“I told you not to try swapping potions on Snape, look what’s happened to you!” said Sirius Black, scowling at his lanky, messy-haired friend.
“Stuff it Padfoot,” growled James, who was feverishly mixing the Cure for Boils in his cauldron, “As if it wasn’t bad enough having Evans laugh at me.”
“I laughed too James. Those boils are ridiculous.” This came from Remus Lupin.
“What if the potion doesn’t work?” said Petter Pettigrew, looking worriedly at the ugly green boils on James face.
“It will work! I’m not going to Pomfrey for this! She’ll kill me, the ingredients I used are illegal in most countries,” James cried, adding the porcupine quills to his cauldron. “it’ll work. It has to!” He began stirring feverishly once more. “You know, it would be nice if someone would HELP me!”
“I told you so!!” said Sirius again.
“Grow up, Sirius,” Remus chastied his friend. “But still. Didn’t I tell you that Snape would recognize the potion … it’s your own fault, really”
“Evans was supposed to distract him!” moaned James.
“Evans ended up distracting YOU, James. I can’t believe you didn’t notice Snape switch them back,” Remus continued huffly.
“YOU COULD HAVE TOLD ME!”
“Lily wasn’t even a part of the plan,” added Sirius. “How could you expect her to distract him properly?”
“The boils hurt!” moaned James, dropping the ladle. “This still has to shimmer!”
“Eighty minutes, James.” said Peter, peering at his copy of Potion’s for Beginners.
“YOU THINK I DON’T KNOW THAT?”
“Shame the Pain-reducing potion takes two hours to brew, Prongs.” said Sirius.
“YES, IT’S AN AWFUL SHAME.”
“Calm down, your temper is making the boils burst.” noted Remus, removing the fallen ladle from the cauldron.
“I don’t see it.” said Peter, squinting at James’s face.
“NONE OF YOU ARE HELPING,” moaned James, hands shaking in front of his face. “And I can’t scratch these!” He continued between gritted teeth. One of the boils popped just then, so James, with some difficulty, scrunched his boil-covered face and sat down to wait.
