Destined| The Prisoner of Azkaban: Book 3

Ditching Divination

"We're due in Charms," said Ron, still goggling at Hermione. "We'd better go."

They hurried up the marble staircase toward Professor Flitwick's. Then I ended up in running up to the Gryffindor common room.

I saw Hermione fast asleep and what the heck. I laid on the floor and fell sound asleep.

I felt someone shake me awake. I saw Harry's green eyes.

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

"Divination, but it's not for another twenty minutes," said Harry.

"Hermione and Kiana, why didn't you come to Charms?" Jake asked.

"What? Oh no!" Hermione squeaked. "We forgot to go to Charms!"

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

"I don't believe it!" I wailed. "Was Professor Flitwick angry?"

"Oh, it was Malfoy, I was thinking about him and I lost track of things!" Hermione sighed

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

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

After apologizing to Flitwick and discussing what we missed, Hermione and I joined the boys at the foot of the ladder to Professor Trelawney's classroom twenty minutes later, looking extremely tired.

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

Together we climbed the ladder into the dim, stifling tower room. Glowing on every little table was a crystal ball full of pearly white mist. Harry, Jake and I sat down together at the same rickety table. Ron and Hermione sat at the table besides us.

"I thought we weren't starting crystal balls until next term," Ron muttered, casting a wary eye around for Professor Trelawney, in case she was lurking nearby.

"Don't complain, this means we've finished palmistry," Harry muttered back. "I was getting sick of her flinching every time she looked at
our hands."

"Good day to you!" said the familiar, misty voice, and Professor Trelawney made her usual dramatic entrance out of the shadows.

I wonder if it's possible to drop this class. 

"I have decided to introduce the crystal ball a little earlier than I had planned," said Professor Trelawney, sitting 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 and I snorted in unison. Hermione and I hated this class.

"Well, honestly . . . 'the fates have informed her' . . . who sets the exam? She does! What an amazing prediction!" she said, not troubling to keep her voice low. Ron and I choked back laughs.

"The future tells me that two people will be leaving this class soon," I chuckled.

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

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

"This is such a waste of time," I hissed. "I could be practicing something useful. I could be catching up on Cheering Charms —"

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."

The five of us bursted out laughing at Ron's comment.

"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. I felt my heart sinking. I was sure I 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?"

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

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

Professor Trelawney raised her enormous eyes to our faces. 

Parvati whispered something to Lavender, and they both glared at Hermione and I too.

Professor Trelawney stood up, surveying Hermione and I with unmistakable anger.

"I am sorry to say that from the moment you two have arrived in this class, my dear, it has been apparent that you two 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!" Hermione and I said suddenly, getting up and cramming Unfogging the Future back into our bags  bag. "Fine!" we repeated, swinging the bag over her shoulder and almost knocking Ron and Jake off their chair. "I give up! I'm leaving!"

"And by the way, I see failure in your future, someone in a Pink suit will kick you out of Hogwarts." I hissed.

Hermione and I exited the classroom with smiles on our faces.

"Gets better every time we do it," I chuckled.

Hermione nodded.