The Forgotten Olympian |BOOK 1| PJO X HP | Alexandra Marine

Chapter 138 - Percy - A New Prophecy

Professor Umbridge emerged through the trapdoor in the floor. The class, which had been talking cheerily, fell silent at once. The abrupt fall in the noise level made Professor Trelawney, who had been wafting about handing out copies of The Dream Oracle, look round.

"Good afternoon, Professor Trelawney," said Professor Umbridge with her wide smile. "You received my note, I trust? Giving the time and date of your inspection?"

Professor Trelawney nodded curtly and, looking very disgruntled, turned her back on Professor Umbridge and continued to give out books. Still smiling, Professor Umbridge grasped the back of the nearest armchair and pulled it to the front of the class so that it was a few inches behind Professor Trelawney's seat. She then sat down, took her clipboard from her flowery bag and looked up expectantly, waiting for the class to begin.

Professor Trelawney pulled her shawls tight about her with slightly trembling hands and surveyed the class through her hugely magnifying lenses.

"We shall be continuing our study of prophetic dreams today," she said in a brave attempt at her usual mystic tones, though her voice shook slightly. "Divide into pairs, please, and interpret each others latest night-time visions with the aid of the Oracle."

She made as though to sweep back to her seat, saw Professor Umbridge sitting right beside it, and immediately veered left towards Parvati and Lavender, who were already deep in discussion about Parvati's most recent dream.

"Think of a dream, quick," Jason told me, "in case the old toad comes our way."

"Uh... I don't know," I replied, "the dreams I have are way worse than what any mortal would dare to think of."

"Let's just say I dreamed about... setting fire... to... the McDonalds' clown mascot," Alex provided, sitting next us. "Professor Trelawney told me to join someone."

Jason flipped through the book, smiling. "OK, we've got to add your age to the date you had the dream, the number of letters in the subject... would that be 'fire' or 'McDonalds' Clown'?"

"It doesn't matter, pick any of them," I said, looking at Professor Umbridge, who was now standing at Professor Trelawney's shoulder making notes while the Divination teacher questioned Neville about his dream diary.

"What night did you dream this again?" Jason said, immersed in calculations.

"I dunno, last night, whenever you like," Alex told him, trying to listen to what Umbridge was saying to Professor Trelawney. Professor Umbridge was making another note on her clipboard and Professor Trelawney was looking extremely put out.

"Now," said Umbridge, looking up at Trelawney, "you've been in this post how long, exactly?"

Professor Trelawney scowled at her, arms crossed and shoulders hunched as though wishing to protect herself as much as possible from the indignity of the inspection. After a slight pause in which she seemed to decide that the question was not so offensive that she could reasonably ignore it, she said in a deeply resentful tone, "Nearly sixteen years."

"Quite a period," said Professor Umbridge, making a note on her clipboard. "So it was Professor Dumbledore who appointed you?"

"That's right," said Professor Trelawney shortly.

Professor Umbridge made another note.

"And you are a great-great-granddaughter of the celebrated Seer Cassandra Trelawney?"

"Yes," said Professor Trelawney, holding her head a little higher.

Another note on the clipboard.

"But I think-- correct me if I am mistaken--that you are the first in your family since Cassandra to be possessed of Second Sight?"