On Wednesday afternoon in Divination, Professor Trelawney was holding a copy of the Dream Interpreter's Guide, in which she was describing three ways to solve a dream.
The students sitting around were getting drowsy, and even Ivan was getting impatient.
His Divination had not been touched since his second year, either because of Trelawney's lack of knowledge or because he simply did not have the talent for it.
"Now, let's split into pairs and, with the help of the Dream Interpreter's Guide, explain to each other what we've recently seen in our dreams…"
Trelawney was closing her book to sort out her class assignments for the day when she was interrupted by the sharp sound of a door opening.
Efraim turned to see Umbridge emerging from a trapdoor in the floor.
'Good afternoon, Professor Trelawney.' Umbridge casually closed the trapdoor and looked at Trelawney with a wide, sweet smile. 'I'm sure you got my notice, didn't you? It says to check when and when you're due for classes.'
Professor Trelawney nodded with a straight face, looking unhappy, and then, without looking at her, continued to instruct the students on the exact steps of the dream interpretation.
Undeterred by Trelawney's lack of enthusiasm, Umbridge grabbed the chair nearest to her and sat down, scribbling on her clipboard.
When Trelawney sat down to rest, Umbridge, who had been silent all this time, suddenly asked.
"How long have you been in this position, Professor Trelawney?"
"Almost sixteen years," Trelawney replied unhappily.
'Sixteen years? Quite a bit of time…' Umbridge began, scribbling on her clipboard. 'So you were employed by Headmaster Dumbledore?'
"That's right!" said Professor Trelawney crisply.
Professor Umbridge scribbled some more notes on her clipboard before looking up again. 'From what I understand, you are the great-great-granddaughter of the famous Seer Cassandra Trelawney?'
"Yes," said Professor Trelawney haughtily, his head held high.
"But as I recall, none of Cassandra Trelawney's children seem to have inherited her gift of the Seer … and you think you will be the only one?" Umbridge asked, looking at Trelawney suspiciously.
"Because it's usually passed down from generation to generation, um … I mean three generations apart." Professor Trelawney's face became a little more unnatural.
Umbridge's smile widened, and she slammed her clipboard shut. "Next, I would like you to make a prediction that will determine your teaching rating."
Hearing their conversation, the young wizards in the classroom put down their books and looked over curiously.
Trelawney stared angrily at Umbridge for a long moment before she snapped, "I can't give you a prophecy. The Inner Eye is not ordained to see!"
'Well, I think I know what you mean!' Umbridge shook her head in disappointment, picked up her clipboard and prepared to leave.
Behind him, Trelawney's deep voice cut the silence.
"If I were you, I'd leave this school immediately!"
Umbridge stopped in her tracks and turned in surprise.
Trelawney's appearance had changed. He was lying low in his chair, his body twitching. He looked very strange.
'I see darkness in you … scars and pain … you're in for it, Umbridge!'
"It's a curse… it's a curse!" Trelawney's eyes widened, and she screamed shrilly, her high-pitched voice causing the nearby wizards to cover their ears.
Umbridge was so shocked that she took two steps back, her face turning red as she shouted angrily, "Trelawney? Did you just curse me?"
Trelawney's face was very pale, and she seemed to be over-exhausted, as she gasped for breath and looked at Umbridge with fear in her eyes.
'Prophecy? But I've heard a lot of students say that you like to terrorise new students at the beginning of the school year, saying that they will die violent deaths this year, don't you?' Umbridge asked, staring hard at Trelawney.
Trelawney, however, was adamant that this was the future she saw, and Umbridge, annoyed, stormed off.
"My goodness, I never knew Professor Trelawney to be so brave!" Ron exclaimed in admiration as he watched the angry Umbridge walk away and then looked at Trelawney's frail frame.
These days, Umbridge reviews six professors, and Professor Trelawney is the toughest of them all!
"I'm afraid it was more than bravery. Have you forgotten the prophecies Professor Trelawney made a few years ago? Many of them have come true. Perhaps this was a true prophecy as well!" Hermione said solemnly.
From what she could see, although Trelawney was known to speak nonsense under normal circumstances, when something was out of the ordinary, it must be true!
'Well, that's even better, because Umbridge will soon be out of luck!' Ron gloated.
"So far, no Defence Against the Dark Arts professor has been able to stay put for more than a year," said Harry, nodding in agreement.
Ivan did not participate in their discussion. To him, Umbridge was a minor character who would have been thrown out if he had not been useful.
The only thing Ivan was curious about was whether Trelawney's prophecy could be changed.
He did not forget that a prophecy made fifteen years ago explicitly stated that Harry and Voldemort, mortal enemies, would only die by each other's hands.
If he destroyed all the Horcruxes and killed Lord Voldemort in a duel, wouldn't that mean the prophecy was broken?
Yvonne thought about this possibility in her head and did not hear Hermione's shout.
The helpless witch had to tug at Ivan's sleeve.
"What is it, Hermione?" Yvonne asked, regaining her composure.
"I'm saying we've wasted more than a month waiting!" Hermione declared. "You-Know-Who and the Death Eaters could attack at any moment, and if the Ministry of Magic is determined not to give us proper Defence Against the Dark Arts lessons, then we should learn our own protective magic!"