Chapter 2

Another Bogus Prediction(?)

The tower used for Divination classes was in its usual state… smelly and dark. As all the students sat down, Madam Trelawny appeared out of the shadows.

"Good morning, my students!" She said airily. "Today we will study fortune telling!"

A lot of kids groaned. Divination study was probably the most inaccurate branch of magic. Even Professor McGongall had said so.

"First, I need a test subject!" Her eyes fell immediately upon Harry, who ducked.

"How about you, Mr. Potter?"

"Uh…"

Before he could say he was ill or something, Madam Trelawny had pulled him to the center of the room. "Be not afraid!" she whispered. "I shall read your fate."

Harry grumbled, remembering how well that had went in his third year.

Madam Trelawny closed her eyes and placed a freezing hand on Harry's forehead.

"Oooh!" she cried after a moment. "Oh my! Look at this!" she opened her eyes again and turned to the rest of the class. "Ladies and gentlemen, your friend Harry will be finding true love before this year is over!"

Everybody ooohed, except Hermione. She grumbled to herself and crossed her arms. Ron noticed this, and assumed it was because she thought Harry would fall for somebody else and not her. Ron had never doubted that she and Harry were star-crossed lovers, though.

Harry decided to take the second half of lunch period to go and see Hagrid.

"Come on in!" Hagrid exclaimed as Harry knocked on the door. "'ave some mini apple pie!"

Harry scrutinized the small pie on the table, then picked it up and took a bite. "Damn, this is good!"

"They're lettin' me serve them fer dessert at dinner today!" Hagrid said with elation in his voice.

"I didn't know you were such a good cook…"

"McDonalds take out." Hagrid cut in gruffly. "But don't tell nobody, or I'll make take out outta you."

Harry laughed. He knew Hagrid's sense of humor by now.

"So what's on yer mind?"

Harry told him exactly what was on his mind… the one thing he couldn't get OFF his mind… the voice.

"…and we sometimes talk all night!" Harry was saying. "She sounds so beautiful and sweet… I wish I could meet her, just for a little while…"

"Bet you'd be doin' some 'anky panky…" Hagrid chortled, but wiped the grin off his face when Harry glared at him.

"That's not what I care about." Harry said. "I'm just so lonely… I have nobody to hold when I'm down… nobody to share personal thoughts with…"

"Eh, well… ya don't necessarily gotta meet yer mate at Hogwarts. There'll be other places, take it from me."

Harry managed to smile. Hagrid was always a chronic optimist.

After the second half of the day, Harry retired to the common room, where he passed by everyone without a word and fell right into his bed. He closed his eyes, thought he heard something, tried to open them again but couldn't because the world had gone black around him.