Disclaimer: With thanks to J.K. Rowling for creating the wonderful world of Harry Potter and its characters (which are not mine), and to the invaluable resources of the Harry Potter Lexicon, and my beta, SideofLight.

It was a cold, wet night in the small wizarding village of Hogsmeade. The rain was coming down softly as Dumbledore walked alone down a side street, around the corner from the main road. He paid no heed to lurking shadows on his left; keeping his head up as he walked and looking straight towards the street's end. His mind was deep in thought upon several matters at hand. The morale of the Order members had suffered a blow and sunken to new lows following the deaths of some of the smartest and toughest members in the recent weeks. Even after fighting vigilantly and bravely for a decade as they had, not everyone could escape death. Caradoc Dearborn. Edgar Bones, killed with his wife and children. The McKinnon family. Dumbledore shook his head to himself. Of course it should not have happened, he thought, remembering members' reactions and words at the news. He had been suspecting for some time now and was certain that there were a few moles operating within the Order, linked to the ambush and death of some of their members. Dumbledore regretted that he only had a vague idea of who the possible suspects were. After ten years in the ongoing war, there was widespread mistrust within the Order. Close family ties and friendships had been betrayed in the past, that as a result no one felt safe within the Order, and some members had refused to work with other members. Dumbledore had insisted repeatedly that only an allied side stood a stance against Voldemort's kind – that the distrust and separation of the Order would only benefit the Dark side. On another level, Albus also needed them to work together and rotate with other members, in order to deduce who was selling out their members and information from their side. One of them is definitely linked to the Ministry, I'm certain…

Dumbledore walked a little way down by the end of the street, where he looked up at an inn named The Hog's Head. Whilst the rest of Hogsmeade was a charming village of little thatched cottages and shops, The Hog's Head appeared slovenly and opprobrious. The Inn's old wooden sign hung high above the entrance, depicting a wild boar's severed head leaking blood onto the white cloth it rested upon. Dumbledore stepped forward as he opened the door, the stale warmth of the bar bringing a little colour to his face. The barman, a grumpy-faced old man with long grey hair and a grey beard, observed the people seated at various tables; scanning the small crowd from behind the bar. The night always attracted more interesting customers than by day. The tables were filled with many obscured, hooded figures – some drinking alone, others drinking in huddled, hushed groups.

Albus nodded wordlessly to the barman with a casual familiarity, and ordered himself a drink. The barman handed him his drink, discreetly slipping a note under the glass. Dumbledore left a couple of coins on the bench as he headed for the back of the bar, to the entrance to the stairs. He walked up the stairs with his drink, pocketing the note as he pulled out a silver pocket watch and glanced at the time. It was twelve to eight. He had decided to call in on Sybill Trelawney for the job interview at the Hog's Head, where she had informed him she was staying (citing its "easily affordable" accommodation). Though he had advertised the vacant position of Divinations teachers, he held serious reservations as to the educational benefits and value in continuing the subject at all. It was one of the most imprecise branches of magic. Most of the people who had held the position in the past or applied for it were merely eccentric people with wild, misleading imagination and no gift at all, which served neither good nor bad. Albus felt it was all rather misguiding as a whole; but as he knew of Sybill's relation to a very famous and very gifted Seer in her family dating back four generations ago, he considered it common politeness in agreeing to meet with her. He was well aware of the fact true Seers were very rare amongst wizards and witches, and considered it highly unlikely she possessed such a gift. If she was even half as great as her ancestor, he would certainly accept her application.

He came up to a fork in the stairs, and taking the left flight of stairs, walked down the corridor. The dim candlelight lining the walls of the corridor flickered lowly from their wicks, glowing vaguely upon the brass numbers on the doors. Twenty-three, twenty-four, twenty-five, twenty-six…ah, here we are…

He stopped at the door marked twenty-nine (with the nine hanging at an awkward angle), and swept a hand up to knock smartly three times.

'Who is it?' spoke a nervous voice. Dumbledore sighed at the irony, smiling to himself. He knew he couldn't expect too much.

'It's Albus Dumbledore, Sybill,' he replied drolly. The door unlocked and opened to a young woman, her shoulders draped in layers of shawls and her eyes blinking largely from behind her thick, oversized glasses. She looked up at him in recognition.

'Oooh, yes, Dumbledore, of course…my Inner Eye foresaw your coming,' she spoke in a misty voice, as Albus suddenly picked up a strong, foul waft of incense coming from her room (and a faint aroma of garlic). He coughed as she gestured for him to enter; showing him to a table at the end of the room, facing the door.

'Please, come in. Thank you for taking the time to call in.' There was a faint swirl of smoke emanating from a thin, glowing stick standing upright on the table, and as Dumbledore stepped closer the foul smell grew stronger.

'Not at all,' he coughed a bit as he sat down, and then took a few sips of his drink. It calmed his irritation as he spoke again in a clearer voice, 'I trust the accommodation has been...satisfactory?'

'Well, it's relatively reasonable considering how little it cost,' she sighed as the floorboard creaked, and she sat down. 'Forgive me if my incense came on a little too strongly, sir… it's to ward off the bed bugs and purge the room of evil spirits.'

Dumbledore raised an eyebrow, peering about the room as if he were wondering where exactly the evil spirits might lurk. 'Ah, I see,' he offered in a polite voice of understanding. There was a garland of garlic hanging from a shabby, candlelit chandelier, and the walls of the room appeared moldy and old. On the wall near the closed window, a strange runic symbol had been drawn in white chalk. A rat scurried in a dark corner of the room, its little claws softly scratching the dusty floorboards.

'My dear, the thing you have been waiting for –' she spoke suddenly, as if a vision had just flashed before her eyes, '– it will happen sooner than you expected.'

He turned to face Trelawney again, mustering a genial smile. Typically cheap and vague fortune telling, made with such generalised wording that it could be said and applied to anybody. He was disappointed. 'Ah, I guess that saves me the time of waiting any more for it, then,' he winked. Whatever 'it' is, anyway...

'Now, Sybill, I am well aware of your family lineage,' he smiled kindly, nodding with respect, 'but in regard to the teaching role, I would you like you to please share with me your experience and expertise in Divination.'

Trelawney smiled with such self-assurance, drawing her arms and folding them in with her shawl. 'Well, sir, I am experienced in the areas of astrology, cartomancy, palmistry, oneiromancy, and crystal-gazing. I am also familiar with reading tea leaves. I have been practicing cartomancy and palmistry for since I was sixteen, though I was taught the art of astrology and oneiromancy at a younger age.'

'It was back then I was told I had a gift,' she whispered dramatically, 'my Inner Eye. With it, I have channeled spirits from the great beyond, and I have seen the past and the future. I have foretold people's fortunes and fates, interpreted their dreams and helped them make important decisions and when to make them, according to the alignment of stars and planets...'

Dumbledore looked uncertainly at her and opened his mouth to speak; but Trelawney, misinterpreting his look, gabbed on with gusto, 'I realise most of my experience isn't entirely recent - the business hasn't been going too well for a few years now. No one wants to hear of bad news, you see, and there has been little good news to be divined. But I can assure you I am still very much attuned to the resonances of the future as ever.'

'I believe I have a good deal of experience to teach students how to expand their mind, body and spirit to be more aware and open to the metaphysical and astral plane. I can teach them the traditional divination methods – crystal-gazing, palmistry, astrology – and also how to correctly interpret the stars and planets, and learning all the omens by sight. However, I must warn you that there is only so far I can teach – if a student does not have the gift of the Sight, there is very little I can work with. Even with other means of divination, it is only the priveged few, like myself, who truly See.'

Dumbledore peered at Trelawney questioningly, from above his half-moon spectacles.

'I would like for you to explain what it is exactly that you can bring to this role that would enrich the students' education at Hogwarts?'

Trelawney looked affronted. 'Sir? I believe I just told you.'

Dumbledore replied with a dubious expression, 'Sybill, I expect more. It is expected that any successful Hogwarts applicant to offer students invaluable knowledge and expertise of their area. Divinations, also, as the subject being taught, is a rather vague and loose form of magic to be taught at all. We teach at Hogwarts to provide each and every student with essential wizarding knowledge and to nurture their talents and skills; so when they leave school they are fully prepared as wizards and witches in our world. Surely you're well aware of the fact that the Ministry of Magic has been hiring some young students fresh out of graduation – and even those who are no longer attending and have turned of age – to serve the cause against Voldemort-' (Trelawney gasped in horror at the name) '– as we have lost so many lives.' Dumbledore paused sadly, his eyes far off for a second as he silently reflected upon some of his past students. He looked back at Trelawney somberly.

'As Headmaster I feel, even more than ever, the great responsibility of teachers to ensure there is a high level of excellence in the standards of education taught at Hogwarts to every student. I strongly encourage the education of all branches of magic that give students skills that they can use and apply in the wizarding world. I have little belief that continuing Divinations will benefit students in their education for life…'

Dumbledore stood up and bowed. 'Sybill, thankyou for your time. I regret to inform you that I do not think you are suitable for the post. Good night.' Trelawney looked scandalized; a hand at her throat as she gaped wordlessly, struck dumb by the rejection. Dumbledore turned to leave; when a loud, harsh voice spoke behind him.

'The one with power to vanquish the Dark Lord approaches...'

Albus's eyes widened as he turned back around to face Trelawney. She sat rigid in her chair; her eyes were unfocused and her mouth sagged.

'Sybill?' he asked, but Trelawney continued without hearing him. There was sudden noise of scuffling feet and voices just outside the door.

'…Born to those who have thrice defied him, born as the seventh month dies…'

A gruff voice from outside growled, 'You have no business here!' and without warning, the door flew open with a loud bang. Trelawney snapped out of her trance-like state, looking startled at the noise as she turned to look. Dumbledore's eyes were wide as he stood there, highly alert, his wand pointing at the doorway. A young man was kneeling on the floor with the old barman standing behind him; the scruff of his robes held tightly in the barman's fist. It was obvious at a glance what the young man had been caught doing; his hand frozen in the air where the doorknob had been. How long he has been there? The barman roughly wrenched the collar in his hand upwards, forcing the young man to his feet as he stumbled forwards. Dumbledore gazed at young man with lank, greasy hair standing with the barman; recognizing the former student. Severus Snape. He lowered his wand. The young man looked fearfully at Dumbledore, avoiding his eyes.

'My apologies, I didn't mean to interrupt,' he spoke smoothly, his voice not betraying the nervousness evident in his fidgeting. 'I – I am afraid I seem to have… come up the wrong way up the stairs…then I fell down… must've taken the wrong stairs...'

The barman looked at Dumbledore, who nodded slightly. He took hold of Snape's robes at the shoulders and pushed him away forcefully, marching him back down the stairs. Dumbledore stepped towards the door, checking outside to make sure they were alone again. He shut the door and waved his wand over the door as it locked.

'Sybill?' he looked back at the table, where she was steadying herself with her hands on the table.

'Forgive me, sir…I'm just feeling a little light-headed. I guess I haven't eaten much today. Don't worry about me,' she said, waving him off as she expected him to leave.

'Please continue,' Dumbledore said, looking serious as he sat back in his chair.

'I'm sorry…continue what?' she frowned as she looked at him in the chair with a hurt and confused expression. 'You just told me you didn't want me teaching Divinations…that I'm not suitable for the role!'

Dumbledore gazed back at her curiously, calculating the look of innocent confusion in her eyes. He knotted his fingers together as he sat there quietly with a thoughtful expression, thinking.

'Sybill,' he spoke at last. 'I believe I may have been a little hasty in overlooking your…talent. Upon second consideration –'

He stopped as Trelawney's eyes rolled inwards, the whites of her eyes showing as her mouth went slack. Her shoulders were firmly hunched; her eyes rolled back out appearing unfocused and her head bowed slightly.

'–Sybill?'

'And the Dark Lord will mark him as his equal,' she spoke again in a harsh voice, 'but he will have power the dark lord knows not…'

Dumbledore leaned in closer to Trelawney at the table, the light from the chandelier glowing brighter on his face as he moved forward. A glimmer of fresh hope twinkled in his eyes as he listened intently.

'And either must die at the hand of the other, for neither can live whilst the other survives..' Trelawney's head fell forwards onto her chest. She made a grunting sort of noise. Then, quite suddenly, her head snapped up again.

'Oh, I dozed off again,' she yawned, covering her mouth as she saw his attentive look. 'Please do forgive me for being rude. I've been feeling quite odd today..' she rattled on, wrapping her shawls tighter around her shoulders. Dumbledore breathed a little quickly, the ramifications of the prophecy and its possible meaning suddenly becoming apparent to him. Mark him as his equal…

He knew well that this was not some last-effort attempt by Trelawney to pounce upon the job offer, as much as she clearly needed a more reliable source of income. Earlier he had seen in her eyes her genuine lack of consciousness – the double irony that she was not aware of her true gift, as much as she appeared to be a fraud and insisted she was gifted, brought a smile to his lips.

'You have the job. Effective immediately.'

'Sir!' she exclaimed with breathless exhilaration; stunned. 'Thankyou! Thankyou, Dumbledore! I felt sure that you would accept me; indeed I had consulted the crystal the other day and foresaw myself teaching young ones...'

'Interesting,' he smiled in amusement, his eyes twinkling. She seems fairly stunned for one expecting acceptance, he observed. He took his thoughts back to the prophecy and knew this was now a matter of utmost importance to attend to. Born as the seventh month dies…He needed to move swiftly, the end of July was a little more than two months away...

A/N: Reviews please!