James knew before the potion had even reached its soothing mother-of-pearl that it would smell of mint, lavender, and a hint of lemon. She loved mint and lavender, so of course he did, too. The lemon was reminiscent of better days, when James' parents were home all summer and he never worried as he glanced at the obituaries in the Prophet. Back before Voldemort's death eaters ran loose among wizardkind, Mrs. Potter had spent her summer afternoons in a lawn chair on the family's back porch, sipping lemonade. James stirred his potion slowly, counting mechanically and remembering his mother's sticky lemonade kisses. As the potion calmed from vibrant teal to silvery white, he inhaled deeply. The lavender, lemon, and mint intermingled perfectly, mixing without clashing, each seeming to disappear and appear again in a lively dance of scents. James passed his hand through his hair, satisfied, and ladled spoonfuls of his potion into a cool glass vial.
Lily leaned down towards her completed potion, her mind far away. She vaguely remembered Petunia coming home from science camp - Tuna was always slightly nerdy - and telling the family excitedly about the proper way to sniff chemicals. Lily smiled slightly to herself at the memory, and inhaled deeply. The scent wasn't at all what she'd expected. Instead of lavender or mint, Lily's favorite aromas, she smelled something entirely new and unfamiliar. It was a much deeper, earthier smell, like a combination between the thick leather of a quidditch glove and the scent of the forest right before rain. Though she hadn't expected the scent, Lily loved it right away; it made the tips of her toes tingle and a cool shiver run through her stomach. She smiled blissfully, and slowly tipped the potion into a vial.