"Firstly see a cat. Doesn't that mean someone is using a poly juice potion? A-and you have a cross as well meaning, trials and suffering. Dark days ahead...? Gosh this is stupid!"
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PROFESSOR TRELAWNEY MOVED INTO the firelight, and they saw that she was very thin; her large glasses magnified her eyes to 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, and they all climbed awkwardly into armchairs or sank onto pouffes. Aurora, Harry, Ron and Hermione sat themselves around the same round table.
"Welcome to Divination," Professor Trelawney said, 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 that descending too often into the hustle and bustle of the main school clouds my Inner Eye."
Nobody said anything in answer to this extraordinary pronouncement. Aurora started to feel like this was going to be a long painful year with this teacher.
Professor Trelawney delicately rearranged her shawl and continued, "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 ..."
At these words, Aurora, Harry and Ron glanced, grinning, at Hermione, who looked startled at the news that books wouldn't be much help in this subject. Aurora sighed in relief that she didn't have to use a book for this subject.
"Many witches and wizards, talented though they are in the area of loud bangs and smells and sudden disappearings, are yet unable to penetrate the veiled mysteries of the future," Professor Trelawney went on, her enormous, gleaming eyes moving from face to nervous face. "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," Neville said tremulously.
"I wouldn't be so sure if I were you, dear," Professor Trelawney said, the firelight glinting on her long emerald earrings. Neville gulped. Professor Trelawney continued placidly, "We will be covering the basic methods of Divination this year. The first term will be devoted to reading the tea leaves. Next term we shall progress to palmistry. By the way, my dear," she shot suddenly at Parvati Patil, "beware a red-haired man."
Parvati gave a startled look at Ron, who was right behind her, and edged her chair away from him.
"5 gallons he takes her on a date or something like that and stuffs it up." Aurora said to Harry who grinned and shook her hand.
