Harry.spent.the.rest.of.the.lunch.hour.sitting.alone.underneath.the.trapdoor.at.the.top.of.North.Tower..Consequently,.he.was.the.first.to.ascend.the.silver.ladder.that.led.to.Sybill.Trelawney.s.classroom.when.the.bell.rang..
After.Potions,.Divination.was.Harrys.least.favourite.class,.which.was.due.mainly.to.Professor.Trelawney.s.habit.of.predicting.his.premature.death.every.few.lessons..A.thin.woman,.heavily.draped.in.shawls.and.glittering.with.strings.of.beads,.she.always.reminded.Harry.of.some.kind.of.insect,.with.her.glasses.hugely.magnifying.her.eyes..She.was.busy.putting.copies.of.battered.leather‐
bound.books.on.each.of.the.spindly.little.tables.with.which.her.room.was.littered.when.Harry.entered.the.room,.but.the.light.cast.by.the.lamps.covered.by.scarves.and.the.low‐burning,.sickly‐scented.fire.was.so.dim.she.appeared.not.to.notice.him.as.he.took.a.seat.in.the.shadows..The.rest.of.the.class.arrived.over.the.next.five.minutes..Ron.emerged.from.the.trapdoor,.looked.around.carefully,.spotted.Harry.and.made.directly.for.him,.or.as.directly.as.he.could.while.having.to.wend.his.way.between.tables,.chairs.and.overstuffed.pouffes..
.Hermione.and.me.have.stopped.arguing,..he.said,.sitting.down.beside.Harry..
.Good,..grunted.Harry..
.But.Hermione.says.she.thinks.it.would.be.nice.if.you.stopped.taking.out.your.temper.on.us,..said.Ron..
.I.m.not.‐..
.I.m.just.passing.on.the.message,..said.Ron,.talking.over.him...But.I.reckon.she.s.right..It.s.not.our.fault.how.Seamus.and.Snape.treat.you...
.I.never.said.it.‐..
.Good‐day,..said.Professor.Trelawney.in.her.usual.misty,.dreamy.voice,.and.Harry.broke.off,.again.feeling.both.annoyed.and.slightly.ashamed.of.himself.
.
.And.welcome.back.to.Divination..I.have,.of.course,.been.following.your.fortunes.most.carefully.over.the.holidays,.and.am.delighted.to.see.that.you.have.all.returned.to.Hogwarts.safely.‐.as,.of.course,.I.knew.you.would..
.You.will.find.on.the.tables.before.you.copies.of.The.Dream.Oracle,.by.Inigo.Imago..Dream.interpretation.is.a.most.important.means.of.divining.the.future.and.one.that.may.very.probably.be.tested.in.your.OWL..Not,.of.course,.that.I.believe.examination.passes.or.failures.are.of.the.remotest.importance.when.it.comes.to.the.sacred.art.of.divination..If.you.have.the.Seeing.Eye,.certificates.and.grades.matter.very.little..However,.the.Headmaster.likes.you.to.sit.the.examination,.so…..
Her.voice.trailed.away.delicately,.leaving.them.all.in.no.doubt.that.Professor.Trelawney.considered.her.subject.above.such.sordid.matters.as.examinations..
Turn,.please,.to.the.introduction.and.read.what.Imago.has.to.say.on.the.matter.of.dream.interpretation..Then,.divide.into.pairs..Use.The.Dream.Oracle.to.interpret.each.others.most.recent.dreams..Carry.on...
The.one.good.thing.to.be.said.for.this.lesson.was.that.it.was.not.a.double.period.
.By.the.time.they.had.all.finished.reading.the.introduction.of.the.book,.they.had.barely.ten.minutes.left.for.dream.interpretation..At.the.table.next.to.Harry.and.Ron,.Dean.had.paired.up.with.Neville,.who.immediately.embarked.on.a.long‐