Chapter 176: Ten Points from Gryffindor
As November began, the weather turned bitterly cold, and every morning a layer of frost covered the ground. Overnight, it seemed the Black Lake had developed a thick, hard layer of ice, and many students were already venturing onto it to play.
The moment they stepped out of the castle's warmth, Kyle and Cedric felt a biting wind whip against their faces.
"Ahh... it's freezing!" Cedric shivered. "Good thing I switched to my heavy robes a few days ago; otherwise, I'd probably catch a cold just walking out here."
Last year, he'd waited too long to swap robes and had ended up spending three days steaming from the effects of Madam Pomfrey's potions. Her remedies worked fast, but they always came with odd side effects.
"We'll probably warm up once we start training," Kyle said, pulling his collar tighter as he quickened his pace against the chill.
"You're probably right."
...
The two walked across the field to the Quidditch Pitch. They were early, and on the pitch, Harris was busy moving boxes of Quidditch balls to the side. Kyle also spotted Hagrid, bundled in his long moleskin coat, de-icing the broomsticks.
When Hagrid saw Kyle, he waved enthusiastically and called out, "Hey, Kyle! Training today, are you?"
"Yes, Hagrid," Kyle replied, walking over and pulling out his wand. "Scourgify!"
In an instant, all the frost on the broomsticks disappeared.