"How is that possible? That old fraud must have been putting on an act." Hermione scoffed after hearing Harry describe Professor Trelawney's prophecy after the Divination exam:
"If she really had that sort of ability, she should have made at least one genuine prophecy this school year, rather than fooling people by hedging her bets as she did before."
Ever since deciding to drop Divination, Hermione had taken to calling Professor Trelawney an old fraud. She also said that her so-called prophecies were all vaguely worded so that she could claim to be right either way.
Ron did not quite agree, but kept his opinion to himself.
Harry had thought much the same before today, but the reaction from the Left Hand of Chaos and Calamity had left him a little uncertain.
As for Neville, he rarely expressed his own opinions.
Today, however, there was someone else with them: Hagrid.
"Professor Trelawney's prophecies..." Hagrid looked a little odd. "Most of the time, she really can't come up with any decent prophecies..."
"Most of the time?" Hermione seized on the key words in Hagrid's remark.
"Well... I can't tell you about this. But she did make a prophecy, a very important one. And it really came true. It was because of that prophecy that Dumbledore invited her to teach at Hogwarts."
Hagrid spread his hands. "Don't ask me about that prophecy. Only Professor Dumbledore, Professor McGonagall, and I know about it. Hmm, some people at the Ministry of Magic might know too, but no more than five. You won't find anything out elsewhere, either."
"I'm not actually that interested." Harry spread his hands.
He was more concerned with what Hagrid's words implied. Did that mean Professor Trelawney really could make prophecies? Then what his Left Hand of Chaos and Calamity had