Trelawney: Squib or Not?

[lifeavantgarde]

No: HPFGUIDX 101479

Ba wrote:
>>I don't think it matter much whether Trelawney is all that 
magical.  I believe that the only reason she was hired is that she 
is the /unprotected/ repository of the Prophecy.  The material 
prophecy (that is, the ball) is protected in the Ministry.  
Dumbledore would never let the secret out.  Ahhh, but Trelawney; 
she's the weak link here.  I think DD wanted her at Hogwarts and 
protected, so that LV or his minions couldn't Crucio the Prophecy 
out of her.<snip><<

Meri:
>Actually, IIRC, Trelawny doesn't remember the prophecies she makes. 
I am pretty sure that in PoA she can't recall predicting that the 
Dark Lord will rise again (don't have my books on hand, can't quote 
the cannon). She probably also wouldn't have remebered the "one with 
the power to vanquish the Dark Lord" prophecy either, and while 
Crucioing her might be fun for LV, I am not sure he'd get anything 
useful out of her (this is different from breaking memory charms, I 
think).<snip><


Stefanie:
I'm of the inclination to believe that Dumbledore *is* keeping 
Trelawny at Hogwarts to protect her. Especially after learning all 
that much about Legilimancy in OotP:

"'Now,' said Umbridge, looking up at Trelawney, 'you've been in this 
post how long, exactly?' 
[Trelawney} said in a deeply resentful tone, 'Nearly sixteen 
years.'" (OotP 15)

`On a cold, wet night sixteen years ago, in a room above the bar
at the Hog's Head inn. I had gone there to see an applicant for the 
post of Divination teacher, though it was against my inclination to 
allow the subject of Divination to continue at all. (Dumbledore, 
OotP 37)

Now Dumbledore is quite prepared to nix Divination altogether -- 
while one can interpret this as meaning that Trelawney proved 
herself by making the true prophecy, I don't think that "convinced 
Dumbledore to keep Divination." Dumbledore knew that true prophecies 
had been made in the past by many people and yet was still prepared 
to cut the subject. This prophecy by a dotty lady doesn't seem like 
it would reinstate his faith in teaching the students this.

Knowing Voldemort is exceedingly skilled at Legilimancy, even if 
Trelawney doesn't consciously remember the prophecy, one can guess 
that if brought to Voldemort, the rolodex of her brain could be 
pilfered to reveal the entire thing. (Note: "Of course, I had not 
dreamed, when I set out to meet Sybill Trelawney, that I would hear 
anything worth overhearing. My - our - one stroke of good fortune 
was that the eavesdropper was detected only a short way into the 
prophecy and thrown from the building.'" [OotP 37])

Dumbledore knew he had been eavesdropped on -- hence, he knew that 
Voldemort would know that it was Trelawney that has provided the 
prophecy. Hogwarts *is* the safest place to be; even though he 
previously had little intention of continuing the post of Divination 
teacher, he now had to keep it up to maintain a cover for Trelawney, 
whom he had to protect.
...IMHO :o)

Stefanie