Daughter of Mine | Harry Potter

XII.

Hermione had made up with the boys and began eating meals at the Gryffindor table again. She had explained that they reconciled over their need to help Hagrid, who she was informed had lost his trial. 

Lalia began feeling anger at her uncle, who was behind the trial. She could not understand what him and her cousin were gaining from hurting poor Hagrid and an innocent animal. 

The next time she saw the trio was in Divination class when they sat down at a table with a crystal ball full of pearly white mist. 

"I thought we weren't starting crystal balls until next term," Ron muttered. 

"Don't complain, this means we've finished palmistry," Harry muttered back. "I was getting tired of her flinching every time she looked at my hands." 

Lalia smiled softly at the poor boy. 

"Good day to you! I have decided to introduce the crystal ball a little earlier than I had planned," said Professor Trelawney. "The fates have informed me that your examination in June will concern the Orb, and I am anxious to give you sufficient practice." 

Hermione snorted. 

"Well, honestly ... 'the fates have informed her' .. who sets the exam? She does! What an amazing prediction!" 

Ron, Harry, and Lalia choked back their laughs. Unlike Hermione, Lalia believed in seers and divination, but found it hard to believe that Trelawney had been gifted with sight. 

"Crystal gazing is a particularly refined art," she said dreamily. "I do not expect any of you to See when you first peer into the Orb's infinite depths. We shall start by practicing relaxing the conscious mind and external eyes" - Ron began to snigger uncontrollably and stuffed his mouth to stifle the noise - "so as to clear the Inner Eye and the subconscious. Perhaps, if we are lucky, some of you will See before the end of the class."

They all started into their crystal balls, attempting to clear their minds and will an image to show itself to them. 

"Seen anything yet?" Harry asked them. 

"Yeah, there's a burn on this table," said Ron, pointing. "Someone's spilled their candle."

"This is such a waste of time," Hermione hissed. "I could be practicing something useful. I could be catching up on Cheering Charms -" 

Professor Trelawney walked past them. 

"Would anyone like me to help them interpret the shadowy portents within their Orb?" she asked. 

"I don't need help," Ron whispered. "It's obvious what this means. There's going to be loads of fog tonight." 

The group burst out laughing. 

"Now, really!" said Professor Trelawney. Parvati and Lavender were looking scandalized. "You are distracting the clairvoyant vibrations!" She approached their table and peered into their crystal ball. 

"There is something here!" Professor Trelawney whispered. "Something moving ... but what is it?" 

"My dear ... ," Professor Trelawney breathed, turning her gaze to Harry. "It is here, plainer than ever before ... my dear, stalking toward you, growing ever closer ... the Gr -"

Lalia had gasped as the fog in the crystal before her shifted. No one paid her any mind though as Hermione protested to the teacher. 

Lalia's face had paled significantly as she watched the figure of a black dog approach Harry, Ron, and Hermione. If her suspicions were correct, the dog was not a Grim, but something far worse.