Chapter 16 – How to change the future, Trelawney style

The Return of Hermione and Marietta was a somewhat quiet affair, as they had arrived 2 days before the rest of the school was set to return.

"It really didn't seem worth it to go home for one day. And it has been way too long!" Marietta seemed overjoyed to see Cho again. She ran her down with a massive hug, and twirled the smaller girl in her arms. "Time flashed in an instant after I was attacked, but the last month recovering was brutal without you. At least I had Hermione with me."

Hermione was a little more polite with her hugs, but her toothy grin showed how glad she was to be back. She had cut her hair before coming back, taking the already short curls down to a cute pixie cut. Hanging above the new Hermione was the name HERMIONE GRANGER, and the date 7/5/2105.

"Marietta convinced me to go for a new look. We had a lot of time to lie around during the de-petrification. What do you guys think?"

"A bit mannish." Said Ron, bluntly. He received a loud thwack on the arm from Hermione's bookbag, but the group was back together again.

Harry and Ron spent much of the following two days getting to know Marietta a bit better. After quickly realizing that neither girl could remember anything about their attacks other than a flash of light, they just spent their time goofing off in the common room. Marietta was a very fashionable person for a twelve year old. She wore her hair in long straight locks, and raved about a Greek hair potion she had gotten the recipe for before she had left. She was obviously a bit more rules conscious than the rest of the group, shouting down on them for wanting to wander the castle at night before the rest of the school came back, but she was fascinated by the idea of sticking it to the teachers and taking the protection of the school into our own hands.

"My mom works in the ministry, and she's always going on about the teachers here don't do enough. I think I've got a better handle on spells than that stuttering Quirrel at least. Trust me, we've got nothing to worry about here."

Hermione had seemed really depressed once she saw all of the Christmas gifts that Harry and Ron had received from the Weasley Family, but lit up once she saw that her friends had all gotten her welcome back presents.

"This," said Harry, whipping out the present, "is something Professor Pince told us about while you were out, and I'm sure you'll like it." Harry had scavenged the daily prophet for things he might be able to owl order in, and eventually found one of the only things he actually recognized. Harry held out a flat wooden rod engraved with several runes.

"An audio bookmark! Harry how wonderful!"

"This one will read any book you place it on aloud, even if it has invisible ink."

"Now for mine!" Ron held out a grubby rectangular package that looked as if he'd wrapped it that morning. Hermione quickly undid the wrappings, but smiled at the gift. Inside was a small book that was somewhat beat up.

"The tales of Beedle the Bard?"

"They're fairy tales, you know? I was talking to Cho about what to get you, and she thought that because you're muggle born you wouldn't know any of these stories. This is my copy from when I was a kid. Only book I really read until I came here.

Hermione gave Harry and Ron a quick kiss on the cheek each, before surrounding them in the sultry tones of the audio bookmark as it played out the story of Babbity Rabbity and her Cackling Stump.

The arrival of the rest of the students made everyone feel that the world was back to normal. And normal meant more classes, more studying, and months of pleasant boredom to reward the school from the horrors of the first term. Harry finally had a chance to relax, but he couldn't take a full break from the tasks he knew he would have to complete on his own.

Harry couldn't think of how he could manipulate the death date. His planning finally hit gold after a fateful meeting with in the library one day after school.

Harry was poring over a small book he had found on divination. He had gotten a lead in one of his study sessions with Hermione, and was fascinated by trying to see how his powers were connected to reading the future. It was then that he overheard a conversation that piqued his interest.

"You know you're banned from the library Professor! You always make such a racket with your predictions."

"Irma, you shouldn't be so stressed. I only came to pick this book up and I'll be out of your hair. I have divined that you will be getting a heart attack if you don't relax more often."

Divined? Is this the Divination Professor? Harry shut the book and walked towards the front desk of the library.

"That's what I mean! And quiet down. Look, I'm sure Potter there is coming to complain about the racket you're making."

"Potter?" A tall thin woman stood in front of Harry. When she quickly turned her head to look down at him Harry was shocked for a moment at the size of her eyes before realizing that they were magnified by enormous glasses. She was hunched over, as if she seemed frightened to be seen by anyone in public. Her deathdate was in 22 years.

"Um, hello. Are you the Divination professor?" Harry asked.

"Why yes! Professor Trelawney." She grinned as wide as she could with her small mouth, and extended a hand. "And you must be Harry Potter! I'd been hoping to meet you at some point. But I so rarely leave my tower. What is that you have there?" She spotted the book Harry had been reading and noticed the title.

"Ah, Unfogging the Future! Are you interested in Divination my lad?"

"Well, I was trying to figure a few things out. Maybe you could help me?"

"Of course!"

"If you're going to discuss with Mr. Potter, Sybil, I'll have to suggest you leave." Madam Pince looked sternly at both of them.

"Don't mind us. We were just leaving." Professor Trelawney said as she grabbed Harry's arm and started pulling him up the stairs.

"Where are we going professor?"

"To the north tower. It's where I live. If we are to discuss the mysteries of the second sight, it is better to do it in private."

Professor Trelawney led Harry up the winding stairs to a part of the castle he had never been to before, and at the end of an empty corridor let down a rope ladder from a trapdoor in the ceiling. They climbed up and Harry was assaulted by the powerful smell of spices and incense.

"Why don't you take a seat over there. I'll make us some tea and we shall begin."

Harry looked around the room and saw the many trappings of divination. He was surprised to see that he had actually been brought to the Divination classroom, as he could see a large number of tables arranged around crystal balls. Along the walls were tea cars with large cups similar to the tea reading pictures he had been reading about in Unfogging the Future. He took a seat in a large poofy chair set near the perfumed fire and Professor Trelawney came to join him.

"So what is it you'd like to ask me dear?"

Harry had been considering how to ask his questions since he realized that he had a true seer in front of him. If he had any chance of changing Fred's fate without killing anyone else, she would be the one to know. He thought of a plan that might allow him to reveal some of what he knew without going too far.

"Professor, I've been trying to learn more about Divination but I'm having some trouble understanding things. I think I might have some of the second sight, and wanted to know more about it."

"Potter! You should have come to me the moment you thought you might having visions of the future!" She moved her chair much closer to Harry's and looked him straight in the eyes. "Tell me exactly what you have been predicting."

"Um, could you just give me some space first professor?" She seemed to become conscious of the distance between them and moved back a foot. "Thank you. Well, it's nothing for sure, but I think I've been getting visions of when people are going to die? Is that normal?"

"Oh my boy, this is quite a common path for the seers of this world. I myself often am afflicted with this terrible knowledge. If I cast my inner eye on you, I can even see when you shall die young man." She began throwing her head around in wild motions, moaning and acting like she had a headache. "Try to avoid older women. I foresee a terrible future for you, unless you heed this warning."

Harry wasn't sure how to take this. Was she actually having visions or was she full of it? "So you're seeing a future, but you can change it by just telling me?"

"In some occasions this is true, if it is done early enough. But sometimes there is no avoiding the horrors our fates have outlined for us. Would you like to hear a tale of my great-grandmother, a powerful seer and how she changed the fates of much of the wizarding world?"

"Of Course!" Harry couldn't have been happier. He was going to learn exactly what he needed from an actual seer. He laid back in the poufy chair and prepared himself.