September 7th, 1890 — Divination Classrom

Her NEWT-level group was smaller than her OWL-level one, which provided the opportunity for one-on-one attention. Edna was determined to offer her OWL-level students more interactive lessons than prior professors while also ensuring the NEWT-level students would have new things to learn, so lesson-planning quickly became more complicated than originally intended. In the end she had settled on tarot review and spreads for their first lesson, as it provided a good foundation of the subject as a whole and would—hopefully—improve their analytical thinking skills before they delved into more abstract subjects.

"I hoped to start today's lesson with tarot spreads. You will work individually at your desks, and once everyone has been given ample time to decipher their spread's meaning I will come around to ask questions," she instructed, holding up an example deck for the students to see. "We will be using the fifth-six-card Tarot of Marseilles that we discussed in last week's lesson. Take your time, and think carefully—I will be giving house points for thoughtful answers."

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Instructions (casual theft from MJ <3)

— Post once with your character flipping their cards into a three-card spread (past, present, and future).
— I will post the three cards and tag your character. A list of their meanings can be found here.
— Respond with an analysis. Points will be awarded regardless of accuracy.
— Can do multiple characters at a time!

Ruby Urquart Opal Boggart Justice Rookwood @"Jemima Farley" plus anyone not listed on the roster!

  

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— absolutely DIVINE set by MJ —

Ruby already adored Professor Shacklebolt. They had met over the summer and had had an instant connection. It was a pity that she came to Hogwarts when Ruby was leaving it. Ruby felt that she would have been a great support back then, when Ruby's world had been turned upside down.

She wasn't using her handmade spread for this lesson. It was based on a different tarot spread.

She focused on herself and her vibrations and did a brief breathing exercise to get in alignment with the universe. Then, when she felt like she was in alignment, she let her hands guide her to three cards.

  

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set by MJ

"What do you make of your cards, Miss Urquart?"


(page of coins) | (nine of wands) | (the moon)

Ruby Urquart

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— absolutely DIVINE set by MJ —

"Page of coins* is generally considered the students' card. It signifies the beginning of a new activity, the pursue of a goal." Ruby thought how that related to her own past. "I discovered my love for Divination a few years ago. I never thought that it would become a passion of mine. I think that's the part of my past this card is pointing to."

"Nine of wands... It shows up to people who have an ongoing struggle. It signifies that they're in the middle of their journey. It's an introspective card, it calls you to think back to what you have overcome, learn from your past failures, and such. It also has a hopeful note, as it holds a promise that things are going to be looking up." Ruby felt somewhat uncomfortable about this card. Everyone in the classroom knew what setbacks she had had in her life. There was no point not addressing this, she supposed. "We all know what struggles I had in regards to my family... This card is telling me that the worst is past me and that I should take this lesson and go forward. Better things are probably coming, but let's see my final card..."

Ruby's heart somewhat dropped. She associated the moon with her sister, even if the card didn't necessarily mean 'You'll be turned into a werewolf'. "Even if nine of wands is holding the promise that better things are coming, I am still insecure. The moon urges us to think more clearly. To not let insecurity consume us. I suppose that I am anxious about the future and that is clouding my thoughts and my judgment. The moon urges me to focus on my thoughts, perhaps my dreams, and to not let this... cloudiness consume me. I need to work on achieving clarity and shedding away judgments."

Ruby knew that she had the tendency to expect the worst. As such, she was prejudiced that everyone wanted to harm her and that no good would come out of anything.

"Of course, the tarot never gives us a set future. I believe that what this spread is trying to tell me is that I should take the lessons and tools I have gained and use them to achieve clarity in the future."




*Google kept showing me results for Page of Pentacles, so I'm going with what those sites were saying.

  

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set by MJ

So far, Professor Shacklebolt seemed rather nice. Jemima was especially relieved to have a new Divination professor, if only because Professor Carmichael had been there for her diary debacle, and it had been quite difficult to ever look him in the eye again, after that. She worried a little about people who could See the future perhaps being equally perceptive about the present, but who knew.

Best focus on the task at hand, and hopefully make a good impression. (For once.) With a deep breath and closed eyes (- Divination did not feel right to her unless she was being suitably dramatic -), Jemima selected her cards and turned them over into the desired spread.

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Edna smiled brightly at the Gryffindor. "A very thorough explanation. Five points to Gryffindor, Miss Urquart," she said, proud to know at least one of her peers had been studying their tarot meanings.

Next she turned to Miss Farley. The Hufflepuff seemed sweet, though there had been murmurs about her in the staff room when she'd first read her name off the roster. "Let's see what your cards have in store for you," she offered, and peered down at the spread.


(eight of swords) | (wheel of fortune) | (two of cups)

@"Jemima Farley"

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* Ruby Urquart - I've listed a link to the cards in my first post. The pentacles is actually an entirely different suit from a different deck, so the meanings differ. I chose an ~ancient foreign~ deck over the modern Raider Waite deck because it doesn't exist in 1890 haha.

  

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— absolutely DIVINE set by MJ —

It was strange coming into class and no longer seeing Professor Carmichael. He'd been the divination professor as long as she'd been here, so to walk in to the classroom now was much like it had been her third year except this time she had a prior notion for how and where things ought be done or go. She didn't immediately dislike Shacklebolt, but it was certainly odd. Years of routines gone. And it didn't hurt that Carmichael had been nice to look at.

Still, class was starting and she found herself not minding that Shacklebolt jumped right in rather than spend the day lecturing as she had the week before. It was easily enough to put her in a good mood as she turned the deck before her. With a lot less fanfare than the two before her, she plucked out three cards - rather just pulling the cards her hands seemed to catch on rather than relying on any sort of mental draw. She'd found it worked better for her that way.

  

While waiting for Miss Farley to interpret her cards, Edna turned to Miss McGonagall and peeked down at her spread. "An interesting spread, don't you think?" she said, smiling, "How do you interpret it?"


(four of cups) | (temperance) | (ace of wands)

Demelza McGonagall

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— absolutely DIVINE set by MJ —

Jemima’s face fell slightly. “Eight of Swords, that’s something that tested me, a moment of close scrutiny in my past, a trial I went through.” She knew what that was, and she imagined most of the school did too. Sheepishly, she added in a mumble, “it might have been caused my own fears and insecurities.”

“As for the present,” Jemima hastened on, “the Wheel of Fortune suggests a big change, that I might be coming to the end of a turbulent time, because life naturally turns, through ups and downs. I think this must be because I’m in seventh year, coming to the end of my life at Hogwarts, facing the next big change in my life. Whether it’s for the better or worse, it’s natural - I have to go with the flow, but for now, maybe I can find clarity in this moment.”

The third card was always the most exciting part, and she looked on nervously at the Two of Cups. “Oh!” She exclaimed, suddenly more excited. “The two here suggests some kind of new partnership or union - I might find a new kindred spirit in my life, maybe even a romantic one!” She was facing graduation: maybe this was a good sign for her debut. (She hoped the rest of the class was hearing this, ha!) “It’s also a sign that I should express myself and my feelings,” - Merlin, because it had gone so well all those other times - “and commit myself, put my heart on the line.”

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"It is fitting, don't you think?" she asked with a cursory glance over Miss Farley's cards. "For your sake, I hope the cards speak truth. I've found, with most card readings, it is best to keep them in mind while you go about your daily life. The cards cannot bring us happiness, but they can point us in the direction. Five points the Hufflepuff," she said, smiling.

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— absolutely DIVINE set by MJ —