Runic Divination!? This had caught Pandora's interest greatly. She raised her hand though, to answer the question that was currently being asked.

"The Tarot is the most practised art of Divination. They've been used for hundreds of years to find hidden truths and see the future of the person receiving the card reading."

So, it wasn't as elaborate as the other students, and it probably wasn't right, but it worked for her.

Nika turned to Emily with a confused
expression. "I really have no idea" she said worried

Great...Tarot cards.

Not that Simon had anything against them and he hadn't done to bad with them in homework and class but they had been the focus of the Divination OWL. The OWL he had failed in and he wasn't sure if he was cut out for interpretting them well. At the professor's question, he thought back to the previous year's study to anything that he could remember that hadn't been mentioned already and eventually raised his hand.

"There are thousands of different decks available catering to many diverse interests from the chocolate tarot to the Renaissance tarot," he answered lowering his hand to listen to the rest and take notes.

Oh Merlin, really?

Did he ACTUALLY think Jake was that stupid?

"I do believe you just practically repeated what I just said. Remember, Treyen... some of us have such intellect that we don't need every detail spelled out," Jake said blandly, raising his hand and not looking at Treyen. When he dropped it down again, he smiled over at the boy.

"I suggest you turn back around and answer Professor Bishop's question with an answer of your own."

HAVEANICEDAYNOW.

Looking back at Bishop, Jake went on. "For example, a classic card for Treyen would be if you lay down 'The Fool'. Reversed, of course."

Luin jotted down all of the fields of divination as well as their meaning and then smiled, realizing the one type she knew a bit more about was what they were going to be talking about. After the professor asked the question, she quickly raised her hand, "The tarot has four suits: Coins, Wands, Cups and Swords. Each of these suits has pip cards from ace to ten and four face cards for a total of 14 cards. In addition, the tarot is distinguished by a separate 21-card trump suit and a single card known as the Fool. The Fool can act as the top trump or may be played to avoid following suit.The trump cards and the Fool are called "the major arcana" while the ten pip and four court cards in each suit are called "minor arcana"."

"Oh, don't worry if you don't know the answer" Emily whispered to Nika "As long as you try your hardest you'll be fine" she smiled

Selina beamed when she was awarded house points. She made a mental note to write her Uncle and tell him that he had given her information that she used in class to impress the teacher.

When the teacher inquired about tarrot cards she listened to all of the answers around her once more. They all seemed to be saying the same thing- that they were a method to predict the future. Selina wasn't sure it was just that. She remembered growing up she had heard something else about them. Then she remembered.

"Excuse me, ma'am? Tarrot cards, they've been used for hundreds of years to help predict the future, even back to Ancient Egypt is I remember correctly. But aren't their four suits? The wands, the swords, the coins, and the cups. Similar to average playing cards they have ten numbered cards in each suit... but four in the court The numbers and court members all stand for something. Tarrot cards in this manner were originally used in high society as a game for bored women.

"But their is another type, right? More magical in meaning and can foretell the future much more accurately. I'm not sure exactly what they are composed of, but one of the cards in the deck is The Devil. I know that for sure." Selina ended sitting back down. She was not going to elaborate anymore she had already said too much.

Oh, wait...what?

The boy smirked and raised an eyebrow. Intellect, you say? "Honestly, your knowledge for some words amazes me," because 'I like the pictures than comes in the card' is particularly bright. Seriously.

He wasn't even trying to answer her question in the first place, why bother with commenting on Jake pointing out something that wasn't obvious.

His eyes went back to Jake as he compared him to a card...but The Fool wasn't particularly bad...except...REVERSED? Jake was dead, and Treyen chuckled, "Since we're comparing cards, I believe you'll be much too familiar with 'The Devil', since you portray it pretty well."

Elektra's head was hurting. Too much info at once for her. Listening to Selina speak made Elektra's head spin and she rubbed it and just had a slight confused look on her and she thought to herself. Ok, Selina before my head explodes. It's bad enough that I can't understand Charms. Don't make me not understand Divination. Elektra just now stared at her parchment and then once Selina sat down Elektra just gave a look to her.

Even with mention of the previous professor, Renée was pleased that people were still offering answers. She wasn't about to say it to anyone, as right now that would just make things more difficult, but she wasn't surprised that Professor Reynolds would have discussed the Tarot as well. It was a shared preference. But she needed to get back to the lesson at hand, and she sent a smile to the class. "You all seem to have some idea of what the Tarot is, its history, how it's used. As was mentioned, the Tarot is a set of cards used for divinatory purposes. Although originally the use of the Tarot was considered more of a game, introduced, yes, by the Tarot de Marseille, which originated in Italy in the fifteenth century and traveled to France around 1499, its usage has changed somewhat. We'll discuss layouts and so forth a bit later, Mr. Owlwraith. And Mr. Hudson is also true when he states that that Tarot, the design of it, is the basis of many of the current decks that exist today." Pausing, she glaced over at Louisa. "Antoine de Gébelin did write a treatise stating the origins of the Tarot as Egyptian, in 1781, which is established as the start of the modern period. However, he didn't deny the Gypsies their role in the spread of Tarot. Actually, he did say the Gypsies brought it to Europe, but that they were descendants of the ancient Egyptians.There have been subsequent authors who have challenged his theory, though."

But back to the cards themselves, as their history only subtly affected their use. "Anyway, as many of you said, the Tarot consists of 78 cards in total. 56 in the Minor Arcana, which by the way is also known as the Royal Arcana, and in essence, they are what correspond to regular playing cards. Wands to clubs, coins or pentacles to diamonds, cups to hearts, swords to spades. However, Tarot introduces a fourth suit card, the Knight." Explaining that discrepancy away.

Renée paused in her explanation as the little Hufflepuff spoke again, and sent him another grin. "No, sadly, there aren't any ships involved with the Tarot. It's a deck of cards, but I'd imagine people have brought them onto ships in the past. Travelers have just as much need of Divination as everyone else, don't you think?," she replied. Now perhaps they could get back to the discussion at hand, although she had to admit she was amused by his answers. At least he was trying.



Ready to head back into her discussion of the Minor Arcana, Renée was distracted by a bit of friction between the other two Hufflepuffs she had been intending to keep an eye on. She hadn't missed Treyen's reaction to the topic, but it seemed taking it out on Jake was a bit off. Even if she was the slightest bit grateful it seemed he wasn't taking it out on her anymore. "Yes, Jake. Tarot not only depicts people, but there are a few that depict other concepts," she replied, with a glance at Treyen as it seemed they were using significator cards against each other. "We'll discuss that in a moment." First things first, and she hoped there wouldn't be any more interruptions.

Of course, that hope seemed unfounded, as she watched a girl choose now to enter the lesson. Inwardly sighing, she smiled briefly at the Gryffindor. "I thank you for the apology, but since the lesson has begun I'll need to take a point from Gryffindor. You're welcome to join us, however, if you can pick up the discussion," she said politely. It was up to her, but she was going to get back to her discussion. After glancing once again at the spot near the wall, as if she expected a response from the invisible.

"Anyway, back to the Minor Arcana," she finally said, getting herself back on track. "The literal intent of that name is 'lesser secrets', and most commonly the meanings brought by those cards depict anything related to everyday life, explained by the suits, the natural elements attached to each suit, wands to fire, cups to water, swords to air and coins or pentacles to earth, and the specific numbers attached to each card. The numbered cards represent everyday events, while the court cards in each suit, or the king, queen, knight and page, can describe people, or significant details of a person."

"The Major Arcana, in contrast, are the 'big secrets', important milestones, events that we can't control, changes and growth. There are 22 cards inthe Major Arcana, all of which are associated with Spirit as their element and are numbered zero through twenty-one. Jake and Treyen seem to have given us three of the cards already, but would anyone else like to provide any of the others?

SPOILER!!: Major Arcana

the Fool
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...
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the Devil
the Tower
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ooc: You know the drill. One per answer, no edits, etc.

Lila raised her hand. "The high priestess is part of the major arcana," she replied.

"I know," Jake nodded. Well... sometimes he did have to dumb himself down for Treyen but here the kid was understanding. Good for him.

So, Jake considered that for a moment. "Well, if you mean reversed, then... yes, I agree." With a bit of it. Like, not the emotional blackmail. Jake couldn't do that.

Couldn't argue with the truth.

"There should be a card for 'arrogant little brat', Professor. Don't you agree?" Jake stated, raising his hand again.

Totally innocent suggestion.

Looking over the three already given that had been written into his notes, the sixth year thought on one he himself could give as answer. "Theres the World card," Simon supplied after raising his hand. It had been one that almost always seemed to come up when he practiced a reading.

Selina after her outburst from earlier raised her hand once more, "Excuse me Professor? Isn't The Lovers another one? I remember seeing it in an old muggle movie with my grandfather. It was made back over seventy years ago or so."

Simon looked at the Professor. "I do think so." Simon couldn't believe that he had got another one wrong but at least he was trying and he knew the next question, that was easy sure this was the right answer he couldn't get this one wrong. "Professor there are famous witches and wizard card you get them from chocolate frogs." Simon was hoping he was right, he was confident that he had got it wrong. "There cards right and since Tarots are cards maybe they are part of the same thing."

Elektra was about to say exactly what Selina said and Elektra quickly put her hand down and she huffs. Gaaaah that is the only one I know! She gave another look to Selina and then just sat back and just wrote. That was the best shot she had in this class at this point.

Isobel raised her hand. "Professor, isn't there a page card?" The only thing she knew about Tarot cards were from books, and she wasn't sure if that was real or not...

Parke raised his hand. "Death is one." Also the most understood card, apparently. This class wasn't too bad. What a relief

Patroclus felt very chuffed with himself, when Professor Bishop mentioned him in her explaination.

However Patroclus was less chuffed when a young Lioness arrived late, yes it was due to family issues, but still he made a mental note to chat to Professor Donovan about it later. Returning to the lesson, Patroclus raised his hand, "Professor the power of the Christian church was seen to affect even the Major Arcana deck, for certain cards were renamed for Chrisitian bases societies, for example what was usually called the 'Death' card was sometimes swapped to be the 'Grim Reaper' and like-wise with 'The Hierophant' which changed to the 'The Pope'"

Yep Yep, Patroclus knew his cards!

Luin took quick notes on the details that the professor elaborated on and then started to jot down the answers already given about the major arcana.

She then raised her hand to mention another card, "There is also a major arcana card called The Hanged Man."

Elektra tried to think then she raised ehr hand and just took a shot at the answer now. "Uhmm I think there is one called the Angel, but I could be wrong. I took a guess." she said with a slight chuckle.

Eyebrow raised again.

In all fairness, whatever his sister seems to think about this boy couldn't be far from reality, she needed her mind checked, for sure. All those Bludgers were to blame.

"Unfortunately, no, not reversed." And he didn't miss the last thing Jake said either. Perhaps he ought to try out for Beater and aim a Bludger at his head. Take out the Seeker, no?

The boy was raising his hand, like for the eleventh time since class started, or since the discussion started and shook his head, "I think it quite egoistic of Mr. Morgan to be thinking of having his own card made."

But then he added more, "There is also 'The Emperor', which I personally find interesting for its nature of controlling the uncontrollable." Which in this case, will be Bishop. She won't gain control over the things she couldn't, right?

Nika was very excited because she finally knew how to answer one of the questions! Nika raised her hand eagerly awaiting to be called on to give her answer when it was her turn she said confidently I remember reading about these cards in a book. I believe there is one for strength and I also recall that there is one for justice. Nika beamed because she knew that she had given a good answer alas all that reading paid of.

Really, she needed to find a better way to... well...

Couldn't they play with fire or something!?

Lazily writing down a few notes, the Slytherin rubbed her eyes and blinked a few times before taking a deep breath and sitting up straight. She really didn't want to, but, she could feel her concentration slipping gradually as the minutes ticked by. Hmm, maybe if she scooted a little closer to Josh, she'd stay awake. Teehee.

"There is the Hermit card." she said simply after raising her hand. Yup, she remembered that one. Used it for one of her assignments. Quite a self explanatory card.

Not reversed? Well that was just odd. "I think you need to re-observe the meanings of the cards, Lockhart," Jake said neutrally. Security? Maybe... but the rest? He had no material desire or lust or any of that... but things like uncontrolled ambition, true evil and being bonded to certain situations (like his third year...)

Poor little Lockhart. So naiive and, quite frankly- wait, what?

That little...

He had just BETTER wait for tryouts. Jake would knock him off his broom.

And incorporate sand into that somehow.

"You misinterpreted me," he said simply, and sat back in his chair. HE wouldn't say another one. He'd already given the professor two. He'd give others a chance.

For now, he'd silently scrunch up a page of parchment. He'd get the boy on his way out if anything.