'I need to know about the secrets of how Hogwarts came to be.' I thought as I paced a section of wall in the seventh floor corridor. It is said that the room of requirement can provide you with just about anything you want. In the event that it cannot, it tends to help get you on the right path to figuring it out. Seeing as I had hit a dead end in the library this seemed like my best bet. I opened my eyes and pulled open the door that held my answers.
I had expected to find a room full of books or maps and tomes. Maybe paintings of the castle's construction. Instead I found what looked like a large store room decorated with tapestries of the founders and the house crest. In the center of the room sat a simple but comfortable looking chair beside a stool. Upon the stool sat something I had not considered searching for though in hindsight it was the obvious answer. The hat of Godric Gryffindor. I could almost swear the Sorting Hat smiled as I approached. Taking a seat I hesitantly placed the hat upon my head.
"I always thought it would be a Ravenclaw that finally sought me out for what you seek." The hat's voice drifted in my mind "That or a Slytherin. Though as I remember, I considered putting you in both houses." I mentally groaned before remembering all of my mind was open to the hat. "I see that you are still not happy with my placement of your cousin."
"You completely separated us." I growled as the hat reviewed my memories of the last year. Together we watched my bonds with my best friend and my cousin put to the test by distance and ridicule, while Nikki tried to cope with it all. "What was it for? You could have put me in one of their houses and made it somewhat more tolerable. You said yourself that I could have fit into either Aria's or Xander's houses!"
"You would not have been happy if I had young Cornocte." The hat's rough old voice did its best to take a softer tone "You only seek knowledge and research when you wish to accomplish a goal. So as intelligent as you may be Ravenclaw would wear on you with time. You need action. Where as you may be clever and prefer to stay out of the public eye while you reach your goals. In the end you will want to recognized for your work and you tend to stick your neck out for your friends. Couple that with your refusal to use others to reach your goals, Slytherin would have chaffed you as well. I am not sorry that you are a Gryffindor that would have made Godric proud. You are where you should be." I felt him grin in my mind. "And now you wish for a method to push the boundaries further to be close to your friends." Memory's of conversations from the last two years were pulled forth for review. It was unsettling enough the first time when I didn't have a grudge against the accessory. Mentions of The Room of Requirement, The Chamber of Secrets, and the hiding place of the Sorcerer's Stone in the third floor corridor's left side came forth.
"When the founders built this castle each wished for secret rooms in which their students could reside as well as for their own purposes." He spoke as images of the mentioned rooms came into my mind "Rowena Ravenclaw designed the castle to change its floor plans whenever the need arose. As well as on random days when it is bored. She wanted the students to have to learn to think on their feet. She made the structure into one giant puzzle."
"But there is a way to add to the school, isn't there?" I asked. "One of the last head masters was able to do it." The chuckle in my mind was unmistakeable
"The founders left behind a key to the school's puzzle box, yes." The way he said it made me wonder if it wasn't an obvious answer. "They left an object behind that would be able to collect new ideas and keep watch in their stead. A physical mind to guid the body of the school. Dumbledore used it to create a series of expanding chambers with the help of the other teachers at the time."
"Where is it kept?"
"Why, in the Head Mistress's office of course. Wouldn't want students to get ahold of it and start making dangerous rooms to get back at their enemies. That would be irresponsible." The hat started glancing through my memories again as though he was looking for something in particular "However if a student did find this artifact and realize that it works very much like the room you sit in... Well, then they could in fact make the secret hideaway that you seem to spend an awful lot of time thinking about."
"Can anyone use the artifact, or just the teachers?" It sounded too easy, there was no way that it was as simple as asking for the creation of a room. Even a twelve year old like me knew that much.
"Anyone that performs a service to the school during their time here may use it."
"What kind of service?" My anger at the hat had faded considerably now that I was growing closer to my goal.
"There is a muggle term, pay it forward. If you want something from the school you must do something for the school. The larger the request the larger the service." My mind raced with thoughts of what it would take to pay for the creation of a private hideaway for my friends and I. The hat chuckled in amusement "I'm sure that you and your friends would find some way to pay off your request before you leave this school. There are a lot of good hearts between you."
"What happens if we fail?" Not that I could ever live with an unpaid debt but the question was still there
"The request will only be granted to those that will serve or have served the school in some capacity. If the request is made by one that is likely to not pay their debt, then it shall be denied." The hat left me with more to think about as we sat in silence. Some how I would have to get the artifact from McGonagall's office. Then even if we succeeded in making a safe haven we would still have to be able to pay for it. It was some time before the hat spoke again, informing me that curfew was fast approaching. As I stood up to leave I asked if the Sorting Hat would tell me what the Artifact was. "Not today young one. Commune with your friends. If you feel you're willing, then return with them and we shall talk."