---

The initial weeks since the term had started Myrni had spent reviewing the core concepts that students had learned in their previous years taking Arithmancy. To the casual observer, it could be seen as very tedious and a waste of time, especially considering the fact that both the 5th Year and the 7th Year students were slated for their very important tests that year.

But the Arithmancy professor believed that the time spent reviewing was important. Primarily it allowed her to catch a glimpse on what they were taught by their previous instructor. She could assess their strengths and weaknesses and it allowed them all an opportunity to ease back into the difficult subject matter as painlessly as possible. She could then adjust her lesson plans accordingly so that the bulk of her focus would be on what would most help them be successful on their exams.

Overall, she was excited about the rest of the year and particularly about the class that morning. Presently, she was still in her office and when she glanced down at her watch, she saw that it was still a while (ten or so minutes) before the morning class of 7th Years was scheduled to start. Still, she had one more thing that she wanted to do to prepare before they arrived. Awkwardly reaching over across her desk from her seated position, she snatched a rather large rolled up piece of parchment. She slipped into her robes and then stood to her full height, heading out of her "office" and to the front of the classroom.

A few students started to trickle in as she unrolled the parchment and secured it on the board, smoothing it out so it would be clearly seen by all. She would leave it up the entire day so that after the 7th years left, the 5th years could see it. It didn't have a lot to do with the day's lesson, but she loved a little Arithmancy humor. Hopefully the students would enjoy checking it out before class actually started.


Myrni then stepped over to the podium that was set up front and opened the textbook that was there. She perched on the edge of the stool and started to read, pausing every now and then to look up and smile or greet the students as they entered and took their seats....

---

OOC Note: I apologize if this confuses those who read it and are like...."Hold the phone! 5th Years and 7th Years meet at different times and both have other classes before or after this one is scheduled that make it impossible to be together!" I do realize that. Aside from very beginning though, the content she'll be teaching on this day will be the same in both classes....so if you can wrap your head around that...if not, owel. It's my first one. Sue me.

Middle of the third week and the year was already starting to wear on Sasha as he slipped into the Arithmancy classroom and settled himself at his usual seat.  Second row - closest to the window.  The window offered him a convenient distraction should his mind require a break and the second row was close to the front of the class without being obnoxiously and blatantly front and center. 

But, luckily, from a social aspect, arithmancy was definitely one of the easier classes.  The myriad of numbers, memorization and (at times) tedium meant that most of the more impulsive students were less likely to take the class.  The more impulsive students were, usually, the ones Sasha had the most trouble with.  As a result, a class that, naturally, weeded out those students was, by default, high on Sasha's list of favorite classes.  Academically, Ancient Runes and Care of Magical Creatures topped his list but both had seen their share of drama during the start of the year. 

Sandwiched between transfiguration and divination, arithmancy represented an hour in the seemingly endless day.  The second of seven classes - a full schedule.  At least there was no astronomy.  Though Sasha had promised himself he'd try to get through the last of the problems in his 'extracurricular physics' homework before quidditch tryouts.  Hogwarts homework would have to wait until after Quidditch tryouts.  And, he'd been up until two the previous night struggling over a long list of French plu parfect verb conjugations.  With a deep sigh, Sasha took advantage of the few free moments before the rest of his class arrived and hunched over, resting his head on his bag. 

Josh walked into the 5th year arithmancy classroom, somewhat surprsied it was already the 17th. at this rate it won't be long until I head home for Christmas he thought. heading to a seat, he sat down, getting his stuff out, and setting it up for the lesson.

One of the benefits of her subject (at least to Myrni) was the likelihood for smaller class sizes. Fewer students took Arithmancy due to the nature of the subject and also because it was an elective. So unlike the more standard classes that every student was required to take, this one usually contained the students who had a genuine interest in numbers and exploring them.

This allowed for her to structure the class more informally. More discussions. More group work. More fun....which contrary to popular belief that it was to attain the favor of the students, was more to appease Myrni's restless nature.

Myrni looked up from the podium as the Fifth Years came into the class. The group would be slightly larger than the Seventh Years just before it, but it was still small enough to fit with her plans. She was excited for the opportunity to continue to learn more about them.

Even though the classes over the past few weeks had mostly been reviewing past core concepts, she was happy to see that the eyes of her students weren't glazing over in complete boredom.

Of course, the early hour of the class didn't mean some of them didn't look exhausted, like Mr. Schlagenweit looked right now.

 Myrni remembered all too well her own years as a student, with the course load and work reaching levels that often were hard to balance. Every professor had demands on one's time, all claiming that their subject was vital for one's success as magic. It was a constant battle of study, eat, sleep and maybe a few other activities tossed in there for good measure.

Not really wanting to interrupt Sasha's few moments of  "rest" before class started but also not wanting him to tempt falling asleep, Myrni lightly called out, "Only a few more days til the weekend. And then you can put this week behind you...."

Her voice trailed off as another student walked in and she smiled in greeting to him. "Morning, Mr. Harcroft." She watched as he set about readying his space in front of him.

Sometimes, Kit just didn't understand her own age group. Like how students in their ffth year at Hogwarts had not adapted to the days starting earlier than they might at home. (Kit was assuming this was the case; if she missed the sunsrise she was sleepinging in).  When her classmates were beginning a bleary eyed breakfast, Kit has just finished a lovely two hours of a crisp morning jog and some fencing practice. No,shedidn't expect the rest of Hogwarts to join in her schedule, but at least the older students could have the sense to wake up before five minutes until class started?

It was an old battle, and one she had all but given up trying to fight, thought it had never completely disspaeared from her thoughts, as Kit entered the classroom and saw Sasha napping. He was a Prefect though- perhaps he had been out late because of that. Well, it wasn't he business anyway. Ladies didn't pry nosily.

"Good morning Professor," Kit said politely when she entered the classroom. She took a seat and pulled out he notebook and quill designated for the lesson. She also carefully removed her white lace gloves and placed them in her bag. No matter ho careful she was, Kit had learned long ago that white lace attracted ink stains with a magnetic pull greater than almost any force known to mankind.

She was quite eager for the lesson to get on though not to finish. The end of Arithmancy meant the start of Divination, easily the longest and most tedious part of her day. Maybe one day there would be some sort of  magical "accident" in the classroom that would force them all to stay in past the Divination time slot. Kit would take an extra session of Arithmancy over the required Divination session every day of the week and twice on Sundays.

Myrni's attention was called away from the two male 5th years as Kit seemed to sail into the room, looking perky and and ready to tackle the world. For a moment, Myrni thought that the girl had managed to make the room a little brighter than it was. She went about taking a seat and pulling out her things and the professor watched with interest as she set about removing her gloves.

Eccentric little thing, she mused with some amusement.

Still with time to kill before other students would be deemed late, Myrni decided to engage Kit in some idle chit chat. "Good Morning, Ms. Branwell. I take it your week is going a little more smoothly? Anything of interest going on?"

Kit glanced up from her Arithmacy notebook when Professor Levartian called her name. The empty seats and her own internal clock told Kit it wasn't time for class. She had about a quarter of a heartbeat to decide if this was good or bad or inconclusive to the status of Kit and Professor Levartian relationship as pupil and student.

I take it your week is going a little more smoothly? Anything of interest going on?

Kit smiled slightly at the new professor.

"Why yes, thank you for inquiring," Kit said. "I've had a very productive morning, entire week actually, with schoolwork and personal hobbies. There's not really anything of particular interest going on right now. I suppose there's training for tournaments, but that's not anything new. Thank you for asking, Professor. What of yourself?"

Oh, perhaps she had said to much. The bit about a tournament could be seen as more than a bit self-praising and attention seeking. Not her intent at all, but she had had such a spectacular fencing sessions, that that bit had just spilled out of her mouth without passing through her usual checkpoints. Kit supposed it was a product of allowing her mind to wander and daydream on the winter tournament after her morning session.

No hope for it now. She would just have to hope Levartian wasn't completely put off by Kit's over-chatty mouth.

[Trent's Raggedy Robes]

Arithmancy... Really? Why on earth was Trent even attending these classes. The last thing he'd want to do is math. Or Ancient Runes, but the professor ended up being hot. Trent really doubted the Arithmancy professor would be as pretty, he wasn't even sure if it was a he or she. Trent just knew what time and where to go. But he regretted this thought once he step foot into the classroom. Yes, it was a she. And yes, she too was pretty. Trent was utterly disappointed this time. He wished they were some old man so he could just fall asleep to their voice. Like Mainwaring.

"Err..." Trent's mouth twitched before his creepy smile formed back onto his face. "Looks like I'm early for once." He glided over to a seat in the middle of the room and sat himself down. He still didn't want to learn Arithmancy, then again he didn't want to even be in school. But Hogwarts was better than home, and Lukas Quinn was... Dead. So there was no way for Trent to possibly quit school.

Then some Gryffindor started sputtering out her life story and Trent's smile fell into a small frown. "I hope Jasper is in this class." He thought before pulling out an old notebook that he used to use for Transfiguration. In other words, the notebook was empty. There was no one in the class to talk to at the moment...  Maybe Sasha, but that boy was a little off. Maybe more than a little as Trent squinted his eyes at the who boy seemed to be resting his head down. Who comes to class early so they could nap? That's why one comes to class late.

Trent finally stopped making dirty looks and leaned back in his chair. "I hope today will be as lovely as your hair, Professor." He gave a wink and his signature smile before snickering to himself. Trent definitely was a smooth operator.

Myrni listened as Kit spoke of her week and at the mention of tournaments, her brow shot up. She contemplated inquiring further, but opted not to. She always worried about the fine line between being friendly and too friendly with her students. But at the same time, her interest was genuine and even students could pick that up, right? Instead of getting too deeply entrenched in conversation, however, Myrni responded that her week had mostly been filled with lesson planning and doing other boring "teacher" things. After glancing down at her watch, she noticed that it was about time to start the class and stepped to the front of the class.

Myrni looked up to see a Seventh Year boy in Slytherin colored robes enter the classroom. She gave him a friendly smile as he mentioned being early and glanced at the student desks. "Yes. But that might not be very hard to do in this class." Myrni was about to turn away to pick up a sheet of parchment from the podium when she heard him speak again, this time with a charming compliment at hand. She chuckled  softly at it and quipped in return, "And let us hope that you're as witty with your academics as you are with your compliments...."

With that said, Myrni decided to get the class started. Clearing her throat, she began, "To cap off our review of your prior knowledge of core Arithmancy concepts, I'd like for you to work on a project that will get you right into manipulating those concepts that you'll need as we work towards the exams you'll be taking at the end of the year. Even though they are still a ways away, I'd like us to always keep them in the back of our minds as we move forward." Myrni made a small gesture, putting a couple of fingertips to her temple.

"You've all done exercises on your personal numbers from your previous years," she continued, beginning a leisurely pace up and down the rows of desks. "I'm sure we both loathe the idea of me giving you copious amounts of notes so instead I'd like you to review them in some other way. Sooo....using the basic concepts you have learned, I want you to theorize about how your arithmantic fortunes would be different if you had some other name."

Myrni paused and looked around at the group of students. "An example of this that I can offer comes from my own life. You see, my mother initially wanted to name me Emma or Ella. The reasoning and even the why behind the final choice of Myrni really is not important here, but the differences either of those names have compared to Myrni according to the numbers is quite fascinating. In terms my character number, with Myrni I am a one--considered a leader, self-sufficent and ambitious. As Emma, I would have been an eight--considered to be decisive, forceful and accomplished. And as Ella, I would have been a six--warm, nurturing and reliable." Myrni continued to walk and splayed her hands out to her side. "Quite the difference. Now some people do not take much stock in this; they find it hard to believe that who we are is impacted by something like this. But I find it very fascinating to think about. Feel free to include your thoughts on this in your project."

Myrni returned to the front of the room and clasped her hands together. "So, if you've ever wished you had been named something else or if you too have a story like mine where you almost had a different name, you can use that. And even if you do not, pick a name at random. For the rest of the class, you may work quietly with other classmates compiling data or brainstorming and then for our next class, each student will be presenting his or her findings. The manner in which you do so is up to you. For those who like writing, you may do an essay. For those who are more creative, you may present your findings in a more artistic means (as in a poster or a presentation in front of the class). You will be graded according to your effort."

OOC: Those who have still not arrived, feel free to join in. To be credited for this portion of the class, it is expected that you'll interact with the others in the class

---

Of course, in the few short moments between when he'd arrived in the class and when the class started underway, Sasha hadn't dipped into total sleep.  It was more of a quiet moment to allow (or force) his mind to settle more than anything.  He was still conscious - his ears still registered the arrival of other students and the shuffling of chairs but, by the time the professor's tone indicated the start of the lesson, Sasha's stress level had diminished considerably. 

He lifted his head and flipped his notebook open in front of him.  His mind was clearer and his focus more acute.  OWLs Sasha wrote at the top of the page before underlining it with a single, straight line.  More examination preparation.  It seemed the common trend of the year.  Review what they've learned and point out what they haven't gotten to next. 

How does name choice determine personality?  How would a different name change things?  Which is the chicken, which is the egg?  Sasha scribbled in his notebook.  Explore a personal experience and present in the next class. 

Group projects were, frequently, not Sasha's favorite.  He was rarely felt like he was amongst the 'first choices' for partners.   But, it was time to face the inevitable.  Sasha turned to the person closest to him and shrugged slightly.  "Do you need a partner?" he asked, awkwardly.

I know you gave us a quick reference, but I used that calculator for Trent's name and got some different results that actually sound like him. I hope you don't mind!

---

Trent raised his eyebrow at this... Group work? He was in a room full of fifth years. He really did not want to be apart of this... Whatever this was. So, he flipped open his book and read up exactly what he was suppose to do. Which was total bullocks, since he hated reading and doing work. But whatever the Professor was blabbing about actually seemed interesting. He scribbled down the strange math work in his notebook and then turned to the text to see what it meant.

"Five: Conceited, irresponsible, quick-tempered and impatient."

"I am not quick-tempered!" Trent burst out real quickly. Clearly not sensing the irony. He grumbled and leaned back in his chair. Whatever this teacher was trying to make them do was bullocks... But Trent WAS irresponsible... And impatient... And a bit conceited. He calmed down a bit. Perhaps this class wouldn't be so bad. Perhaps Trent finally found the subject that he liked.

"Okay... Maybe I am quick-tempered..." Trent murmured, nearly pouting.

Today was one of those days where Ava's head felt empty. There was nothing there - no emotion, no real desire to do anything of significance. It felt as though someone had blocked her brain and wasn't allowing her to access it, though she was still able to do things just as well as before. They just held no real meaning.

So she started working out her own number, unnaturally quietly for Ava and more mechanical that normal. Within one minute she had her number written on the parchment in front of her, the number circled swiftly with the nib of her quill. Four. When she looked it up, she saw that it meant she was hard-working, practical and rigid. She blinked. Rigid; that was about right. Instinctively her fingers flexed and one of her shoulders rolled around slightly as though she was trying to loosen herself up.

It didn't help, she felt just as tense as before. These numbers, those words, they meant nothing to her. There wasn't very much that meant anything to her at that moment, save trying to regain the ability to consciously make her own decisions instead of being forced like a marionette on a string.

"Do you need a partner?"

Ava looked up and saw Sasha asking the person next to him. "I do." she called up, a fleeting fraction of emotion passing her face. She felt like she needed to be with someone who would help her back into her normal state. And much as though she and Sasha didn't see eye-to-eye for the most part, he was her best hope. "If...that's ok?" she tried to smile weakly, but it looked more like a grimace.

The person sitting next to him glanced up and offered Sasha a polite smile before shrugging and gesturing towards the student on the other side of her.  Sasha nodded understandingly, turning back to his own notebook.  He didn't object to working independently.  In fact, it was usually faster, easier and more productive to work on his own.  But, just as he picked up his quill, he heard a familiar voice from a few seats away. 

Sasha looked up and turned towards Ava, startled by the response.  He blinked a few times before casting a quick glanced over his shoulder.  But, there wasn't anyone sitting behind him that she might have otherwise been talking to.  Everyone else was either partnered up or working independently.  She was still looking at him when he looked back - she had to have been talking to him. 

"I ... um - okay," Sasha said, his eyebrows furrowing in confusion.  It would have been more than rude to refuse the offer - especially in the midst of class.  Conceding to the fact that it had been he Ava Grosvenor had been talking to, he gathered his books and moved into an empty desk next to her.  "Have you figured out yours?"  Sasha asked, flipping his notebook open again. 

Sasha Rudolf Schlageneweit he wrote on his page.  After a few quick calculations in his head, he looked up.  "Seven," he announced, circling the number seven on his page.  Glancing up at the board, he shrugged.  "A unique, reliable, deep thinker.  I guess that's fitting.  So - do you think ... have you ever wanted to be named something else?  Or were supposed to be named something different?" He glanced up, awkwardly, at Ava before looking back down at the page.  "Unless, you have other ideas?"

She almost breathed a sigh of relief when he agreed - somewhat reluctantly, it seemed - to work with her. It was almost like he had considered arguing against the move, but decided just to give in. She straightened up slightly as he made his way over to her and sat on the desk next to her. She nodded when he asked her if she had worked her number out.

Listening to him explaining his, she completely agreed that it was very fitting. "Yes, that does sound like you." she stated quietly, stabbing the nib of her quill after the number on her parchment and creating a large blotch of ink where the nib met the leaf.

"I'm four." she said, wincing slightly, How odd, to refer to oneself as a number. "Hard working. Practical. Rigid." Her shoulders slumped ever so slightly as though it was just dawning on her how rigid she could be at times. Once again, the nib of the quill met with the parchment and she pulled it across the page slowly, leaving a smooth line underneath the number.

She continued to follow this path while Sasha asked if she was supposed to be named something else when she was born. She shrugged slightly. "My mother didn't even name me...my nanny did. My mum didn't care about my name. I'm just a girl." her eyes lifted up from the page and met with his and she smiled weakly. "Not worth the hassle."

Despite what common courtesy might dictate, Sasha couldn't help staring at the tip of Ava's quill as it tapped against her parchment.  His first assumption might have been that the gesture was one of careful thought and consideration.  That, after all, would be the most logical explanation for him if he were soiling his page.  But, the expression on her face didn't back that hypothesis.  He would never voice it aloud, for fear of offending her, but there was something about her expression that left him wondering how much she was really thinking. 

It was slightly unnerving.  And, a far cry from the confident - almost slightly arrogant girl that had plotted against him in the quidditch match and had taunted him on the train.  "Are ... are you alright?" he asked quietly, awkwardly.  It seemed he was hardly the one to be asking Ava Grosvenor that question.  But, he also had to consider, maybe this was just her when she was away from Vienna Pascal.

"Well, I - that's not always bad," Sasha offered, quickly when Ava seemed disappointed - or troubled - by her result.  He didn't have a clue if it was the hard working, practicality or rigidity that she wasn't thrilled about - or a combination of the three. 

"My mother didn't even name me...my nanny did. My mum didn't care about my name. I'm just a girl.  Not worth the hassle."

Sasha froze and stared down at his page.  This highly awkward conversation had quickly gone from bad to ... something.  He glanced sideways at Ava before licking his lips.  Why was she telling him this?  Was he supposed to say something?  The polite response - the one any etiquette manual would have encouraged - was to try to deny such a statement.  To try and cheer her up - even if he didn't have a clue.  Even if, for all he knew, she could just as well be understating things as much as overstating them.  And, however harsh what she said sounded, Sasha knew well enough it wasn't outside the realm of possibilities.  As much as Sasha tried to to turn a blind eye to it, Gerhard frequently expressed his disappointment in his first born being a girl.

"I'm sorry."  It was the default, standby response.  A wash and wear type comment.  "Our parents give us life but they don't dictate who we are.  We can always disagree."  He said it, but it was one hundred percent Jacoba's voice sounding in his head.  The statement was a startling contrast to what the topic of the class was.  "But, it sounds like your nanny cared.  I know it isn't the same, but it's something.  Human's have an advantage of being able to see family as something other than biology."  Jacoba's voice again. 

"I mean - I've never, you know, met my father.  I wouldn't know him if I passed him on the street.  Don't even know his name.  He, obviously, didn't care about my name but I still have family.  And, my stepfather cared about my sister's name, but she ended up changing the name her father gave her."  His own pen had started tracing nonsense shapes over his page out of thought and nervousness.  He just wasn't very good at this kind of thing.  And he knew, what he thought wouldn't really mean that much anyway.  But, just ignoring it felt wrong.