In a room within rooms, at a place where up means nothing and space is merely a dream, a woman sits. She is wrapped in shawls and scarves – over which she has placed heavy glasses. In her dotage, for we can only assume she is old, the woman has taken great steps to ensure her physical sight – although she needs no help (or so she proclaims) with her Inner Eye.
Meryl Trelawney, far older, no wiser, than her daughter Sybill, takes a sip of tea from one of her numerous bone china cups, then turns back to the table. Perhaps one of the few unknown secrets of Hogwarts, even to her own daughter, Meryl has kept watch over the wizarding world's prophecies and fortellings for nigh on sixty years now – but all of that would soon come to an end. In but ten minutes, Meryl would meet a terrible end at the hands of a small frog and an angry badger – and that in itself she could handle, but unfortunately, she was due her final prophecy at six minutes past eleven, only two minutes before her death.
Meryl folded her hands in her lap and frowned. This just would not do. Not at all! Clucking her tongue furiously, she pulled out two pieces of parchment. Placing the Quick Notes Quill on one, she began in a cracked, elderly voice, "Dearest Dumbledore, I must thank you for the use of your second Requirement Room, for my purposes it has suited me well. Please find enclosed my final prophecy. It is going to be most important. And, please do be kind to my little Sybill. I do fear she might overwork herself. Regards, Meryl Trelawney". Then, with the second piece of parchment, she began, "Dearest Sybill, it will pain you, as you already know, that I have died. I know you already know this but I would like to express in writing how sorry I am that we parted on such foolish terms. Do know that I love you and will be..."
But what Meryl Trelawney would be, would never be found out. The prophecy would soon arrive. Taking the letter to Dumbledore, she folded it in a small pouch and threw the pouch to a decrepit looking barn-owl on a perch close by.
"Caesar!" barked Meryl, "Take that to Dumbledore. Then come back and take this Memory Sphere to Dumbledore - then, feel free to do what you want. Just avoid aeroplanes. I have a nasty feeling you might come off worse if you go near one tonight! Now, off with you!"
The rather dishevelled and ancient Caesar looked hardly able to survive the next moment than last until nightfall, but with a hoot of farewell he swept away, spiralling through the room's confusing dimensions until he was gone from sight.
"Well, that's nice," said Meryl contentedly, and with a final sigh, her eyes glazed over, her voice lowering and the tea-cup flew from the table and shattered, "It will come – the end of magic – the end of life – the child destined to court Death and know its loving touch – the one to survive the ending – the Child who will know ultimate eternity – the Silence Bringer!"
The moment would have been incredibly dramatic. However, as Meryl quickly secured the Memory Sphere into a small pouch for Caesar to collect upon his return – something curious happened. The air grate close to the ground on theother side of the room shuddered and a quiet croak sounded, followed by a rumbling growl. Suddenly, the rusty old metal exploded from the crumbling mortar and a terrified frog hopped into the room, closely followed by a furious badger. The tiny amphibian scrambled up onto a chair then onto the table close to Meryl, who simply let it run – however the badger also attempted this feat and in doing so, knocked over the candle that cast dancing shadows through the room...
Dumbledore pocketed the prophecy quietly and sighed. So one of his oldest and closest friends was dead. And this new prophecy meant trouble for them all. But more so for two of his favourite students. Yes, dark times were looming, a fight was coming. And, with these ominous thoughts in mind, he swept over towards the door of his office, where the new transfer student, stood waiting...