Al's new Quick Quotes Quill was trained for accuracy and clarity. The inky curlicue of its feathered tail was too short to hold onto. It was as fuzzy and slippery as a Jobberknoll, perched over its writing surface. The quill attached its nib like a pointy beak to the Möbius strip of parchment which erased its records when it ran out of room.
Al charmed both, the parchment (Peter's contribution) and the quill (Caractacus' idea) to float near his left shoulder and hoped that all those times the infernal contraption was sprayed with water, while trying to embellish the recited encyclopedia contents, were not in vain.
He held onto Severus as they Apparated and hoped for the best.