Hansel and Gretel ((Randy))

[zack]

"Those are for tonight's meal!" a shrill, squeaky voice came from the mouth of a house elf as his little legs carried his as quickly as he could through the underground kitchens that were below the Great Hall. Just metres ahead of the elf were Zack and Randy, each with a handful of treacle tarts. They were running out of the kitchens and through the giant picture that served as the entrance. Dropping bits of the dessert as they fled, Zack hurried to shut the portrait frame just with enough time for he and Randy to escape around the corner. The elves voice was an indicator that he was following them, however, and so the two of them had no time to catch their breath as they fled down one hall after another. Running up steps and making many quick turns, they kept going, all the while the squeak of the elf followed their trail.

"Where are we going to hide!?" Zack asked between breaths. His side was starting to cramp from scaling the many stairs and running so fast. He didn't wait for Randy to answer though, and so he followed her lead. He was thinking desperately of where they could hide, seeing that they had been accidentally leaving trails of treacle tart that were obviously leading the angry elf right to them! Just as Randy was about to turn another corner though, Zack shouted to get her attention as he saw a door appear out of nowhere. "Wait, Randy! In here!" He pulled open the door, rushing to shover her inside, and then he slammed it shut, leaning his back against the door and sliding to the ground as his pile of treacle tarts falling every which way.

After a few seconds of rest, he started laughing as he saw Randy's hair was tossed every direction and that she seemed to have lost just as many of their stolen treacle tarts as he had. Lucky for them, the Room of Requirement had showed up just in time, letting the two culprits enjoy their early afternoon dessert. "Why do I always let you talk me into these crazy plans?" he asked, taking a bite of one of the treacle tarts. The sweet molasses taste danced across his taste-buds and he shook his head jokingly at Randy. "You'd think that the house elves wouldn't worry so much about a few small desserts. After all, they serve so much food at every meal. It's not like we took that much." Zack finished the last bite and then finally stood up. He looked around, not having been in the Room of Requirement since his second year when he first found it with Randy. Then, they were also looking for an escape, but for a different reason. Randy had been taunting an older Slytherin, and when the boy threatened her and began chasing the two of them, the Room of Requirement was the first door that they found. It was a lot different back then though, or at least Zack remembered it to be. "Do you think the room has some sort of brain? I mean, how else does it know when people need in, and how does it know what things to provide for those in need?" He looked back at Randy, waiting for an answer.

[Randy Kerr]

“Ack!" Randy called as she stumbled slightly as her foot hit a chair. She ignored the slight interruption of the plan and grabbed onto Zack’s arm to keep balance, giggling wildly all the way. Randy’s crazy plans never seemed to work, but she didn’t mind one bit. They were never well thought out nor did they need to be. Randy normally did the first thing that came to her mind and nothing more. There was no stopping her crazy little brain filled with her crazy little dreams. Randy had practically been that way since birth. Besides, her crazy way was the one thing she still had of her mother, mentally at least. And Randy needed that last tid-bit, no matter what the circumstances. Randy tried to suppress her giggles, but there was no use. One of the several reasons that her plans never worked was her constant giggled. This was one thing that Randy could help, but she refused to change it. As soon as they left the portrait hole, Randy ran at full-on speed. Finally, her constant running had prepared her for something. She clutched the desserts tightly in her hands, but of course a few of them could not remain in her grasp. She looked back to the fallen desserts and the screaming elf, but kept up her pace and her giggles. There was no way that she would let them get caught this time.

Randy couldn’t help but think that this run through the castle was pretty much equivalent to a run outside as she ran her fastest while carrying the delicious treats. She had to refrain from licking her now sticky hands, but it was a difficult task as they smelled so delicious. “Erm..” Randy exclaimed as Zack asked where they were to hide, but she was too busy concentration to navigating her way through the corridors. She stopped as Zack called to her before she was to turn a corner. She giggled loudly without even thinking. Yes, Randy never executed these plans very well, but that wasn’t important was it? After all, Randy only ever did it for the fun and nothing more. Well, unless she or Zack were being taunted. Then, Randy got into a weird situation without even meaning to. Randy was usually fun and somewhat peaceful even through her wild ways. But, she changed completely when she or Zack were verbally attacked. She couldn’t help it. Randy ran back to Zack. Oh, the Room of Requirement. Randy had forgotten that it was even on this floor. Actually, she wasn’t even sure what floor they were on anymore. She peered about the corridor before running into the familiar room.

Randy’s sat down as soon as they entered the room. She smiled wildly as she attempted to catch her breath. Her hair was going in ever which direction and she faked a frown as she realized that Zack was laughing at her. “Who are you laughing at twinkle-toes?” She asked calling him that for no apparent reason. Well, it didn’t really matter, did it? Randy eyed her somewhat small pile of treacle tarts and then grabbed one and popped it in her mouth. She took a few bites and eyed Zack. “Because you love me.” She said playfully while throwing one at his head and laughing as it hit the crown of his head and bounced off. “Opps.” She laughed without feeling the need to apologize. She never did, but she didn’t feel the need for manners around Zack. He was her best-friend, sort of like the brother she never had. Randy felt more comfortable around him than anyone even though Randy never felt the need to hide herself from other people. Randy nodded as she took a bite of another dessert. “Yea and it’s not like these are the only desserts their serving tonight. Besides, I think I’m the only one that usually skips the meal and eats helping after helping of dessert.” She smiled. Randy never cared what she ate, but it didn’t matter much. She ran constantly so the weight never seemed to stick to her thin body, not that Randy would have cared if it did. She shook her head. “They’re house-elves. I think they are supposed to worry and bicker, even though some of them are sweet.” She nodded thinking of Eera, the house-elf that usually cleaned her room. Randy stayed in her dorms at hours when others were usually off doing other thing, so she got to see the house-elves doing their cleaning. But then she could be doing other things when most were asleep or working hard on homework. She couldn’t help it; it was like she was nocturnal. But, she always had time to spare for Zack of course. Randy wouldn’t have it any other way.

Randy shook her head. Suddenly, a bean-bag chair started to appear beside her. “Right on queue.” She smiled taking a seat of the squishy, purple fabric. She didn’t want to just brush off his question so she thought about it for a moment. Her eyes lit up after a moment. “Maybe big brother is watching.” She joked. Randy shook her head slightly. “Yea, I think maybe it does in a way. Magic can do anything I suppose. The room picks up on desires and needs only so maybe that’s all it can tell. So, if it can tell what you’re thinking, it can only decipher part of your thoughts.” She sighed after realizing that what she had just said didn’t make too much sense. “I dunno.” She said eyeing another treat deciding if she should eat it or not. Randy looked around the room. They only needed a place to hide, so it looked like a regular room with some chairs scattered about and some books that Randy recognized. “I think it’s brilliant.” Randy said taking it in. Every now and then, Randy came to the room. She didn’t tell Zack though. She knew he hadn’t been in it since that day during second year, but Randy made frequent visits to the Room of Requirement. She used it to collect her thoughts, do some reading. Sometimes, Randy just needed a minute only. She was more complex than anyone knew, including herself.

[zack]

"If you only knew," Zack muttered under his breath so that Randy couldn't hear him after she claimed the only reason he joined her in her crazy schemes was because he loved her. "Watch it!" he shouted teasingly as she threw one of the treacle tarts and hit Zack square on the head. He tossed one her way but with terrible aim he completely missed her. Laughing at his own pathetic attempt, Zack looked up to the ceiling when Randy mentioned Big Brother watching. "I guess he'll see how terrible my aim is then." He watched as Randy seemed to make herself comfortable in the room and then mention how brilliant it truly was. "I guess you could say that," Zack thought, trying to imagine what he might possibly need so that the room would provide him with it. The only thing he could think of though were pillows. Big, fluffy pillows. It was almost instantly that Zack was buried in a pile of six or so pillows, and he quickly grabbed one in each hand as he eyed Randy with a mischievous grin. Then, without warning, he smacked her with the soft pillow and then threw the other one at her so that she'd at least have some sort of defense. "What are you going to do now!"

Zack was laughing as he kept hitting Randy with the pillow and trying to duck when she took a swing at him. After a minute or so, he then collapsed onto the pile of remaining pillows, out of breath from laughing and swinging so much. "Yeah, I think brilliant is the right word to describe this room," he said with another laugh. Then, out of nowhere again there were two drinks that appeared right between he and Randy. "Cheers," he said, picking up the one glass and downing the sweet juice in one draught. "Aahh... tasty." He set the glass back on the ground, and it disappeared almost instantly. "I think I could get used to this place." Zack wondered what the limits were for the room. Surely it couldn't provide anything that one required. Plus, where did it draw the line between requirement and desire. Some people probably wanted a lot of things but didn't really require them. Did the room have some sort of mechanism to determine what it would and would not require. Zack didn't care to think about it much though. He'd rather just enjoy the time with Randy.

"So, have you put in your order for Valentine's Day flowers?" He had badly wanted to get Randy a white one to indicate his secret crush on her, but he felt it was too risky. So, he settled for a yellow one instead. They were magical flowers though, and supposedly over time they would change as the feelings of the person who bought the flower changed. Zack was certain though that since he had been able to keep his feelings secret from Randy that the flower he bought her would stay yellow like when he purchased it. The worst that could happen though would be for her to eventually find out how he felt though. He wasn't going to worry about that now. "And what about the lovebox. Did you put any notes in it for me?" He gave her a teasing grin. "Wait till you see the poem I wrote you." Zack and Randy had always exchanged Valentine's, so this would be no different than any year. He had made a habit of writing her silly ones, trying to make her laugh. Hers were usually just as crazy. Zack had always liked Valentine's Day. But, sometimes he wished he could tell Randy how he truly felt about her. It wasn't worth dwelling on though. She was at least his best friend, and he'd settle for whatever time she'd give him.

[Randy Kerr]

Randy laughed wildly as Zack tried to throw a treacle tart back in retaliation. Then she grabbed the treat off the floor and plopped it in her mouth. Yea, maybe that was a bit gross, but Randy didn’t think of it that way. “Five second rule.” She claimed. The five second rule was that any food that hit the ground and stayed there for only five seconds was good. Some people still thought that it was disgusting, but Randy didn’t. She didn’t think about germs really or anything of the sort. So, it didn’t bug her at all. Randy laughed as she brushed the crumbs from her lips. She laughed looking around the room. It kinda looked like a lounge. Very modern, very cool, very like Randy. She smiled. Maybe the room really was big brother. Randy shook her head. “I say he lives throughout the school. He knows you suck at sports by now.” She joked. He wasn’t that bad at sports. Randy was just athletic. She always had been really. She loved to run among other things. It just kept her busy and it let her slip away from the world. Randy smiled and eyed Zack.

Randy fell over in laughter as Zack was accosted by pillows. “Smooth!’ She giggled loudly. Zack covered in the huge, fluffy pillows was a hilarious site to say the least. She smiled, but then wore a shocked expression on her face when he hit her with a pillow. She stood up instantly and clung to the pillow. “Them fighting words, Zackary Blaire!” She called before playfully taking a swing at him with the pillows. Randy swung the pillows hard at him before she got tired and fell over onto the cushiony floor. Apparently, the floor shifted to accommodate her constant falling. She smiled feeling the softness of it. She laughed over to them. “Told you they were fighting words.” She smiled. Randy smiled as the drink glasses appeared. “This room would be perfect, but only if it can make people appear.” She laughed. “Leonardo Dicaprio. Leonardo Dicaprio.” She shook her head and laughed. “No such luck.” Randy lifted the glass. “Cheers.” She repeated before taking a sip and then setting the glass down beside her. Randy nodded when Zack said that he could get used to this place. She wasn’t about to tell him about her visits. After all, when she did visit the room, Zack thought that she was studying. Yes, it was a lie, but it wasn’t going to hurt Zack. It was simply a lie to give Randy space not that she needed it very often but sometimes she did. But, she found that the room was more enjoyable with another person in it, especially Zack. After all, Zack was Randy’s best friend and she never had more fun that she did with him.

She took another sip of her drink and nodded. “Yes of course and you got a black one from me.” She joked and then shook her head. “I can’t imagine giving someone a black rose and on Valentine’s Day. Well, maybe as a joke, but that’s it.’ She nodded. Randy didn’t think that the black rose was a good idea. It would cause controversy, maybe even make someone cry and Valentine’s Day wasn’t the day to make someone cry. She smiled. Randy got Zack a yellow flower of course. He was her best-friend after all. She wanted to give him a red one and put a fake name to it, but she figured that would be cruel. She would tell him a Slytherin girl sent it for him. She simply wanted to see the look on his face, but Randy refrained. Actually, a bunch of friends told her it was too cruel and she refrained, but she still thought that it was hilarious.

Randy’s face went blank as Zack spoke about the Lovebox. “I’m so sorry. I figured only couples would use it.” She gave him a toothy grin. “Forgive me?” She asked given him the puppy eyes. Suddenly, a teddy bear appeared in her hands. She smiled and offered it to Zack. “All better?” She asked hoping that he would understand. But, Randy knew that Zack would forgive her. He always did even though Randy did make some ghastly mistakes. Sometimes, Randy wondered why Zack bothered to put up with her, but she knew that it was the same reason that she put up with him. She cared. “I am making you a Valentine! But, I’m not giving you any clues as it what it says.” She said grinning. “But, I will tell you that it’s fabulous.” She grinned. True, Randy hadn’t started making it yet, but she knew exactly what she was going to do. Randy smiled as she eyed her few remaining treats. She eyed Zack. “I want it so bad, but I just might explode!” She exclaimed as she smiled. Then a little doggy bag appeared in the room. Randy fell over laughing wildly. She picked up the bag and waved it in the air. “What more could a girl ask for?” She said laughing wildly.