There were many secrets in Hogwarts.
The Room of Requirement was one of them.
A magical space that transformed itself into whatever a person needed most, it had once become a training ground for Dumbledore's Army, a hiding place for cursed objects, even a full-on bathroom with golden taps.
But it had never become a fully functioning roadside Indian dhaba.
Until Aarav walked past it.
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š§āāļø The Walk of Hunger
It was late afternoon. Aarav was walking down the seventh-floor corridor, humming the "Shaktimaan" theme song and looking for a quiet place to nap. He hadn't eaten in three hoursāa lifetime by Indian standards.
He paused outside the Room of Requirement. The wall was blank.
He walked past once, thinking:
> "I just want a little peace and something to eat. Likeā¦ paratha. Aloo, obviously. And maybe chai. Maybe a banana leaf plate... yeah, with achar. Oof."
On his third pass, the door appeared. Not just any doorāthis one had a curtain of tulsi garlands, a faint smell of hing, and the sounds of distant honking and sizzle of oil.
Aarav grinned.
"Nice."
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šŖ Inside: A Full-Blown Dhaba
He pushed open the door, and was instantly hit with a warm breeze scented with masala and ghee.
Inside was a perfect roadside Indian dhaba, complete with:
Wobbly plastic tables with steel tumblers
Bollywood songs playing softly from a magic radio
Ceiling fans rotating lazily even without wiring
Menus written in glowing Devanagari script
A counter where a house-elf in a Nehru cap flipped parathas with insane skill
There was even a rickshaw in the corner with fairy lights, doubling as the "chill zone."
Aarav stood in awe.
"This is it. Thisā¦ is home."
---
š« The Menu
The glowing menu above the kitchen counter read:
WELCOME TO AARAV'S DHABA (Multi-Universal Cuisine)
Today's Specials:
- Aloo Paratha with White Butter & Amrit Chutney
- Paneer Butter Masala + Butter Naan Combo
- Idli Missile Platter (Flies onto your plate)
- Filter Chai (Spiced with Calmness)
- Kesar Kulfi (Enchanted to never melt)
Aarav didn't even need to order. The moment he sat, a floating leaf plate appeared in front of him. The paratha landed with a graceful thap! and a glass of steaming chai slowly descended like it had parachuted from heaven.
He took a bite.
"Yup," he said with a full mouth. "This is divine."
---
š§āāļø McGonagall's Visit
Word spread fast.
Professor McGonagall, curiousāand perhaps slightly concernedācame to inspect this new development. She entered the room cautiously, prepared for a mess.
Instead, she saw Aarav barefoot, feeding a squirrel from his plate while the squirrel chanted the Gayatri Mantra.
"Mr. Aarav," she said, pinching her nose, "Is this your room?"
"No, ma'am. The room just... felt my hunger. I didn't force it."
She looked around. The food smelled heavenly.
She spotted Flitwick already seated, blissfully eating dal tadka.
A group of Ravenclaws had pulled out notebooks to document the floating food delivery system.
She sighed.
"Fine. But I don't want to see pickle explosions in the hallway again."
"No promises," Aarav said, pouring her a glass of lassi.
---
šŖ Soon: Everyone Shows Up
The Room of Requirement became Hogwarts' worst-kept secret.
Slytherins came in out of curiosity and left with naan in their pockets.
Hufflepuffs offered to help with dish duty and were given enchanted scrubbers that danced to bhajans.
Gryffindors competed to eat the "Fiery Mirchi Challenge" and lost dramatically.
Even Nearly Headless Nick floated in one evening, tried the ethereal pani puri, and teared up.
> "I haven't tasted anything in centuries. Thatā¦ was transcendent."
Peeves, the prankster ghost, tried to spill chutney on the ceilingābut the room sprayed him with rose water and holy ash. He now comes in only for rasgullas.
---
š§āāļø Dumbledore's Portrait Reacts
In the Headmistress's office, Dumbledore's portrait raised an eyebrow.
"A dhaba in the Room of Requirement?" he mused.
McGonagall nodded. "He says it helps with focus."
Dumbledore chuckled. "I always said magic was emotion. Seems he added flavor to the formula."
---
š¬ Random Conversations Over Parathas
The dhaba quickly became a safe space, a magical blend of spirituality and chill. Students gathered to talk, joke, nap, and eat.
Some quotes heard over time:
"Aarav, can your kulfi teach me how not to melt in front of my crush?"
"Is it true you put a protection charm on the pickle jar?"
"The butter naan whispered a life lesson to me, bro."
"Dobby says he wants to start a chain of 'Divine Dhabas' now."
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šŖ Final Scene: Lights Out
That night, after everyone had gone, Aarav stayed back alone. The dhaba dimmed gently. The last candle flickered as he sipped his final chai.
He looked aroundācontent.
He tapped the table, and a line of jasmine flowers blossomed from the edge.
He whispered, "Thisā¦ this is what school should feel like."
As he walked out, the Room of Requirement faded behind himābut the scent of paratha lingered in the hallway, making even the stone walls smile.