Hey guys,
Welcome to another installment of Harry Potter Theory. In this video, we’re going to be discussing Hermione Granger, Professor Sybill Trelawney, and the subject of Divination. More specifically- we are going to be addressing why it is that Hermione seemingly hates divination so much.
Divination is taught at Hogwarts by Professor Sybill Trelawney- it’s an elective course taught from third year onwards. Divination is essentially the art of predicting the future. There are various ways to achieve this. These methods include but are not limited to: tea leaves, Fire-omens, Crystal balls, Palmistry, Cartomancy, astrology, and Dream interpretations.
"Many witches and wizards, talented though they are in the area of loud bangs and smells and sudden disappearings, are yet unable to penetrate the veiled mysteries of the future."
Though Divination is a legitimate subject and area of magic, it is often the target of considerable scrutiny. Students, witches, wizards, and even other professors seemingly constantly question it’s legitimacy, and was once described by McGonagall as “one of the most imprecise branches of magic”.
Even Dumbledore has his qualms with the subject- and certainly didn’t embrace it as part of Hogwart’s curriculum.
"On a cold, wet night sixteen years ago, in a room above the bar at the Hog's Head Inn. I had gone there to see an applicant for the post of Divination teacher, though it was against my inclination to allow the subject of Divination to continue at all. The applicant, however, was the great-great-granddaughter of a very famous, very gifted Seer, and I thought it common politeness to meet her. I was disappointed. It seemed to me that she had not a trace of the gift herself. I told her, courteously I hope, that I did not think she would be suitable for the post. I turned to leave. ..."
But of course, just as he left, Sybill Trelawney foretold ‘The Prophecy’ - the same prophecy that would flip the wizarding world upside down.
But when Hermione first sets foot in Professor Sybil Trellawney’s class, she’s really not impressed- and outwardly disrespects her new professor right at the very beginning:
"The falcon... my dear, you have a deadly enemy."
"But everyone knows that, " said Hermione in a loud whisper. Professor Trelawney stared at her.
"Well, they do," said Hermione. "Everybody knows about Harry and You-Know-Who."
Harry and Ron stared at her with a mixture of amazement and admiration. They had never heard Hermione speak to a teacher like that before.
So, what’s the deal? Why is Hermione so unimpressed with Divination and her new professor? Sure, Trelawney doesn’t have a flawless track record-but predicting something like THE PROPHECY has got to account for something.
Well, first of all, Trelawney didn’t get off to a great start with Hermione when she discredited the use of books in the subject. Everyone knows you can’t discredit books in front of Hermione.
Books can take you only so far in this field...."
At these words, both Harry and Ron glanced, grinning, at Hermione, who looked startled at the news that books wouldn't be much help in this subject.
Next, Hermione was a huge proponent of arithmancy, which is almost a contradictory subject. Arithmancy is a branch of magic concerned with the magical properties of numbers- and it’s Hermione’s favourite. Arirthmancy is all about calculating tangible things, which differs from Divination which has more of an ethereal component to it. Arithmancy is about logic and numbers- and divination is about feeling and premonition. Are you starting to see why she didn’t like it?
It also didn’t help Hermione’s opinion of the subject that most of the other professors openly disrespected it- this likely cemented her attitude towards it right from the very beginning.
Next, Hermione was all about good grades- and it’s hard to do well in a subject where there’s no right or wrong. Hermione is not the type of person that likes to fuss about- she likes to solidify concepts and ideas, and has no patience for anything that is unable to meet this criteria.
In order to do well in Trelawney’s class you have to embrace your inner mystic, and this is just not something that Hermione would put up with. This is why she eventually drops the class altogether.
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