Magic? || Years 1-5

Divination: Year 3

It seemed as if there weren't any doors, and the ceiling only had one circular trapdoor with a brass plaque.

"'Sybil Trelawney, Divination teacher,' How're we supposed to get up there?" Harry asked, peering up to read the plaque.

Almost as soon as he asked the question the trapdoor opened and a ladder fell from it, ending at Harry's feet.

"After you," Ron grinned, shoving him gently toward it.

He rolled his eyes and climbed the ladder. Ron followed, and then Amisty with Hermione behind her.

The classroom was strange looking, with the air of an old store and an attic. Small circle tables were lined everywhere in the room with armchairs and pillows on the floor around them. The lighting was almost blood red from the curtains shielding the inside from the sunlight and all the lamps were covered in scarlet scarves. It was very warm, the fireplace crackling with a kettle overhead it. Shelves lined the walls, covered in feathers, candles, playing cards, silver crystal balls, and a very large collection of teacups.

"Where is she?" Ron whispered, seeming to be irked by the strange appearance of the classroom.

"Welcome. How nice to see you in the physical world at last," Came a soft, reserved voice from the corner of the room.

Professor Trelawney moved into the light of the fire. She was very skinny, with thick circular glasses perched on the bridge of her nose that made her eyes seem huge. A shawl was draped over her shoulders, covered in colorful beads and designs. Necklaces and chains hung from her neck and her arms and hands were jingling with bracelets and rings.

"Sit, my children, sit," She gestured gently to the tables.

The four of them took a seat around a round table, trading confused glances.

"Welcome to Divination. My name is Professor Trelawney. You may not have seen me before. I find that descending too often into the hustle and bustle of the main school clouds my Inner Eye. So you have chosen to study Divination, the most difficult of all magical arts. I must warn you at the outset that if you do not have the Sight, there is very little I will be able to teach you. Books can take you only so far in this field..."

Hermione gave a sort of start at her words, sitting up straighter in her seat and leaning forward.

Harry and Ron were grinning at her, teasing shining in their eyes.

Amisty could barely fight down her own smile, the corner of her lip twitching.

"Many witches and wizards, talented though they are in the area of loud bangs and smells and sudden disappearances, are yet unable to penetrate the veiled mysteries of the future. It is a Gift granted to few," She turned to Neville suddenly. "You, boy. Is your grandmother well?"

"I think so," Neville replied shakily, startled by the sudden attention Professor Trelawney had put on him.

"I wouldn't be so sure if I were you, dear. We will be covering the basic methods of Divination this year. The first term will be devoted to reading tea leaves. Next term we shall progress to palmistry. By the way, my dear," Her gaze shifted to Parvati Patil, "beware a red-haired man."

"In the second term we shall profess to the crystal ball -- if we have finished with fire omens, that is. Unfortunately, classes will be disrupted in February by a nasty bout of flu. I myself will lose my voice. And around Easter, one of our number will leave us forever," She continued ominously. A heavy silence had fallen over the Gryffindors and she looked over at Lavender Brown. "I wonder, dear, if you could pass me the largest silver teapot?"