Chapter 6 Trelawney
Percy was able to find Sybil Trelawney easily in Hogsmeade. It was a small village and there were only two inns: the Three Broomsticks and the Hog's Head. A respectable woman like Professor Trelawney would never go near the latter.
He knocked on the door of her room.
"Who is it?" she asked.
"It's Percy Weasley, Professor."
She opened the door at once. She looked pale, as if she'd been through a great deal of sorrow recently. But today she was quite cheerful.
"Oh yes, I remember you, Percy. Such a good, respectful student you were. You took Divination studies seriously, unlike some frivolous students I could name," said Sybil.
"Do you have time to talk for a bit?" asked Percy.
"Certainly," Sybil said.
They went down and got a table in the pub, which was unusually quiet for an early Sunday afternoon. The only person there was Madam Rosemerta. Percy ordered a coffee, and Sybil had tea and a plate of chocolate biscuits.
"I remember seeing good things in your future. How have you been getting on?" asked Sybil.
"Very well, thank you," said Percy. "I'm in the Department of International Cooperation at the Ministry of Magic."
"Oh yes, the Ministry of Magic," said Sybil with very little enthusiasm.
"I'm sorry to hear that you had to leave Hogwarts," said Percy.
"That's all been fixed up now," said Sybil happily. "I got an owl from Professor Dumbledore this morning that I'm welcome to come back, and I'm reinstated as a full professor. I'm going to have a centaur as a co-teacher, which will really be fascinating. Their knowledge of astrology is amazing."
"How did it happen that you left?"
"That horrid, horrid woman Umbridge took a dislike to me. She accused me of incompetence, but it was pure spite. She had me removed from teaching but while Professor Dumbledore was Headmaster she couldn't make me leave the school itself. It seems she never forgets a grudge. After she became Headmistress she and Filch kicked me out in the middle of the night. I didn't want a repeat of the humiliating scene she put me through the first time she tried to eject me, so I left quietly."
Percy had not worked with Dolores Umbridge directly. She had always seemed very polite and reasonable around Mr. Fudge. Her current state at the hospital made him feel pity for her. But he could see that she had really angered Professor Trelawney.
"I'm sorry you went through all that," said Percy.
"Everything will be all right now that Umbridge is out and Professor Dumbledore is back."
Percy was not so sure of that. There were very disturbing things in that note concerning Dumbledore. But since Professor Trelawney was clearly a Dumbledore partisan, Percy wouldn't tell her about that.
"I see a dark fate in the future for that woman," Sybil added.
"That reminds me," said Percy. "I came to ask you about a prediction of yours that we stored in the Prophecy Room. It has been stolen or destroyed and we need to reconstruct it."
"A prediction of mine in the Prophecy Room? My, my, how flattering. But I can't think what it would be. I make tea leaf readings for Hogwarts every month and send them to Professor Dumbledore. I don't remember him ever saying he had sent them on to the Ministry of Magic."
"Something concerning Harry Potter and He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named?" asked Percy.
"Not that I can remember. I did readings for Harry Potter when he was in my classes, of course. For a while his future looked very grim indeed. But this last semester the omens became much brighter. It's already beginning to come true! I saw his vindication in the morning paper," said Sybil.
"What I would like to ask is if you would come with me to the Ministry today. We have a powerful Pensieve there for recording prophecies. We might also find other important predictions you have given that are not yet recorded," said Percy.
"That's very flattering, but does it have to be today? I was planning on moving back to Hogwarts right away."
"It wouldn't take long," said Percy. He was worried that once she got back to Hogwarts she would be under Dumbledore's influence and she might refuse to talk to the Ministry.
"Beside, I'm starting to get a foreboding. The auspices for today may not be good."
Percy was starting to feel a strange uneasiness, too. All joy seemed to be draining out of life. Unpleasant memories of arguing with his family and of being chewed out by Fudge were filling his mind...
Suddenly he remembered one of the talking points from his press conference yesterday. Dementors were on the loose! He remembered the Ministry's advice about how to resist their mental attacks. He grabbed one of the chocolate biscuits and bit into it; instantly his mind became clearer.
"Get down!" he hissed. "I think there's a Dementor outside."
As they both ducked under the table, Percy caught a glimpse of a black-robed figure floating past the window. Its black-hooded face was starting to turn in their direction.
"We've got to get out of here," Percy said. He crawled to the bar where Madam Rosemerta was hiding.
"Is your fireplace on the Floo network?" he asked.
"Not for a long time. I didn't get enough extra business that way to be worth the payments," Madam Rosemerta said.
"I may be able to give it an emergency recharge. I have a government charge card," said Percy.
He ran behind the bar and over to the fireplace. He placed the card against the grate.
"Emergency recharge to reconnect to the Floo network!" he told the card urgently.
"I'm sorry, Sir, your charge limit has been reduced pending background reinvestigation," the card said in a bored official voice.
Percy tried again. "Emergency connection to send three people to the Ministry of Magic."
"There's only enough for two people, Sir," said the card.
"All right then, do that!" Percy said. The card glowed as magical power transferred to the fireplace.
He beckoned to Professor Trelawney and Madam Rosemerta.
"Come on, both of you. I've got an emergency connection. Go and send help back here," said Percy.
"What about you?" asked Professor Trelawney.
"I'll hold them off until help arrives," Percy said. Just how he was going to do that he didn't know. But he had to save the two women at least. He hid again behind the bar.
They went through with a load pop, loud enough for the Dementors outside to hear. The light drained from the room as two Dementors glided in.
Percy was able to find Sybil Trelawney easily in Hogsmeade. It was a small village and there were only two inns: the Three Broomsticks and the Hog's Head. A respectable woman like Professor Trelawney would never go near the latter.
He knocked on the door of her room.
"Who is it?" she asked.
"It's Percy Weasley, Professor."
She opened the door at once. She looked pale, as if she'd been through a great deal of sorrow recently. But today she was quite cheerful.
"Oh yes, I remember you, Percy. Such a good, respectful student you were. You took Divination studies seriously, unlike some frivolous students I could name," said Sybil.
"Do you have time to talk for a bit?" asked Percy.
"Certainly," Sybil said.
They went down and got a table in the pub, which was unusually quiet for an early Sunday afternoon. The only person there was Madam Rosemerta. Percy ordered a coffee, and Sybil had tea and a plate of chocolate biscuits.
"I remember seeing good things in your future. How have you been getting on?" asked Sybil.
"Very well, thank you," said Percy. "I'm in the Department of International Cooperation at the Ministry of Magic."
"Oh yes, the Ministry of Magic," said Sybil with very little enthusiasm.
"I'm sorry to hear that you had to leave Hogwarts," said Percy.
"That's all been fixed up now," said Sybil happily. "I got an owl from Professor Dumbledore this morning that I'm welcome to come back, and I'm reinstated as a full professor. I'm going to have a centaur as a co-teacher, which will really be fascinating. Their knowledge of astrology is amazing."
"How did it happen that you left?"
"That horrid, horrid woman Umbridge took a dislike to me. She accused me of incompetence, but it was pure spite. She had me removed from teaching but while Professor Dumbledore was Headmaster she couldn't make me leave the school itself. It seems she never forgets a grudge. After she became Headmistress she and Filch kicked me out in the middle of the night. I didn't want a repeat of the humiliating scene she put me through the first time she tried to eject me, so I left quietly."
Percy had not worked with Dolores Umbridge directly. She had always seemed very polite and reasonable around Mr. Fudge. Her current state at the hospital made him feel pity for her. But he could see that she had really angered Professor Trelawney.
"I'm sorry you went through all that," said Percy.
"Everything will be all right now that Umbridge is out and Professor Dumbledore is back."
Percy was not so sure of that. There were very disturbing things in that note concerning Dumbledore. But since Professor Trelawney was clearly a Dumbledore partisan, Percy wouldn't tell her about that.
"I see a dark fate in the future for that woman," Sybil added.
"That reminds me," said Percy. "I came to ask you about a prediction of yours that we stored in the Prophecy Room. It has been stolen or destroyed and we need to reconstruct it."
"A prediction of mine in the Prophecy Room? My, my, how flattering. But I can't think what it would be. I make tea leaf readings for Hogwarts every month and send them to Professor Dumbledore. I don't remember him ever saying he had sent them on to the Ministry of Magic."
"Something concerning Harry Potter and He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named?" asked Percy.
"Not that I can remember. I did readings for Harry Potter when he was in my classes, of course. For a while his future looked very grim indeed. But this last semester the omens became much brighter. It's already beginning to come true! I saw his vindication in the morning paper," said Sybil.
"What I would like to ask is if you would come with me to the Ministry today. We have a powerful Pensieve there for recording prophecies. We might also find other important predictions you have given that are not yet recorded," said Percy.
"That's very flattering, but does it have to be today? I was planning on moving back to Hogwarts right away."
"It wouldn't take long," said Percy. He was worried that once she got back to Hogwarts she would be under Dumbledore's influence and she might refuse to talk to the Ministry.
"Beside, I'm starting to get a foreboding. The auspices for today may not be good."
Percy was starting to feel a strange uneasiness, too. All joy seemed to be draining out of life. Unpleasant memories of arguing with his family and of being chewed out by Fudge were filling his mind...
Suddenly he remembered one of the talking points from his press conference yesterday. Dementors were on the loose! He remembered the Ministry's advice about how to resist their mental attacks. He grabbed one of the chocolate biscuits and bit into it; instantly his mind became clearer.
"Get down!" he hissed. "I think there's a Dementor outside."
As they both ducked under the table, Percy caught a glimpse of a black-robed figure floating past the window. Its black-hooded face was starting to turn in their direction.
"We've got to get out of here," Percy said. He crawled to the bar where Madam Rosemerta was hiding.
"Is your fireplace on the Floo network?" he asked.
"Not for a long time. I didn't get enough extra business that way to be worth the payments," Madam Rosemerta said.
"I may be able to give it an emergency recharge. I have a government charge card," said Percy.
He ran behind the bar and over to the fireplace. He placed the card against the grate.
"Emergency recharge to reconnect to the Floo network!" he told the card urgently.
"I'm sorry, Sir, your charge limit has been reduced pending background reinvestigation," the card said in a bored official voice.
Percy tried again. "Emergency connection to send three people to the Ministry of Magic."
"There's only enough for two people, Sir," said the card.
"All right then, do that!" Percy said. The card glowed as magical power transferred to the fireplace.
He beckoned to Professor Trelawney and Madam Rosemerta.
"Come on, both of you. I've got an emergency connection. Go and send help back here," said Percy.
"What about you?" asked Professor Trelawney.
"I'll hold them off until help arrives," Percy said. Just how he was going to do that he didn't know. But he had to save the two women at least. He hid again behind the bar.
They went through with a load pop, loud enough for the Dementors outside to hear. The light drained from the room as two Dementors glided in.