Word count: 3000

Written for:

QLFC Round 5 - SEEKER: You must choose to write either the word prompt, setting prompt or object prompt. Choose carefully though, as you captain and keeper must write the other two. Object: empty firewhiskey bottle

Mystery Competition - Perplexing Myc, you will be writing a Ravenclaw!AU about a non-Ravenclaw character, in which you will need to include the word 'perplexing' somewhere.

Hogwarts June Funfair Balloon Pop - Enter a story for a dart to throw and see what you uncover.

Thanks to my teammates, the fabulous Wanderers!

Wolf and Star

Sirius glared at the empty bottle of firewhiskey. It was supposed to make him feel better, not worse. But instead of relaxing and forgetting his problems, Sirius had managed to create more for himself. The only real consequence of his exciting foray into the world of alcohol was a slap to the face.

How was he supposed to know that sending graphic drawings of what he'd like to do to a certain individual, to said individual, was 'inappropriate?'

He was drunk - achingly, devastatingly drunk - otherwise he wouldn't have given that Marlene McKinnon girl a second look. It was simply his misfortune that she happened to fall in his path in between gulps of 'borrowed' liquor.

The drawings hadn't been that bad, anyhow. Maybe he could reuse them.

Picking up the bottle, Sirius gazed into it with glazed eyes. It hadn't been long since it was full. Yet somehow he was now left with nothing to distract from his pitiful relationship status. Single. The word branded itself in his head, a reminder of the entire month he'd spent alone. All the girls he'd gone out with lately had been gorgeous, sure, but he was running out of options, and eventually it would be just people like Dorcas Meadowes left - little wannabes who had never been kissed.

Sirius gulped. He himself wasn't too far from Dorcas Meadowes, to be honest. More of his housemates hooked up each weekend. At this rate, he would be the only lonely one at the end of term.

These thoughts prodded ceaselessly at his brain. Sirius's head pounded, making him regret the night of drinking. The firewhiskey hadn't done anything but make him more aware of his problems, and Sirius's general strategy for life was: deny, deny, deny. Don't let yourself realize your issues, and everything will be fine.

Well, that was a bust.

Still clutching the bottle, Sirius stared into its tricky glass depths. It was like the one in his father's study back home, retrieved from the depths of the ocean by a lucky Accio. There was a message inside - worn down by the passage of time, but still readable due to a water resistance charm.

"A message in a bottle," mumbled Sirius. Impulsively, he scribbled onto some parchment, composing a sort of open letter to the beyond. After a brief struggle between him and the bottle, the letter lay safely inside, sealed with a flick of his wand.

Tomorrow, he would toss it in the lake.

oOo

Remus' eyes moved idly over the book pages, barely absorbing a word. He had been out at the lake for ages, and even a bookworm like him couldn't focus on studying when the sky was so blue and the birds sang so shrilly. But there wasn't much else to do. April was the fleeting time when it was too early to study for exams but too warm and sunny to stay huddled up inside.

He tried to focus on the text, flipping a few pages in search of an interesting passage until the sun reflected off some object in the lake, catching his eye.

Something shiny and smooth was bobbing in the water, drifting closer and closer to the shore. Positioned comfortably under a tree, Remus dared to stand and investigate. He supposed it was his Ravenclaw nature finally showing itself.

He dipped his hand in the shallow edges of the lake, coming up with a heavy weight in his palm that nearly slipped back into the water. Remus told ahold of the shiny, new bottle with both hands and carried it back to his tree.

He couldn't understand why there would be a bottle in the lake, especially so far from any muggle towns, but it didn't stop him from reading the words stamped into the opaque glass: Ogden's Firewhiskey.

"Oh," Remus said to himself, picturing the scene that must have taken place some Friday night. Some adventurous seventh year probably snuck in a crate of drinks from Hogsmeade to party with. It wasn't surprising to imagine that this could have taken place - Remus wasn't invited to those parties... any parties, really.

But when he put the bottle down next to his book, his fingers brushed against parchment coming from the neck of the bottle. Remus widened his eyes. It was dry.

Dear Somebody,

(To whom it may concern: the writer of this letter is the hottest student ever to grace the halls of Hogwarts. Just putting that out there.)

Hi. I'm me. I think it's more mysterious if I leave something a secret, considering all the soul-spilling that's probably about to happen. Anyway, I bet by the time you read this I'll be Minister of Magic, so look out for me.

I'm sending this into the lake on purpose. I'm not entirely sure whether I'll end up tossing it in, but if I do, it's a meaningful gesture that shows my flair and mysteriosity. My brother would say I'm being a drama queen, but I resent that.

The thing is, sometimes, I don't feel like who I pretend to be. I know I belong here - everyone from my family belongs in Slytherin - but that doesn't stop me from wondering what the other houses are like. And sometimes, I think that what I've got isn't enough. (I'm not talking about nice things - I've got those.)

I sit here writing this letter, and I realize I've got a missing piece. Something's wrong with me that can't be fixed. Despite being a massive flirt, I haven't loved. I haven't found anyone I really care about.

It's getting light out and I bet the others will wake up soon. Maybe I'll toss this away at dawn, if I get the chance. I'm a very busy man, you know.

Yours fabulously,

Star

oOo

Sirius quickly forgot about the previous evening's crisis, focusing on the splitting headache and damp shoes it left him. He could barely remember the contents of his impulsive message in a bottle - an alarming thought - but his greatest regret regarding the incident was that his drunk self might have let something important slip. Of course, he hadn't signed his name. There was no way to tie him to the letter, so however brilliant or humiliating it might be, no one would ever know the truth.

It was with that reassurance that Sirius stepped out of the dormitory, dressed and ready to greet the day. The sun was already high in the sky, but Sirius was proud of himself. The weekend before, he had risen just in time for the next day's supper. Lunchtime was ridiculously early in comparison.

The ground was littered with dropped tree buds and blossoms. They made a squishing sound as Sirius trod over them, heading for his favorite tree. But before he could lie down for a nap in the shade, something banged against his head.

"Ow!" Sirius yelped, rubbing his sore temple. He backed away from the tree, then looked up to where he expected someone to be hiding in the branches. But he was alone. Instead, a familiar-looking bottle was dangling from a string tied to a knothole.

"How did that get there?" Sirius asked himself. His head still ached, so he quickly tugged the bottle down to examine it. There was a perplexing bit of parchment inside, this one clean, new, and free of ink blotches.

He unrolled the paper and read:

Dear Star,

(To whom it may concern: this is a reply to the letter I found in this bottle. If you don't consider yourself 'the hottest student ever,' you're probably not conceited enough to receive this message.)

I can't tell you how surprised I was to see your letter this morning. I looked at it for ages, reading the lines over and over for some kind of clue as to who you are. Unfortunately, the letter was preserved so well I can't tell whether it was written last Tuesday or last century.

When I first read your words, I thought you (like your brother might say) an arrogant prat. ...That was harsh. You know, I rarely talk like that for fear of being called a prat myself. This letter is a terrible thing. It makes me into a worse person.

Now, I feel bad for you. You're not so different from me. I'm not saying I get around as much as you claim to, but I've got the same sort of problem. No one knows me well enough to love me, heart and soul. And I've had my heart broken too many times to love someone who won't love me back.

I guess I'm just writing to say that I exist. I'm here. And while I don't know you, and don't have any reason to, I rather wish I did.

Yours,

Wolf

P.S. Your family is all in one house? Based on what else you said, you don't sound like the typical Slytherin. Although I don't claim to be your typical Ravenclaw.

oOo

Remus knew he shouldn't have been surprised when the next letter arrived, but his elaborate preparations for disappointment were shattered when he spotted the bottle dangling from a different branch of the same tree he'd left it in.

He didn't delay; he tore it down and spread out the crinkled parchment to read.

Dear Wolf,

(To whom it may concern: excuse me, I am NOT conceited! I'm just gorgeous and perfect in every way.)

But seriously, though - yes, I'm Slytherin. No, I don't want to talk about it. And no, you sound very Ravenclaw, with all that analyzing I imagine you did of my first letter. But don't worry - Ravenclaws are very sexy. Those glasses...

Fortunately and unfortunately for you, I don't know who you are, aside from in these letters. I suppose you must go to Hogwarts, but you could be anyone out of a hundred students. I'll make it easier for myself and guess that you're a boy, like me.

My point is, the only person I see is who you show me. Show me all of you, good and bad, and then this'll be honest, and maybe I'll be the one who really knows you.

Yours,

Star

oOo

Sirius knew exactly what to expect when he visited the tree by the lake. A similar letter to the first reply he'd gotten was tucked inside the old bottle. He found himself strangely excited when he spotted it, unable to recall the last time a bit of parchment had made him want to cheer. But this was different than some stupid pen pal. It was secret... special... something different to break up the monotony of school life.

Dear Star,

I no longer care if you're conceited. I'm having fun picturing your 'gorgeous, perfect' self despite having nothing to go on.

I hope you're proud of yourself. I blushed so badly after your Ravenclaw comment that Professor McGonagall asked me what was wrong during Transfiguration. That was hours later!

Yes, I'm male, and I know you are too. I don't know whether you meant to give that away, but I don't mind. I'd rather write to you than anyone else, no matter the gender.

I certainly I hope I sound genuine - I'm trying very hard not to put up my normal filter between myself and the world. To prove my dedication, I'll be brave and ask you some questions...

What year are you in?

What's your favorite subject?

Yours,

Wolf

oOo

Dear Wolf,

My brain's been just as frenzied trying to work out what you look like. I would give my predictions, but if you blushed at the sexy Ravenclaw bit I don't think you'd react well to my attractive-stranger-musings.

Answers: let's just say I'm old enough to have taken O.W.L.s , but not so old that I've been denied a Head Boy slot. Also, I like charms.

Here are some questions for you:

-Muggleborn or pureblood?
-Would you rather fly on a broom or a thestral?
-Do you like men?

I hope those weren't too direct. I've been told brooms are a touchy subject.

Yours,

Star

oOo

Dear Wolf,

You haven't written back to me yet, but the letter I wrote to you is gone. It's been two days - you always reply after one. What's wrong? What did I say?

If it's about being gay... well, I guess I shouldn't have said that. I got excited and decided to ask. I don't even know if I'm really gay. I've dated so many girls and not a single boy. I mean... of course I'm not gay. I'm a Black.

Yours,

Star

oOo

Dear Wolf,

Ignore that last letter. If you got it, don't open it. Throw it in the lake (and don't use a bottle to keep it afloat).

Are you mad at me?

Yours,

Star

oOo

Dear Star,

I listened to your strange request and didn't look at the second letter. I hope that was the right one - you sent three, and I wasn't sure. No, I'm not mad at you. ...Should I be?

I'm sorry I didn't reply quickly. I was ill, and I couldn't deliver the letter to the tree. I'm better now. I get sick a lot, but it never lasts long.

In response to your answers and questions:

-I'm about as old as you, if I worked out your clues right.
-I really don't see why my blood status matters. I didn't think you would care about something like that.
-I laughed out loud at your broom question. No brooms for me. I'm more of a 'studying in the library' sort of person.
-I don't know.

Yours,

Wolf

oOo

Sirius hurried down the stone steps that led to the grounds. He had skipped breakfast that morning and left his hair untied, wanting only to check the tree-bottle for signs of Wolf's reply. The past two weeks had been wonderful, but now that Wolf had stopped replying, he was constantly panicked. Had he ruined his chance to get to know the amazing Ravenclaw? Would the boy now spread rumors about him, telling the whole school that Sirius Black was questioning his sexuality?

No. Wolf wouldn't do that. Besides, he had told him to destroy the letter in which he had given himself away. Even if Wolf had gotten the letters, he surely would have listened and stayed in the dark. Right?

Sirius jogged down a grassy hill to the lake, his robes dragging against the ground. The house elves would have a field day cleaning them later, but it was worth it for Wolf.

All thoughts of hair and house-elves vanished from his head a moment later. As soon as Sirius got in sight of the tree, he saw someone someone already standing there, clutching the firewhiskey bottle.

"Hey!" he yelled, running to grab the bottle out of the boy's hands. "Hey! That's mine!"

The boy turned and looked at him quite calmly, holding the bottle behind his back. "Erm- I have just a right to be here as anyone else. Leave me alone."

Sirius could tell the boy was studying him, probably judging him for his missing tie and sleep-mussed hair. This was not what was supposed to happen.

"No, no you don't," he repeated. "You don't understand - that's for me, I know it is."

"Just because you're a Slytherin doesn't mean you get to push me arou-" began the boy angrily. Then he paused. "Wait." His blue tie now stood out very brightly on his robes. "Are you..."

Sirius could do nothing but stare. "Wolf?"

"Star?"

The boy dropped the bottle, which shattered into dozens of pieces that glittered on the ground. He threw his arms around Sirius in a surprisingly tight hug.

"It's you," Sirius murmured. "Merlin, I feel like I've been waiting for this forever."

Wolf chuckled, pulling away gently. "Hey, don't start with the flirty lines again. I got enough of those in your letters for a lifetime." Then he bit his lip, looking at Sirius. "But I didn't mind."

"I'm sorry," Sirius confessed. "I was a bit forward. It's just... you sounded so beautiful."

Wolf raised his eyebrows. "You can't sound beautiful."

"Then I guess I guessed right, seeing you now."

A laugh broke from Wolf's lips, but quickly faded. "Star..." he said, folding his arms. "I can't do this if you're only after- if you only care about-"

Sirius realized what he meant, and protested. "What? No! I know you - I've written letters to you and pictured you and thought about you for weeks! I'm not just into you for your looks!"

"Come on. We barely know each other." Wolf paused. "Like, what's my favorite color?"

"Blue?"

"Grey." Wolf smiled. "Nice try, though."

Sirius tried to combat this new attack. He couldn't let Wolf slip away. "Okay, fine. I admit it. I don't actually know you that well."

"Thank you." Wolf looked relieved to have won a point, but there was a sadness that stayed in his features. It was as if he was trying to push Sirius away, even though he didn't want to.

"But-" began Sirius, "I propose a solution to that problem."

Wolf smiled again, beginning to catch on. "Yes?"

"Let's get to know each other. Properly, this time."

Wolf nodded, leaning closer to Sirius. "How shall we begin this new adventure of discovery?"

Sirius tilted his head, pretending to think. Then he snapped his fingers. "Got it!"

"I'm waiting..."

Sirius took a deep breath, then stuck out his hand. "Nice to meet you. My name is Star, but you can call me Sirius Black."

Remus took his hand and shook, but didn't let go. "Remus Lupin," he replied. To Sirius, the name sounded like the most melodic song on earth. It didn't matter what the boy's name was, but now that he knew, he would treasure it.

"Can I kiss you?" he said suddenly. A second later, he regretted it. The surprise on Remus's face made him realize how terrible a 'no' would be.

But Remus immediately responded, squeezing Sirius's hand between his own. "Please do."