"Hurry up Harry, we're going to be late!" Ron said, pushing Harry in the shoulder.
"Stop pushing Ron, this hatch is being bloody difficult," Harry shot back as he fiddled with the trap door to the Divination classroom. The rest of the class waited anxiously.
"Honestly, what would you guys do without me." Both boys jumped as Hermione pushed her way through to them.
"Hermione," Ron exclaimed. "I thought you dropped this class."
Harry chuckled, remembering her storming away after Professor Trelawney predicted his death for the sixth time that class.
"Alohomora," Hermione intoned, pointing at the trap door. "Professor McGonagall convinced me to try until the first exam."
Ron frowned at Harry, wondering why he hadn't thought of that spell. Harry shrugged and gestured after Hermione.
The Trio, along with their other classmates, climbed up the ladder. The group of students coughed at the intense incense that wafted towards them. The heat from the candles filled the Divination classroom and beads of sweat collected on their foreheads. Quiet murmuring stopped as everyone took their seats.
"Just in time," Harry muttered. He sat at a front row table between Ron and Hermione. Professor Trelawney hadn't yet appeared from her beaded doorway.
"What do you reckon," asked Ron, leaning in. "How many times will Trelawney predict Harry's unfortunate death?"
"Professor Trelawney," Hermione corrected, taking out quill and parchment.
"Somewhere between ten and a hundred," Harry answered. "Wish she would lay off it."
The clacking of beads signaled the arrival of Professor Trelawney. She stumbled into the room and looked around, squinting through her thick rimmed glasses. "Oh, hello children. I must have lost track of the time." She hiccupped and staggered a little. Slowly, she walked over to her desk, which was shoved into the corner. Her shawl hung off her shoulder, trailing limply on the ground behind her.
Dropping into her chair, she said, "Today's class will be a little different. You will be testing your knowledge to figure out the questions for tomorrow's test. Turn in your predictions at the end of class."
Hermione raised her hand, while Harry sighed in relief and Ron stared at Hermione.
Professor Trelawney took a long sip from a bottle of sherry. She pointed at Hermione, still drinking.
Hermione stared at her, then said, "Any particular method we should use, Professor?"
Trelawney finished the bottle and tossed it behind her. A house elf appeared with a pop and caught the glass before it shattered. "Excellent question, 5 points to Ravenclaw."
Hermione opened her mouth to correct Professor Trelawney but stopped as Trelawney's head drifted back until she was staring at the ceiling. Several moments passed in awkward silence before Trelawney snapped her gaze back to Hermione. "Pick whichever method you want."
Professor Trelawney lay her face on her desk and put her arms around her head. After a moment's hesitation, the class began to collect teacups and crystal balls.
Hermione rolled her eyes. "Honestly."
Ron came back with two teacups and a crystal ball filled with gray smoke. After seeping the tea, he handed one of the cups to Harry. Hermione wrote some notes down, the scratching of the quill punctuated by the slurping of tea.
"Do you think this test will be hard?" Ron asked, swirling the dregs of his tea.
"Ron," Hermione grumbled, not looking up. "She is going to base the test off our predictions."
Ron stopped mid swirl. "Oh."
"That's…" Harry said, searching for the word while peering at the bottom of his cup.
"Annoying, low effort, and utterly stupid?" Hermione finished, stabbing the parchment with each word.
"Relax Hermione," Ron said, putting down his cup and looking at the crystal ball. "You've never met a test you can't pass."
Hermione smiled at Ron, "Thank you, but this class is still complete nonsense."
Harry put his hands on the crystal ball and concentrated. He slowed his breathing and cleared his mind. The smell of cheap incense lessened, and the sounds of the classroom faded slightly. Within him, he felt something move. Focusing his will on that, he pushed.
"Mate, maybe you should cut back on the spicy food," Ron said, waving his hand.
Harry stopped and realized he had just farted, "Whoops."
From her desk, Professor Trelawney began to snore.
/\/\/\/\
Hermione frowned, reading the test question again. Why would anyone want to know why the cow jumped over the moon? This just cemented her desire to drop the class for good.
At this rate, she would fail this test. She frowned even harder. Hermione Granger does not fail tests. Maybe Professor Trelawney would give her extra points if she faked a prophecy? It couldn't be that hard, with how often Trelawney did it.
She sat straight up, back stiff. In the deepest voice she could muster, Hermione said:
"From the new year, danger approaches
After tests of strengths and courage, toffee attacks
A pink toad ascends the throne and banishes the phoenix
But like its rebirth, the phoenix returns, and a snake strikes"
Harry and Ron looked at her, baffled at what she was doing.
Hermione blinked and looked around, making of show of noticing the looks she was receiving. "What?"
"My dear," said Professor Trelawney, looking intently at Hermione. "I believe you have just made a Prophecy!"
Hermione gasped. "Really? I was just working on the test. I don't remember making any Prophecy."
Once Professor Trelawney turned away, she smirked.
/\/\/\/\
"A Poor!" Hermione fumed, gripping her test parchment. "How did I get a Poor?"
Harry winced. "Well, Trelawney is a Seer. She might have graded you based on her own predictions."
"That's it, I am dropping this class," Hermione said, storming away.
A/N
House/Team: Ravenclaw
Class Subject: Transfiguration
Story Category: Drabble
Prompt: Failing a Test
Word Count: 946