A Trio of Serpents

27: Crystal Balls

It's been one hectic week, but I'm back.

Summary: Maybe Professor Trelawney isn't such a fraud after all.

Harry continued to get updates from Sirius about Grimmauld Place over the next few weeks. It was looking nicer, but Sirius never suggested he moved in. Likewise, Harry didn't ask if he could live there. He loved Remus' cottage too much.

He had finally told Sid about Sirius' sarcastic remark about liking chameleons more than snakes and ended up bursting out laughing in the Great Hall when Sirius wrote to him demanding who the hell was Obsidian Amsel and why did he send a letter that was four pieces of parchments long babbling about colors.

"Oh, Sid, you did not!" Hermione said, exasperated.

Sid raised his hands in the air. "Guilty."

They all headed out for Divination. Harry found himself desperately hoping Professor Trelawney wouldn't see a Grim. She hadn't since the start of the second term, but he wouldn't put it past her to spring it up on him suddenly.

When they climbed into the tower, they saw that each table had a crystal ball glowing with white mist. Apparently, Trelawney had Seen their exam in June and knew it would be covering crystal-gazing.

Feeling slightly foolish, Harry settled down and peered into the orb. It wasn't easy clearing his mind, especially when it kept drifting to Sirius' letter and prompting him to focus on not bursting into laughter again. Somewhere behind him, he heard Tracey muttering about fog.

Professor Trelawney drew near and stopped by Harry's table. "Would anyone like me to help them interpret the shadowy portents within their Orb?"

"Er..." said Harry.

She peered into his crystal ball anyway. "There is something here! Something moving... but what is it?" Her gaze swung over to Harry, fearful. "My dear... It is here..."

"If it's the Grim again..." Hermione said through gritted teeth.

Trelawney straightened up, fixing Hermione with an angry stare. "I am sorry to say that from the moment you have arrived in this class, my dear, it has been apparent that you 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."

Hermione was silent for a moment. "Fine!" she exploded, making Harry jump. "Fine! I give up! I'm leaving!"

And then, to the class' amazement, she stood, swung her bag over her shoulder, and stormed to the trapdoor. She was gone within seconds.

"That's what Professor Trelawney meant on our first lesson, isn't it?" Daphne said after class was over. "She said one of us would leave around Easter."

"Didn't expect it to be Hermione, though." Tracey adjusted the strap of her bag. "I kinda thought it might've been me after our first palmistry lesson," she added jokingly.

"Did you see Wood's face when Merrill grabbed the Snitch?" said Ron.

"Right from under Malfoy's nose!" Jayson let out a short laugh. "I know I should be furious we didn't win the House Cup, but man, that was awesome! No one's gonna shut up for weeks!"

"Which means I won't be able to concentrate!" Hermione said in a shrill voice.

Ron sighed. "Hermione, we talked about this. You should be taking more breaks."

"I can't, Ron! I have so much to do!"

"Well, maybe you should lighten the workload next year," Jayson suggested. He shrank back as Hermione swung around, glaring so heatedly Harry half expected Jayson to melt.