REVISED 7/15/2013.
Leaving the Defense Against the Dark Arts classroom with the promise to her godfather that she will stop by his office later in the evening, Kirsten Black walked along the grand corridor. Two arms wrapped around her shoulders and she saw out of the corner of her eye, who they belonged to.
"That was the most—"
"Brilliant thing we've ever seen."
Kirsten rolled her eyes but couldn't help the small tug at her lips as she shook her head. The redheaded twins let go of her and began to walk backwards in front of the witch, allowing Hermione to walk by her side.
"They were about to start clapping and cheering," Angelina Johnson said, joining Kirsten on her other side. Kirsten glanced at her to see a smile gracing her lips, "but you already went into class."
"I'm pretty sure you were about to do that yourself, Angelina," Katie Bell added, now joining Angelina by her side.
"I wasn't the only, Katie," Angelina responded before looking back at Kirsten. "In all honesty, I don't give a damn who your father is. And I can't believe the Minister was trying to interrogate because of it. Anyways, don't want to be late for class. So I'll see you."
Kirsten received the same little speech from the other three before they left, leaving her and Hermione walking together. She could feel the stares of students as she walked past. Could hear their whispers bouncing off the corridor walls in every hall. Gossiping, no doubt.
It was a school after all.
But what surprised her were several of the reactions of the older students from different houses. Such as the two sixth year Ravenclaws who nodded their heads in her direction with a smile.
The two witches finally reached the Divinations classroom. She was about to head to her usual table, until she felt Hermione's hold on her arm.
"We're sitting with them," Hermione said, nodding her head in the direction of Harry and Ron. There were two extra seats placed at the small table.
"What for?" Kirsten asked.
"Come on, Kia. I'm sure that he won't try to start anything," Hermione insisted, and Kirsten didn't miss Ron waving them over. A sigh escaped her lips and she let Hermione drag her towards the table with a reassuring smile on her face. The bushy haired witch sat in one of the seats and Kirsten stared dead at her in dismay.
The only other open one was beside Harry.
She should have seen this coming.
The black haired witch settled herself down in the only available seat at the table, and noticed a crystal ball sitting on top of the table. Her eyebrows rose up in question.
"Bloody hell, Kia. First Hermione on Malfoy, and now you getting at the Minister of Magic?" Ron said completely astonished, shaking his head. "Can't believe he'd try and interrogate you cause — well, you know — Black's your father and all."
She could see Parvati and Lavender trying to listen in and decided not to elaborate on the matter. Instead she gave the redhead a wink and a sly grin his way.
"He's a bigger ass than Malfoy," she informed him.
Ron's jaw dropped at her and he was about to comment, but was interrupted by the familiar misty voice of none other than Professor Trelawney.
"Good day to you," the Divination's professor said. "I decided to introduce the crystal ball a little earlier than I had planned. The fates have informed me that your examination in June will concern the Orb, and I am anxious to give you sufficient practice."
The snort that came from Hermione caused Kirsten to raise an eyebrow at the witch.
"Well, honestly… 'the fates have informed her'…who sets the exam? She does! What an amazing prediction!" Hermione explained, rolling her eyes. Kirsten couldn't help the smile on her lips while Harry adn Ron tried to stifle their laughter.
"Crystal gazing is a particularly refined art," Trelawney said dreamily. "I do not expect any of you to see when you first peer into the Orb's infinite depths. We shall start by practicing relaxing the conscious mind and external eyes," Ron started to giggle uncontrollably, "so as to clear the Inner Eye and the super consciousness. Perhaps, if we are lucky some of you will see before the end of this class."
"Your up first, Kirsten," Ron told her, nodding at the crystal ball.
A small smile couldn't help but appear on her lips as she looked at the ball. She remembered a show she watched had a "mystical" and "clairvoyant" woman rubbing her hands around it and talking nonsense about seeing the future. And with Trelawney around, she kind of reminded her of that woman.
Kirsten was curious as she brought the ball closer to her. She had been slightly curious about Divination since taking the classes, even though Hermione would constantly scoff at the idea.
How exactly could she doubt anything? They lived in a world where there was magic. Where anything could happen...
The black haired witch peered down at the ball in front of her. It was only a second later when the neutral colors began to turn into an odd dark shade of green. The hairs on the back of Kirsten's neck stood up and she involuntarily shivered. Then a voice spoke in her head, causing her eyes to widen.
"Avada Kedavra!"
A cold feeling enveloped her as the dark green began to turn into an alarmingly bright shade of green.
Kirsten jumped in her seat and looked away from the ball into the eyes of Hermione, Ron, and Harry. All of who were looking at her oddly.
"Are you all right?" Ron asked her. All Kirsten could do at the moment was nod her head in his direction and throw a smile that surely did not reach her eyes.
Did they not hear the voice?
Could they even see how the grey and white swirls of mist turned green?
Her eyes went back to the crystal ball to see that swirls of grey and white was now back and taking its residence.
Avada Kedavra...
The voice was cold, high, and somehow emanated a dark presence within her. She couldn't help but shiver at the thought.
"Kirsten?" Hermione's voice broke her from her thoughts and Kirsten looked to see Hermione looking at her in confusion.
"Sorry, I was...daydreaming," Kirsten lied blatantly, shrugging her shoulders. After pushing the ball in Ron's direction, Kirsten propped her chin on her hand as she let her fingers drum the table. "You're turn."
Ron observed the crystal ball without question.
"See anything yet?" Harry asked.
"Yeah, there's a burn on this table," Ron said, pointing at the mark. "Someone's spilled their candle."
Kirsten snorted at the redhead's response.
"This is a waste of time," Hermione hissed. Kirsten caught sight of the Divination professor looking in their direction. "I could be practicing something useful. I could be catching up on Cheering Charms—"
"Would anybody want me to interpret the shadowy portents within their Orb?" the woman asked over the clinking of her bangles.
"I don't need help. It's obvious what this means. There's going to be loads of fog tonight," Ron muttered loudly. Kirsten didn't bother trying to stifle her laughter at the crack and could hear both Hermione and Harry joined her.
"Now really!" Professor Trelawney exclaimed as everybody looked at our table. "You are disturbing the clairvoyant vibrations." She maneuvered toward the table seating the four and peered at the orb.
"There is something here!" Trelawney whispered, lowering her head at the ball. "Something moving…but what is it?"
Kirsten held back her insult as she observed the witch. After all, she did see something odd...well saw and heard something odd.
Maybe Trelawney was actually seeing something too.
"My dear…" Trelawney breathed, gazing up at Harry. "It is here…plainer than before…my dear…stalking toward you—"
Okay, maybe not.
A groan of annoyance escaped Kirsten's lips while she practically face-palmed her forehead.
"Oh for goodness sakes!" Hermione said loudly in agreement with Kirsten's groan. "Not that ridiculous grim again!"
"I am sorry to say that from the moment you arrived in this class, my dear, it has been apparent that you do not have what the noble art of Divination requires. Indeed, I don't remember meeting a student whose mind was so hopefully mundane."
Kirsten's mouth dropped open slightly at Hermione, who looked ready to curse someone. She knew Hermione was going to snap at some moment with the constant ragging on the subject.
But today?
"Fine!" Hermione yelled, cramming Unfogging The Future back into her bag.
"Fine!" she repeated. This time she swung the bag from her shoulders, almost knocking Ron off his chair. "I give up! I'm leaving!"
It didn't take long for Hermione to kick the trapdoor open and climb down the ladder. The whole class seemed stunned with silence, and the chuckle that bubbled from Kirsten's lips added to the odd looks everyone else was giving her.
"Must be the after effects of the Cheering Charms we did today in class."