Elf tails

           "So,allinall,notoneofRon’sbetterbirthdays?"saidFred.

           Itwasevening;thehospitalwingwasquiet,thewindowscurtained,thelampslit.Ron’swastheonlyoccupiedbed.Harry,Hermione,andGinnyweresittingaroundhim;theyhadspentalldaywaitingoutsidethedoubledoors,tryingtoseeinsidewheneversomebodywentinorout.MadamPomfreyhadonlyletthementerateighto’clock.FredandGeorgehadarrivedattenpast.

           "Thisisn’thowweimaginedhandingoverourpresent,"saidGeorgegrimly,puttingdownalargewrappedgiftonRon’sbedsidecabinetandsittingbesideGinny.

           "Yeah,whenwepicturedthescene,hewasconscious,"saidFred.

           "TherewewereinHogsmeade,waitingtosurprisehim—"saidGeorge.

           "YouwereinHogsmeade?"askedGinny,lookingup.

           "WewerethinkingofbuyingZonko’s,"saidFredgloomily."AHogsmeadebranch,youknow,butafatlotofgoodit’lldousifyoulotaren’tallowedoutatweekendstobuyourstuffanymore...Butnevermindthatnow."

           HedrewupachairbesideHarryandlookedatRon’spaleface.

           "Howexactlydidithappen,Harry?"

           Harryretoldthestoryhehadalreadyrecounted,itfeltlikeahundredtimestoDumbledore,toMcGonagall,toMadamPomfrey,toHermione,andtoGinny.

           "...andthenIgotthebezoardownhisthroatandhisbreathingeasedupabit.Slughornranforhelp,McGonagallandMadamPomfreyturnedup,andtheybroughtRonuphere.Theyreckonhe’llbeallright.MadamPomfreysayshe’llhavetostayhereaweekorso...keeptakingEssenceofRue..."