Daisies • HP Next Generation

The Blame

Chapter 23: The Blame

After months of being at Hogwarts, the realization that she would soon be leaving the place seemed almost like a dream to Daisy. The rest of November and early December had passed so quickly, especially with the addition of regular Quidditch practice.

The first match Hufflepuff had was against Ravenclaw, and was rather uneventful. Daisy had gotten front-row seats since she was a backup player, but none of backup was needed for that game. Hufflepuff had won, but not by much. The keepers on both teams had let in few goals, and at the end of the match, both teams had only scored twice each, the winner being determined only by the catching of the snitch.

Every Quidditch enthusiast knew that Hufflepuff had the longest losing streak - not having won the cup for nearly a century. But this year, tension was high, because Gryffindor and Hufflepuff seemed almost on even ground - both were captained by one of the Wood twins who were well known for Quidditch skill. For the first time in forever, the most anticipated game wasn't the "inevitable" final between Gryffindor and Slytherin - but a final between Gryffindor and Hufflepuff.

Fortunately, Daisy wouldn't have to worry about this until she returned to Hogwarts after her Christmas Holiday, which was only a day away.

With only one evening left until the train ride home, Daisy had given herself a task to do. Over the past month, she and Jonathan had asked older students about the Room of Requirement, and gathered that the only way to summon it was to ask for a specific need while you walk past it three times. Students could ask the room "I need a toilet" or "I need a place to hide my stuff" or, most famously, "I need a place that no Voldemort supporters can get into."

Daisy had done something similar. She had wished to be back at home, but not in words so much as a picture. She had felt a feeling of longing while imagining the cozy rooms of her family's house. This is why, Daisy guessed, the room had been so specific in her case. This was the best explanation she and Jonathan had come up with. Sophie's wanderings had taken them past the wall three times, and from there, the room had sensed Daisy's need for encouragement, and delivered.*

This is the theory they went to test on their last evening at Hogwarts. They had left Sophia and Jasper behind - Daisy thought Sophia was bound to say something that was unintentionally insensitive, and Jasper had been spending his most of his time with Hugo recently anyway.

"You should start thinking about it now," Daisy told Jonathan.

Jonathan's eyes glazed over as he focused as much as he could on a room in his house that he missed. A few times, he nearly ran into other passing students or suits of armour, and Daisy had to redirect him so that he passed the wall three times. Sure enough, a door appeared.

Daisy pulled the door open. "You first!"

Jonathan walked in silently, and Daisy followed. The room they entered was evidently a sitting room. The walls were painted a pale green, and windows on two opposite sides of the room appeared to show a forested area outside.

After looking through these apparent windows, Daisy turned to Jonathan. Her friend was sitting on one of the grey couches, staring into the empty fireplace.

"So it worked?"

"It seems so," said Jonathan. "Everything I can remember is here. Either the castle just likes us, or people should have been visualising what they want instead of giving vague questions. Except in the cases where they didn't know what they were looking for, which now that I think about it, is how most people find this place. When they are looking for a room that they can't visualize. We need to come back here after the holiday."