As they entered November, the weather turned very cold. The mountains around the school became icy grey and the lake like chilled steel. Every morning the ground was covered in frost. Hagrid could be seen from the upstairs windows, defrosting broomsticks on the Quidditch pitch, bundled up in a long mole­skin overcoat, rabbit-fur gloves and enormous beaverskin boots.

Hagrid shuffled into view, hiding something behind his back. He looked very out of place in his moleskin overcoat.