THE TRUTH UNTOLD | Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban [3]

𝘅𝘅𝘃𝗶𝗶𝗶 | 𝗮𝘁 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝘀 𝗲𝗻𝗱

'Wh-what?' said Hermione, waking with a start and staring around wildly. 'Is it time to go? Which lesson have we got now?'

'Divination,' Gwen said, 'but that's not for another twenty minutes. Hermione, why didn't you come to Charms?'

'What? Oh no!' squeaked Hermione. 'I forgot to go to Charms!'

'But how could you forget?' said Harry. 'You were with us till we were right outside the classroom!'

'I don't believe it!' Hermione wailed. 'Was Professor Flitwick angry? Oh, it was Malgoy, I was thinking about him and I lost track of things!'

Gwen, Harry and Ron shared a concerned look.

'You know what, Hermione?' said Ron, looking down at the enormous Arithmancy book Hermione had been using as a pillow. 'I reckon your cracking up. You're trying to do too much.'

'No, I'm not!' said Hermione, brushing her hair out of her eyes and staring hopelessly for her bag. 'I've just made a mistake, that's all! I'd better go and see Professor Flitwick and say sorry... I'll see you in Divination!'

Hermione joined them at the foot of the ladder to Professor Trelawney's classroom twenty minutes later, looking extremely stressed.

'I can't believe I missed Cheering Charms! And I bet they come up in our exams. Professor Flitwick hinted they might!'

As the four of them emerged into Professor Trelawney's stifling little classroom, they noticed on every table were glowing crystal balls full of pearly white mist. Gwen, Harry, Ron and Hermione all squeezed around the same rickety table.

'I thought we weren't starting crystal balls till next term?' Ron muttered.

'Don't complain,' Harry whispered. 'This means we've finished palmistry. I was getting sick of her flinching every time she looked at my hands.'

Hermione rolled her eyes. Gwen caught her in an exasperated look.

'Good day to you!' said the familiar, misty voice, and Professor Trelawney made her usual dramatic entrance out of the shadows. Parvati and Lavender inhaled excitedly on the table next to Gwen, their faces lit by the milky glow of their crystal ball.

'I've decided to introduce crystal balls a little earlier than I had planned,' said Professot Trelawaney, seating herself with her back to the fire and gazing around. 'The fates have informed me that your examination in June will concern the Orb, and I am anxious to give you sufficient practice.'

Hermione snorted. 'Well, honestly...' she said to Gwen. '"The fates have informed her"... who sets the exam? She does! What an amazing prediction!' She hadn't bothered to keep her voice low, and it was hard to tell if Professor Trelawney had heard, 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 you first peer into the Orb's infinite depths. We shall start by practising relaxing the conscious mind and external eyes so as to clear the Inner Eye and the superconscious. Perhaps, if we are lucky, some of you will See before the end of class.'

Ron was sniggering so uncontrollably he had to stuff his fist in his mouth. Harry was sitting back, suppressing his smile and looking as though he would rather be anywhere else, and Gwen and Hermione were fighting to stay awake. They spent a solid ten minutes, which felt like at least three hours, staring into the fog in the crystal ball. It was difficult to stay focused when Ron kept breaking into silent giggles and Hermione kept tutting. Gwen couldn't stop herself from grinning and kept catching Harry and Ron's eyes, which made her fight to stop herself from laughing.