Le Parfum de l'Amour

Part 1- A Heart with Seven Sides

Sixth year potions begins with an explanation of Amortentia and how each and every one of them will smell different things, due to individual tastes. There's a cauldron full on Slughorn's desk, wafting through the room and James and Sirius share a grin.

They make a game of it, decide they'll see if they can guess what the other smells and Sirius is confident, knows he knows James better than he knows himself.

Of course, that goes both ways.

First

James narrows his eyes, thinks for just a second.

"Fall," he says confidently and Sirius nods. Most people would probably be confused because what does "Fall" mean? How can a season have a scent? And maybe for most people it doesn't, but for Sirius it always has. It's apple pie and chimney smoke, the beginnings of frost on the air. It's pumpkin and cinnamon and maybe a little muddy too. Dry leaves and wet leaves, the warm wool sweater Mrs Potter knit him, a hint of spices in the wind.

But it's not just a smell, it's a feeling, living deep in his bones.

It's the thrill of their annual Halloween prank, their biggest and best of the year. It's the excitement of the start of the Quidditch season, because Sirius is nothing if not Gryffindor's biggest fan. It's the happiness, the safety, the feeling of belonging that comes with the beginning of school, with returning to Hogwarts. It's the warmth and the love of the friends and family he's made, celebrating his birthday by his side.

It's the end of the old and the hope for tomorrow, that maybe, someday, things will be better.

Second

He smells leather and burning rubber, tastes the wind, thinks of motorcycles and leather jackets. It means freedom and rebellion, means escape and being himself and most people wouldn't understand, thinks it's to be cool or reckless or flashy.

James guesses it with a grin and even though they laugh together, Sirius can see it in his eyes.

James understands, but then, he always has.

Third

Then comes the Great Hall at Halloween, mouth watering and delicious. Pudding and candy and chocolate and pastries and more, leaves Sirius with a craving growing in his stomach.

James doesn't hesitate to suggest it, has been right on the money so far. Sirius nods, still thinking of sweets and what he doesn't quite realize, is there's more to it than that. He loves it because of the taste, sure, but deep down it represents youth, the chance to be young and carefree, no worries, no stress, no broken family or world at war.

They're just kids, just happy and alive and having a good time.

Fourth

"Mum's apple pie," James says, eyes a little wistful and Sirius nods eagerly.

This one is easy, no question because Mrs Potter's apple pie is his favourite thing in the world, is the one food he'd live off of for the rest of his life if he had to.

(and maybe it's family and love and home)

Fifth

There's the Potter home, the scent of his favourite apple pie, the reek of James' broomstick polish, the warmth of fireplaces, the sweetness of floral perfume, the strength of cologne.

That apple pie smell always flutters from the kitchen, snuck into every room and never failed to make his mouth water.

That comforting fireplace scent's always floating around, which makes sense in the winter, when each room has a blazing fire, the kind that makes you feel safe and cozy. But even in July, when a fire hasn't burned in the house for months, that smell lingers and it always makes Sirius feel warm in the very best of ways.

Leaking from every nook and cranny is James' broomstick polish, something he makes obsessive use of. His bedroom and the shed out back practically have it oozing from the walls, but the rest of the house carries faint traces and James himself has the scent stuck beneath his skin, lingering in his every breath.

There's always the pleasant tingle of floral perfume in the air belonging to Mrs Potter and smelling it always means love and care and affection.

Mr Potter's cologne is always much stronger, the kind of stuff that gets stuck in your nose with no way out. And sometimes Sirius complains but he never means it, because that unnatural cologne means love and safety and pride.

James gets this one with ease, but of course he did.

Sirius never doubted he would.

Sixth

The weirdest one, the one that catches even Sirius off guard, is the barely there smell of vanilla shampoo.

He thinks it's a mistake at first, thinks he's just smelling someone nearby but the smell vanishes when he pulls away, only seems present when he takes a big whiff of the potion.

He doesn't know what this means, if it means he's already attracted to someone who uses vanilla shampoo or if it just means that he finds vanilla shampoo a particularly attractive scent.

It doesn't really matter, he has zero interest in finding himself a girlfriend, that's more James the Romantic's scene.

Still, he can't help but wonder.

James doesn't get it, but then, neither does Sirius.

(there still on the same page, but then, they always are)

Last

(but never least)

Neither of them mentions the final scent, the last thing Sirius smells, the one that lingers long after class is over.

It's broomstick polish, nasty as all hell after shave, open windows, that weird chemical glasses cleaner.

It's James, it's friendship and home, family, trust and faith.

It's loyalty, belonging, affection, it's happiness and courage.

It means love and someone to lean on, it means safety and laughter.

It's James and it means everything.