The news the Twins brought cut the revelry in the Common Room short.
Ron had been celebrating their victory one moment; the next, his face went pale.
"Deputy Director Moody?"
He stammered.
"What... what does he want with us? Did that bastard Malfoy go and tell on us?"
When he saw Fred and George's gleeful expressions, he felt even less sure of himself.
He said in surprise:
"Surely he isn't really going to give us professional advice? From your tone, it hardly sounds like anything good!"
"No."
Hermione had already calmed down.
"Malfoy has no reason to tell on us. That would only embarrass him further."
"What's more likely is that our behavior in the Great Hall constituted a disturbance of public order, which falls squarely under the Academic Affairs Office's jurisdiction."
At those words, everyone's hearts sank.
"But Fred, George,"
Ron looked at them in confusion.
"Aren't you members of the Detective Club too? Why does Professor Moody only want the three of us?"
"Oh, us?" Fred spread his hands theatrically.
"We're busy with more important things," George chimed in with an air of importance. "Our grand plans for after graduation."
"Exactly." Fred patted Ron's shoulder with affected maturity. "Grown-up business. Children shouldn't ask so many questions."
Harry clenched his fists.
The matter was out in the open.
But it had drawn the Academic Affairs Office's attention this quickly?
So, in his eyes, the Detective Club was just a bunch of children messing around? A joke?
He headed to Moody's Office with Ron and Hermione, in a thoroughly foul mood.
Harry kept turning things over in his mind along the way.
Moody is on our side. Surely... he won't make things too difficult for us?
But whenever he thought of that swiveling blue Magical Eye and the legendary former