Lily paused as she listened to the questions. Raising her hand, she decided to answer these. "Is it because the wood is easy to work with, and it won't lose shape like a clay one might?" Lily thought this would be a decent reason to use wood, and plus if you sanded it and put a protective sealant around it, it would look really nice.

Laura looked at the Professor and raised her hands. "Is it the fact that those trees, were gifts too you from someone special?" Laura decided to guess. "And I would guess someone you trusted Professor."

Harvey listened as the professor seems happy that they had all been listening last lesson.. he then gestured towards the trees that were at the back and asked a question regarding those and his rune set.. Harvey slowly put up his hand despite many answers having come up "Professor do those trees have special properties that make the runes more useful for our magic.. and as for your second question.. could it be that it is easier to carve your runes into wood.. rather than metal stone or clay. " he said answering the question.. even if he was wrong at least he had attempted to answer it.

An extra point just for listening? Hmm. Sierra should get ten extra points just for bothering to show up. Again, she hated Ancient Runes. She twisted in her seat and peered at the row of trees in the back of the room. She recognized most of them. Maybe even all of them. They'd talked about them in History of Magic once when they'd studied wand wood.

Speaking of that class, there was something she remembered about it... "Don't the trees go along with certain months of the year?" she asked, raising her hand. "So maybe what's special about them, and whats the reason behind you preferring wood for your runes, is that you can use different wood for different times of the year. Maybe that helps the meaning of the rune be more...well, meaningful."

As Sierra lowered her hand, she happened to catch on to the fact that Hollingberry hadn't uttered a word. She'd been quiet in Arithmancy. Maybe her cat, Peanut or something, had finally gotten her tongue.

Oh, happy day! She grinned and sat up a bit taller in her seat.

"Yes they do." Wasn't he supposed to be answering the question? Oliver nodded his head. "And yes wood is easier to carve into but that's not the reason. Good try."

"That they do." Oliver said with a smile. "But that's not the reason. I like your thinking though."

He blinked a couple of times at the young Slytherin. "Not all of them are fruit trees." Actually only one of them was a fruit tree. "But yes wood is easier to carve into and stain. It doesn't break as easily either."

Oliver started at the two students for a moment before a grin stretched across his face. "Wow! You two really think outside the box, don't you?" he chuckled. "I like it. Make sure you keep thinking like that. It's not the reason the trees are here and why I prefer to make wood rune sets but I like your answers." So much so that a few extra points would be awarded.

"Not necessarily to protect the rune. But the trees do have properties tat help the runes."

Oliver raised his eyebrows as his gaze swept over the Gryffindor Prefect and noticed that she didn't have her hand up. He had been looking forward to her answer. Ahhh well.

Another good answer even though it wasn't what he was looking for. "Very good."

"Yes that is true. Wood runes are much easier than stone or metal." Still not what he was looking for but Oliver was liking all their answers.

"That's also a possibility." Oliver said with a smile.

He couldn't help but laugh at the little Ravenclaw's answer. "Well yes they are very pretty trees." They were his favourite that's why he had picked them for the lesson.

"Soft woods are easier to carve but that's not why I chose them. Hard woods can be used as well." Oliver pushed off his desk and began to walk around the room. "And making runes out of natural products is far better but again that's not why I choose to use wood."

Oliver nodded his head. "Yeah it's easier but not the reason. Good answer."

Ah yes he remembered this girl from the last class and he chuckled. "No they weren't gifts. I picked the trees."

Someone was getting very close. "Yes those trees do have special properties." He was surprised that they hadn't put it together yet.

Another one that thought outside the box. "Not what I was thinking Miss Greingoth but maybe I should." Oliver grinned. "A very good answer."

And we have a winner! Well two winners to be exact.

"Thank you Mr Gunter and Miss Reinhart. That's exactly the reason why those particular trees are in the room. And why I prefer to make my runes out of wood." Oliver was just about continue when his attention was diverted for a moment.



Oliver's eyebrows raised as he watched the banter between the two. "Would you two prefer if the rest of us left the room? So that you can continue your little exchange in privacy. Perhaps I can pass over some runes...to set the mood?"

Really!

There was a time and a place.

"As I was saying, the five trees up the back are wand wood trees. As you probably know there are many more wand wood trees out there but I didn't want to have thirty odd trees in the classroom." Well actually he would but it would have been difficult for the students and himself to get around the room.

Oliver stood up the back in between the trees. "Now of course you all should know that the wood we use for our wands have magical properties." Yes? They should definitely know that. "So creating a rune set out of wand wood naturally enhances the magic of the runes." He began moving back towards the front of the room. "For today's lesson I was going to have you create your own rune set because a rune set made by your own hand is very important."

He lent up against his desk again. "My supplier was not able to get me the wand wood in time for this lesson. So I'll get you to practice on this gum wood that I brought with me." Oliver realised it was probably better that they practice first anyway. That way they wouldn't be wasting any precious wand wood.

"So before we get started. Can anyone tell me why it is important to make your own rune set rather than buy one? And does anyone know the incantation to carve your wood?"

Kurumi noticed the look that Professor Jenkins gave her when she hadn't answered. Oops. But, he really couldn't blame her when she didn't really have an idea to share, right? Her mind was still wandering and unable to focus on the class properly, which was really upsetting to her because she found discussions about magical properties within physical things to be a very fascinating subject. One wouldn't have guessed that a tree would have magical properties, right? Kurumi rather wished that there was a lesson on THAT. Studying magical properties within things and figuring out just what those properties were...

See! She was getting distracted all over again. What had he just asked?

Slowly, Kurumi raised her hand, this time. "Professor, perhaps it is because runes that you make yourself are more...attune to you? It is always said that magic always leaves a traces, and leaving a trace of yourself in runes would make the properties of that particular rune mixed with the magical properties of the wood the rune itself is made from resonate more strongly?" That...made sense, didn't it? Maybe she should have kept quite since it was clear, at least to her, that she was still having a hard time focusing. "And...is the spell Intaglio?" That had been the spell she had learned from Professor Truebridge at least.

Oh, they were wand wood trees. But of course! Vickers wanted to kick himself in the head for over-thinking again but the Professor seemed to have been impressed with his and Alyssa's answers. With a small smile, the Ravenclaw added a few more notes with the Professor's explanations.

Alright, practice wood, sounded like a good idea to him. He paused for a moment as he considered the answer to the next question, then raised his hand "Professor, other than creating ones own rune set being a tribute to the rite of Odin breathing life into an Ashwood tree, it makes the runes specially attuned to you, just like there is a special connection between our wand to ourselves."

This being his first time to take Runes he had no clue what the incantation to carve Runes were. The only thing he knew was "Sir, would the incantation be to say the name of the rune repeatedly as you carve it into the wood piece?" At least thats what he read during his research in the library.

Zhenya raised her hand and said, "To make your own set could be to have them really personalised to you maybe," she guessed. To make things meant more than to buy things. Especially because it would mean more to the maker, and the runes themselves would have been made by their owner giving them a stronger connection.

Laura looked at the Professor. "Well maybe because if you buy a Rune set, they could be jinxed of cursed." Laura said, seriously though it could happen. "And Professor I have no idea but you could just use those muggle equipment that carves wood."

Alyssa thought for a moment before raising her hand.

"Professor, it would be better to make your own rune set because that way you have a set that is specifically designed only for you. You decide what you need and since you are making it, when you cast the spell to make it, it is made with your intentions in mind and not somebody else's.

As for what spell is used to cast make the rune set, could it be made by chanting the specific rune's Gladr?"Alyssa was still new to making runes, so she hoped her answer made sense.

Daichi had seen the blush on Beezus cheeks and he didn't get what for. Did she have a fever or something? "Are you okay, your face is all red" he said as he looked concerned at the girl not knowing that HE was the one that had caused the redness. He had only been joking.

Her exclaimed OH! made him giggle though as he scratched his head. "i know but... i didn't want to disturb you, didn't work i see now" he laughed quietly as he held his hand over his mouth. He was about to write her notes over on his own parchment when he heard the Professor.




Eh? left the room? exchange privacy? rune stones? What on earth was he talking abou---

O__O

"ewww sir!" was the first reaction Daichi gave as he finally understood what he had meant. He made a face and shivered at the weird thoughts the Professor seemed to have. "It isn't like that, eww! i was only ..trying to see her notes cause i did not get it earlier" AND NOTHING ELSE~ okay the kissy part had been a JOKE but it seemed the Professor had mistaken it for something...else. Ewww.

His dark brown eyes watched the Professor as he leaned against the desk. They were going to make their own rune sets? cool....he guessed.... Daichi listened to the question and raised his hand in the air, trying to answer the question although he had no idea. The first one he didn't know but the second one he shook his hand and waited for his turn.

"Carvy woody?" he said as a incantation. He knew it was wrong but how on earth should he know?

Ella raised her hand, not quite knowing what she wanted to say yet. She was sure it was important to make your own rune set as the runes would help to guide you personally. "Professor, doesn't making your own rune set um-help make it more personalized to you and your life? Maybe it makes reading the runes more accurate to your situation?" Did that even make sense? Ella wasn't sure. She often thought things and said them outloud without time to sort them out.

Minerva put her hand up. "If we make our own does it help make it stronger for us as well as more personal?"

Lily got a nod. Grinning widely, Lily jotted down the correct answer that she would never have known because she had no clue about wandmaking. But at least this was the happiest she had been all day. Ohh... they were going to make their own runes... Lily looked puzzled for a moment before putting her hand up to answer the question. "Would it be important because you would be using a wand that chose you so therefore, would you transfer power or something like that into the wood...maybe?" She had no clue how that stuff worked, or why wands had odd qualities like that. All she knew was that there was no way that she knew the incantation to carve wood.

This one Sierra knew. They'd gone over the answer, or what their opinion was at least, a few terms back. Raising her hand, she said, "I think it's so the runes will have more meaning for you personally and just be more personal to you in general." She lowered her hand, trying to think back to the rune carving lesson Professor Truebridge had taught them. Hadn't that been in her first year? Merlin, that seemed long ago. "...and I think the spell Professor Truebridge taught us was Intaglio." Sounded about right.

Wand wood trees; that made sense magical wood should be used for magic objects like wands and rune sets. Professor Jenkins seemed to be on the right track--good for him.

August listened closely as the man talked to them about not having the wood for them to work with today and the Gryffindor wondered why he couldn't let them just use the trees they had right there? Did it have to be dead already? Was the man not comfortable with students hacking up at the trees in the middle of the classroom? heh.

Ok now for the questions, August was happy to hear though that they would still get to practice with another wood. "Sir, is it important to make your own runes set so that you have a better connection with the runes when you do your readings?" That was a reason he could think of making them yourself, more familiarity and trust. "As for the incantation that would be Intaglio, the wood carving spell." he nodded, he was pretty sure that was the right one because diffindo, Relashio, or something similiar would be too destructive.

Nate raised his hand and said "Professor why I think someone should make their own rune set is because the runes would probably work better for that person. Just like a wizard's spells wouldn't be as powerful if they had another wizard's wand." Nate didn't know the second part two the question so he didn't say anything for that.

"Yeah..I'm fine." Well..that's what she wants to believe. Though she knew she was blushing, never in the entire universe would she admit that. She blinked. Twice. Why in the world was even Daichi giggling? What was so funny anyway? After he gave his explanation, she sighed. Maybe he was just kidding right? He was not really trying to give her a kiss, yes? Beezus smiled and that's when she heard Professor Jenkins.

Whaaaaaat? What was he talking about? What did he mean by....And then it hit her. MERLIN! "Professor..it's not what you think it is.." she tried to reason out. "You've got it all wrong." Goodness, she perfectly well knew that she was just too young for that. And even if she was not, well..Daichi wasn't her type.

EWWW? That made her glare towards his direction. What was he trying to imply huh? And he made it much worst because he even made a face and shivered like she was some kind of an infectious disease. How dare he?! PFFFT. Beezus snorted as she edged to the right side of her seat, moving farther away from the Slytherin boy.

Beatrice was now back at jotting down notes. She won't care about anyone else there but their Professor. She needed to focus. She listened attentively as he then continued to tell them about the wand wood trees around them. She was in fact admiring the Rowan tree.

And when the next question was given out, she raised her hand. "Professor I think it is important that we make our own rune set rather than buy one so we can ensure its quality and consistency. Also, I believe that the runes have a greater connection or attachment to the person which actually gave it physical attributes, thus being more powerful when used by that person." Was she saying the right thing? Or was just spouting nonsense? "The incantation however, I don't know Professor," said Beatrice, shaking her head slowly.

Tayla looked up from her notes and raised her hand. "Professor, I think it's because when we write something of our own, it's more...connected to us. So the meanings are more personal. Even truer." Tayla thought a moment about the spell. Charms being her best subject, Tayla felt a bit bothered not knowing the answer for sure. "How about The Gouging Spell - Defodio? It could be used to carve, Professor. Although it needs to be controlled..." It could dig though large blocks of stone and steel after all.

Jory raised his his hand. "It's better because if we make them, they can be related to us. Meaning, there will be a piece of us sort of like imbedded in us.''

As for the second part of the question, the Hufflepuff had no idea.

Messer jotted down some notes before he raised his hand to answer the question. "I think it is important to make our own rune set rather than buy one so it will work better for you. Like our wand. If we used someone wand it won't work as good as ours." Right? Incantation to carve wood? Nope he didn't know about that.

"Excellent. You all seem to know why it is important to make your own runes. And like some of you said, your wand chose you because it's attuned to you so it is with runes." Oliver took his wand out of his holster and with a sharp flick in the direction of the box, the lid popped open to reveal pieces of wood inside.

"For those of you who said 'Intaglio' was the incantation are correct. Personally I prefer to either carve my runes into the wood using a gouge tool or to burn the runes by using hot iron." He replaced his wand back into its holster and perched against his desk again. "The runes have their own magic and I prefer not to taint them with other kinds. But that is only my opinion. If you wish to use the incantation then that is totally up to you."

He pulled a satchel out of his drawer and laid it out onto the desk. "We won't be practicing with the hot iron today." Oliver wasn't sure how much he could trust the students yet. They seemed well behaved, but put a red hot iron branding tool in their hands and Merlin only knew what could happen.

"There are some gouge tools up here that you can use. So I'd like you all to come up the front grab yourself a piece of wood and gouge tool if you are using it and then return to your desk and practice carving your runes into the wood. If you need any help then please just raise your hand and I'll come over and assist you."


ooc: Just RP your character carving into their piece of wood. Points will be awarded for participation.