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Chapter 11: Tea Leaf Divination
🕑 Added 2025-06-27 16:25:46 +0000 UTCBringing Fairytales to Hogwarts!
"The O.W.L. Divination exam mainly tests basic symbolic interpretation," Dumbledore explained."Most of it covers tea leaf symbols, star charts, that sort of thing. Not many students choose Divination as an elective, but the pass rate is about sixty percent."
"As long as they memorize what each omen is supposed to mean, they can pass."
Viktor's expression grew even more puzzled—unusually transparent for someone so usually reserved.
"But Professor Trelawney hasn't made an accurate prophecy in years, has she? I saw her during my interview yesterday. Her Inner Eye is… quite clouded."
Dumbledore looked a little surprised."That's true… but I have heard her make real prophecies before."
"So what?" Viktor frowned."If Trelawney herself doesn't know how to open her Inner Eye, how could she teach students to open theirs? If they can't see the future, how is that Divination?"
Dumbledore was silent for a long moment. Then he asked quietly:
"…Must one see the future to practice Divination?"
"Doesn't one?" Viktor blinked.
"?"
"…"
He and Dumbledore stared at each other in wordless confusion, falling into an awkward silence. Even Rufus Scrimgeour, standing nearby, had no idea how to respond.
—Wasn't Divination just twirling tea leaves, stargazing, and muttering vague, cryptic nonsense?
Just last year, the Daily Prophet had mocked Divination as "The Art of Pretending to Be Mysterious." Most wizards dismissed it as useless fluff, kept in the Hogwarts curriculum only because Dumbledore had stubbornly defended it for years.
…But could it be that they were right all along?
Viktor's face was blank with disbelief.
"Maybe our definitions are different," he said eventually."Where I come from, anyone who claims to see the future without being able to actually do it is simply called a fraud."
In the world of fairy tales, prophecy wasn't exactly rare.
While true Seers who could foresee decades ahead were few, most witches and wizards could at least divine daily omens—get a sense of whether it was a good day for travel, business, or spellcasting. At a minimum, they could sense something of what was to come.
If Hogwarts students couldn't even manage that—what were they actually learning?
Just like Trelawney, they stared at stars, twirled their teacups, and murmured nonsense. That wasn't Divination—that was pretending.
Viktor fell silent, deeply unsettled.
"..."
Dumbledore sighed and exchanged a knowing glance with Scrimgeour—one of those subtle wizarding looks that said, Yes, I know... but what can you do?
Then he turned back with a thoughtful look.
"So, how would you define Divination? Is Unfogging the Future inaccurate?"
"Not inaccurate, exactly," Viktor shook his head."The book describes many valid techniques and interpretations. The issue is… even if two people see the same symbol, it may mean different things to them. Just seeing the sign in the first place requires magical sensitivity. If their Inner Eye is closed, the images are meaningless."
"For example… Professor Dumbledore, may I borrow your teacup?"
"Of course."
Dumbledore passed over his mostly empty cup, the last soggy tea leaves clumped at the bottom.
Viktor took it in his left hand and gave it three gentle swirls. Then he closed his right hand into a loose fist and opened it again over the cup.
A faint white mist unfurled from his fingers, seeping down into the tea leaves, blurring and blending their shapes.
Scrimgeour raised an eyebrow."Wandless magic? Not bad atmosphere either."
Viktor gave him a flat look but said nothing.
He placed the cup in the center of the table and began turning it slowly. Dumbledore and Scrimgeour leaned in to watch the swirling leaves.
For some reason, Viktor's conjured mist didn't dissipate. It continued to hover over the leaves as he turned the cup, giving the moment an eerie, mystical weight—even more so than Trelawney's usual theatrics.
All three of them watched closely.
As Viktor stared into the cup, the darkness in his eyes seemed to shimmer faintly—tiny red sparks, almost imperceptible, glinted within.
The tea leaves swirled. The mist deepened.
For a moment, it felt as if they were seeing something beyond the cup—some flicker of fate.
"A looming shadow…" Viktor murmured. His voice had grown rougher, more ethereal."A danger that clings to you, ever-present. It will rise again soon. You must tread carefully—or be consumed."
"Professor Dumbledore in danger? I doubt it," Scrimgeour scoffed quietly."He's the most knowledgeable wizard in Britain."
Viktor ignored him and continued swirling the cup. His right hand moved again, stirring the mist into fresh motion, and the tea leaves shifted.
"A broken pendulum… missing the hour hand. Time is running out. Whatever needs doing—do it quickly. But the damage is slight. The danger, while real, can still be overcome."
"A mirror… two figures locked in standoff. The true threat lies within."
Then he paused. His hand stilled. For a moment, he was quiet.
Then came a final whisper:
"He will not die… just as he was never truly alive."
The mist trembled in the air like a massive moth, displaying vague, shifting patterns. There seemed to be seven of them—but before they could make out what it was, the image dissolved. The mist cleared. The tea leaves lay exposed once more.
Viktor set the cup down.
Scrimgeour's skeptical expression hadn't changed. But Dumbledore had gone still—his face unreadable, though beneath the table, one of his hands had clenched into a fist.
Silence fell over the room.
After a few moments, Scrimgeour asked:
"That's it?"
"That's it." Viktor replied.
"No offense, but… it looked exactly like Trelawney's show. I've heard that the Dark Lord of Europe—Gellert Grindelwald—was a Seer. He could project his visions into the real world."
"Only a few are born with the ability to see the future," Viktor said quietly."The rest… must pay a price."
Without elaborating, he picked up the teacup and handed it to the waddling teapot that had just returned. It slowly made its way toward the sink, cup in tow.
Silence returned to the table.
Dumbledore stared down, eyes distant, lost in thought.
Ten seconds passed.
Finally, he stirred.
"Apologies—I was distracted," he said calmly.
"I've seen enough, Mr. Vanderboom. I believe you're more than qualified to take over the Divination class.""We won't take up more of your time. I'll cast a fresh repelling charm outside before we go."
"Oh, and—Professor McGonagall asked me to remind you. She'll be waiting at Charing Cross Road at the agreed time. She wants to discuss your teaching schedule and onboarding details. Also, due to a staffing shortage, you may be assigned some administrative duties."
