Chapter 9: The Room of Requirements
The group was walking back towards the school over the bridge. "Right, first we need to find a place to practice where Umbridge won't find out," Harry stated, as everybody thought of a place. "The Shrieking Shack?" Ginny suggested. "Surely that's too small," Harry said, shutting the idea down. "The Forbidden Forest?" Hermione suggested. "Not bloody likely," Ron stated, as the boy doesn't have fond memories of the place. "Chamber of Secrets?" the twins, suggested. Naruto shook his head, "Nope, too suspicious along with many other reasons," he stated, as while the area was alright, the chamber was more as a lair to lay low, not train along with it being somewhere Harry, Ron, and Ginny wouldn't want to go to again. "Naruto, what happens if Umbridge does find out?" Ginny asked, bringing up the idea of the pink witch. "Who cares?" Hermione answered for the blonde. Naruto was surprised by how someone who usually stuck to the rules would have complete disregard with it right now. "I mean, it's sort of exciting isn't it, breaking the rules?" Naruto smirked, "Looks like you finally embraced your rule breaking side," he stated, as Hermione rolled her eyes, but smiled as she found it funny. "Right over the next few days we should each come up with possibilities of places we can practice. We've got to make sure, whatever it is, there's no chance she can find us," Harry stated as they all entered into the lair of Umbridge, not knowing that Umbridge was atop the tower, as she watched the group like a hawk, with Filch by her side.
Over the next few days, Naruto spent time looking for a place where he and his friends could practice. Now Jiraiya's cabin was out of the question, since this was his personal training area, along with the fact that Itachi is technically living there, so that would be a problem. As Naruto was searching for a place, he found Hermione waiting outside of the Great Hall as Filch hammered his last few strikes into the nail. He read the sign, "All student organizations are henceforth disbanded. Any student in noncompliance will be expelled." His jaw dropped in shock, it looked like Umbitch heard the plan from wherever she was at the time and wished to scare him and his friends out of the idea of doing it. She picked the wrong person to mess with.
"What a cunt," Naruto said as Hermione agreed since she really has a deep hatred for Umbridge. After that was over, the two were walking to the common room to get some well deserved rest after a long day of searching, but suddenly Neville came in with a request. "Naruto, do you want to go searching around the castle?" Neville said directly, but in an indirect way. "I just feel like there's no point stopping until we finally find somewhere." Naruto thinks about it and nods, following Neville out of the room. As the two were walking, Naruto was thinking about whether or not he should don the mask again, since he never really enjoyed that idea as he keeps hiding the truth from his friends, but at same time he doesn't want his friends to get in trouble. The blond noticed that Neville was in deep thought over something.
"Everything alright, Neville?" he asked the boy. "It's nothing," he murmured, despite him looking conflicted. "I just…I feel useless that's all. I can't seem to do anything right." Naruto raised an eyebrow, "Don't say that. You know it's not true." But Neville looked at him otherwise, "Is it though?" he asked, turning to the blond looking as if he was going to cry, but he held it in, controlling his emotions. "I'm not like you guys. I don't have the inherent talent like Harry, I can't study as much and remember things as well as Hermione, and I'm not strong and confident like you…I'm useless! I can't even find a bloody room to help those that are talented," he said, when all of a sudden, the wall behind the two began to click and clack like clockwork and the door started to morph into existence with its dark wooden features contrasting against the light stone wall.
Naruto smirked, "You were saying Neville?" The two entered the room and stared at how marvelous the place was. The room had a chandelier on the ceiling, floors that look like a mix of metal grates and bricks. Mirrors were everywhere on the walls as there were no glass windows, probably to make this room a secret. There even was a fireplace to provide some warmth, on a cold winter day. "What is this place?" Neville asked as he stared at the room with wonder. "I'm not so sure, but I believe this room appeared as if it were listening to your commands," Naruto stated. "Neville, we can't tell anyone other than the group about this, not until I get enough details about this location. Oh and you aren't useless, ya know? You helped Harry last year and may have been the catalyst to what we need to stand up to Umbridge and the ministry. So be proud of your accomplishments."
Naruto leaves the room and heads back to the common room. He enters the common room to see Hermione was there, reading a book. But not just any book, this book had an orange cover, which also showed a red cancel sign. Naruto smirked, "I didn't know you were a fan of Jiraiya's books," he said cheekily. Hermione jumped in fright, dropping the book onto a pile of other books. "Naruto!" she yelled, scrambling to pick up the book until she remembered where she was situated. "W-what are you doing here?! It's not what it looks like I swear!"
"Sure it is, but I'm just as surprised as you are. Like I didn't expect you to be reading his book," Naruto stated as he sat down and helped her up. "Well it's not like I enjoy this book, it's just…I got curious about the book…so I wanted to see what all the fuss was about. Surprisingly some of the plot here was alright despite it being full of smut," she stated. "Trust me I know, I thought you have to be a perv to read these books, but then again these are bestsellers from both my world and here," Naruto stated. Somewhere in Naruto's realm, a gray haired man with a face mask was just minding his own business, reading an orange book, when all of a sudden he felt the need to cry tears of happiness, as he pumped his fist. "Anyways, we found a location to train, bring Harry and Ron with you," Naruto stated. Hermione nods and soon the four left to see the new location for their training.
The four finally arrive at the area as they see Neville waiting for them there. "You've done it Neville. You found the Room of Requirements," Hermione gasped walking further into the room. "Found what?" Ron questioned as he glanced at the room. "The Room of Requirements," Hermione repeated. "It's also known as the come and go room. The Room of Requirements only appears when a person has a real need for it. And it's always equipped for the seeker's needs."
"So say you really needed the toilet…" Ron asked as the others looked at him with an are you serious face. "Charming…But yes, that is the general idea," Hermione finished off. "It's brilliant, it's like Hogwarts wants us to fight back," Harry stated. Naruto was thinking about what they said, about the room. This gives him an idea of what he plans to do, ever since he read one of his ancestor's journals, but it'll have to wait after the group's training sessions will be over.