Trading Places
Chapter Summary: The Marauders sample the potion, and things turn out- er- not quite right.
A/N: Thanks to all who reviewed! Thanks you for suggestions, I tried to add more details and explanations in this story because I've been told before that I didn't have enough. So, bear with me! And I am still looking for suggestions for crazy things that you'd like to see happen in this story! There is a mistake that I made in the last chapter- the title in the story for the chapter was suppose to be 'Nighttime Wanderings' not 'Failed Potions and Weird Dreams' Thanks!
Chapter Two: Failed Potions and Trading Places
Ignoring the large ' Out-of-order' sign on the girl's bathroom door, the four Marauders entered the bathroom, carrying a large cauldron and armfuls of potions ingredients. No one ever went in this bathroom, especially in the dead of night. No one ever went in here because a very whiny, depressed ghost by the nickname of Moaning Myrtle, a girl who had died in the bathroom many years ago.
" Just ignore Myrtle." hissed Sirius as they heaved the cauldron into one of the bathroom stalls.
" No problem," said James.
" Shhhh," said Remus. " She might hear us,"
" We don't care--" James and Sirius said in unison.
They regretted this almost immediately. A ghost of a glum looking girl, who had long dark hair and wore glasses, swooped down on them, sobbing and screaming in dread hysterically. " Of course- no one cares about me! I died and it took them ages to find me! I just sat there by my body- waiting. Oooh, I haunted that girl until her death day!" Myrtle almost smiled, before returning to her sobbing state. " What are you doing in here anyway? You're not girls!"
" Thanks for noticing," said Sirius dryly.
Ignoring Myrtle, they all turned back to the cauldron, which Remus was now filling up with water that he had retrieved from the sink. They set the cauldron over the toilet, and James lit a waterproof fire beneath it with his wand.
" How long will this take again?" asked Peter eagerly.
" It's supposed to take a week, and is supposed to brew during the week of the full moon. But, since that was last week, we'll just do it now and hope it works fine," said Sirius, frowning. Sirius was very impatient, and often had a short temper. All he wanted to do was brew this potion and force it down Snape's throat.
Remus lifted his school bag over his head, and undid the buttons. He retrieved all of the ingredients, and handed two at a time to James' and Sirius' eager hands.
Not even looking at what Remus was handing him, Sirius impatiently tossed the ingredients into the cauldron. James, Remus, and Peter looked slightly concerned at Sirius' rashness, and James commented, " You're not even looking, Padfoot! Instead of being able to control Snape's actions, you're going to end up poisoning him!"
James didn't sound at all displeased at this, on the contrary, he was grinning foolishly.
" It'll serve him right," said Sirius hotly. " He'll get what's coming to him."
The potion had now begun to bubble and froth as the last ingredient was tossed carelessly in. It smelt like burnt rubber and was a poisonous green color. Their noses crinkled up in distaste at the smell. Leaving the cauldron simmering softly, they exited in single file and locked the door, their robes pulled over their noses.
" We're supposed to let it simmer for at least a day," said James. "As Padfoot can't stand to wait a week. We'll check on it tomorrow night. If the 'out-of-order' sign, and Myrtle won't stop people from going in there, the smell will."
They all laughed. " Sirius said that it needed to simmer for a week!"
Peter exclaimed. " Sirius isn't very patient, now is he?"said James cheekily.
He received a smack from Sirius. James grabbed his invisibility cloak from the cold stone floor, and pulled it over the four heads.
Sirius muttered, " I solemnly swear that I am up to no good," while tapping the map, which revealed that their way to Gryffindor tower was quite clear. "Let's go."
The foursome left the dark bathroom, leaving Myrtle sobbing in her cuticle, along with their ghastly potion. Sirius kept his head bent over the Marauder's map, checking to make sure that no one crossed their path.
They safely reached the portrait of the fat lady, and James gave the password, that he had been allowed to choose as Head Boy. " Slimy Slytherins," The fat lady yawned hugely, not opening her eyes and said sleepily, " Whatever you say, dears." The portrait swung open and they scrambled inside.
The beautiful red and gold common room was deserted, and a fire was crackling merrily in the fireplace. They all crashed on one of the ancient cushy armchairs, and stared sleepily into the fire, not saying a word.
Remus, who was in the single armchair nearest the fire, fell asleep within moments. James laughed at Remus, who was now snoring loudly. He heard a snore from another direction, and saw that Sirius had collapsed in his own chair, too. To James' great amusement, Peter was hanging limply over the side of his chair. How can he be that tired? James wondered, checking his watch. He was surprised to see that it was 3:30 in the morning. That explains it. I wonder how long Peter can sleep upside down? These were James' last thoughts before he too slipped into dreamland.
The Marauders were awoken very rudely the next morning, only three hours after they had fallen asleep. The noisy students from the boys and girls' dormitories were now filing down the staircase, dressed for school and on their way to breakfast. The boys had tussled hair, and the girls, being girls, had their hair much more elegant than the boys, and were also wearing a good deal of makeup.
We all know that the Marauder's can sleep through anything-- almost. Lily Evans, James Potter's girlfriend, came down the stairs in her school uniform. She was wearing some makeup, but not much. Her bright green eyes looked fine without all of the eye makeup. Her red hair was curly and some was pulled back in the ponytail while the rest hung down.
Lily, grinning, saw James laying in an armchair, in such a deep sleep that he was drooling.
She wondered what mischief they had been causing that had made them tired enough to not even bother going to their dormitories.
Lily roughly shook James, saying, " Wake up, Potter." When this didn't work, Lily knelt down and whispered in his ear, " The Quidditch game against Slytherin started ten minutes ago, James! If you don't get there soon, they'll have to use Peter."
The reaction was immediate, and Lily jumped back in surprise as James shot up, and it looked like he got whiplash. Rubbing his neck, James looked around and muttered, " They can't use Peter! Give me five minutes!"
James, still half asleep, ran to his dormitory, threw on his Quidditch robes (backwards) and grabbed his broomstick.
When he emerged in the Common room two minutes later, his friends were all awake and his girlfriend was giggling at him. James noticed that they were all pointing and laughing at him.
" Peter, get to the field!" he barked, confused. They all chuckled louder. " I don't have time for this!" James cried, pushing past them.
He paused when he reached the Portrait hole, and stared at the wall for a moment before revolving around to face his friends. He looked down at himself and saw that his robes were on backwards, and his shoes were on the wrong feet. Muttering something that none of them could understand, he ran upstairs; his cheeks flushed red, as he heard his friends roaring with laughter. James returned beet red in his normal school robes.
The others changed and they headed for breakfast. Three of the five friends were still giggling, and James looked very putout. Lily sighed, and wrapped her arms around James' neck, kissing his cheek. " We're just kidding, Jimmy."She whispered in his ear.
James smiled, and turned to see that his three friends were looking determinedly in the opposite direction, their hands stuffed in their pockets with amused expressions on their faces at all of his pet-names.
They seated themselves at the crowded Gryffindor table, and helped themselves to toast. Lily noticed that the four Marauders kept glancing suspiciously at the Slytherins. When they finished breakfast, the Marauders and Lily headed for their first class of the day, History of Magic. As Professor Binn's was a very dull teacher, who gave long, droning lessons that everyone slept through, the Marauders were able to enjoy the lessons by passing notes.
Today's notes concerned the potion that they were secretly brewing. Lily, who was scribbling down notes (She was one of the only student who did not suffer from Binn's boring teaching approach), heard James' sniggers and snapped her head around to see what was so funny. Lily gave them a disapproving glare when she saw that they were passing notes.
In one swift movement, Lily casually snatched the notes that the Marauders were passing from her row in front of them, and ignoring their protests, began to read:
So, what time are we going to check on the potion, Prongs?
I dunno. After everyone else goes to bed?
Sounds good to me.
What if someone sees us?
Pete, we're using the invisibility cloak.
Are we going to sample it to make sure it works?
Sure. Why not?
Because we might get sick from it.
We didn't exactly prepare it correctly.
Who cares?
(No answer)
I can't wait! What will we make Snivellus do?
Walk into the Great Hall in his underwear and sing while dancing on the table?
Brilliant! Let's force him to wear Gryffindor clothes and diss my cousins!
I'm sure we can do that, too.
Why don't we just make him jump off of the Astronomy Tower?
There's a thought.
This is where the notes ended. Lily frowned in disapproval, and scrolled on the bottom of the notes, James Potter, you had better not be planning what I think you are.
She passed the note back to James, who read it, wrote Oh, of course not, Lily dear.
Lily read the note, and scrawled, don't sweet-talk me, Jimmykins.
By now Sirius, Remus, and Peter were silently howling with laughter, they always found it amusing when James and Lily had little rows over about their relationship that made the Marauders crack up.
James wrote another note, Lillian, if I told you, I would have to hex you.
Lily read the note, scoffed at James using her full first name, and wrote back, you wouldn't have the guts.
James smiled cheekily just as the bell rang, with a look that plainly said, why don't you try me?
Professor Binns disappeared through the blackboard and the Marauders plus Lily joined the crowd thronging for their next class. James had his arm around Lily, and Sirius, Remus, and Peter sighed to hear that they were still arguing over the topic of the fate that they were planning for Snape.
" James, you are Head Boy! You are setting a bad example! And what are you planning on doing to Severus? Poisoning him?" Lily whispered.
" No, of course not, Lils! It's just a little harmless prank!" James protested.
" James Potter, I thought that you promised not to mess with Snape anymore!" said Lily huffily.
" I'm not messing with him." said James calmly. He usually refrained from tormenting Snape whenever Lily was around. This time had been an accident.
" Then why are you brewing this--harmless prank where no one else can see it?" asked Lily smoothly.
" I don't know," whined James.
Lily rounded on the other three. " What exactly will this do to him?" Lily breathed deeply, glowering at them.
The three shifted uncomfortably. Sirius was about to answer, when James spoke, " Oh-- I don't even think that it will work! We didn't prepare it correctly! Forget it, Lily. There will be no prank on Snivellus."
James' friends all had astonished, disbelieving looks on their faces. James muttered under his breath, " We'll still check on it tonight, a little later than we may have expected."
They entered the Charms classroom, just before the bell rang, and Flitwick climbed his stack of books so that he could see the class, or more for the class to be able to see him. Snape was seated in front row, his greasy head bent over a sheaf of parchment, ready for class to begin.
That night, the Marauders finished up their homework, and were sitting around the fire, waiting. One of them would occasionally check their watch.
Lily was sitting next to James, her head bent over a large novel. Peter was fiddling with a small hole in the fabric of the couch, and James and Sirius were playing a barbaric game of wizard chess that Remus was surveying, and refereeing. By midnight, the Marauders were growing anxious. Everyone had gone to bed, except Lily, who seemed to be watching and waiting for the Marauders to make some lame excuse, go to their dormitories, and sneak back out.
Sirius cleared his throat loudly, " We're really tired, Lils. See you in the morning."
The four shot up, and James kissed Lily before following his friends upstairs. Lily waited, listening for their dormitory door to close, before following.
She crept up the boy's staircase, reached their door, and pressed her ear against the wood, listening. She heard scurrying inside, several trunks opening and hushed whispers. She recognized Remus' voice, " Have we got everything?"
" Yes," Sirius answered." James, get the cloak."
" Yes, your bossiness."
As she heard their footsteps approaching the door, she rushed back down the stairs, willing it to turn into a slide as the staircase for the girl's did whenever boys tried to get up. Lily moved into the shadows in the corner of the common room and waited, but didn't see them coming.
Puzzled, Lily listened for footsteps. Then she saw the portrait hole open, and Lily curiously followed through. She could hear footsteps, and followed at a safe distance. The footsteps stopped, and Lily collided with something hard, letting out a small scream.
She heard voices coming from the invisible object. Lily reached blindly forward, and grabbed a handful of liquid-like material. Puzzled, she pulled the material off, and was shocked to see her boyfriend and his three friends standing there, looking immensely guilty, with a long map clutched in their hands.
" James--" Lily sputtered, looking astonished. She lifted the limp cloak in her hand up. " Where on Earth did you get this cloak?"
" My dad gave it to me," said James simply. He knew that he would be in big trouble if he ever lied to Lily.
" And this is how you four have been sneaking around the castle, Head Boy?"
" Yes," they all said as one, as James nudged them with his elbow.
Coming to his senses, Sirius wiped the map clear before Lily could inspect it.
Lily looked suspiciously at the map. " What's that?"
" A spare bit of parchment," said James quickly.
Lily looked as though she would rather not know, and asked, " Are you off to brew that potion?"
James, Sirius, Remus, and Peter shifted guiltily, before nodding.
Lily sighed. " I'll just come with you to see what this potion is."
None of them dared to argue. It was hard enough to fit four teenagers under the cloak, five was way too much. They hurried as fast as they could for Moaning Myrtle's bathroom. Lily gave them a look of disgust when she saw where their secret potion was brewing.
" In a girl's bathroom?" she hissed as they entered.
The smell of burnt rubber reached their noses again, Lily plugged her nose instinctively after catching a whiff, and the boys followed suit. Their potion was bubbling, now a neon purple color. Remus extinguished the fire under the cauldron, and they waited while it cooled.
" So, who's going to try it out to be sure it's not poison?" asked Lily sharply.
None of them rose to the occasion, but all pointed to Peter.
Peter shook his head vigorously, looking frightened.
" To be fair," said Sirius. " I say that we all try some."
Looking extremely uneasy, the five of them each took a glass cup from Remus, and filled it with some of the frothy, bubbling purple potion.
" On the count of three-" said James in a bit of a shaky voice. " One- two- three!"
Pinching their noses and putting their heads back, they gulped down the potion.
" I think I'm going to be sick!" muttered Remus, going pale.
" Me too," Peter gasped.
" It tastes like- Murtlap tentacles!" exclaimed James, receiving weird glares from the others.
" How on Earth will we ever get Snape to drink this on his own free will?" asked Sirius.
" Did it even work, whatever it's suppose to do?" asked Lily.
" Let's see," said Sirius. " Peter, drink some more!"
" Are you mental?" asked Peter, flabbergasted.
" Nope, it didn't work," said Remus, voicing the obvious.
" You were trying to control Snape?" Lily cried, discovering the use of their potion.
Very suddenly, without the slightest warning signs, the five all groaned, and slowly fell to the ground, as the potion began to take affect. Their skin turned deathly pale, and each began to shake frighteningly. The room glowed oddly misty, and before they knew it, everything stopped, and each rose to their feet.
" What just happened, Padfoot?" asked Sirius to James.
James looked very confused. " Have you lost it, Sirius? I'm Remus!"
" I'm not Sirius! It's me, James! And what are you doing in my body?"
" I should ask you that!" cried Remus to James.
Peter spoke up. " Okay, who is who?"
They all shrugged. " Now," said Peter slowly. " I am actually Lily-"
"WHAT!" they all cried.
" No!" said Sirius. " You're Peter! That's Lily!" he cried, pointing wildly at the red head. " Right, Lily dear?" Sirius yelled in Lily's direction.
Lily looked uncharacteristically confused. " Sirius, you prat! I'm Peter!"
" I'm not Sirius, I'm James!" cried Sirius desperately. " And you're Lily!"
" No I am not!" said Lily.
Peter spoke up. " Okay, this is not funny! Stop it right now!"
" This isn't a prank, Peter, err- Lily!" said Remus impatiently, which was odd as Remus was the most patient person that any of them knew.
" I'm Lily!" cried Peter.
" Quiet!" said James over all the noise. " We'll get this sorted out." James pushed his glasses up higher on the bridge of his nose. "Judging by my glasses, I am James. But I'm really Remus."
Looking confounded, Remus said, " So, I'm Remus, but it's really me, I mean, Sirius in here!"
Sirius then spoke. " I'm Sirius-but I'm James at the same time. Oy, this is weird!"
Peter looked unusually thoughtful. " Wow, it's weird to see Peter actually thinking!" cried Remus.
Lily scowled. "Hey!"
" So let me get this straight," said Sirius. " I'm James, stuck in my best friend's body. My girlfriend is in Peter, and Peter is in my girlfriend, and Sirius is in Remus and Remus is in me?"
Slowly everyone nodded, their brows furrowed in concentration.
"Well, guys, you've got us into a right mess!" exclaimed Peter-Lily. " We are stuck inside of each other's bodies!"
A/N: ooohh, cliffhanger! Look what trouble they've got themselves into this time! I'll write a new chapter soon that will deal with how everyone handles their new situation. A big thanks to my reviewers, Herculeha, Trinity Day, Amandinka, and SchaffyTaffy15! I'll write more Marauder mishaps soon! Please review!
