Scent
Grimmauld place always had a distinctive smell. Maybe it was just to Remus, no one else ever noticed, but every time that he came there there seemed to be different scent.
After third year, when he'd finally got permission from his mother, all three finally plucked the courage to visit Sirius' family home for a month. He seemed very uncomfortable with James and Peter' awe at its sheer size and quality, it was hard not to be amazed. Remus however, had been more distracted by the dusty-perfume that seemed to be pumping through the air constantly. Sirius had told him it was because Kreacher was lurking around after spending too much time with his mother.
His father had arrived after only ten days of their month long stay.
The day before they'd been playing in the living room and Regulus had broken an old family heirloom, an ugly vase with the Black crest on. Their mother (the perfume around her had been so strong that it had nearly knocked Remus out) had just looked down on them and told them that he would be arriving the next evening.
Both Sirius andRegulus (he felt an urging sadness at the thought of how close the brothers had been at the time.) had an air of fear around them from the time they heard his was coming home. Remus later learned that it was for good reason.
They'd been taken the next morning in a game of Quidditch and his friends only seen them at dinner. They were dressed in fancy dress robes, hair gelled back and both had been primped and polished to the maximum. It brought a smile to his face to remember how James had teased Sirius that night as they sat in his room.
Then, around midnight, the house elf came in and fetched Sirius from his room where he'd fallen asleep. He had a cruel smirk on his face as he disappeared. Regulus had come in soon after only been eleven at the time and positively tiny. He had a scared look on his haughty features.
"It's okay Reg. We'll be fine. I promise." Sirius held him closely and comforted him. He seemed oblivious to the world around and that his friends were watching. Their usually loud, domineering and self-centred friend was now silent as he stood up, back straight and face carved into a handsome haughty expression. He took his brother's hand, he hadn't quite mastered the same expression, and they left the room together.
He'd never forget how Regulus had burst in a few hours later, waking all of them up. He'd hugged James, who'd spent the most time there the previous summer, crying his little eyes out and mumbling incoherently. James had managed to get out him that Sirius had taken the blame for breaking the vase and had been told to stay to discuss his behaviour at school. James had looked up at both, biting his lip and once again, Remus smelt fear. James knew something they didn't.
Sirius only returned to them two days later. They had been packing up their stuff, all deciding to leave early, when he walked in. He just nodded and sat on the bed watching, not saying a word. Remus watched him for a few long moments. He didn't look badly injured, but there was a distinctive smell of blood on him.
He'd only returned once after, when Sirius was in hiding he'd gone to see him. He was laughing over a letter from Lily at time, sitting up on his old bed and smiling. There was only flashes of memory from that time, smells of sweat and dog and sex, but Remus still treasured the last few days they'd had.
There was no more perfume. No more blood. No more Sex. Now that Sirius was gone, there was no more anger, depression, guilt and hatred.
He lay in the bed, the pillow in in his arms held close to his face.
Sirius only lingered. He was gone.
He inhaled deeply and smiled slightly.
Sirius was finally free.
For 30 November