Kaleb's Room (Lily)

Kaleb sat on his new bed. It's what he did most of the time anyways. He didn't feel like being social with his father, or anybody in the house. He had just been taken from his mother and went shopping for his wand and other wizard stuff. He had just spent the day reading all of his text books. Every last one. He wanted so badly to test some of the spells in the books, but his father said that it would be a very bad idea for him to do so. Something about a stupid wizard law or something. He didn't really know.

He got to take his books with interesting facts with him, so he spent most of the time, when he was done with his books rereading his interesting facts book that his mum had gotten him for his ninth birthday. His step-mother had gotten him another book with whole new facts, but he just like his old one better. Half of the facts in the new book weren't even true (not that he read it or anything...) Now he was getting tired. He placed the book over his face to block the sun, and tried to go to sleep. Just as he was about to doze off, somebody walked in...And it was HER.

Lily was not going to give up. Admittedly, her quest to befriend Kaleb had been unsuccessful so far, but it was only a matter of time before he realised that she meant good. She was not going to have someone in the house who refused to talk to anyone except her dad. He obviously didn't feel as welcome and appreciated as he should. So they needed to change that. Her mother had tried but didn't want to be pushy so was giving him some space while he settled in. Her plan wasn't like that.

Since lunch, she had been at the park with her friends, messing around and having fun. She was going to miss them when she went to Hogwarts. Of course she had invited Kaleb but he'd refused. Upon getting back, covered in mud, Lily had a shower, changed into some comfy pyjamas and then skipped downstairs. Her mother had finished making dinner and asked her to take Kaleb's upstairs, where he had been all day. So with a plate of pasta balanced precariously on each hand, she slowly climbed the stairs. She knocked on the door with her foot and pushed it open, hopping into the room.

The boy had a book on his face. "Why is there a book on your face?" she asked curiously. "Oh, I brought dinner for you." Lily held out the plate for him to take. She took a seat on the end of his bed, making herself at home so she could eat here with him. Nobody should be all alone like this. "Why is there a book on your face?" she asked curiously. "Oh, I brought dinner for you." Lily held out the plate for him to take. She took a seat on the end of his bed, making herself at home so she could eat here with him. Nobody should be all alone like this.

Kaleb was literally just about to fall asleep, when she barged in and started asking SO MANY QUESTIONS. He was obviously trying to sleep. Why couldn’t she see that? He didn’t have any curtains in his room yet, so light was just streaming in, which was kind of annoying. Then, she invited herself to sit in his room…How annoying can one person be?
Can’t she also see that he wanted to be ALONE? He just kind of glared at her. He wasn’t going to give into that innocent look she had. His father might fall for it, but he certainly won’t. He couldn’t wait until his mother got out of where ever she was. And that was the sucky part. His dad won’t even tell him, so he can’t write to her.

And she can’t write to him anymore when he goes to stupid wizard school.
His eyes did perk up a little bit when she mentioned food. But to his dismay, she had brought two plates up and acted like she was going to eat with him. Really? Can she not take a hint? Was she that stupid? Kaleb really hoped they didn’t end up together. His father said something about them having to get sorted into houses. He didn’t really remember the names, but he sure hoped as hell that he didn’t get in the same house as her.

That would really suck. He realized he still hadn’t answered her annoying questions. He said, “The book is on my face because I obviously can’t sleep.” He pointed towards the open windows.
He took the plate from her and began to pick at the food. He didn’t really have much of an appetite since he got to this strange place.

He wasn’t used to change, and two new family members kind of shook him to the core. He figured that he would eventually come around to his step-monster, but didn’t know about the pest. She was a completely different story. It wasn’t that he didn’t want anything to happen to her, he just would’ve been better not knowing her. Yes, that was mean.

But what does a person expect when they are ripped from the only life they knew?
He didn’t understand why his grandmother couldn’t take care of him either. Sure she was old. But that didn’t mean she couldn’t do it. A lot of kids in the trailer park he lived in had their grandmothers looking after them and they turned out fine for the eleven years they had been alive.

Then it suddenly hit him. Their parents had been arrested for drugs. Is that why his mum was gone? He decided that the pest might be useful for something. He looked at her and asked, “Lily. Can you do something for me?”

Lily wasn’t the most observant child. She hadn’t noticed that the windows were open and the light was pouring into the room. Now that he mentioned it, it did seem more obvious. She just shrugged, grinning sheepishly at him. “Have you tried maybe closing the curtains?” she suggested. It sounded like she was teasing him, but in a friendly way, just like she’d aimed for. They were going to be best friends and best friends teased each other. It was like a rule.

After handing over his plate, she tucked straight in. Lily loved her mum’s food. When they went to magic school, she would certainly miss wonderful pasta and roast dinners and cakes and stuff for dessert. But she was sure the food there would be fine because it was magic and with magic, they could probably make the most amazing food ever. “It’s good, isn’t it?” she smiled. He was only picking at his food, but he had been like that since he arrived. It probably wasn’t because the food was bad. Lily would have to try very hard not to be offended if he didn’t like her mother’s cooking.

“Dad was telling me about the houses again today,” she said, just because she couldn’t bear to stop talking for any amount of time. “Which one would you like to be in?” She had spent much time deliberating over which one sounded the best and still wasn’t entirely sure. Really, she didn’t mind, because they all sounded like fairly nice places to be sorted. What Lily didn’t understand was why people were sorted by personality. From what she understood, you interacted most with students in your house, but that meant people with contrasting personalities who you could really like didn’t spend as much time with you. “I want to be Hufflepuff or Gryffindor, I think.”

“Yes! Of course I can!” she answered without a pause. She was so eager to help him with anything he needed that she didn’t even think about her answer. “I mean… what is it you want help with? I’ll try.”

Kaleb shrugged at all of her questions. He really could care less what stupid house he was in, or that the curtains where open. All he wanted to do was find his mum. She had left without saying goodbye, or leaving an address so he could write to her.

He at least wanted to know why. That was all. Was it to much to ask? He continued when she agreed to help him, "Dad will do anything you ask. Your his little angel." He wasn't saying it as a question.

He continued, "I need you to find out where my mum is. If I go looking, it will be obvious. But they'd never suspect you."

This was getting good. Finally, the little turd could be used for something that was actually decent and not for annoying him. He waited eagerly for a response.

Boring Kaleb, not bothering to answer her questions at all. He just shrugged at everything. Lily tried not to be annoyed. While she knew that he hadn’t warmed to her or her mother yet, it would at least be decent to acknowledge her by talking. They weren’t difficult questions, so a simple one word answer would be fine, even. She wasn’t annoyed, because Kaleb was her brother and he was going through a difficult time and Lily needed to forgive him, even when he was being very stupid and mean

Suddenly, though, he was being much nicer and seemed to brighten up. He must have had a good, clever person idea. “He loves you just as much as me,” she murmured, even though she knew it was no use and he wouldn’t believe her.

“I-I don’t know, Kaleb,” she said, a little doubtfully. Even if her parents completely trusted her, trying to find his mother would be a very suspicious task, she imagined. “Where is your mother? Do you have any idea? Because if I have nothing to start with, I’m not sure I’ll be able to find her.” Lily wanted to help, honestly, but it would be so hard.

Kaleb eagerly got out a piece of paper and wrote down their trailer park address. It wasn't much to go on, but maybe she could find something. He said, "I don't know anything. They never tell me, and when I try to ask, they ignore my question or change the subject. I'm not a child anymore. I deserve to know the truth!"

He preached giving her his puppy dog face that always got his mother to give him what he wanted. He grabbed a picture of her from under his pillow and said, "That's me and my mom."  

He looked hopeful. Maybe, if she agreed to do this, there was a chance that they would actually get along.