Insight | Hermione Jean Granger x Fem!OC

Chapter One: At Flourish and Blotts

During their break, Maxine was feeling restless since she hadn't had any exciting visions lately, just some small trivial visions. To pass time, she decided to sketch more to improve her art. She'd go to a nearby park and sketch people; they sometimes turned out a bit wonky - big eyes, weird body shapes, and funny-looking hands. But as Maxine thought, 'Practice makes perfect, right?'

Maxine wasn't ready to ask her mother nor her godfather, Remus Lupin, about the possibility of being a seer until she figured out how to control them. She thought they only showed up for significant events, but it seemed kind of pointless since she couldn't change the outcome.

On the other hand, Hermione grew more comfortable with Maxine. They hung out more during the break because they lived in the same street.

The pair settled themselves in the heterochromatic-eyed girl's bedroom, focused on their schoolwork because the brown-eyed girl insisted they start early.

"Have you heard from Harry at all?" Maxine asked, lying on her stomach with a book open in front of her. "I sent him a letter and even a box of brownies we made the other day but Shadow hasn't returned anything from him at all."

Hermione looked up from the desk she was working at and shook her head. "Not a word. I'm worried his family is treating him poorly. His uncle was very... unpleasant when we saw them at the platform."

"Unpleasant doesn't seem like the right word, more like absolutely horrid." Maxine replied, scrunching her nose.

Just then, a light tapping sound came from Maxine's bedroom window. An owl that looked like a very worn out, molting, gray feather duster, was waiting outside. Maxine opened the window, and took the letter from the owl, giving it a snack in return.

Maxine sat back down on her bed, unfolding the note to read out loud:

"Dear Maxine, and Hermione if you're there,

I hope you got our letter. This is our owl, Errol, he's ancient. We tried borrowing Percy's owl, Hermes, but he said he needed it so we could only use Errol.

Harry has got an official warning for using magic in front of Muggles. Something's not right, he loves Hogwarts too much to try getting himself into trouble. Me, Fred, and George are going to try to rescue Harry from the Dursley's.

If everything goes well, he will be with us for the rest of the break.

Cheers,

Ron Weasley"

Maxine looked at Errol worried, "We should send Shadow with Errol. He looks like he will collapse soon."

Hermione eyed Errol's disheveled appearance and nodded, "Do you think we should go to Diagon Alley soon?"

"Yeah. Have you heard about the guy Girledory? He's making us buy the whole booklist."

Hermione stared at her, "It's Gilderoy, Maxine. This 'guy' just happens to be the Gilderoy Lockhart, the most charismatic, heroic, charming, and talented wizard of all time."

Maxine snorted and crossed her arms skeptically. "Heroic? If he were so heroic, why isn't he in the history books? Are you sure those stories aren't fictional? How much of what he wrote is true?"

"I've read several of Lockhart's books, and they're not just stories. He's really skilled, and he's faced dangerous magical creatures. The way he handles himself is truly remarkable. Plus he is rather handsome, isn't he?"