Professor Trelawney’s Prediction
chapter sixteen of Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban
The third-years take a series of finals with a whole range of results, at least for Harry; however, after his last final (Divination), Professor Trelawney goes rigid and predicts the return of Voldemort. The trio then goes down to see Hagrid, and are unable to comfort him – but do find Scabbers. Then, as they walk back to the castle, they hear Buckbeak executed.
Exams were nearly upon them, and instead of lazing around outside, the students were forced to remain inside the castle, trying to bully their brains into concentrating while enticing wafts of summer air drifted in through the windows.
(by Chantelle)
Percy… was becoming increasingly edgy, and gave very severe punishments to anybody who disturbed the quiet of the common room in the evenings.
(by Katie Hillman)
Hermione did everything perfectly until she reached the trunk with the boggart in it. After about a minute inside it, she burst out again, screaming.
(by Heather Campbell)
He thought of what Ron had just said, and decided to pretend. “Er – ” said Harry, “a dark shape… um…”
(by Tealin Raintree)
Had he just heard Professor Trelawney make a real prediction?
(by deeterhi)
about the chapter
The Wizarding World
Harry’s just starting to learn how corrupt wizarding society can be, as it’s clear Buckbeak’s death sentence is brought forth only because of the influence of a single, wealthy individual. He’s also gotten a hint from Dumbledore that relying on dementors for security may not be the wisest, or most moral, decision either. As Harry gets further and further immersed into the center of the Wizarding world’s action, this will be a lesson he continues to learn, and often the hard way.
Life at Hogwarts
Considering the amount of time spent learning magic at Hogwarts, not all that many wizards seem to be particularly adept at it. Harry’s probably an average-ish student, and he messes up some aspect of the overwhelming majority of his exams. We’ll also see adults over the years who struggle with even basic spells, and certainly with spells Hermione was performing as a first-year. Is it possible Hogwarts just isn’t all that good of a school?
The Boy Who Lived
Harry seems to spend a lot of time watching Draco Malfoy, either in classes or from across the Great Hall. And the pair of them get on each other so much, it’s not hard to imagine Malfoy doing the same to him. But while Harry seems to be reasonably well-liked and respected among the older Gryffindors (at least those we meet, like the Quidditch team), I do wonder what the older Slytherins think of Draco. Some probably have some respect for him because of his last name and all that it connotes (especially the money and influence), but surely there are some who just think he’s full of it. For that matter, I wonder what younger Slytherins think of him too… would they simply consider him a bully?
Something to Remember
Just before Harry, Ron, and Hermione head down to Hagrid’s, they listen to make sure the entrance hall is clear, and they hear “a last pair of people hurrying across the hall and a door slamming.” What door would be slamming in the entrance hall, where students normally simply take the stairs up to their common rooms after dinner? And what two people would be slamming it?
The Final Word
“I’ve met a lot of girls who say they recognize themselves in Hermione. I think it’s a very female way of coping, to try and be the best. Hermione is a character I understand really, really well. I consciously try to make it clear that underneath the aggravating surface is someone who is actually quite insecure, hence her constant struggle to be the best. I think boy readers can grudgingly see the point of Hermione. Girls tend to identify with her a lot more. It probably is a particularly female characteristic for young girls to cover up their insecurities about feeling plain, or whatever inadequacy, by trying to get the best marks. “–J.K. Rowling, September 1999
I disagree with the point about Hogwarts not being a good school. Harry may mess something up in a bunch of exams, but that’s akin to getting a few questiosn wrong on the final – almost no one gets straight 100s. And as for adults being inept at basic spells, it could just be they’re unskilled at certain spells – who’s to say they weren’t good at Transfiguration or Herbology or something else?
hpboy13 said this on July 5, 2009 at 3:29 pm
You mentioned Malfoy’s position in the Slytherin House. I think he’s respected a lot more for his money and influence than you give him credit for. I mean, it is said that Slytherins like power and they don’t care that much how people get that power and influence. If Malfoy is against Harry (whom they probably see as a fool who isn’t using his popularity or fame) most of them will probably be pro-malfoy…They wouldn’t think he’s as full of it as Harry is, seeing as he’s trying to be noble etc.
kim said this on July 8, 2009 at 4:47 pm
I think hpboy13 has a good point–none of us are perfect, even as adults. Sometimes we just overcomplicate things, forgetting that there could be a simple solution to whatever is going wrong. I expect that a lot of times (Gilderoy Lockhart excepted) just due to the pressure of the situation, witches and wizards forget the basics (sort of like Hermione in SS when faced with the Devil’s Snare).
Natalia said this on July 9, 2009 at 3:49 pm
I don’t know much about the American exam grading system, or the UK one, but here in South Africa a pass mark is 50% and if you get one or two results in the 40% range, you can still pass your year provided you achieve a (not very taxing) subminimum. American exchange students here are often horrified not to be getting the 70-90% scores they’re used to at home. Might that be some explanation of how people pass at Hogwarts?
And, instead of thinking of how inadequate many adult wizards and witches seem to be, shouldn’t we focus on how exceptionally good Hermione must be?
Deborah Hubbard said this on August 14, 2009 at 2:33 am
Hmmm, I doubt it Deborah Hubbard. I’m from Ireland but I think we have a similar grading system to the UK. I believe 40% and over is a pass there. I have a feeling the grades at Hogwarts go something like this:
PASS GRADES:
‘O’ Outstanding=85-100%
‘E’ Exceeds Expectations=70-84%
‘A’ Acceptable=50-69%
FAIL GRADES:
‘P’ Poor=25-49%
‘D’ Dreadful=10-24%
‘T’ Troll=0-9%
Seán said this on August 17, 2009 at 3:02 pm
I like the breakdown Seán has provided. It’s similar to what I thought it would be.
Natalia said this on August 17, 2009 at 4:50 pm
Maybe it’s just because I’m American, but that breakdown seems horribly easy. In my grading system, that would mean you could get a very low ‘B’ (which is a bit above average) and still get an outstanding O.W.L.
Lara said this on August 26, 2009 at 1:12 pm
Lara, honestly I was shocked when I was talking to a girl in America, she said that if you guys get under 70% you fail! But I’m from Ireland and in real life if you get 40% or over, you pass!
Seán said this on August 26, 2009 at 5:05 pm
Your point about wizards graduating from Hogwarts with a less-than-stellar grasp of magic reminds me of something I’ve been wondering about for a while. To us, and probably to most Muggle-borns, magic is amazing and fascinating and if we were allowed to go to Hogwarts, we would probably all work like crazy to master what we learned because, come on, it’s magic. I know if it were me, I’d make it my life goal to become someone like Dumbledore–a little like loving college so much that you become an academic.
To wizards, however, magic is commonplace and could therefore be seen as uninteresting by some. I’m always shocked by people like Stan Shunpike who, born with magical abilities and educated in how to use them, can be content to work on a bus. But if you’re surrounded by magic your whole life, I imagine there’s less of a draw to become completely immersed in it, and it’s easy to forget after you graduate. Patricia C. Wrede wrote a book called “Magician’s Ward” where magic is common and taught at university, and in it a character states that everyone learns magic but few people practice it, the same way no one reads Catallus in the original Latin after they leave school.
The point of this is to say that if Hogwarts students don’t always become great wizards, if grown wizards aren’t always great at magic, it could have less to do with the quality of education they received than with the way they view that magic. I can’t do much algebra anymore, and it’s not because I didn’t get a good education in it; it’s just because I didn’t see a reason to keep it up.
Emily Michelle said this on August 27, 2009 at 5:01 pm
Come on, people!
What about the profecy!
Either way, it’s very interesting to know other grading systms. Here, in Argentina, primary and secondary students need 60% (we use 6, we don’t deal with percentage). But we do not have finals, the year is divided in three and you need to pass the three terms. If you do not and your grades are above 40% you sit for a final exam.
Paula said this on October 27, 2009 at 12:11 pm
I’ve just had a crazy idea, and it’s probably completely wrong but what if the prophecy made by Trelawney wasn’t refering to Wormtail at all but the snake Nagini after all with her venom Voldy gets himself a temporary body. If she was a Horocrux before Voldemort killed the Potters then maybe he put her somewhere for safe keeping, or entrusted her to the care of one of his sympathisers. Either way the snake was unable to get to her master for 12 years but something happened that meant she managed to escape. I mean isn’t it a little weird that we don’t know very much about Voldemort’s snake and where she came from? Who knows maybe its the chocolate high I’m on right now, or maybe I’m insane.
Irene said this on February 24, 2010 at 3:46 pm
Oops. Please ignore the aove statement, it suddenly occurred to me after I left it that there’s a part in the prophecy that says ‘he who betrayed his friends at Hogwarts …’ which means its impossible for the prophecy to be about Nagini! In my defence its been a while since I read POA and it was definately the buzz from the chocolate talking Lol
Irene said this on February 25, 2010 at 8:01 am
I don’t think the point about Hogwarts perhaps being a bad school? I mean, what is there to compare it to? Maybe even “simple spells” only mean simpler than complex spells and are actually pretty difficult to master.
Will said this on May 28, 2010 at 2:37 pm
*perhaps being a bad school is valid. I mean…
My bad, I didn’t read my comment carefully before posting…
Will said this on May 28, 2010 at 2:38 pm