Cassandra Trelawney

Cassandra Trelawney was a famous, celebrated witch and Seer. She was the great-great-grandmother to Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry Divination Professor Sybill Trelawney. She possessed the Inner Eye, which was passed on into generations later.^[1]

Magical abilities and skills

Divination: Little is known about Cassandra Trelawney's life. It is known that she was a "genuine Seer" and that "Cassandra's gift has been much diluted over ensuing generations, although Cassandra's descendant, Sybill, has inherited more than she knows,"^[2] implying that Cassandra was a very powerful Seer. She has been referred to as "Legendary" on more than one occasion. Indeed, when Dumbledore was preparing to scrap the Hogwarts Divination programme, Sybill Trelawney's heritage (being descended from Cassandra) was enough to get her a job interview for the post.

Behind the scenes

• "Trelawney" may have been Cassandra's married name, since her great-great-granddaughter shares this surname. It is, however, possible that Cassandra was a single mother or simply did not take her husband's name.
  • This being true, Cassandra Trewlaney may have been Cassandra Vablatsky before she married.

Etymology

Cassandra is generally taken to mean "she who entangles men". This meaning came from the Greek culture and was translated to mean various other things as well; such as "oracle".

In Greek mythology, Cassandra was a princess of Troy. Her beauty caused Apollo to grant her the gift of prophecy. However, when she did not return his love, Apollo placed a curse on her so that no one would ever believe her predictions.

Appearances

• Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix (First mentioned)
• Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince (Mentioned only)

Notes and references