Shelly Golder
Sirius was owed a favor and thankfully here he was on his motorbike going to the ministry. He has been cold since he left the bed. The bed where Remus also laid, it felt nice and perfect to be close to him. To feel the little warmth he gave off which wasn’t much nowadays. Remus was getting colder and Sirius knew in the pit of his stomach and the ache of his heart what that meant. They were running out of time.
As much as he would hate Shelly Golder to be his soulmate, he still prayed that she was even though it still ate away at him. But they needed the soulmate to save him! He showed up at the ministry on his bike. How ironic the place his father would have loved him to work at and a place Sirius swore he would never come to. His only satisfaction is his bike and his clothes which would never have been accepted.
He had to go in to ask for her and there she was. She was pretty, Sirius hated to admit. Black long hair, youthful skin and some aristocratic features. Sirius could feel the burn of jealousy. If she was Remus’ soulmate they would actually look good together. He hated that.
“Sirius Black.” She laughed, also a nice quiet laugh. Nothing like his own laugh. “To what do I owe this visit?”
Sirius swallowed, “Shelly, have you found your soulmate?”
Again she laughed. “Why? You, looking for yours or something?”
Sirius quickly shook his head. “I need to find Remus’.” That earned him a smile. Great she would be perfect for him because even her smile was pretty and her love for books. Sirius hated her.
“Remus? Why? Does he know you are going around asking?”
“No, listen. Remus is sick.”
Shelly frowned at that. “You mean sick as in, his soulmate rejected him?”
Sirius nodded. Shelly’s face turned horrified. “He isn’t mine, sorry. You have to look for a huge disagreement for that to happen. Maybe a while back.”
“Fifth year which is why your name came up. You two had a row for two days and I remember tears were involved.”
Shelly gave a small smile. “No, we were arguing about Jane Austen.”
“Jane…Austen?”
“Yes. The muggle author although she could have been a witch. Pride and Prejudice is obviously her best book and we were arguing about the second best. I think Northanger Abbey and he thinks Persuasion. It wasn’t a row.”
Sirius didn’t really understand but nodded, except… “What about the tears?”
“We were also talking about The Song of Achilles. We had both just finished it and let’s just say I cried for three days after that book.”
Sirius accepted that she wasn’t the soulmate. Great, please let James or Peter find them. This wasn’t good. They were out of time and Remus is going to die. Sirius failed. He failed and now Remus is dead. He couldn’t breathe.
“Hey, Sirius. It’s okay. I can help you, if you want?”
Sirius felt his chest was tightening. “We split the list. You were my last one.”
Shelly grabbed his shoulder and started pushing him. “Sirius, did you know the ministry decided to put together a group of master divination to help possibly figure out a few problems in the future. We can find a few clues about someone’s soulmate.”
Sirius looked shocked, “You can do that?” Maybe he should ask for himself?
“Like I said, just clues and never for yourself, trust me.”
“How exactly?”
Shelly raised her hand to demonstrate he needed to give her a moment. Then he handed him a cup of tea and put a spell on it. He was about to refuse when she spoke. “You drink it. In three parts. The first you think only about Remus while drinking.”
Sirius thought about Remus’ smile. The big bright one that was rare because it was real not forced. He thought about his brown hair that was beyond soft. His eyes and that amber color that looked like honey. The scars that were silver colored and caused him to glow at night. His scent of earth and cinnamon. His joy of seeing chocolate after he knew he survived a full moon. His sweet tooth that he swears he has under control.
“Good. Next part you have to think about what it would mean for Remus to be with his soulmate.”
Sirius thought about Remus and his strength. The way he will be again once he is recovered. That strong man who month after month goes through a bone breaking transformation. Remus who could curl up with a book and a blanket where he smiled into his book from time to time. Remus who was actually good at quidditch although he pretends he can’t. Remus who will spend hours on end explaining something and get excited about it. Remus who is full of passion, not the one that can’t even sit up.
“Now think about what soulmate you think he deserves and finish the tea.”
Sirius knew Remus deserved someone nice, kind, and smart. Someone who would make him smile. Someone who can make him laugh and argue and remind him of his beauty. Someone with black hair. Yes, black hair. Good looking, pretty maybe like him? Definitely like him but not Regulus! No! Someone older who saw him grow from the small thin kid into the now tall thin yet muscular man.
“Alright let me see.” Sirius handed the cup over as she analyzed. All he saw was blobs. “I see he has some feminine qualities.”
“Wait, him? You sure?”
“Yeah, like I said feminine qualities but definitely masculine energy. He is definitely a he. I mean we all have both. He is just maybe a bit dramatic or something. I also see a star.”
“He is famous?”
“Maybe or he just likes attention or maybe he just likes stars. I mean I had a broomstick so I’m thinking he likes quidditch. Also a dog? Or a wolf? Maybe a lion?”
“Wolf would make sense. Maybe he’s a werewolf.”
Shelly chuckled, “It doesn’t have to mean the animals, it could mean like a dog is known for their loyalty. He is probably loyal. Sorry that’s it.”
Sirius started thinking about everything that was said. Well at least females are out. Sirius didn’t notice Shelly drinking the tea.
“Well yours has a masculine energy. Your soulmate is a man. I see a moon?”
“It could be an O.”
Shelly laughed, “No moon. Sorry no letters are ever given. He is mysterious or probably doesn’t show all his cards. Also a letter of some kind or book? Maybe you’ll start writing to each other before you ever meet.”
Sirius smiled. “Maybe I’ll keep that in mind. I gotta go.” They said their goodbyes and Sirius left. He needed to find Remus’ soulmate. He needed to find James and Peter.