Chapter 300: The prediction is accurate, but it's a bit heartbreaking
"This year, we will learn the basic methods of Divination," Trelawney said. "In the first semester, we will learn to read tea leaves and palms, and in the summer semester, we can begin to study crystal balls."
"Professor, could you demonstrate your prophetic abilities for us?" Aaron raised his hand. "I think that would motivate us to learn Divination."
As he finished speaking, the students also looked at Professor Trelawney with curiosity, wondering if she had any prophecies for them.
"True prophecies are often made when least expected," Professor Trelawney said, a bit conflicted, but she quickly changed the subject. "However, some simple prophecies are quite easy."
She looked at Parvati Patil, a dark-haired Gryffindor girl. "Beware of a red-haired man."
Parvati paused, then instinctively looked at Ron Weasley, who was only an aisle away, and quickly moved her chair a little further away, trying to put as much distance between them as possible.
Ron's eye twitched slightly. Although he wasn't interested in this classmate, her action of moving the chair really caused no small amount of damage to his mind.
"Classes will be suspended in February due to a severe flu.
I myself will lose my voice.
Around Easter, one among us will leave us forever."
The atmosphere in the classroom suddenly became heavy. If this prophecy was true, it meant that someone in this classroom would die around April next year.
"My dear," Trelawney looked at Lavender Brown, who was closest to her, "could you hand me the largest silver teacup?"
Lavender swallowed, but then let out a heavy sigh of relief.
It was just about getting a teacup; she definitely wasn't the one who would leave around Easter.
She took the silver teacup from the shelf and placed it in Professor Trelawney's hand.
"Thank you, my dear." Trelawney opened the teacup and glanced inside, a hint of regret and reluctance in her smile. "The thing you fear most will happen on Friday, October sixteenth."
Aaron silently compared these prophecies, looking thoughtfully at Lavender Brown.
If he wanted to know Professor Trelawney's prophetic abilities, observing this girl's behavior on October sixteenth would probably be the quickest way.
"Now, everyone, take a teacup from the shelf and come to me.
I will fill the cups with tea, and you will drink the tea, leaving only the tea leaves.
Shake the teacup three times with your left hand, then invert the cup onto the saucer. Once the last drop of water has drained, hand the cup to your partner for interpretation." Trelawney smiled and advised, "You can refer to the textbook 'Unfogging the Future' to interpret the shapes of the tea leaves. I will be here to help you with any questions."
The students immediately followed suit, taking teacups from the shelf one by one.
But when it was Neville's turn, Trelawney suddenly picked up a broom and dustpan and walked over.
Crack!
The sound of breaking porcelain rang out. Trelawneyseemed to have anticipated this. As she swept, she looked at Neville. "You should take a blue cup. The pink cup is my favorite."
Neville nodded blankly, then casually picked up a cup with a blue pattern.
Aaron and Hermione followed Professor Trelawney's instructions, then exchanged teacups.
"What do you see in my cup?" Aaron asked curiously.
Hermione opened her textbook, found the section on interpreting tea leaves, and then began examining Aaron's teacup.
Time passed second by second, and Hermione's brows furrowed deeper, her face showing some struggle.
"Uh… it's okay if you can't see anything. Your expression is scary enough."
"I can do it." Hermione took a deep breath and continued to meticulously examine the teacup.
Aaron smiled wryly and shook his head. He began interpreting Hermione's teacup according to the textbook. The shape of the tea leaves resembled a chain, connected end to end, but with a small gap in the middle.
"Amazing!" Aaron raised an eyebrow. "Professor Trelawneyis definitely a prophet in the true sense of the word."
"What did you interpret?" Hermione asked.
"Are you sure you want to know?" Aaron asked playfully.
Hermione snatched her teacup back, but after looking at it against the textbook for a long time, she couldn't interpret it.
"Just tell me."
"Alright, alright." Aaron chuckled. "You will give up this class due to immense pressure, and the specific time might be around Easter."
Hermione:... "Impossible, you must be mistaken."
"We'll see. Let me look at mine first."
Hermione handed Aaron's teacup over, but he couldn't make out the patterns inside. Or rather, the tea leaves in his cup were unusually chaotic, almost showing all sorts of shapes.
"Can't make sense of it, can you?" Hermione said triumphantly. "I even suspect the tea leaves in your cup are alive."
Just then, Professor Trelawney walked to their table. "Open your minds, and let your gaze transcend the boundaries of the mundane."
"Uh… Professor, I think I see it very clearly," Aaronmurmured. "One of your previous prophecies was about her. I'm at least seventy percent sure."
Trelawney heard this and a smile flashed in her eyes as she looked at Aaron.
Dumbledore had told her before the start of term to pay special attention to a Slytherin, but she hadn't taken it seriously then, because Divination was about talent, not grades.
But now it seemed she had been too hasty. This student was one of the small handful of people in the Wizarding Worldwith a talent for Divination.
"Yes, but he can't see his own," Hermione grumbled.
"My dear, let me see." Professor Trelawney gave Aaron a gentle smile, then took the teacup from the table.
She didn't need a textbook; she simply focused intently on the tea leaves in the cup, constantly rotating it, carefully observing from all directions.
"How can this be?"
"What is it?" Hermione asked somewhat nervously.
"I've never seen such a complex destiny!" Trelawneyexclaimed, her eyes wide with excitement. "A sword… flames… My dear, the tea leaves show you've been through a brutal battle. Have you participated in a war?"
"Haha…" Aaron gave a sheepish laugh, but a storm raged in his mind.
Holy cow! Holy cow!! Holy cow!!!
She can see even this? Is Divination that amazing?
I must learn this class, even if I can't master it, I must learn it. It doesn't matter if I give up all four other classes.
"You must be mistaken," Hermione interjected, displeased. "Aaron is only thirteen; a brutal battle has nothing to do with him."
Aaron swallowed, then gave Trelawney a guilty look.
Trelawney saw the curious glances all around and immediately understood Aaron's meaning.
"Perhaps I was mistaken." Trelawney didn't feel embarrassed; instead, she continued to examine the teacup from various angles.
"Short steps… you will go on a distant journey, but you will return quickly."
Hearing this, Aaron's eyebrows twitched slightly.
A good omen. It seemed his next interdimensional trip wouldn't take too long.
"Wait, there's also an endless staircase… you will have a particularly long journey."
Aaron's heart sank. What did 'long' mean? That was too frightening!
"Professor, what else do you see?"
Trelawney didn't answer; instead, she leaned closer to the teacup, her eyes wide, not even noticing her glasses bumping against it.
"Chains, portals, arrows, stars, whirlpools, thrones…"
Professor Trelawney interpreted unconsciously, not even realizing it herself.
The teacup kept making 'crack' sounds, and clear cracks slowly appeared. Crimson blood dripped from her palm.
Finally, the teacup shattered. Trelawney came back to herself, looking in shock at the scattered fragments and the coffee-colored dust mixed with blood.
"Who exactly are you?" Trelawney asked, bewildered and uncertain.
"I'm just a thirteen-year-old Wizard. There's no need to make such a fuss."
"No, I cannot predict your destiny," Trelawney said solemnly. "The results of the Divination tell me that you will grow infinitely through various troubles and crises, even to a point I cannot fathom."
"It's not that exaggerated, is it?" Aaron said sheepishly, but in his mind, he already believed eighty percent of this prophecy.
This was determined by his identity. Before growing into the God of Magic, or becoming the patriarch of Gaius's clan, or even marrying and having children, he had to fulfill the corresponding obligations according to the clan rules.
Hiss!
Looking at it this way, staying in other worlds might not be a bad idea. At least he wouldn't have to bear those responsibilities; it would be a form of early retirement.
"Believe it or not," Trelawney said, narrowing her eyes and smiling.
Aaron's mouth twitched. "Then, if I may be so bold, does this prophecy have a time limit?"
"I don't know."
"Alright! I have no more questions."
"Child," Professor Trelawney said hesitantly, "your future is limitless, but this will be a considerable test of your mental fortitude."
"Thank you." Aaron slowly exhaled. "I am fully prepared for that."
Trelawney continued to walk around the classroom, occasionally answering others' questions.
"Aaron, don't take what she just said to mind," Hermionecomforted him. "It sounds completely made up."
"Who knows?" Aaron shrugged. "The real situation certainly isn't as exaggerated as she said, but… it might not be false either.
Divination Class is truly magical. It seems I need to ask Gines to prepare a crystal ball for me."
"Don't you have a crystal ball?" Hermione asked, puzzled.
"Different quality! I need a higher quality… crystal ball," Aaron said seriously. "If you want to do a good job, you must first sharpen your tools. A high-quality crystal ball is very helpful for Divination."
Just then, several gasps suddenly came from nearby. Professor Trelawney threw Harry's teacup onto the table as if it were a hot potato.
She appeared particularly anxious and uneasy, and her gaze towards Harry was extremely heavy.
"My dear," Professor Trelawney said tremblingly, "you have a grim omen."
"Grim?" Dean Thomas asked, puzzled. "What does 'grim' mean?"
"A grim, my dear, it's a grim," Professor Trelawneyemphasized. "That sinister big dog that haunts graveyards is the most malicious omen in our world. It portends… death."