Sybill Trelawney

"Sybill Trelawney has predicted the death of a student every year since she came to this school. None of them have died yet."

- Minerva McGonagall on Trelawney.

Professor Sybill Patricia Trelawney was a witch and the professor of Divination at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. She was the great-great-granddaughter of the celebrated Seer, Cassandra Trelawney. She was appointed at Hogwarts by Albus Dumbledore in 1980, after making a Prophecy about Lord Voldemort and Harry Potter. During her years as a professor, she used to predict the death of a student every year. In 1994, she made another true prophecy about Lord Voldemort and Peter Pettigrew. Trelawney was sacked in 1995 by Dolores Umbridge, the High Inquisitor, but was allowed to remain at the school. Since 1996, she co-taught Divination along with Firenze. In 1998, Trelawney fought at the Battle of Hogwarts against Voldemort and his Death Eaters. After the war, she possibly continued teaching Divination.

Early life
Very little is known about Sybill's early life. It is likely that she obtained her wand from Ollivander's and possibly attended Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. She may, due to her relation to Cassandra Trelawney, have been a member of Horace Slughorn's Slug Club.

Audition with Dumbledore
"The one with the power to vanquish the Dark Lord approaches...Born to those who have thrice defied him, born as the seventh month dies...and the Dark Lord will mark him as his equal, but he will have power the Dark Lord knows not...and either must die at the hand of the other for neither can live while the other survives...."

- Prophecy made to Albus Dumbledore by Trelawney.

In 1980, Sybill Trelawney arranged a meeting with Hogwarts' Headmaster Albus Dumbledore in the Hog's Head in order to audition to become the new Divination Professor. Dumbledore, who thought Divination is a subject that should no longer be continued, gave Sybill a chance because she was the great-great-granddaughter of the celebrated Seer Cassandra Trelawney, but was disappointed when Sybill did not show any of her ancestor's gift. After courteously telling her she was not fit for the position, and was about to leave, Sybill entered a trance and made a prophecy about the Dark Lord's defeat. Though Death Eater Severus Snape was eavesdropping, Dumbledore hired Trelawney in order to protect her from Lord Voldemort.

Escape of Sirius Black


In 1993, Sirius Black, a "dangerous, mass-murderer" escaped from Azkaban and attemped to get into Hogwarts many times. It is unknown how Trelawney reacted when she learned it.

Professor Trelawney first met Harry Potter during the 1993-1994 school year, when he chose Divination as his third year elective course. She annoyed Harry to no end with her repeated predictions about his death with the association of the Grim.

During the same year, Trelawney read the tea leaves in Harry's cup. She saw four things: The falcon, a deadly enemy; The club, an attack; The skull, danger in your path; The grim, a spectral dog which is an omen of death.

Furthermore, during this year, she met her best students; Parvati Patil and Lavender Brown, who liked her and believed she was a great Seer and a great professor. However, Trelawney didn't like Hermione Granger, who thought that she wasn't a true Seer. Trelawney insulted Hermione by telling her that, by reading books she would not have any Seer abilities. Hermione was furious and abandoned the lessons.

At the near end of the year she made another prophecy about the Return of the Dark Lord and about the servant who would return to his master. This was correct, as Peter Pettigrew joined Lord Voldemort again. Dumbledore noted that he should give her a raise.

Triwizard Tournament
In the following year, the Triwizard Tournament took place at Hogwarts and Harry was one of the champions. Trelawney continued to annoy Harry with her predictions about his death. She guessed that Harry had lost his parents because he was born during the winter. However, Harry told her he was born in July. Furthermore, when Ron Weasley asked Lavender Brown to show him Uranus, Trelawney gave them much more homework.

Once, Rita Skeeter in the form of a beetle, overwatched Harry during Trelawney's lesson, when Harry had a crisis. Trelawney believed that it had to do with Harry's scar.

At the end of the year, Trelawney learned about the death of Cedric Diggory and the return of Lord Voldemort. The Second Wizarding War had begun.

The Reign of Dolores Umbridge
"...You have no right... I am here for sixteen years... Hogwarts is my home..."

- Trelawney to Dolores Umbridge when the latter fires her.

In 1996, Professor Trelawney was put on probation by Dolores Umbridge, Hogwarts High Inquisitor. This led to her becoming increasingly paranoid and obsessed that Umbridge was haunting her. Her fears grew to the extent that she actually turned to drinking, and was always seen drunk with a bottle of sherry in her hand. Eventually, she was sacked by Umbridge, who, in her great dislike for Trelawney, almost threw her bodily from the castle, ignoring the fact that Trelawney was in paroxysms of grief over her dismissal. Before she could be chased off the premises, Dumbledore came to her aid and insisted that she stay at Hogwarts, as Umbridge had no authority to order Trelawney off campus. She was replaced by the centaur, Firenze. However, after Umbridge was removed by a group of centaurs and was returned to the Ministry of Magic, Trelawney was reinstated, though Firenze would also continue teaching Divination.

Protecting Hogwarts from Death Eaters


"[Firenze] and professor Trelawney shared the lessons this year. The sixth year will have professor Trelawney."

- Minerva McGonagall in 1996.

During the 1996-1997 school year, the Hogwarts professors protected Hogwarts from Death Eaters. Trelawney continued teaching Divination, but she was very angry that she had to co-teach with Firenze, a centaur. She complained to the Headmaster about it many times, but she believed that Dumbledore didn't give her much attention.

Once, while she went at the Room of Requirement in order to hide her sherry bottles, she heard someone into the room yelling happily. Trelawney asked who was there, but the stranger threw her out off the room. She met Harry Potter later, told him about it and revealed to him that Severus Snape was the one who heard the prophecy about him and Voldemort. "The lightning-struck tower. Calamity. Disaster. Coming nearer all the time..."

- Trelawney before the Battle of the Astronomy Tower

During the Battle of the Astronomy Tower, Death Eaters got into Hogwarts. Many professors fought against the Death Eaters, however, Trelawney was not among them. Albus Dumbledore was killed by Snape, who left the school. Trelawney possibly attended his funeral.

Voldemort's infiltration of Hogwarts
After Dumbledore's death, Tom Riddle took over Hogwarts. Severus Snape became Headmaster and Alecto and Amycus Carrow, two Death Eaters, became Deputy Heads. The Carrows gained much power, and used it to torture many students who opposed them. Trelawney possibly tried to protect the students from the Death Eaters.

Battle of Hogwarts
"I've got more for anyone who wants!"

- Trelawney dropping crystall balls to the Death Eaters.

In the Battle of Hogwarts she fought by dropping crystal balls on enemies' heads, successfully knocking out Fenrir Greyback in this manner and saving Lavender Brown's life. Eventually, the Death Eaters were all defeated. Lord Voldemort was killed by Harry Potter. Trelawney probably survived the battle and the Second Wizarding War.

Later life
Her later life remains unknown; she possibly continued co-teaching Divination along with Firenze.

Physical appearance
Trelawney usually wore gauzy shawls, cloaks and bangles, all covered with shining sequins. She had thick glasses, which caused her eyes to appear about ten times their normal size. She talked in ethereal and misty tones, and appeared to be a heavy drinker of cooking sherry.

Personality and traits
Trelawney believed that she was a great Seer, although most of her prophecies weren't true. Furthermore, she liked talking in ethereal and misty tones. Much like Gilderoy Lockhart, Trelawney was sometimes unable to understand who liked and who disliked her, as she did with Harry Potter in 1997. Trelawney also used to predict every student's death every year since she came to Hogwarts, which none has yet came true. According to Professor McGonagall, seeing death omens is a favourite way for Trelawney to greet her class, something that annoyed Harry for his three years with her. She could also be angered when she believed that the students weren't interested in her subject, such as Ronald Weasley. She was also very sensitive, as she cried when Dolores Umbridge sacked her. Trelawney was, however, loyal to Hogwarts and defended it during the Battle of Hogwarts, saving the life of her student and friend Lavender Brown.

Magical abilities and skills

 * Seer: Professor Trelawney inherited the Inner Eye from her Ancestor Cassandra Trelawney, although real prophecies made by her were rare. At other times, many would consider Trelawney a fraud due to her seemingly ineffective methods, such as Umbridge, Hermione, and Dumbledore. Despite this, she has made several trivial predictions accurately, such as Neville Longbottom breaking the first cup he would pick, Lavender Brown's rabbit would die, and Hermione Granger leaving the class at Spring.


 * Duelist: She was also a skilled duelist, as she defeated Fenrir Greyback during the Battle of Hogwarts, saving Lavender Brown's life.

Known prophecies
Trelawney has made only two known true prophecies. However, some of her predictions seem to have come true, such as Lavender Brown's rabbit dying and Hermione giving up divination, though they may be simply coincidences. When prophesising, Trelawney falls into a trance and does not remember afterwards what she has said. True prophecies are recorded by the Ministry of Magic, and copies are stored by them. It is known that the Ministry had a copy of Trelawney's first prophecy, but not known whether the second was recorded. Both prophecies involved Lord Voldemort. Dumbledore expresses the view that prophecies are self-fulfilling, that if the people concerned ignore them, then they will not happen. Nonetheless, he recognises the existence of a special kind of magic which causes them to happen.

The Chosen One
The first prediction was made in the presence of Albus Dumbledore at the Hog's Head inn. Trelawney was in the middle of an interview for a teaching job at Hogwarts when it happened. Dumbledore reported that he had decided not to give Trelawney the job, but changed his mind when he heard the prophecy. Trelawney herself is not aware that she made the prophecy, merely remembering that she came over faint, which she attributed to not having eaten that day.


 * "The one with the power to vanquish the Dark Lord approaches.…born to those who have thrice defied him, born as the seventh month dies…and the Dark Lord will mark him as his equal, but he will have power the Dark Lord knows not.…and either must die at the hand of the other for neither can live while the other survives.…the one with the power to vanquish the Dark Lord will be born as the seventh month dies…"

This prediction is believed to refer to Voldemort ("the Dark Lord") and Harry Potter, who was born on July 31st. At the time of its prophesying the identity of the approaching one could not be known as he had not been born. The time of year the prophecy was made is unknown, but it was described as 'dark and stormy', so it is possible that the prediction was made at the time of conception of the child foretold, at around Halloween.

It later became apparent that the prophecy could have applied either to Harry, or to Neville Longbottom, who was also born at the end of the seventh month on July 30th. Part of the prediction came to pass on the night of October 31st, 1981, when Lord Voldemort's body was destroyed after Harry survived an attack from him, reputedly using the killing curse Avada Kedavra. The attack left Harry with an ability to speak Parseltongue, a lightning-shaped scar on his forehead, and a mental connection to Voldemort. It was Dumbledore's view that it was Voldemort's choice of Harry as his target from the two possible boys which made Harry the one foretold. Had Voldemort chosen Neville, who was also born at the end of July, then he would have had a different adversary. Both boys had parents who had defied the dark lord thrice.

The prophecy as interpreted by Dumbledore to Harry in June 1996 would read: "Someone (Harry or Neville) with the power to vanquish Voldemort is coming...born to those who have defied Voldemort three times (the Potters or the Longbottoms), born at the end of July...and Voldemort will attempt to kill Harry, but Harry will unexpectedly survive...either Harry or Voldemort must be killed by the other because one of them must die...Harry will be born at the end of July..."

The Servant Rejoins His Master
"It will happen tonight. The Dark Lord lies alone and friendless, abandoned by his followers. His servant has been chained these twelve years. Tonight, before midnight... the servant will break free and set out to rejoin his master. The Dark Lord will rise again with his servant's aid, greater and more terrible than ever he was. Tonight... before midnight...the servant...will set out...to rejoin...his master...."

- Sybill Trelawney

Professor Trelawney prophecised this occurrence subconsciously to Harry Potter in 1994, in her classroom. This prophecy came to pass when Peter Pettigrew's true identity was revealed and he escaped to help bring Lord Voldemort back to health.

Other predictions
Professor Trelawney has made other predictions, too, some of which happened, though they may coincidental. It is unknown if the rest of them are true.


 * She told Neville Longbottom to take a blue cup after breaking his first one, because she likes the pink ones. Neville immediately took a cup, broke it, and then later broke his second cup too.
 * She also asked Neville about his grandmother, saying she may have been ill.
 * And that he will be late for his next divination class.
 * She told Parvati Patil to beware of red headed men. Parvati immediately suspected Ron. At the Yule Ball, Harry and Ron, Parvati's and her sister Padma's dates, ignored her and her sister. Two years later, Ron started going out with Parvati's best friend Lavender Brown, who started to ignore Parvati.
 * She predicted a bout of flu in February, and that she will lose her voice.
 * That what Lavender was dreading would happen on October 16th. On that day, Lavender got a note that her pet rabbit had been eaten by a fox. Hermione was sceptical, indicating that Lavender could hardly have dreaded her new rabbit dying, and that the death could not have happened on the day the news arrived.
 * On the beginning of 1993–1994 school year, She told in the whole class that, near Easter, one of their number will leave them forever. It seems that her prediction had happened when Hermione quit the class in disgust near Easter holidays.
 * At the Christmas lunch, Trelawney at first refused to join the table, since when thirteen dine together, the first to rise will be the first to die. Harry Potter and Ron Weasley got up from the table first together, but Albus Dumbledore was the first among those at the table to die. Also, she did not take into account of Peter Pettigrew, who was at the time disguised as Scabbers the rat, which would in fact count as fourteen people.
 * However, in 1995, thirteen members of the order dined together, and the first to rise was Sirius, who later died.
 * Also, you could count this prediction as true - if you count Peter Pettigrew, when there were thirteen at the table, Dumbledore ROSE to greet her when she entered the room.
 * When Dolores Umbridge was appointed Hogwarts High Inquisitor during Harry's fifth year, she insisted that Trelawney demonstrate her abilities by prophesying something. Trelawney replied that she saw dark events ahead for Umbridge, which Umbridge immediately dismissed as nonsense. Later, Umbridge was dragged off and imprisoned by centaurs in the Forbidden Forest.
 * In Harry's sixth year he saw Trelawney coming, and hid from her. As she passed, he saw that she was examining a pack of cards and muttered, "A dark young man, possibly troubled, one who dislikes the questioner". She dismissed her own words as nonsense, unaware of Harry's presence or his dislike of her. Later in the year, Harry saw Draco arguing with Snape when he questioned Draco on the progress of his mission for Voldemort. Later Trelawney again met Harry in the corridors, and this time complains that Dumbledore had been repeatedly dismissing her warnings of impending disaster. She looked at some Tarot cards and saw, "... the lightning-struck tower... Calamity. Disaster. Coming nearer all the time...". This seems to predict the events of Dumbledore's death on the Astronomy Tower. The Lightning-Struck Tower tarot card (The Tower) is generally considered representative of disaster or life-altering change.

Minerva McGonagall
"Sybill Trelawney has predicted the death of a student every year since she came to this school. None of them have died yet."

- Minerva McGonagall on Trelawney.

Trelawney and Minerva McGonagall were not the best of friends, and barely maintained civility between them. Minerva had no use for Sybill's subject, Divination, and she believed that Trelawney was a fraud.

Despite her dislike for Trelawney and her teachings, however, Minerva and Sybill would grow to understand one another through their shared hatred of Dolores Umbridge during the woman's tenure as Defence Against the Dark Arts Professor. When Dolores used her powers to sack Sybill, Minerva was there as a literal shoulder for Sybill to cry on, and she spoke out against Dolores and told her what she thought after the events. In many ways, Minerva's relationship with Sybill was similar to Hermione Granger's relationship with Luna Lovegood.

It is unknown whether Minerva kept Sybill as Divination Professor after the war and during Minerva's time as Headmistress of Hogwarts, but, seeing as Minerva always valued Dumbledore's views of kindness, Firenze and Trelawney most likely continued to co-teach Divination.



Parvati Patil and Lavender Brown
"She says I've got all the makings of a true Seer. I saw loads of stuff…"

- Parvati Patil on Trelawney.

Parvati Patil and Lavender Brown, two Gryffindor students, seemed to have a reasonably close relationship with Sybill Trelawney; they had an unwavering faith in the reliability of Trelawney's predictions and were often seen comforting or supporting her when she was experiencing difficult times. The two girls became offended on the professor's behalf when Hermione made her disdain for Trelawney and the subject she taught clear in 1993. When she was temporarily sacked by Dolores Umbridge, Lavender and Parvati brought Trelawney some nice daffodils. Furthermore, Trelawney had told Parvati that she had the makings of a true seer. During the Battle of Hogwarts, Trelawney helped to save Lavender from Fenrir Greyback by dropping a crystal ball on his head.



Harry Potter
Harry Potter didn't like Trelawney very much. Trelawney always predicted Harry's death (something that didn't happen), and told him that he wasn't talented enough to become a seer. Harry didn't like Trelawney's subject and thought that she was a fraud, a belief shared with Ron Weasley, Hermione Granger and Minerva McGonagall. In 1995, Harry learned it was Trelawney who had made the prophecy about him and Voldemort, and, in 1996, that Severus Snape had heard half of the prophecy and told it to Voldemort, resulting in Harry's parents' deaths. Harry, however, felt sympathy for Trelawney when she was sacked by Dolores Umbridge, as he believed it would be unfair for Trelawney to leave Hogwarts, which she considered her home. Trelawney fought alongside Harry during the Battle of Hogwarts.

Hogwarts students
Trelawney's students (except for Lavender and Parvati) didn't like Trelawney and her subject. Ron Weasley, Dean Thomas and Seamus Finnigan joked during Trelawney's lessons as they didn't care about Divination. Ron appeared to dislike Trelawney and her subject, as she always predicted his friend Harry's death. Furthermore, Ron didn't like Divination, and usually asked Parvati and Lavender to show him several things. Once, during a lesson, Trelawney heard Ron ask Lavender where the Uranus had been, and that was the reason why the professor gave them too much homework.

Hermione Granger was a very good student. However, Trelawney believed that she wasn't talented enough to become a Seer and that the books that she read wouldn't help her understand Divination. When Trelawney told Hermione about it, the girl was furious; she got very angry and left the classroom, and didn't come again. Although she disliked Trelawney, she felt sympathy for her when she was sacked by Umbridge. Furthermore, Hermione fought with Trelawney at the Battle of Hogwarts and saved Lavender from Fenrir Greyback, along with Trelawney.

Hogwarts staff
The other professors didn't appear to like Trelawney. Albus Dumbledore, the Headmaster, initially believed that she was a fraud, but when he heard her prophecy about Harry Potter and Lord Voldemort, he hired her, as he wanted to protect her from the Dark Lord and his Death Eaters. When Dolores Umbridge sacked Trelawney, Dumbledore defended her, and let her stay at Hogwarts, without teaching. In 1996, Trelawney was angry with Dumbledore, as he led Firenze co-teaching Divination, along with Trelawney. This made Trelawney think that Dumbledore disliked her.

Trelawney appeared to dislike Firenze. He was a Centaur and Divination professor since 1995 (when Trelawney was sacked). After Umbridge left Hogwarts, Firenze continued co-teaching Divination, making Trelawney very angry. She called him names, such as “the Nag”, and others. She believed that the headmaster preferred Firenze to Trelawney. However, after the Second Wizarding War, she might have changed her opinion.

She also didn't like Professor Severus Snape, who interrupted her during her interview with Dumbledore. In fact, Snape was a Death Eater at the time, and wanted to hear her prophecy about Harry and Voldemort.

Sybill Trelawney strongly disliked Dolores Umbridge, the Defence Against the Dark Arts professor and later High Inquisitor. Umbridge was a sadistic woman who tortured the students. She believed that Trelawney was a fraud and she sacked her. When Dumbledore defended Trelawney and let her stay at Hogwarts, Umbridge was angry with Dumbledore. Umbridge left Hogwarts in 1996, by the end of the school year.

She might have had a better relationship with her co-workers after the Second Wizarding War.

Etymology
Both her name and her surname are related to her future telling ability. "Sybill" has Greek origin and means "prophetess", while "Trelawney" may come from the occultist and seer Dr. Trelawney, from Anthony Powell's A Dance to the Music of Time. Alternatively, it may be derived from from a famous cry of defiance from the southwest of England, where Rowling grew up, often shouted at football matches:

And shall Trelawney live? And shall Trelawney die? Here's ten thousand Cornishmen who ask the reason why!

The cry is a line from The Song of the Western Men, written in 1833 by the poet and parson Robert Stephens Hawker and the unofficial Cornish national anthem. It concerns the march to London in 1688 in protest at the incarceration in the Tower of Jonathan Trelawny, Bishop of Bristol. This could be a reference to Trelawney predicting the death of one of her students every year.

Furthermore, the name "Trelawney" may come from the Greek word "τρελός", meaning "mad". This may be a reference to Trelawney's weird personality.

Behind the scenes

 * Trelawney is portrayed by Emma Thompson in the film adaptations, of Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban, Order of the Phoenix and Deathly Hallows: Part 2.
 * J. K. Rowling has stated that she does not believe in magic, and does not intend that her readers should believe in it either. She has hinted that the portrayal of Trelawney (a mystic and fortune-teller, perhaps the kind of "magic" that children are most likely to come across) as something of an ineffectual old fraud may be related to this. However, her name and the reference to a grandmother named Cassandra somewhat contradicts this. In Greek Legends, Cassandra was a seer granted true sight by one god, but later cursed by his wrath that she would never be believed. This suggests that perhaps some of Trelawney's pronouncements may be more accurate than is often believed.
 * Trelawney told Lavender Brown that the worst thing for her would come true on Friday, October 16th. However, October 16, 1993 was a Saturday.
 * Emma Thompson had originally stated that she would not return as Trelawney in the last movies . However, she has since confirmed that she will reprise her role as Trelawney and has already filmed her scenes.
 * Emma Thompson has appeared in several movies with Imelda Staunton; Much Ado About Nothing, Sense and Sensibility, and Nanny McPhee. Alan Rickman, Robert Hardy, Gemma Jones and Elizabeth Spriggs also starred in Sense and Sensibility.

Appearances

 * Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban
 * Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban (film)
 * Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire
 * Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix
 * Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix (film)
 * Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix (video game)
 * Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince
 * Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince (video game)
 * Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows
 * Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2
 * Lego Harry Potter: Years 1-4

Notes and references
Sibylle Trelawney Сивилла Трелони