Chapter 25

Divination and Dinner

Ginny pushed the trapdoor open and climbed through with Cassie close on her heels. As soon as Cassie looked around though, she wanted nothing more than to climb back down. The room was absolutely stifling and the humidity pressed down on her like a weight. It was dark in there, too, and she squinted to see Ginny as she moved away from her.

"Come on, Pia. Let's go sit down."

"Do we have to?" Ginny laughed. Cassie wasn't trying to be funny, though. Her robes were starting to stick to her after just these first few seconds. Plus, the room smelled funny. She actually thought the Potions room smelled better than this one. And right now she thought she would really rather be down in the dungeons with Snape than in this extremely hot dark box. But, she sat on some sort of cushion and waited to find out if Ginny had been kidding about this telling the future thing. Meanwhile, her eyes adjusted to the dim reddish light and she looked around.

The room was completely different than any of the other classrooms she had been in up to that point. There were small round tables crammed into the space. It would have been crowded with half as many. There were small cushions at each of the tables like the one she was sitting on and also the occasional winged armchair. There were lights in the room, but there were some scarves over them so they didn't really give off much light. The curtains were drawn over the window and there was, unbelievable as it was, a fire in the grate with a kettle over it. Cassie thought that the kettle was probably the source of the fumes permeating the room. She felt a headache coming on and concentrated hard on pushing it back. It was only an hour, how bad could it be?

A moment later, the professor walked into the room. She was as different from all the other professors Cassie had seen as this room was different from the standard classroom. She was a thin woman with dark hair, dressed in strange looking robes of various colors, none of which looked like they matched. But the most prominent feature, the one that your eyes were immediately drawn to, were the huge glasses on her small face. It made her face look strangely proportioned, almost like a bug. Her hands moved nervously through the air as she looked around the classroom like she was assuring herself that the students were actually there.

"My dears, my dears. We are going to start . . ." Her eyes latched onto Cassie and she looked her over carefully. Everyone in the classroom turned and followed her gaze. The group was small, but still having all those eyes on her made Cassie quite nervous. The students looked foreign in the dark and Cassie couldn't really recognize anyone. "Oh, my dear. The dear Headmaster told me to expect a new student but of course I already knew of your eminent arrival. Yes, I saw your image in my crystal ball some weeks ago and knew another student would be joining us. In fact, I believe I mentioned this to the students." Ginny snorted but one of the girls at the front, who Cassie thought sounded suspiciously like Hermione's roommate Lavender agreed with her.

"Yes, Professor Trelawney. Remember, you said that we would need the extra chairs because more students were bound to join us." There were various exclamations of surprise throughout the classroom.

"Yes, my dear, of course, of course. I remember it so clearly." The professor approached the table where Cassie and Ginny were sitting. She bent close and Cassie tried hard to keep from drawing back. The woman smelled strongly of some perfume and an overlaying scent of what Cassie suspected was sherry. "Do you know anything about the Inner Eye, my dear?"

"Um, no. Sorry."

"Ah, pity. You look like you might have a gift . . . have you ever foretold the future?"

"No. Sorry."

"Well, no matter. You will learn all you need to develop your talents here in this classroom. Although, the gift of foresight seems to run scarce in the Weasley family . . . I hope that you take after your mother, my dear." Ginny snorted again and the woman looked at her like a normal person would look at a rather smelly piece of cheese.

"Could your mother foretell the future? Perhaps her gift has alighted upon your shoulders?" She ignored Ginny again.

"I do seem to remember her saying something about my grandmother having a talent for that . . ." Cassie tried to be vague. It was actually a family joke that her grandmother could tell what was going to happen if her kids kept misbehaving and it always involved their hind ends being paddled, but the teacher didn't have to know that.

"Oh, my dear. I knew when I first saw you that you have a gift."

"Thanks. I'll do my best, Professor."

The professor did not acknowledge her but drifted again to the middle of the classroom where she continued as though she had never been interrupted. " . . . something new today. I wonder if any of you have read your texts about it."

"You didn't tell us what it would be, Professor Trelawney." Ginny had raised her hand and spoke out quickly.

"Of course not, my dear. You were to consult your own inner eye and discern what we would be learning today. Did anyone do it properly?" No one raised their hand. Apparently, although they had been taking this class for several years, none of them had yet gotten in touch enough with their inner eye to guess what weird subject they would be studying. Cassie rolled her eyes at Ginny, who smiled in return.

"Phrenology my dears, phrenology. I'm surprised none of you figured it out. Do any of you know what it is?" There was again no one who raised their hands. The Professor then launched into a very long and rambling explanation about how the various bumps on someone's head could tell their personality, strengths, weaknesses, and with the understanding magic brought to the science, could also predict their future. Cassie felt herself getting sleepier and sleepier as the soft voice droned on and on. She felt her eyes drifting shut and fought to force them open. She glanced over at Ginny and found that she was looking as sleepy as Cassie was feeling. She wanted desperately to stand up and stretch, thinking that this might wake her up and let her not embarrass herself by falling off her little poof. She glanced down at her watch, squinting to bring the numbers into focus. Thirty more minutes. Certainly, they had already been here for three hours. She honestly didn't know how much longer she could keep her eyes open. She actually did drift off at one point and only woke up because she felt herself starting to slip off the chair.

She jerked and opened her eyes. She obviously hadn't slept terribly long because the teacher was still droning and Ginny didn't look like she had moved very much. Cassie glanced around at the other students. They all looked peacefully relaxed but none of them looked like they were about to sleep. Maybe they actually understood what Professor Trelawney was saying. To Cassie, it was all a bunch of gibberish. Suddenly, though, her lecture stopped and there was general movement around the class. A chart appeared at the front of the class and both Ginny and Cassie shifted trying to see it. The light improved slightly so that they could actually read the writing on it and both of them tried to write down the complicated instructions.

The professor approached a few moments later. "Now, my dears, my dears, I would like you to try to read each other's skulls. My dear, Miss Spencer, isn't it, please allow me to help you interpret your cousins phrenological faculties. It will give me a good glimpse at your connection to your inner eye, you see."

"Okay." Cassie stood up, glancing around at the other students. This was very odd looking and she was glad that it was Ginny she was doing this to and not some stranger. "Um, all right. I think I start here."

"Yes, yes. Of course, it would be easier if you did this." Professor Trelawney helped Cassie put her hands on Ginny's head, feeling the curve of the back of her skull. "Now, what do you feel?"

"She has a rather large bump there. I think that means . . ." Cassie glanced down at the paper on the table. " . . .she has courage to meet danger and overcome difficulties." Professor Trelawney pursed her lips.

"It can also mean she loves to argue. I daresay that is more likely the explanation in her case." Cassie tried not to laugh at the disapproval of the Weasleys that Professor Trelawney exuded. "Any other obvious bumps there?"

"Ah, yes. There's a bump here behind her right ear that means she is prudent and good at keeping secrets." Cassie didn't mention that it also meant she was a good liar. It was obvious that Trelawney thought that, though, because if it was possible her lips got tighter.

"And what of her future? What do we learn about that from these two bumps?" Cassie couldn't tell from what she had written on her paper so she stood there feeling a little foolish. Finally, she said, "That she will live a long happy life, overcoming all difficulties on the way."

"Oh, well. I am sorry to say, my dear, that I think you have not inherited your grandmother's capability to see the future. Those two bumps together are almost certain indicator of an early painful death. I fear she may not live to even finish school. Well, you continue, please. And Miss Weasley, dear, please take a turn with your cousin also."

The teacher drifted off to another table, and Ginny started laughing quietly into her hand. "That was so funny!"

"What?"

"Well, I think the bump on the back of my head has nothing to do with my overcoming difficulties or predicting an early death. It has to do with a Bludger which connected firmly with the back of my head at last night's Quidditch practice." They both laughed together, sniffling, trying not to be heard at the other tables.

"But she predicted your death. Doesn't that scare you?"

"Not at all. She predicts everyone's death. The more painfully the better. Trust me. In the three years Harry had this class, she predicted his eminent death at least 25 times and he and Ron predicted their own even more than that." The class ended a few minutes later. All of the students complained as they walked down the hall about the long homework assignment she had given during the last few minutes of class.

"Make a chart of your own head, listing all the phrenological faculties and organs and what these tell you about your personality and your future. Please be honest, my dears, for I can see your futures before my eyes and I will know if you attempt to lie."

"She caught on to Ron and Harry two years ago," Ginny explained. "They just made up terrible things that were going to happen to them. Ron always said that the more depressing and bloody their deaths, the happier Trelawney was with their assignments. So now she threatens everyone that she can tell if they're lying, but she really can't."

"Pia, you have to understand that the Weasleys have no gift for this. Professor Trelawney is brilliant. She is always right if you will just open your eyes to see." Lavender Brown had come up behind them and with this pronouncement, she pushed past them and continued down the hall.

"She doesn't seem too impressed with me." Cassie felt really bad. It seemed that she and Lavender were bumping heads constantly and she was pretty sure that Lavender really hated her.

"She loves Trelawney. I don't really understand why but she seems convinced that she is really able to see the future." They walked along for a few more minutes and before long, they slipped through the portrait hole into the Gryffindor common room. "Let's go on upstairs. I want to get rid of these books." Cassie agreed happily and the two girls started up the set of stairs.

"Honestly. By the end of the day, Ginny, my legs feel like they're going to fall off. Will I ever get used to this?"

"Sure. Just in time to leave." Ginny pushed open the door. "What a day! I wish it were Friday already."

"I wish it was Saturday. But I've still got to write back to George and I want to do that today."

"Do it before Astronomy tonight. We can still send it out."

"I don't think that will work. I've got detention at 7."

"I know. You'll be done by 9 or 10. That gives you plenty of time. And I'll even have time to add on a nice little addendum telling my stupid brother how ticked I am." Cassie didn't have time to answer that before another owl flew in through the window, dropping a note to Ginny. Ginny picked it up and opened it. She started to laugh. "Here. This is for you." She handed a fairly small piece of parchment to Cassie. She recognized the handwriting immediately and wasn't sure she wanted to read the note. It was from George again, of course, and Cassie was nervous that he would have once again given Ginny a reason to ban him from Hogsmeade.

But she was wrong.

Dear Pia,

Fred threatened my life when I told him what I had written to you. I did get carried away and I'm sorry. I wasn't thinking very clearly when I wrote the last letter. Please forgive me.

Your cousin, George.

"What does yours say?"

"It basically tells me that he is sure you showed me the letter and that he's sorry he was so stupid. I'm supposed to write and tell him if you're really mad at him."

"You don't need to do that. I'll write him and tell him."

"I'll write him. Don't worry about that."

"Ginny, promise you won't say anything to . . . hurt his feelings."

"Hurt his feelings? Are you kidding? What would I say that would hurt George's feelings?"

"Well, if you told him I was upset with him or something."

"He was an idiot and I intend to tell him so. And before you can threaten me, I'm going to write it while you're scrubbing cauldron bottoms or something so you'll have no way to censor it."

"Ginny . . . come on. Please. Maybe you'll . . ."

"What?"

"Scare him off. Make him hate me. Make him not want to come on Saturday."

"I thought you knew my brother? Don't worry. He'll do what he wants do no matter what I say. If I could scare him off that quickly, he wouldn't have gotten into nearly as much trouble when he was here at school, let me tell you." Cassie still felt uncomfortable with the idea of having Ginny write George but she was absolutely right that there was nothing she could do to stop her. Maybe it was for the best anyway. The last letter had been a little bit dangerous. All right. A lot dangerous. He couldn't do that again. Even though it was so sweet. Stupid maybe, but very sweet. She loved the idea that George cared so much what she was doing and wanted to kiss her. They hadn't really been that kissy and huggy when they had seen each other. But she knew he had wanted to. And truthfully, she wanted to, also. Of course, first she was going to have to break a rather big piece of news to him which may completely put an end to that. She hoped not, but it was something she had to consider as a possibility, a likely possibility.

"Okay. You're probably right."

"Of course I'm right. Don't worry. He obviously really likes you. I can assure you . . ." Ginny stopped talking as Saffron walked into the room.

"Hey, you two. How was your day?"

"Not so good," Cassie admitted. "I wound up with detention tonight with Snape."

"Ooh. That's yucky. Too bad. Be prepared to scrub something nasty. The man likes to see people suffer."

"So I've heard."

"The last time I had detention, I had to scrub all the tables in the classroom. And I couldn't use magic."

"He always takes my wand," Ginny agreed. "He never lets us use magic in detention." Cassie listened to this with interest and it made her feel much better. At least he wouldn't be expecting her to start magicking things across the room. "I'm starved. Let's go on down and see if Harry, Ron, and Hermione are ready for dinner. I think we're supposed to have roast chicken tonight."

They waited a few minutes for Saffron and then the three of them descended the dorm stairs to the common room. Harry and Ron were sitting in a corner and Ron smiled at the three girls. "Pia. Ginny. Are you ready to eat?"

"Yes. I'm starved and I think Pia is, too."

"I am."

"Hey, there's all sorts of rumors circulating about you, Pia, and what happened in Potions."

"Again? You'd think people would have thought of something else to talk about by now."

"Are you kidding? There were actual betting pools about whether you'd manage to get out of there without detention this time."

"That's great to know. I suppose that means I lost you money, huh, Ron?" Cassie watched with fascination as Ron's face turned a bright pink.

"Um. Well, uh, no."

"What's wrong?" Cassie was genuinely puzzled why he'd be embarrassed. If he hadn't bet, he hadn't bet.

"He won money. He bet against you." Harry informed the girls with a certain amount of glee.

"You have got to be kidding me! That's family loyalty for you!" Cassie was genuinely shocked at this. Ron had bet she'd get detention? Harry was laughing and Ron was looking even more chagrined than he had before. Ginny was laughing, too, as was Saffron. Cassie just felt indignant. "That's just fantastic, Ron!" She hoped he could hear the sarcasm in her voice. "You're going to have buy me lunch on Saturday because I have been the cause now of two windfalls for you."

"You're right, Pia. I definitely owe you. It was some of those 10 Galleons that I bet on you. So now I've got 14 Galleons for Hogsmeade on Saturday."

"Great. I'm thrilled for you. Where's Hermione anyway?"

"She'll meet us down there. She said that she had something to do before dinner."

"All right. Let's go, then. I'm starved." They all started down the stairs, Ginny and Harry still laughing periodically about Ron betting against Cassie. Cassie really wasn't amused but she couldn't help but smile at their obvious enjoyment of her discomfort. As they got down to the Great Hall, Saffron met a friend and waved good-bye to the group. Cassie grabbed Harry's arm. "Harry, I really need to ask you a question."

"Sure. What's going on?" Cassie started to explain her suspicions about Professor Snape using this evening's detention to read her mind, at least to some degree.

"Ginny said that you take lessons on how to block someone from reading your mind and I thought maybe you could give me some pointers."

"Did she also tell you that I'm taking those lessons from Snape?" Harry sounded extremely agitated and he looked like he was about to explode.

"Yeah, now that you mention it, she did say that."

"Did she mention that I've been studying it for three years?"

"I don't remember her saying that."

"Well, I have been. There's no way I can give you pointers right now or even in two hours that are going to keep Snape out of your mind if he wants to be there! That's the craziest thing I've ever heard!"

"I told her we need to go right to Dumbledore and tell him what Snape wants to do and insist that if she even has to serve detention it is with somebody else!" Ginny interrupted.

"That's probably our best bet, uh, Pia. Dumbledore will hopefully be able to put the slimy git in his place."

"Harry, Ginny, I appreciate it. Do you really think that's the best way to go?"

"Definitely. Let's go right after dinner. What time are you supposed to go to detention?"

"Seven."

"All right. Let's go eat. Dumbledore may even be in there and we can talk to him right now."

As it turned out, Snape was sitting there at the front table, right next to Dumbledore as was his habit and they didn't have a chance to ask about getting Cassie out of detention. However, Harry managed to brave Snape's dark glares and asked Dumbledore for a meeting in his office after dinner. Cassie couldn't hear what was being said, but she could tell Snape looked very unhappy and Harry looked equally angry. Dumbledore nodded and Harry hurried back to the table. "I can't believe he would have the gall to tell me I shouldn't be bothering the Headmaster. He has no right to tell me any such thing."

"That sounds like something he'd say, though," Ginny said.

Hermione joined them a few minutes later and she looked extremely concerned when Harry told both her and Ron what was going on. "You're definitely doing the right thing. Dumbledore won't let you have to go to detention with Snape. I'm sure of it. But I want to come to this meeting, just in case he needs a little more convincing."

"You don't need to come, Hermione. I'm sure -"

"No. I'm coming. I'm sick of being left out of these discussions. After all, I'm the main one that's figuring out how to keep her safe." This was whispered in a very loud stage whisper and Ron shushed his girlfriend quickly.

"Hermione. I'm sure Harry doesn't want to leave you out of the meeting. He just doesn't want to be too conspicuous." She seemed appeased at this thought and dug into dinner with gusto.

"I'll hurry. We better get up there as soon as we can." It was about 15 minutes later that the five of them left the Great Hall and started up the stairs toward Dumbledore's office. Cassie was glad to leave. She had heard a lot of whispers about her as she ate and she imagined that they all had to do with what had happened in Potions class. Apparently, a lot of people were disappointed that she had gotten in trouble this time, although, according to Elspeth, they weren't surprised. Fortunately, Draco didn't come to dinner at the same time they were eating, so that made her meal a little more pleasant. She wasn't sure she could have dealt with him as well as everything else she had to worry about tonight. The stone gargoyle leapt aside to Harry's call of "Mars Bars" and they all stood on the circular stairs as they slowly rotated upward toward the Headmaster's office.