29 Mar 2021, 19:46
Bonding Through The Skies
Languages ~ Russian|French|Spanish|German|English|
Norwegian
Outfit
Drew@Rose Moon
Date: October 28th, 2020
Backdated to when the international students were still at Hogwarts
The Broom race past and the 1st was fast approaching. Most of the people Charles knew was 13 already, however the third year was still 12 and won't be 13 till after November 1st...
However the blonde hair didn't care about that part especially since he was around 5 feet and 7 inches which meant he was taller than most something that Charles occasionally held over others... but again now what was bothering him..
The boy would be going back to Dumstrang soon which meant he will be seeing his older brother; Andrew again soon... especially over the past few years the relationship between the to brothers have been pretty bad and Charles has enjoyed a few days without starting fights or getting punched but all good things have to come to a end right?
Charles decided to take a walk up the Hogwarts quidditch pitch to look around, he always loved quidditch and would love to be on the Dumstrang team... but since the boy didn't pass during his tryout he didn't make the team no matter the blonde was a broom racer for Dumstrang.
Charles sat at the end of the pitch with his hood down to reveal his curly blonde hair as the boy looked out at the pitch.
Quiet was hard to come by
Charles wasn't a thinker and perfer to not be alone with his thoughts yet he was... the boy thought about messing around with Fyodor Prior who was basically his best friend way a sense or maybe talking to Cassie Heather or Cass as Charles called her.
Yet he remained in the stands looking out and imagining himself flying high playing quidditch.
Last edited by Henry Knight on 7 Apr 2021, 01:41, edited 2 times in total.
"There's no such thing as strange creatures, only blinked people" - Newt Scamander
6 Apr 2021, 21:20
Bonding Through The Skies
Roleplaying as iNPC Andrew Lycan
@Henry Knight as Charles Alluring
Drew was bored. He wasn't the kind of person to get in trouble when he was bored, but he found ways to do something, either with his mind or with his hands. So he went to the Quidditch Pitch. A lot of people spent time at the Quidditch Pitch- for various reasons- but Drew went to find something to do. You would think that you couldn't get bored at a school of magic, but Drew didn't feel like exploring the inside of the castle right now. He had done a lot of that. He arrived at the Quidditch Pitch, and there were only a couple of people here and there that were there, on the Pitch.
Drew loved Quidditch, too. He loved the sport, watching the sport, playing the sport. Officially, he was a broom racer at his school. But he played Quidditch in his backyard with his friends and cousins back at home. Drew wondered if he would ever play it professionally. That would be really fun.
The blonde boy spied another guy in the stands. He looked kinda lonely. He was tall with curly hair. He kind of looked like... a ladies man. If Drew was being completely honest, he looked like a ladies man. Drew made his way up the stands and stood beside him, holding out his hand for the boy to shake it. "Hey, bro. I'm Drew." Drew was confident and relaxed, casual. He didn't look like he was anxious at all introducing himself to a random stranger that was just a little taller than he was. "Do you mind if I stand by you?" he asked. He wasn't entirely rude! He was still going to ask if it was okay if he stood there with him. He was still a nice person.
7 Apr 2021, 17:36
Bonding Through The Skies
Languages ~ Russian|French|Spanish|German|English|
Norwegian
Andrew Lycan@Rose Moon
Charles leaned his arms on the railing of the stands as he stood looking out onto the pitch and imagining flying high through a opposing team while scoring points thru the quaffle. Quidditch was the one thing that the blonde always enjoyed unfortunately because of his family situation at home there was rarely a opportunity to play it during holidays and because he of his older brother at Dumstrang he couldn't play on the team either, probably why he wasn't popular either.
Charles actually was a extrovert that enjoyed being in the company of others but because of the rather traditional pureblood home that he grew up in Charles wore usually two different 'masks'. One was what his family made and he only wore while in there presence, usually the blonde was obedient and polite and quiet and how is grandfather would decide how a heir should act, while another was made because of his older brother's constant torments at school.
Andrew Alluring was the reason why Charles had barely little friends at Dumstrang, most avoided him because they were either friends wary Andrew or frighten of him so Charles started to wear a 'mask' around school and even at Hogwarts first certain points presenting to others that he was a extroverted, athletic, idiotic,
flirt while was always up for a fight.
Then there was his true self whom was kind and rather helpful, a athlete that loved to play any type of sport or physical activity. Someone who loved to meet new people and joke around with friends, one that held secrets from his past and had rather difficult problems with commit and loyalty again because of his past.
Standing at the pitch, Charles was his true self. He wasn't wearing a mask and he wasn't expecting anyone to come up and start talking to him which the blonde found as very unlikely, in his mind he thought if a Dumstrang would approach him then they would either punch him or leave. Anyone else wouldn't bother him unless it was someone that Charles already knew and considered a friend which it was a pretty low amount... zero from Dumstrang.
However someone did approach Charles and hold out his hand even when he gave a introduction saying his name was Drew.
Drew? A odd name according to Charles... might have been a nickname possibly only because it was sort of strange sounding to the ears either that or just the lads introduction was weird, he called Charles dude...
Charles eyed the Drew and noticed that he had blonde hair with lightish, lime type of green eyes and was only a few millimeters not even technically shorter than him... Charles thought he was older but didn't look it and it was rare that the nearly thirteen year old would find another who is his height.
Charles was raised to be proper and was forced to learn proper introductions and some things couldn't be shaken as Charles took the other's hand and shook it before saying in a British with bits of Russian falling through voice, "Charles Alluring."
The blonde would look back over at the pitch when Drew's voice rang in the air around him, mentioning the spot next to him and Charles barley did a small head nod as he spoke again with a accent of British mixed with Russian, "I don't care where you stand."
Last edited by Henry Knight on 12 Apr 2021, 17:28, edited 1 time in total.
"There's no such thing as strange creatures, only blinked people" - Newt Scamander
12 Apr 2021, 14:59
Bonding Through The Skies
Roleplaying as iNPC Andrew Lycan
@Henry Knight as Charles Alluring
Charles Alluring. What an interesting name. The first name was very common. Drew knew and had heard of a good number of people named Charles. It was quite a The second part, though- Alluring. Alluring was not a very common last name. It was also a word, which meant, in Drew's way of explaining it, attractive. He couldn't help but wonder if Charles was teased because of his last name or if he liked his last name.
Drew's handshake was firm, but didn't hurt or squeeze too much. Much like himself. He was firm, but not in a way that hurt other people. No, never in a way that hurt other people.
"That's a cool name," Drew told him, nodding. It really was. Andrew Lycan was cooler, though.
Charles told him that he didn't care where he stood, with a stinging tone of voice that Drew didn't even notice. Drew wasn't quite as observant as some, and he wouldn't really care that much, even if he had noticed it. He was not the kind of person to second-guess his own actions, or the tone of somebody. He didn't worry over things he couldn't change. And he didn't really care if people were mean to him, because most of the time, they were trying to get a reaction out of him. Sometimes it worked, but most of the time, Drew didn't even care, not one bit. So when Charles told him that he didn't care where he stood, Drew took it seriously and literally. It was just a confirmation that he could stand there, next to Charles, if he wanted to, and Charles wouldn't care.
Already, you can see the contrast between the two boys. Drew was casual and called him "bro," and then introduced himself by his nickname instead of his full name, which Charles provided. Drew asked politely if he could stand by Charles, while Charles himself pretty much snapped at Drew. Charles was so much more proper than Drew was, and Drew so much more casual, even though they both came from Pureblood families. He was so stiff. So... professional. Maybe Drew could get him to loosen up. He did that often with people. Even if they were stiff and characterless at first, he would make them smile eventually. He might be able to let this "Charles Alluring" guy loosen up as well.
Drew did notice, however, that Charles' voice sounded just the slightest bit Russian, though it was mostly British. He made a wild guess at which school the boy attended. "Lemme guess- you go to Durmstrang. Is that right?" he asked. This definitely was an interesting person and it wouldn't hurt for him to guess incorrectly. If he did, then he could ask about his accent- then he might learn more about his background, his parents. Drew wanted to know who this guy really was, under all his "I don't care where you stand."
The Wampus leaned on the railing as well, and decided to ask his new acquaintance about why he was here. "So what brings you to the Quidditch Pitch? Are you interested in the sport?"
12 Apr 2021, 17:57
Bonding Through The Skies
Languages ~ Russian|French|Spanish|German|English|
Norwegian
Andrew Lycan@Rose Moon
When the other blonde complimented his name, Charles would have just ignore the boy since he never particularly enjoyed being a Alluring or especially now that he rather has mix feelings about being related to certain members of his family. As for his first name, the boy never minded being called Charles but also never loved it either so hearing the complimented brought on no reaction or need to response.
Although on the topic of names, Charles thought he heard of the name Lycan before? Perhaps a fellow pureblood as well then? As for the lad's first name, Charles thought it had a nice ring to it but just Drew along sounded sorry of awkward or weird almost.
"Your a pureblood also then?" Charles asked still staring out on the pitch, it didn't take much for the blonde to recognize another pureblood although Drew seemed more laid back or free spirited then most other pureblood's whom he had met in his lifetime so far.
Charles was never one that enjoyed quiet or thinking, he would have rather been on a broom or doing a physical activity or even talking to others. Yet silence overtook the two which made the whole interaction a bit weird to the blonde.
However Drew would speak again. Another question. Almost like he was trying to get to know Charles or understand his secrets, which made the boy uneasy. Charles always hated when others asked about his family or personal life which could explain why he suddenly snapped"corrent pesky pest is there anything else you would care to know or could I throw you over the pitch now!"
It took only a moment for Charles to realize exactly how mean that sounded and to remember that he wasn't at Dumstrang. He didn't need to keep his guard up or be the first to shout a insult or threat. Not to mention tje fellow blonde didn't have a Russian accent nor a British accent, instead it sounded like he had a string American one. Which meant he was from America and most likely Ilvermorny; aka Charles's dream school.
Charles would eye the boy with a surprisingly sincere but proper look as he spoke in his British russian mix accent, " Apologizes for my words, I'm not use to people asking questions in a friendly matter," a slight nod from Charles before he would lean back on the rails and look out at the pitch as he continued" Sadly yes I attend Dumstrang. I assume you attend Ilvermorny by your accent then?"
Charles thought about saying something else perhaps something that could explain his mixed accent. Even through he attended Dumstrang, the blonde was part British and lived in Durham, England for majority of his life just the year before his acception to Durmstrang did he live in Russia.
The fellow blonde spoke again, this time asking why he was at the pitch even going futher to ask if he was interested in quidditch.
Interested was a understatement for Charles. The blonde loved quidditch and occasionally wishes to become a professional player one day... occasionally since a part of the blonde doubted that his family would even let him if they didn't already disowned him by that time. But yes Charles was a major fan of the sport, for why he was at the Hogwarts quidditch pitch that was another story.
Charles continued leaning against the rails as he spoke" I enjoy playing and spectatoring the sport. Although because of others I'm not on the Durmstrang team," that's when Charles remembered where he have seen the fellow blonde before continuing" Sadly through I'm a broomracer for Dumstrang. I suspect your one as well, right?"
A moment would pass before the blond looked down a bit before back up as he spoke" I just felt like seeing the Hogwarts pitch instead of the castle before we depart," the blonde would think over his words before continuing" my cousin attends the school so anything about the castle, I could just ask him." Charles would continue to lean on the railing this time thinking about how differently him and Drew were for both being pureblood's. The fellow blonde was from laid back and relax than most pureblood's not to mention he had a free spirit with a fun personality type almost.
Then Charles was more proper, from years of enduring his family has changed him and crafted different 'masks' so it was rare to see the boy without one. The time he was at the quidditch pitch with the fellow blonde not wearing any 'mask' it was rare indeed.
"Do you have any family at Hogwarts or another school, Drew?" Charles asked figuring if this blonde would be questioning him then he would do the same even if a part of him wasn't in the mood to exactly do so.
Last edited by Henry Knight on 14 Apr 2021, 23:51, edited 2 times in total.
"There's no such thing as strange creatures, only blinked people" - Newt Scamander
14 Apr 2021, 23:40
Bonding Through The Skies
Roleplaying as iNPC Andrew Lycan
@Henry Knight as Charles Alluring
How would Charles know that he was a pureblood? Drew had only answered his nickname. Maybe it was a wild guess, though. "Dang, you're good at guessing," Drew grinned. "Yeah, actually, I am. My mom comes from the Bernthold family in America, and my dad from the Lycan family near the same area, too. The Bernthold family is a lot more known, though. So a lot of people wouldn't guess from my last name unless I told them my mom's maiden name," Drew explained. Both of the families went way back and were both very happy when their children got engaged. It was definitely a happy time, from what Drew had heard. The Berntholds- his grandparents on that side, that is, used to be so strict, from the stories that his mother told him. His grandmother didn't like to talk about it, but his mom told him that their family had gone generations back with strictness in their family about everything. It sounded really hard, and Drew was glad that they had changed since then, becoming less skeptical of muggles, half-bloods, and muggle-borns. And even Squibs. Not that it hadn't been hard or anything- they had turned their entire mindset around.
All Drew had asked was whether Charles went to Durmstrang or not, and Charles exploded. He called him a "pesky pest," which was quite redundant, in Drew's opinion, and then threatened to throw him over the pitch, which Drew didn't think was possible. He was quite heavy for a 12 year old boy, due to his muscles and his height. And though Charles didn't look weak at all, he didn't look quite strong enough to throw Drew any significant length. Drew wasn't phased by this, of course, and didn't take any offense to being called a "pesky pest" or being threatened. "Sorry, Mr. Moodypants. I was just tryna make conversation. I can stop if you want," he responded casually.
Charles seemed to correct himself after a little, cooling off from his abrupt explosion. "It's no problem." Curiosity spiked in Drew, as Charles said "sadly" while confirming his guess. He didn't want to poke him too much, though, so he decided not to ask. "You got it. America all the way." Charles sure was good at guessing this stuff. "Do they have houses at Durmstrang? Like, I mean, how Hogwarts has the four houses."
The other blonde made a correct guess once again. "Yeah, I am a broom racer." Drew also enjoyed playing Quidditch, though Quodpot was also popular over in America. Quodpot originated from Quidditch, though, as far as Drew had heard, so both of the sports were very similar. All broom-related sports- and maybe, just sports in general- Drew found very fun to play, whether competitively or just for a friendly game. He wanted to get a broom of his own soon, and was saving up for that since his parents didn't want to buy one for him quite yet. Maybe he would get one for his birthday or something.
Charles said something about his cousin, and Drew nodded. Charles then asked him a question in return. "Actually, I do. I also have four cousins who go to Hogwarts. One of them- Rose- she's in her second year like me, so we're quite close. The rest of them are her siblings, two older and one younger. They have a big family, which is such a contrast to me since I'm an only child."
15 Apr 2021, 00:12
Bonding Through The Skies
Languages ~ Russian|French|Spanish|German|English|
Norwegian
Andrew Lycan@Rose Moon
The fellow blonde; Drew started to talk about his pureblood roots. Not that it was of any interest to Charles, he heard about pureblood history all through his childhood in lessons that his father and grandfather forced him through so this little summary was actually quite boring to him not that he showed it.
"I recognize the name Lycan and Bernthold sounds familiar to I guess," Charles replied more casually than his last few statements, " My father is from the Alluring family, you probably heard of them so no need to go into a discussion not that I would perfer to either," Charles spoke not really in the mood to talk about his family.
The Alluring's. Majority of the wizarding world knows them as a wealthy family going back generations having ties in every part of the country. The Alluring's are known throughout the wizarding world for their connections in high places like the ministry, their large wealth, and their rather old or traditional ways.
Charles knows that his family was rather arrogant and strict, they didn't deal with foolishness and anyone who went against that was punished. Charles was often punished and now that he was older, didn't exactly care about acceptance from his family. All he wanted was to get out of his family.
Surprisingly Drew didn't get agitated or upset when Charles insulted and threatened him. The fellow blonde remained oddly calm, it was odd to Charles but again it almost relaxed him that he didn't just make another enemy.
Charles would his nod to his comment before looking back out at the pitch, imagining flying high on a broom with the quaffle to score through one of the three hoops. Of course he currently didn't have a broom, his father confiscated it from him and gave it to his elder brother who snapped it in half. Charles wanted so badly to jinx him but somehow refined himself at the time so now the blonde was saving up money for another... perhaps he could take some from the family vault?
"No house, Dumstrang is separated by gender then by year and position at the school," Charles replied to Drew's question before asking his own, " Ilvermorny is separated by house, right? I have a couple friends at the school," the blonde decided not to go into detail about his friends since small talk has never been a strong suit for the blonde, physical activites and casual talk was more his speed.
"Which do you like better; broom racing or quidditch?" Charles asked the blonde wondering if he was more of a quidditch fan like Charles was. Because if he was then that would be a delight to Charles since he would be friends with a fellow quidditch fan.
Charles heard his answer about family at Hogwarts. He had a cousin named Rose.... to the blonde that sounded like a strange name and he started to wonder if strange names were just in Drew's family.
"Your a only child?" Charles asked giving his signature smile before speaking" I have one elder brother; Andrew who attends Dumstrang with me but I wish I was a only child," the relationship between the to brothers have been downhill for a few years now after it was announced that Andrew was the next head after their grandfather and father, " I have a cousin; Colin who attends Hogwarts and is the same age as us but he's the most arrogant person I ever met. Then his younger brother; Leo."
Charles technically had three more cousins but only met them once so he left them out and plus after his meet in the corridors with Henry a few days earlier, Charles decided it was better to leave him and the others out.
Last edited by Henry Knight on 18 Apr 2021, 17:38, edited 1 time in total.
"There's no such thing as strange creatures, only blinked people" - Newt Scamander
17 Apr 2021, 20:13
Bonding Through The Skies
Roleplaying as iNPC Andrew Lycan
@Henry Knight as Charles Alluring
"Yeah, sure," Drew answered when Charles told him that he didn't want to talk about his family. He took that literally, which was not something people usually did. If he didn't want to talk about his family, Drew wouldn't mention it or ask about it. He wouldn't ask if Charles didn't want to talk about it. He would stay away from that whole area of conversation.
Nodding, Drew listened to Charles and then listed the Ilvermorny houses. "Yeah, that's right. Wampus, Horned Serpent, Pukwudgie, and Thunderbird." Each to their own. Warriors, scholars, healers, and adventurers. "I'm a Wampus myself." Drew wasn't exactly sure what to think about being put in Wampus, if he was honest. He didn't want to be a warrior. He was a people person, and liked interacting with people and all their different personalities and dynamics. He liked spending time with people, learning about them, and seeing all their inner workings in their mind. He didn't think that any of the descriptions really fit him, to be honest. He wasn't a healer. He definitely wasn't a scholar. He didn't feel much like an adventurer, and he never really felt like a warrior, either. Sometimes it felt like he was just being stereotyped in with all the strong kids. Why did there have to be all these labels? Why couldn't kids just be students? Why couldn't people just be... people? "I'd much rather there not be houses, though. It brings up all kinds of confusion and stuff. I get along with all kinds of people, and though I don't mind being grouped with the other Wampuses, I wish I had equal interaction with everyone... y'know?" He didn't really care that much, but he did want it.
Drew hesitated for only a moment before replying, "Quidditch." He decided to explain his answer, saying, "I like team competitive sports a lot more than independently competitive sports. It's more fun to work with people against people than working against absolutely everyone." Teamwork makes the dream work, as his mom always told him. In Quidditch, if you weren't doing well, your teammates could pick you up. If you fell off your broom, somebody would catch you, or at least try. In broom racing, you fended for yourself. You tried to win, and beat the other players. Every single one of the other players. Which, normally, was a lot. "Not that I don't like broom racing, it's just not as fun as Quidditch is," Drew added, to sum up his explanation. He had a way with words- he could convey his exact meaning without having to describe it too much. "What about you? Broom racing or Quidditch?"
"Yup. Just me." Sometimes being an only child did get lonely, especially with Drew being an extrovert. But that just brought him even closer with his parents as well as his grandma, whom he also lived with. It made him more aware of his own physical and mental capacity and he could commit to his hobbies even more. He always wanted a sibling, though. He guessed it was always like that. If you had siblings, you wished you were an only child. If you were an only child, you wished you had siblings. It was just all so complicated.
Even though Drew thought that Charles had said he didn't want to talk about his family, he did anyway, mentioning his brother and his two cousins. "Yeah, some people can be insufferable," Drew laughed a little, at Charles' comment about his cousin Colin. "Leo is a first year, then?" he asked to confirm.
18 Apr 2021, 18:04
Bonding Through The Skies
Languages ~ Russian|French|Spanish|German|English|
Norwegian
Andrew Lycan@Rose Moon
Charles noticed the fellow blonde didn't push him about his family or heritage not that the boy care even if he did. As the third year stare out at the pitch letting his eyes fall on the three hoops that laid on the other side of the pitch high in the air for players to try and score through with the quaffle.
However when Drew would mention the Ilvermorny houses, Charles had to restrain himself from laughing. The boy found the names of Hogwarts and Ilvermorny houses almost ridiculous, often wondering how the founders decided to name them? Or what prompted them to name houses after themselves or creatures?
"A Wampus? Like the creature?" Charles asked noting expecting a answer as he continued" at least its better than being in a house named after some dead guy, like gryffindor or slytherin." Even though the blonde wanted to be at Ilvermorny himself probably because majority of people he knew and were friends with attended school that didn't mean the boy thought the houses were cool or anything. In fact he found them quite ridiculous, to sort eleven year old into a house based on their 'personality' because of that it allowed Charles to consider if Dumstrangs was better... but always came to the conclusion that it wasn't.
However when Charles heard the fellow blonde's remake on houses, a smile faded over his features before he spoke" I agree with you, houses just bring up prejudice and petty rivalry between people. If the houses weren't around perhaps people will be more inclusive or accepting," however the blonde would turn away from Drew after he spoke and look back toward the pitch and continued in a darker tone, "but houses aren't that bad, at least your group with others regardless of position or status at the school. At Durmstrang nearly everyone is competitive and rivalries are abundant to get a higher position or status at the school to maintain a certain level of respect or better sleeping quarters."
Charles wrinkled his nose for a moment before letting his features rest in a causal expression with a hint of a half smile. However when Charles would hear the fellow blonde say he liked quidditch better but gave a explanation on both, that would allow the third year to let out a small smile.
"Quidditch," Charles started and the answers wasn't that hard for him as he continued, " I always enjoyed the thrill and suspense of the sport. Especially the chasers but broom racing is nice to I guess you don't have to rely on others." Relying on others usually ended in failure, Charles seen it enough with his family and at Durmstrang so he learned to do things on his own that ensured he didn't need to rely on anyone.
"What's your favorite quidditch team?" Charles asked who never got a opportunity really to talk about quidditch before so he was kind of looking forward to discussing the sport with the fellow blonde.
At home when he was younger, Charles befriended a muggleborn broomracer who didn't race anymore because of a injury but taught Charles everything he now knows about both broomracing and quidditch that was until his family out the year he started Durmstrang.... and after that Charles hasn't seen the man since or known where he was for that matter.
So talking about quidditch with someone else was rare but highly appreciated to the blonde as he gave a small half smile, still staring at the pitch.
"Lucky, being a only child sounds like a dream but perhaps not in my family," Charles replied thinking about how his life would be different if he was a only child. Someone else would probably be the head after his father and he won't he the black sheep but also others would noticed him more so maybe having siblings was a good thing at least in the blonde's case... maybe just another sister or brother then so he wasn't always compared to Andrew.
"My whole family is insufferable at least the ones I know," Charles replied before answering his question" no, Leo is either going to be a first year at Durmstrang next year or in two years at Hogwarts."
Charles then thought of a good question to ask the fellow blonde especially since it may reveal something about him as he spoke" if you has a choice on what school to attend, which would you attend?"
Last edited by Henry Knight on 20 Apr 2021, 22:54, edited 2 times in total.
"There's no such thing as strange creatures, only blinked people" - Newt Scamander
20 Apr 2021, 17:09
Bonding Through The Skies
Roleplaying as iNPC Andrew Lycan
@Henry Knight as Charles Alluring
Charles looked like he was trying not to laugh at the names. Drew smirked. "I know. The house names are so dorky," he said with a chuckle. If he was being honest, Horned Serpent and Thunderbird weren't that bad. They actually sounded kind of epic, to be honest. But Pukwudgie? Wampus? Those were just kind of weird. Drew nodded. "Exactly like the creature. The mountain lion with six legs." Drew smiled. "Yeah, I guess you're right. Kind of obnoxious to name the houses after themselves, to be honest." Drew laughed a little at his own joke.
He was quiet while he listened to Charles talk about his own school, and how things worked there. "Really?" he asked. "That must suck." Drew hadn't heard a whole lot about Durmstrang, but between the rumors and what Charles just told him, it sounded brutal. Earning your way upward only pushed others downward. It was like... a wolf pack. Except they weren't working towards pack survival. They were just looking out for themselves. Of course, there were rewards for being on top. But what were the consequences to not being on top? What were the consequences for being at the very bottom. That's not how anything should work, let alone the culture in a school. It was the kind of every man for yourself mindset that created people that only did care about themselves. That only wanted to survive, and didn't care about others' survival. Because it wasn't always kill or be killed. It wasn't always use or be used. It wasn't always help or be helped. Know or be known. Sometimes, it was help and be helped. Sometimes it was know and be known. Sometimes what goes around comes around, and you have to choose not to let it go around, unless you want it to come around and surprise you. Drew was glad that he could look out for other people and they looked out for him, too. He was glad he didn't go to Durmstrang, where he would have to fend for himself.
It didn't take long for Charles to answer Drew's question. Quidditch was definitely first in Charles' mind. Drew cocked his head, and asked, "Why aren't you on the Quidditch team at Durmstrang then?"
"I'm not sure I have a favorite," Drew answered. Most people didn't think that counted as an answer, but it did. "I don't know" was always a valid answer. Drew's father had teams that he liked and teams that he didn't like, mostly for weird reasons. It changed often which team was his father's favorite, and Drew had stopped trying to keep up. Quidditch was more popular over here in England, and not as much back in America. "I don't root for any particular teams, but the matches are always interesting and fun to watch. What about you, do you have a favorite?"
Family could sometimes be annoying. But overall, Drew absolutely loved his family. His parents and him got along, even if they didn't always let him do the things he wanted to. His cousins could sometimes be annoying and fight way too much, but that didn't mean he didn't love them and had good times with them when they weren't fighting. His whole family was just cool. He didn't want to be an only child, and he didn't consider himself lucky, either, that he was an only child. It was probably better in his family than in some other families, but he still wanted a friend who would be there, thick and thin. Who would always be close by for him to talk to or lean on. Sure, he had Rose, and they were close, but she didn't live with him. Sure, he had Greg, and they were close as well, but when he went home for the summer, it was just him. Him and his parents and his grandma.
Maybe that's why his parents let him have a dog. He couldn't really talk to Buddy, and Buddy wouldn't give him advice on what to do, but he still had a playmate. He still had a friend. It wasn't a dream, though. No, Drew wouldn't describe it anything like that.
"Ilvermorny," Drew replied, without a second thought. The blonde boy had always felt at home at Ilvermorny, and he though he could be happy in another school, he liked the people there. "Unless you mean another school, and then it would be Hogwarts." Because his cousins went there. It would be fun to go to the same school as Rose and Faith and Frankie and Gabe, as well as Jessie next year. It would just be cool. "What about you?"
Drew searched for another topic that they could talk about, since Charles seemed okay with him asking questions now. "Do you have a hero?" he asked, glancing over to the boy next to him. "Like, I mean, someone you look up to. Someone you wanna be like."