Carter took a bite of his cake with a smile. He also jotted down some notes. He wasn't quite sure what a grabhorn was so he sat this question out.

Abigail really needed some cake, she hadn’t eaten anything yet and it wasn’t helping her concentrate. ‘Answerer the question...what’s the meaning of rune 3...Graphorn...’

Raising her hand she gave what she hoped was the right answer “Professor, the graphorn lives in the mountains which can’t be very easy so...I don’t know if this is right...but could it have a meaning of will power? Having the determination to live in what I think are probably hard conditions.” She really hoped she was right.

Jacoby raised his hand again. "Umm... The graphorn is the rune symbolized by the number 2. I think It could mean something beyond the hide and strength. I think It could mean deseption or double crossing since it is by the number 2 and has two horns. Like a double agent, someones is, will, or has deceived you." What could he say he was on a streak of torture and pain. Why stop now. Yea he knew he was going to be told off at some point in this lesson, but till then...still he like this class.

Alessia shook her head... and decided to ignore the boy if he wasn't going to be making an effort.

"Protection... alright." she said "One point."

"Repelling," she repeated, "One point."

"Strength... good" she said and added, "One point."

"Danger... alright," she said "One point."

"Teamwork! Good Master Kettleburn," she said smiling at the boy. "One point."

"Yes, but that's already been said Miss Wright." She said with a smile, "Try again."

"Risks..." she said, "One point."

"Right, that's all been said, thank you, Miss Black, for the review." Alessia told the Hufflepuff.

"Determination... good one," she said. "One point."

"Deception... Very good." she said "One point for you..."

She turned to the whole class and said "You all missed a very important meaning... Two... a couple... Love." Always the romantic Alessia was.

Graphorn (2)
Meanings: Protection, Repelling, Strength, Danger, Teamwork, Risks, Determination, Deception, Love

"Alright... let's pick up the pace. Pick ONE rune we have not done, and tell me about it and it's meanings, up to three meanings..."

Raising his hand again jacoby decided to do rune 5. "The fifth rune is a fwooper which is symbolized by the number 4. It could mean Insanity because it's song can drive the listener mad. or mayber mixed emotions, because its feathers are so multi-coloured. Or even Beter Days, happier days because it's feathers are so brightly coloured" Hey at least he strode away from the pain and suffering.

Carter raised his hand. "I think the rune for 7 is interesting. I think it symbolizes the unknown, or the mysterious. Also, the number 7 is linked to luck. So it could symbolize luck, or something unlucky, depending on your traditions."

Copernicus raised his hand. "The Runespoor has three heads, and it is used on the Rune that symbolizes number 3." He found that information in the text before glancing up at the professor. "My thoughts would be that it indicates rumors or talking too much. It can indicate internal conflict among a person or a team. Betrayal."

Evelyn looked at the rest of the runes. None of them really standing out to her...except the fourth rune. "The fourth rune, professor," she started, glancing in her book for a second. "Is a picture of a Runespoor. The Runespoor is a three headed snake, the heads symbolizing the number three of the rune. But it really isn't an ordinary three headed snake..." she smirked at the thought of an ordinary three headed snake. "Each head is independent from the other, containing different purposes. It says here that the right head is the planner, which decides what the Runespoor will basically does all the time, the middle one is the dreamer, pretty obvious what that one does, and the far left head is the...critic?" Evelyn said, uncertainly, trying to read through the passage really quick. "Yes, the critic, which is probably the most deadly head because it's fangs are extremely venomous, and evaluates the dreamer's and planner's actions, hissing all the time. It says that the dreamer and planner head would often..." she broke off when she read the rest of the sentence, scrunching up her nose in disgust. "They would bite the critic's head off. Ew." She perhaps could've summarized what the book said instead of actually just reading it off the page, but...'Oh well.'

Reading again what she just read, one meaning seemed like it jumped off the page, literally. "Well, one meaning could be conflict. The dreamer and planner having problems with the critic." Evelyn paused to think for a moment on what the last two meanings could be. "It could also mean unity, seeing as the three heads would have to try and put up with each other somehow and get what needs to be done. And it could also mean danger, seeing how poisonous the critic's fangs are." Looking down at the page again in satisfaction with her report, she noticed one more line, and she read it to herself. "Runespoors was once a favorite pet of dark wizards..." trailing off, she looked at the fourth rune, heart pounding with fear, yet pleased at the same time with her choice of favorite. 'Stupid sorting hat...and how it's always right...' she tensely said in her mind.

Laura raised her hand tentatively. "Well, there's the Fwooper, Miss," Laura said, a little hesitantly. She wasn't sure if this was entirely correct, but she'd give it a go. No harm in trying, right? "It symbolises the number four... because of... erm, well I'm not sure why, but it does. But it's an African bird, Miss, with bright colours and a voice, well a song, really, that will drive anyone who listens insane. I guess it could mean impurity, because although it is beautiful, it's song is horrible. OR it could mean something to do with that old saying, yanno Miss. Silence Is Golden 'cause they have to be sold with a silencing charm on them..."

Hmm. Laura trailed off. That had all sounded sooo much better inside her head, she wondered whether she should've volunteered the information at all. Glancing down at her text book, her hand shot into the air again. "Is it four because it's four different colours?"

K went into her text book to find one of these other runes K found one she liked and rasied her hand, "Professor rune number six is the Salamander, which is a small, brilliant white fire-dwelling lizard that feeds on flame. It can surive up to six hour ouside a frie if fed pepper regularly. A Slamander blood ha powerful curative and retsorative properties, so three meanings could be healing/recsure, live and or heat/fire becuase it surives as long as the fire from which it sprang." That took a while but K also liked this anwser becuase she liked Salamanders.

K then waited for the Professor to tell her if she had gotten it right K then went back to reading her text book for this was becoming one of her favorite subject here at Hogwarts. K also listened to all the wonderful anwsers other students where giving they were all so intresting.

Who wanted to learn about Ancient Runes? Honestly, Woodson thought all this stuff was a load of mumble jumble. It seemed like a pointless subject.. a waste of his precious time.

Ugh.

"The acromantula is used on the rune which symbolizes the number eight," the Slytherin muttered, begrudgingly raising his hand. "Acromantula are a species capable of human speech, therefore a meaning of this rune could possibly be intelligence?"

He still found it hard to get his head around that. A giant spider capable of talking. Things like that just shouldn't be allowed.

Number 9 is represented by the Hydra. It is a nine headed sea serpent who's breath is poisonous. It was killed by Hercules as one of his twelve labors. The Hydra lair was the lake of Lema. Beneath the waters of the lake is suppose to be the entrance to the underworld. I think the Hydra represents lonelyness, sadness, and despair.

Tibi flipped through his textbook furiously. The first few runes he thought to mention had already been shared.

Frustrated, he kept flipping. Ah. There was one. Tibi's hand shot up in the air before the thought finished forming.

"Professor, the rune that represents the number six is the Salamander. Since the salamander is a creature that lives in flame, and indeed needs it to survive, I would say that the rune means... um.."

Uh oh. Tibi hadn't thought that far.

"Um... well, fire is often symbolic of adversity... so... the rune could mean thriving in the face of adversity? Or.. um.. perhaps dependence on something, since the Salamander can't live long without the fire?"

Ancient Runes, LouAnn had decided, just might not be so tough of a subject after all. She'd surprised herself and managed to keep up with pretty much everything that was being discussed. She quickly raised her hand to reply to the latest question. "The rune for the number five is a Quintaped, a five-legged creature that is only found Isle of Drear. Legend tells us that the Quintaped was formed when a family of five became involved in a duel and was eventually transfigured into the magical beast. Maybe this rune indicates the dangers involved in duels or other fights. I think it's a warning of some kind. Oh, and maybe because the Quintaped is only found on one island, it's also used to symbolize the fact that when we fight with others, we isolate ourselves from them."

What the?!

Gr.

Grrrrrr.

Frowning again, Jake made a note to come and see this particular professor, but for now he was stuck in a class where he was as lost as a fish in the desert.

Okay... with these he was only interested in one of them. He raised his hand and said, (trying not to have a petulant tone) "Number 7 don't have an animal thing. And, like, loads of people say something like... 7 is a magical number, and a secret number. Sooooooo... I dunno... mystery? And... like,"

GUHHHHHHHHHH!

"Erm... magic. And..." Oh dear, he was having to really think for this one. "Secrecy? Because that's different from mystery."

Wow... that was a lot of talking... for him... in this class.

Evan thought while the others answered. He liked the number 3, and decided to talk on that although another boy had chosen it too. He thought his point of view was different, so he raised his hand. "Number three is Runespoor, which has three seperate and thinking heads. I think it means variety as every head has its own thoughts, confusion as they all try to confuse each other and handicap maybe, because they try to prevent each other? Ooor..." Freedom? He wanted to say that one too, but the professor had wanted only 3 meanings. Sighing, he added "That makes three."

Nataly flipped through her textbook, looking for an interesting rune. Acromentula...hmm..that sounds good.
She raised her hand, ready to answer. "The Acromentula rune simbolises the number 8, because the Acromentula has eight eyes. The rune can mean fear and uncareness, because creatures and people fear it, and it eats without any feeling towards its prey. It can also mean danger, because the Acromentula is dangerous and poisonous."

Nikki was SO confused. Runes were totally not her thing. Cake was though. Hopefully she'd get some. If not, she could always just sleep. The breeze coming in from the window was rather charming, after all.

Nikki decided to give this thing a go, and hopefully not fail too badly. She scanned her textbook, trying to pick out an interesting one, while at the same time, trying to choose one that looked easy to interpret.

She ended up picking the rune for the number six, a salamander. She'd always liked fire, once almost setting fire to her room. She smiled at the memory. "I choose the Salamander, the rune for number six. Salamanders live in fire, and are only as strong as the fire they run around in. They are a whitish creature, perhaps due to all the ash they get covered in, but can also be blue or scarlet, depending on the heat of the fire. They only live as long as their fire, but can last up to six hours, out of a fire. It's blood has strong restoration properties."

"Because of this, I think that the rune means something about passion, for the fires heat, perhaps? Or maybe, something about life and death, due to how it only lives as long as the fire, but the bit about it's blood being restorative??" Nikki wasn't quite sure, but she was desperate to get some points for Slytherin!

"Maybe it shows the need for protection? Because if the fire dies, the creature dies?? I also thought about rage, or someone who is brash and tempermental...I'm not quite sure, if I'm entirely honest. All the ideas I have keep conflicting with each other..." Nikki sighed a bit dejectedly, and scowled a little at the notes she'd made, and at the stupid textbook they had.

Natka thought back to her textbook and the images of the various runes there. She remembered reading about them a bit during summer, while just flipping through her book... but what was it specifically?

"Oh, and there's the runespoor rune, the third one because of the three-headed snakes... I remember reading about those in Hogwarts, a History, I think Dark Wizards used to like to have runespoors as pets. In any case, I think this rune would symbolise treachery, as it is common to see two of the heads bite off the third. However, as all three heads seem to think in different ways, it could also symbolise indecision, or just confusion."

Natka stopped speaking, feeling very pleased with herself. She hadn't remembered everything at once - in fact, she hadn't thought she'd remembered that much at all. But once she started talking, the words just... flowed.

She only hoped they made sense.

Ana look at her book and decided to try rune number six. She waited for her turn and then spoke "The rune number six, salamandra, was chosen because of the number of hours that it can survive without fire." she pause "So this could be related with love and friendship. Fire is often related with love. We can't live without it like the salamandra can't live without fire. Love is the driving force, it help us through the days. It can bring adversity but is also with it that we trust to help us bearing our problems." Ana's head was working like crazy trying to explain her point of view to the teacher.

Abigail raised her hand “Well the Runespoor rune which symbolises 3 is known to live to a great age so this could indicate wisdom. Each head has a different personality so this could mean single-mindedness, yet they have to work together to survive so this could indicate team work.” She really wanted to get a fork so as she could dig into the cake.

Mina looked at down at her textbook and all the notes she had taken. She had been abnormally quiet in class, odd being that Ancient Runes was one of her favorite subjects. It just appeared that all her fellow classmates were quicker than she to answer questions. But the cake was starting to haunt her. A little part of her just wanted a bit.

'Fwooper, she remembered reading about that over the summer," she thought. She raised her hand and waited her turn. "Fwoopers are magical African birds with brightly-coloured feathers,usually orange, pink, lime green and yellow. Their four colour varieties is used to represent the number four. Their song is said to drive the listen insane and is why each is sold with a silencing charm." She looked up a bit confused. "Professor, I understand that the four colours represent four, but what does the significance of the silencing charm have? Does it represent how silence is golden? The fwooper's feathers are beautiful but a part of the fwooper is dangerous. So maybe it represents the negative side of something beautiful. The give and take of all things? A natural equalization element?" She was now confusing herself. Perhaps she should just have stopped while she was ahead. She didn't want to sound like she was completely clueless, but she had just confused herself.

Satine flipped through her book looking at the different symbols represented in the Rowling Alphabet and one just caught her eye, she raised her hand, "Professor, just by looking at them the Acromantula rune that represents the number 8 caught my eye. It is represented by the eight eyes and eight legs of the talking spider species. I think this rune represents intelligence and the importance of understanding magical creatures around you."

"Anyone want to give me a few more meanings on the Quintaped and the Hydra? Maybe even the Unknown Rune?"

Abigail wasn’t sure but she was going to give it a try “Well the unknown rune symbolises the number 7, and the number 7 is seen as a very magical number so maybe it could mean magical power.”