Chapter 3-What does Quidditch smell like?
Disclaimer: Anything you recognize belongs to J. K. Rowling or entities associated with her.
Lily arrived in a dark and quiet dormitory. James arrived to a much different scene. Peter's bed hangings were pulled shut and soft snores could be heard from behind the curtains. Sirius was sitting on his bed, legs outstretched, his back propped up by many pillows. Remus was lying on his bed, his arms underneath his head.
"Prongs, Padfoot and I were just discussing Potions. What do you smell in Amortentia?" Remus asked. James knew even in the low light of the room that his friends were grinning, awaiting his answer.
"That's easy Moony. What I smell is… none of your bloody business mate," James replied, laughing and chucking a pillow at Remus.
"Now Prongs, you know the rules. We told, now you have to as well," said Sirius.
"Not if you don't tell me what you both smell, I don't," James told him.
The three boys had done this since their first year. One would ask a question, and then if one answered, the other two answered as well. Peter had never joined in the game, though the others didn't know why. He was afraid they wouldn't like him if he didn't give the response they wanted, Peter depended on the acceptance and friendship of the other three boys. James, Sirius, and Remus knew that they would never turn against each other because of what was said, Peter however could never understand that type of friendship. Friendship with out limits or strings, with out bias or prejudice. A friendship that asked for nothing more than loyalty, trust, and honesty. It was more than a friendship. It was a brotherhood, for James and Remus who had no brothers, and for Sirius who might as well have not had a brother. They had banded together and had then taken Peter in. In first year, he had little magical talent, was short, pudgy, and very homesick. They were like older brothers to him, although he was only a few months younger than they.
"My motorbike, burned rubber to be specific, something that I'm not really sure of what it is, but it smells clean, butterbeer, and a girl's smell, like perfume or something," said Sirius.
"A girl's smell? Something that smells clean? Wow, those are very specific Padfoot," said James.
"I can smell them very well Prongs, I just haven't identified them yet," said Sirius.
"Moony, you're up."
"Chocolate, lemonade, toothpaste, and lavender," Remus ticked off his list.
"James if you can't distinguish all of the smells yet, it's okay. You know we, I especially, have a much keener sense of smell than you. Did you know canines have heightened senses of hearing and smell, and excellent low light vision," Remus said after James had sat quietly for a few minutes.
"I'll have you know that I have excellent animal instincts as well. There is nothing wrong with my hearing, vision, or sense of smell," James replied, pushing his glasses back up on his nose.
Remus and Sirius belted out bark like laughs. They knew how to get James going.
"Alright, I smell Quidditch, my broomstick, and Lily. G'night." With that James rolled over to go to sleep, a wide smile plastered on his face.
"Nope Prongs. Not yet you don't. Lily Evans is not a smell, and neither is Quidditch. Explain," said Sirius.
James knew that Sirius and Remus would hate the ambiguity of his answer. It was sure to have perplexed them, well Sirius at least. Remus probably wasn't too fussed about it. This gave James exactly what he wanted, an audience whose attention he held raptly. He was once again lying on his back, now propped up on his elbows.
"Lily is not a smell, but there are smells that are very much Lily. She smells like peppermint and peaches. And Padfoot you of all people should know that there are very distinct smells to Quidditch, the leather of the Quaffle, the iron of the Bludgers, the crisp smell of the air when you're flying that high, the smell of just being inside the pitch. You know the smell of Quidditch, Padfoot." This being said James lay back down, and quickly fell asleep. He first dreamt of playing Quidditch with peppermint Quaffles, and then of flying with Lily, the scent of peaches all around them.
Author's Note: Thanks for reading and reviewing. It is always appreciated.
-->