Tiara didn't notice anything off about Angel Valentine when the girl entered. She received a cheerful, "Hello, my dear," as she normally would.

"Ah, good day yourself, my dear. Any seat," she said, indicating the almost completely empty classroom.

"And a good morning, yourself!" Smart, that one, taking a seat close to the warmth.

"Welcome welcome, take a seat anywhere."

Ah, Jace. She liked seeing her - well, they were just Ravenclaws now, she supposed. She really needed to get that through her mind. No matter, she was glad he was here. "Good morning!" she replied back heartily.

With a smile on her face, Tiara greeted another of her brightest pupils. "Miss Guidry. Always glad to see you, dear," she said warmly.

"Oh hello, dear. Welcome, any seat is just fine." Though the seats were finally starting to fill up a bit now.

At first she had thought he was angry, but then she realized his arms were folded that way to keep warm. This she understood perfectly well. "Come on in, the fire is warm and inviting!"

Hmm. Quiet today. Hopefully she was just tired and not unwell. "Morning, Miss Lynch." Tiara would be keeping an eye on her today, that was certain.

"You do indeed, if a bit stiff from the cold. Nothing an invigorating lesson cannot cure!" And she meant that, too.

"Good morning, fine sir!" she greeted the young lion. She was always happy to see Zeke.

Normally Tiara was a fairly understanding person, but for some reason this remark just rubbed her the wrong way today. She pursed her lips and stopped herself from making an unkind reply and instead simply replied with, "It seems to me that the room is not quite built for that particular activity, my dear. We had better stick with Arithmancy." And that was all she planned to say about that topic.

"Ah, Miss Kittredge. Good morning, find a seat anywhere you would like."

Oh, the head girl! Excellent. "Miss Mancini, hello. Welcome to class."

She chuckled at his informal greeting. "Hey yourself!" And with a name like Tenacius, why not?

"Good day, m'dear!" she said, falling into the same informal vernacular she had used herself.

"Good morning, if a little bit chilly!" she said, wrapping her robes a bit tighter around herself.

Yes, another Greigngoth. Tiara had not been teaching at Hogwarts during the majority of their presences, but she had heard plenty of stories. Hopefully this young girl would write her own history rather than stay in her family's shadow. "Hello, dear. Take a seat, we are about to begin."

Originally Posted by hpluvr037

"Good morning, fine sir!" she greeted the young lion. She was always happy to see Zeke.



So it was starting to warm up now that bodies were in the room. Tiara knew she herself would have no problem with the chills once things got rolling. She was in constant motion during her lessons, and that got the blood flowing. As for the students, well... they wouldn't be sedentary for long, anyhow.

"Alright, settle in, everyone," she called to bring the class to order. "We have a lot to do today, so I plan on getting right into things. Family Name Number: what is it, and how does one find it?" She looked around expectantly especially at her older students. They should have at the very least heard of this concept. And, they should also know by now that she did not want their answer in textbook-ese language, either.

Originally Posted by hpluvr037

Normally Tiara was a fairly understanding person, but for some reason this remark just rubbed her the wrong way today. She pursed her lips and stopped herself from making an unkind reply and instead simply replied with, "It seems to me that the room is not quite built for that particular activity, my dear. We had better stick with Arithmancy." And that was all she planned to say about that topic.


So it was starting to warm up now that bodies were in the room. Tiara knew she herself would have no problem with the chills once things got rolling. She was in constant motion during her lessons, and that got the blood flowing. As for the students, well... they wouldn't be sedentary for long, anyhow.

"Alright, settle in, everyone," she called to bring the class to order. "We have a lot to do today, so I plan on getting right into things. Family Name Number: what is it, and how does one find it?" She looked around expectantly especially at her older students. They should have at the very least heard of this concept. And, they should also know by now that she did not want their answer in textbook-ese language, either.

"It is based on your surname, yes," she nodded. And the basic explanation of the process was there as well. This was a very knowledgeable first year! Sometimes Tiara wondered how these first year students knew so much.. she certainly had not been that student, but she had not come to Hogwarts until fourth year, so she was hardly a normal case.

A very good question from a very good student. But before Tiara could answer, a second very smart student jumped in and touched on the same subject.

"Miss Guidry is correct," she said to Tenacius. "The family name number tells you what traits you were exposed to or inherited from your family, whether through biological relation or through marital association." Tiara had picked up little quirks from Jason's family, and they hadn't even been married five years yet.

Tiara nodded. "Yes, you must also reduce the sum you refer to, but your basic premise is correct." And actually, the vague quality of his answer worked well. "And you are correct not to refer to a specific family member. The calculation takes into account the legacy of generations."

See, Tiara actually liked to see students that were completely lost. Not because she was cruel, but because that meant their horizons were about to be broadened. After all, learning was what her job was all about!

The professor chuckled at the young man's response. "No, Arithmancy is hardly ever about just picking whatever one desires. I am sure your father has a reason for his fascination with the number five, I just do not know exactly what it would be.." And she stopped there. Because as a logical, numbers-oriented person, she just could not condone gambling with its ridiculously low odds or winning.

She nodded at the reference to the master numbers. "Indeed, people seem to always forget about the master numbers, for some reason." And considering they were master numbers, she had never really understood that.

Oh, had anyone mentioned that last connection yet? Tiara couldn't remember. "And your spirit is molded by the influence of those who come before you, yes." It was the whole 'nature versus nurture' argument. But Tiara sort of figured whether it is nature or nurture, either way it's your parents' fault.

Hmm. She appreciated Rachel's response, but the last part was quite a bit off topic. "Master numbers are a bit far afield from today's topic, but I would be happy to speak with you outside of this class about it, Miss Watson," she finished with a smile. It was not a telling off: on the contrary, she encouraged questioning, as it was how intellectual curiosity was aroused. But time was short today, and she wanted to make sure they had enough time for their activity.

Birth date? "Perhaps you are thinking of the birth day number? The family name number does not make use of one's date of birth, but it does help describe who were are and our capabilities."

Not much new here, but that was hard to do when so many others had given their take before. "Correct, Miss Valentine. And sometimes people do not like what it says about their family, but then that provides growing opportunities."

Tiara would be keeping her eye on this one just to see how she was doing. It had been a difficult ordeal for her, and the professor was worried about her.


Oh dear. "Here, dear." With a wriggle of her wand, a chair appeared out of thin air.

Originally Posted by Scorpio Vulpeculae

Shortly after, the lesson began. He wasn't about to pretend to know what the professor was on about with her question about family numbers. Instead he took out his notebook and quill, jotted a quick note "We need to talk" and tore out the page. Swinging back on his chair legs, he scrunched the note into a ball, and pegged it at Noelle further down the row. It clipped her on the shoulder and rolled onto her desk. He hadn't bothered signing it, he knew she'd recognise the handwriting.

Originally Posted by hpluvr037

"According to this, the Tanner family has empathy, generosity, and artistry. And in general, I can say this is true." She had yet to meet many of her relations on this side, but she had heard of them, of course. "Now, it is time for all of you to calculate your own family name numbers! The letter-to-number conversions are found in chapter two of your text, and the family name number meanings are in chapter twenty-seven." Have at it!