Chapter 231: Trelawney (1/2)

”No!” Professor Trelawney shrieked. ”NO! This cannot be happening. . . . It cannot . . . I refuse to accept it!”

”You didn't realize this was coming?” said Umbridge in a high girlish voice, sounding callously amused. ”Incapable though you are of predicting even tomorrow's weather, you must surely have realized that your pitiful performance during my inspections, and lack of any improvement, would make it inevitable you would be sacked?”

”You c-can't!” howled Professor Trelawney, tears streaming down her face from behind her enormous lenses, ”you c-can't sack me! I've b-been here sixteen years! H-Hogwarts is m-my h-home!”

”It was your home,” said Professor Umbridge, and Chris felt sick to see the enjoyment stretching her toadlike face as she watched Professor Trelawney sink, sobbing uncontrollably, onto one of her trunks, ”until an hour ago, when the Minister of Magic countersigned the order for your dismissal. Now kindly remove yourself from this hall. You are embarrassing us.”

But she stood and watched, with an expression of gloating enjoyment, as Professor Trelawney shuddered and moaned, rocking backwards and forward on her trunk in paroxysms of grief. And then she looked up and met Chris' gaze and Chris saw a savage triumph on her face. Chris didn't look away from her, anger boiled inside her, she was about to take a step forward when she heard footsteps. Professor McGonagall had broken away from the spectators, marched straight up to Professor Trelawney and was patting her firmly on the back while withdrawing a large handkerchief from within her robes.

”There, there, Sybill . . . Calm down. . . . Blow your nose on this. . . . It's not as bad as you think, now. . . . You are not going to have to leave Hogwarts . . .”

”Oh really, Professor McGonagall?” said Umbridge in a deadly voice, taking a few steps forward. ”And your authority for that statement is . . . ?”

”That would be mine,” said a deep voice.

The oak front doors had swung open. Students beside them scuttled out of the way as Dumbledore appeared in the entrance. Leaving the doors wide behind him, he strode forward through the circle of onlookers toward the place where Professor Trelawney sat, tearstained and trembling, upon her trunk, Professor McGonagall alongside her.

”Yours, Professor Dumbledore?” said Umbridge with a singularly unpleasant little laugh. ”I'm afraid you do not understand the position. I have here”— she pulled a parchment scroll from within her robes —”an Order of Dismissal signed by myself and the Minister of Magic. Under the terms of Educational Decree Number Twenty-three, the High Inquisitor of Hogwarts has the power to inspect, place upon probation, and sack any teacher she — that is to say, I — feel is not performing up to the standard required by the Ministry of Magic. I have decided that Professor Trelawney is not up to scratch. I have dismissed her.”

”I — Will — Kill — Her,” muttered Chris.

”Don't.”

Luna had appeared within the crowd and she stood beside Chris.

”Dumbledore is smiling, look,” she said.

And to Chris' very great surprise, Dumbledore was smiling. He looked down at Professor Trelawney, who was still sobbing and choking on her trunk and said, ”You are quite right, of course, Professor Umbridge. As High Inquisitor, you have every right to dismiss my teachers. You do not, however, have the authority to send them away from the castle. I am afraid,” he went on, with a courteous little bow, ”that the power to do that still resides with the headmaster, and it is my wish that Professor Trelawney continue to live at Hogwarts.”

At this, Professor Trelawney gave a wild little laugh in which a hiccup was barely hidden.

”No — no, I'll g-go, Dumbledore! I sh-shall l-leave Hogwarts and s-seek my fortune elsewhere —”

”No,” said Dumbledore sharply. ”It is my wish that you remain, Sybill.”

He turned to Professor McGonagall.

”Might I ask you to escort Sybill back upstairs, Professor McGonagall?”

”Of course,” said McGonagall. ”Up you get, Sybill . . .”

Professor Sprout came hurrying forward out of the crowd and grabbed Professor Trelawney's other arm. Together they guided her past Umbridge and up the marble stairs. Professor Flitwick went scurrying after them, his wand held out before him; he squeaked, ”Locomotor trunks!” and Professor Trelawney's luggage rose into the air and proceeded up the staircase after her, Professor Flitwick bringing up the rear.

Professor Umbridge was standing stock-still, staring at Dumbledore, who continued to smile benignly.