The Boy Who Fought: OC X Hermione

The Hair

Harry fumbles with the snitch Dumbledore bequeathed him, as Ron looks at the potion incredulously and holding up a long hair.

"You're sure it's hers?" Ron asked, eyeing the hair.

"Positive." Carson answered.

Harry turns to look at the wands on the table, eyeing Bellatrix's specifically.

"I reckon you should take this then." Harry tells Hermione.

The plan was to break into Gringotts as Bellatrix, meaning Hermione would be polyjuicing into her.

"Can't I use the other?" Hermione asked, scared.

"You heard Ollivander. It's Harry's now." Ron answered.

"But I hate that thing, that's the wand that killed Sirius! And tortured Carson! How can I hold it and not feel.." Hermione started.

"If I can hold it, you can." Harry dismissed.

Hermione looks Harry dead in the eye and takes the wand into her hands.

"How will we know what it is when we get in there? After all, a Horcrux can be anything." Ron asked the group.

"I'll know. I can't explain. It's like... they sing to me." Harry answered.

"I felt that too. It's like it was calling me. When we found Harry in the lake." Carson whispered, as Ron and Hermione shared a troubled glance.

"That's a bit scary." Ron told them, Hermione nodding along.

"Harry, Carson. Did Dumbledore ever say anything to you two, something that might explain why?" Hermione asked.

"Nope. Dumbledore never cared about me. I'm not golden boy Harry Potter." Carson told them, as Harry glared at him.

"What's that supposed to mean?" Harry asked angrily.

"It means Dumbledore only cared about you. We weren't special to him and we never would've been. You were his main priority. Don't you remember? He hasn't cared about me once. Not even after the graveyard. All that coward wanted to do was question me. He could have taught you Occlumency, not Snape. Why would he do it? Dumbledore knows he doesn't like you and wouldn't teach you for very long. Also, why did he have your dad's invisibility cloak? Couldn't he make himself invisible without it? Why would he need it? They could have escaped with it." Carson told them, and they all just dropped the subject. Harry was stunned at the part about his dad. He never thought of it that way.

"No. I just know. When one's near." Harry answered, turning back to the more important subject.

Hermione and Ron stare at him, silent, when a floorboard squeaks. They turn, watch shadows appear: Bill and Fleur. Fleur hands Hermione a long black women's coat.

"This is the closest I could find to what you described, Hermione. Luna is with Steven. Mary will be here tomorrow morning for him." Fleur told her, Hermione smiling at her.

"It's perfect. Thank you Fleur."

"You're leaving aren't you?" Bill asked, once Fleur left the room.

"In the morning." Harry responded.

"And Griphook?"

"He'll be leaving too."

"Listen, I don't know what you're up to, but I know goblins. If you've struck any kind of bargain with Griphook, you must be exceptionally careful to live up to it. If you don't... he won't be forgiving." Bill tells them, and then leaves the room.

They all ponder over his words, before going to bed for the night. Carson and Hermione return to their room, Steven awake and smiling at his parents. Carson takes the boy in his arms, and the two spend the night bonding with their son, before they go off to find another horcrux.