21

Can a person make true prophecies without using magic?

Sybil Trelawney, the seer introduced in the books doesn't seem to do spells in all the seven books. She even hides her empty sherry bottles in the room of requirement instead of using the evanesco spell.

Why would an adult wizard who is also a teacher risk getting caught with empty bottles instead of just vanishing or transfiguring the evidence of her being a lone drunk?

The two times she made her prophecies it seems she wasn't even aware of it, rather than being a conscious act, it seemed she was possessed.

Is it possible that she is a squib, and some other entity was communicating through her? Can a seer be a squib at all or a muggle or does one have to use magic to make true prophecies?

  • 4
    It was cooking sherry actually – amflare Aug 08 '17 at 16:19
  • 1
    Consensus here was that squibs may have a wand, but would have no reason to do so. Pottermore says she owns a wand. – phantom42 Aug 08 '17 at 16:24
  • Divination seems to be more a natural ability you're born with and can't learn, rather than normal magic. This makes me wonder - could you ever have a metamorphagus squib? – DavidS Aug 08 '17 at 16:48
  • 4
    I feel like the edit to the Title changes the question dramatically -- asking whether a squib can be a seer is far different than asking whether one person is a squip (even if that person mostly exists as a seer)... – Wraith Leader Aug 08 '17 at 16:56
  • 1
    @WraithLeader - The question title conflicted with the question body. I tried to make them align, but still leave the question open enough to allow answerers to address the wider issue (which amflare has done). – Valorum Aug 08 '17 at 17:11
  • @amflare thanks, edited. –  Aug 08 '17 at 17:30
  • @Valorum um, thanks. I rather leave it more general and use ST as an example. –  Aug 08 '17 at 17:31
  • @Nahiri - Unfortunately I've have to switch my upvote to a downvote and VTC as unclear. You're now asking two distinct questions here. – Valorum Aug 08 '17 at 17:33
  • @Valorum youre more than welcome to edit and add more examples of seers described in the books to make it even more clear to the reader that ST is only used as an example of a seer - if you wish :) –  Aug 08 '17 at 17:40
  • 3
    The issue is that the body of your question doesn't currently even consider other seers, examples or not. You specifically discuss Trelawney and her abilities - and ask if she is a squib. – phantom42 Aug 08 '17 at 17:55
  • @phantom42 hm. Tried to use ST as a case study, as we dont know enough about other seers mentionhed in the books to make conclusions. But maybe it is unclear. I blame my English =P –  Aug 08 '17 at 18:10
  • I think I see where you wanted to use Sybil as an example, but that part seems to drag on and overtake the question. Then at the end you ask about her specifically, which does not agree with the question title. Clarifying one should help with the rest. – DCOPTimDowd Aug 08 '17 at 19:24
  • @amflare: but was she cooking with it? If not, it serves to make her sadder. – PJTraill Aug 08 '17 at 23:53
  • A vanishing spell seems like it would be dangerous to use while under the influence. If Trelawney needs to get rid of many bottles, she might never have a safe time to cast evanesco. – Gaultheria Aug 09 '17 at 19:52

1 Answers1

43

No

Divination is a branch of magic. Therefore requires magical ability to use it.

Professor Trelawney delicately rearranged her shawl and continued, ‘So you have chosen to study Divination, the most difficult of all magical arts.'
Prisoner of Azkaban - Chapter 6: Talons and Tea Leaves

Professor McGonagall broke off, and they saw that her nostrils had gone white. She went on, more calmly, ‘Divination is one of the most imprecise branches of magic‘.
Prisoner of Azkaban - Chapter 6: Talons and Tea Leaves

Trelawney is in fact a proven witch since during the Battle of Hogwarts, she is seen using non-verbal spells to control crystal balls and use them as weapons

Then, with a bright white flash and a crack, a crystal ball fell on the top of [Fenrir Greyback's] head and he crumpled to the ground and did not move.

‘I have more!’ shrieked Professor Trelawney from over the banisters, ‘more for any who want them! Here –’

And with a movement like a tennis serve, she heaved another enormous crystal sphere from her bag, waved her wand through the air, and caused the ball to speed across the hall and smash through a window.
Deathly Hallows - Chapter 32: The Elder Wand

(emphasis mine)

Community
  • 1
amflare
  • 32,520
  • 17
  • 117
  • 162
  • 1
    She has also given true prophecy, which we have never known a Squib to do. – Jeff Aug 08 '17 at 16:53
  • 2
    I was searching for that quote when you made your edit :) nice work! Also I would note that the Wiki page on her says she was sorted into Ravenclaw at Hogwarts, which would mean she isn't a squib, but I can find no source to that so I didn't bother posting it. – Wraith Leader Aug 08 '17 at 16:54
  • 6
    Good job. Minerva usually knows what's she talking about. I accept her expertise. Divination is magic, however imprecise. And ST serving crystsl balls is absolutely cool. –  Aug 08 '17 at 18:23
  • 1
    Not only is Minerva usually knowledgeable; she is also extraordinarily precise. Being imprecise about accusing another discipline of imprecision would be totally out of character ;). – Chris Pfohl Aug 09 '17 at 12:59
  • Note that there appear to exist two different kinds of divination in the books. The "true" divination that Trelwaney makes by entering a trance, and making prophecies, without even knowing she's doing it; and the divination that Trelawney teaches, which appears to be mostly bullshit. So when Trelawney says "Divination, the most difficult of all magical arts" I don't think she should be taken too seriously; and when McGonagall says "Divination is one of the most imprecise branches of magic", it sounds like a typical British understatement that divination is complete bullshit. – Stef Mar 11 '23 at 09:06