The Bug Collector | marauders

The Unreliable Narrator

Throughout the rest of her classes that day Rose thought about the unconventional scents her and her friend had smelled in their Amortentia, this lead her to consider just how accurate it might have been.

For instance had Regulus really smelled nothing at all?

After finishing her homework for the day she wrapped her scarf around herself and headed out of the common room, it was well past curfew, but Rose had grown use to sneaking around the castle during the late hours of night.

She needed someone else to test the love potion, James would have been the best option since he would just smell Lily, a scent Rose herself was use to, or Ode, Rose was sure the girl had a crush of her own, but couldn't quite figure out who it was, Ode would know though.

Rose even found herself wondering what Sirius would smell.

Oh god, she found herself wondering what Sirius would smell.

After making her way into the Gryffindor common room she opened the door to the marauders' dorm cautiously, peeking in to see who was still awake.

Surprisingly the boys seemed to all be in their beds and Remus' flower was waning on his beside table.

As she looked around she noticed one was awake, Rose could almost feel fate laughing at her as Sirius lifted his attention from his book to Rose's head peeping through the doorway, curly bangs a mess atop her forehead.

"Evening, intruder."

Sirius said, sleep pulling at his voice. His hair was down and his shirt unbuttoned more than it usually was, he was sat up with a book propped in his lap, wand glowing next to him on the bed.

Rose stepped through the door and shut it softly behind her.

"I need a second opinion on something." She said quietly.

"Right, that's a perfectly normal thing to need at this hour." He said sarcastically as he stretched and stood, preparing to join her.

After getting ready Sirius grabbed the invisibility cloak and they were out the door.

"You're warm." He whispered as they walked tucked under the cloak together.

"Shush." She said pulling her scarf to cover her face further, leading the way to the potions classroom.

"And cranky."

"Sirius, shush!" She whisper yelled as they entered the room, quickly removing the the cloak from their shoulders and making her way to the cabinet where the student's potions were locked, she whispered the unlocking charm and rummaged until she found her and Regulus' potion. Grabbing it and turning around quickly to meet Sirius' inquisitive grey eyes.

She removed the lid and shoved it to him.

"Smell it." She instructed.

"What is it?" He asked, though Rose suspected he may have known.

"Just smell it. Tell me what you smell." She said, hoping he wouldn't think about it too much and simply do the task.

He began sniffing the potion, listing the scents as they came to him.

"Aged parchment" He said.

"Worn leather. Like really old." He continued.

Another sniff.

"Ci- something sweet."
He said with a cough.

"And uh- broom polish, that's from James for sure." He continued with a chuckle.

Rose felt a sense of relief wash over her.

Leather, parchment, something sweet, Rose recognized those scents.

Those were the scents of the library with Remus, her tea sending fragrant steam into the early morning air while Sirius sat half asleep watching the other two study. They'll always tell him he'd grow bored, and he'd always come anyway.

And the smell of James, maybe it was possible to simply smell something you love, not only something you're....attracted to.

"What about you?" He asked leaning against the table, taking the lid from her fingers.

"What did you smell?" He asked with a lazy smile on his face.

"Imagine...a damp forest, a smoky cave, and an empty house. I smelled something like that."

"Hard to imagine." He said as he tightened the lid, handing the potion back to Rose so she could put it away.

Rose could have sword their hands lingered there together for a brief moment.

"I know." She said, locking the potion away and turning back to Sirius.

"I could go for a butterbeer." She said after a short pause.

"I bet the three broomsticks is still open." He responded, throwing the cloak over their shoulders again as they made their way out of the classroom back into the cold stone halls.

Once they arrived at the Inn they took a seat in the far corner, over a few rounds of butterbeers they discussed quidditch and the marauders progress on their magical map. Rose would bring out her wand and turn Sirius' butterbeer Slytherin green each time the new ones would arrive. She'd giggle and he'd scowl, but drink it anyway.

He cleared his throat and suppressed hiccup.

"The lads and I have something to show you soon, it's rather cool." He said taking another sip from his green butterbeer as Rose twirled her wand of the same color around in her fingers, the leaves engraved on the sides poking her fingers slightly, but not nearly as much as the thorned wand.

"When's soon?"

"Day after Halloween" He said proudly, smile coming to his lips.

"I'll be waiting anxiously." She said with a smile, flush coming to her cheeks as she looked at him in the dimly lit establishment.