The Side Character | Hermione x Male OC

Y1 Chapter 1: And So It Begins

This part of Scotland is flat and as plain as it can be. The endless field passing by the window is hypnotizing, one can find oneself just gazing at the green mindlessly. But it's not about the journey, it's about the destination. Especially for this situation.

How many times has he put his book down to admire the outside, to calm his rapid heart?

How many times has he pinched the back of his hand to confirm his reality?

How many times has he asked himself if this was real?

Despite the owl, the witch, the Diagon Alley and his wand. Young Robert had still felt dreamy since his birthday. Can he be blamed?

He could still remember the expression on his poor mother's face when that witch came. She turns their table into a pig!

Suffice it to say, that table has now been receiving the best treatment in their household. It's hard to treat a table as a table when it could've been a pig this whole time. Honestly, the only reason it's in the house is because both mother and son feel guilty abandoning it.

A giggle slipped out as his brown eyes wandered back to the words of his thick book. It was about Potions. Everything was new and so fascinating, that studying was more enjoyable than usual.

He hums a random tune, absorbing the information bit by bit. When he hears the squeaking of wheels. Robert, confused looked toward the door, an excited glint hidden within in.

It was a trolley.

It was normal.

As he blinked, the lady with a lovely smile asked, "Anything of the trolley, dear?"

"Oh. Yes, please." Robert quickly moved on and approached the trolley with curiosity. They were all foods he had never seen before and half he could only imagine. He spends a few minutes scanning most of the snacks and opts to choose the Cauldron Cake, something safe but more out there than the Pumpkin Pastries.

"Sorry if I took some time, a lot of these things are novel to me. I'll take the Cauldron Cake please." Robert said apologetically, taking out some galleon.

The Lady smiled warmly. "That's quite all right. You're from the muggle community, yes? I hope you enjoy Hogwarts and the world of magic."

Robert smiled and saw the trolley lady off, before looking down at the cake in his hand. It was small and could fit in one hand, with the design of a black, well, cauldron, with flames spewing out of it.

It smelled citrusy.

He took a gentle nibble and closed his eyes to focus on the flavour. Only to gobble it up with angry disappointment. It tasted like a muffin. Perhaps he should've been braver. Alas, that was simply a waste of money.

30 minutes later, he popped his head out of his 5th book when the door of his compartment was rudely open. A girl his age with noticeably bushy brown entered, looking around his compartment and scowled.

Robert looks around his compartment as well and only sees his books tidily in a corner. 'Is it unsightly?' he thought.

Then they made eye contact.

Perhaps because he looked incredibly confused, the girl looked away momentarily and smiled awkwardly, "Sorry, but do you happen to see a toad?"

"A toad? No? I'm sorry, what's going on?" As if the toad would have magically appeared, Robert looked around and even got up, hugging his current book to his chest tightly. He rather not have a toad touch his books, they are dirty animals.

"Well, a boy named Neville lost his." She said. Maybe because Robert looked panicked, her voice was softer. Covering a grin behind her hand.

"Ah, I see. Poor fella. Does he need any more help?" A toad is an interesting choice for a pet, Robert thinks, but a pet is a pet. He can only imagine Neville's distress in losing one.