In the bed lay Clym, pale, haggard, wide awake, tossing to one side and to the other, his eyes lit by a hot light, as if the fire in their pupils were burning up their substance.
While several states west of the Rocky Mountains recently saw colder than average conditions, much of America east of the Rockies has seen severe storms, flooding and a scorching heat wave.
It wouldn't have been as bad if somebody didn't tell me before I went that it's like a thousand burning scalpels going down your body and that was what was on my mind the whole time.
Wednesday afternoon meant Herbology, in the greenhouses under a baking-hot sun; then back to the common room once more, with sunburnt necks, thinking longingly of this time next day, when it would all be over.
Turnout so far has been slightly lower than in the election of 2019, which may be explained by a searing heatwave that has seen temperatures top 45degree centigrade (1130f).