Begin to Hope

I crouched in the dimly-lit hallway right outside of Farley's bedroom, waiting for the signal from Orlando. He was situated at the end of the hallway, watching carefully as Greg and Maverick played round after round of poker. They had been told to go to bed before midnight, but it was already after one and I was getting restless. I really didn't know if I wanted to sneak into Farley's room and steal the necklace from him or not. Orlando, however, had proven to be very persuasive and finally I reluctantly agreed.

A light went off in the next room and I heard footsteps going down the stairs. Orlando motioned for me to go in.

I took a deep breath and exhaled slowly before creeping to his door. I carefully turned the handle, only to find it locked, as I'd partially expected. I took out my wand from my pocket and began to try and figure out the spell to unlock it. Finally one of them unlocked it and I slowly pushed the door open, before careful not to let it squeak.

I took a step in the door and Farley roused in his sleep. I closed the door behind me, cutting off my only light source, and it grew dark, darker than I would have liked.

I whispered "Lumos!" and my wand tip lit on, allowing me to see the smallest amount of space in front of me. I sighed, showing my dissatisfaction with this situation, and crept toward his bed.

"He's keeping the necklace under his mattress," Orlando had told me. "I snuck in there after dinner."

How much easier that makes it for me, I thought to myself sarcastically. I stood over Farley, looking down at him as he slept. I noticed a bit of drool hanging out of the side of his mouth.

How utterly repulsive.

Trying my hardest to refrain from waking him up, I reached a hand under his mattress and felt around. What with his entire weight leaning on my arm, and his vile breath blowing in my face, it wasn't as easy as one would have thought it would be.

"Farley, just -- move a tiny bit --" I muttered to myself, desperately moving my hand around, but not finding it.

He grunted in his sleep and turned to lie on his back. I tried to move my hand around some more, but then he started to twist and turn in his bed and I stopped, thinking he was going to wake up.

He murmured something in his sleep but I ignored it and kept reaching around.

"Why can't I find this damn thing?" I whispered angrily under my breath.

At my outburst, without warning, Farley opened his eyes and looked at me. I froze, thinking maybe he did that sort of thing in his sleep.

"KERRY!" he shouted, sitting up quickly. "What do you think you're doing?" he demanded, flinging the covers off of himself, revealing his hairy pale legs and his boxer-clad... thing. I would have laughed if this hadn't been a serious situation.

I immediately ripped my arm out from underneath his mattress and began to stutter out an excuse. "I--um..I dunno."

"Were you trying to find the necklace?"

I meekly nodded my head, avoiding meeting his eyes.

He set his jaw and raised one hand, pointing out the door.

I looked to the floor and slowly walked out.

"I'll be out in a moment to set you straight!" he yelled as I closed the door behind me. "Don't you go ANYWHERE!"

I could hear him bumbling around in his room, trying to quickly yank some clothes on.

I sighed impatiently and tapped my foot on the ground.

"Kerry-" I swear I have must have jumped a foot in the air when Orlando tapped me on the shoulder like that.

"Yes, Orlando?"

"I-did you get caught?"

Even in the darkness, while I knew he couldn't see me, I glared at him.

"Yes, I did get caught. And I blame this on you."

"Oh." There was a pause while he thought this over. "I'm sorry."

I turned from him. "Whatever."

"Kerry, don't-"

We were interrupted by Farley throwing open his door. He stared at the two of us for a second.

"YOU!" he screeched at Orlando. "You put her up to this?"

"No, I didn't. She wanted to do it!"

I stared at him, open-mouthed. "What are you talking about? You told me it was a good idea!"

"I did not. I would never! Farley, she's coming up with the craziest of ideas. Kerry, I have no idea what you're talking about."

"What is all this racket?" Annabelle yawned as she padded down the hallway, clutching an old holey bathrobe to cover herself. "You're all screaming and--Orlando." She sidled up to him and looked up at admiringly at his face. "Having trouble sleeping, are you?"

"No," he said firmly, "We're just having a little chat."

She raised an eyebrow. "At two a.m.?"

"Er-yes." He gave her a little push on the back and she stumbled forward.

"But what are you all doing up at this hour?"

"It doesn't matter. Go to bed."

Annabelle made a face at him but trudged back down the hallway to her bedroom anyway.

As soon as she was out of sight, Farley grabbed me roughly and pushed me against the wall.

"Just what did you think you were doing? Going to steal the necklace, were you?"

"Farley, if you'd just listen to me, you'd understand that I'm trying to do it for the good of the world. Voldemort could be stopped if I could just have it. I went to steal it for just a few days, and then--"

He cut me off by pushing me harder against the world. "Don't you disrespect me, Kerry. You're nothing compared to me. You got that? NOTHING." He let go of me and I dropped to the floor, holding my wounded shoulders. "I'm going into my bedroom, to get dressed and get the necklace. I'm taking it to hide it, from far here, where you won't find it."

He turned and entered his room, slamming the door behind him.

Orlando and I just looked at each other.

I shook my head and turned to go back to bed.

"Kerry," he called from behind me.

I ignored him.

"Kerry. Kerry!" he tried to catch up to me but I ignored him and ran into my room, shutting the door tightly behind me.

"Go away,"

He rapped on the door several times.

"I don't want to talk to you."

"I need to explain, Kerry. Just let me in."

I opened the door quickly and he stood there, looking surprised.

"Explain, then. Go. Why did you tell Farley it was all my fault, then?"

He put an arm on the doorframe above my head and looked down sweetly at me. "It's simple, really. They can't kick you out, Kerry. But me? I'm just some guy they just met. He could kill me, and nobody would ever know or care. But you, everyone knows and likes you. They wouldn't throw you out on the streets."

I thought over his words for a second before sighing and turning away from him to walk over and throw myself on my bed. He followed me, shutting the door behind him.

I looked at him strangely as he sat down on the side of the bed.

"You're not going to try anything, are you?" I asked, looking at him nervously.

"Try anything? Why would I try anything?"

"Because you're a boy, and you have hormones."

"True. But the same could be said about you."

I laughed at his joke, but then turned away, facing the opposite wall.

"What are we going to do, Orlando?"

"About what?"

"About everything."

"Well, thanks for being specific."

"I mean--the entire world is going to hell. I want to save it. And Farley won't let me. How illogical is that?"

"Very."

I glanced over at him. "Are you mocking me?"

"Me? Mock you? I would never."

I turned away from him again. "Orlando, how old are you?"

"Seventeen."

"Don't lie."

"Nineteen."

"Really?"

"Twenty-five."

"What?"

"You wanted to know."

"But I didn't think you were that--" I paused.

"Old?" he said helpfully.

"Yes."

"Hm. Well, I am. Do you have a problem with that?"

"Klaus wouldn't like it if he knew."

Orlando shifted on the bed, lying down next to me and putting his hands behind his head. "Why does Klaus always have a stick up his ass?"

"Orlando, he does not! He's just--"

"I think he likes you."

"Well, he should, he's my best friend."

"No, I mean. Really, likes you. As in love."

"Why would you think that?" I sat up and sat cross-legged on the bed, facing him.

"The way he looks at you. The way he talks about you. His protectiveness. His--"

He's lying.

"Stop, please."

"It's true."

"It's not true. Why would he love me?"

He didn't respond, but he reached a hand up to caress my face. I cringed as his fingers graced my skin.

I pulled his hand away from my face.

"You're really pretty, you know."

"Orlando, stop." I got off the bed and stood up, moving away from him.

"I'm sorry if I make you feel uncomfortable."

"You do."

"I apologize."

I didn't answer. I picked up the picture of my mother and father I kept on my dresser and peered down at it.

"Annabelle is already infatuated with me, isn't she?" Orlando said, trying to change the subject to something lighter.

"I suppose," I didn't turn to look at him.

There was a long pause as we both pondered silently.

Then -- "Tell me about yourself."

"What do you want to know?" I asked.

"Anything. Everything. I want to know you, Kerry."

I looked at him strangely.

"I was born May 27th 2001, to my parents, Luna and Colin Creevy. I have a little brother, Humphrey. My parents died in 2014, three years ago. I wish Voldemort didn't exist. I wish my parents were still alive. I wish a lot of things."

"Wishing doesn't do any good."

"I know," Our eyes met, and for a moment I saw a hint of compassion for me in them, but it was gone as quickly as it had been there.

"Well, if that's all there is to know about you, then I'll tell you about myself. It was a dark, stormy night when my parents met at a train station. It was love at first sight, and they stole away to the bathroom of the train for a quick bang--"

"I don't want to hear about your parents banging!" I exclaimed jokingly.

"Why ever not?" He asked mischievously.

"Because that is repulsive. Tell me another story."

"Only if you come and sit here next to me." He patted the bed beside him and I reluctantly sat next to him.

"Once upon a time--" he began, "--there was a little boy named Orlando. And Orlando..."

"Yes?"

"I don't really know. I don't how that story ends. Finish it for me?"

I laughed softly and lay down comfortably on the bed next to him.

"Alright, how about we go back and forth with the story?"

He agreed and before long we had come up with the silliest story about a donkey named Patricia that couldn't hold a single rider and we both were laughing hysterically.

We talked quietly for the rest of the night, being careful not to be too loud as to wake the others, and before I knew it morning had come and everyone would be waking soon.

"You kept me up all night," I complained with a smile. "Now we haven't gotten any sleep and any moment someone will barge in the room, demanding to see us."

"Oh, well," he said, stretching and getting up, "Doesn't matter that much, does it?"

"...I suppose not."