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A crystal ball (or an Orb) is a crystal sphere used in the wizarding world for crystal-gazing, an art in divination to gain insights into the future. It first appears in Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban.

About[]

To crystal-gaze, the viewer has to focus on steadying their conscious mind and physical eyes so they can clear their Inner Eye and subconscious. The Orb will get shadowy like fog and they have to try not to disturb "clairvoyant vibrations".[1]

History[]

Unfogging the Future has a guide to basic fortune-telling using a crystal ball.[3]

Professor Trelawney classroom at Hogwarts School where she taught Divination, had loads of silvery crystal balls.[2]

In December 1993, Trelawney was crystal-gazing when she saw in her crystal ball that she was going to abandon having lunch on her own and join her colleagues and students in the Great Hall.[4] In April 1994, she taught a Divination lesson about crystal-gazing. Harry and Ron spent nearly a whole lesson staring blankly into an Orb and saw nothing. She later gave an offer to help interpret a shadowy portent.[1]

Notes and sources[]