i'd never stay

Harry, in the long run, hadn't regretted what he'd done, but he'd be lying if he said that it felt strange wearing a tie that was in the unfamiliar green and silver, and not his usual black and gold. It seemed to weigh him down more than anything, because this wasn't who he was - he'd served his sentence over the summer in Azkaban, released under circumstances that further evidence had been found that it wasn't Harry who had murdered Cedric Diggory, he didn't need to face further punishment in the castle he'd once considered his home. He was proven innocent, he knew his truth, and yet, he knew his remaining years at school weren't going to be pleasant. Looking over his shoulder to Louis, a true Slytherin, Harry paused outside the door that led to Professor Snape's classroom. "I don't want to do this, I hope you know that." Harry warned, before pushing open the door and reminding himself to ignore the stares of his fellow students and the smirk of Severus Snape.

Isadora had heard the rumours, of course she had. A Hufflepuff - Harry Styles - had killed one of his own in cold blood, and had served time in Azkaban before he was seemingly proven innocent, and she couldn't help but wonder if someone had paid money for his false freedom. The death of Cedric had rocked the school and the student body, and Hufflepuff were in mourning; but Isadora had told herself that she would help play a part in making this academic year good, not only for herself, but for her friends. It wasn't starting off too perfectly, with a new Professor who dressed in three sickly shades of pink, and with Potions for first lesson, but she would make do with what she was offered. Clearing her throat, Isadora paused as the classroom door was pushed open, and she turned, blinking in surprise as she saw Harry, accompanied by Louis Tomlinson. Looking to Aveline, Isadora mouthed oh my god.

Louis looked to Harry when he heard him speak and he frowned slightly. “I didn’t ask you to do this,” he reminded lowly, watching him, “Don’t forget that.” Because he’d be damned if he got guilt-tripped by Harry Styles when Harry Styles had taken the fall for Louis’ crime. Louis had never asked for that and, dammit, he wasn’t going to take the blame for it, either. And Harry could have come clean at any point, but he hadn’t - and now karma was out to get Louis, because Louis had been asked to watch him. Shaking his head with the thought, he made his way into the classroom after Harry, his eyes scanning the class with a frown, though he spotted a table behind a certain Isadora Cain and her friend and he motioned to it to Harry. “Let’s sit there,” he suggested, figuring that if he was stuck with Harry, at least he could spend some time behind somebody as gorgeous as Isadora.

Aveline could admit, she hadn’t expected Harry Styles’ conviction to be turned over. She wasn’t sure if that had ever happened before in Azkaban, but she tried not to think about it. What could it mean, after all? When she heard the door open, she looked back, blinking at the sight of Harry, though she was surprised with how… Pale and dishevelled he looked. She felt bad for him at first, sympathetic, but it was replaced with fear when she remembered what he had done. Ducking her head quickly, she looked to Isadora when she saw Isadora mouth words to her and she made a face, shaking her head, not wanting to attract attention to them.

Harry listened to Louis' words and bit the inside of the cheek, because as much as he disliked the fact, the arrogant prick was right - Harry had done all of this to himself. "You're annoying mate, you know that?" Harry sighed, running a hand through unkempt brunette curls as he sat where Louis had suggested, because it was a seat behind Aveline Fiore, a girl that Harry harboured quite the crush on. The blonde had always captured Harry's attention in a way that he found endearing, because she didn't even try - she only had to be herself, and she had the attention of every boy who came across her light. Getting comfortable, Harry ignored the stares of his fellow students, and he realised that they saw him as a Slytherin now, so he might as well bloody act like one. "What're you looking at?" He snapped at a Hufflepuff that was staring a little too long, and Harry shifted with embarrassment, because damn it, this wasn't who he was or who he was meant to be. Seeing he didn't have parchment, Harry leaned forward. "Aveline?" He asked, his voice almost embarrassingly meek. "D - Do you have some parchment I can borrow?"

Isadora copied the ingredient for the newest potion they were to memorise and make under Severus Snape's supervision quietly, her quill dancing as she wrote, but just the sound of Louis Tomlinson's voice was intoxicating in a way that was almost shameful. The Hufflepuff tucked a stray strand of hair behind her ear, trying not to think about the fact there was a convicted murderer sat behind her and her best friend - even if his re-trial had found him innocent. Trying not to draw attention to herself or Aveline, Isadora wondered if the whole school would be living in fear of Harry Styles. Amos Diggory had fought for Harry to be expelled, but a re-trial at the Ministry had allowed him to come back under supervision, it wasn't the usual, comfortable atmosphere of Hogwarts. Hearing Harry's voice, Isadora turned around as Aveline did, but her eyes fell right to Louis, and she offered him a gentle smile before turning around once more.

Aveline paused with surprise when she heard Harry’s voice call her name, tense because he’d just snapped at a Hufflepuff. Peering back at him, she was silent for a few moments, unsure, but she didn’t want to anger him and have him snap at her she didn’t want to make enemies. “Um, y-yeah, I think so,” she murmured eventually, offering a small nod. “Just, um… Just give me a moment to - to look…” She mentally cursed herself for being so nervous, and shifted to look through her things, eventually offering some extra parchment out to him. “Here you go…”

Louis offered a smirk in response to Harry’s words, and he arched a brow. “And you’re a right prat,” he said easily in response, moving to sit down beside Harry, behind Isadora, and he found himself easily watching her, admiring her, and clearly more interested in her than he was in the class. He didn’t even bother to try to hide it, either, eventually leaning forward, his smirk growing. “Oi, Isadora,” he called out quietly, “You’re awfully quiet. Surely, there’s gotta be a reason for it, hm?” He arched a brow, amused now, and his smirk grew even more. “Come on, then. What’s got you so quiet?”