Chronicles Of Arth: Prince Of Shadows

It was hard to tell whether Professor Trelawney had heard them, as her face was hidden in shadow. She continued, however, as though she had not.

"Crystal gazing is a particularly refined art," she said dreamily. "I do not expect any of you to See when first you peer into the Orb's infinite depths. We shall start by practicing relaxing the conscious mind and external eyes" — Ron began to snigger uncontrollably and had to stuff his fist in his mouth to stifle the noise — "so as to clear the Inner Eye and the superconscious. Perhaps, if we are lucky, some of you will See before the end of the class."

And so they began. Arth was determined to successfully predict the future this time staring intensely at the crystal ball, trying to keep his mind empty. It didn't help that Ron kept breaking into silent giggles and Hermione kept tutting and Harry was looking as though he was constipated.

"Seen anything yet?" Harry asked them after a quarter of an hour's quiet crystal gazing.

"Yeah, there's a burn on this table," said Ron, pointing. "Someone's spilled their candle."

"I think I see Professor Lupin... teaching is in our fourth year?"

Ron let out a groan.

"I guess Professor Lupin is going to quit after this year as well. Pity, I liked him."

"Oh, ok."

"..."

"..."

"This is such a waste of time," Hermione hissed. "I could be practicing something useful. I could be finishing homework—"

Professor Trelawney rustled past.

"Would anyone like me to help them interpret the shadowy portents within their Orb?" she murmured over the clinking of her bangles.

"I don't need help," Ron whispered. "It's obvious what this means. There's going to be loads of fog tonight."

Harry burst out laughing.

Arth rolled his eyes.

"I can read your Crystal ball for you Harry. I'll even do it like Professor Trelawney." Ron acted as though he was on thirteen pipes of m*******a. "I... I think... oh dear me... is that... the dreaded... Grim?"

Arth couldn't help but admit that it was pretty funny, especially coming from Ron.

"Now, really!" said Professor Trelawney as everyone's heads turned in their direction. Parvati and Lavender were looking scandalized. "You are disturbing the clairvoyant vibrations!" She approached their table and peered into their crystal ball. Harry felt his heart sinking. He was sure he knew what was coming —

"There is something here!" Professor Trelawney whispered, lowering her face to the ball, so that it was reflected twice in her huge glasses. "Something moving... but what is it?"

Harry was prepared to bet everything he owned, including his Firebolt, that it wasn't good news, whatever it was. And sure enough —

"My dear...," Professor Trelawney breathed, gazing up at Harry. "It is here, plainer than ever before... my dear, stalking toward you, growing ever closer... the Gr —"

"Oh, for goodness' sake!" said Hermione loudly. "Not that ridiculous Grim again!"

At this point, Arth was sure that Hermione was either sick or very very confounded.

Professor Trelawney raised her enormous eyes to Hermione's face. Parvati whispered something to Lavender, and they both glared at Hermione too. Professor Trelawney stood up, surveying Hermione with unmistakable anger.

"I am sorry to say that from the moment you have arrived in this class, my dear, it has been apparent that you do not have what the noble art of Divination requires. Indeed, I don't remember ever meeting a student whose mind was so hopelessly mundane."

There was a moment's silence. Then —

"Fine!" said Hermione suddenly, getting up and cramming Unfogging the Future back into her bag. "Fine!" she repeated, swinging the bag over her shoulder and almost knocking Ron off his chair. "I give up! I'm leaving!"

And to the whole class's amazement, Hermione strode over to the trapdoor, kicked it open, and climbed down the ladder out of sight.

Arth glanced at his crystal ball once more and frowned.

Maybe what he saw wasn't Professor Lupin But Hermione teaching divination when she grew up?