Basic Lesson 2 Tea Leaves, an Introduction

Zara stretched out in her chair in the Divination Classroom. It sucked that she had been given this dead end job, but hey, better then Herbology. She hated plants. The fire was glowing behind her, more for the sole purpose of making everyone in the room uncomfortable, then to give them any help. The windows were closed, and the same old scarves lay over the lamps. This was how she had been introduced to Divination her third year, so she thought she might let them learn the same way.

The old teacher had gotten the boot, and Zara had been called in by some of her fellow... friends. She wasn't a teacher, but she didn't think it would be to hard, tell them to swirl a cup and then pretend to know what it meant, easy right? The advanced kids would just be doing things by themselves anyway, though of course she'd have to learn a FEW Things, but that didn't bother her at all. She was Zara Ellis, and she really didn't care.

Zara was dressed today in a standard back cloak, with knee high Dragon hide boots. Her hair was curled and framing her face and she was constantly checking in a mirror on her desk to make sure it stayed perfect. She may be a teacher, but it didn't make her old. She was only 24 after all. Zara heard the bell that signaled the end of the last class and knew that her first class of Basic students would be here soon. Great, time to be a teacher.

She pointed her wand at the trapdoor and the ladder slid down to bump into the hallway with students in it. Letting them into her first lesson at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, well.. this was going to be....

Fun.

Ezra padded into the room, slowly looking about and taking a gander at some interesting books that were piled upon one of the desks by a previous occupant. Most likely not the teacher, who was different from the one he had before. That was odd. A different teacher already? What was wrong now? Certainly no one knew of this and neglected to tell him. At least, he thought that. Who would neglect to tell him such a thing. Such an important thing. At least the climb up on the ladder was fun. Not that this class might not be fun, but he didn't really know what was going to happen with this new teacher. Would she like him? Would she hate him? So many questions.

Selwyn only took this subject because he'd managed to fudge decent marks for four years in a row. Any class where you could make things up rather than study was a class worth the effort. Even if that effort was minuscule.

At the top of the tower, everything was weird looking. There was a fire in the hearth and all the flimsy scarves around the place gave the room an eerie glow. This teacher really liked her mood lighting. Maybe it was because she was so hot? Maybe she was used to working in a more... how shall we say intimate environment?

Whatever. Selwyn didn't mind having a looker teaching him for a change. He might just be overcome with a severe case of moronics and need to be privately tutored if her personality was as fetching as her hairdo.

There was a gryffindor in the corner. It was tempting to go push him out of his seat just for the fun of it, but the new miss mightn't like that. Then again, she might like it a lot; there were a lot of death eaters about lately.

In the end, Selwyn settled for looming over the other boy menacingly.

"You're in my chair."

Mmm, now THIS was where a teacher could have some fun. A kid had walked into the room, and he was a looker alright, not the Gryffindor, but the Slytherin boy. The little stupid looking Gryffindor was hiding in a corner, and the Slytherin, instead of picking any of the number of empty chairs, went to his instead. The rest of the class flowed into the room, but Zara kept her attention on the two in the corner. Once everyone was in, Zara flicked her wand and the trapdoor banged shut. "Good morning children, I am Professor Ellis.." She said carefully, as though pretending to be misty and sweet, then she grinned, and the hot room seemed to go chill for a second.

"As you can see, your previous Professor isn't here, and I am not a substitute, for she has gotten the sack, and I am your new teacher." Zara said lightly. "I have been given a list of what I must teach you this year, but I may just disregard this, I have yet to edit it to my liking. Today we shall be studying Tea Leaves.." She said lightly, and went to her desk again, picking up a book. "I am not going to pretend to enjoy this class, and if any of you step out of line.. well lets just say I have a very good detention in store." She said with a grin, before pointing towards the cups on the shelf with her wand. "Everyone... grab a cup from the self, and fill it with the tea that is sitting on each of your tables... follow the instructions in your book for how to read it.. if you have any questions, ask your neighbor." She said with a smirk.

"Tomorrow, I want a full page report on whether you could make out anything in the tealeaves at all. Include a short paragraph summerizing the chapter on Tea leaves, and include one personal quote from the author... well get to it, get your cups!" She said and sat down behind her desk, picking up a book and starting to read.

[You Assignment: Post your reaction to Zara and write what you are doing in her class, make things up for you tea leaves if you wish.
Optional: Write a 2 paragraph essay, with the criteria she asked for. I will give house points to the people who put a quote of Professor Trawlany's class in Book Three]

Ezra looked up, "Oh am I? Well, isn't one seat just as good as any other seat, or do I actually have to move?" He rolled his eyes, and looked forward at the teacher. As she gave instructions, he listened closely. Tea leaves were fun, and he liked that sort of thing. He poured himself a nice cup of tea. The leaves from said cup of tea seemed to form something rather...interesting. What appeared to be antlers was formed at the bottom of the cup. He looked in the book, and saw that antlers = accident. It happened.

There was some books strewn on a part of the floor by a careless student. Ezra tripped over one and knocked over his tea cup which shattered near his hand. He cut up his hand pretty badly, getting blood all over himself and the shards. He passed out from the pain. He needed medical attention, and quick.