Written for Round Two of March's Fanfiction Tournament (Hogwarts Professors)
"Professor? Professor, please, it's us."
Almost reluctantly, Sybill sets her bottle of sherry aside, placing a mint on her tongue to hide any telltale traces of alcohol on her breath and making her way to the door.
"Professor, please let us in!"
"No need for such formalities, ladies," she says as she opens the door, gesturing Parvati and Lavender inside. "I'm not a professor anymore."
"Rubbish," Parvati says, capturing Sybill in a tight hug. "That awful Umbridge woman had no right to dismiss you!"
Sybill pats her head before pulling away. She knows that Umbridge had, in fact, had every right, thanks to Fudge's determination to turn Hogwarts into a dictator's playground. But the girls don't want to hear this, so Sybill simply smiles. "Such kind words."
"Professor," Lavender begins, but Sybill cuts across her.
"Sybill, dear. I am not a professor anymore," she reminds them again.
Lavender mutters a string of curses under her breath before continuing. "Sybill, can't you make a prediction for us?" she asks sweetly, sitting on one of the cushions and looking up at the older woman with hopeful eyes. "Firenze is lovely, but he can't teach us the way you do."
Sybill wonders if she's sincere or just telling her what she wants to hear. Regardless, she can't help but to almost smile. "I'm sorry, my dears. But this sudden turmoil has clouded my Inner Eye. I am unable to See anything," she sighs before seating herself across from the girls.
"But, Pr- I mean, Sybill," Parvati protests. "You're a Seer, even if that evil woman refuses to believe it. We believe in you!"
Lavender vigorously nods her agreement.
"Such sweet children," she says. "But it doesn't work like that. There are certain factors. Disrupt the balance, and..." She trails of, waving her hands in a dismissive gesture, not entirely sure how to explain the delicate workings of Seeing to them.
Parvati purses her lips. "I'm no Seer," she says, "but do you know what I predict? I predict she'll be the one out of a job soon. You'll be back where you belong, and all of this will just be a bad memory one day."
"Funny," Lavender muses, leaning back and resting her head against a desk. "I predict the same thing."
Wishful thinking, Sybill knows. Not predictions gained from actual divination. But it's a nice thought. "You two have always been so kind," she says, reaching out and patting Parvati's hand. "Such promise, I've always seen in you both. You'll go on to do great things in life, mark my words."
"Well, we had an amazing professor," Parvati says.
"One of the best," Lavender agrees.
"You should go," Sybill says, looking up at the clock. "You'll be late for class if you don't."
"But it's Umbridge's class," Lavender groans, making a disgusted face.
"All the more reason not to be late," Sybill says, climbing to her feet.
Sybill knows all too well the sadistic punishments Dolores prefers. She can suffer the indignity of losing her job, of being humilated in front of the school. But it will be a cold day in Hell when Sybill allows the vile woman to hurt her girls. "Hurry along," she says, leading them out. "You won't earn a detention on my watch."
Reluctantly, the girls say their goodbyes and start out.
"Oh, and Parvati," Sybill calls after them. "The Powers that Be think you should know that Mr Thomas rather fancies you."
Giggling, the girls rush off, and Sybill watches them until they disappear.
Hogwarts feels a lot less like home these days, but she can suffer through it because she still has her family here.
