Chapter 8: Opinions

Chapter 8: Opinions

Harry Potter entered Grimmauld Place deep in thought. His conversation earlier with Professor Trelawney had given him much to think about. As he went through the door, down the hall, and into the kitchen, he didn't even notice Hermione and Ron sitting at the table, each with a piping hot bowl of stew in front of them.

"Oi, Harry, you're just in time. Hermione has fixed us dinner," Ron said with his mouth full.

Harry looked up, startled, then fished a bowl from the cupboard and filled it. He seated himself next to Hermione and began to silently eat.

The trio had decided to return to Grimmauld Place after the war. Ron couldn't stand being at home, it was just too depressing. Harry, of course, went where Ron went, and since Grimmauld was his own, it seemed like the perfect place to get away from everyone and everything. Hermione had sought out her parents in Australia and restored their memories, only to have them snub her for her actions. She had retreated to the old Black home while her parents cooled down and hopefully forgave her for not consulting with them before using a Memory Charm to change their entire life.

"So, how did your meeting with Snape go?" Ron asked.

"Professor Snape," Hermione interrupted between bites of stew.

Ron ignored her. "Did he throw you out before you had a chance to ask about your mum?" he asked Harry.

Harry smiled a bit. "No, actually he was... nice."

Ron and Hermione both stared at Harry with wide eyes.

"He seemed put out that I had come, but he told me to sit down, and he answered everything that I asked him."

"What did you find out?" Hermione asked curiously.

"Well, he felt really bad when he called my mum a Mudblood. He always regretted that their friendship had ended that day. He kind of lost track of her after that. I mean, he knew what was happening in her life, but never spoke with her again. Most of his memories were of when they were kids."

"So, what was she like then?" Ron asked. He had actually put his spoon down, too absorbed in Harry's tale to even eat. Hermione thought that the world might just end that very minute.

"Snape said she was smart and caring. She would do anything for her friends. She was very loyal to them."

"So, you're like her, then, Harry?" Hermione mused.

Harry looked down. "I suppose." He looked back up at Ron after a moment. "Guess who else I saw?"

"Who?" Ron asked. He had gone back to shoveling food into his mouth at insane speeds.

"Professor Trelawney."

Hermione rolled her eyes. "Did she see the Grim?"

Harry laughed. "No. You guys wouldn't believe how she looked. I didn't even recognize her! She has black hair and green eyes, and she doesn't wear all those shawls and beads anymore. She actually looked like a normal witch."

"Who is she trying to fool?" Hermione commented.

"I don't think she's trying to fool anyone," Harry retorted. "She seemed really down to earth. She told me something interesting. She said I should start my Auror training right away or I would miss out on opportunities that would only come now."

"And you believed that drivel?" Hermione scoffed. "Harry, you know she's a charlatan. You can't believe anything she says!"

Harry looked at her thoughtfully. "I would normally agree with you, Hermione, but she was different somehow. I actually trust her prediction."

"Harry!" Hermione cried. "Professor Trelawney has never uttered a believable vision in her life! You can't just run off and become an Auror. What about finishing Hogwarts? How will they even accept you? You haven't sat for your N.E.W.T.s!"

"I suspect that our 'on the job' training will be more than enough to get me into Auror training without them," Harry mused.

"But what about finishing school? Surely you want to finish what you started," Hermione countered.

"Mate, that's a brilliant idea!" Ron said with a grin. "We could both do it together! Who wants to be stuck writing essays and sitting through greasy git lectures when we can be training for our future! We won't have those bloody professors constantly looking over our shoulders all the time."

Harry smiled at him. Hermione threw her hands up.

"I can't believe the two of you. You are actually considering this?" Furiously, she turned and swished her spoon around in her stew. A little bit of the soup sprayed onto the table.

"Oi, Hermione, lighten up," Ron pleaded. "We don't need to go back to Hogwarts. Look at all we learned while we were on the run. That's way better experience than we could have ever learned in the classroom."

Hermione narrowed her eyes at Ron and then flashed a glare at Harry. She threw her napkin onto the table. "I'm going to bed early. I assume all of your field experience is good enough for you to clean up this mess without me?"

Rising from the table, she stormed out of the room. Harry and Ron exchanged glances, each giving the other a shrug. They didn't know why their friend was so irate. They did know, however, that now was not the time to talk to her unless they wanted to be hexed.

oooOOOooo

The next morning, Sybill was making her way down the long stairway to the dungeons when she ran into Severus.

"Oh, I was going to meet you at your room!" she explained.

"And I was going to meet you at yours," Severus countered.

"Thank you, Severus, but it seems senseless to go all the way up to my room just to climb right back down again." She laughed heartily.

Severus ignored her.

"Hey," Sybill said and grabbed his arm. "I'm sorry if I was a bit too boisterous at dinner last night. I appreciate you wanting to come with me today. You probably have a lot more interesting and pressing things to do than to accompany me on a day trip."

Severus eyed Sybill, not quite sure if she was being sincere or not. He finally nodded his head, accepting her apology and thanks. They turned and left the castle. A few minutes later, they had Apparated to Hogsmeade. Sybill looked around.

"Actually, I'm glad you came, Severus. I really don't know my way around here at all."

"It's really not difficult. All of the shops are on this street in front of us. Some branch out onto the side streets, but most are right along the lane. If you keep going past the shops, the houses and apartments are gathered over in that direction."

"I see," she said. She glanced over at the Three Broomsticks.

"Can I buy you a drink, Severus?"

He nodded, and they entered the friendly pub. They sat at a table, and soon Rosmerta came over to take their order. They both ordered butterbeers. Sybill got a faraway look in her eye and looked up to Rosmerta.

"You shouldn't sell, even if the offer is a good one. You belong here."

Rosmerta gave her a curious look. "How did you know I was thinking of selling this place?"

Sybill extended her hand. "Sybill Trelawney, Seer."

Rosmerta didn't know exactly what to do, so she offered her hand tentatively. Sybill pumped it up and down.

"The happiness that will come in your future is all tied up with this bar, Rosmerta. You should keep it."

Rosmerta looked flustered. "I'll consider your words."

Sybill smiled at her. "That's all I can ask you to do."

She turned to Severus, who was giving her a funny look.

"What is it?" she asked.

"Doesn't it bother you to have those thoughts suddenly pop up into your head?" Severus asked in curiousity.

Sybill shrugged. "It's happened all of my life. I daresay, I probably would think it strange if they didn't always pop up into my head."

"It doesn't irritate you when people don't take you seriously?"

Sybill looked down, and her voice became quiet. "People haven't taken me seriously for most of my life. I'm just happy now that they listen to me without rolling their eyes or giving their friends knowing looks. It gets tiresome always being thought of as batty."

Their drinks arrived, and they sipped them silently for a while.

"Is there somewhere specific you want to go?" Severus asked her.

"I just want to look around."

They finished their drinks and left the bar. Severus led her along the street, pointing out the different shops. They went in to Honeydukes. Sybill had a well defined sweet tooth. She adored truffles. She spied some behind the front counter and decided to indulge.

"Do you like truffles, Severus?"

"Yes, I do," Severus replied.

"The raspberry ones?"

"My personal favorite," Severus told her.

She looked at the man behind the counter. "I'll take ten raspberry truffles," she ordered with excitement.

Soon they had left the shop and were reveling in the sweet chocolaty treats.

"Oh, these are heavenly," Sybill gushed. "I think I'll have to move here just so I can be close to that candy store."

"They do deliver by owl, you know?" Severus said with a smirk.

"Really?" Sybill cried. "The things you miss out on when you're hiding up in your tower."

Severus laughed.

"What's that?" Sybill asked as she pointed down a side street to a shop. The sign in front of it read Madam Puddifoot's.

Severus frowned. "That is the most horrible shop in Hogsmeade."

"What do they sell?"

"It's a tea shop."

"How can a tea shop be horrible, Severus?" Sybill asked with an incredulous look.

"People go there on dates. It is filled with students making puppy dog eyes at one another on Hogsmeade trips. The only thing it's good for is to catch students snogging and remove points from their houses."

"Then I would think, Severus Snape, it would be your favorite shop here in Hogsmeade."

Severus glowered at her, but noticed her mirth filled face and settled down.

"You would like it, actually," he said snidely. "It's filled with frilly things."

Sybill frowned. "I left my frilly things with my other persona, Severus. I have had enough poof for a lifetime." Changing the subject, she pointed toward Scrivenshaft's. "Oh, can we go in there? I'd like a new quill."

Severus nodded, happy to not be sitting in Puddifoot's, and hurried toward the shop. They entered, and Sybill looked around at the reams of paper that were stacked in the front of the shop. Any form of parchment one would want seemed to be located on the shelves in front of her. She made her way to the back, followed by Severus.

"I would like to purchase a new quill," she told the shop keep.

"What type are you interested in?" the keeper asked.

"Raven feather," she told him.

The man went into the back and soon came out with three different quills. Sybill examined all three of them and settled on one with a silver shaft. The man had it boxed up for her in no time, and Severus and she were on their way. They made their way to the edge of the shops, and Sybill stopped to look out over the rest of the town. There were many thatched cottages clumped together in groups making up the living area of the town.

"Oh, it's charming, Severus!" she exclaimed.

Severus shrugged.

Sybill eagerly went farther down the road and wandered through the street, gazing at the cute homes. Severus followed her, looking bored. Suddenly, Sybill stopped and grasped Severus' arm.

"Look, that one's for sale!" she exclaimed.

"Sybill, I really don't think this is a good idea."

"Understood, now come on!"

She grabbed Severus' hand and dragged him up the walk. She knocked on the door. It was opened a minute later by a middle aged-woman with frizzy blonde hair.

"I see your home is for sale. May I take a look at it?" Sybill asked politely.

The woman smiled and opened the door wider. "Of course," she said.

The minute Sybill walked through the door, she saw a vision of herself sitting in the front room, reading a book. This was where she needed to be. She knew it. The woman who owned the house showed her around. It had two bedrooms, a room that could be used as a library, and a nice kitchen. It wasn't huge, but it was perfect.

"I'll take it!" Sybill cried.

Severus pulled her aside. "Can I talk to you for a minute?" he said sharply.

Sybill looked back at the woman. "Excuse me; I need a word with my friend. We'll be back in few minutes. Is that alright?"

"Take all the time you need," the woman said.

Severus literally dragged her from the cottage and down the lane.

"Are you insane?" he demanded.

"I don't think so," she replied.

"You can't just walk into a house, stay there for five minutes, and proclaim that you'll buy it!"

"It was more like fifteen minutes," Sybill corrected.

"Sybill, you can't do this!"

"I can, and I will, Severus. It's where I need to be! I saw myself in that house, and I was happy!"

"You will be in constant danger," Severus snapped.

"That's what wards are for. For Merlin's sake, Severus, I explained this last night. I won't cower in fear any longer. That wasn't the right way to go, and I won't do it again. I am going to buy that house, and I'm going to live there, and I will be safe!"

Severus eyed Sybill with a death look.

"I will not watch you kill yourself, Sybill. If you want to buy that house, you can negotiate it yourself. I am returning to Hogwarts!"

Sybill looked to the ground. "I'm sorry you don't want to help me anymore, Severus, but I understand. Thank you for coming out here with me today."

Severus wanted to yell some more, but he found he couldn't. He didn't want to hurt her feelings. Since when he cared about other's feelings was beyond him, but here it was. He turned and stalked off, nonetheless, unwilling to see Sybill Trelawney put the nails into her coffin. Sybill watched him sadly, a small knot in her stomach from their disagreement, and then returned to the home she was set on buying.

oooOOOooo

Sybill entered the Great Hall with a flourish and rushed to the teacher's table. She excitedly sat down next to Madam Hooch and explained about the darling cottage she had found in Hogsmeade.

"Sybill, are you sure about this?" Rolanda asked her.

"Yes, Sybill," Minerva countered, "wouldn't it just be easier to stay here?"

"Easier?" Sybill thought about it. "Probably. But I've been hiding here for almost 20 years. I need to spread my wings!" she said with a truly Trelawney flourish.

Rolanda chuckled at her. Minerva eyed her curiously. Pomona shook her head.

"Besides, the house won't be ready for me to move into until the end of the summer. I'll be here another month. That will give me time to adjust to the idea of not being here constantly."

"What can we do to help, Sybill?" Minerva asked.

"Yes, anything!" Pomona agreed.

"I don't know. I haven't even thought that far ahead. I'll be sure to ask when I need something, though," Sybill said as she smiled at her friends.

Sybill continued gushing about her new home to the women, telling them every last detail about the cottage. To her distress, Severus never showed up for dinner. She feared he was still angry with her. As the four women wound up their meal and their conversation, she decided to pay him a visit.

As she made her way out of the Great Hall, she was accosted by Hermione Granger.

"Are you Professor Trelawney?" Hermione asked.

"Yes, Miss Granger, I am," Sybill said fretfully. She knew that Hermione Granger had no love for her. They had had their share of rows throughout the young woman's tenure as a student. As Sybill looked at Hermione, a flood of images came into her head. This girl was deeply troubled. She was unsure that she could help her in any way, though, given their past history.

"Could I speak with you for a moment?" Hermione continued.

"Of course," Sybill answered. "Would you like to go somewhere private?"

"No, the hall will suffice. I wanted to ask you what you thought you were doing by giving Harry that advice to become an Auror so soon."

Sybill gave Hermione a puzzled look. "I'm not sure what you mean."

Hermione's eyes narrowed at Sybill. "If he is to start his training now, he will not finish his education."

"I understand that."

"But that's the most important thing he can do right now!" Hermione cried.

"Miss Granger, I think you are mistaking your friend's ambitions for your own."

Hermione clenched her fists. "How dare you try to make me the bad guy here! I fully intend to finish my education, and Ron and Harry did too, until you put this ridiculous thought into Harry's head. Now they're both planning on running off and becoming Aurors."

"And you will be lonely without them here at school," Sybill explained, finishing Hermione's thought.

"What... no... that's not it at all."

"Isn't it, Miss Granger? You don't want to be all by yourself, finishing your studies. I would remind you that many of your friends in the year behind you will be here, Miss Weasley being one of them. You two seem to be quite close."

"I didn't come here for you to give me a list of my friends. You had no right to tell Harry those things," Hermione cried.

"Miss Granger, I saw a vision and felt it was relevant to tell Mr. Potter about it, as it was about him. What he chooses to do with that vision is his choice."

"Why couldn't you just keep your vision to yourself? He was perfectly happy returning to Hogwarts."

Sybill sighed and looked down. She debated how to proceed within herself. After her statement about Harry and the vision, she saw no choice but to be frank with Miss Granger about the things she had just seen about her. She looked back at Hermione with compassion.

"Hermione, this has nothing to do with my vision, or whether Harry and Ron decide to become Aurors or not. This has to do with your parents."

Hermione took a step back, and her eyes grew wide. "What do you know of my parents?" she shouted.

"I know that you used a Memory Charm to keep them safe. I also know, through my sight, that you returned to them and restored their memories roughly two weeks ago. They were upset with you for taking matters into your own hands without consulting them. They are no longer speaking to you and are so furious that they want nothing to do with you right now. They are happy that you are safe, but are deeply hurt that you would just decide their fate for them. They have chosen to stay in Australia and continue their current lifestyle, rejecting their original identities. You are afraid that you lost them and now you will lose your closest friends too. Harry and Ron will not desert you, Hermione, whether they are at school or off at the Ministry."

Hermione's eyes widened even more at Sybill's disclosure, and her eyes filled with tears.

"You have no right," she muttered.

Sybill put her hand on Hermione's shoulder. "Be at peace, Hermione. Your parents will forgive you in time. You just need to give them their space. You're their daughter, and they love you."

Hermione looked up at Sybill in rage. "How dare you! You know nothing about me or my family. You pretend to see, but Divination is nothing but a bunch of silly wishes and made up stories. You don't know what's going to happen any more than I do!"

"Believe what you will, but I think you have been proven wrong about mystical things in the past. You would do well to remember that."

Hermione pulled her shoulder out of Sybill's grasp. "Don't touch me. You haven't changed at all! You're nothing but a scatterbrained woman who pretends to know much more than she does!"

"Miss Granger," came a harsh voice from behind her, "if you are done berating Professor Trelawney, I suggest you take your leave."

Hermione turned to see Professor Snape glaring at her.

"Professor, I was just..."

"I know what you were just doing, Miss Granger. I really expected more from you. You used to have respect for those in authority. But I see your little trip into the wilderness has stripped you of any sense of decency. Now, unless you are here to help with repairs, get out!"

Hermione shrunk down and cowered before Severus. "Yes, sir," she finally muttered.

Before she could make her escape, Sybill's hand was on her arm again, pulling her around to face her.

"Remember what I said, Miss Granger, and give it time. Things will work out, and they will forgive you."

Hermione narrowed her eyes at Sybill and pulled her arm free of her once again. She stalked away with her head held high.

Severus glared at Sybill too and moved away, returning to his path down the hall.

"Severus, wait," Sybill called.

"What?!" Severus snapped as he turned around.

"Thank you for defending me," Sybill muttered as she avoided his piercing gaze.

Severus ignored her, turned, and proceeded, once again, down the hall.

"Wait!" Sybill cried after him, extending her hand in to the air. "Can I talk to you?"

Severus stopped again and turned slowly.

"Severus, I need to ask you a favor."

"I'm through doing you favors," he snapped.

"Please, Severus, I'm sorry we fought before. I need your help."

Severus softened his glare, but his words were just as harsh as before. "You don't seem to appreciate my help at other times, Trelawney."

Sybill's shoulder's drooped. "Please don't be upset with me. Surely, you must realize that I have to do this!"

Severus regarded her for a full minute before motioning for her to follow him.

"Let's go to my room and talk," he said with slightly less animosity.

They walked down the halls in silence, descended the stairs, and found themselves in front of his door. He unwarded it, swung it open, and stepped aside to let her through. She nodded to him and entered, seating herself on a black leather couch in front of the fireplace.

"I don't think you do have to do this at all, Trelawney," Severus snapped as he settled down next to her. "You are perfectly fine here."

Sybill's shoulders dropped, and she sighed. "I'm tired, Severus, tired of living for someone else. I just want to try and do something for myself. Something that no one else told me I had to do. Something, someone is telling me I shouldn't do! I've been under the thumb of someone for all of my adult life. I need to do this. I'm not asking you to approve. I just want you to understand."

"I do understand," Severus said quietly. "I just think that you are making a mistake. Can't you do something else to prove your independence?"

Sybill smiled at him. "No, this is the right thing to do. I can feel it."

"You're not always right, you know," Severus argued.

"My visions are, and I saw myself sitting in that living room, and I was happy."

"I still think you're making a mistake."

"Then I'll learn from my mistake in the future."

"You are impossible!" Severus snapped as he crossed his arms in front of him defiantly.

"Thank you. I pride myself on being impossible," Sybill said with a smile.

"What is it you want of me, anyway?" he asked, looking Sybill up and down.

"I was wondering if you could help me set up wards on the cottage when I move in." Sybill held her breath, waiting for the explosion, but it didn't come.

Severus relaxed and unfolded his arms. "At least you're being sensible about protection. But, Sybill, you cannot stay in your house forever. Lestrange and Malfoy, when they find out that you've moved to Hogsmeade, will stop at nothing to get to you. They could abduct you while you walk in the street!"

"And they could break into Hogwarts and abduct me in the halls."

"Yes... wait... no they couldn't!" Severus scowled at her.

"Severus, if they want me, they will find me, no matter where I live. I can put up a good fight if they try anything on me. I appreciate you worrying about me, I really do, but I need to do this."

"As you have already said."

"Will you help me?" Sybill asked with a raise of her eyebrows.

Severus thought about it for no more than two seconds. "Of course I'll help you, Sybill. No one will get to your home if they're not wanted."

Sybill gave Severus a huge grin. A feeling of relief coursed through her that they had patched things up between the two of them.

"Thank you, Severus," she said gratefully. "I really appreciate your help."

A/N: Next up: The move is made.

So, is Sybill being stubborn, or what? I think she is, but I can see her point (probably because I wrote this.) How do you guys feel about her move? Thanks for reading!