The foggy future

[Blaise]

No: HPFGUIDX 548

Peg wrote:  

<<I wonder, frankly, what Prof. T's FIRST correction was, the one, 
presumably, which persuaded Dumbledore to hire her in the first place 
(if it was Dumbledore who hired her; he might have been saddled with 
her by a predecessor).>>

I used to wonder whether it was her 'the first to leave the table 
will be the first to die' warning at Christmas, but on consideration, 
that sounds more like one of her morbid shots into the dark.  I do 
have a suspicion that her prediction concerns the Potters.  Perhaps 
she predicted that they would have a special child?  For Dumbledore 
to know that it is a true prediction, I would deduce that it's 
already happened by the time he mentions it, so it can't be that 
Harry will completely destroy Voldemort.  I have vague memories of 
reading somewhere that JKR says it will be important in later 
stories.  

<<(Interestingly, there's another group in the series that have the 
same orientation, the centaurs.  Note that they irritate Hagrid 
("Ruddy stargazers!") as much as Prof. T. irritates Ron, Harry and 
Hermione.)>>

The centaurs seem to contrast a little with the impression JKR leaves 
us that prediction and divination are usually a load of rubbish.  The 
centaurs may be unwilling to share their knowledge, but they were 
much more positive than Trelawney.  There is no indication that the 
centaurs are fraudulent or pretentious.  Hagrid also says that 'they 
know things ... jus' don' let on much,' and I don't think he believes 
that they're liars, just that they're not much use to him.     

However, I would note that the centaur who is most positively 
portrayed is Firenze, who decides to set himself against the stars, 
and uses his knowledge to change what he has read in the stars, 
although he gets into trouble for it.

The centaurs seem to believe firmly that the future is written in the 
stars, and they allow for the possibility that they are wrong.  'The 
planets have been read wrongly before, even by centaurs.  I hope this 
is one of those times.'  

Their portrayal contrasts with that of Trelawney, as they are not the 
objects of ridicule, but it seems that JKR sees them as equally 
unhelpful.  In the end she still supports her theme of free will.    

<<(Another note: I wonder what Snape thinks of Prof. T? He's such an 
enigma I wonder if he would like or loathe the idea that his course 
is predestined. I suspect he would loathe the idea.)>>

I'm pretty sure that Snape would detest Prof. T.  He's pretty much a 
stickler for accuracy - look at how he demands perfection from his 
students.  Anything as wooly and inaccurate as Divination would rouse 
his anger.  He doesn't seem to have any personal enmity towards her, 
but I can't imagine him liking her or her methods.  I don't even 
think he would enjoy her doom-and-gloom predictions.  

~Blaise.