Here is the sixth chapter. Do let me know your thoughts, feedback, and any suggestions for improvement. Your support means a lot!
Posted: August 3, 2024
Chapter 6:
"So, you are using that room, huh?" Helena spoke, her ethereal form shimmering in the dim light of the Astronomy Tower.
Today was the first session of Granger's club, or Dumbledore's Army as they had started to call themselves. 'Pretty stupid in my opinion. Gryffindors sure know how to aggravate the situation. The Ministry already doesn't like Dumbledore and has been driving propaganda against the old wizard. If they come to know of this club's name, then given how biased Umbridge is, she will get more to push her agenda. I can see the news on the Daily Prophet: "Dumbledore is raising children's army at Hogwarts."'
The session itself wasn't that impressive, with Longbottom taking charge and telling everyone to cast disarming and other basic spells. 'I don't think I would attend more of that,' Harry thought.
Shaking his head, he now found himself in the Astronomy Tower with Helena. The ghost seemed to know what the students were up to, and come to think of it, she knew about that room. "You know about that room?" Harry asked, feeling excited.
He saw her biting her lip as if contemplating whether to tell him or not, but after a few seconds, she nodded.
"The Room of Requirement, as wizards call it, or the Come and Go Room, as the house-elves call it," she began. "It has been here since the castle was built. It has many uses, one of them being to manifest into any place that the user desires. If you truly need it, the room will provide it."
"Really?" Harry was excited. He had been surprised to see the room when he had been invited but didn't have the opportunity to explore as Granger had pushed everyone out as the session ended. He had been surprised to see no entrance when he walked by later. Now that Helena knew about that room, he would for sure get to see it again, and this time alone and explore it.
Helena continued, "The room responds to a person's needs. Its main entrance is located on the seventh floor. If you walk past its entrance three times, thinking about what you need, the room will appear and transform into what you desire. It can be a training area, a hiding place, a library, anything you need at that moment."
"That's incredible," Harry said, his eyes wide with wonder. "I was surprised when I first saw it, but knowing it can do all that... it's amazing."
Helena smiled, pleased with his enthusiasm. "It is indeed a remarkable place, Harry. But be cautious. While it can be a haven, it can also be unpredictable," she spoke, remembering what the room also contained.
Harry nodded, already planning how he would explore the room. "Can you take me to it?" he asked.
"It's already curfew time, Harry," she spoke.
Harry laughed. "Since when did you care about curfew anyway?"
The ghost pouted—or at least it seemed she did. "Follow me then. If you get caught, I'm not going to rescue you," the ghost spoke, and Harry could see a small smile on her face.
"Thank you, Helena. Knowing this, I can use it for something more productive than what Granger's club is doing," Harry spoke, following the ghost. As he came down the Astronomy Tower, he donned his Invisibility Cloak and continued to follow Helena.
The ghost led him to the seventh floor near the painting of Barnabas the Barmy trying to teach trolls to dance. She looked behind where she knew invisible Harry would be. "Come out of the cloak and imagine what you want the room to be while walking thrice."
Harry did so, imagining his room in Black Townhouse. A door appeared, and he followed. His eyes widened as he saw a replica of his room appear down to every detail. "Incredible."
Harry came out of the room and imagined it turning into a training room. As he went in, he grinned. "Thanks again, Helena. This will certainly help. But you could have told me about this long ago," he turned to see the ghost who was watching him with an amused expression.
"You never asked, Harry," the ghost replied.
Harry pouted childishly. "Anything I should know about the room?" he asked.
"There are a lot of things that are here; you can explore them. But I will tell you one thing. While the entrance of the room is on the seventh floor, from inside, you can make its exit anywhere in the castle," the ghost added.
"Really?" he spoke as he closed his eyes near a wall and imagined corridors leading to the Great Hall. An exit door appeared, and as he opened it, he saw familiar corridors leading to the Great Hall. "Incredible," he spoke, but then his eyes landed on Malfoy and Parkinson patrolling. He quickly closed the door. "That was close."
"This is the best," Harry grinned.
"I wonder…" he spoke as ideas flashed in his mind on how to use the room
It was around midnight when Harry decided to call it a day. For a moment, he wanted to stay in the Room of Requirement, but he decided against it. While his classmates and he weren't close, his absence from the dorms would still be noted. So he made a door appear near the Ravenclaw entrance. After cautiously making sure no one was outside the door, he silently approached the Ravenclaw entrance under his cloak.
He was surprised to see Luna of all people outside. She was barefoot and humming softly. Deciding there was no danger, he discarded his cloak and walked to the girl. He had seen her outside in prior years as well.
"Luna, what are you doing here?" he asked.
"Oh, Harry, are you also searching for Nargles?" she asked.
"What?" he asked, flabbergasted.
"Nargles. They steal things. See, they stole my shoes. I have been searching for them. Did they take something of yours too?" she asked completely seriously.
"Wha—" he tried to speak, then closed his mouth, deciding not to argue about the imaginary beings she brought up. Instead, he spoke, "Come, let's go inside, Luna. It's late, and you can search for Nargles and shoes tomorrow."
"Alright," she said, smiling.
Harry answered the puzzle to the Ravenclaw door and entered with Luna following. The common room was empty. "Say, Harry, will you be joining the next session in Dumbledore's Order?"
Harry sputtered. 'Order,' he thought. 'How did she know?'
"Order, Luna?" he asked.
"You know, the one Granger has made to fight the Ministry off," she spoke.
"She didn't—" then again, he closed his mouth and smiled. "I will see where that goes, Luna."
With that, he walked to his dorms, pondering the interesting night he had just experienced.
"You know you could have dreamt it," Ronald Weasley whispered to his best friend.
"I didn't. I swear I saw him on the map near the entrance of the room after curfew time with some Helena Ravenclaw," Neville whispered back, quite agitated at seeing Ron not believing him.
"Don't be silly. For a moment, I could agree that he was on the seventh floor. But there's no way there was someone with the name Ravenclaw in Hogwarts. You must have dreamt it," the redhead added as he took a large portion of eggs onto his plate.
"Why don't you believe me?" Neville glared.
"Well, I believe you. But what can we do? Do we confront him? And are we sure he was in the room?" Ron asked.
"See, I don't trust him, nor do you. We have to make Hermione believe us as well. And I'm certain he was in the room because he disappeared from the map after that. I was awake after midnight but didn't see him come out. Then I fell asleep. And in the morning, he was in his tower," Neville spoke.
"So next time we catch him?" Ron suggested.
"Yes, and bring Hermione as well. I will keep an eye on him with the map, and if I see him anywhere near the entrance of the room, I will tell you," Neville added.
"Alright. We'll get to the bottom of this," Ron agreed, as he took some eggs in mouth and glanced around the Great Hall. "But for now, let's keep this between us."
Neville nodded. "Agreed."
So, this was for the sixth chapter.
I appreciate any feedback and constructive criticism you can offer. Thank you for taking the time to read my story!
