My Soul, Your Heart

Harry Potter and the avoidance of social interaction

Harry found himself staring listlessly at the tired face staring back at him. It had been a week since had sent off his enrollment papers, a few days ago he was sent a letter of acceptance and a start date.

Since being given that start date he had been a ball of anxiety, now he looked a state due to that anxiety. Not that he often looked very put together. His black curls had been wrestled into a bun, his green eyes had looked more eerie ever since he had become master of death but the bruised bags under his eyes made them stand out even more. Harry was thankful for glamours, if the population of Forks high-school saw him like this plus scars he would be arrested before he could even step inside a classroom.

He had actually showered and cleaned his now iconic shirt and skinny jeans combo for today though. Harry felt quite pathetic to be honest. He had fought (and won) a war, he had been the best Auror in the Ministry for the 30 years he worked there and yet he was anxious about school?

Though Harry knew he could care less about school itself. He could care less about the muggles that attended and he had no interest in making friends with them. What was the point when they would just die?

No, Harry was afraid of what it would remind him of.

How many dead friends would going to school remind him of?

Harry raked a glamoured hand over his face and groaned. It would be fine, he would cope. Besides, from what he'd seen the school he was attending was nothing like Hogwarts so how could it trigger unwanted thoughts.

He shot himself another look in the mirror, briefly wondering if he should remove the dragon tooth that dangled from his ear before deciding he couldn't be bothered to remove it.

Harry left on his bike and arrived at the busy school sooner than he would've liked. By now everyone knew that a new kid was starting so the car park was extra full for his arrival, all heads turning at the roar of his engine.

Harry ignored the eyes that burned into his back, merely focusing on the cigarette he was currently lighting. He glanced around with a careful eye, taking in the crowd of students and experiencing no interest in any of them.

He spotted the ugly expensive car next to the red Chevy, feeling some relief to see the owner of the expensive car had gone to class early. Even if they had terrible taste in cars at least they didn't care for town gossip too much.

A shame the same couldn't be said for the Chevy owner, the girl from the bookshop was just getting out of it. Sending Harry a curious look that he didn't enjoy before rushing toward the building.

Harry finished his cigarette at a leisurely pace before flicking it to the ground and eventually making his way to his first class.

His class schedule was pretty basic, English, Maths, History, Chemistry, PE and politics were his selected classes. He had tried to pick ones that he might actually have limited knowledge or experience in.

Harry was the last pupil to enter his English class that morning. The teacher, a blonde woman in her mid 40s, looked like she wanted to tell him off it but instead faced him with a forced smile.

"You must be Harrison Peverell." she greeted in a placid tone. The name change seemed appropriate considering his circumstances, it would also take longer to be recognized on the off chance that any magical beings attended the school.

Harry replied with vague nod, in a town where everyone knew everyone it was pointless to clarify who he was by name.

"Well, welcome to Forks." Her smile looked disgustingly sympathetic now, as if she thought Harry to be a shy first year "There's a seat over by Mr Newton at the back there, we're currently reading Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet."

Harry made his way to the back of the room where a sprightly blonde boy was frantically waving his hand to get Harry's attention, even though the only available seat left was next to him.

Harry tried and failed to cover his scowl as he was passed a tattered copy of Romeo and Juliet, his disdain for romance novels was one that ran deep. Though he supposed at least Romeo and Juliet was tragic enough to be bearable.

The blonde boy beside him, thankfully, didn't try to make conversation with Harry. Though he did flash him eager smiles whenever Harry accidentally looked in his vague direction.

Once the bell rang Harry packed his things fast, maybe using a little wandless magic to make it especially fast, and fled the room before anyone could attempt to talk to him.

The rest of the morning continued this way through Politics and Maths. The bland girl from the bookshop was in his Maths class and he nearly escaped for lunch when she and two other girls corned him before he could leave the room. One with blonde streaks artificially forced into her hair and the other an unassuming dark haired girl who looked at him with a small smile.

"You're Harrison right?" asked the dyed blonde, Harry gave her bland look in reply. "Right, well, I'm Jessica, this is Angela and Bella." Angela gave him a shy sympathetic smile while the bland girl looked to the floor and tucked her hair behind her ear.

"You should sit with us at Lunch! Well me and Angela, Bella with be sitting with Edward of course." Jessica rolled her eyes and shot her friend an accusing look. Bella shifted awkwardly in place and flushed in embarrassment.

Harry made no effort to reply to the invite, merely ignoring the three girls as they followed him to the lunch hall. Jessica seemed to take this as an invite to keep talking.

"The Cullen's were too good for anyone then suddenly Bella arrives and Edwards obsessed! I mean it's not like I care, but they're so rude to everyone else." Harry decided to stop listening to the petty muggle bitching about people who were probably more popular or got better grade than her.

Harry split off from the girls when they entered the cafeteria, them going to a busy table where a few others he recognized from his classes sat and he making his way to the nearest exit.

"Uh, yeah, see you later I guess!" called Jessica behind him, Harry didn't conceal his eye roll as he left the crowded building and made his way his bike.

Harry didn't want to socialize and the thick knot in his stomach wouldn't let him eat anything. So it looked like a cigarette while staring at a heavy blanket of cloud was his lunch today. As if it hadn't been his lunch everyday for the last 10 years.

Harry briefly reflected on his morning of muggle school, it was about what he had expected. More a time filler than actual education, but it suited his needs for now. Harry was pleased that the blandness of his surroundings prevented any memories from rising out of the deep.

Harry could only hope his afternoon of PE and Chemistry would continue to be just as dull as his morning has been.