Shannon, eager to get started, gets to the lake as quickly as her legs will carry her.

Nadia arrives just after, taking her supplies with and her and managing to write everything that had been said at the same time.

"Last time we studied Apantomancy and Xylomancy in the Forbidden Forest. Today we shall we studying Hydromancy. Now, can anyone tell me specifically what that practice entails?"

As she sees more students arriving, she waves to them and urges them to sit near the edge of the lake. The group are huddled toward the end of the lake where it filters off into small deltas. Scatter rocks are all around and she nods approvingly as some choose to sit on them."

Three stones are dropped into a pool of water, one at a time. The first must be round, the second must be triangular and the third must be square shaped. The diviner must study the patterns of the ripples in the water as the stones are dropped and look for images or reflections that can be interpreted.

"Hydromancy (Hi-dro-mancy): Water-Scrying and other kind of magic involving water." Nadia said.

"You're both equally correct. 5 points to each of you." With a wave of her palm, the teacher summons a sack that had been sitting inconspicuously just behind her. With a would-be click of her fingers, the rope around the bag unties and the contents are revealed. Inside are many round, triangular and square stones.

*raise hand* I heard there are several methods oif hydromancy. The first method described depicts a ring hanging by a string that is dipped into a vessel of water which was shaken. A judgment or prediction is made by the number of times which the ring strikes the sides of the vessel.

A second method is when three pebbles are thrown into standing water and observations are made from the circles formed when the objects strike the water.

The third method described depended upon the agitation of the water, this custom was prevalent among Oriental Christians of annually baptizing that element, at the same time as taking especial care to show that the betrothment of the Adriatic by the Doge of Venice had a wholly different origin.

A fourth method used colors of the water and figures appearing in it by which Varro stated that many prognostications were made concerning the Mithridatic War. This branch of the divination proved so important that it was given a separate name and there arose from it the divination of fountains whose waters were frequently visited. Among the most famous were the fountains of Palicorus in Sicily which destroyed many a criminal who testified falsely before them. A full description as to their usage and virtue was give by the Roman philosopher Microbus (c. 345-423 AD).

"That's very observant of you Nadia, 10 points for your contribution."

She opened the bag further and the contents fell out.

"Alright, each of you please take a circle, triangular and square stone, for the moment. Don't do anything with them yet. If they're dirty use a scourring charm to clean it. It's important that they are clean as any trace of dirt could affect the result of the prediction given by the stones."

Shannon takes three stones from the bag. They are very dirty, so she aims her wand at them and says "Scourgify" to clean them. Then she goes and sits on the edge of the lake and waits for instructions.

Serena took first a circular, then a triangular and a square stone from the bag. She used a scourring charm to clean them and then waited for further instructions from the professor.

Nadia took a deep breath, feeling lost of air after her speech. She went forwards to take a circular, triangular and square stone from the pile in the floor. She was careful to look for the best shapped - in her opinion - and each of a different color. Back to where she was standing before, so that the other students got the chance to go forwards and take their stones, Nadia took out her wand and casted Scourgify on them. She couldn't see traces of dirty but... just in case. Though by the sight of her hands they were cleaner in the floor....

-Afton gets 3 stones and makes sure they are clean. which they are-

Marcella saw Nadia frowning at her hands and suggested, "Perhaps you'd better dip them in the lake and clean them. Though be careful your hands are bone dry when you've finished. The same goes for the rocks, they must be bone dry and after being cleaned otherwise you'll risk altering the results in your predictions."

kagome gets up and takes her three stones

Nadia nods and puts her hands on the lake ---- eeek! Only seconds from screaming her head off at the coldness of it! She quickly dried them in her pants (do it all the time...) and then looked at her hands again.... well, her pants weren't clean either so it wasn't a lot better...

Titling her head, then rolling her eyes at her own stupidity, Nadia took her wand again and produced Scourgify on her own hands, the right on the left and the left on the right. Then she produced a feeble air-spell to dry her hands completely. Typical of her, to forget she is not a muggle. Taking her stones now she was clean, she repeated the process with her stones again, drying them even if they were aready dried. "It makes sense," she said, "'cause the water gives the stones more weight and seeing we are dropping them I'm guessing gravity is a major factor."

She turned now ready for the job, and she found Afton working to. She waved at her, smiling to greet her.

-Priya takes three stones from the pile and mutters"Scourigfy" and waits for more instructions-

"That's exactly it Nadia. Any water or dirt left upon the rocks can and will change the outcome if left on there. That's why i'm making sure you all clean and inspect them first. You must also all roll up your sleeves and inspect your hands too as any dirt transferred from them can interfere with the experiment too."

kagome sees her hands are a little dirty so she dipped them into the lake and driend them

Wanting to make sure her hands were perfectly dry, Shannon used the scourgify spell on her hands as well.

Nadia Wingardium Leviosa-ed her sleeves so not to touch her clothes which didn't look to clean, as stated before ( ), and performed the cleaning spell a couple of times more to be sure she was clean. Just in case. She managed to be ready in time to hear the professor next words.

'Standing' the Professor hovered over the students and examined their hands. Satisfied, she indicated for them to stand and placed each of them a little bit apart from each at different parts of the lake. "If you would prefer, you can collect water in one of the cauldrons provided. However, you should be aware that the use of one will also affect your outcome. You can do it both ways if you like, with cauldron and also dropping them straight into the lake."

She sat each student near the edge where the water was a little more than shallow. Deciding this was not enough, she stated, "If you wish to have a more accurate reading, roll up your trousers and remove your socks and shoes and paddle a little way into the water. Mind you don't go too far, the squib wont thank you if you disturb him!"

Shannon rolls up her sleeves and pant legs, takes off her shoes and socks, and steps gingerly into the chilly lake. After stepping out to her knees, she wishes she had chosen to use a cauldron instead as her toes turn to ice.

"Ok, what now?" she says thru chattering teeth.

Nadia titled her head. OH Merlin, if there was a cloth in her which was not clean for sure they were her socks! How to remove both her shoes and them without touching it? With Wingardium Leviosa woldn't be that easy... Well, she started with the trousers, lifting them up and managed to tuck them in so they wouldn't fall. She could easy took her shooes, actually, by only pressing one foot onto the back of the other's shoes and stepping out -- common way to take her shoes out for her. Mmh, now her socks.... this would be difficult, she thought, seeing taking them off wasn't as easy as moving it. Then she had an idea. She would Accio both socks, of course! The pull would be enough to take them out and without having to sit on the muddy ground.

"Ready!" She stated proudly.

-Afton pulls off her socks and shoes and rolls up her pant legs. she then wades a little bit out, waiting for more instructions-