Introduction to Ancient Runes

[Professor Theda McBaine]

*Professor Mcbaine settled comfortably upon an oversized and overstuffed olive green and gold striped chair. She c.gif[/img] d up in the chair and withdrew her wand from her pocket and whispered an incantation as she pointed it at the floor before her. She smiled as a symbol appeared on the stone floor, blazing in bright gold*

"Uruz" she said, smiling at the strnage angular glyph on the floor before her "is the rune that represents the sacredly charged space from whence all things come and to which all things go. This symbol, is representative of where out journey as a class begins. Think of Uruz as being an artists canvas- it is blank, and yet it is a recepticle for great creativity.. something wonderful will be birthed from the canvas. Uruz is something like the sensation one feels when standing atop a cliff preparing to dive into crystal clear tropical water below- it is the energy building and increasing eager to explode forward... perhaphs it is something akin to feeling like soemthing great is about to happen- adrenaline pumping through your body, maybe your skin gets hot and flushed, maybe the hair on the back of your neck tingles?" she pased and smiled. "Uruz is the point at which the sacred space becomes charged with energy. It is the runes that signifies something miraculous is just about to occur. And so, I chose Uruz as our first rune for discussion because I feel that more often than not Hogwarts is Uruz- as this place is charged with the energy of so many young inquisitive talented wizards- something magnificent happens here almost daily." She paused and collected her thoughts, having realized that she had become animated and infected with this energy.
"Now then, I should like to open a few questions to discussion and debate. The first of which is- can anyone tell me what runes might be used for?"

[Sorcière Charmante]

*Raises her hand*
"Professor? Runes can be used for spell casting."

[Professor Theda McBaine]

Yes, spell casting. indeed! ;D One may invoke the power of the rune by calling its name or by adding its character to an item...yes. Of coursem spell casting. I guess no one thought we'd be doing anything that exciting in something as stodgy as "ancient runes".
But we can, and we shall!
What else?

[Sorcière Charmante]

*Looks around, waiting for someone else to answer.*
*Raises hand with a sigh.*

"I know that they can be used in divination..but honestly I'm more interested in the spell casting!" *Smiles.*

[Professor Theda McBaine]

Yes, yes, that too.
You see, what I am really getting at is where do you think runes get their power from?
Surely just a few funny looking lines don't make magic.
So it must be something else about them..
*looks around at empty seats and blank expressions and sighs*
Alright, alright, I know I am tricking you all. I am asking you, who are extraordinary to think of something so very ordinary- or at least something you consider commonplace.
They are- language. Ancient language. The tongue of ancient civilizations!
*looks aorund at non-plussed reactions*

..And being from that mystical time, runes are so deeply permiated with myticism that even saying their names can summon magical forces!

They are, despite their banal appearances, quite extraordinary.

Now then, who knows where we might most commonly - at least in the wizarding world- find such symbols at work?

Oh and ONE point to the house of any students who participate in the lecture...