"9 a.m., Divination, Muggle Studies, Arithmancy," Tom scrutinized the schedule. There were three classes in the 9 a.m. slot, packed to the brim. "What a busy Monday."
He looked at Hermione, who was bringing fried sausages and tomatoes. "Which class do you want to take first?"
"Anything, I can handle it," Hermione gave an answer that quickly raised people's blood pressure. But with a sparkle in her eyes, she had a new idea. "I think you said you were good at Divination, so why don't we start with Divination?"
"Sure," Tom naturally had no objections, and he was now also very interested in this class.
"Pass me some jam," Hermione said.
Tom watched in horror as Hermione put a sausage in the bread, added two slices of roasted tomato, and then spread the tomatoes with thick strawberry jam.
"Oh, this..." He looked at Hermione savoring her freshly made sausage and tomato jam sandwich with quite some delight, and Tom was completely speechless.
Hermione also noticed Tom staring at the sandwich in his hand. "It's delicious. Do you want one? I'll make it for you."
Tom shook his head like a rattle and quickly grabbed a slice of bread, spread a layer of peanut butter on it, and then grabbed a couple of sausages from the large plate. As he felt the smooth aroma of peanut butter and toast, Tom was certain that this was a "king of kings" and that Hermione's way of eating was simply wicked.
The Divination classroom was at the top of the North Tower, a certain distance from the Great Hall. So Tom and Hermione hurriedly finished their breakfast and set off early to the Divination classroom. As he watched Tom's back, Dumbledore smiled wearily. He and those great figures in the magical world had been awake all day and all night, discussing how they would work together. After breakfast, Dumbledore had to return to the meeting.
Tom and Hermione had been at Hogwarts for two years, but it was the first time they were going to the North Tower. The fact that the Divination classroom was located in the North Tower, off the beaten path, added a veil of mystery to the class and its professor.
But to Tom, Professor Trelawney, who taught Divination, seemed all too familiar.
There must be some strange connection between him and her... At first, he had zero talent for Divination! But now it has risen to seven, although it's not solely because of the woman, but also because he can't let her get away with it.
Professor Trelawney and he, Tom Yodel, must be "the most familiar strangers."
Tom and Hermione wandered through the seventh floor of the castle, seemingly lost, before finding the stairs that led to the North Tower, in front of a group of portraits of women in hoop skirts.
The stairs were narrow and winding, surrounded by portraits of scowling-faced monks. There was no ordinary door, but a round one on the ceiling, with a brass plaque that read: [Sybil Trelawney, Divination Professor].
After a while, students began arriving one by one.
"Crazy..." Tom heard Ron's voice from afar, and then a red-haired head appeared, and Ron and Harry entered the Divination classroom with disgruntled faces.
After Tom asked, he realized that the two of them were lost in the castle, and it turned out that a mad knight calling himself "Cadogan" brought them here.
Harry and Ron seemed to be the last students to arrive, and after them, no one else appeared.
While Ron complained about Sir Cadogan, the circular-flap door opened, and a silver staircase descended from above, landing right at Tom's feet. So he climbed it first and entered the Divination classroom.
Upon entering the classroom, a disgustingly strong smell, combined with the room's misty red light, made Tom feel nauseous from dizziness.
The classroom was strangely built, less like a classroom and more like an old attic tea house. It was filled with about twenty small round tables, with patterned armchairs and chairs beside them. Tom saw a large copper teapot on top of the fireplace, which was the source of the smell. As for the red light in the room, it was nothing unusual: all the lamps were covered with red fabric, so the emitted light was naturally red.
The circular walls were lined with shelves filled with divination accessories, but from Tom's perspective, they were just a pile of junk.
Once all the students had settled into the classroom, a soft and indistinct voice suddenly sounded from the shadows of the room, as if intentionally speaking with an open mouth.
"Welcome, it is wonderful to see you in the material world. The arrival of one of you fills me with joy..." With a tinkling sound, a slender figure emerged from the corner.
It was Professor Trelawney.
She was dressed, even for a witch, as if she were a great African priestess: wearing glasses that magnified her eyes several times their size, a lightweight shawl adorned with many metallic sequins, and countless chains, beads, and bracelets on her hands, arms, and neck.
She gestured for the students to sit. Her eyes swept over the students with a hint of disappointment. She had the vague feeling that today something good was going to happen, that there might be someone to her liking among the students who had come to the school, but she just took a glance and didn't find anyone with the right face to be a seer.
The first time Tom saw Professor Trelawney, he felt the extraordinariness of the professor before him. He could sense that there was something different about this professor: she was connected to some mystical being, but these connections were mostly intertwined with other mundane things coming from all directions, overshadowing most of them.
"I am Professor Trelawney, and I believe you have probably never seen me before, as I do not usually descend to live among the chaos and noise of the schoolyard, which would cloud my celestial vision."
This was a strange statement for the young wizards, who couldn't understand what the Celestial Eye was or why living in Hogwarts castle would tarnish it.
However, Tom nodded approvingly, realizing that indeed, mundane life had clouded Professor Trelawney's "inspiration" and made her less perceptive.
She's right! thought Tom.