Written for The Houses Competition, Year Two, Round Seven
House: Hufflepuff
Year: 5th
Category: Theme Fluff (Pure Happiness)
Prompts:[Object] Hotel Key
Wordcount: 2154
Betas: Aya, Margaret Silverwolf
Title: Is that a Hotel Key In Your Pocket?
Summary: … or are you just happy...
The hotel key was very happy. So happy in fact, that nothing could ever bring it down. It didn't remember ever being so happy in its entire existence.
"I didn't even know that I could feel this good," it said to itself.
"Those other hotel keys are going to be so jealous of me!" it exclaimed as it sailed across Mr. Concierge's desk at the Leaky Cauldron Inn.
It jingled and it jangled and was carried over to its new holder. This was the most exciting moment of its metal-cast life. It was virtually vibrating with glee. Now that it was on the other side of the desk, it could see the rest of the keys hanging on their little hooks, right next to the Quidditch Star Hotties Calendar, showing off the steaming, sweaty athletes wearing little more than their helmets.
'Yes,' the key thought, 'at least they'd have a nice bit of scenery.' But staring at the fine abs of July's Player of the Month wasn't anything compared to the days ahead.
Sometimes, it wasn't so great being a hotel key. Often, it would get stuck somewhere unpleasant for hours at a time, and then there would be shouting and carrying on until it was found again. After that, it would always get roughly handled until it wasn't needed any longer. Those days, the hotel key was grateful to be hung back up on the wall with the other keys as soon as possible.
But not today. Today, the hotel key was extremely happy.
One of the things it had learned from all its time being a hotel key at the Leaky Cauldron Inn, was that if it simply charmed itself to be unforgettable, the people it was given to would never leave it behind. The simple trick had saved the key from experiencing many of its previous hardships, such as being eaten by a dragon, flushed down the Ministry Loo, and left on the counter at Gringotts Bank. One wouldn't think that being left at the bank would be so bad, but the key was loathe to admit that it now knew way too much about goblins and their strange after lunchtime quirks than he cared to admit. Some of that gruesome afternoon hadn't even been shared with the other keys, it had been so awkward.
So, the first thing that the key did was to infuse itself with the Unforgettable Charm. As soon as it was handed over, it felt the charm being absorbed right into its Holder's strong palm. The wizard gripped it tightly, indicating that the charm was a success! With the charm in place, the key was never lost. But sometimes, the key's Holder would grumble when they had to carry the hotel key around in their pockets all day. The hotel key could see why this might be a problem. It was a rather large key to begin with, and it was made of metal, which might be uncomfortable in some people's pockets.
The key definitely did not want his wizard to be uncomfortable. So the hotel key devised a plan for this as well. This time, the hotel key used a Concealment charm as well as an Unforgettable charm. That way, his wizard would never forget it, and also wouldn't notice it at the same time. This made the hotel key exceedingly happy, because it considered this to be a genius move.
Now it would never be forgotten, AND it would not be a burden to the wizard.
While the wizard and Mr. Concierge exchanged money talk, the key was temporarily placed on the polished wooden counter. Above it, shadows of unattended broomsticks were busily sweeping out the recently checked-out rooms and making them ready for their new inhabitants. Dust rags whooshed along the staircase banisters, polishing them to a brilliant shine. The feather dusters were even dancing along the portrait frames, making the whole Leaky Cauldron Inn seem a warm and welcoming place to stay.
The hotel key loved seeing everyone taking such good care of the place. Its wizard deserved a special welcome during his visit, and the key was eager to show him just how hospitable the Inn could be. After the money talk was over, the wizard took the key off the counter and slid it into his pocket.
The leather pocket was warm and soft. The key felt cradled in it when it moved, and blissfully snuggly when it didn't move. When a handkerchief was added on top, it embraced the new sensation and delighted in the softness all around it.
This was truly the best thing ever.
It bumped up and down inside the pocket as the wizard climbed the stairs to his room. As was customary, the door was already open and waiting for its new visitor, so the key was able to enjoy its snuggly pocket for a while longer. The key heard the snap and creak of a suitcase opening, and felt the sensations as his wizard maneuvered his clothing into the closet.
Then the handkerchief was suddenly gone.
"Oh no," it said. "I'd just gotten used to that."
Instead of going back downstairs, the wizard just flopped down on the bed and lay still.
"Oh, the poor thing must be tired!" the key exclaimed. It lay still with its wizard, so as not to disturb him. Sometimes travel took a lot out of these wizards. The key wanted its wizard to be well rested for whatever he was planning next.
They were going to have so much fun together!
Soon enough, the key was jostled about and felt itself rising and falling, moving sideways, being pressed deeply into the pocket, and then a gentle release. Whatever was happening outside of its world, it didn't mind. It felt safe and secure right where it was. At one point, the key was overjoyed to be in the same presence as its wizard's wand. It snuggled against the smooth, polished wood and sighed deeply.
"I am actually touching his wand! This has got to be the luckiest day of my entire life!"
During the day, the key enjoyed its outing with its wizard. It rode safely along in the pocket, enjoying the sounds of Diagon Alley as its wizard explored. At one point, the key tensed, hearing the voices of the goblins from Gringotts, but sure enough, all that the key had to endure this time was rubbing up against some snooty galleons and sickles. Both the Unforgettable Charm and the Concealment Charm worked.
Like charms.
In the evening, the key was entertained by loud music and much bouncing about as the wizard moved to the rhythms and swung and spun about. The key might have smelled vodka and firewhisky, and perhaps the tinkling voices of some inebriated witches, but it was too happy to mind the company. Then, later in the evening, the key was once again content, hanging inside the closet as its wizard got a shower, dressed in his pyjamas and took a well-deserved rest. In the morning, the key woke to the delicious smells of room service and breakfast tea, and then was once more stuffed into the pocket for a short jaunt to the Quidditch Shop.
"Got any snitches?" the key heard its wizard ask. "The last one was crushed by a Bludger. Perhaps, I'll take a pack of six."
The key thought that it would be such fun to share a pocket with a snitch. The key told the pack of snitches all about its day, but none of the snitches seemed to pay it any attention, so the key didn't get to hear anything from a different perspective as it was hoping to.
"Ah, that's okay," the key sighed. "They're probably foreign snitches who can't understand me."
But all too soon, a hand reached into the pocket and wrapped itself around the handle. The skin was cool and clammy, and a little damp. The hotel key was drawn up and out into the light. A wall sconce gleamed with a flickering yellow light, reflected off of the brass finish of the key, making it shine.
"How pretty," thought the key. "I'm shining like a star!"
Then the key was lowered in front of a large wooden door that it recognized from what seemed like a very long time ago.
Filled with purpose, the hotel key slid effortlessly into the keyhole. It was dark and snug, like the pocket, but it was quite missing the comfy sensations that the pocket had provided. Still, it wasn't a bad place. In fact, it was the perfect fit.
The key turned and turned, and produced a small 'click'. Then the key turned back. It really loved this part. It was like coming home!
But all too soon, the key was pulled out of the slot. Dangling from the hand, the key saw the door open to reveal a softly-lit room, with a large bed in the center. It remembered this as well. Sometimes it even got to snuggle on the bed, but not today. Today, the key remained in the hand as it was carried all around the room.
Into the washroom it went, and the Holder held it up to the mirror. The key admired the wizard's reflection who held it with a frown and muttered to himself, though it did not understand what he was saying.
"Don't frown, Mr. Wizard," the key said softly. "You're much too pretty to frown. Everything's going to be alright."
The wizard couldn't actually hear the key. He was much too busy searching around the loo, checking the sink drain, and pulling back the shower curtain.
The wizard continued to frown and mutter as the key traveled out of the washroom and back into the room with the bed. The hand lowered to the floor and the key watched the wizard peer under the bed.
Then the wizard got up and looked in the closet and under the bedside table.
He even shifted the curtains around and shook them.
"What is he doing?" the key wondered. "Is he… looking for something?"
The wizard muttered something else that the key couldn't understand.
Then the key got flung up into the air.
"Whee!" it sang as it sailed across the room and landed on the cushioned mattress.
Soon, the key was back in the hand of the wizard, traveling back out of the room and into the hallway. It liked the hallway because again, it shone in the light of the flickering torch. The wizard gazed at it, looking a bit confused, and then slid the key back into the lock.
Down and around, and 'click'. The key was suddenly back inside the leather pocket.
How nice! The key was going to remember this day forever and ever!
They were moving again. This time down instead of up.
And then they stopped. The key very much liked where it was, but it seemed that something was very wrong, and the wizard wasn't as happy as he should be.
Happiness was a gift. Everyone should have a chance at this kind of happiness. Even the wizard.
"I'm sorry," the key heard the wizard say to Mr. Concierge. "But I cannot find it anywhere. The Knight Bus is on its way, and I can't be late."
"Have you checked…"
"Yes, yes… I checked in the room. I checked under the bed. It's not in my luggage. I have no idea where I put it. I swear that it was right in my pocket…"
Uh oh, the key realized. The wizard was looking for...
"Here I am," the key said meekly, breaking the Concealment Charm it had placed on itself. It was so overcome with happiness at being with the wizard that it had wanted to stay with him for as long as it could. But now it knew that its dream days were coming to an end.
"Oh, wait a minute," the wizard said, pulling the key out of his pocket. "I feel so silly. It's right here." He laid the key down on the desk of the Leaky Cauldron Inn.
The key shone up at the wizard one last time as it was checked back in by Mr. Concierge and hung on the wall with the other hotel keys.
"What are you grinning at?" the key next to it asked gruffly.
"You'll never believe the time I just had!" the key exclaimed, still bubbling over with joy.
He looked over at the calendar of Quidditch Stars, where the likeness of the wizard he had just spent a glorious two days in the presence of was staring right back at him. It was still July. The Quidditch Star still looked hot, but the key would remember him very differently from now on. The rest of the keys were never going to believe this.
"I just spent two entire days in Viktor Krum's pants!"