Professor Trelawney was wearing a green dress adorned with shiny metal sequins, looking like a star at a concert. She glided towards the others as if she had skates on her feet.
"Sybil, Irma, it's unusual to see you. Your arrival has taken me by surprise," Dumbledore said, rising to welcome the two latecomers. Madam Pince was fine; she often appeared on the edge of the staff table, silently enjoying her meal. However, Professor Trelawney was a rare visitor. To avoid the distractions of campus life, she rarely descended from the Divination class in the West Tower. She didn't even show up for the Christmas Eve dinner two days ago. Unexpectedly, she appeared today.
"I just looked into my crystal ball, Headmaster," Trelawney's voice was as ethereal as ever. "I saw in the crystal ball that I would forsake my modest meal and partake in the lavish lunch at the Great Hall. Although indulging in a sumptuous meal is not conducive for seers to restrain their desires, it is a sign of destiny that I cannot refuse. Therefore, I beg your pardon for my uninvited presence."
Professor McGonagall couldn't help but roll her eyes. It was the most unique and absurd explanation for frugality she had ever heard. Why would seers need to restrain their desires? Because their wallets didn't allow them to be extravagant.
Dumbledore's eyes twinkled. "Of course, not a problem. There's an available seat."
Before taking her seat, Professor Trelawney carefully counted the number of people present. She then sighed in relief. "Thank goodness we're not thirteen people eating together. Although twelve isn't ideal either, it's better than thirteen."
The other people at the table: ...
Hacker nervously asked, "What's the significance of the number of people eating together? Is there any meaning to it?"
Professor McGonagall frowned, about to refute Professor Trelawney's remarks, but Trelawney was quicker and responded immediately, "There's nothing more unfortunate than the number thirteen when eating together. The first person to rise will be the first to die!"
Hacker: !!!
He started to recall if he had ever attended a dinner with thirteen people, but he couldn't remember.
Trelawney's words sounded absurd. How could the destiny of a person be influenced by the number of people dining together? However, considering he was having lunch at a magical school at that moment, her words became more convincing.
"In that case, what does the number twelve mean?" he anxiously asked. Despite the negativity associated with thirteen, there were only twelve people at the table. It seemed like twelve people dining together could really affect him.
Trelawney didn't care much. She waved her bony hand indifferently and told Hacker that it simply meant "digging a well without water," meaning weakness, loneliness, internal difficulties, and failure in one's affairs.
Upon hearing this, Hacker's face darkened. Isolated and defenseless? He'd better clarify!
"Do you mean that one of us is having trouble making things happen or all of us..."
"Of course, it only refers to one person!" Trelawney looked at Hacker displeased. Did he really have to ask about something so obvious? However, when she saw Hacker's appearance, she was perplexed.
Hacker genuinely believed in Professor Trelawney's predictions. But Professor McGonagall didn't believe in her colleague at all. Showing her displeasure, she said, "We're willing to take that risk, Sybill. A person's destiny mostly depends on historical events and personal efforts, not on the number of people they eat with."
Dumbledore also smiled and mischievously said, "If there are thirteen people dining together, then this old man will be the first to rise!"
Tom normally believed in Professor Trelawney's prophecies, but today this assertion was too absurd. Eating together with thirteen people was unlucky, but twelve people together were also unlucky? How many people needed to dine together then?
"Maybe this prophecy applies to me," he interjected, "Maybe I study hard but still fail..."
The present professors chuckled softly.
"So, Yodel, why don't you tell us in advance in which subject you'd like to fail?" Professor Flitwick, Tom's House Dean and close to him, playfully teased.
Tom: ...
That's a subject you shouldn't fail! It's a real fail! Fortunately, Tom's remark caught Professor Trelawney's attention.
She looked at Tom with a blissful expression and said, "Oh, Yodel, I didn't expect to encounter you again in the material world. What surprises me is that, despite being surrounded by chaos and noise, your Sight shows no signs of blurriness..."
She exchanged some pleasantries with Tom before finally taking her seat under Professor McGonagall's impatient gaze.
Dumbledore also picked up his spoon and tapped the rim of his tall glass in front of him. "Now that we're all here, let's eat!"
Instantly, from the empty golden plates emerged a plump roast turkey, mountains of roasted meat and boiled potatoes, delicious sausages and meat sandwiches on the giant platter, buttered peas in individual bowls, plates of thick, juicy meat gravy, and cranberry sauce.
Hacker was dumbfounded. Although he was extremely surprised, he instinctively moved the turkey platter away a bit.
Damn it, you wizards eat turkey too!
However, magic in the magical world was quite appealing. Suddenly, a new idea occurred to Hacker.
"Professor Dumbledore, I want to learn magic!" he said earnestly as he looked at Dumbledore. "Whoever teaches me magic, I'm willing to pay any price."
Unfortunately, Dumbledore couldn't help him.
"Any child with the talent to become a wizard in the United Kingdom will receive an acceptance letter from Hogwarts at the age of eleven. Mr. Hacker, if you didn't receive that letter at eleven, it means you don't possess the gift to become a wizard."
Hacker displayed a disappointed expression. Quietly, he took food from the plate in front of him when he felt someone watching him. Following the gaze, he discovered it was the diviner named Sybill Trelawney.
"Excuse me, do you have something to tell me?" Hacker asked cautiously.
"I was observing your face," Professor Trelawney said, staring at Hacker's face through her large glasses. "You have a good face. May I take a look at your hand and then do a tea leaf reading for you?"
Hacker: ???
Others: !!!
For Hacker, this little incident was just a surprise, but for the other professors, it was rather eerie. Was Professor Trelawney giving a positive prophecy? Was the world about to end?