Work Text:
The Room of Requirement sighed with boredom. It felt like ages since summer began, but alas. . . it was only July. He couldn’t wait until the students returned to Hogwarts with a fresh new batch of requests the Room of Requirement was ever so happy to fulfill. Despite the wizarding world’s tendency to be extremely old fashioned, the students were certainly evolving. To the room’s great amusement, students and their requests seemed to become stranger and ballsier with every passing year.
Of course, the need to hide an item has been consistent since the Room’s existence, as evidenced by the mounds of and mounds of treasured junk in the place where everything is hidden. The room chuckled to himself when thought of young naïve Tom Riddle. Was the boy really so arrogant to believe that he had discovered a secret room no one else would uncover? The very room piled with evidence that suggested the exact opposite? Seriously, smart people could be so stupid sometimes. If the Room could roll his eyes, he absolutely would have done so in this moment.
One way in which the students seemed to progress over the years, was in horniness and sexual activity. Dear god, it was getting bonkers. On one hand, he was extremely pleased to have surpassed the Astronomy Tower in being the iconic make out spot. Sure, she had a nice view and everything, but the Room of Requirement was clearly far superior. On the hand however, he has had to be witness to some extremely awkward underage hook-ups. Blech.
Not all times the Room was used by young and in love teens has been retched though. He has also witnessed some of the most adorable and wholesome moments imaginable. He was there for Dean and Seamus’s first awkwardly beautiful first kiss. He aided a 17-year-old Arthur Weasley in providing Molly Prewett with an incredibly sweet 1-year anniversary dinner. On more than one occasion, he has even transformed into a small LGBTQ library that has allowed young folks to come to terms with their gender and sexuality. These were definitely some of the most inspirational and satisfactory moments he had the privilege to be a part of. However, they weren’t the most memorable.
Nothing. Nothing. . . compares to how a select few students used the room following the Battle of Hogwarts in 1998. These students saw firsthand how the Room became a sanctuary and a place of comradery for innocent children and heroes in one of the darkest years in Hogwarts’ history. And yet. . .Luna Lovegood, Justin Flinch-Fletchley, and Neville Longbottom, decided an excellent use of the room would be to house the Giant Squid. That’s right. . . the Giant Squid.
To be fair, the whole thing started because those three are just too precious and heroic for their own good. It was Luna who had discovered the Giant Squid suffered an injury in the Battle of Hogwarts. It was Justin who said he may be able to heal the squid if he had proper equipment, because he was training to be a magizoologist and his mother was of course, a squid biologist. And it was Neville who had suggested using the Room of Requirement.
The Room will never forget that day. He was minding his own business, praising himself on his contributions to the downfall of that naïve Tom Riddle, when an unruly sight met his non-existent eyes. Standing there in front of the Barnabus the Barmy tapestry was a 70ft giant squid with only 6 arms and three red-faced and exhausted-looking teenagers. The Room not only had to conjure a large aquarium and medical supplies for the squid, but he also had to provide the three most comfortable beds for the 3 teens. They certainly deserved a long sufficient rest after levitating the Giant Squid all the way from the lake to the 7th floor corridor. He had to admire their commitment.
The squid they named Calmar had regenerated their 2 severed arms in 2 months, but didn’t return to the lake until 1 year later. It seemed as though all 3 human had their own reasons for wanting to delay Calmar’s release from the Room.
Justin decided to return to Hogwarts for his missed 7th year and took on an independent study of Magizoology, specializing in squid biology. He studied until he knew every detail imaginable about Calmar that can be obtained without dissection. Ironically, dissection is the only foolproof way of determining the sex of a squid which drove Justin crazy. Sure, Justin worked out Calmar’s age, sleep habits, diet, magical properties, & regeneration speed. But if you don’t know the sex of the only known giant squid in the lake, then you don’t know its reproduction habits, meaning you don’t know how it even came to be. . . which is just embarrassing.
In a very different tone. . . Luna choreographed an interpretive dance routine for her & Calmar. The Room couldn’t help himself but smile when he recalled the shocked yet impressed faces of Neville and Justin when they walked in on Luna & Calmar dance acting the emotional plot of Titanic to Celine Dion’s “My Heart Will Go On.” It was actually quite beautiful.
Neville, being his true wonderful self, wanted to use this opportunity to provide some much needed cheer to Hogwarts following the aftermath of the war. Neville hosted a charity event in which hundreds of witches and wizards were invited to the Room of Requirement to admire the spectacle that is the iconic giant squid of the great lake. The money raised was used to support families and communities with all their losses. At this event, Justin conducted a Sea World-style demonstration for the audience, showing off his inkredible squid knowledge. And of course, Luna and Calmar performed their interpretive dance which brought just about every person in attendance to tears.
The Room severely misses those days, but it was also extremely exhausting creating enough space for a giant ass squid and hundreds of people. He can’t wait to see what future shenanigans will occur.