The four of them watched Neville leave. A heavy silence hung over the corridor.
Hermione and Ginny quietly wiped the tears from their eyes. No one spoke as they headed toward the Second Floor ward.
They had just turned the corner when they spotted the twins, Fred and George.
The two were crouched on the floor beside the ward door like thieves, their backsides in the air and their ears almost pressed to the gap beneath it.
George also had a pink, stringlike bundle clutched in his hand as though it were a treasure. It looked almost alive.
"Hey! What are you two sneaking around for?" Jerry asked under his breath.
"Shh!" Fred whipped around and pressed a finger to his lips, eyes wide. "Keep it down! We're trying to hear what Dad and Moody are whispering about!"
He and George quickly untangled the bundle. It was a set of Extendable Ears. Fred deftly passed the ends to Harry, Jerry, and Hermione.
"Hmph!" Ginny planted her hands on her hips and glared at her brothers. "Fred Weasley! George Weasley! How dare you leave me out? Want me to open that door right now and tell everyone you're spying?"
The twins exchanged a look and made an exaggerated show of surrender.
George reluctantly pulled another pair of Extendable Ears from his pocket and handed them to his sister. "All right, all right, Your Highness. Here!"
Harry looked at the Extendable Ear in his hand, hesitating.
"Go on. You saved my dad's life!" Ginny urged as she slipped her own end into her ear. "If anyone has the 'privilege' of listening in on him, it's you!"
Harry couldn't help grinning. His hesitation vanished.
He copied the twins and slipped the end of the Extendable Ear into his ear.
Jerry and Hermione followed