Leaving an Impression
WHEN WILL DIDNT SHOW UP at lunch by the time they'd finished their chocolate pies, both Freya and Harry started to get slightly worried.
"You don't think Malfoy did something to him?" asked Freya, grinning happily as she gave a skip before she turned to look around. "Sorry, ignore that, the cheering charm still needs to wear off. What I get for messing up..."
They passed the security trolls, gave the Fat Lady the password ("Flibbertigibbet"), and scrambled through the portrait hole into the common room.
Harry began walking towards the boy's dormitory, but Freya quickly clasped his shoulder and pointed towards the fire.
Will was sitting at a table, fast asleep, his head resting on an open Arithmancy book. They went to sit down on either side of him.
Freya kicked his foot lightly, "William?"
"Wh-what!?" Will's eyes shot open as he woke up with a start and stared around wildly until his gaze focused on Freya blinking rapidly then glancing at Harry, looking confused before his expression cleared. "Oh, yes. We made up."
"Yes, we did, and then you ditched us right after," said Harry with a raised brow.
"Which is only slightly more surprising than you ditching class," added Freya sounding a bit impressed.
"Ditching cl-" Will's eyes widened, and he clutched the sides of his hair, "Oh gosh, I missed Charms! I forgot! How could I forget?"
"Yeah, how could you forget?" asked Harry, "You were right next to us when we started heading to the class!"
"I don't believe it!" said Will frustrated as he cupped his hands in front of his mouth, "Was Professor Flitwick angry? I was thinking of Malfoy, and I lost track of things!"
"That's why you should be more like us and never think of Malfoy," said Freya, tapping the side of her head as though she'd said something brilliant before she looked down at the enormous Arithmancy book, "You know what though, William? I reckon you're going bonkers. You're trying to do too much. Actually, correction, you are doing too much."
"No! I-I'm not, really!" said Will as he stood up frazzled, picking his heavy bag up quickly. "I have to go see Professor Flitwick...I'll see you in Divination!"
Will joined them at the foot of the ladder to Professor Trelawney's classroom twenty minutes later, looking extremely harassed.
"I can't believe I missed Cheering Charms! And I bet they come up in our exams; Professor Flitwick hinted they might! He said he mentioned that during today's class."
"Oh, did he?" Freya looked up from messing with a frayed end of her robe with raised brows, "Good to know."
Will rolled his eyes as Harry grinned.
Together they climbed the ladder into the dim, stifling tower room. Glowing on every little table was a crystal ball full of pearly white mist. Harry, Freya, and Will sat down together at the same rickety table.
"I thought we weren't starting crystal balls until next term," Freya muttered, casting a wary eye around for Professor Trelawney, in case she was lurking nearby.
"Don't complain, this means we've finished palmistry," Harry muttered back. "I was getting sick of her flinching every time she looked at my hands."
"Thought you'd be used to the flinching," Freya mused, "I mean, it's the same reaction everyone else has when they stare at your face too long."
Will grinned slightly as Harry frowned, "I'm not Will, you know."
"Ah, but I thought since I've been being mean to William that I'd give him a break. On the contrary I've been way to nice to you so-ow."
Harry grinned satisfied as his aimed kick had met his mark as she glared. "You're such a bloody-"
"Good day to you!" said the familiar, misty voice, and Professor Trelawney made her usual dramatic entrance out of the shadows. Parvati and Lavender quivered with excitement; their faces lit by the milky glow of their crystal ball.
"I have decided to introduce the crystal ball a little earlier than I had planned," said Professor Trelawney, sitting with her back to the fire and gazing around. "The fates have informed me that your examination in June will concern the Orb, and I am anxious to give you sufficient practice."
Will snorted.
"Well, honestly...'the fates have informed her'. Who sets the exam? She does! What an amazing prediction!" he said, not troubling to keep his voice low.
Harry and Freya choked back laughs.
After more, in Harry's and obviously Will's opinion, bothersome explanation they began. Harry, at least, felt extremely foolish, staring blankly at the crystal ball, trying to keep his mind empty when thoughts such as "this is stupid" kept drifting across it. It didn't help that Freya kept breaking into silent giggles and Will kept tutting.
"Seen anything yet?" Harry asked them after a quarter of an hour's quiet crystal gazing.
"Yeah, there's a burn on this table," said Freya, pointing. "Someone's spilled their candle. Oh, and I noticed one of my nails are chipped, must have been from slapping that ferret faced git."
"This is such a waste of time," Will hissed. "I could be practicing something useful. I could be catching up on Cheering Charms --"
Professor Trelawney rustled past.
"Would anyone like me to help them interpret the shadowy portents within their Orb?" she murmured over the clinking of her bangles.
"Ah, I don't need help," Freya whispered. "It's obvious what this means. There's going to be loads of fog tonight."
Both Harry and Will burst out laughing.
"Now, really!" said Professor Trelawney as everyone's heads turned in their direction. Parvati and Lavender were looking scandalized. "You are disturbing the clairvoyant vibrations!"
She approached their table and peered into their crystal ball. Harry felt his heart sinking. He was sure he knew what was coming --
"There is something here!" Professor Trelawney whispered, lowering her face to the ball, so that it was reflected twice in her huge glasses. "Something moving... but what is it?"
Harry was prepared to bet everything he owned, including his Firebolt, that it wasn't good news, whatever it was. And sure enough --
"My dear," Professor Trelawney breathed, gazing up at Harry. "It is here, plainer than ever before... my dear, stalking toward you, growing ever closer... the Gr --"
"Oh, for goodness' sake!" said Will loudly. "Not that ridiculous Grim again! You say it every time and for what? To add dramatic effect? Do you even understand what you're doing? You are literally telling Harry every class, that he's going to die." Will splayed his hands out, "What kind of rubbish are you trying to teach us?"
Professor Trelawney raised her enormous eyes to Will's face. Parvati whispered something to Lavender, and they both glared at Will too. Professor Trelawney stood up, surveying Will with unmistakable anger.
"I am sorry to say that from the moment you have arrived in this class my dear, it has been apparent that you do not have what the noble art of Divination requires. Indeed, I don't remember ever meeting a student whose mind was so hopelessly mundane."
There was a moment's silence. Then --
"That is the most useful thing you've told me since I've attended this class." said Will calmly.
"Because it has enlightened you on what you can do better?"
"Exactly that," Will said as he got up and dusted himself off. "That's why I give up. If you'll excuse me..."
And to the whole class's amazement, Will strode over to the trapdoor, kicked it open, and climbed down the ladder out of sight.
It took a few minutes for the class to settle down again. Professor Trelawney seemed to have forgotten all about the Grim. She turned abruptly from Harry and Freya's table, breathing rather heavily as she tugged her gauzy shawl more closely to her.
"Ooooo!" said Lavender suddenly, making everyone start. "Ooooo, Professor Trelawney, I've just remembered! You saw him leaving, didn't you? Didn't you, Professor? 'Around Easter, one of our number will leave us forever!' You said it ages ago, Professor!" Professor Trelawney gave her a dewy smile.
"Yes, my dear, I did indeed know that Mister Granger would be leaving us. One hopes, however, that one might have mistaken the Signs...The Inner Eye can be a burden, you know..."
Lavender and Parvati looked deeply impressed and moved over so that Professor Trelawney could join their table instead.
Freya was also looking deeply impressed, but not at Trelawney. Instead, she leaned against the table, cupping her chin in her hand, as she stared at the trapdoor nodding as she smiled.
"William...He can be pretty fun, huh?"