the room of requirement

Author's Notes:

Uhm ... ok ... I have to admit ... English is not my language by birth ... so ... please do not kill me while reading ... neither for the bad English I use, nor for what I am writing ...

I do know that there doesn't happen much during the first few chapters – but well, our Potions Master has to be introduced into the world of chats ... and I just have to give him a few things to think about. He is new at least and honestly – would you give information away to a new chatter on your first few conversations?

Warning:

Story contains references to child abuse.

Child abuse is a really, really serious and evil thing, and whenever you meet someone, child or adult, who shows any signs – whichever - of once being abused, then try to help ... there are too much humans in our world who are or had been mistreated.

what does not mean I am not as evil as I pretend to be ... ^.~ ... believe me – I am ...

break … ~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~ … line

Previously in The room of requirement

After then Potter had left without a word, unlikely him according to Mr. Thomas.

Well, Adrian and Granger had known something, as before Potter had known something about Adrian.

Yes, he really would visit again, and he really would have an eye at them, first of all at Adrian.

The room of requirement

Chapter two

A private dialog

Thursday

Snape had just had dinner, and now he entered his library.

He would find out more today about the 'room of requirement'. It was half past eight and he was curious as to who would be present today.

Well, yes – he had thought about it throughout the day, about the room and about communicating with annoying and idiotic students over his well earned summer holidays and he nearly had dismissed the idea a few times. Why should he bother writing with some of the students – Gryffindors no less, not to mention Potter – during his well-deserved break? That was just stupid. He really could use his time more efficiently.

He had to stock the infirmary for the upcoming school year, he had to brew the antidotes for the potions he would have his students brewing after the summer break, he had lesson plans to make and not to mention he had to finish the article about his new potion he had been asked to publish in the next edition of 'Potions Monthly'. He didn't mind the money he would get for this, but he knew how much young witches and wizards would gain out of this one, how many lives could be saved with this potion – maybe. But at least they had a chance with this potion in the first place, and therefore – it was important.

But then – he had to admit, he was curious. Potter had been civil, Granger had not been her typical know-it-all, and Weasley hadn't been present at all. Well – Weasley surely didn't even know what a computer was in the first place. However, and then, there was Adrian, a student from his own house, and he wanted to know what he was doing in a Gryffindor chat room.

He could write on his article later, or tomorrow. So he started his computer and opened the site he needed, 'lumos-net'.

At first he clicked at his profile and really, it was empty. He would think about something – and how this worked – later. Just now he wanted to know who was present in the 'room of requirement'.

[Darkmaster enters the room of requirement at 8:31 pm]

founders: hello Darkmaster, nice to see you this evening.

Hermy: hello Darkmaster, how are you today?

Darkmaster: Good evening, founders. Nice to see you too, but your greeting is always the same. Not really eloquent.

Darkmaster: Good evening, Hermy. I am fine, thank you. The same hopefully goes for you.

Hermy: yes, thanks. But the founders are no person. He is the bot.

Darkmaster: Who or what is a bot?

Hermy: it comes from the term roBOTer, Darkmaster. It is only a program that is running in the background.

Darkmaster: I see. And what exactly is the purpose of a – bot?

Hermy: well, the bot keeps the room open when none of us is here, it gives out operator rights and it recognizes simple orders

Darkmaster: Like?

Hermy: well, if you place an exclamation mark before a word like !coke , then the bot will react with the sentence he is ordered to give

founders: here, take a coke, directly from the fridge … |_| … nice and cool …

Hermy: !thank you, founders

founders: you're welcome, Hermy … anytime again …

Hermy: you see, the bot even recognizes the users and adds their names into his sentences – sometimes, if he is programmed with an @selecteduser@ in his sentences he is to give

Darkmaster: Ingenious. So it is a dead but interactive user.

Hermy: something like that, yes

[gryffidean enters the room of requirement at 8:41 pm]

founders: hello gryffidean, nice to see you this evening.

Hermy: hi gryffidean

gryffidean: hi Hermy … Justin is coming too in a moment

Darkmaster: Good evening, gryffidean

gryffidean: hello Darkmaster

Hermy: how are you today, gryffidean?

gryffidean: fine, thanks, you?

Hermy: me too, thanks

[Finnigan01 enters the room of requirement at 8:47 pm]

founders: hello Finnigan01, nice to see you this evening.

Hermy: hi Finnigan01

gryffidean: hi Finnigan01

Finnigan01: hi Darkmaster, gryffidean and Hermy

Darkmaster: Good evening, Finnigan01

Finnigan01: a new face … Darkmaster … which house from?

Darkmaster: Slytherin, Finnigan01. You are from Gryffindor, I presume?

Finnigan01: yap

Finnigan01: hey, Hermy, where's Harry? I wanted to ask him how I can create the buttons with 'the wand'

Hermy: Harry is not here yet. I don't know when he will come.

Hermy: But well, you hit 'options', then 'buttons' and then you just have to write the sentences you want to use for them.

gryffidean: oh, thanks Hermy … i too didn't know this one

Finnigan01: ahhh … thank you, Hermy … I'll try it at once … wait a minute …

Hermy: no problem you two

Darkmaster: I take it, that you are quite comfortable with using the computer, Hermy?

Hermy: oh, only a bit, Darkmaster. I guess Harry and me complement one another, we're trying to find out how things work when they come up

[plainliquid enters the room of requirement at 9:01 pm]

founders: hello plainliquid, nice to see you this evening.

plainliquid: hi Darkmaster … new here, I see … that's good, new members, I mean

Hermy: hello plainliquid, you're ok?

plainliquid: hi Finnigan01, didn't see you for a time

plainliquid: hi gryffidean, you got your info about 'the wand'?

Darkmaster: Good evening, plainliquid. Yes, it is quite a nice room here

Finnigan01: hello plainliquid, i was here yesterday … you weren't

plainliquid: hi Hermy, had a nice day?

gryffidean: hi plainliquid, Hermy told me how to create the buttons, yes

plainliquid: hey, did anyone Snape's essay yet?

gryffidean: Hermy did, but she won't help you, i already asked her yesterday

Lifting his eyebrow Snape chuckled darkly. He should have known that the subject of teachers, maybe him especially, would come up at one time or another during the conversation. Well, he would see what direction this would go to. He was quite amused.

plainliquid: hey, Darkmaster … which year are you in?

Well, that was not a question he had considered when he had entered the 'room of requirement'. Well, he would not lower himself to a fourth year as were the others. Maybe a seventh year. Yes, that would do.

Hermy: yes, I already did it, but I won't help you until you tried it by yourself

Darkmaster: I am in seventh year, plainliquid.

plainliquid: damn, then you don't have the same essay as we have, Darkmaster

gryffidean: you are a seventh year, Darkmaster ? cool

Hermy: I thought as much. Your way of writing is not as lazy as that of gryffidean for example who is not able to write 'I' but always writes 'i' …

gryffidean is growling at Hermy ...

[justharry enters the room of requirement at 9:21 pm]

[justharry gets op-rights from the founders]

founders: hello justharry, nice to see you this evening … want a coke ? … |_| …

Hermy: hey justharry, you are early today, you're ok?

justharry: hi Hermy, course. You?

justharry: hello plainliquid

justharry: welcome back, Darkmaster

Darkmaster: Good evening, justharry. Thank you.

justharry: hi Finnigan01 and gryffidean

plainliquid: hi justharry, you really are early

justharry: oh, and hi founders … *patthebot'sshoulder*

Finnigan01: hi justharry

gryffidean: hi justharry

justharry: no problem, Darkmaster

Hermy: may I have a dia for a moment, justharry?

justharry: course, Hermy

[justharry is away for a moment]

[Hermy is away for a moment]

Darkmaster: a dia? What is a dia? If I may ask.

plainliquid: a dia is a private dialog, Darkmaster. You click onto the name of one of the users, and then you chose 'private dialog'.

Finnigan01: it's a private dialog in an extra window. Only you and the other user can read it if you write in this window, Darkmaster.

Darkmaster: I see. Thank you, plainliquid and Finnigan01

plainliquid: no prob, Darkmaster

Finnigan01: so, whom of you had a date so far this summer?

plainliquid: hmpf … boys!

Finnigan01: what?

gryffidean: not yet … you are just too far away, Finnigan01 … *lol*

Finnigan01: how funny, gryffidean …

gryffidean: what?

Finnigan01: you're stupid, gryffidean, I mean it … I have one tomorrow, and … I don't know …

[Finnigan01 is warned by the founders]

founders: do not insult the other users, Finnigan01, or leave the room!

Finnigan01: oh, come on … ok … stu-pid founders …

Finnigan01: but really … I have one tomorrow, and I'm, uhm, dunno, I feel strange

plainliquid: I guess you will be fine, at least if you behave once in your life, Finnigan01

Finnigan01: oh, thanks, plainliquid

plainliquid: you're quite welcome, Finnigan01 *lol*

gryffidean: what's your problem, Finnigan01? It's just a date

[Hermy is back in the room of requirement]

Hermy: hi back there

[justharry is back in the room of requirement]

justharry: hello back, everyone

plainliquid: re Hermy and justharry

Finnigan01: re Hermy and justharry

gryffidean: re you both

Darkmaster: what is re?

Hermy: re is the shortcut for retour, means welcome back

Darkmaster: I see. In this case, welcome back, you two

justharry: thanks to all

[itsi enters the room of requirement at 9:21 pm]

justharry: hi itsi - yet again ... ^.~

[itsi leaves the room of requirement at 9:22]

gryffidean: why do you still greet him, or her, whoever it is, justharry? he or she leaves anyway a moment after entering

justharry: because I show manners. you just greet when someone enters a room, don't you?

gryffidean: he or she doesn't do so

justharry: what doesn't mean I have to lower myself to the same level

Well, maybe it was time to get a bit more information than the sex life of Finnigan and the boldness of Thomas.

Plainliquid, whoever that was, yet – he guessed a girl from the beforehand mentioned 'boys!' - was as civil as Miss Granger was. Even Potter seemed to be civil. Well, if he wrote anything at all.

The room seemed to belong to Granger and to Potter, but Potter – even if present – didn't write much. He was greeting the users and offering answers to questions, but he did not do much more. Yet – it seemed not always like this. Granger had mentioned so yesterday, when she had announced to Potter that he was very quiet.

Yes – maybe it was time to use this private dialog.

He clicked onto the name 'justharry' and he got a list

'profile'

'private dialog'

'write mail'

'ignore user'

'report user'

'add user to friends list'

He chose 'private dialog' and a new, a smaller window opened.

[you have opened a private dialog to the user justharry]

Darkmaster: Hello.

justharry: hi there, Darkmaster. Can I help you?

Darkmaster: No, I just was curious about this function.

justharry: oh, that's quite alright

Darkmaster: You are Potter, right?

justharry: there isn't another Harry at Hogwarts, so yes, I guess I am

Darkmaster: It wasn't meant as an insult.

justharry: I do not take it as one

Darkmaster: Alright, you just sounded like you did and I wanted to make sure it was none.

justharry: don't worry

Darkmaster: You left rather quickly yesterday. Was something wrong?

justharry: don't worry about that either. Was just tired

justharry: and who are you, if I may ask? Your nickname isn't one you could learn from who you were

Darkmaster: That's just the trick, isn't it?

justharry: *lol* right. So, you're in Slytherin. Which year?

Darkmaster: Seventh.

Darkmaster: You are living with your relatives, I heard? With your aunt and uncle.

justharry: yeah. You?

Darkmaster: I do live by my own.

justharry: cool, I wished I could just do that too

Darkmaster: Why would you wish that?

justharry: several reasons, never mind

justharry: is it your first time you use a chat room?

Darkmaster: I have to admit, yes. I have visited one a year ago, but it wasn't that impressing so I left shortly after entering.

justharry: thanks for the compliment in that case

Darkmaster: You're welcome. Why is it that you are much more eloquent here than in the room itself?

justharry: *shrugshoulders* sometimes it is easier to concentrate onto a single person than talking to the entire lot

Darkmaster: As when you are tired?

justharry: exactly. But as Hermy is there, I don't have to watch that closely what's going on in there

Darkmaster: Your bot as well is watching. He too is warning users, I saw earlier.

justharry: he just warns them when a word is used with which he is fed and ordered to warn upon, not on special situations

justharry: are you muggle-born? Or halfblood?

Darkmaster: Halfblood. My father was a muggle.

Darkmaster: What is your favorite color?

justharry: you may laugh, but besides of black, it is green

Darkmaster: Green? That indeed is a surprise.

justharry: yours?

Darkmaster: Black and green.

justharry: .oO( … I should have known … )

Darkmaster: Why did you come up with this chat? If you do not mind me asking.

justharry: it wasn't me. In fact it was Hermy. But I am glad for it. This way at least I am able to have some contact to the outward world during the holidays

Darkmaster: Why wouldn't you have contact to the outward world during the holidays without this chat?

justharry: *laugh* … never mind

Darkmaster: Hey, I have answered all of your questions truthfully up to now.

justharry: no, you have not. You did not say who you are. And besides, who would care anyway? It's not that important, so just forget it

Darkmaster: You could find out who I am – by asking questions. But I only will answer truthfully, if you do as well.

justharry: ^.~

justharry: ok

Darkmaster: So, why wouldn't you have contact to the outward world during the holidays without this chat?

justharry: *snort* ... as if the Dursleys would allow me ANY contact to anyone. I am not even allowed to the neighboring children

Darkmaster: So, what are you doing all summer?

justharry: it is not your turn. But as we are at it, what are YOU doing all summer?

Darkmaster: Alright. I am reading a lot, growing plants in the garden, or I do researches for potions

justharry: so, potions is your favorite subject I guess

Darkmaster: I do hope that wasn't a question. But yes, potions is my favorite subject. So, what are you doing all summer then?

justharry: well, that one is easy to answer. Doing chores … and chatting at night if I am not too tired

Darkmaster: Doing chores? Just chores?

justharry: yes, just chores, what's wrong with that?

Darkmaster: Nothing at all. I just wondered what kind of chores would take one all summer long.

justharry: believe me, there are enough. However, I'm tired and tomorrow morning comes soon enough

Darkmaster: Alright. So I guess we will continue this tomorrow evening.

justharry: yeah, if I can make it

Snape closed the window of the private dialog and landed back in the 'room of requirement'.

Well, this had been an interesting dialog. He guessed he had never spoken to Potter as much as he had this evening, and he was not even annoyed by the Gryffindor. He never would have believed this.

Maybe it made a difference if he did not have to see the image of James Potter when he talked with Harry Potter. He frowned at that thought. Was that the only reason for the annoyance he always felt towards Potter? His resemblance to his father? To James Potter? Surely not.

justharry: don't be offended guys, but I am tired. Good night plainliquid, Darkmaster, Finnigan01, gryffidean and Hermy. Sleep well and have nice dreams

Darkmaster: Good night to you too, justharry.

Hermy: night justharry, sleep well and don't get in trouble tomorrow with the Dursleys

plainliquid: sleep well, justharry, till soon

Finnigan01: gn8 justharry

gryffidean: gn8 justharry

[justharry leaves the room of requirement at 11:09]

Darkmaster: How is it that Potter is roaming the school at night but is going to bed during the holidays at eleven?

Hermy: he has enough work to do during the day, Darkmaster

gryffidean: maybe he is sleeping ahead during classes so he can roam the school at night without being tired … *lol*

plainliquid: don't be an idiot, gryffidean. That's not the case

[plainliquid is warned by the founders]

founders: do not insult the other users, plainliquid, or leave the room!

plainliquid: you really have to change the founders, Hermy. That's quite not fair, I used a normal phrase

Hermy: tell Harry, plainliquid. HE is responsible for the founders, and if he chose that he will not have it with this word to be used in the 'room of requirement', then it is his decision.

Darkmaster: So, you came up with the chat in general, and Potter is responsible for the bot, Hermy?

Hermy: that's correct, Darkmaster. Harry is in charge of the room and responsible for the bot and I for the room and for the page itself

Darkmaster: And why, pray tell, does he emphasize to not using certain words?

Hermy: well, so no one is offended. Where would we go if you could offend others? Then this room would go down the hill. It is important that every one who enters the 'room of requirement' does feel welcomed and – well, safe … kind of … so he at least said

Darkmaster: I see.

plainliquid: yes, but with some words he clearly overreacted. I mean, come on, Hermy … stu-pid, or Idi-ot, that are normal words not just used to offend others

Hermy: that might be, plainliquid, but honestly, Harry has a point, for it CAN be used to offend others. And besides, as I already told you, it is Harry's decision, mention it to him. I can't do anything about it, and I would not even do so if I could. Harry does not interfere in my duties either.

gryffidean: *lol* … you should listen to yourself, plainliquid and Hermy … you sound really like an old couple …

Hermy: *shakinghead*

Darkmaster: What is the meaning of *lol*? I read it a few times up to now.

Hermy: 'lol' comes from 'laughing out loud' … and written in an asterisk, it means something that you are doing at the moment … so *lol* means, that the user is laughing out loud at the moment

gryffidean: then there is *rofl* … means 'rolling on the floor, laughing'

Hermy: correct … and *g* means *grin* …

Darkmaster: I see, so this is an entire language of its own?

Hermy: not really. There are not enough terms to use for really communicating this way

Darkmaster: I meant this rather – rhetorical.

gryffidean: ok, and then there are things like :-) means a smiling face … or :-( means a sad face …

Darkmaster: ^.~ … means one raised eyebrow, I presume?

Hermy: yes, you are quite right. It is Harry's favorite. Yet – I guess slythadrian copied it from him

Darkmaster: And what is O.o?

gryffidean: *lol* … some sort of a funny face. It means many things, at least when slythadrian uses this one

Darkmaster: I see.

gryffidean: i though like this one: :-o

Hermy: yes, gryffidean … openmouthed … salivating … and incapable of writing 'I' instead of 'i'

Darkmaster: *snort*

gryffidean: hey, that's quite unfair … i'm not allowed to write stupid, but you are allowed to insult me? That's not fair

[gryffidean is warned by the founders]

founders: do not insult the other users, gryffidean , or leave the room!

gryffidean: hey, what did i do? i haven't done anything, just explaining things

Darkmaster: That – was quite intelligent, gryffidean.

Hermy is shaking her head

gryffidean: that's not fair

Hermy: you should have known that this would happen, gryffidean

Hermy: well, Darkmaster, if you use /me at the beginning of a sentence, then the colon is left out and the sentence is not like speaking but like doing something.

Hermy uses /me at the beginning of the sentence

Darkmaster thinks this room more and more interesting

Hermy: well, if you are thinking something, then you can use /think, at the beginning of the sentence, then it will be in a thought bubble

Hermy: .oO( … so you can think something without saying it … )

Darkmaster: .oO( Ingenious )

gryffidean: hmpf … i didn't know this one …

Hermy: I always knew that you are incapable of thinking … gryffidean …

gryffidean: you better be glad that Harry isn't here – he would behead you for insulting me like this … he likes beheading people

Hermy: I'm an op … I am allowed to insult you … *lol*

Finnigan01: *lol*

Darkmaster smirks

Hermy: yes, like this, Darkmaster. I see you are able to express yourself in 'chat-language'

Darkmaster: It is not really an art.

Hermy: so say you, Darkmaster. Harry would say otherwise

Darkmaster: How so?

Hermy: well, once I entered the 'room of requirement' with another nick because I lost my password. And he knew it was me within five sentences. The way you write, the way you express yourself here, what signs you use, what words, or if you use a lot of '…' and other such things shows who is behind the words.

plainliquid: that's correct. And Hermy and Harry both for example always know how we are feeling, just by watching the way we write, or something like that. I never would manage that

Darkmaster: Well, you may have a point. In this case, it actually might be an art.

Hermy: I don't know. Maybe it just has something to do with watching the users and the way they express themselves

gryffidean: hey … that's too complicated for me, guys … I'm here just for fun …

Hermy: what exactly is the reason as to why you are no op

Darkmaster: What is an op?

Hermy: an operator. He is responsible for a room. And for the users. We do not only write here, we look out to our users. We ask them if they alright if we think they are not, we try to help them if they have problems, and we are here if they want to talk. And if they do not behave, we throw them out.

Darkmaster: I am curious. How so?

Hermy: I will show you, Darkmaster. May I, plainliquid? Just for a demonstration?

plainliquid: of course, go ahead, Hermy

plainliquid: .oO( Hermy is quite stu-pid … and :-p … and … well … *lol* )

[plainliquid is kicked out of the room of requirement by Hermy at 11:50 pm]

[plainliquid enters the room of requirement at 11:51 pm]

founders: hello plainliquid, nice to see you this evening.

plainliquid: re all … *lol* … you see, Darkmaster?

Darkmaster: Quite impressive.

Hermy: well, we have to be able to do something if matters go out of hands – or rather before they get out of hands

Darkmaster: Well, but they are able to come back in after you threw them out and continue with their trouble-making.

Hermy: yes, they can. But only three times. After that they are banned from the room for 24 hours and if they don't behave after that we can ban their IP.

Darkmaster: I see. However, I will leave now. Thank you for all the information.

Hermy: no problem, night Darkmaster, sleep well

Darkmaster: Good night, plainliquid, Finnigan01, gryffidean and Hermy.

plainliquid: night Darkmaster, till soon I hope

gryffidean: n8 Darkmaster

Finnigan01: n8 Darkmaster

Closing all the windows Snape leaned back in his chair, a thoughtful expression on his face and he crossed his arms in front of his chest. Well, this evening had been even more interesting than yesterday evening. He had quite noticed a few things. And he had learned a few things either. About this chat room about the bot called founders, and about the private dialogs.

Potter had created a bot that was watching over the room so the users would have to be civil. He had created a bot that was neutral, the founders, it stood for each house, so everyone who came in would be feeling welcomed. No one would have to feel out of the place. That was quite not what he had thought from the Gryffindor. Yet – Potter got a different greeting from the bot than the others. And he got op-rights when he entered. He had not thought of Potter being someone who could be responsible for something. And responsible for something involving a lot of other people no less.

Well, in general the girls seemed to be more civil and eloquent than the boys, what was quite expectable compared to the real world. Except for Potter. He was as civil as the girls were, but not as eloquent. Well, yes, he was. But not in the room itself. There he really was quiet. But in a private dialog, he was quite eloquent. Because there he had to concentrate onto one person only and not onto the lot as he put it.

Potter seemed to be offended by the mentioning of him being Harry Potter and it seemed he did not easily talk about himself, nor about his relatives. He wished he could live by his own and he did not have contact during the summer but did chores instead and thus went to bed earlier than when being at Hogwarts. And he liked Slytherin colors.

But, why would the Brat-That-Was-Being-Handled-Kingly-By-His-Relatives would not have contact to other children or teenagers during the summer? And why would he even do chores during the summer? Why would he wish to live by his own instead of with his relatives who waited for him on hands and knees? That was not like a Potter at all.

Well, maybe his relatives knew that a few chores would not kill him.

But then, Miss Granger seemed to be worried about Potter.

He snorted.

Most likely Potter didn't get his dessert each meal.

Well, he would be back tomorrow and try to find out more, he decided while he took a parchment and a quill and then continued his work on his article for 'Potions Monthly'.

Tomorrow.

His curiosity had set in, as had his spy instincts.

break … ~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~ … line

To be continued

Next time in The room of requirement

Some fun that can happen in a chat room.

Added author's note

thank you for reading – and yes, I would appreciate it if you took the time to review this chapter too, thank you ...