Autumn was fading, and bitter winter was on its way.
By late October, a damp chill hung over the grounds and seeped into the castle on the biting wind.
At this time of year, teachers and students alike came down with colds everywhere in the castle, keeping Madam Pomfrey so busy that she barely had a moment to rest.
But her Pepperup Potion truly worked instantly. The only drawback was that anyone who drank it had smoke pouring from their ears for hours afterward.
The moment Ron got up, he felt that something was wrong. His head was foggy, and his nose was badly blocked with mucus.
"Damn it—"
He sniffed hard, but it did nothing to ease the congestion. Instead, the mucus running back made the tip of his nose sting, and tears immediately sprang to his eyes.
That shouldn't have happened.
Everything had been perfectly fine before he went to bed last night.
The empty dormitory howled with the cold wind. Ron glanced around and noticed that the window by Harry's desk was half open. He immediately rolled his eyes.
He had found the culprit behind his cold.
It looked like he would have to make a trip to the Hospital Wing later.
That extra errand made Ron feel more pressed for time. It wasn't as if he had nothing to do today.
Still wrapped in his blankets, Ron climbed out of bed and braved the cold wind to shut the window. Then he pulled his trunk out from beneath his bed and rummaged through it until he found the sweater his mother had knitted for him last Christmas.
The sweater was already a little small, but Christmas was coming around again, and barring any surprises, he would receive a new one.
Though that wasn't certain.
Ginny had