Why Sybill Trelawney Deserves A Little More Respect

In a cast of so many beloved witches and wizards, many of the less heroic characters in Harry Potter tend to be rather overlooked. That's why Pottermore launched a whole series of articles about Harry Potter's least popular characters — and in its latest feature, the site has jumped to the defense of Sybill Trelawney. After all, she may not be the best Diviner, but it's not for lack of effort.

The Pottermore article emphasizes that Professor Trelawney did in fact inherit the second sight from her famous ancestor Cassandra Trelawney, and she used it, rather crucially, to make the prophecy that intertwined Harry Potter's destiny with Voldemort's. Without Sybill Trelawney, nothing in the Harry Potter series would ever have happened! Even in her less convincing prophecies, as the article goes on to point out, Trelawney does usually speak an element of truth. She predicted that when 13 dine together, the first to rise from the table will be the first to die — and although Dumbledore scoffed at this, it did (sadly) come true in predicting Dumbledore's death.

The article also talks about Trelawney's surprising bravery when it really matters. Throughout most of the series, she is nervous and over-sensitive. When Umbridge tries to kick her out of Hogwarts, her total despair made her seem more fragile than ever, and even the biggest cynics in the school couldn't help but want to protect her. But during the Battle of Hogwarts, she didn't hide away in her tower like she had throughout most of her time on the job; instead, she showed her love for Hogwarts by diving right into the center of the fight, and throwing crystal balls at Death Eaters.

So Sybill Trelawney deserves a little more kindness, even if she's not the most impressive character to ever walk the halls of Hogwarts.

Pottermore has already published articles in defense of other "questionable" characters from Gilderoy Lockhart to Petunia Dursley, and promises next to defend the villain Argus Filch. Though how they'll be able to defend the man who threatens to hang Hogwarts students from their wrists in the dungeons remains to be seen...