The Boy Who Fought: OC X Hermione

Sighted

The rest of the day was uneventful, and soon enough it was dinnertime. Draco was sat with the Slytherins, complaining about his arm.

"Does it hurt terribly Draco?" Pansy asked, caring for the boy.

"It comes and goes. Still... I consider myself lucky. According to Madam Pomfrey, another minute or two... and I could've lost the arm." Draco said in a theatrical tone, you could tell it was fake.

"The little git. He's really laying it on thick, isn't he?" Ron said, mad at Draco for ruining the class.

"At least Hagrid didn't get sacked." Harry said, trying to be optimistic.

"Yes. But I hear Draco's father's furious. I don't think we've heard the end of this... Thank Carson for pushing him away. It could've been way worse; he could've been dead and then Hagrid would most definitely be sacked." Hermione explained to the group, proud of her boyfriend for helping someone who he didn't like, but because it was the right thing to do. She kissed his cheek, as Seamus yelled from across the table.

"He's been sighted!" Seamus yelled, gaining Harry and Carson's attention.

They look to Seamus, looking in the newspaper to see who it was. They saw the Daily Prophet with a giant picture of Sirius Black, with where he was sighted.

"Achintee? That's not far from here..." She said to Carson, grabbing his arm.

"You don't think he'd come to Hogwarts do you?" Neville said, frightened.

"With the dementors at every entrance?" Lavender chimed into the conversation.

"Dementors? He's already slipped by them once, hasn't he? Who's to say he can't do it again?" Ron said, not caring that the two people he was looking for were right there.

"That's right. Black could be anywhere. It's like trying to catch smoke. Like trying to catch smoke with your bare hands." Carson said saddened. He was scared, but he knew Dumbledore would help.

The third years were in the DADA classroom, in front of a wardrobe, that was shaking violently.

"Intriguing, yes? Would anyone like to venture a guess as to what's inside?" Lupin asked, Seamus speaking up.

"That's a boggart, that is." He said in a hushed whisper.

"Very good, Mr. Finnigan. Can anyone tell us what a Boggart looks like?" Lupin asked.

"Nobody knows." Hermione answered, coming out of nowhere.

"Since when did you get here?" Carson asked, Hermione discreetly showing the inside of her robes, for Carson to see a time turner. He nodded, silently promising he wouldn't say anything.

"Boggarts are shape-shifters. They take the shape of whatever a particular person fears most. That's what makes it so..." Hermione said, as Lupin finished.

"Terrifying, yes. Luckily, a very simple charm exists to repel a Boggart. Let's practice it now, shall we? Without wands, please... Riddikulus!" Lupin instructed, the class repeating the incantation.

Once Neville helped Professor Lupin demonstrate, it was everyone else's turn.

Ron's was a spider, Hermione's was McGonagall failing her, and now it was Carson's turn. He gripped his wand and stepped in front of the boggart. The failing grade turned into four people. One was Harry, holding the quidditch cup, one was Ron, wearing a head boy badge, another was Hermione, wearing the head girl badge, and the next was himself with nothing.

He recognized the fear, the fear of not being good enough, that was his biggest fear. Not being good enough for the important people in his life was Carson Marshall's biggest fear.

He stood there, not doing anything. Just looking at it. Everyone else seemed to understand it too, since he heard the whispers of his classmates. Carson dashed out of the classroom, not bothering to grab his stuff.

Carson ran and ran, not having a specific place to go, and ended up at the quidditch pitch. He sat there for a few minutes, before Hermione sat next to him and hugged him. They stayed that way for a bit before Hermione whispered, "You'll always be good enough for me Carson Marshall. Never ever think you aren't. The first visit to Hogsmeade is this weekend, and we're going together. On a date."