#17 Patience is Key

Entering the room, Jax looked at the numerous jars of various ingredients and wondered if this might be what their potions classroom would look like if their teacher wasn't Snape. He figured more students wouldn't mind the subject if it felt less intimidating- this room was almost inviting.

Intriguing at least. There was a scent in the air that he couldn't place, but it was subtle and even pleasant. He made his way towards the table in the centre of the room and examined the vials. His heart sinking when he read the plaque, apparently the room wasn't as innocent as it had previously appeared.

He wondered if it was too late to leave. Was that entirely unreasonable?

Jax didn't like the idea of leaving his life down to fate. Though the odds of choosing a safe potion were in his favour, he wasn't exactly a lucky guy.

Peering closer at the vials, he unstoppered the first and raised it to his nose to smell- it was sickly sweet. The colour had a pinkish, almost purple hue. Thinking back to the article in the prophet that morning concerning love potions, he figured it best if he avoided that one.

Moving onto the second potion as he replaced the first, this one was an ugly green colour and when he swirled the vial around, the 'liquid' inside barely moved. It was sludgey. Gross.

Quickly moving on.

The final potion was clear, and when he lifted it there was no discernible scent. Almost as if the liquid within was water and not some loathsome potion he would have to consume. It felt by far the safest and... But maybe that was the point? Maybe THIS was the poison and its innocent appearance was meant to throw him off.

Well HE would not be fooled. Going back to the disgusting second potion that he had no desire to put anywhere near his mouth, he lifted it to his lips and grimaced as he drank. It had the consistency of pond sludge, and tasted just how he imagined pond sludge might taste too.

Jax was regretting skipping out on the Quidditch match.

After swallowing the sludgey liquid, Jax was relieved when he didn't immediately feel any ill effects. Surely that meant he had avoided the poison?

Great. He was right to avoid the suspiciously innocent potion. Water it was not.

However, no sooner had the thought crossed his mind and a peculiar feeling began to stir across his skin. Then inch by inch his skin began to transform into that of a monster. Or that was how it appeared to Jax. Because as he wat had, his skin became grey and slimey, almost as if he'd emerged from a swamp.

Which is exactly where he suspected this option originated from.

Reconciling at his own hideous appearance, Jax was even more put off by the appearance of three more potions. Would the next one yield similarly horrifying results?

Readying himself for more torture, he examined these new potions. The first again seemed innocent enough, it had a blue hue and when he picked the vial up it felt cold to the touch. Though it had no scent that he could pick up.

The second was a sage green in colour, and sniffing it cautiously, he was pleasantly surprised by the scent of freshly cut grass that wafted from the vial. He had no clue what kind of potion that might be but it smelled nice.

The third was a milky white, and smelled a bit like off milk- that was all Jax needed to know to avoid it.

Peering suspiciously at all three vials again, he chose the first one as the safest bet and drank it quickly before he could change his mind.

Once again Jax found himself alive after drinking the potion. Though he felt his temperature drop shortly after and he felt sure that if his skin wasnt already suffering the effects of the previous potion that it would be tinged with blue.

When the potions disappeared to be replaced with a fresh set again, Jax could smell a pungent odour wafting from the first vial... He didn't particularly want to try that one even if it was safe.

The second seemed okay at a glance, there was no foul odour but upon leaning in closer, Jax could hear a crackling sound. That sounded painful.

By process of elimination, he decided upon the third vial which tasted vaguely of lemon as he drank it.