Boils

• Incantation: None (This is a condition, not a single spell)
• Pronunciation: N/A
• Wand Movement: N/A
• Light: N/A
• Effect: Causes the victim's skin to erupt in painful, pus-filled boils. The severity and coverage can vary depending on the cause.
• Type: Magical Ailment / Jinx or Curse side-effect

Boils are a common magical affliction mentioned several times throughout the series, often resulting from potion-making accidents or specific jinxes.

• In their first Potions lesson, Harry Potter and his classmates were tasked with brewing a Boil Cure Potion. During this class, Neville Longbottom melted his cauldron, and the resulting potion splashed onto his arms and legs, causing them to be covered in angry red boils. Professor Snape had him sent to the Hospital Wing.
• The Weasley twins, Fred and George Weasley, were known to use first-year students to test their prototype Skiving Snackboxes. Some of these products had the unfortunate side effect of causing the user to break out in boils.
• During the Second Task of the Triwizard Tournament, Harry used the Furnunculus Curse on Gregory Goyle. However, Goyle was attempting to use the Densaugeo jinx at the same time, and the spells collided. Hermione Granger, standing between them, was hit by stray light from both spells, causing her teeth to lengthen and her nose to erupt in boils. Professor Snape sent her to Madam Pomfrey for treatment.

As a common ailment, there are well-known remedies for boils.

• Boil Cure Potion: This is the most direct and widely known cure. It is a fundamental potion taught to first-year students at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Its ingredients include dried nettles, crushed snake fangs, stewed horned slugs, and porcupine quills.
• General Healing Magic: A competent healer, such as Madam Pomfrey, can presumably cure boils with relative ease using unspecified healing spells.
• Defensive Spells: When boils are caused by a specific spell like the Furnunculus Curse, they can be prevented by a standard Shield Charm (Protego) or by dodging the jet of light.

The term “boil” is a direct use of the standard English word for a painful, pus-filled skin infection, typically caused by a bacterium. Its use in the wizarding world highlights how magic can replicate or induce ailments familiar to Muggles.

• Boils and the Boil Cure Potion feature in several Harry Potter video games, often as one of the first potions the player learns to brew, mirroring its introduction in the novels. It typically serves as a basic healing or antidote item. (video game)