429Disclaimer: I don't own Twilight or Harry Potter, I would've made it hella gay if I did.
All mistakes are my own. :-)
Expect heavy slash later on if you guys like it.
Enjoy.
The new kid wore commando steel-capped boots with a leather jacket and had wild black curls, eyes like emeralds and tawny brown skin. He stood before a classroom full of his peers who gawked unabashedly, immediately wanting to know all his secrets.
Everyone drank in the very sight of him as if they've never seen someone like him before.
"Harrison is from England," Mrs. Hall, the AP American History teacher informed them and the whole class broke out into excited whispers. People from other countries exist? Oh my god! Who knew? "Would you like to say something about yourself?"
"No," Harry answered honestly and wasted no more time scanning the room for a vacant seat. He shuffled through the rows of students with ease and grace, dead set on sitting all the way in the back.
"You can sit here if you like," a high, lispy voice said. It was a girl with straight brown hair pulled back with a sparkly headband and a mouth full of braces. Blue eyes alight with interest stared up at him, then dropped swiftly to indicate the empty seat beside her. "I'm Anna."
"Hello," Harry sat down, relieved to finally be out of the line of fire from prying eyes. He pulled a notebook and a pencil out of his backpack as Mrs. Hall started the lesson on world war two.
'No backing out now, welcome to hell.' Harry thought to himself. 'You wanted this.'
Harry had no one to blame but himself. He could have chosen the easy route and got his GED instead. He could have bypassed all of this unnecessary socializing. But no he wanted to be difficult, and he wanted to put himself through this. Part of him only wanted to see what the fuss was about. High school, supposedly the best years of your life and some would argue that they were the worst. Harry just wanted to regain somewhat of his teen years back, without being in danger and thinking about dying every second of every day. He wanted to live a different life in America. The good thing about starting over was that he could be anybody he wanted to be. So he was Harrison Peverell, the mysterious new kid at Forks High.
Long story, cut very very very short.
Dumbledore was a cryptic bastard. The prophecy was a bloody fucking scam.
Master of Death had nice a ring to it if he did say so himself, he just wasn't expecting to live forever. He just couldn't catch a break. So after a few years of being an Auror and completely failing at a relationship with Ginny, Harry came to the states. He spent some time in New York and was completely content with wasting away the rest of eternity in solitude. But then he had a very bright idea to settle down somewhere quiet. So, for now, he was staying in the small unsuspecting town of Forks Washington.
Considering that he only had an elementary grade level of muggle school completed, he had the marvelous idea of going to high school, getting a high school diploma and then eventually going to college. Because truthfully knowledge is never-ending and he didn't want to go back to being an Auror anytime soon. He could be somebody in the Muggle world, anyone he wanted too. But back in Britain, it held too many memories and in the magical world, he would always be Harry Potter.
So he registered himself as a junior at Forks High. He falsified a lot of information which was surprisingly easy since he didn't exactly exist in the Muggle world. He did what was necessary to get the credentials to be a junior in high school. He was self-taught up to that anyway since he took up reading textbooks in his spare time.
Hermione would have been proud. Truth be told he could have just cheated his way, but he had the time. He had all of eternity to be exact. So what was the rush?
Harry continued to take notes for the majority of the class until he started to feel a tingling at the nape of his neck and a slithering up his spine. Animal instinct made him glance over his shoulder to see exactly what was hunting him and he was immediately met with a pair of piercing black eyes shaped in a predatory glower.
It was a boy. It was a boy the same age as him, but the gaze of a war vet. He was tall and deathly pale like his skin never saw the sun. He had a head of honey blonde hair and dark purplish bruises under his eyes like he hadn't slept for weeks. He was dressed rather odd, like the clothes he had on belonged to generations before him. Outdated, yet surprisingly fitting for him.
Okay? What in the hell was going on?
Even though he'd been caught, he didn't seem to mind, the black-eyed boy didn't look away; the bastard didn't even blink, he just kept staring. He was clutching his pen so hard it was snapped in half, ink nearly dripping down his pale fingers, eyes targeted on Harry like he wanted to take him apart.
"That's Jasper Hale."
Anna's voice brought him back and he looked at her for an explanation. Her eyes were locked ahead like a good student, but she leaned over and whispered, "That's Jasper Hale, he's part of the Cullen family."
That didn't give Harry any information he cared about, nor did it explain the fact that this guy was looking at him like he was juicy Salisbury steak. Harry's eyes flicked back to him before settling on Anna. "Why in the hell is looking at me like he wants to eat me?"
"Huh?" Anna said uncomprehendingly. She glanced back and immediately she was petrified, the color draining from her face; she looked away hastily. "I've never seen him look anyone like that," she muttered. "You know Alice Cullen, the short girl that looks like a pixie." Harry just fucking got here, so he did not know who the hell Alice was but now didn't seem like a good time to mention it. "That's his girlfriend. She's really weird. He only ever talks to her or his family. He looks like he's in pain most of the time."
Harry was still lost because none of the information coming from her mouth served as an explanation of what was happening. She just ignored his damn question. "Do you know what his problem is?" Harry hissed obviously put out. "I really don't give a shit about his who he talks to."
"Oh," Anna flushed so hard her eyes nearly watered and Harry was slowly but surely starting to dislike her already. "The Cullens normally keep to themselves, maybe he's just having-
"Anna? Something you'd like to share with the class?" the patronizing voice of Mrs. Hall interrupted.
"No, ma'am," Anna insisted respectfully. As soon as the woman's back was turned, Anna leaned over again and whispered, "maybe he's just having a bad day."
No, if someone had a bad day they didn't stare at someone else while literally salivating at the mouth. Great, it was his first day of school and he had already made an enemy. Harry could tell that the rest of this day wasn't going to be fun. God, he needed a cigarette right about now.
..
When the bell rang, Jasper Hale was up and out the door before everyone else had gotten up. Harry couldn't help but feel a tad bit upset since he did absolutely nothing to him. Harry stuffed his notebook into his bag, getting to his feet not wanting to get caught in the traffic coming out of the room.
"I'll see you around," Harry mumbled to Anna who was fumbling to catch up with him. Once Harry stepped out into the hallway, people gaped at him as if he was a zoo animal. He had gotten to school late purposely, so the hallways would be empty. It's been a while since he's gotten this much attention.
Americans were so bold.
Harry swore every pair of eyes was on him as he walked determinedly down the hall. The closer he got to his next class the more he craved a cigarette. He knew smoking was a bad habit to start but if it wasn't going to kill him then what exactly was the harm. So instead of making his way to English, Harry found himself in a small bathroom stall instead.
The drag of nicotine through his lungs made his hands stop shaking a bit. They just did that sometimes. Ever since the war.
"Pull yourself together, for Christ sake," Harry mumbled to himself, he rubbed his palms into this eyes and made sure to smoke the cigarette until it was nothing but the filter left. A bit of a self-pep talk was what he needed. But Harry always hated that term because how could you pull yourself together if there was nothing left.
By the time Harry left the stall 20 minutes had gone by, first impressions are damned. Half the class was nearly over by the time he shuffled in and unfortunately, Mr. Berty was not exactly pleasant. Harry could see it in his eyes, the judgment, the disdain. Harry did look out of order, out of place, like a troublemaker but he promised that he wasn't. Harry looked a little rough around the edges because that's just how life made him.
However, Mr. Berty was forced to be decent towards Harry since it was his first day.
"Mr, Peverell " Mr. Berty smiled tightly at him, "So nice of you to join us."
Harry tossed the teacher a casual salute and, even though he was the center of the class's attention, he still tried to skulk to the back of the class. Mr. Berty didn't let Harry have his moment, not that he wanted it anyway, and continued to lead the class not even waiting until Harry had settled himself into a vacant seat.
Macbeth was the topic, luckily it was one of his favorites. Harry knew what to expect so he took out his own roughed up looking copy of Macbeth, full of dog flaps, post-its, and creases. Out of the corner of his eye, Harry saw that the boy next to him finally acknowledged his presence. He was probably one of the only people that didn't even look up from his notebook when Harry sauntered into class.
He was clearly sizing Harry up now. He was fair-skinned with maybe some Asian descent, of average height, and his hair was short brown wispy curls. He was probably rather handsome, but the thick-framed, black glasses atop his nose made it difficult to tell.
"You're Harrison," he said, his voice softer and higher than Harry had expected.
Harry closed his book and said, "Yep."
"I'm Andrew," the other boy replied, unselfconsciously checking him out. "I've never met anyone from England before. You read William Blake?"
"No," Harry confessed truthfully.
"Oh. He's one of my favorites. I have all of his books. If you want, I could lend them to you."
"Cool, thanks," Harry could already tell that this kid was most likely a loner type. He probably had maybe one or two friends or even none at all. He probably likes poetry and art, hell he probably even had a few tattoos. He was different and not many appreciate it.
The one big difference that Harry already noticed about public school compared to Hogwarts was that once you were sorted into a house making friends was guaranteed. You didn't have to try, it kind of just happened. Especially in Gryffindor. They were one of the friendliest, most approachable and happiest houses out of the four.
Here it was like he was in some strange isolated land.
Harry worked quietly and independently for almost the remainder of class until Andrew leaned over and said, "Are you sitting with anyone at lunch?"
Uh oh.
"I was actually thinking about skipping," he said, deftly avoiding the snare, but it was true. Harry was planning on leaving for lunch. Andrew's enthusiasm withered somewhat but he was undeterred.
"You could sit with me", he suggested.
"Um…"
If Harry was being completely honest he didn't come to this school with the intention of making friends. Harry chose this town because it was small and woodsy, it rained a lot and nothing ever happened here. Making friends didn't really seem logical since he was only going to be in this town for about maybe two years. But Harry couldn't have the true high school experience without making a few friends now, could he? So initially he made his bed but now he had to lay in it. So to hell with his initial plan.
"Well," Harry said, shifting compulsively, "I really didn't want people staring at me while I ate lunch..."
He really fucking didn't.
It was a brush off and Andrew knew it. As swiftly as he had spoken, however, Harry was reminded of the position he put himself in and he tagged on, "But I guess, I'll endure it for today, we could – y' know. Sit together, if you really want to."
The disappointment that had relaxed Andrew's face into a sultry pout was instantly swept away by an enormous, goofy grin that made him look like a little kid. "Awesome," he said, leaning so far into Harry's space he looked like he might spill into his lap. He either didn't mind that Harry smelt like an ashtray or he refused to acknowledge the fact. "I'll tell you all about the school cliques, the good, the bad and the ugly."
"The ugly, you say?" Harry asked, wondering what he'd gotten himself into. "Things get ugly here?"
"Nah not really, this school is really boring."
"Ah, that's what I like to hear." The bell rang and Mr. Berty yelled out a reminder about the essay topic that was due in two days.
"What do you have after this?" Andrew asked, leaning into Harry's personal space again, "I've got P.E and then study hall."
"Same," Harry said while he gathered up his belongings and rose to leave the classroom.
...
Harry didn't have to participate in P.E today but he was going to make it a mission to make sure he didn't have to participate at all. He didn't have a problem coming to high school but what he did have a problem with was participating in sports that did not require a broom.
The period breezed on by and sure enough, Harry was walking to study hall with Andrew nearly plastered to his side. He really hoped that he wouldn't regret becoming friends with him.
Study Hall was an absolute drag, mostly because Harry couldn't focus and his hands kept shaking.
Next thing Harry knew, Andrew was dragging him to the lunchroom full of watchful eyes. Going there Harry had to suppress a groan, he really could not wait until the whole fascination phase was over and done with. He slumped down in one of the chairs at the table Andrew took him to. Andrew threw his bag down not even bothering to sit just yet. "I'm gonna get some lunch, you coming?"
"Nah, mate. Not hungry," Harry replied and it was one hundred percent the truth. His appetite was shot the moment he walked in. He just craved more nicotine. He shrugged out of his jacket finally taking it off after keeping it on all morning. He hung it on the back of his chair, careful not to look around as he did it. He could feel the eyes on him, curious and eager.
Andrew returned with a tray full of fruit and vegetables, he slid Harry an apple. "Just in case you get hungry."
"Oh, thanks." Harry snagged the apple only to begin tossing it between his hands to keep them busy because when he did nothing that's when they shook the worst.
"No problem."
The silence between them was not exactly awkward but it wasn't comfortable either. Harry cleared his throat and Andrew looked up from his fruit salad perplexed. "So Andrew, what's the need to know?"
His eyes brightened obviously happy that Harry decided to break the weird in-between silence they had going on. He dropped his half bitten baby carrot back into the bowl to free his hands and sat up straight; Harry could practically hear the gears turning in his head.
"So you see that table over to your 10 o'clock."
Harry finally dared to take a look at his new surroundings, giving the cafe a brief once over. The table Andrew was referring to was rather crowded with six maybe seven different individuals. "Yeah, I see it." Harry didn't look long because a few of them were already looking his way.
"That's the popular table." Andrew snorted before stuffing the rest of his baby carrot into his mouth. "If you could call it that, they're all seniors. I know the girl with curly hair is named Jessica Stanley and the blonde-haired boy is Mike Newton but I really don't know the names of the others, so sorry if you wanted them."
Now it was Harry's turn to snort. "No, actually I didn't, but please do carry on."
"Now you see the table over by the windows. The far left." Andrew directed and Harry turned his head until he saw it. Until he saw them. All pale, stunningly beautiful and exceptionally out of place even more so than Harry.
"Those are the-,"
The events of the first period came flooding back to Harry as if he forgot them. "The Cullens," he finished before Andrew could. Jasper wasn't there, but the girl who looked like a quote on quote 'pixie' was. She didn't look like a pixie at all granted that Harry knew what they actually looked like, but you know muggles and their comparisons.
Alice, his mind supplied. Thin and petite.
Immediately Harry felt that something wasn't right with them. They weren't talking, and they weren't eating, though they each had a tray of untouched food in front of them. They weren't gawking at Harry which was nice, so it was safe to stare at them without fear of meeting an excessively interested pair of eyes.
Everything about them screamed unnatural.
"Yeah, and they're all seniors too. Jasper's missing though, he's the twin of the blonde girl Rosalie Hale." Andrew said without missing a single beat. "The bronzed haired one is Edward, Alice is the one who looks like a pixie and Emmett is the brawny one."
Harry was nearly done studying them until a girl walked straight into his line of sight, heading for the Cullen table. Alice pulled out a chair for her and she sat with them as if she was one of them. Which she couldn't be, she had too many imperfections, the main one being that she still looked as if she had the very essence of life in her. Her cheeks were flushed pink and her body actually moved like a normal human being.
"Who's the little doe," Harry asked because that's exactly what she looked like. Brown-eyed and clumsy, and the moment he said that the bronzed haired boy's golden eyes flickered to his for maybe the quickest second. It was so fast that Harry had to really make sure that it even happened at all when he returned his gaze to Andrew.
"Oh, that's Bella Swan, Chief Swan's daughter, and girlfriend to Edward Cullen. She moved here maybe about nine months ago."
"Wow, they're all so-" Harry paused for the right word and Andrew sighed looking longingly in their direction.
"Gorgeous. I know." Not even a hint of jealousy. But maybe admiration. Huh. Cute.
"No," Harry said dryly. "Sickly." Harry knew that it rained a lot in this town and they hardly ever had sunny days but come on. He's literally never seen so many people look so lifeless and drained. Draco Malfoy was pale but even he tinged pink if you got him mad enough. "Have they ever seen the sun?"
"Oh." Andrew huffed and took a moment to think. "I've actually never seen them in the sun before."
"Oh, indeed," Harry replied, looking at them again. Alice was chatting avidly with Bella now as she tucked herself into Edward's side.
"Maybe they're vampires," Andrew said with a little laugh and although Harry chuckled back it had his mind racing. Could they really be? Or was he just stretching his suspicion so far to a near impossibility?
No.
It simply couldn't be. He was really going mad if he was actually considering this, but Harry use to live in a world where vampires, dragons, werewolves, and ghosts exist. Harry thought back and remembered when Sanguini attended Mr. Slughorn's party. Tall, pale, handsome with sharp features and dark circles under his eyes. He wasn't as pale as them but the resemblance was uncanny.
Could it be?
"But get this," Andrew said, his voice dipping into a near whisper. "They're all together though - Emmett and Rosalie, and Jasper and Alice, I mean. And they live together."
"Oh, wow." Harry tried to sound as interested as possible. He swears. Although he could imagine the scandal that they caused in this quiet little town when they moved here because he somehow knew that the Cullens hadn't been here for long and if they really were vampires they had to move around often. Because the younger you start out the longer you could stay. Smart. Hiding in plain sight. Wanting to fit in like everyone else.
Harry was on to something.
"None of them are related. They're all adopted." Andrew reassured. "So it's totally legal. Dr. Cullen and Mrs. Cullen really know how to pick 'em." Harry could picture their parents already. Stunningly beautiful and unnaturally out of place as well.
The vampire theory could explain why Jasper's eyes looked so haunted. Vampires have walked the earth for centuries.
Although the puzzle was slowly coming together there were so many pieces Harry didn't have. Why did Jasper look at Harry like he wanted to swallow him whole? Plus this town was far too small for them to be feeding on humans. So was it animals?
Edward was in a relationship with a human. How strange? Did she know? Or didn't she want to become one of them? Was it just for appearances?
As Harry examined them, Edward looked up and met his gaze, this time with evident curiosity in his expression and Harry held it right back because he was curious himself. The look of curiousness quickly morphed into a look of maybe frustration and Harry hadn't the slightest idea why. The only one who should be frustrated was him. This town tricked him. It wasn't boring at all.
"Hey," Andrew said, gaining his attention and unknowingly interrupting his staring contest. "Lunch ends in fifteen minutes but Miss Lee lets us come in early if we want. Do you wanna head out?"
"No, I think I'll go have a smoke instead," Harry said turning to get his jacket. "If that's alright." Once his jacket was on he pulled out one of his cigarettes and placed it behind his ear. In the midst of this Harry glanced at the Cullen table one final time and was amused to see that Edward Cullen was still staring. It's like Harry knew something he didn't. Like he was unknowingly one step ahead of him. It was nice, had him feeling weirdly liberated.
"Oh, I'll catch you in there I guess." Andrew sounded almost sad but Harry was having none of it. He was going to smoke his damn cigarette.
"I guess you will." The conversation ended there and Harry made sure of it by getting up, grabbing his bag and walking to exit that led outside. Eyes followed him but he was a man on a mission. When he stepped outside he scanned the area; it was drizzling so he was the one; the cigarette lit on its own accord when he placed it between his lips.
He breathed the smoke in as deep as he could and he exhaled it out slowly. "Looks like I've got some bloody fucking research to do."
Yes, indeed.
I wrote this on a whim. I think I know where it's going in my head. So if anyone wants more just let me know and review. no pressure.
