Chapter 192

Chapter 192

Suer remained worried after returning to the castle. Despite his efforts, he felt certain that events would still change tomorrow. Malfoy was bound to cause trouble.

He needed a good solution. The good news was that Hufflepuff and Ravenclaw had the lesson in the morning, while Gryffindor and Slytherin would not attend until the afternoon. The bad news was that Suer had Potions that afternoon.

That meant he could not hide nearby in his Animagus form from the start and intervene at the crucial moment.

“Er… should I not have come in?” Suer’s mind had been elsewhere, and by the time he realised where he was, he had already reached the dormitory. He opened the door to a peculiar scene–

Justin and Morn were huddled over a single orb, chuckling to themselves.

“Oh, Suer, you’re back. Want to watch with us?” Morn heard him and turned to wave. “This is brilliant. I never knew television in the Muggle world could be so magical.”

With that, Morn pressed his cheek against Justin’s again as both crowded around the tiny crystal orb.

“What on earth is that?” Suer stared blankly.

It took him a while to realise that his roommates were watching something inside the crystal orb.

“I bought it in Diagon Alley,” Justin said. “It’s a recording orb. I used it to record television programmes over the summer, so I can watch them at school.”

Suer turned the recording orb over in his hands as an idea emerged. To make certain, he questioned Justin.

“Can this record sound as well?”

“Of course.” Justin gave Suer a speechless look. “What use would television be without sound?”

“Is this your only recording orb?”

“I’ve got loads. They’re sold in boxes of sixteen. What film or programme do you want to watch? I recorded plenty.” Justin pulled a small box from beneath his bed.

“I’m very interested in them. Could you sell me a few? I’d like to record some scenes from school and take them home for my family.”

After discussing it with Suer, Justin agreed to give him three. He and Morn had already watched the programmes recorded inside them.

Once Justin taught him how to use the orbs, Suer prepared to pay, but Justin waved the offer away.

“We’ll be able to visit Hogsmeade soon, won’t we? Just buy me a drink then.”

They had a deal.

Suer took the three recording orbs and followed Justin’s instructions to erase everything inside them. His eyes gleamed. As long as Hagrid himself did not make a teaching mistake, anything else that happened tomorrow could be handled.

That evening, Suer took one recording orb and found Hermione.

The girl was in the library, staring blankly at an empty sheet of parchment. A crystal ball sat beside her.

Which Hermione was this? Shouldn’t Gryffindor have Astronomy at this hour?

“Honestly, I deeply regret choosing Divination. This subject is completely useless!” she complained to Suer.

“We stare like fools at piles of tea leaves, or gaze into a crystal ball for a while and somehow produce a prophecy. It’s absurd, isn’t it? Arithmancy is far more believable. Can you guess what homework she gave us?”
“What we saw in the crystal ball. That’s the entire assignment, and we have to write an inch!” Hermione complained, aiming the crystal ball at Suer. “All I can see is a blade of grass on your robes. Did you go outside today?”

“Ha.” Suer rarely saw Hermione this exasperated. It was completely different from the embarrassment he caused when teasing her, and he could not help laughing.

“You’re laughing? I’m already at my wits’ end.” Hermione angrily slapped Suer’s forearm.

“Ahem, sorry, sorry.” Suer suppressed his laughter. “Actually, I’ve heard the older students discussing this subject in the common room.”

In truth, he had heard nothing of the sort. He had, however, heard the Hufflepuffs complain that the class was mystical nonsense and not magical at all. They drank cup after cup of tea and still had to find some future in the leaves… They had already decided to bring cakes to their next lesson.

“What did they say? That it’s completely useless?” Hermione asked.

“It is useless.” Suer nodded in agreement. “But it is actually the easiest elective in which to earn high marks.”

Hermione tilted her head in confusion.

“There’s a trick.” Suer lowered his voice and leant close to Hermione. “All you have to do is invent something in your homework and exams. For example, if you see a sword in the tea leaves, it means a classmate is about to suffer misfortune. Or if you see a crow in the crystal ball, even better–it means someone will have terrible luck for a while.”

“As long as you make it tragic and mysterious enough, the professor will give you high marks.”

Suer’s breath tickled Hermione’s ear. Her face reddened as she shifted a seat away and looked astonished.

“But wouldn’t that be deceiving people?”

“Yes, of course it would.” Suer looked as though it were perfectly obvious. “Divination is subjective. No one but you can see what you claim to see, as long as your interpretation matches the supposed meaning of the image.”

“Is… is that really how it works?”

“I’ve told you the trick. The older students passed it down themselves, and every year does the same.” Suer shrugged.

“Try it and you’ll see. Think about the predictions your professor made in class and write along those lines.”

“All right.” Hermione remained doubtful but nodded. “She predicted Harry would encounter a dark omen this year. She saw a great black dog roaming a graveyard in his cup. Ridiculous, isn’t it? I can’t exactly write that Harry will…”

“Then choose someone else. Surely Harry wasn’t the only person she made a prediction about?” Suer said casually.

“No, she also predicted something about Lavender Brown…”

“Then simply follow the direction of that prediction. Speaking of which, I came to ask you something, Hermione. Could you do me a favour?” Suer took out the recording orb.

“What is it?”

Suer leant closer once more and carefully explained how she should use the recording orb.

“Hagrid will be delighted when he eventually receives this present.”

“I think so too.”