Harry.didn.t.need.to.ask.what.Ron.meant..
.Well,.they.didn.t.tell.us.much.we.couldn.t.have.guessed,.did.they?..he.said,
.thinking.of.all.that.had.been.said.downstairs...I.mean,.all.they.ve.really.said.is.that.the.Order.s.trying.to.stop.people.joining.Vol—..
There.was.a.sharp.intake.of.breath.from.Ron..
.—demort,..said.Harry.firmly...When.are.you.going.to.start.using.his.name?.Sirius.and.Lupin.do...
Ron.ignored.this.last.comment..
.Yeah,.you.re.right,..he.said,..we.already.knew.nearly.everything.they.told.us,
.from.using.the.Extendable.Ears..The.only.new.bit.was.‐..
Crack.
.OUCH!..
.Keep.your.voice.down,.Ron,.or.Mum.ll.be.back.up.here...
.You.two.just.Apparated.on.my.knees!..
.Yeah,.well,.it.s.harder.in.the.dark...
Harry.saw.the.blurred.outlines.of.Fred.and.George.leaping.down.from.Ron.s.bed..There.was.a.groan.of.bedsprings.and.Harry.s.mattress.descended.a.few.inches.as.George.sat.down.near.his.feet..
.So,.got.there.yet?..said.George.eagerly..
The.weapon.Sirius.mentioned?..said.Harry..
.Let.slip,.more.like,..said.Fred.with.relish,.now.sitting.next.to.Ron...We.didn.t.hear.about.that.on.the.old.Extendables,.did.we?..
.What.d.you.reckon.it.is?..said.Harry..
.Could.be.anything,..said.Fred..
.But.there.can.t.be.anything.worse.than.the.Avada.Kedavra.Curse,.can.there?.
.said.Ron..What.s.worse.than.death?..
.Maybe.it.s.something.that.can.kill.loads.of.people.at.once,..suggested.George..
.Maybe.it.s.some.particularly.painful.way.of.killing.people,..said.Ron.fearfully..
.He.s.got.the.Cruciatus.Curse.for.causing.pain,..said.Harry,..he.doesn.t.need.anything.more.efficient.than.that...
There.was.a.pause.and.Harry.knew.that.the.others,.like.him,.were.wondering.what.horrors.this.weapon.could.perpetrate..
.So.who.d.you.think.s.got.it.now?..asked.George..
.I.hope.it.s.our.side,..said.Ron,.sounding.slightly.nervous..
.If.it.is,.Dumbledore.s.probably.keeping.it,..said.Fred..*!
.Where?..said.Ron.quickly...Hogwarts?.....
.Bet.it.is!..said.George..That.s.where.he.hid.the.Philosopher.s.Stone...
.A.weapons.going.to.be.a.lot.bigger.than.the.Stone,.though!..said.Ron..
.Not.necessarily..said.Fred..
.Yeah,.size.is.no.guarantee.of.power,..said.George...Look.at.Ginny...
.What.d.you.mean?..said.Harry..
.You.ve.never.been.on.the.receiving.end.of.one.of.her.Bat‐Bogey.Hexes,.have.you?..
.Shhh!..said.Fred,.half‐rising.irom.the.bed...Listen!..
They.fell.silent..Footsteps.were.coming.up.the.stairs..
.Mum,..said.George.and.without.further.ado.there.was.a.loud.crack.and.Harry.felt.the.weight.vanish.from.the.end.of.his.bed..A.few.seconds.later,.they.heard.the.floorboard.creak.outside.their.door;.Mrs.Weasley.was.plainly.listening.to.check.whether.or.not.they.were.talking..
Hedwig.and.Pigwidgeon.hooted.dolefully..The.floorboard.creaked.again.and.they.heard.her.heading.upstairs.to.check.on.Fred.and.George..
.She.doesn.t.trust.us.at.all,.you.know,..said.Ron.regretfully..
Harry.was.sure.he.would.not.be.able.to.fall.asleep;.the.evening.had.been.so.packed.with.things.to.think.about.that.he.fully.expected.to.lie.awake.for.hours.mulling.it.all.over..He.wanted.to.continue.talking.to.Ron,.but.Mrs.Weasley.was.now.creaking.back.downstairs.again,.and.once.she.had.gone.he.distinctly.heard.others.making.their.way.upstairs….in.fact,.many‐legged.creatures.were.cantering.softly.up.and.down.outside.the.bedroom.door,.and.Hagrid.the.Care.of.Magical.Creatures.teacher.was.saying,..Beauties,.arm.they,.eh,.Harry?.We.ll.be.studyin..weapons.this.term.…..and.Harry.saw.that.the.creatures.had.cannons.for.heads.and.were.wheeling.to.face.him….he.ducked….