Chapter Text
нαяяу ѕтуℓєѕ P.O.V
"Harry!"
Harry's arm was suddenly nudged by his friend, Niall, startling him from his deep reverie. Harry nearly dropped the book in his hands, but he thanks God when -after a few fumbles- he catches it successfully, saving himself the grief and humiliation of dumping the solid object onto the boy below him on the bleaches. Even as he only sees a head with a mat of russet hair, Harry easily recognizes the boy as a crew member from the malicious football team; the guys who are always poking fun at Harry and filling him with chagrin day-after-day. Fortunately (in a sick, horrendous way), Harry's become so accustomed to the daily torture that he's simply learnt to just accept the bullies' advances and count the seconds down till it ends. If he fought back, it'd only result in more torment.
Harry blinks at Niall. "Yes?"
Niall is a little blonde-haired teen with a baby face that could fool anyone. Him and Harry had been friends since... well, let's just say since they were in diapers. Even though Niall is only one year older than his curly-haired friend, he always seems to use that to his advantage when the two are engaged in a quarell: "Well, I'm older tan you, so therefore I should do it!", "I know dat 'cause I'm older tan you!", "You don' need to know dat; yer still a baby, Harreh".
Harry didn't mind the slight insults... as long as he wasn't being referred to as a "baby"... he's NOT a baby....
Niall's currently trying to steer Harry's attention back to the live football game going on as he nudges in his head as a gesture towards the field. Harry sighs. He doesn't even want to be here, but he came because Niall asked him, and.... also because he couldn't form a proper excuse in time, one that wouldn't be immediately perceived as an obvious lie: "Uhm... I, uh, have to babysit my cat", "I have to, um, uh.... mow my lawn again", "I have to see my, er, doctor; I think I'm coming down with something.... *cough* ".
Harry reluctantly bookmarks and shuts his Warriors book -it's actually very interesting, he thought- and looked out to the football game.
The pale grey atmosphere buzzes with cheers and "Ooh!"s that seem to resound off the thick trees nearby and ring in your ears, deafening you for the night. Harry tries to remain passive and tranquil, but really, he just wants to get back to his-
Harry head suddenly started to hum and tingle, as if something is trying to welcome itself inside his head. He lightly shakes his head, squeezing his eyes shut for a moment. The soft, distracting feeling dissipates, but then returns - stronger and more determinded.
"... so cool! Is he gonna make this one?"
"Ugh... when is this gonna be over?"
"He is so gorgeous! I just want to..."
"Can this guy beside me just shut up? Can he not see I'm trying to watch this and not him?"
"What a bunch of loser playing football; baseball is the real sport..."
Harry squeezes his eyes so harshly, he almost splits his lids. Stars spill and sparkle across the dark screen behind his lids, intensifying tightness behind his eyes and subduing the droning of multiple voices swarming around in his mind. The voices Harry is hearing are the current thoughts of people in this area (he's not schizofraniac). Harry knows this -it's happened before- but he doesn't understand why it happens.
Harry's not a Myaló, the mind-reading Deviant. His family carries no blood that belongs to a Myaló, and you can't possess Deviant powers unless it is inherited, so it doesn't make sense for him to be one. Nontheless, there's no mistaking that these are the thoughts of other students, and Harry can clearly and very specifically hear them in his head. After days of dealing with this, Harry's learnt how to properly deflect this, and that is by focusing on the real sounds around him instead of the intruding voices.
The incessant voices eventually begin to be erased one-by-one until there isn't one present and Harry is alone-free-with his own thoughts once again.
A stale throbbing seeps into his head as an aftermath like a tiny headache. It only lasts a few minutes, then dies off, and Harry is relieved. He's not a Myaló... Unfortunately, the knowledge of denial lingers at the back of Harry's mind, but he refuses to confront it because he knows.... he can't be a Deviant.
Deviants are unwelcomed in this world.
• ~ • ~ • ~ • ~ •
Harry is at his locker the next day fishing through its contents, trying to find his Chemistry textbook.... wherever that blasted thing might be. He checks the time on his phone. Okay, cool; six more minutes until his class starts - he's got a lot of time still. It comforts him also that his science classroom is literally just a few steps away from his locker.
Laughter and the humming of conversation commences in the distance. From the corner of his eye, Harry perceives Louis Tomlinson - the star of the football team. He's a handsome lad who could have any girl-or boy-gravel at his feet... even though people are already voluntrily doing it for him.
Mr. Tomlinson, even as he is the Captain of the football team, is fairly short and pixie-like. Harry knows Louis is muscular underneath the shrouding of his clothing (and he means that in a non-creepy way), but when in the casual, Louis appears feminine and slender - a look any girl would die for. His hair is cropped short, golden and brown, with a tousled attitude. His cheekbones are sharp -so very, very sharp- and his face looks thin; not in an emaciated way, but a rather appropriately attractive way.
Louis -when not on the field- seems to always be decked in clothes too baggy or loose for him, but Harry forgives him for that; after all, it must be hard being a tiny person and trying to find something that fits and feels comfortable from the Men's section.
Peals of laughter and admiration from Louis's followers drift around him. Louis isn't the typical I'm-better-than-you kind of guy; he's quite rare actually, with his friendly personality and elated, inviting vibe that seems to draw in everyone. It's no wonder he has a girlfriend...
Yeah, Harry's a little jealous.
The thought alone freely invites in anger, and seems to frothe in Harry's blood and inflame his skin. The built-up happens so fast that it confuses Harry and scares him at the same time. It seems half his mind is livid, while the sensible part -which has been backed up into a corner- is calm and normal. The time frame lasts only five seconds, complete with hostility and vex when suddenly Harry feels a slight nudge in his mind while at the same time Louis's swarm of dim-witted, desperate wannabes gets shoved away from him by an invisible force.
A tiny gasp slips-tears-through Harry's lips as he watches -in that one second- the students literally go flying towards the lockers and smash violently into them as if Tomlinson had propelled them with some inner psychic power. Only it wasn't Louis; the football Captain is human - pure, plain, innocent. The boy even leaps in surprise when the incident occurs, shocked just as much as the people surrounding him. The teens who were victims to the assault groan and whimper in pain on the ground. Most just lay there for a few minutes while others race to their aid - teachers included. The rest attempt to get up, but are forbidden by an inflicting pain that cause them to double over.
Harry shuts his locker hastily and rushes into his science classroom. He didn't do that.... he couldn't have.... he's not an Élenchos: the Deviant who can control things and people with nothing but their mind. There is no evidence of Élenchos blood in his family line - not even a drop! It's impossible- it's bizarre to even think he could be an Élenchos!
... Then again, who could've caused that scene a few seconds ago other than Harry? Deviants aren't allowed to attend this school; magic was strictly prohibited... so it wouldn't surprise Harry if the teachers scan the security cameras tonight for any sign of what or who could've potentially caused the incident.
Harry is so shit-faced.
• ~ • ~ • ~ • ~ •
As it turns out, Harry wasn't shit-faced.
The teachers couldn't find anything suspicious or peculiar about the incident, so they simply terminated the rumours and whispers infecting the school as best they could... though Harry suspects there's something else about this he isn't getting. It's not that easy. The teachers here are strict and don't allow the students to even use the word "Deviant" in the building; if it's used and the teachers hear it, the student is immediately sent down to the principal's office to receive a whipping from the principal's leather strap. It's no wonder everyone is intimidated to even speak of magic here...
Harry just knows this won't be let go of so easily. The teachers must be conducting a plan to seek out the user behind the scandal. It's too obvious a Deviant caused that incident to just let it go like a plain everday thing.
... And that's what terrifies him. So, that night, Harry searches the family albums and any kind of history he can possibly fish out lying around his house. Unfortunately, he doesn't find anything useful or juicy, so that only leaves him one last resource... his parents.
He's nervous as he confronts his mother, but he's hoping she'll understand - she's his mother after all. To Harry's disappointment, however, she apparently knows nothing about Deviant blood in their family. When he had inquired, her face had twisted -corrupted with perplexment at the sudden, unexpected question- and took a moment to finally answer with an unsatisfying "no".
She had explained to him that there was zero essence of Deviant blood in his family. This only puzzled Harry even more. It's a scientific fact that the powers possessed by Deviant can only be obtained through the passing of blood; there is no other way possible.... so why is Harry experiencing the early stages of Myaló AND -very possibly- Elenchos powers? The fact that it's two Deviant powers scares Harry even more; mixed-bloods are even more frowned upon.
• ~ • ~ • ~ • ~ •
It's during a test when Harry knows this is serious.
It's math -the subject, no big deal- but during a long-answer question while Harry is busy focusing on his calculations, he begins hearing them again.
"I hate this subject...."
"Why can't this be over?"
"... In the jungle, the Mighty Jungle, the lions sleeps tonight..."
"Come ON, clock! Hurry up!"
"I so got this thing.... you're all a bunch of idiots, heh, heh..."
Ugh! Harry collapses on his desk, producing a loud thump. Apparently it'd caught the attention of the passerby teacher as she asks Harry if he needs to go outside for a moment to recuperate ('course, she had to ask him twice because of all the incessant, annoying thoughts of students buzzing and distracting his mind).
Harry charges out of the classroom like an angry bull and races to the boy's washroom. The voices continue to parade in his head, and as he passes by the hallways, they grow in numbers. Calm down! Calm down! Harry yells at himself when he crashes into the washroom and grips the sides of a sink. He breathes raspy and heavily. This is a common occurance in underaged Myalós who are still learning how to contain their powers. It's like puberty, except a lot more painful.
After five solid minutes of hefty, I-am-going-to-die respiring, Harry fortunately recovers, and the voices thankfully leave his head. He breathes for a few more minutes trying to rejuvenate his sore lungs and also to carry the flow of oxygen to his head before he decides I should return to class before people start to become suspicious.
When he returns, people are instantaneously hoisting their head from their papers at the sound of the squeaky hinges proclaiming someone's entry and stare. Trying to ignore them, Harry plops back down in his seat. He subconsciously wipes his fore head and- ew, since when was he sweating? Geez, his fringe is soaked with body liquids, and here he didn't even know he was sweating like a pig.
The teacher drops down and plants her crossed arms on the side of Harry's desk. "You okay, hon?"
"Yeah." His reply is throaty and rushed.
She nods. "'Kay." She stands slowly as if reluctant. "Just tell me if you need anything."
Ha, yeah, okay; like you wouldn't report me like one of Hitler's Nazis, Harry thinks bitterly as he watches his math teacher return to his teacher. He scrawls in his last answers to his test, barely able to register the meaning of the question.
• ~ • ~ • ~ • ~ •
Suspicion rouses the school after Harry's second incident. People would start to stare at him; in the hallways, in the classrooms, outside... just everywhere, and on a level from one to ten on Harry's Stress 'o' Metre, he'd rate it close to a ten.
It's just... he doesn't even know what's going on. Everyone probably thinks he does, but he doesn't. His mum said it herself: "there are no Deviants in our family." So, basically, either she was lying, or Harry is a mutant-freak. He's hoping not for the latter.
... Then again, having your mum lie to you of all people seems a little hurtful. She's been honest to him his entire life; it's hard to believe this particular person would intentionally deceive him.
Just as Harry suspected (and dreaded), he and his mum are summoned by the principal after school on Friday. He just wants to go home -so badly- but knows if he does, he'll be in trouble. The situation is very fragile right now; one wrong move and they could banish -or worse: kill- Harry for possessing Myaló and Élenchos powers; AKA, Deviant powers. If someone has been discovered of concealing their identitiy, the punishment can and will be severe... which is why Harry is currently figetting like a dog at the vet's in his seat.
His mum places a comforting hand on his shoulder. "It's okay, Harry," she tells him, though, in Harry's heart (and as much as he does want to believe her), he knows it's just not true.
The door creaks open like a door in a haunted house and the principal emerges in. He saunters slowly to his seat behind his desk and slides the wheely chair closer to his victims. Harry swallows thickly. He's scared for being guilty for something he barely even understands. They don't teach the science of Deviants to students in school, so Harry learns all he can on the Internet - whatever the Internet offers.
"So," the principal drawls, his tone shadowed with a dark, prejudiced nature, "I'm sure you both know why you're here... well, at least Harry should know why he's here."
"Yes," Harry answers, trying to present confidence. If he acts reserved, it'd be too suspicious.
"Has Harry done something wrong?" his mum asks, imminent hostility arising in her voice. She doesn't like it when people were rude or talked down to her son. A protective mom... just what Harry needs to raise suspicions.
"Well," the principal says casually and horrifically calmly, "there have been several incidents over the past week, and there's been a lot of rumours and chatter that have reached my ears."
His hairy, cave-like ears, Harry thinks snidely.
"So... you think my son caused these incidents?" Harry's mum asks, touching on an accusing tone.
The principal stays silent for a moment. "I only wish to resolve the rumours - see what is true and what isn't." His cold eyes fall upon Harry. "As you and your son may know, we have a very strict No Deviants Permitted law for this school, and a punishment of the students who are caught concealing their identity."
"I can assure you, principal," Harry mum says, slightly tempered yet composed and calm, "the only magic my son has is in his marks. Our family is human; we've inherited no Deviant blood."
The principal stares at Harry's mum with hard, unconvinced eyes. The moment lingers on with tenseness and hostility wafting in the air, but it's soon resolved with a little more persuasive words from Harry's mum that, no, Harry is indeed not -nor has ever been or will be- a Deviant.
Harry -who has stayed silent this whole time- feels his blood tingle and his chest coil upon hearing the words echoing from his mother. He wishes she was right, but it's impossible to say now that he has literally exhibited Deviant powers - two Deviant powers. Everything isn't "okay"; as far as Harry's hope goes, it's like lingering on a string on the edge of a cliff.
The both of them are excused by an ireful principal who's malicious intentions already seem assured. Harry knows that he is not persuaded, and he won't allow Harry to get away with this.
• ~ • ~ • ~ • ~ •
Harry stands corrected.
On Monday, Harry is summoned down to the principal's office. People gawk at him as he stands and hurries out the classroom. Harry knows what they're thinking (he actually does; their thoughts seeped right into his mind); coincidentally, it's the exact same thing he's thinking. He really hopes his expectations are false...
They're not. The moment Harry steps into the principal's office, the man is seen behind his desk with the familiar, malevolent black leather strap snaked tightly and securely around his hand. The man is not worried about hiding it; he strides with ease over to Harry with the thing wrapped around his hand, bestowing it to anyone who would've been looking.... only no one else but him and Harry were here.
Fear is like a poison. It slithers into Harry's bloodstream and seem to bite at anywhere it can - anywhere it can inflict pain. Of course, there is no real pain - only the agony of knowing what lies ahead.
In his panicked state, Harry becomes vulnerable to his powers and they immediately take hold. Harry is still conscious, but his powers are now governing his actions and decisions. It's a defense mechanism for Deviants; when fear overrides you, it tends to paralyze you, so their powers had been naturally designed to take charge for their host.
In an instant, Harry can hear the principal's thoughts.
"Filthy abnormality... how dare he try to hide himself in my schol and try to poison them inds of my lovely humans. He probably doesn't even know what's coming for him... I don't plan on going easy on this disgrace."
Disgust and fear writhe within Harry simultaneously; however, disgust seems to win. The feeling curls inside Harry, churning his stomach. He feels the bile collect in his throat, but he doesn't throw up, nor does he particularly feel nauseous - just... disgusted: disgusted with this human. Harry never did anything wrong; he didn't even know he was a Deviant. He'd been told his whole life he was human - pure and unmagical. Somehow though -deep inside- he is not disapppinted for who he is; surprised and a little disturbed, but not disappointed.
When the principal steps in front of Harry, they immediately lock eye contact and something gignormous occurs to Harry. In one second, Harry sees the man's soul reflected in his dark brown eyes. Pictures of what appears to be the principal's memories flash and blink right inside Harry's mind all at once. In just two seconds, Harry knows what this man's fears are, what foods he hates, all the woman he's been intrigued by, even ones passing by one the street, etc. He sees the man's family and their prejudice of Deviants and why they loathe them the way they do. This is a Myaló ability; not only can they read minds, but they can also read memories.
Harry sees everything, and after those two seconds pass, Harry immediately feels a grapple on the principal's mind. He doesn't know how to describe it, but he just knows he can manipulative this man's mind to his will - make this person do whatever he wants.
Harry feels his Élenchos power glow, switching places with the Myaló as the feeling of control fills him. The power... it feels odd, yet intriguing, and ever-so gratifying. What Harry doesn't realize in that tiny moment is that his irises aglow with a magenta colour. When paused, it looks like a ring of hot pink lava. The irises seem to smear slightly in his eyes, unfixed as a circle. It would've scared the principal (Harry had already read his mind of imminent feelings) if Harry hadn't of trapped the man's mind into a state of paralysis.
There, in front of Harry, the principal stands with blank, drone-like expression on his face. Harry, from his conscious mind, witnesses the scene unfold before his eyes. He has felt everything so far, and when he feels the principal's memories being sealed under a spell of Deviant magic, he is horrified, yet relieved. Now, since the principal does not remember why he has sent Harry to his office, Harry will not be hurt.
Harry's powers -as they mysteriously seem to have a mind of their own- replace the principal's thoughts with the belief that he'd sent Harry to his office for the purpose of asking him if he could take photos for the school yearbook. Harry loves photography, so to know this fills him with a fluffy joy.
Slowly returning to power over his own body, Harry watches as the principal (still under the Élenchos's power) saunters like a robot back behind his desk and slides the leather belt back into its home in his desk drawer, and even secures the drawers shut and.... swallows the key...?
It's like watching the cartoons Harry had seen on TV where the villain had completely engulfed the key in his stomach to prevent a certain character from accessing something; in this case, the principal is preventing himself (not on purpose, obviously) from accessing his punishment weapon.
"Oh," the principal says to Harry, as if he just realized Harry was here, "there you are." He sits on his black leather chair and tugs it towards his desk. "Please, sit," he says nicely, gesturing.
It's as if nothing every happened.
• ~ • ~ • ~ • ~ •
Even though Harry is thrilled by the ability of his powers, he starts to worry when he realizes his powers are operating on their own without his consent. He comprehends this after he realized that nobody seems to remember anything about the rumours about Harry Styles being a Deviant - not even the teachers! Sure it's a relief, but it also means Harry's powers are loose and have a will of their own, and that's not good. What if Harry and his mum get in a fight? What if his powers mistake her for imminently wanting to hurt or harrass him? It seems he has that ability too; to sense the future choices people will make. It's interesting to be able to anknowledge the future; it's even assisted him in some of his classes when a teacher is about to ask a certain question and is going to pick Harry, or when his friends are planning to embarrass him for fun and Harry excuses himself before it can actually be initiated.
But.... his Deviant side also has access to that power, and that's a threat to the people Harry loves as Harry does not yet have a leash on his Deviant yet. He needs to soon or else bad things wil happen... he knows they will - he can feel it in his bones, and it scares him.
Fortunately, something good has occurred during the week, even through all the stress of having to deal with his newly-found Deviant powers. Him and Louis Tomlinson are in the same class together. Apparently Louis was having difficulties in his previous English class with his teacher, and the school allowed him to switch to this class. Harry can see why, too; Mrs. Teasdale is a wonderful teacher. Harry had accidentally read her mind one day and found nothing but kindness and a dying love for her daughter, Lux, and her husband, Tom.
... Although, something bad has also occurred during this week. Well, it's not bad to Harry, but every time it happens, Harry can feel his Deviant seethe with frustration. It affects Harry, too, and he'll feel angry for no reason during the middle of class. The problem is not necessarily Louis himself, but his mind, which seems to have the 'audacity' to block Harry out of his head.
If Harry thought he was already drawn to Louis from the start, he was sadly mistaken. His attraction seems to have doubled now that his Deviant is intrigued by the small, football Captain. He feels even more attuned to Louis than he was before. The boy's scent has become more potent and vivid to Harry; his presence fascinates Harry, and he can feel his Deviant urging him towards the small boy with every glance, though Harry resists, somehow able to tug back on the reins. His Deviant allows it... for the time being.
Harry can feel the determination of his Deviant to get to know Louis - learn who exactly he is and (most importantly) why the hell he is able to barricade Harry from his mind. Harry agrees with his Deviant, though he knows -consequently- that he needs to learn how to cage this side of him before it gets out of hand again and hurts someone he cares about.
He is his own threat...
It's just a little bit overwhelming.