Mia Potter was the other Potter. Looking almost identical to her mother, she was a force to be reckoned with. But there was only one person who could reckon with her, and his name was Draco Malfoy.
In which the youngest Potter twin finds herself fa...
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Mia and Lupin walked all the way back into his office before speaking. Then Mia turned to Lupin.
"Professor, I. . . ."
"I don't want to hear explanations," said Lupin shortly. He flicked his wand and the door shut. "I happen to know that this map was confiscated by Mr. Filch many years ago. Yes, I know it's a map," he said as Mia looked amazed. "I don't want to know how it fell into your possession. I am, however, astounded that you didn't hand it in. Particularly after what happened the last time a student left information about the castle lying around. And I can't let you have it back, Mia."
"Do you know them?" Mia asked, narrowing her eyes slightly as she thought.
"We've met," he said shortly. He was looking at Mia more seriously than ever before.
"I thought my dad would be impressed I'm using something he made," Mia said as Lupin looked at her shocked.
"How did you. . . .?"
"Oh shit, I was right?" she asked laughing. "That was a complete guess."
"Don't expect me to cover up for you again, Mia. I cannot make you take Sirius Black seriously. But I would have thought that what you have heard when the Dementors draw near you would have had more of an effect on you. Your parents gave their lives to keep you and your brother alive, Mia. A poor way to repay them, gambling their sacrifice for a bag of magic tricks we made when we were kids."
Mia nodded.
"I want you to return to your dormitory and stay there," he said, "and don't take any detours.If you do, I shall know."
"Professor, I think you fucked that map up," Mia said.
"Why's that?" he asked.
"Earlier, it showed someone in the castle," she said, "someone I know to be dead."
"Oh, really?" Lupin asked, "and who might that be?"
"Peter Pettigrew." Lupin's face dropped.
"That's not possible," he said as Mia shrugged.
"It's just what I saw," she said, "good night Mooney." She sent him a sly smile before walking out of the office.
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Mia, Harry, Ron and Hermione they climbed the ladder into the dim, stifling tower room. Glowing on every little table was a crystal ball full of pearly white mist. Mia, Harry, Ron, and Hermione sat down together at the same rickety table.
"I thought we weren't starting crystal balls until next term," Ron muttered, casting a wary eye around for Professor Trelawney, in case she was lurking nearby.
"Don't complain, this means we've finished palmistry," Harry muttered back.
"I was getting sick of her flinching every time she looked at my hands," Mia said as Harry nodded.
"Good day to you!" said the familiar, misty voice, and Professor Trelawney made her usual dramatic entrance out of the shadows. Parvati and Lavender quivered with excitement, their faces lit by the milky glow of their crystal ball. "I have decided to introduce the crystal ball a little earlier than I had planned," said Professor Trelawney, sitting with her back to the fire and gazing around. "The fates have informed me that your examination in June will concern the Orb, and I am anxious to give you sufficient practice."
Hermione snorted.
"Well, honestly. . . . 'the fates have informed her'. Who sets the exam? She does! What an amazing prediction!" she said, not troubling to keep her voice low. Mia, Harry and Ron choked back laughs.
It was hard to tell whether Professor Trelawney had heard them as her face was hidden in shadow. She continued, however, as though she had not.
"Crystal gazing is a particularly refined art," she said dreamily. "I do not expect any of you to See when first you peer into the Orb's infinite depths. We shall start by practicing relaxing the conscious mind and external eyes. . . ."
Mia and Ron began to snigger uncontrollably and Mia covered her face with her hands and Ron stuffed his fists in his mouth to stifle the noise.
". . . .so as to clear the Inner Eye and the superconscious. Perhaps, if we are lucky, some of you will see before the end of the class."
And so they began. Harry was staring blankly at the crystal ball while Mia and Ron kept breaking into silent giggles and Hermione kept tutting.
"Seen anything yet?" Harry asked them after a quarter of an hour's quiet crystal gazing.
"Yeah, there's a burn on this table," said Ron, pointing. "Someone's spilled their candle."
"Oh that's a shame," Mia said, taking more interest in the burn than the crystal ball. Professor Trelawney rustled past.
"Would anyone like me to help them interpret the shadowy portents within their Orb?" she murmured over the clinking of her bangles.
"I don't need help," Mia whispered. "It's obvious what this means. There's going to be loads of fog tonight."
Harry, Ron and Hermione burst out laughing.
"Now, really!" said Professor Trelawney as everyone's heads turned in their direction. Parvati and Lavender were looking scandalized.
"You are disturbing the clairvoyant vibrations!"
She approached their table and peered into their crystal ball. Mia felt her heart sinking. She was sure she knew what was coming.
"Let me guess," Mia said before Professor Trelawney could speak, "the Grim?"
"Not that ridiculous Grim again!" Hermione said loudly.
"Thank you!" Mia muttered.
Professor Trelawney raised her enormous eyes to Hermione's face. Parvati whispered something to Lavender, and they both glared at Hermione too. Mia flashed her eyes red at the two girls and narrowed her eyes. Professor Trelawney stood up, surveying Hermione with unmistakable anger.
"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."
There was a moment's silence. Then. . . .
"Fine!" said Hermione suddenly, getting up and cramming Unfogging the Future back into her bag. "Fine!" she repeated, swinging the bag over her shoulder and almost knocking Ron off his chair. "I give up! I'm leaving!"
And to the whole class's amazement, Hermione strode over to the trapdoor, kicked it open, and climbed down the ladder out of sight.
It took a few minutes for the class to settle down again. Professor Trelawney seemed to have forgotten all about the Grim. She turned abruptly from Harry and Ron's table, breathing rather heavily as she tugged her gauzy shawl more closely to her.
"Ooooo!" said Lavender suddenly, making everyone start. "Ooooo, Professor Trelawney, I've just remembered! You saw her leaving, didn't you? Didn't you, Professor? 'Around Easter, one of our number will leave us forever!' You said it ages ago, Professor!"
Professor Trelawney gave her a dewy smile.
"Yes, my dear, I did indeed know that Miss Granger would be leaving us. One hopes, however, that one might have mistaken the Signs. . . The Inner Eye can be a burden, you know. . . ."
Lavender and Parvati looked deeply impressed, and moved over so that Professor Trelawney could join their table instead.
