Trelawney isn't a fraud

[vmonte]

No: HPFGUIDX 111503

Mike wrote:

Harry dislikes her because he isn't a Seer, and thus he cannot
understand and cannot be taught Divination. Because of this, he finds
it very annoying and frustrating. Ron is also not a Seer (yes yes,
I've heard arguments on this board saying otherwise, but the point
is he doesn't know it if he is) so he finds it annoying too. Same for
Hermione, and the fact that she can't learn it without being a Seer
frustrates her quite a bit.

McGonagall dislikes Trelawney because like Hermione, she is not a
Seer and likes to research things. She's strict. She likes rules and
facts, not Interpretation and Divination.

vmonte responds:

I don't know if Trelawny is for real but my gut feeling is that she 
is a fraud. There is nothing I've read that would suggest any talent 
what-so-ever (except for the prophecies, which are somewhat vague). 

In the U.S. there is a man on TV that makes a fortune talking to 
families about their dead relatives (he channels the dead). He is a 
fake! He is a con artist who is skilled at reading a room. These 
people are very theatrical! They target "certain" individuals, and 
make broad sweeping statements without ever mentioning specifics, 
and/or time and place of events. They are glorified versions of the 
daily horoscope. 

Trelawny obviously reads the newspaper and probably gossips with the 
other teachers (as well as with Lavendar and that other student). She 
would have to know what Harry's background is, and probably 
Neville's. Predicting that Harry will die, or is in danger, is not 
much of a prediction (anyone in her class could come up with that). 
If the grim is an omen for approaching death, then it would have to 
be the grim that she saw in the tea leaves. 

I also don't think that Ron and Harry dislike Trelawny because they 
are jealous of her seer abilities.

I do think however that her time on earth is probably very limited. I 
think she will be killed soon--and if I'm right, that still doesn't 
make me a seer. (I just think that two teachers for the same subject 
is just one too many.) 

vivian