Tayla raised her hand and replied. "I remember you mentioned wood, stone, metal, and clay, Professor. Although clay was used later than the others."

Ella listened to the other students give their answers, nodding as she remembered about the stones and the wood. She had to admit she didn't recall any mention of metal or clay. She pulled out a notebook and started to write things down, not wanting to miss any new information.

Harvey watched as the professor entered with a large box levitating in front of him before he put it onto the floor.. but before Harvey had the time to address this the professor had started speaking to them. He then proceeded to ask them a question before he moved onto what they would be doing during the lesson today.. Harvey had somehow remembered something about this and answered the question.. putting up his hand "The runes were made out of metal... er.. wood.. er..stone.. and..." he stopped as he tried to think of the last one.. there was one more and he was sure of it but it just wasnt coming to him.. then just as he was about to give up it came to him just in time "Clay! sir... but wasnt that later or something" he asked and wondered at the same time.. to see if he had remembered that correctly.. it was something like that.. that the clay was used later or something.. well the question had been answered now to see how the professor responded to that.

Minerva listened as the professor began the lesson wondering why he was late, but it wasn't any of her business now was it. She put up her hand at the question. "Professor they can be made out of word and/or stone."

As the professor entered the room, Lily looked up from her parchment that she had been doodling on. At least now they could start the class... and it did. With the first question Lily paused for a moment before raising her hand, but multiple people had already answered with the exact answer that Lily was going to give so she decided against repeating the answer and instead put her hand down. She started taking notes on what she would have answered and any other answers that had already been given, and then she started doodling again.

Oliver couldn't help but chuckle. Well apparently they had been listening very well last class. Most of them almost recited him word for word.

"Okay very good. You were all listening, I think that's worth an extra point." he chuckled again as he perched himself onto his desk. "Personally I prefer to use wood myself and there is a very good reason for that."

He inclined his head towards the back where the row of trees stood. "Who can tell me what is special about those trees up the back. And second question, why do you think I prefer to make my rune set out of wood?"

Nate raised his hand and said "Do those trees make the runes more powerful. And is it the reason why you like to use wood the most because it's easier to carve the rune onto it." Nate was curios about that himself.

Laci was aabout to answer the 'what were runes made of' question when the professor had already moved on. She closed her already open mouth then shut it.. Listening to the next question she took a stab at the answer "Because.... wood comes from trees, and trees... Connect with the earth. So there must be some kind of stronger connection there....."... Um.... right?

Oakey sat quietly for a moment and thought about this one. Professor, each of those tree's can be used to craft wands from. Then he lowered his hand to think a little more about the second question that Jenkin's had asked. To answer you second question, is it because the wood from trees possess magical properties that can make magic stronger. That's why wands were made for wizards right? Wandless magic is really hard to perform. If you use runes on wood does that have the same effect that wands have on magic?

Zhenya looked and saw the fruit trees and raised her hand, "Professor I don't think it's because fruit is important for us to eat, but maybe the fruit tree wood has special properties? And with wood, it is lighter than things like clay, and you can get such good patterns from it, you can varnish it or put oil into it, they might last longer, and perhaps they have a deeper earth meaning," she explained.

She suddenly wanted some fruit.

Alyssa pondered on the question looked back at the trees behind her and thought again before she raised her hand,"Professor could it be because those trees are most suited for rune making. Apple is best suited because the wood mixes poorly with Dark Magic. Rowan because it is more protective than any other wood, Maple is most suited for travellers and explorers, Oak because it has an infinity with the magic of the natural world, and Willow because it has healing powers. As for the second question, I believe that you prefer to make a rune set out of wood, because it is basically the only element that is made out of a living thing. Plus didn't Odin get stuck on the World tree and it was there that he found enlightenment and where he carved the runes into it or something like that? " Alyssa hoped that her answer at least made a little sense. At least she did remember part of the story the Professor had told them last lesson.

Vickers was actually puzzled but nonetheless welcomed the atmosphere of a mini orchard rising at the back of the class. He was still feeling his way about the subject, and this time has dragged along a few more books from the library along with his issued text. He bit his inner lip as he turned to look at the trees standing proudly behind them. Why those trees? And why did the Professor prefer to use wood? These were actually the questions he was hoping the Runes man would explain himself, but now they were offered the chance to take a wild guess.

After a moments hesitation, the Ravenclaw raised his hand "Professor, Wood has always been a preferred rune-making material, other than the ease of carving runes into them, wood has been known for its durability. Also using wood has special historic significance to Odin, when he first breathed life into the Ash tree, and rune-making is considered a tribute to this event, kind of like recreating this ritual of breathing life to your runes. "

He paused for a moment, as he gathered his thoughts about the significance of those particular trees "Professor, perhaps those trees are there since they represent the four elements-- water, fire, earth and air. In druid lore each of those trees represent a certain element-- Apple wood is known to represent Air, Willow wood represents water, Oak wood represents fire and Maple wood represents earth. Rowan wood.... uh druid lore says represents earth as well but some sources says its fire."

Jory raised his hand. "Sir, is it because those trees are the best suited one for making runes?'' he said. After some more thought, he answered the second part. "Some of he trees may have properties that may be valuable to protecting the rune.''

Kurumi glanced back at the trees in the back of the room, studying them for a moment. She had already know from the moment that she had walked in that she had no idea why those trees were there besides perhaps having some sort of connection to Celtic mythology...perhaps. Kurumi shook her head and picked up her quill instead to take diligent notes on her classmates' responses and anything that Professor Jenkins may say. Some of her classmates knew....a lot. Runes had never been the Gryffindor's best subject, unless it was simply reciting facts and meanings from the book.

Not feeling like she could contribute anymore, Kurumi continued to listen and take notes.

Well, Amelia found this question harder than the last one had been, but she still wanted to try answering it. She looked back on what she had learned about trees and then raised her hand. "Well, the trees here have magical properties. So if the wood was used to make Runes, the Runes would carry the properties as well. It's the same as with wands. These trees make wands as well, and the wands carry the magical properties." And if that wasn't the right answer, she was not sure what else could be.

Beatrice raised her head from the parchment and looked at the Professor. When he asked them the first question, she wanted to answer since she also had some ideas to contribute but later on, more and more of her classmates had spoken up so she declined, given the fact that her own idea was quite similar to theirs. She just couldn't find the whole sense of repetition. So she took out her parchment and quill and started taking down notes. Wood, stone and clay.. Rune tablets were basically made from those.

Then unto the next question. Beezus took a quick look around the room at the trees. They sure helped a lot in easing her nerves, so maybe that was the importance of it? Answers poured in, a lot were the same and more were once again having the same idea as her. With that, she continued jotting down the significant points they gave.

Taylor raised her hand, "Doesn't each tree have a different energy? Also isn't the runes more powerful in wood since it is a living thing and is natural?" She wasn't too sure about her answers.

Daichi had quickly taking out his writing material from his school bag when the class had started. He dipped his quill in the ink and looked at the Professor. The first question was easy but Daichi forgot to raise his hand to answer as he was looking at the big trees in the back.

Shaking his head, Daichi quickly looked to his right to look at Beezus answer and wrote it down himself.

The second question was a bit harder. Daichi bit his lip as he thought about an answer but the more he thought the more his thoughts went towards the duck pond and soon he was smiling almost stupidly as he saw a cute little ducky waddling in his mind. But as his mind had taking him somewhere else than class, he had not heard his classmates saying a few good answers.

So when he shook his head, Daichi was confused and tried to see the answer from the second year Ravenclaw by leaning towards her.

"Hmmm..or maybe because tablets made of wood are lighter than stone-made, thus making it easier to carry around?" Beezus whispered to herself when she was finished listening to another one of her classmates giving her own answer. Beezus then wrote down that answer on her parchment; adding the already long list of answers.

Just as she was finished, she noticed someone breathing a bit too close on her left. And when she turned around.. O_________O Beezus froze for a bit. What in Merlin's underpants was this Slytherin third year student doing?! He was leaning too close for comfort! "D-daichi..what the hell are you doing?" she tried to ask calmly.

What was she whispering? was she whispering the answer to him?

Oh what a thoughtful girl! Daichi leaned in even more closer as he tried to listen but he jumped a little when she suddenly turned around. O_______O

Getting passed the shock of Beezus turning around all of the sudden he listened to her stuttering question and he snorted a bit. What was he doing? "I was trying to give you a kissyyyy" he whispered as he pouted his lips. Weirdo much? yes.

Leaning back and away from the obviously shocked Ravenclaw he laughed quietly and hoped the Professor had not heard them. "No, i ..i didn't know the answer so i ..tried to read yours but..your handwriting is so small!" he whispered again and puffed his cheeks.

Come again? He was whaaaaaaaaat?! Trying to give her a kisssyy? A KISS? Now she was freezing because her intestines suddenly became stiff and she was also blushing, yeap..she could feel her cheeks burn at what he just said. No one. No one in the entirety of the whole Magical Realm had ever attempted to kiss her, not even her cousin! "Whh---I.." the young eaglette was about to reply to his earlier statement when he added the REAL reason he was leaning close.

It certainly made her quite relieved. "OH!" Beezus exclaimed, breathing heavily. "You..you could've just asked me you know. I'm just jotting down answers from our classmates and some of mine as well.." she added as she nipped her lip lightly.

Minerva put her hand up not really knowing the answer, but having a guess. "Professor tree's bark is a good place to get wood for making the rune and wood would be easier to carve and make things out of then the other materials. Plus it is easier to find a tree then the other materials.

Ella raised her hand. "Professor, perhaps the trees are important and good for runes because they are connected to the land-to nature. Maybe this gives the runes added power?"

Why were the trees were special? Indiana actually saw nothing special about the trees. They were trees? Wasn't that all. Seriously? She looked a little blank, as she stared at the trees for a few moments, before turning around to face the Professor again. She didn't get this at all. "Because they are pretty?" Well. The trees were really pretty. That must be it. Runes had to pretty, so you wouldn't want to use ugly trees to make pretty runes. That made perfect sense to Indiana. That had to be the answer totally. "And....each tree is a different type of tree." Again which was a bit weird. But oh well. "And maybe different trees can be used for different runes, because they mean different things?"

August sat quietly in his chair until Professor Jenkins had begun the lesson, then he listened to the first question, which was a review before speaking up. When the other students had quieted down, the Gryffindor answered the second question.

"Professor, were they all chosen because they are relatively soft woods that could be widdled and fashioned into a rune set easier than tougher woods?" He made the suggestion hoping that it was at least close to being right. "And I've heard that the more 'Earth-like' and natural the medium you chose to make your runes, the more perceptive and accurate their readings will be."