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Chapter 1008: The Cruel Truth
Chapter 1008: The Cruel Truth
Professor Trelawney's prophecy was like a depth charge, causing a frenzy in Hogwarts.
Most students were astonished by the old fraud's prediction that she would be expelled by the toad. Many believed it to be a trick, and anyone who had attended Divination classes knew that Professor Trelawney was a fraud. Perhaps she was trying to intimidate Umbridge to avoid being fired.
What was the truth behind this incident? Could Professor Trelawney really make prophecies?
No one knew for sure, but everyone was curious about the divination results she gave Umbridge.
In Professor Trelawney's first prophecy, Umbridge would drive out Dumbledore and become the new headmistress of Hogwarts.
This prophecy was not good news for the students and faculty.
Anyone with half a brain could guess that Umbridge's motives for coming to Hogwarts were questionable.
Why would someone choose to leave their position as the Deputy Head of the Ministry of Magic to teach at Hogwarts, especially as the Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher, a position known for its dangers? In the second prophecy, Umbridge would get into big trouble in the Forbidden Forest and be taught a lesson by a group of centaurs.
This was a bit perplexing, but the third prophecy, that Umbridge would eventually be driven out of Hogwarts, was not entirely unexpected. After all, Defense Against the Dark Arts teachers rarely lasted more than a year at the school.
The most surprising was the fourth prophecy, which predicted Umbridge's death in Azkaban.
It seemed like Professor Trelawney was deliberately provoking Umbridge.
However, Professor Trelawney claimed that this was the outcome of her divination.
Intrigued by the "truth" behind the incident, the curious students sought help from the "prophecy expert," Albert.
"Professor Trelawney does have some prophetic abilities, but they are not particularly strong."
"As for whether her prophecy about Umbridge will come true, I think it won't be long before everyone can see the results for themselves."
Some suspected that Albert and Professor Trelawney were in cahoots, praising each other. Others even wanted to challenge Albert to make a prophecy about Umbridge to prove his abilities, but Albert ignored these ridiculous attempts to provoke him.
He had no need to prove himself to anyone.
On the other hand, Umbridge was furious about Professor Trelawney's prophecy. Many students walking past the corridor of the Defense Against the Dark Arts office could clearly hear the sounds of things being thrown and cursed inside.
The Weasley brothers' Extendable Ears were in high demand, as curious students borrowed them to listen in on what the toad was ranting about.
Everyone was guessing when Umbridge would fire Professor Trelawney.
However, they were destined to be disappointed. Umbridge seemed to have no intention of dismissing Professor Trelawney, at least not for the time being.
People believed that Umbridge was worried that Professor Trelawney's prophecy would come true, especially since even Albert acknowledged her prophetic abilities.
Only Umbridge knew the truth behind her actions.
As the divination incident caused a stir in the school, Umbridge once again sent a note inviting Albert to her office for tea. She intended to question him about Professor Trelawney's divination.
During her time at Hogwarts, Umbridge had not been entirely unsuccessful in gathering information. Through her Slytherin students, she had learned about Anderson, whom she suspected was the prophecy master Professor Trelawney had mentioned.
Over a month ago, Harry Potter had mentioned during his trial that a prophecy master had made a divination for him, and Umbridge suspected it was this very person before her. Moreover, the prediction about Fudge's removal from office next summer could have also come from him.
Especially now, after being charged a hefty fee of a thousand galleons by this damn Mudblood, Umbridge's mood had plummeted.
Could he really predict the future? Would Fudge truly be ousted next year?
"Mr. Anderson, am I to believe that you are attempting to blackmail a professor?" Umbridge asked with a nauseating fake smile. She was determined to find out if this man before her could indeed foresee the future.
If it were anyone else, Umbridge wouldn't have believed it, but this Mudblood named Albert Anderson had performed too many miracles.
It wouldn't be surprising if he performed one more.
"Blackmail? I think you've got the wrong idea," Albert said, lifting his head and looking at Umbridge with a peculiar expression.
"I've got the wrong idea?" Umbridge's smile froze as she met Albert's gaze, and she quickly averted her eyes, unable to hold his stare.
"You're asking me for a divination now, and that's a business transaction," Albert said coldly after finishing his cup of milk tea. "If you want me to divine for you, you must pay the fee in full. No exceptions!"
"No exceptions?"
Umbridge was still wearing that sickening fake smile.
"No one is exempt," Albert said, ignoring Umbridge's malicious intent. He stood up and said, "If you're not willing to pay, then I won't bother with your fortune."
Without giving Umbridge a chance to retort, Albert withdrew his wand from his robe pocket and, with a casual flick of his wrist, cast a spell on the surprised woman, causing her to forget most of what had transpired.
"Well, I'll be on my way then. Have a pleasant afternoon," Albert said, tucking his wand back into his pocket and offering a polite nod to the dazed Umbridge before turning to leave the Defense Against the Dark Arts office, leaving behind a bewildered and befuddled Umbridge.
By the time Umbridge regained her senses, she had already forgotten about her intention to have Albert predict her fortune, and her mind was filled only with Albert's assessment of Professor Trelawney.
Professor Trelawney did possess prophetic abilities, and her predictions had come true, so there was a good chance that those prophecies would indeed come to pass?
"No, no, that's impossible! She's a fraud, everyone says so, she's a fake!" Umbridge muttered to herself, trying to quell the surge of fear that was bubbling within her.
Indeed, Professor Trelawney was a fraud, and her prophecies were nothing but an elaborate hoax, thought Umbridge. She refused to believe that she had truly seen her future in the crystal ball.
However, what Umbridge did not know was that it was indeed possible for someone to predict another's future with such accuracy.
As Albert exited the Defense Against the Dark Arts office, he spotted Fred, George, and Lee Jordan lurking nearby with mischievous grins on their faces.
"What did that toad want with you?" Fred asked, tucking his wand back into his pocket and grinning broadly. "We were just discussing whether we should come in and lend you a hand."
The trio stood there with their wands at the ready, looking as though they were prepared to burst into the office and aid Albert in subduing Umbridge.
"So, what's the verdict?" Albert asked with a smile, well aware that their dramatic display was mostly for show and that they weren't truly concerned about him facing any real danger from Umbridge. If anything, it was Umbridge who should be worried.
"George here says you can definitely take care of yourself," Fred replied.
"Umbridge wanted me to predict her fortune, but she wasn't willing to pay for it..." Albert explained.
"How much were you planning to charge her?" Lee Jordan asked curiously, knowing that seeking Albert's divination services could be quite costly.
"Not much, just a thousand galleons," Albert replied nonchalantly.
"I wouldn't want to pay either if I were her," the trio chimed in unison, their faces reflecting their disbelief at Albert's idea of "not much."
They felt that their sense of monetary value was vastly different from Albert's.
"When it comes to predicting one's future, a thousand galleons is a small price to pay. If she's not willing to pay, then so be it. Besides, she tried to intimidate me with her position in the Ministry and as a Senior Investigator," Albert shrugged, his hands spread wide in a gesture of helplessness, "so..."
"So, you gave her a piece of your mind!" Fred finished excitedly.
"Not exactly," Albert corrected, "I simply made her forget parts of what happened here."
"I thought you'd be angrier," Lee Jordan chimed in, always one to stir the pot.
"Why would I be angry?" Albert countered. "Would you be angry at a toad for croaking?"
The trio had to admit that Albert's analogy made sense, even though they couldn't help but feel a twinge of disappointment at not witnessing Albert giving Umbridge a tongue-lashing.
Albert had no intention of engaging in any sort of conflict with Umbridge, and if the need arose, erasing parts of her memory would suffice.
As for Umbridge's feelings in the matter, who really cared?
This handy solution was something Albert had picked up from Ministry employees during the Quidditch World Cup the previous year.
If they could do it, then it was certainly a viable option for him as well.
On the other hand, Umbridge's actions struck him as rather foolish.
Had she become so accustomed to throwing her weight around in the Ministry that she'd lost her sense of rational judgment? Or had her recent oppressive behavior clouded her thinking, leading to a series of ill-advised decisions?
"So, Professor Trelawney's prophecy is true, then?"
The trio was more curious about this development, knowing that it was Albert who had provided the prophecy in the first place.
"Yes, it is," Albert confirmed.
"And Umbridge will really meet her end in Azkaban?"
"That's right."
"Now, that's exciting news!"
"However," Albert continued, "even with that prophecy, the future is still subject to change. Prophecies involve a multitude of causes and effects, and it's impossible to determine with certainty what the future holds."
"I don't understand any of this!"
"I wasn't expecting you to," Albert sighed. "The future can be altered, but it's incredibly difficult to do so."
Albert had attempted to do just that in the past, and the result had been the premature death of Peter Pettigrew.
As a consequence, he had personally intervened to create an opportunity for Sirius Black.
As the group made their way back to the common room, they were approached by Shan, who pulled Albert aside to discuss the Defense Association.
"Lately, there have been whispers among the students about someone wanting to re-establish the Defense Association to teach everyone about Dark Arts defense," Shan said in a hushed tone. "Everyone assumes it's you."
"I'm quite busy, so I'll have to decline," Albert replied, having a good idea of what was going on.
"It's not you?" Shan looked at Fred and George, her eyes narrowing. "You two must know who it is, right? Angelina said Fred told her about it."
"Ahem, it's Harry," Fred replied, scratching the back of his head. "His skills in Dark Arts defense aren't too shabby, you know."
"George, under Shan's watchful gaze, cleared his throat and explained, "I think Hermione's right. We can't let that toad ruin our Dark Arts defense. We need to take matters into our own hands and learn to protect ourselves. If you're interested, you can come and take a look.""
"What about Albert?" Shan turned to Albert, who shook his head. "I don't have the time, and if I went, it would change the nature of the group."
"How so?"
"They would definitely want me to lead them in driving Umbridge out," Albert replied.
"Isn't that a good thing?" Angelina asked.
"It's not a bad thing, but it's pointless," Albert continued, his tone carrying a hint of meaning. "Even if we get rid of Umbridge, the Ministry will just send someone else to take her place." He paused, then added, "Besides, I find Umbridge rather amusing."
Indeed, in the short time Umbridge had been at Hogwarts, she had provided no shortage of entertainment and laughter for the students.
"How good is Harry Potter at Dark Arts defense?" Shan turned to George. "Can we really learn anything from him?"
"It's about sharing knowledge and learning from each other," George shrugged. "We're using a guide that Albert put together—'The Self-Defense Handbook'."
"Oh, that book?" Shan knew about it.
"It hasn't been published yet. Don't look at me, I don't have a copy either," Fred chimed in, shrugging his shoulders. "Apparently, Granger has one, but I haven't seen it myself."
"When is it happening?" Shan hesitated for a moment, still contemplating whether to join them. Her skills in Dark Arts defense were lacking, and if she wanted to achieve good grades, she knew she had to put in extra effort.
As for whether Harry was a fraud, anyone with half a brain wouldn't bother with such doubts.
...
Late into the night, light still shone from the Headmaster's office. Dumbledore gazed into the Pensieve, lost in thought as he reviewed the memories within.
The recent uproar caused by Professor Trelawney's prophecy had not escaped his notice, especially the part where it was foretold that he would temporarily lose his position as Headmaster. This reminded Dumbledore of a certain conversation:
"I see you losing your post, Dumbledore."
Just then, a knock sounded at the door.
"Come in, Minerva, what is it?" Dumbledore looked up, a hint of surprise in his eyes as he saw Professor McGonagall standing at the doorway.
"Regarding the recent prophecy, I remembered something," she said.
Professor McGonagall glanced at the Pensieve on the desk and, without hesitation, placed her wand to her temple, extracting a memory.
Both their gazes fell upon the Pensieve, where a memory of Professor McGonagall and Albert's conversation played out:
"...by the way, the next Headmaster of Hogwarts will be Professor Snape, that is, if you don't count the pink toad."
"This was from a career consultation over a year ago," Professor McGonagall explained to Dumbledore. "To be honest, his prophecy has come true for the most part. The pink toad is most likely referring to Umbridge, who was turned into a toad not long ago."
In the past, Professor McGonagall hadn't paid much attention to such matters, nor did she have any interest in divination.
However, with Voldemort's return and many of Albert's prophecies coming true, she could no longer afford to ignore them.
"Indeed, Mr. Anderson mentioned to me before that I would temporarily lose my position as Headmaster," Dumbledore said calmly, as if it were a trivial matter. "Care for a drink?"
"How can you remain so calm about this? If Umbridge becomes Headmaster, who knows what she'll turn this school into," Professor McGonagall said, her voice laced with worry.
"That prophecy doesn't quite sound like Trelawney's style," Dumbledore said with a smile, handing a cup of hot cocoa to Professor McGonagall. "I suspect it's one of Mr. Anderson's prophecies. Crystal ball divination has always been his forte."
"So, Sybill's prophecy is true?" Professor McGonagall's face darkened as unpleasant thoughts crossed her mind.
"Mr. Anderson is not one to lie," Dumbledore said, taking a sip of his hot cocoa. "For him, the truth can be more cruel." His eyes remained fixed on the swirling contents of the Pensieve.
"Under what circumstances do you think Severus will become Headmaster?" Professor McGonagall asked in a lowered voice.
Dumbledore fell silent.
"When Voldemort takes control of Hogwarts," Dumbledore replied, his voice steady.
They both understood the weight of those words.
If Dumbledore were still alive, he would never allow such a scenario to unfold.
This was the reason for Professor McGonagall's hurried visit—earlier that evening, while chatting with Professor Flitwick about Sybill's prophecy, she had been reminded of Albert's divination.
"It's not as bad as it seems," Dumbledore offered some comfort.
In truth, long ago, Dumbledore had pieced together hints from Albert's prophecies and suspected that his own death was imminent.
To be honest, Dumbledore wasn't too concerned about these matters. What mattered to him was that in Albert's prophecies, Harry defeated Voldemort, and that was enough.
Facing death, Dumbledore felt no fear, for to him, it was but a new adventure. However, before embarking on that journey, he had work to finish.
(End of Chapter)
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