Elysian Potter: The Forgotten Queen

Chapter Twenty-Three: Talons and Tea Leaves

It seemed that the tale of what Elysian had done had spread around the school like wild fire. People were constantly staring at her with expressions similar to adoration and awe that she had only seen directed towards her brother. Students and ghosts alike whispered about her bravery and stupidity as she passed and Elysian had caught Draco glaring at a few of them when the whispering became too loud.

The journey through the castle to the North Tower was a long one. Two years at Hogwarts hadn't taught them everything about the castle, and they had never been inside the North Tower before. Everyone was huffing and puffing as they finally reached the top of the spiral staircase. Draco was now leaning more on Elysian than the other way around and she dragged him up the ladder into Divination with a soft grin.

They emerged into the strangest-looking classroom they had ever seen. In fact, it didn't look like a classroom at all; more like a cross between someone's attic and an old-fashioned teashop. At least twenty small, circular tables were crammed inside it, all surrounded by chintz armchairs and fat little pouffes. Everything was lit with a dim, crimson light; the curtains at the windows were all closed, and many lamps were draped with dark red scarves. It was stiflingly warm, and the fire which was burning under the crowded mantelpiece was giving off a heavy, sickly sort of perfume as it heated a large copper kettle. The shelves running around the circular walls were crammed with dusty-looking feathers, stubs of candles, many packs of tattered playing cards, countless silvery crystal balls and a huge array of teacups.

A voice came suddenly out of the shadows, a soft, misty sort of voice.

"Welcome," it said. "How nice to see you in the physical world at last.

And you're a fake, thought Elysian with an annoyed sigh. It was then that she noticed Harry and Ronald climbing up the ladder with red faces from climbing the stairs.

Professor Trelawney moved into the firelight, and they saw that she was very thin; her large glasses magnified her eyes several times their natural size, and she was draped in a gauzy spangled shawl. Innumerable chains and beads hung around her spindly neck, and her arms and hands were encrusted with bangles and rings.

"Sit, my children, sit," she said. Elysian and Draco quickly grabbed some seats at a table.

"Welcome to Divination," said Professor Trelawney, who had seated herself in a winged armchair in front of the fire. "My name is Professor Trelawney. You may not have seen me before. I find the descending too often into the hustle and bustle of the main school clouds my Inner Eye."

Silence.

"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..."

Elysian held back a snicker upon seeing Hermione turn pale at this revelation.

"Many witches and wizards, talented though they are in the area of loud bangs and smells and sudden disappearing, are yet unable to penetrate the veiled mysteries of the future. It is a Gift granted to few. You, boy," she said suddenly to Neville, who almost toppled off his pouffe, "is your grandmother well?"

"I think so," said Neville tremulously.

"I wouldn't be so sure if I were you, dear," said Professor Trelawney, the firelight glinting on her long emerald earrings.

The lesson moved on rather slowly and Elysian was regretting ever picking such a class. Professor Trelawney obviously had no idea what she was saying and was simply making up different things to seem intelligent and 'real'. The only interesting thing was when Ronald handed the teacup to Trelawney and she cried about discovering the Grim in the tea leaves.

The only reason it was interesting was that, when she looked at the description of the Grim, it reminded her of the massive dog she had seen the day she had discovered the Knight Bus. She wasn't worried, though, because she knew that death wasn't in her cards yet.

"I think we will leave the lesson here for today," said Professor Trelawney, in her mistiest voice. "Yes ... please pack away your things ..."

Everyone did as they were told in complete silence. It was only when Elysian turned to leave that Trelawney spoke again.

"Miss Potter, please remain behind."

Draco sent her a look that she quickly dismissed. She returned to Trelawney's chair and waited until everyone had left.

"You wanted to see me, Professor?"

Suddenly, the room felt cold and Trelawney turned to Elysian with misty eyes and a vacant expression. When she opened her mouth to speak, Elysian was shocked to hear a rather familiar ethereal voice come from her lips:

"A Queen will come bathed in Green,

To defy the ones whose hearts are mean.

She'll exchange their blood for blood,

One for Kin and One for Love.

Though in her heart she knows the flaw,

Of building a world on breaking the law.

The Queen will stand with fang and claw,

Against those who open up their maw."

Elysian didn't even check to make sure she was alright, she simply sprinted from the room and into the arms of Draco. She said nothing as he led her back down the stairs towards where Blaise was waiting to take her to Runes.