𝑜𝑛𝑐𝑒 𝑢𝑝𝑜𝑛 𝑎 𝑑𝑟𝑒𝑎𝑚 \\ 𝗵𝗮𝗿𝗿𝘆 𝗷. 𝗽𝗼𝘁𝘁𝗲𝗿

𝑉.

— ✩ ☽ ✩ —

𝙘𝙝𝙖𝙥𝙩𝙚𝙧 𝙛𝙞𝙫𝙚

— ✩ ☽ ✩ —

THEIR FIRST CLASS of third year was Divination, and Caroline wasn't very thrilled. She didn't know what the subject was about, only learning from some older students that Professor Trelawney was a nut and her class was all make believe. Caroline wanted to keep an open mind, but it got increasingly harder to do so as Professor Trelawney began the lesson.

        "Welcome, my children. In this room, you shall explore the noble art of Divination. In this room, you shall discover if you possess the Sight," Professor Trelawney bumped into her table as she stood up, causing giggles to erupt around the room. Caroline felt bad, and remained attentive to the woman as she spoke. "Hello. I am Professor Trelawney. Together we shall cast ourselves into the future." when she got no indication of a response from any student, Caroline offered her a smile, which the professor reciprocated.

        "This term, we'll focus on Tasseomancy, the art of reading tea leaves. So please, take the cup of the person sitting opposite you." Caroline took the cup from the empty chair across from her. Hermione was going to be showing up at any moment. Caroline was the one person she trusted enough to be told about the Time Turner.

        From next to their table, Harry and Ron swapped cups. "What do you see? The truth lies burried like a sentence, deep within a book, waiting to be read. But first, you must broaden your minds," Professor Trelawney said, moving from table to table. "First, you must look beyond!"

        "What a load of rubbish." Hermione said, and Caroline looked up, seeing her settled in her seat. They shared a knowing look.

        Ron turned towards the girls' table quickly. "Where did you come from?" he asked Hermione.

        "Me? I've been here the whole time." Hermione brushed off, turning to the professor as she approached Neville.

        "You, boy... Is your grandmother quite well?" Professor Trelawney asked a timid Neville Longbottom.

        "I think so." Neville stammered.

        "I wouldn't be so sure of that. Give me the cup," Dean handed her the cup and she looked in it. "Pity. Broaden your minds."

        "Neville, don't worry, okay?" Caroline had leant towards Neville and Dean's table, whispering to him. He nodded gratefully.

        Professor Trelawney approached Caroline and she sat up straight, a look of worry in her eyes. "Oh, darling. I sense a great tragedy has bestowed you. How is your brother? Is he safe?" Caroline's eyes widened. Of course a tragedy has bestowed me, my parents died years ago, Caroline thought, but she let her confusion go when Professor Trelawney mentioned Jacob.

        "Yes, he's safe. He's at Hogwarts, there's no safer place." Caroline said, eyes fleeting from Hermione, to Ron and Harry, and to the professor.

        "Oh, I don't think that's true. The cup, please." Hermione reluctantly handed her the cup, and Professor Trelawney gasped. Caroline jumped in her seat. "You... You keep that boy close to you. People aren't always what they seem." Caroline immediately picked up her cup as Professor Trelawney walked away.

        "She can tell all that from a cup?" Caroline asked, studying the tea leaves.

        "Ignore it, Caroline." Hermione said with an eye roll.

        Professor Trelawney approached Ron and Harry. "Your aura is pulsing, dear. Are you in the beyond? I think you are."

        Ron nodded, slight fear in his eyes. "Sure." he answered, holding Harry's cup in his hands.

        "Look at the cup. Tell me what you see." instructed Professor Trelawney, leaving Ron no room for negotations.

        "Oh, yeah, um, well..." Ron trailed off, studying his book and the tea leaves. "Harry's got a sort of a wonky cross. That's trials and suffering. And, uh, that there could be the sun, and that's happiness. So, you're gonna suffer, but you're gonna be happy about it?" Caroline had to stiffle a laugh at the outcome of Harry's life. How could one suffer and be happy about it?

        "Give me the cup," Professor Trelawney requested. However, when she saw the leaves inside, she gasped loudly and yelled in fright, causing everyone to tense. "Oh, my dear boy. My dear... you have the Grim."

        "The Grin? What's the Grin?" Seamus asked. Caroline rolled her eyes at him.

        "Not the grin, you idiot. The Grim." A third year named Bem scolded, opening his book. "Taking the form of a giant spectral dog. It's among the darkest omens in our world. It's an omen... of death." Caroline looked over to Harry, seeing his face deep in his tea cup.

        The Grim. Caroline would be doing some research on it tonight.

— ✩ ☽ ✩ —

︎