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The Room of Requirement is a very useful secret feature of Hogwarts, but how did it get there in the first place?

Was it included (created or requested) by the Four Founders when they had the place built? If so, why isn't it better known, like any other special room in Hogwarts such as the library or the infirmary? Was it a secret the Founders wished to keep to themselves and perhaps some of their chosen acolytes?

Or was it made later on, by some great Headmaster or perhaps even some particularly gifted and enterprising students? This seems more likely given the apparently very small number of people aware of its existence in the present day, but would it really be feasible to create a whole new room in a pre-existing castle?

Who created the Room of Requirement, how, and when?

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    Since the Chamber of Secrets was made by Slytherin himself and not many knew about, it would stand to reason that the Four Founders could have also made the RoR.
    – Skooba - Stands Against AI
    Commented Jan 28, 2016 at 18:30
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    @MattGutting Recursion paradox?
    – Rand al'Thor ♦
    Commented Jan 28, 2016 at 19:08
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    No, there was a base case - the Doorway of Requirement.
    – Matt Gutting
    Commented Jan 28, 2016 at 19:33
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    Which was put in by an anonymous contractor who figured somebody would need a door somewhere around there.
    – Matt Gutting
    Commented Jan 28, 2016 at 19:33
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    The Hasbro chocolate frog cards (prob not written by JKR) credit Ravenclaw with the design of "the ever-changing floor plan". Assuming that was a reliable source, it may be possible to extrapolate from there to the RoR. Not sure if this is worth posting as an answer.
    – ibid
    Commented Apr 20, 2017 at 4:38

3 Answers 3

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I don't think we will ever know the answer to this question. It is never mentioned anywhere in canon how the room came to be. Perhaps it was the original 4 founders, maybe it was one of them, or maybe some headmaster who came after. We will never know unless someone in a future writing enters the room of requirement with "I need to know who created the room of requirement"

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  • I would bet on one of the founders, or an exceptionally bright student. A headmaster would not wish to have a room for students to store outlawed items
    – TimSparrow
    Commented Apr 20, 2017 at 11:11
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    Maybe someone needed the Room of Requirement, and it created itself.
    – Acccumulation
    Commented Jul 6, 2018 at 22:34
  • You know...your last sentence would solve so many questions here and everywhere else wouldn't it? A brilliant idea. Or is it? Perhaps having the answer to everything is a danger. Either way a great pun and the answer is the best we have: as you say unless Rowling answers this question we can all speculate but we won't know for sure. Still..the idea of a room that answers everything is an interesting idea that would tempt many people - perilously so.
    – Pryftan
    Commented Jul 6, 2018 at 23:38
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I believe that the Room of Requirement was added by the three remaining founders in answer to Slytherin's Chamber of Secrets. There seems to be something of each of the Founders incorporated into the room: dueling training from Gryffindor; learning from Ravenclaw; and homey touches from Hufflepuff.

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    The Room of Requirement turns into whatever people want at the time, the Dumbledore’s Army version is just what Harry wanted at the time. It can also contain chamber pots, hidden things, and probably other things depending on what people want.
    – Obsidia
    Commented May 30, 2018 at 16:17
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    Besides what Miss Bella ('hi @Bellatrix!') points out the chamber was called Chamber of Secrets for a reason; it isn't just what was in it that was secret but how to access it. So it wasn't the founders but even if it was - no evidence whatever - it wasn't because of the Chamber of Secrets.
    – Pryftan
    Commented Jul 6, 2018 at 23:53
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So, I have looked around a bit, but have no definitive answer, there are a few that could fit, but all of them also give me tiny doubts.

  1. Albus Dumbledore, it would make lots of sense, seeing as he is one of the most powerful wizards ever, and the first person to acknowledge its existence, slipping details of it to Harry.

  2. Rowena Ravenclaw: seems like something she would do, make a room that only the clever or the very lucky could discover, a room the only limits of which are the cleverness, creativity, and eloquence of the asker. Also, the diadem was hidden in there, giving her another connection to the room.

  3. Godric Gryffindor: perhaps he got the same idea as Slytherin, to make a secret place where those of his choosing could gain an immense advantage over the rest. It also makes me think of the line made by famous Gryffindor Albus Dumbledore:

    "Help shall always be offered at Hogwarts to those who ask for it"

    Giving the room to those who are brave of heart and are of great need.

  4. Go to this web address, and read this very interesting theory, that Lord Voldemort created the Room. While I think it is possible, I don't believe it for the reasons that this person gives, because their knowledge is very skewed, so read with a grain of salt.

As an afterthought, the idea of the three founders Gryffindor, Ravenclaw, and Hufflepuff being the co-creators is a very valid theory, giving evidence via symbolism, which is very important in the series, to be honest though, I would be very surprised if the answer to this question is never answered.

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    Albus Dumbledore tells Harry that he was surprised to find a room of chamber pots when he really needed to use the bathroom. This suggests that Dumbledore didn't create the room.
    – Thunderforge
    Commented Jul 6, 2018 at 21:26
  • @TJP - I added the info from your other answer to this one. Roll it back if this seems inappropriate. If you have trouble, try registering your account.
    – RDFozz
    Commented Jul 6, 2018 at 22:47
  • In addition to @Thunderforge's point (and indeed Dumbledore does mention discovering a room full of chamberpots) there's this little issue: I don't recall Dumbledore saying when he happened to find it; but even if he did more importantly is what he said about it: When I went back to investigate more closely, I discovered that the room had vanished. But I must keep an eye out for it. Possibly it is only accessible at five-thirty in the morning. Or it may only appear at the quarter moon — or when the seeker has an exceptionally full bladder.
    – Pryftan
    Commented Jul 6, 2018 at 23:47
  • As for Gryffindor: none of the founders - as I recall - knew about the Chamber; it was a legend and it was only kept alive because of a certain family in their pride bragging about it. The school had been searched many times for it but except for Harry &c only Parselmouths related to Slytherin found it.
    – Pryftan
    Commented Jul 6, 2018 at 23:48
  • And finally for Ravenclaw: cleverness has nothing to do with the room - or finding it. More so there's no evidence at all that she had anything to do with it. I already provided in your other answer (...) how Voldemort absolutely did not create it. The only valid thing you wrote - and I am by no means ridiculing you; you took the effort to try and answer it and that's commendable no matter the validity - is your last sentence and specifically the suggestion we'll never have a canon answer to the question; what we can do is show who did not create it.
    – Pryftan
    Commented Jul 6, 2018 at 23:51

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