The snow season arrived in the Highlands. One night, while everyone was fast asleep, great flakes of snow draped all of Hogwarts Castle in a plain silver cloak in an instant.
The waters of the Black Lake had long since frozen over. Slender icicles crept up the chain connecting Durmstrang's great ship to the shore, dressing the battered vessel in a translucent coat of ice as well.
By late December, the temperature was low enough for breath to turn to frost, but the bustle inside the Castle was enough to keep the chill firmly at bay.
Apart from a few dozen first-years and the handful of people who regrettably had to leave the Castle, everyone chose to spend Christmas at Hogwarts Castle. It was the liveliest Hogwarts had been in years.
The teachers seemed determined to leave a deep impression on their guests from Beauxbatons and Durmstrang, showing the Castle at its finest this Christmas. The decorations throughout the Castle were more stately and more lavish than in previous years.
A row of icicles hung from the banister of the Marble Staircase. They had been conjured by magic and would never melt.
The Great Hall held its usual twelve Christmas trees, but this time, the little ornaments adorning them were more numerous and more entertaining. They ranged from holly berries that lit up whenever someone passed to golden owls that hooted incessantly. There were also canes the young wizards could take freely; a vigorous wave would make them spray out heaps of sweet candy made by the House-elves in the Kitchen.
Peeves was still causing trouble, but amid such festive bustle, nobody paid much attention to his antics. At most, he hid inside the enchanted suits of armor and deliberately led their Christmas carols astray.
Only old Filch checked the