Friday, September 8, Period 2

The prophecy classroom looks much the way it did on Monday, with the comfy chairs and lounge-like atmosphere. The tea table today is filled with small crust-less sandwiches, and of course more cookies. And tea, obviously.

"Welcome to the lab portion of our prophecy class. Since all of you are required to attend the regular class, I’m not going to repeat most of the material we discuss there. What we’ll be doing in the lab is actually utilizing the theories and skills we discuss in class, in a safe environment. I do understand that some of you possess particular abilities in the arena of divination, while others of you do not. The point of the lab exercises is not to determine whether or not you’re able to produce a ‘real’ prophecy, but to assess the improvement of your understanding of the skills and methodology involved. Now, for the first couple of lab sessions, we'll be discussing methodology and safety. I'd also like to ask you to find a lab partner for the term. You'll be responsible for keeping an eye on your partner during the hands-on exercises, so that if anyone should require assistance, we'll know immediately." He paused to look around the room at the students, making a quick assessment of how comfortable or nervous each one looked. "Today we'll be talking about the basic techniques we'll use in the hands-on exercises, and about safety precautions."

Lecture:
"Each style of divination has its own associated skills, whether they be something as simple as making tea, or as complex as understanding the patterns and movements of the celestial sphere. But there are a few commonalities. First, you need to be comfortable and relaxed. Second, you need to be in a place where you feel safe and secure. Third, it's always best if you can use your own materials. Borrowing another seer's cards, charts, what have you is going to mean that their residual signature will still be present. A diviner's tools should be their own, just as a master violinist wouldn't borrow another's instrument, or a professional chef keeps his own knives.

Lastly, someone else needs to know that you're practicing divination. Perhaps it sounds silly, that you need to alert a friend when you're planning on doing a bit of palm reading. But what if you happen upon a particularly powerful reading, or if it's accompanied by visions or creates a physical side effect, or if it's especially disturbing? Amateurs and fakes may play around at reading tarot cards at slumber parties. What we're talking about in this class, is real, practical divination. And I think those of you who have already had experience with such things, can attest to the others here just how important it is to take your comfort and safety seriously. Which leads me to our next topic: safety."

"The safety guidelines I'm going to lay out for you are for the work we'll do in this lab, but they ought to apply to any serious divination work you might do in the future. I've already mentioned a couple of points: be someplace you feel is secure, and have someone else on alert. For this lab, I'll be securing and warding the classroom for you, and I'll also be monitoring you while you work. A second safety rule that we'll be following is a ban on the working of all other magics during divination exercises. We want to be certain there are no outside energies manipulating or interfering. Some forms of divination demand nothing of the seer except interpretation, but others can be a drain physically and psychically, and leave the seer open to negative reactions to or effects from other mystical events."

Another pause, this time to allow the class to absorb the information and take a break from being lectured at.

"All right. Now, I'm going to let you have a couple of minutes to think about any questions you might have."

Standing up from his chair, Aziraphale walked a slow circle around the perimeter of the classroom, checking the foundations of the wards he'd placed before the class began. Once he reached the point where he'd begun, he fed a bit of energy into the wards, raising them to create a shield. Then he took his seat once more.

"All right then. Questions?"

Class Project and Homework:
"Part of your final grade will be a class project. For this project, you will perform a lab experiment on our own time outside of the lab sessions -- time in the "lab" must be scheduled with me. You will carry out the experiment and compose a short paper detailing the methodology, results and interpretation. A project proposal should be submitted at the end of the third week of class. Projects will be due at the second to last lab session. Again...the accuracy of your results is not as important as demonstrating the ability to follow the proper procedures and to interpret your project.

Now, for your homework: Find a lab partner to work with. Meet outside of class, and find out about each other, particularly any prophetic or divinatory abilities he or she has, and what he or she hopes to take away from participating in the lab. Be prepared to tell the rest of us a bit about your lab partner next week."

A note about the wards: This serves two purposes. First, to keep out any outside interference, stray magical energies, etc that might be roaming about Fandom. Second, to keep in any stray magical energies or other accidental effects that might result from the hands-on exercises. The shield is invisible, although anyone with the ability to sense magic will notice it -- that notice ranging from a feeling of its presence to a visual manifestation, depending on the strength of the person's abilities. Also, anyone at all sensitive to mystical energies will feel a momentary but very strong flux of power as the wards are activated. The shielding is completely benign, does nothing except block and absorb energies and spells that try to pass through, and is completely under Aziraphale's control.


Syllabus
Class Roster
Class Linkdrop

[ooc: Please wait for OCD. OCD threads are now up.]