The Divination Class with Professor Trelawney is scheduled for this afternoon. Although the course is mundane, attending it is obligatory.
Sitting in the classroom, Harry was preparing to set up his prop for a nice nap when he suddenly felt Ron jabbing him with his elbow.
"Man!" Harry said, "What's up?"
Ron didn't speak and instead kept pointing his chin towards the door.
Harry turned his head to see Professor Umbridge emerging from the trapdoor on the floor.
The students who were chatting noisily suddenly fell silent. Professor Trelawney, who was walking around distributing the Dream Interpretation Guide, turned around as the sound in the classroom died down.
"Good afternoon, Professor Trelawney," Professor Umbridge said with a broad smile, "I trust you've received my notification? It outlines the time and date for observing your class."
While saying this, Professor Umbridge discreetly shot a glance at Harry.
Professor Trelawney nodded curtly, clearly displeased, and turned her back to Umbridge to continue handing out textbooks.
Professor Umbridge maintained her smile, seized the back of a nearby armchair, and dragged it to the front of the classroom, positioning it just a few inches behind Professor Trelawney's seat.
She then sat down, pulled out a clipboard from her flamboyant bag, and eagerly looked up, waiting for the class to begin.
"Watch out," whispered Ron to Harry, "Umbridge might be up to something."
"Up to what?" Harry asked in the same low voice.
"I don't know, but I suspect Professor Trelawney could be in trouble."
After making this remark, Ron shook his head somewhat ruefully.
"It's a shame," he said, "Although I'm not too fond of Professor Trelawney, I don't think she deserves this—not to be tormented by such a pink toad."
Of course, Professor Trelawney didn't hear the conversation between Harry and Ron. With trembling hands, she tightened her shawl around herself, scrutinizing the class through glasses thicker than the bottom of a bottle.
It's hard to say if her ears ever get tired; after all, wearing such massive glasses is indeed quite exhausting.
"Today, we will continue exploring dreams with prophetic significance," she said, in her usual mysterious tone, though her voice had a slight tremor, "Please pair up and use the Dream Interpretation Guide to discuss and interpret each other's recent dream scenes."
"She's already very brave." Harry whispered to Ron, "Trust me, although Professor Trelawney loves making ominous predictions, she's quite terrified of losing her professor position at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Inside, she's really frightened."
"Is that why I suddenly don't feel sleepy?" Ron perked up.
"My dear?" Professor Trelawney suddenly turned and asked, "What are you discussing?"
"Oh," Harry replied nonchalantly, "Professor, I just feel today's class is different, there's an extra person in the room making me uncomfortable."
Umbridge's fake smile vanished instantly upon hearing Harry's comment.
She took a deep breath, looked straight ahead, and seemed to be holding some sinister plan inside.
"Oh, it's required by the Twenty-Third Education Order, my dear." Professor Trelawney's voice was gentle for the first time, "You'll need to get used to it."
After saying this, she was about to march back to her seat, only to notice Umbridge perched nearby, and promptly veered left towards Parvati and Lavender, who were engrossed in discussing a recent dream of Parvati's.
"What have you dreamt of recently?" Ron asked Harry in a low voice.
"Nothing," Harry scratched his cheek and said, "Oh, I remember now, I dreamed of Peter Pettigrew starving in Azkaban until he transformed into a rat and devoured a pink toad."
While saying this, he didn't lower his voice, making sure the whole class could hear.
Umbridge's expression turned even darker, seemingly dripping.
The whole class was focused on Harry; they knew he was brave, but hadn't realized his sarcastic prowess.
Mocking the "pink toad" in Umbridge's presence...
We all kind of want to do this.
Ron covered his mouth, snickering.
"And what about you?" Harry retorted to Ron.
"Oh, my dreams are quite simple." Ron shrugged, "I dreamt Professor Snape gave me an 'O' on my essay, his expression as if he was handling ten pink toads by hand, but of course, I'd think he'd rather handle toads than give me an 'O'."
"Then it's definitely a dream, mate." Harry patted Ron on the shoulder, "I don't think Professor Snape would be so kind as to give you an 'O'."
"Who wouldn't agree?" Ron shrugged, "I'd rather never eat another drumstick than believe Professor Snape would give me an 'O'."
At this moment, Professor Trelawney finally approached Umbridge.
"Look," Ron said in a low voice, "They're starting to converse; wait, let's hear what they're saying..."
Harry looked up, seeing Umbridge writing something while Professor Trelawney appeared extremely offended.