girl, trying to think of the name. Through his mind things were jumping out at him. Kayla in hogsmeade, Kayla last year, Kayla and Dominic last year... Dominic this year... Dominic's new co-prefect to replace Kayla... their first act of prefectdom in the Common room, when a first year had- "Wesley. Hi Wesley."

When this very first year had fainted. Jake could also remember a pain in his nose, and seeing this girl up close... but... naaahhhhh, it couldn't be. "Erm... I'd be up for sharing, if that means... I can use yours. I don't have textbooks."

... he was very... specific in his understanding of speech. Especially now. "Erm... please."

That WORD was so INFURIATING! It was like... the word of his life.

Erm.

Iris practically skipped into Arithmancy, she was really enjoying this lesson. She made her way over to Grace and sat down next to her. "Hello Professor!" she said as she took her book out and opened it to the right page and began to read.

Arthimancy. That was that subject that involved thinking and numbers right? Oh boy. At least his Head of House taught it AND she likes good ties which is why he wore a pretty one, with DOLPHINS on it. Dolphins were fun AND spiffy.

He took a seat and waited for the lesson to begin.

Wesley watched, wide eyed, as Jake just...looked at her for a while. In that brief moment her head was whirling with thoughts, He hates me. He hates me so much. He's swallowing his disgust in order to make some room for words. Word of hate. He's going to say no. Then he's going to say he hates me. And I'm going to go back to my chair. And I'm not going to cry. Because I deserve it. Because I deserve being hated. Because I hurt him. And I am a bad girl. I am a very bad girl. And I-

Oh. Her lips formed that silent word as she blinked, caught of guard. Jake said hi. He said hi to me, he said my name, and he didn't say he hates me.

Blinking rapidly, she closed her mouth, smiled shyly, and said, "S-sure! Sure thing!"

Taking a seat, she pulled out her book, turned to the correct page, and pushed it closer to him.

"Ummm...c-can you see?" Wesley asked anxiously, tilting her head to the side, wondering if it was close enough for him to read too.

Watching the girl's every move, Jake refrained from tilting his head, something he seemed to manage everytime he observed others. He must have looked odd, no longer blinking, but just watching. Fishy eyyyyyyyyyes, yo.

Glancing down at the book, Jake ensured he could in fact see the words and he nodded, looking back out of the window as he did so, giving a delayed "Yeah-huh," as confirmation out loud.

Rubbing her temples once more, Professor Shackleton brought her hands down upon the desk and pushed herself to her feet. She spoke in a quiet but clear voice, "Shall we begin our lesson, then? We're going to open with a discussion of the Soul Number. I'd like those of you willing to share one fact about the Soul Number with the class to do so now. I'd prefer for this lesson to be more of a discussion than a lecture, so feel free to comment on each other's points if you think it would expand our understanding of the Soul Number. I'll be sure to chime in to clarify points or add bits and pieces I think pertinent. Who'd like to start us off?"

Herminny raised her hand and said, "The soul number tells you what you're hearts desire is." She wanted to add more because she was beginning to think Arithmancy was bull but wanted to urn her house points not loose them

Thomas raised his hand and said," I think the soul number can tell us what our heart desire's, our true motivation, what we love best, what we need to feed for our soul, and what you value most from it." Thomas hoped that his answer was correct.

Demetria raised her hand. "The soul number tells your hearts desire, dreams, and ambitions. Sort of like what you love to do or dream of doing in the future." she explained. "Oh and it tells you what feeds your soul." she added.

Cedric raised his hand,"It shows your ambition and what you aim in life and the abilities that will help you along that path."He answered.He wonders what his ambition,to be a prof or auror.Whatever it is,He don't want to think about it and talk about it cause he's enjoying his life as a kid

Professor Shackleton wrote notes on the board of all the things the students were saying that she agreed were important to note, as well as adding a few things of her own here and there:

She was quite pleased with the information her students had shared. She decided to add a small bit of information herself, "There are times when the Soul Number will dominate your energy and subordinate all other traits and characteristics, even that of other Core Numbers. When this happens, your Soul Number will pull you toward people and places that resonate with your own energy. These instances are asking you to hear the song of your soul and to nurture and feed the very core of your being.

"Then, there will be other times when your soul energy will lie dormant or possibly be repressed and suppressed by your current situation. Eventually though, your soul energy will awaken with renewed force, changing the direction of your life. These times, when your soul seems to call out to you in anguish have been referred to as the 'dark night of the soul'."

Allowing them to scribble their own notes, Professor Shackleton paused before asking, "What are some areas in which people might use the information that the Soul Number reveals? Let's discuss that. What areas and why?"

Iris picked up her quill and wrote the notes down that Professor Shackleton put on the board then put her quill down and listened to what she was saying. Iris looked down and scimmed through the text book again before raising her hand, "Um... Could you use you soul number when you are thinkingg about what kind of career you want to go into? Because Nubmer 8's, for example are told here that 'they would want to be the boss or at last have power of some kind in the world'. So they would maybe think that they would sucseed in a Political career over, I dunno, a small business for even though you would be the boss of your own business, there would be little world wide power involved." Iris sighed and hoped that her answer made sense out loud.

Thomas at first didn't understand the question. After he read his note again Thomas understood the question so he raised his hand and said, "Er.. Professor the areas that people might use the information from the soul number is for their romance life, wisdom and how they are with the public around them." He hoped that his answer was right.

Grace wrote everything down and listened to other people's ideas about the question and thought about it. Well, all her ideas were told, "carreers, choices and relationships..." She tried anyway. "It may also show what we need. If someone is bored of his life, he can look to his Soul Number to see what he needs and what he values most." At least she understood this from the textbook.

Sitting quietly and listening to the others, Wesley decided that maybe she didn't like Arithmancy so much. Or at least, she definitely didn't like the soul number. It wasn't any body's fault which number they had. She would hate it if someone calculated hers and decided they didn't want to be friends because their numbers weren't compatible. That was awful. Secretly, Wesley promised herself she would never let numbers be the basis for a relationship.

Remembering she was supposed to add to the discussion if she wanted to fulfill her destiny number, Wesley quietly commented, "M-maybe even if your soul number can tell you what you desire in a person, you shouldn't necessarily follow it and exclude everybody else. B-because just because you desire Butterbeer, it doesn't mean you shouldn't drink milk sometimes too. Too much of a good thing is unhealthy. You should still befriend other people too," her last words were almost a mumble, as she looked down at her lap, twisting her hands, and feeling terribly embarrassed.

Satine loved working with the different numbers in Arithmancy....she was really really loving this class and the lessons. She listened to the professor and then listened as a variety of students gave their opinions about the soul number...she decided it was her turn to chime in since she was pretty open about her opinions. "Professor, my grandmother always said the soul number was a link to your intuition, destiny, and emotions and that if you didn't listen to your emotions that you could have problems with passion and survival and stuff..." she paused and could hear her grandmother's voice in her head... "She also used to say that ignoring it caused health problems since we could never really deny our emotions....I mean they flow in use like blood and if you ignore then they eventually build up..." she knew she was rambling so she just left it there...

Iris listened to Satine, wow, Her Grandma had a good point with that, Iris knew exactly what she meant. Iris quickly made notes on everything everyone was saying, as she might need them later.

Herminny raised her hand and said, "Sure professor, you figure out the soul number by using the full name listed on your birth certificate, lay out your name and assign the appropriate number to each vowel using the pythagorian number chart. Figure each name separately, then add the reduced total of each name - first, middle(s), and last, then reduce that number to its single digit root number.".

Iris smiled as professor Shackleton said this and began to think about how it could be done. it was in her book somewhere... She flicked through the book until she got to the right page and read through it before raising her hand. "Well professor, we have to use our whole name; that is everything on our birth certificate. Then we have to use the Pythagorean Number System to make each letter a number. Then we add each name up individually and continue to add them together until we are left with just one number. The one we call the root number." Iris felt quite proud of herself, the explaination made sense to her and wasn't copied word for word from the book.

Satine listened intently...she was ready for the part where they all actually figured out their soul number...I guess she was little bit about herself, but that was the best part of learning about Core numbers. She kept taking notes and waited anxiously for the best part.

Natasha wrote quickly across her parchment, wanting notes for future references. As she wrote on her parchment, she listened intently to everyone around her, but right at the moment, there wasn't much to add. She was very interested about finding her soul number though - just because that kind of thing was fun. There really was something about Arithmancy that she liked.

Grace wrote down everything professor had told. She was also happy that the professor had complimented them. Now, how to find the soul number... Grace shot her hand up in the air. "We again use our full name on the birth certificate, professor. We use the chart again and give every vowel its number on the chart. We again figure every name seperately and add the reduced total of each name."

"You two are precisely correct. The Soul Number is calculated by adding together the vowels in your full name - just the vowels. Now, when figuring the Soul Number, eventually you'll run into a name with a 'y' in it, or sometimes more than one 'y.' The 'y' is considered a vowel when it is the only vowel sound in the syllable. I'd like everyone to provide an example name where the 'y' is a vowel, and perhaps contrast it with a name where the 'y' is a consonant. I'll start."

Professor Shackleton extracted her wand from her robes and wrote the following in midair:

Quote:

Names with "Y" as a Vowel Ruby

Quote:

Names with "Y" as a Consonant Ridley

Keefer had no idea what this professor was talking about, but he could guess names with the best of 'em. "Would Larry have the Y as a vowel, and Carey have it as a consonant?"

He had no idea whether or not that was right. Arithmancy was always a class he felt he didn't belong in. Numbers he thought with slight contempt. I've never much liked them. Unless it's a number of how many Licorice Wands I have... Keefer was obsessed with Licorice Wands.

Herminny was abit cinfused for a seccond till she noticed the y that is a consonant had a vowel before it. Herminny then raised her hand to answer saying, " I believe in the name Riley has y as a consonant and the name Billy has y as a vowel", she was hoping she was right cause she was'nt quite sure how this worked so it was purely an educated guess.

Oh no! Wesley had a name with a Y. Gnawing nervously on her bottom lip, the first year held her hands close to her face. Looking at the board and watching the teacher write down examples, the small girl took in the information with a growing sense of panic. So the Y is a consonant because my name ends just like Ridley which means the Y doesn't count because of the E. But E is a vowel. I think. So do I count the E? Or not? Isn't it mean to not count the Y? If I was the Y I would feel left out. I would feel sad. But Y isn't REALLY a consonant. So if I counted it I would be lying. Which is bad. You should never lie. But Professor Shackleton says the Y is a consonant. And professors would never lie. So she must be right. But that means Mother is wrong. Oh- Mother would be angry if I thought she was wrong! She would be mad. Mother is scary when she is mad. Only! I love mother. So she isn't scary! But she is! Only- I shouldn't be thinking she is scary because she isn't. She is my mother and she is beautiful. And I am a bad girl for thinking that she is scary. I am a bad daughter. I am a bad person. Bad Wesley. Wesley that the Y is a consonant. A lonely letter. A-

Blinking- the Hufflepuff remembered that she was supposed to answer the question. Professor Shackleton had said that everyone was supposed to give an example. And everyone is everyone. Right? Right.

Tentatively raising her hand, Wesley answered, "Ummm...I mean-sorry-," Mother would be so mad at her saying um, "L-lucy is a name where the Y-y is a-a v-vowel. And-ummm...-sorry- Wesley is a n-name w-where the Y is-is a c-consenant."

Diane raised her hand, "Riya favors a consonant Y, while Rylee possesses a vowel Y." She lowered her hand but continued, "However, I'm not sure with the names Ryanne and Ryana. According to your description, they should be consonant Ys, however, I would say they are vowels. Could you explain, professor?"

Oh, this was easy. Really easy, Grace thought. She listened to other names and raised her hand. "The name Lesley has a consonant Y and Yves has a vowel y, professor." she said. She was really sure that it was right.

Herminny began to work writing on her parchment

H=8 B=2
E=5 A=1
A-1 R=9
T=2 B=2
H-8 A=1
C=3 R=9
O=6 Y=7
T=2 31=3+1=4
E=5
40=4+0-4

4+4=8

Once finished Herminnyraisdrhand and said, "I would say Heathcote Barbary to his soul number being 8 is that he must have desired to make a name making something people want which is his his music. People want to hear him play. I don't agree that with the 8 soul number in doing you're buisness venture alone cause I would think since he's in a band he likes working with a group. And as for does'nt like things to change and wants everything to be just as planned that s Not him at all. When he's putting on a show things could change at a moment notice and as a performer he has to work around and keep on going, thats part of the job. And as for too reserved in buisness to have much of a personal life or relationship that may be true because he is so famous he has to find someone that understands he won't always be there because his lifwe style and career take him on the road constantly"

Hmm....the Weird Sisters. Dem's mother liked them. Demetria pulled out a peice of parchment and began calculating. "Ok Heathcote Barbary," she said and wrote his name on the paper.

"Ok so Heathcote Barbary's soul number is 8. This means he likes to be the boss and in charge of something in the world. It is difficult for him to comprehend the meotions of others and he prefer to stick to business over emotional affairs. He want to feel important in what he perceive to be the real world. In matters of the heart and friendship, he places business over emotional closeness. He should look for a stong, capable mate who is equal to his ambitions. But usually, he's just too busy for romance and true friendship." she read from the book. "Professor, was Heathcote Barbary the lead singer of The Weird Sisters?" she asked. "It doesn't seem like he could be in a group like that unless he was the lead singer or band manager. Plus, he might not have liked being friends with his band mates." she said. After thinking about it for a while, she said, "I actually don't really understand how he could've been in a band with a soul number like that."

Dang, she made a mistake, great, back to the drawing board she thoought as she made her seccond attempt putting her quil to the parchment:

H B
E=5 A=1
A=2 R
T B
H A=1
C R
O=6 Y=7
T 9
E=5
21=2+1=3

9+3=12=1+2=3

Herminny raised her hand again and said, "I think I got it right this time making his soul number 3 which makes a lot more sense because he does create enthusiasm with his music. He also I would imagine he loves to do what he does using his talent making everyone happy. Whether he actually encourages others to strive for there best he probably does with his band mates because the Weird Sisters are an amazing band but who knows. Ans lastly as a Rockstar he probably loves to change things up and have and as a rockstar probably too much at times. Whether he is overly flirtatious or not I have no idea, I would imagine you would have to know him on a more personal level because even if we ever see him in that light we don't know whether he was under the influence of something or not.".

Grace got to work immediately.
Grace came up with 8 and checked the number. That totally didn't make sense. She must have calculated wrong, she thought although she couldn't see any false step. She just waited for professor to check her work.

Oops. "Sorry, professor." she muttered. This always happened to Dem. She gets so excited about finding the soul number, or any other number for that matter, she tends to forget little details. "Ok lets try this again." she said to herself.
Hmmm....oddly (and luckily) enough, his soul number was still the same. "Atleast I get to keep my old dialisis of his number." she smiled and attatched the two peices of parchment together.

Biting her lip, Wesley looked down at her paper, then at the textbook, then back again. Dipping her quill in ink, she started scratching out her work on a clean piece of parchment.

After consulting the book and double checking her work, Wesley turned to the page on soul numbers, re-reading the part on how to figure out a soul number. The textbook said to use your full first, middle, and last name. That can't be right, the first year thought to herself, Heathcote Barbary is only the first and last name. Unless Barbary is his middle? Or he doesn't have a last name??, Chewing on her bottom lip, Wesley worried that maybe she hadn't heard it right. Maybe she hadn't heard the middle name. Or the last name. Or...she didn't know!

Halfway into raising her hand to ask, the small girl dropped it, scared of asking a stupid question. Twisting her hands and biting her lip, the Hufflepuff couldn't help but feel like a absolute and complete failure.

But if I don't ask, then she'll come up and ask me why I don't have it right on my paper. But if I DO ask, then she'll still be angry. I don't want the professor to hate me...oh! What should I do? Think Wesley. Think! Maybe...maybe I could see what Jake's written, and if he has the missing name...no! No! That would be cheating. Cheating is bad! And if I whisper to ask someone for help, then I'll get in trouble for talking...oh dear! I'm in such trouble...

Starting to panic, Wesley felt tears pricking her eyes. She didn't want to get in trouble. She didn't want the teacher to hate her.

Most of all, she didn't know what to do.

Demetria raised her hand. "Professor, is it possible for you soul number, or any number for that matter, to be wrong?" she asked. "I mean, I don't know much about The Weird Sisters, but it's kind of odd that someone with a soul number of 8 would choose to be the rhythm guitar player in a band even if he did schedule everything." she said. "Plus, usually when people are in a famous band they go on tour and travel together and it doesn't seem like Heathcote Barbary would enjoy or want to do something like that."

Professor Shackleton contemplated Demetria's question carefully before replying, "That is a matter of debate and, oftentimes, contention in the field of Arithmancy. When you approach this subject, you have to accept the fact that Arithmancy, though based on thousands of years of experience and research, is not an exact science. Human beings are incredibly complex and multifaceted, and Arithmancy is no more than an attempt to identify and explore some of the more visible aspects. There are countless variables that are too subtle and too hidden to be recognized. Therefore, it is simply not possible for a Arithmancer to be right 100 percent of the time. But that doesn't mean that the number is wrong - it may just mean that we, as evaluators of the number, are interpreting it incorrectly."


Regaining the attention of the class once more, Professor Shackleton explained, "I think we've gotten a good idea of what the Soul Number means, but what about the Personality Number? What does it tell us?"

Demetria raised her hand. Why was she always the one answering questions? :P "The personality number is an element of the Core that describes what others remember about you after a first encounter - the "outer you" or "external image." This number describes how others view you and invites you to see yourself as others see you." she read from her textbook. "So it's sort of like a first impression, right?" she asked.

Demetria raised her hand (again!) "To calculate it, it's similiar to calculating the soul number only instead of vowels you use the consonents." she explained. Merlin, she was on a role!

Water began seeping through the floor and starting to flood the arithmancy class.

Personality number? Grace was searching for it when the other girl answered. She made a face that she had missed the chance. But how to calculate? Now, she wanted to beat that Gryffindork.

"Again based on the chart, we use the consonents of our birth name. Decide each name seperately and add the reduced sums of each name and reduce it again." the little Slytherin said qucikly from her memory.

She was again enjoying the class when--

Not knowing what she was doing, Grace quickly got up on her chair, her face white as a sheet. "Water!" she shrieked, unable to talk furthermore. Water again, her worst nightmare in this school. The reason she was leaving. She quickly casted a 'Impervius!' and turned to professor, waiting for her to save them!

Demetria was busy copying her notes when she noticed her feet getting wet. Before she knew it, the cold, dirty water was up to her knees. "PROFESSOR!" she shrieked. A sudden realization came to her. There were no prefects or older students in the class. She was one of the oldest know. Oh no! During all of the other floodings there were prefects to take care of it. Now, no one but the professor.

Oh no Ash thought I didn't wanna have to deal with the water again
"Professor, uhhh don't you think that we should start wrapping it up? Ash said pulling her feet up onto her chair

Herminny was beginning to get a bit annoyed with all the flooding. It seemed another classroom would be under shortly and just how much longer before the whole school was under Herminny thought, it just seemed where things were gonna end up.

Flipping through her textbook to get to the right page, Wesley's elbow bumped her quill, sending it over the desks edge. Scooting her chair back, the first year bended over to pick up her writing utensil and saw...

water.

Not again. Not again. Not again, she thought feverishly, panic beginning to well in her and instincts telling her to bolt.

The tiny girl turned to her professor for directions, eyes wide with fear.