..."
But Harry could tell Hermione didn't really believe what she was saying.
All around them, people were talking excitedly as they ate their lunch,
happily anticipating the end of the exams that afternoon, but Harry,
Ron, and Hermione, lost in worry about Hagrid and Buckbeak, didn't join
in.
Harry's and Ron's last exam was Divination; Hermione's, Muggle Studies.
They walked up the marble staircase together; Hermione left them on the
first floor and Harry and Ron proceeded all the way up to the seventh,
where many of their class were sitting on the spiral staircase to
Professor Trelawney's classroom, trying to cram in a bit of last-minute
studying.
"She's seeing us all separately," Neville informed them as they went to
sit down next to him. He had his copy of Unfogging the Future open on
his lap at the pages devoted to crystal gazing. "Have either of you ever
seen anything in a crystal ball?" he asked them unhappily.
"Nope," said Ron in an offhand voice. He kept checking his watch; Harry.
knew that he was counting down the time until Buckbeak's appeal started.
The line of people outside the classroom shortened very slowly. As each
person climbed back down the silver ladder, the rest of the class
hissed, "What did she ask? Was it okay?"
But they all refused to say.
"She says the crystal ball's told her that if I tell you, I'll have a
horrible accident!" squeaked Neville as he clambered back down the
ladder toward Harry and Ron, who had now reached the landing.
"That's convenient," snorted Ron. "You know, I'm starting to think
Hermione was right about her" -- he jabbed his thumb toward the trapdoor
overhead -- "she's a right old fraud."
"Yeah," said Harry, looking at his own watch. It was now two o'clock.
"Wish she'd hurry up..."
Parvati came back down the ladder glowing with pride.
"She says I've got all the makings of a true Seer," she informed Harry
and Ron. "I saw loads of stuff... Well, good luck!"
She hurried off down the spiral staircase toward Lavender.
"Ronald Weasley," said the familiar, misty voice from over their heads.
Ron grimaced at Harry and climbed the silver ladder out of sight. Harry
was now the only person left to be tested. He settled himself on the
floor with his back against the wall, listening to a fly buzzing in the
sunny window, his mind across the grounds with Hagrid.
Finally, after about twenty minutes, Ron's large feet reappeared on the
ladder.
"How'd it go?" Harry asked him, standing up.
"Rubbish," said Ron. "Couldn't see a thing, so I made some stuff up.
Don't think she was convinced, though...."
"Meet you in the common room," Harry muttered as Professor Trelawney's
voice called, "Harry Potter!"
The tower room was hotter than ever before; the curtains were closed,
the fire was alight, and the usual sickly scent made Harry cough as he
stumbled through the clutter of chairs and table to where Professor
Trelawney sat waiting for him before a large crystal ball.
"Good day, my dear," she said softly. "If you would kindly gaze into the
Orb.... Take your time, now... then tell me what you see within it...."
Harry bent over the crystal ball and stared, stared as hard as he could,
willing it to show him something other than swirling white fog, but
nothing happened.
"Well?" Professor Trelawney prompted delicately. "What do you see?"
The heat was overpowering and his nostrils were stinging with the
perfumed smoke wafting from the fire beside them. He thought of what Ron
had just said, and decided to pretend.
"Er --" said Harry, "a dark shape... um..."
"What does it resemble?" whispered Professor Trelawney. "Think, now..."
Harry cast his mind around and it landed on Buckbeak.
"A hippogriff," he said firmly.
"Indeed!" whispered Professor Trelawney, scribbling keenly on the
parchment perched upon her knees. "My boy, you may well be seeing the
outcome of poor Hagrid's trouble with the Ministry of Magic! Look
closer... Does the hippogriff appear to... have its head?"
"Yes," said Harry firmly.
"Are you sure?" Professor Trelawney urged him. "Are you quite sure,
dear? You don't see it writhing on the ground, perhaps, and a shadowy
figure raising an axe behind it?"
"No!" said Harry, starting to feel slightly sick.
"No blood? No weeping Hagrid?"
"No!" said Harry again, wanting more than ever to leave the room and the
heat. "It looks fine, it's - - flying away..."
Professor Trelawney sighed.
"Well, dear, I think we'll leave it there.... A little disappointing...
but I'm sure you did your best."
Relieved, Harry got up, picked up his bag and turned to go, but then a
loud, harsh voice spoke behind him.
"IT WILL HAPPEN TONIGHT."
Harry wheeled around. Professor Trelawney had gone rigid in her
armchair; her eyes were unfocused and her mouth sagging.
"S -- sorry?" said Harry.
But Professor Trelawney didn't seem to hear him. Her eyes started to
roll. Harry sat there in a panic. She looked as though she was about to
have some sort of seizure. He hesitated, thinking of running to the
hospital wing -- and then Professor Trelawney spoke again, in the same
harsh voice, quite unlike her own:
"THE DARK LORD LIES ALONE AND FRIENDLESS, ABANDONED BY HIS FOLLOWERS.
HIS SERVANT HAS BEEN CHAINED THESE TWELVE YEARS. TONIGHT, BEFORE
MIDNIGHT... THE SERVANT WILL BREAK FREE AND SET OUT TO REJOIN HIS
MASTER. THE DARK LORD WILL RISE AGAIN WITH HIS SERVANTS AID, GREATER AND
MORE TERRIBLE THAN EVER HE WAS. TONIGHT... BEFORE MIDNIGHT... THE
SERVANT... WILL SET OUT... TO REJOIN... HIS MASTER....
Professor Trelawney's head fell forward onto her chest. She made a
grunting sort of noise. Harry sat there, staring at her. Then, quite
suddenly, Professor Trelawney's head snapped up again.
"I'm so sorry, dear boy," she said dreamily, "the heat of the day, you
know... I drifted off for a moment...."
Harry sat there, staring at her.
"Is there anything wrong, my dear?"
"You -- you just told me that the -- the Dark Lord's going to rise
again... that his servant's going to go back to him..."
Professor Trelawney looked thoroughly startled.
"The Dark Lord? He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named? My dear boy, that's hardly
something to joke about.... Rise again, indeed --"
"But you just said it! You said the Dark Lord --"
"I think you must have dozed off too, dear!" said Professor Trelawney.
"I would certainly not presume to predict anything quite as far-fetched
as that!"
Harry climbed back down the ladder and the spiral staircase,
wondering... had he just heard Professor Trelawney make a real