Fred had barely climbed out of bed when he shivered uncontrollably and hurriedly grabbed his clothes to put them on. As his gaze casually swept over the dormitory, he noticed that one of the beds was already empty.
"Albert didn't come back again last night?" Fred muttered as he pulled on his robes. "I think he doesn't really want to stay at school anymore."
"If you're jealous, hurry up and win her over." George, already dressed, pushed open the window to let the wind outside disperse the stuffy air in the room. "Once everyone graduates and goes their separate ways, it'll be much harder to chase someone down."
"Damn, it's freezing! I haven't even gotten up yet. Can't you shut that bloody window?"
Lee Jordan, who had just been about to climb out of bed, shivered in the cold wind and promptly burrowed back under his blankets.
Ever since November began, the temperature in the castle had dropped sharply. Even though today was a rare fine day, it was still terrifyingly cold outside, and the trees were coated in a thick layer of white frost.
"Sorry, sorry. I thought you wouldn't be getting up for a while." George shut the window, picked up the wand on the table, and tapped the kettle lightly. After reheating the water inside, he poured Lee Jordan a cup of hot water.
"What about you?" Fred turned to ask. "Got a girl you like?"
"Not really. I'll just let things happen naturally." George shrugged, not particularly concerned. Noticing Fred staring at him suspiciously, he quickly changed the subject. "I just hope today's Quidditch match ends soon. I'm a little worried Ron won't be able to handle the pressure."
"Don't worry. As long as Harry uses that thing, the match should be over quickly. You ought