The first few weeks of school had gone by in a whirl. Sure, class was interesting and the boys in his classes were amusing, but they were too rowdy and Louis was too quiet. At first, he had Leisel. But Leisel was good at picking up conversations and soon she was surrounded by a bunch of girls, and spent less time with him. Louis knew he couldn't stop his sister socializing. His older siblings were in their last and second last year at Durmstrang and he knew better than disturb them. His older sister might talk to him out of pity for ten minutes, but his brother would either ignore him, or snap back fiercely. His books were interesting but then again, they were not alive. He realized he'd have to find a friend himself, if he ever wanted a companion.

The following Friday, instead of turning the corridor to the way to the library, his feet carried him to the grounds. Durmstrang boasted a vast area of land, and it was first choice for many students. Louis knew that, and decided it would be the best way. The sun was dipping low as he strolled the grounds, and he felt calm as the wind brushed against his face. Durmstrang was beautiful, and he hadn't really realized before. In Foundation Year, the boy was too caught up with his insecurities -- which he still has, and the fear of being in a different place. That year passed, and looking back, there wasn't a certain memory he could hold onto, except for classes and Leisel. That was another reason he was adamant about making a friend. Youth was short and he would make use of it best he can. Louis contemplated between going up to a random group of students his size and just waiting to be approached. He almost immediately crossed out the first option-- random conversations were Leisel's cup of tea, not his; and he wasn't planning on it ever becoming his.

With the minutes ticking away, Louis was growing less and less confident. It was harder than he realized, and he was ready to lose hope. Scurrying into the shade provided by the castle bricks, Louis sat on the grass, hugging his knees. His eyes traveled the area, coming to land on a fair boy slightly taller than him. Louis liked the look of him, and guessed he could only be a second year, as he'd never seen him in his class. The boy more or less reminded him of Konrad, his brother. The German child studied him as he worked out, and liked him more and more. Taking a deep breath he slowly made his way towards him.

Louis pretended he was tying his shoelace when there was just a little distance, having got cold-feet, but it was too late to turn back now. Stopping the German that came naturally to him-- he knew not everyone understood German. Realizing just in time, he fumbled in Russian, the words stumbling over each other,«Привет, я Луи. Как тебя зовут?»¹

x¹: "Hello, I'm Louis. Nice to meet you."
@ Magnus Blackwood

Magnus Blackwood!
DURMSTRANG | SECOND | OUTFIT | HEX
Russian/French | 09.26.2025 | WC 452

Louis, feeling braver than he knew he was, ventured on, "Я видел, как ты тренируешься... Выглядит интересно. Можно я посижу тут и просто посмотрю на тебя?"¹ Without waiting for an answer, he sat down on the grass and looked at the older boy expectedly. Louis knew his actions were far more bolder than any of his in his eleven years alive. Indeed, he didn't feel this bold when he stopped boys bullying his twin. This was a new record for him. Perhaps school would do him good, in a way.

"Как тебя зовут?"² He ventured on. To be frank, he wasn't sure what he was doing. As he uttered the last syllables, his confidence deflated like a balloon. What if the boy thinks him weird, like most of his classmates and the village children? What if even the upper years thought him a freak and spread rumors? What if it reached the ears of Konrad? How angry would he be?

He was getting worked up with these pointless worries and did his best to not blubber in front of him. He was 11 for Merlin's sake, not a three year old. For one thing, the older boy would be extremely confused had he suddenly started crying. Regaining some on his valor. At another attempt of passive conversation before the older boy completely lost interest of him and shooed him away, he faltered, "Вы часто тренируетесь?"³ Hopefully this would spark his interest and the little boy would have a worthy conversation for once.

x¹: ""I saw you training...it looks fun. could I sit here and just watch you?"
x²: "What's your name?"
x³: "Do you train often?"

Magnus Blackwood!
DURMSTRANG | SECOND | OUTFIT | HEX
Russian/French | 09.26.2025 | WC 425

The German boy crossed his legs and looked up at the older boy. Back home, his older brother would have shooed him away almost immediately, not caring for anything he said to change his mind otherwise. Yet this second year student allowed him to sit and watch him train—something he'd always wished to be able to do with his brother. Content with the situation, he continued, feeling at ease around the older boy. "Я бы тоже хотел посмотреть, как брат тренируется. Но ему не нравится, когда я это делаю.¹" He had learned Russian specifically for school, as he was German, there was no need for him to speak Russian at home, so occasionally he slipped up his words or mispronounced. Usually, if Louis was called upon in class and this happened, his face would go red and he would keep his head down the remainder of the lesson; if he was back home, this would be his reaction, too. But when he slipped up here, he didn't feel the need to look down or run away. He felt truly at ease.

So at ease, when Magnus, the older boy, asked what his name was in return, Louis didn't realize he had already told Magnus his at the start. "Луи Эльц Фюрстенберг.²" Louis had always wanted an older brother to look up to, and for him to not look down at him. He did get an older brother, but not one that didn't look down at him. Konrad always thought that he was attention-seeking, even if it wasn't his fault he was born deaf. Their relationship was always strained. While it was better when they were younger, it got worse growing up, especially as Father showed less interest in Konrad, and more to him.

Louis watched Magnus train in fascination. He was skinny and would never dream of even doing half of what he did. One handed pushups were interesting, and must have needed a lot of strength, which Magnus obviously had. The first year boy was about to say so, but Magnus said he didn't want to be interrupted, so he shut his mouth. He did not need the both first years and second years to think him a punching-bag. He was already a easy target amongst his classmates. But the boy in front of him was probably oblivious to rumors, should there be any. Nevertheless, he braved a question. "Нравишься ты мне. Ты тут каждый день тренируешься? Я бы посмотрел. Мой брат бесится, когда я с ним чем-то занимаюсь.³" If he was lucky, this could be the older brother he'd always wanted.

x¹: "I wish I could watch my brother train as well. but he doesn't like it when I do.
x²: "Louis Eltz Fürstenberg. "
x³: "I like you. Are you training here everyday? I'd like to watch. My brother hates me doing anything with him."

Magnus Blackwood!
DURMSTRANG | SECOND | OUTFIT | HEX
Russian/French | 09.26.2025 | WC 498

Although Magnus seemed angry, Louis guessed pity was somewhere in his voice, even if he was hiding it. Louis was good with emotions, that he was sure of. His lips turned upwards into a smile as he heard his brother being called "an asshole", something he rarely heard about his brother. "Asshole? Surely not!" He giggled at the thought, imagining his brother's butt with a gaping hole in the middle. He was the towering, ambitious type of boy that was especially ruthless to his younger brother. Leisel, the twin of Louis, had few troubles growing up with Konrad as a brother, him always doting over the girl, but with Louis it was a different story. His father had more attention for Louis, given he was deaf, at an age Konrad needed acknowledgement. No wonder he had hatred for his younger brother. Konrad, however, excelled in school and had many more talents than Louis. He also had a knack of getting people to like and agree with him. And he was very righteous.

When Louis was seven, Konrad paid a village choir boy to take Louis up the bell tower in their church right in time for the bell to ring, then shut the door and lock it. Louis was nearly deafened again and had developed a fear for the bell tower in their village ever since. But his brother was a no-nonsense type as well. He would beat big village boys twice his size if they dared lay a hand on Louis in a blink of an eye. He was a mystery, Konrad was. But not an asshole, he didn't think so.

Louis took the time period Magnus trained to be an invitation to watch him and talk to him. He guessed that was what the boy meant, anyway. He had characteristics like his brother, unable to bring much feeling to his lips and out into the open, yet with emotions boiling inside fierce as ever. "I wake up early! I can sit here tomorrow?" His voice was eager as he looked up at the boy with hope. He was up early anyway, often passing the time reading or doing homework. Going down to the dew-strewn grounds would be no problem for him. He mimed zipping his mouth and stood up, running up to the boy as he straightened, no doubt to variate between exercises. Louis wrapped his two arms around the boy, even though he was sweaty, and hugged him tight. "I won't tell a soul." He said, and released him, before sitting back down at his spot on the ground once again, as if nothing had happened. He would be there, on the grounds, at six in the morning if it meant he could feel what having an older brother was like.

I'm too lazy to translate everything into Russian lol

Magnus Blackwood!
DURMSTRANG | SECOND | OUTFIT | HEX
Russian/French | 09.26.2025 | WC 498

Asshole. Maybe he would say that to his brother next time he sees him. He did not for one second think of the consequences such a word might lead, if targeted at Konrad. Asshole. What a funny word. Louis vowed to himself to keep that in his vocabulary forever. Louis was unabashed at the prospect of 'what would happen if he told a soul if he's up at that time and catch Magnus training'. He wasn't afraid, and besides, he hadn't anyone to tell what he was doing. There was only one other boy in his year that he talked to on a regular day-to-day basis on topics other than schoolwork. But that boy had is own best friend, and Louis was not it.

Louis had a knack for analyzing people, but Magnus puzzled him. He was strong, it seemed, as he worked out regularly. Disciplined, for not everyone could wake up at six in the soon-to-be cold weather. Those two attributes were enough to determine if he was 'tough' or not, but Louis had a feeling there was more to that. Magnus was, Louis supposed, similar to Konrad. Konrad was though and no-nonsense, yet he adored his sisters and mother, and had a gentle side Louis would never dream he could muster whenever he was interacting with animals. Perhaps the older boy had a gentle side he doesn't show to others. Mathilde, his older sister was gentle, yet independent. Maybe everyone had a side opposite to their outside inside. He was an eleven year old, and had limited experience in life. He would not know yet, of things that came with growing up.

Presently, he asked another question. "Do you have siblings?" He wasn't interested in who they were, but he just wanted to know. He had many siblings and he learnt from a young age that having siblings change the way you grow. It would be incredibly lonely without a sibling for you to talk to. He was glad he always had Leisel.

Magnus Blackwood!
DURMSTRANG | SECOND | OUTFIT | HEX
Russian/French | 09.26.2025 | WC 498