"What about for some of the floos?" West tried something different, hand up. "So that random people can't come into the school, but professors can still use them when they need to?"

Well, good grief! All the good answers were gone by the time that it was Emmanuelle's turn. Or were they? She thought of one that hadn't been said yet, but wondered if it counted as a password. No other way to find out than to try, right. "Um, the Spirit Room requires that you be invited by a ghost to get in. That could count, right?" Thinking outside of the box, that one.

Jory raised his hand. "Maybe the Entrance gate has one?'' he suggested, not sure at all. Maybe the Gate just had sophisticated enchantments protecting it but still... someone who expect that and not the use of passwords.

Man, people had jumped on the current question fast. I can't think of any place else at Hogwarts that requires a password. Oichi thought for a moment and came up with a place but she thought may have a password but she was not sure. She raised her hand and said, "Does the teachers lounge perhaps have a password to keep students out so the teachers have a private quiet place for planning and chatting." Even not being cerrain she was glad she atleast thought of something different to make a good educated guess.

Hmm....... hmm.... hmm....

Theo paused for a moment, cos whilst all the other students were quick to answer, he tried to think of something else. Hogwarts MUST have a secret box to stash away all their cash and jewels... Yeah, he'd go with that, so he raised his hand hiiiiiiiigh, to be seen.

"If..." Yes, if. Theo knew noooothing, "... Hogwarts had a safe to put all the.... valuables in.... that would have a password." Or a secret code. It all fit under the same category, he thought.

Cassia was still trying to figure out why Professor Scabior liked to variegate so much. A lesson in a small room with puzzles and stuff then the next lesson is about ...passwords? Why were they talking about passwords. History topics are slim or something so Scabior was holding such an easy one. Well, easy one until now anyway. And ever though that still didn't ring a bell on Cassia's brain. She always didn't know what to answer easy and hard questions. She was a girl that answered only average ones. Though she really hated sitting there like a statue. And when she was going to think of an answer studens started mentioning them ALL. She frowned at no one and everyone. She didn't even get to think about this. Wow...they were all Ravenclaws.

She raised her hand and spoke not so loudly only to establish her presence at the class and because all the answers were said. "I think any place can be protected by a password. There must be a charm to do so." Yeah off topic but she had to speak.

Laura looked at the Professor. "I would say that the Kitchens would need a password to get in so that we don't just go down there and eat all the food." Okay so the password was easy to find out but you still needed one.

Kat was pretty soaked up with the lesson despite her lack of interest. Passwords, what an excuse for a lesson. SNORT. The only thing that made her a biiiit lot more interested in the lesson was when West sat beside her. HER. Of all. Kat wondered if he even bothered trying to sit with Theo, as the two were inseparable ever since. But, Theo was sitting beside Ella Bishop so... West could stay. Not that she didn't like it.

Looking at her side, she saw as West sat down beside her. The blonde smiled at him and gave him a nod. Well, she couldn't say anything. Those house points are not going to be taken away from her... or him.

Meh. Everyone else was taking away her answers. Think, Hudson, think! Need inspiration? Look at your side. Hehe. Right, back to the lesson. Wait... don't... some portraits need passwords? Hmm, Kat thought of it for a few seconds before raising her hand. "Don't some portraits with secret passages need passwords as well, Professor?" Trying to act smart, yes.

Dylan sat and listened to all the answers, smirking at how quickly everyone had jumped on the question. They were right, of course...which just proved that his peers weren't stupid.

Who would've thought...

...BUT if he could also offer an answer...Well, a suggested place, more like..."I'd like to have passwords for our dorms within Slytherin...and the broom shed." because their brooms were out there...What if someone wanted to steal them? Was something really stopping anyone from doing so?

Also...How did one make something password protected in the castle...If Professor Scabior wasn't going to offer this information, Dylan would ask in a minute...

Sierra nodded along as she listened to the discussion. Come to think of it, passwords were used for lots of things. Way more things than she actually ever thought of. She considered the professor's question for a moment then raised her hand. "There's a humpbacked witch statue on the third floor," she said. "You used to be able to tap it with your wand and say Dissendium, and then it'd open to reveal a passageway to Honeyduke's. It's a charm, but it's used like a password."

Password eh? Hannah wondered what this lesson was going to be about. It seemed to be a lot different from the last lesson and that was definitely a good thing. She didn't like surprises you know! "Passwords can protect many things." And keep people out of stuff that they don't have any business being in. Passwords were cool!



Where else were passwords used in the castle? She was going to say a password was needed to get into the Headmistress's office but somwbody had already beat her to that one. Hmmm... it seemed like everybody had already beaten her to everything that she could really think of. "I would think that every professor would have a password on the storage cabinets in their classrooms." everybody had one of those right? Surely they all had something that they didn't want people snooping around in.

Sarah had an answer automatically - the headmistresses office,yet by the time she was called on, that and the others had already been said, yet not wanting to be caught without an answer she had one more, "some secret entrances are hidden by portraits and one needs a password to get through - there were so many through out Hogwarts. There was the 'studious success' portrait...

He nodded his head respectfully when the Historian acknowledged his answer. Now where else in the school would be using password? He listened to the others mention other places, some he already knew, others he didnt. Which got him wondering.... "Professor, what about the Faculty sleeping quarters?.. for those who arent bunking with us in our Common Rooms?" He has always wondered where the rest of those who arent looking after a particular house actually slept...

There were actually lots of passwords at Hogwarts, which was funny, because a good spell would do a much better job of keeping the wrong people out. Vivi could walk into any common room, the prefects' bathroom, or the Head's office so long as she knew the password. And didn't get spotted on the way in.

"You have to tickle the portrait to get into the kitchens. It isn't a verbal password, but rather a specific action, but it definitely acts in the same way." Like the bricks leading into Diagon Alley from the Leaky... it was an action that acted as a password.

The Prefect's bathroom, of course. Scabior nodded his head. "Right."

"That you do!" And the Heads of Hogwarts often did tend to follow a certain...theme with their passwords. A theme in which you knew them well enough, they actually were pretty simple to find out.

"Huuh." Scabior scratched his chin and looked out the window once more. Thinking for a few seconds he shook his head, before looking back at the class. "Not exactly. Knowing of mimicking Parseltongue, and knowing where the entrance of the chamber is, is the only real way to get down there. The chamber itself has no real password so to speak." He would know, he'd been down there. Twice.

"I like specifics." Scabior hinted brushing off the Ravenclaws answer. Obviously some passageways had passwords but WHICH?

"I am pretty sure that is the question that I just asked you." Scabior said glaring at the girl. Gryffindors would NEVER learn. "So if you've only come here to ask my questions back to me, I'd suggest that you leave." Right back out the door. It was open. Go on.

"It's a charm of some sort but in a way....the walking is a bit like a password. The Room of Requirement itself is a tricky topic." Tricky place to understand, get to, and get inside, for everyone.

" That could be the case." He nodded. Not really for him. But other professors? Maybe. "The majority of the floos work only upon Ministry and the Headmistress' approval, and even then the places they can travel to and from are limited." Very protected.

Scabior shook his head. It was great thinking, but it didn't seem right to him. "Not exactly, because in that case there is absolutely no way that you could ever get in unless invited by a ghost. There is nothing for you to know and no real way of breaking or cracking the code. Unless of course you were to become a ghost." Once again it as one of those different rooms.

Scabior nodded his head. "The Entrance gate has charms and spells, no passwords." He was pretty sure none of them had to give any passwords to enter the school.

Scabior smirked. "You know, I don't think it does. I believe it's safe to say that you are all smart enough to realize the consequences that you could be faced with if you did enter the staff room and so no, it does not."

"If Hogwarts did, then yes.." Did it? Hmm. He wouldn't say.

"Of course any place could be, but that wasn't the question." No, had she misheard?

He nodded. "Yes, the kitchens do need a password." Because all the kids were greedy and would eat everything.

"They do. But i'd be far more impressed if you knew which portraits."

Where he would like to have them? "That's nice." He said duly. Not interested at all. "But you did not answer the question."

Ah! Yes that one! "Correct! It is usually unusual for charms to be passwords but in this case yes." Unfortunately, the passage had caved in

"Not ever. Perhaps Professor Lafay and some others. Maybe the majority." He on the other hand did not. His storage cabinets were merely filled with books. She was right hough.

"Some of them do." He nodded. "Others just have locks or charms." One of which his and his office now had after what took place LAST year.

He nodded. "Right, it does act the same way." Surely everyone knew about the kitchen password by now. Annie probably should have changed it.

---

Now that they had a list of places, Scabior was no longer distracted. He felt alert and ready to teach. "So as we agreed to before, passwords are used to restrict people and limit access. Why would places like Common Rooms and the Prefects bathroom or any of the other places listed need to have limited access to get in?"

"To make the people who can get in to whatever part feel special and exclusive?" West suggested, putting his hand up, "Which can encourage a sense of belonging to a particular house or group or whatever." Just saying. Part of what made a house a house, or prefects prefects, or whatever, was knowing the secrets and stuff associated with that group, and not knowing the secrets of another group.

Yup. His point of view was SLIIIIGHTLY different wasn't it? Oh wells.

Sarah knew a lot of them and raised her hand, "the portraits of George von Rheticus, Edgar Stroulger, Circe, Brutus Scrimgeour in the trophy room..." Sarah did not want everyone to know that so she just hastily added, "and others all require passwords to enter". And Sarah knew that too. She loved to explore

"The comman room and prefects bathroom are all rooms for the privelaged. It is a privelage to be a prefect as you get your own bathroom" an idea that Sarah quite liked. The only room that she was fanatic about cleanliness was the bathroom. "You can also only go into a comman room if you are in that house. The headmistress' office might have a passord for privacy and security"

Well then...if he didn't want to tell all he had to do was say so. She was more than capable of walking the corridors of the castle until she found something, she was merely trying to save herself the waste of time. Lex responded to his glare with the sweetest smile ever. "That's fine Professor. I'm here to learn." And something would have to slip out eventually even if she didn't ask so she was staying. Yup.

Her hand went up. "Isn't it to keep prying eyes out? Like if you're not a Gryffindor then we don't want you knowing what we do when we don't have to be around everyone else and stuff like that? And well the Prefect bathroom...I think it's pretty much the same. If you aren't a prefect you have no right to be in there but you have people who don't care about limitations so a password is set to force them to keep out." Personally she was never a fan of the bloody things; they were rather annoying and restrictive.

Kurumi found herself nodding a bit when West spoke, thinking the same sort of thing herself. Before being prefected her fourth year she had often wondered what the prefects' bathroom looked like and just what all was in there. It was actually the first place she explored once she had received her badge and she was rather glad that prefects had such a place because it provided...

Hand up! "Privacy and security," Kurumi answered. "A place where things can be discussed and not have unwanted ears overhear anything or see something that was going on. Or to keep harmful people or creatures from entering easily. Historically we saw how this could cause panic when Sirius Black entered the Gryffindor common room." Although he was no real threat in the end. Or like when Gryffindor had house meetings and didn't want the other houses knowing their plans and what not. Selina was especially avid about these with Quidditch. All those secret team lineups and strategies and what not.

Laura looked at the Professor and smiled, "Professor it's like the Prefects bathroom they used to to relax and things, and it's a treat for them for the hard work they have done so that no one else other than those allowed can get into there."

Well, she knew that it wasn't the question but she didn't know what to answer to that question. At least he didn't snap at her which she appreciated. Hmmm....Now what was the next question?

Still discussing passwords obviously. Cassia considered the question and tried to think hard and fast...Well as hard and fast she could manage anyway. She then raised her hand and spoke," Each one of those places that are protected by passwords were first established for certain people to use or enter. It's a way of keeping order I guess. Because otherwise all students,in the common rooms case, would be able to enter any common room. Then what's the point of having houses if it didn't have any specificity to it." That at least what she could think of.

Sheeeesh, Professor Scabior was so specific with things. It was a bit weird. Not everyone was so specific but... Scabior WAS. He just plain WAS. Hmmph. "Specifically the portrait of Percival Pratt has a password," Kat said. He want specifications RIGHT?! There they were. "The password used to be, but I'm not sure now, 'this password is absurd'." Yeah, her reply was absurd too. So much thanks to Scabior for making her a GENIUS.

Why would they need limited access? "To maintain privacy and secrecy," Kat said. That was the most obvious answer ever. NEED MORE SPECIFICATIONS, SCABIOR? "And also safety. Like the passageways, they need to be secured so that nothing bad happens. Common Rooms need both privacy and security. Privacy because you cannot enter another one if it is not your own Common Room, and security because this is basically where we, students, stay to rest and relax whenever we're not having class." That was specific enough for Kat.

Louisa had skipped the previous question since everyone else seemed to mention those places she thought of. Instead she made a few lazy notes on her parchment and waited for the professor to go on with the lesson. Her eyes lingered on Alexa for an extra moment as she had a soft headbutt with Scabior, her first? She'll get used to it. The Ravenclaw wanted to grin at the firstie lioness but her attention was drawn to the next question.

Why? Hmm. Louisa raised her hand, twiddling the quill in her two fingers. "Each place has its own reason, I believe. For example, it's a privilege to get into a special relaxing bathroom like the Prefects' bathroom." She didn't think it was a good idea to explain how that bathroom was different. "Or it could be privacy and exclusiveness, only those who belong to Ravenclaw would get the common room with the special assesses to go with their priorities that differ from the other houses." Like the huge bookshelf!walls and secret passages that connected the dorms. "It could be secrecy like the secret passageways around the castle." She lowered her hand and continued to twiddle her quill. There was more examples but her points was made...

Hannah liked passwords. If she could password protect herself she would. She didn't like many people and if she could keep them at bay then that would be awesome. She felt herself slipping off into a daydream so she shook her head in an attempt to clear her mind. "A person who is a prefect has earned their badge and deserves to have certain luxuries. Any ol person shouldn't be able to waltz in there." Hannah suddenly wanted to see what the hype was all about. "Might even go as far as to say it could make other students work harder to try to become the next prefect." She was on to the professors.

"As far as the common rooms I agree with West about house unity." Could you imagine if the puffers were able to just barge into the Slytherin common room? That would be horrible. She liked that the other houses were not allowed in.

Minerva was not satisfied with the response she got from her answer. She wasn't one to fight, argue, or disagree with a professor, but her hand shot up, "But, Professor.. A person that might come across the chamber, but doesn't know parseltongue or how to copy it still couldn't get in. Which would make the parseltongue itself a password to protect the area so not just anyone could get in." Putting her hand down feeling better of explaining her answer she began to listen again.

Minerva then put her hand up again, "Well in these areas the school doesn't want just any student getting in, because each common room has meanings, and a special place for each house. So bringing other houses into that area would take away from its special ways. Same goes for the prefects bathroom. It holds a special place and a meaning behind being there. If just any student could use it, it would not hold that meaning any longer. So keeping them protected by passwords, keeps that meaning intact."