Not long after Umbridge issued the New Educational Decree, a new rumor spread through the school: their Divination Professor, Trelawney, had actually been placed on probation.
Many students were astonished that the Old Swindler had been put on probation instead of simply being fired.
Some said Umbridge feared Professor Trelawney's Prophecy would come true and was trying to break it this way. Others said Umbridge had yet to find a Divination Professor capable of replacing Trelawney.
In short, their Divination Professor was still temporarily employed at Hogwarts.
As soon as the news spread through the school, some students began questioning Trelawney's Prophecy, believing the original prophecy really had been a trick the Old Swindler used to avoid being fired.
However, Professor Trelawney seemed unconcerned by it all. She continued teaching her students as usual, utterly unaffected by the gossip outside.
Well!
Saying Professor Trelawney was unaffected was obviously a lie. She was on the verge of a minor breakdown, but fortunately, tranquilizers helped stabilize her emotions and allowed her to remain calm in front of her students.
"Umbridge still hasn't found a suitable replacement."
During Divination class, Trelawney made no attempt to avoid mentioning her probation. In an exceptionally flat tone, she told everyone, "You may not know this, but there isn't a single wizard in the British magical world who is skilled in Divination and meets the Ministry of Magic's requirements. They can't just find some wizard who knows nothing about Divination to teach you, or the Ministry of Magic will become a laughingstock. Though it's already nearly a laughingstock as it is."
"Professor, who do you think will become the new Divination Professor?"
"Not a human, anyway." Professor Trelawney did not want to discuss the matter. She hated Centaurs.
"A ghost?"
"No. You'll find out eventually."
"Maybe it'll