Trelawney as a Seer/teacher

[finwitch]

No: HPFGUIDX 111597

> HunterGreen:
> I think that's very true (although I do think she has more seer 
> ability than just the two prophecies). The problem with divination is 
> not the teacher but the subject itself. There's such a small 
> percentage of seers out there that it seems silly to devote a class 
> to it. And in the case of a student (like Ron for example) who might 
> actually be a seer, its harder to recognize it in a classroom full of 
> students. Personally, I think that Trelawnley should be available for 
> private tutoring in case a seer comes along who would like 
> instruction. 
> Or perhaps divination 'theory' should be the main part of the class 
> with very limited time devoted to trying to make predictions. That 
> way they would learn about the subject without wasting time looking 
> into crystal balls and such (although it might make for a rather 
> boring class).

Finwitch:

Trelawney as a Seer:

She predicted: 'One of our number will leave us around Easter'. 
Hermione DID leave around Easter, thus fulfilling the prophecy 
Trelawney had made. I doubt it was just a good guess, considering even 
the time was given. Hermione could have chosen to leave around 
Christmas or any other time - she chose Easter, just as Trelawney had 
predicted. Hermione could have chosen another time, just to _prove_  
that Trelawney is a fraud. She didn't. Instead she left 'around Easter' 
and so doing, proved her right.

It may be based on experience, (a critic like Hermione _always_ left 
around Easter during her previous years), but never the less, it proved 
true, and it wasn't like those two *very* true prophecies!

I think she _is_ a true Seer. I mean really, all she said DID come true, 
except for Harry (and others, according to McGonagall) being still alive. 
And also, if you change radically, the "old you" is dead. Harry, after 
meeting his 'grim' was no longer the same Harry: now he had someone 
to trust. (and um - he *almost* got himself kissed AND killed by a 
werewolf...! and secondly, Harry WILL die eventually, he's only human, 
after all...) 

Trelawney's main lesson is: "You're mortals. It means you will die. Bad 
things happen out there, and they WILL involve you, too. Prepare 
yourselves". She just takes all the drama out of it! And it is true... better 
check insurance...

I wonder, though, whether there has been a third prophecy trough her, 
one that Percy witnessed. (And Percy didn't tell Dumbledore about it). 
After all, he's the one who recommended Divination to Harry...

-------

Teacher: Indeed, she gives them the basic knowledge of all sorts of 
predictions. A good thing, I think. Tea leaves, Palm Reading, Astrology 
(which will at least help you know your Astronomy), Crystal Ball, Tarot 
Cards... How about Auguiries? Did they, perhaps, do it on Toads after 
Harry got his 'vision' (trough the scar) and, when Neville had to 
disembowel Toads for Snape, he was doing Auguiry on them, and the 
result was *very* unpleasant - possibly what happened in the end of 
the fifth book - he would be subject to the torture curse by the same 
person who tortured his parent...? I mean really, he WAS a nervous 
break-down, and as gentle as Neville is, he's ALSO been trough so much 
that well... bad omens to add with having to be alone with the boggart-
like Professor Snape?

Finwitch