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e； but his hopes were not high。 What he had not expected was for Dobby to give a little skip； his ears waggling cheerfully； and clap his hands together。
'Dobby knows the perfect place； sir！' he said happily。 'Dobby heard tell of it from the other house…elves when he came to Hogwarts； sir。 It is known by us as the e and Go Room； sir； or else as the Room of Requirement！'
'Why？' said Harry curiously。
'Because it is a room that a person can only enter；' said Dobby seriously； 'when they have real need of it。 Sometimes it is there； and sometimes it is not； but when it appears； it is always equipped for the seeker's needs。 Dobby has used it； sir；' said the elf； dropping his voice and looking guilty； 'when Winky has been very drunk； he has hidden her in the Room of Requirement and he has found antidotes to Butterbeer there； and a nice elf…sized bed to settle her on while she sleeps it off； sir： and Dobby knows Mr Filch has found extra cleaning materials there when he has run short； sir； and …'
'And if you really needed a bathroom；' said Harry； suddenly remembering something Dumbledore had said at the Yule Ball the previous Christmas； 'would it fill itself with chamber pots？'
'Dobby expects so； sir；' said Dobby； nodding earnestly。 'It is a most amazing room； sir。'
'How many people know about it？' said Harry； sitting up straighter in his chair。
'Very few； sir。 Mostly people stumbles across it when they needs it； sir； but often they never finds it again； for they do not know that it is always there waiting to be called into service； sir。'
'It sounds brilliant；' said Harry； his heart racing。 'It sounds perfect； Dobby。 When can you show me where it is？'
'Any time； Harry Potter； sir；' said Dobby； looking delighted at Harry's enthusiasm。 'We could go now； if you like！'
For a moment Harry was tempted to go with Dobby。 He was halfway out of his seat； intending to hurry upstairs for his Invisibility Cloak when； not for the first time； a voice very much like Hermione's whispered in his ear： reckless。 It was； after all； very late； he was exhausted； and had Snape's essay to finish。
'Not tonight； Dobby；' said Harry reluctantly； sinking back into his chair。 This is really important： I don't want to blow it； it'll need proper planning。 Listen； can you just tell me exactly where this Room of Requirement is； and how to get in there？'
* * *
Their robes billowed and swirled around them as they splashed across the flooded vegetable patch to double Herbology； where they could hardly hear what Professor Sprout was saying over the hammering of raindrops hard as hailstones on the greenhouse roof。 The afternoons Care of Magical Creatures lesson was to be relocated from the storm…swept grounds to a free classroom on the ground floor and； to their intense relief； Angelina had sought out her team at lunch to tell them that Quidditch practice was cancelled。
'Good；' said Harry quietly； when she told him； 'because we've found somewhere to have our first Defence meeting。 Tonight； eight o'clock； seventh floor opposite that tapestry of Barnabas the Barmy being clubbed by those trolls。 Can you tell Katie and Alicia？'
She looked slightly taken aback but promised to tell the others。 Harry returned hungrily to his sausages and mash。 When he looked up to take a drink of pumpkin juice； he found Hermione watching him。
'What？' he said thickly。
'Well： it's just that Dobby's plans aren't always that safe。 Don't you remember when he lost you all the bones in your arm？'
This room isn't just some mad idea of Dobby's； Dumbledore knows about it； too； he mentioned it to me at the Yule Ball。'
Hermione's expression cleared。 V
'Dumbledore told you about it？'
'Just in passing；' said Harry； shrugging。
'Oh； well； that's all right then；' said Hermione briskly and raised no more objections。
Together with Ron they had spent most of the day seeking out those people who had signed their names to the list in the Hog's Head and telling them where to meet that evening。 Somewhat to Harry's disappointment； it was Ginny who managed to find Cho Chang and her friend first； however； by the end of dinner he was confident that the news had been passed to every one of the twenty…five people who had turned up in the Hog's Head。
At half past seven Harry； Ron and Hermione left the Gryffindor mon room； Harry clutching a certain piece of aged parchment in his hand。 Fifth…years were allowed to be out in the corridors until nine o'clock； but all three of them kept looking around nervously as they made their way along the seventh floor。
'Hold it；' Harry warned； unfolding the piece of parchment at the top of the last staircase； tapping it with his wand and muttering； 'I solemnly swear that I am up to no good。'
A map of Hogwarts appeared on the blank surface of the parchment。 Tiny black moving dots； labelled with names； showed where various people were。
'Filch is on the second floor；' said Harry； holding the map close to his eyes； 'and Mrs Norris is on the fourth。'
'And Umbridge？' said Hermione anxiously。
'In her office；' said Harry； pointing。 'OK； lets go。'
They hurried along the corridor to the place Dobby had described to Harry； a stretch of blank wall opposite an enormous tapestry depicting Barnabas the Barmy's foolish attempt to train trolls for the ballet。
'OK；' said Harry quietly； while a moth…eaten troll paused in his relentless clubbing of the would…be ballet teacher to watch them。 'Dobby said to walk past this bit of wall three times； concentrating hard on what we need。'
They did so； turning sharply at the window just beyond the blank stretch of wall； then at the man…sized vase on its other side。 Ron had screwed up his eyes in concentration； Hermione was whispering something under her breath； Harry's fists were clenched as he stared ahead of him。
We need somewhere to learn to fight： he thought。 Just give us a place to practise： somewhere they can't find us：
'Harry！' said Hermione sharply； as they wheeled around after their third walk past。
A highly polished door had appeared in the wall。 Ron was staring at it； looking slightly wary。 Harry reached out； seized the brass handle； pulled open the door and led the way into a spacious room lit with flickering torches like those that illuminated the dungeons eight floors below。
The walls were lined with wooden bookcases and instead of chairs there were large silk cushions on the floor。 A set of shelves at the far end of the room carried a range of instruments such as Sneakoscopes； Secrecy Sensors and a large； cracked Foe…Glass that Harry was sure had hung； the previous year； in the fake Moody's office。
These will be good when we're practising Stunning；' said Ron enthusiastically； prodding one of the cushions with his foot。
'And just look at these books！' said Hermione excitedly； running a finger along the spines of the large leather…bound tomes。 'A pendium of mon Curses and their Counter…Actions： The Dark Arts Outsmarted： Self…Defensive Spellwork： wow：〃 She looked around at Harry； her face glowing； and he saw that the presence of hundreds of books had finally convinced Hermione that what they were doing was right。 'Harry； this is wonderful； there's everything we need here！'
And without further ado she slid Jinxes for the Jinxed from its shelf； sank on to the nearest cushion and began to read。
There was a gentle knock on the door。 Harry looked round。 Ginny； Neville； Lavender； Parvati and Dean had arrived。
'Whoa；' said Dean； staring around； impressed。 'What is this place？'
Harry began to explain； but before he had finished more people had arrived and he had to start all over again。 By the time eight o'clock arrived； every cushion was occupied。 Harry moved across to the door and turned the key protruding from the lock； it clicked in a satisfyingly loud way and everybody fell silent； looking at him。 Hermione carefully marked her page of Jinxes for the Jinxed and set the book aside。
'Well；' said Harry； slightly nervously。 This is the place we've found for practice sessions； and you've … er … obviously found it OK。'
'It's fantastic！' said Cho； and several people murmured their agreement。
'It's bizarre；' said Fred； frowning around at it。 'We once hid from Filch in here； remember； George？ But it was just a broom cupboard then。'
'Hey； Harry； what's this stuff？' asked Dean from the rear of the room； indicating the Sneakoscopes and the Foe…Glass。
'Dark detectors；' said Harry； stepping between the cushions to reach them。 'Basically they all show when Dark wizards or enemies are around； but you don't want to rely on them too much； they can be fooled：'
He gazed for a moment into the cracked Foe…Glass； shadowy figures were moving around inside it； though none was recognisable。 He turned his back on it。
'Well； I've been thinking about the sort of stuff we ought to do first and … er …' He noticed a raised hand。 'What； Hermione？'
'I think we ought to elect a leader；' said Hermione。
'Harry's leader；' said Cho at once； looking at Hermione as though she were mad。
Harry's