Columba was hired at Weasleys' Wizard Wheezes (they will never move the apostrophe, not on George's watch) too recently to remember George's Ear Phase that preceded the Great Pirate Debacle. She does, however, know the look on his face that can only mean inspiration has struck and that the front staff will have to do extra duty as he withdraws to the back room.
"Can't believe the Muggles beat us to the punch," he says, "or tried to, anyway. Ours will be more personal, though. For sanitation."
She has absolutely no idea what he's talking about. He doesn't mean to drop hints, they just come erratically. "I mean, on some level I've wanted to do this ever since the Tree-Skimmers beat Karasjok. What a game that was. Four whole days."
He orders supplies of cloth and various Muggle plastics, never showing any outward signs of experimenting upon himself except a grimace here and there. Not even Angelina notices anything more. Until the day he finally finishes a working prototype and drops by to visit the woman who inspired it all.
"I don't even want to know what that is," Alicia begins. "There are, thank goodness, so few people like me I highly doubt it'll sell."
"Define "like you"?" George challenges. "No, wait, don't. You're my, er...you get this one, free of charge. The real target audience is Quidditch fans. Like yourself! Who remain seated expectantly for long but still very thrilling games."
Alicia raises one eyebrow.
"Now, it should magically adjust to custom-fit you. What you'll want to do, and you can do this far away if you'd rather, is just affix it to your, erm, cheeks as it were. Then it'll expand as necessary, so you can, ah, use it on the go and then dispose of it at your convenience."
"George," says Alicia, "you've just reinvented the diaper."
"Oi! It's a proper new magical device!"