The professor sat placidly, small frame fitting nicely on her side of the cramped table. A crystal ball sat on the tabletop between Dido Bloom and her pupil, but the tool was not for her, not today.

"Don't be nervous," she reassured. "Just do your best!"

With examinations on the horizon, Dido had devoted the month of May to revision in her classroom, both practical and theoretical. While her own class examination would not require a practical component, it was important for the third- and fourth-years to keep thier skills, such as they were, as sharp as possible. For the fifth years, the practical component of their Ordinary Wizarding Level necessitated the practice of their divination abilities. Today: the crystal ball.

As the students had paired off, their ordinarily nice, even number was down by one—one of the third years, Dido had been told in a shy whisper, was indisposed, and the witch had known with a sudden certainty, as well as she knew her own name, that the girl was indeed suffering her first monthly cycle. Rather than the awkwardness of a group of three, Dido had volunteered herself to partner with the odd student out, not realizing at the time—or, indeed, now—that this bore its own brand of awkwardness as well.

Her smile was an encouraging one as she waited for her pupil to begin, doing her best not to allow the somewhat stilted, quiet conversation around them to distract her.