As the Christmas holiday drew near, it wasn't only the students who grew restless; the wind and snow also became increasingly savage.
The weather today was especially dreadful. Even though Filch had shut all the windows, threads of cold wind still slipped in through the cracks, carrying a bone-piercing chill as they roamed the corridors.
The snowstorm launched a fierce assault as well, constantly battering the windows with creaking, groaning sounds, as if it might smash through the glass at any moment.
Draco Malfoy ran into exactly that situation. By the time he had shut the window tightly again, his cheeks, ears, and fingers had all been frozen bright red.
The chill spread through his robes and over his body, making him unable to stop himself from frowning and shivering.
"Lumos Solem!" He raised his wand, turned it back, and lightly tapped it toward himself.
A ball of soft light poured from the tip of his wand. The glow rapidly spread out and covered his whole body, driving away all the cold lingering around him.
"Draco!" Cedric Diggory's voice came from behind him.
With a burst of footsteps, Cedric drew closer. "It's so cold today! And the snow's coming down so hard, Quidditch training can't even go ahead."
"Mm!" Draco answered rather casually. "Weather like this... really isn't suitable for training."
"But you never know..." He looked out at the snowstorm beyond the window. "People like those Gryffindors might actually take advantage of weather like this to train."
"Yeah! Angelina's strict too." Cedric understood what Draco meant and nodded with a smile.
He looked at Draco and said, "Draco, your Wand-Lighting Charm is getting better and better. You can make it produce different effects now."
"It was Vizet who inspired me before, and that was why I went to study