This activity of sneaking on the balcony was a popular Potter children tradition since many exciting things happened in that room that were off limits to the children. Because the doors were so old and worn, they didn't close all the way anymore, so when they were people in the room the children could eavesdrop in and listen to the adult conversations.
"C'mon, Cedric!" said Colin, who was running through the dimly lit, deep purple halls of Grimmauld Place once evening after dinner.
"Colin, be quiet! Or we'll get caught!" said Cedric, who was holding Hattie's hand. When Ginny announced she was expecting twin boys, it was a bittersweet moment since the family still mourn the loss of Fred, especially George. Cedric and Colin were both the most Weasley looking of the Potter kids, with their blue eyes and ruffled ginger hair. It was impossible to distinguish them, but Ginny insisted that Colin's eyes were smaller than Cedric.
"Wait for me!" yelled Hazel, running behind her brothers. Unlike her sisters, Hazel's hair changed colours from copper to auburn hair. Her eyes on the other hand were truly hazel, a mixture of green and brown, colours from the Potter side.
"Me too!" said Gus Longbottom, Neville's six-year-old son.
"Shh!" whispered Cedric. "If Gornie or Chessa catches us they'll send us back!"
The four children wanted to eavesdrop on an important meeting for their parents. Colin was determined to listen in. Initially, Colin had only recruited Cedric to join his plan to eavesdrop. Unfortunately, Hazel had overheard the conversation and insisted on joining her brothers or else she would tell their parents that they were eavesdropping. The plans were further muddied when Colin and Cedric realized that their cousin Hattie and the Longbottom children would be over to Grimmauld Place.
"Colin, Cedric! We shouldn't be doing this!" said Alice Longbottom, who was nine years old and holding her baby sister Frankie. Whereas Gus shared some of Neville's traits such as big teeth and a round face, Alice looked the most like her mother Hannah with long blond hair and softer facial features.
"Why?" asked Cedric.
"Because we'll get in trouble," argued Alice. "And I don't want to get in trouble!"
"Then you can stay behind and watch the babies," said Colin. "But we're going downstairs."
"Hey! We're not babies," insisted Hazel, putting her hands on her hips and getting in Cedric's face.
"Yea!" said Hattie, mimicking Hazel and also stepping in front of a very confused Cedric.
"Fine," huffed Alice, as she adjusted Frankie in her arms. "Let's go." Cedric directed everyone to go down the stairs to the the top of the stairs on the first floor. The kids had to take soft steps since the old wooden stairs tended to squeak when people walked down them.
"Did you bring the ear?" asked Cedric, keeping his voice low.
"It's in my pocket," said Colin, who was holding Hattie's hand. Cedric reached in the pocket of Colin's cords and pulled out the Extendable Ear.
"Stop here!" said Cedric, putting his arm out to stop everyone at the top of the balcony overseeing the hall of ground floor. Colin peered over the veneered bannister of the stairs and stared down at the black and white tiles, some covered with old Turkish rugs that dated back to the Black family. Next, Colin looked at the tall wooden doors leading to what the Potter children had always called the Long Table Room, a term coined by James when he was four.
"Alright, everyone needs to be quiet, okay?" asked Colin, as he kneeled to the ground with Gus, Hazel, and Hattie copying him. "Alice, if Frankie cries..."
"She won't," insisted Alice, sitting down with Frankie on her lap. "She's quiet as long as she has her dummy."
"Shh!" whispered Colin, as he lowered the ear down to the hallway. The children gathered around Colin as the ear began to pick up the voices. It was rare for the children to be as quiet as they were listening to the adults talk.
"Uh oh," said Hazel, making Colin and Cedric turn their heads.
"What are you lot doing?" grumbled Gornie, walking down the hall with Chessa in tow.
Gornie, an older house-elf, had ears that pointed up, small black eyes, tufts of hair sticking from his ears, and warts around the right side of his face. Chessa was thin as a twig with glassy black eyes and small, delicate hands. Both the elves worn articles of clothing, signifying their decision to work for the Potters and their power as free elves. Gornie wore a patchwork vest that Chessa made for him as a gift as well as one of the older Potter boys' blazers. Chessa had a plaid scarf tied around her head and a eucre tunic tied by an old tassel.
"Umm..." Cedric looked around at the group for help.
"Move over!" said Chessa, getting in between Colin and Cedric. "Chessa and Gornie want to hear as well!"
"Especially since Chessa and Gornie never get to be part of these ruddy meetings," remarked Gornie, who remained standing and hovering over the children.
"Shh!" said Colin. "Dad's talking now...he's gonna arrest someone!"
"Who is Master Harry arresting?" asked Gornie.
"I keep hearing about a rat," said Alice.
"Rats are so small," said Chessa. "Do they even fit in the handy-cuffs?"
"Maybe they have small handcuffs!" said Hazel.
"Wait, did you here that?" asked Cedric. Just then, the door began to open and the twins started to frantically pull up the ear to avoid being caught by their mum, who was the only thing the twins feared. However, they were too late as a figure stepped out. The children and elves looked frozen and sheepish at being caught, but tried to remain quiet in hoping the shadows covered their faces.
"Who's out there, Ron?" asked Harry, from inside the room. Ron looked around and saw the kids on the stairs, finding it hard to contain his laughter at their attempt to hide in the shadows.
"Nothing, Harry," said Ron, winking at his nephews up above. "I'm telling you, this place is probably haunted with Black family ghosts." With that, Ron closed the door behind him, shaking his head at the antics.
"Wow, I can't believe that worked!" said Colin. "See, Cedric? We're getting better at this!"
"Shut up!" said Gornie. "Gornie needs to figure out who the rat is!"
"All I know is that they aren't going to have a happy Christmas!" remarked Chessa.