The bustle of the new year was in full swing. Students flooded the platform, and a chorus of shouts and laughter and chatter filled the air. Feli and Lovi had said their perfunctory goodbyes to their parents, and Feli in particular had taken off like a rocket, eager to find his friends. It was their last year together, the final year and Feli wasn’t going to waste a moment if he could help it. Outside of Lovino and Nonno, the boy had little real connection to the rest of his family, indeed his summers were usually just spent passing time until September rolled back around and he could finally return back to where he felt most at home. Back to the castle and the winding halls and back to his friends, back to the people who valued him, who saw him as more than just an extraneous son, one that wasn’t really needed.

And so, Feliciano stepped into the mass of people, his amber colored eyes sweeping the dark-clad masses for those familiar faces. He wondered if Al had gotten any taller (seemed like every year the boy gained six inches) or what Arthur had gotten into, or if Ludwig--

Feli’s stomach gave an uncomfortable squirm at that. Ludwig was undoubtedly his best friend, the one who chased away the bullies and listened patiently to Feli’s ramblings and always pushed Feli to be better (and never gave up on him, even if he didn’t always live up to expectation.) They’d been almost inseparable for the past six years. So much so that when one showed up people were automatically searching for the other. Outside of his brother, Ludwig was the only one at Hogwarts who Feliciano felt completely safe with, who he could trust completely. Yes, Ludwig Beilschmidt was his best friend… So if Feli had a few stray feelings that couldn’t quite be forced into the label of “platonic,” he was all too quick to ignore them. And if those feelings seemed to grow more and more persistent as the years went on? Feliciano couldn’t bring himself to think about that, to face the implications of such a reality. Ludwig had become to precious a presence in his life to risk losing because the Italian couldn’t tell the difference between friendship and romance.

Feli was about to give up and just head off to find his brother when a familiar figure caught his eye. Those broad shoulders, that golden blonde hair—carefully slicked back away from his forehead—Feliciano would know that silhouette anywhere! With a joyful shout, the boy dropped his luggage, all thoughts gone from his mind except one.

“Luddi! I found you!” He propelled into the blonde with enough force to knock most people off of their feet, arms wrapping around that sturdy frame as he buried his face in Ludwig’s chest and let the familiar scent of his best friend surrounded him. It was only then that the reality finally set in—they were finally going back! Back to Quidditch practices and studying and meals in the Great Hall and whispered conversations in shared beds so they wouldn’t wake their dormmates. Back to being more than just the second son of the Vargas Family. In that moment, Feli was nothing more than another student.

And he couldn’t have been more grateful.

- - - - - - - -

                    Word count: 556
                    Tagged: Ludwig Beilschmidt

Wheeling his luggage trolley through the throngs of students packing Platform 9 ^3/4, Ludwig bit back a yawn. He’d been up since early that morning: unlike most students, he’d finished his packing a day or so before so there hadn’t been any last-minute rush, but unlike most students, his morning had included a journey from Germany by Portkey in addition to breakfast and a shower. Earlier in the summer, he’d argued his own cause for arriving in London a few days before the start of the new term, in order to spend some time exploring the city, but his parents had vetoed that. But, Ludwig realized with a bit of a start, this would be his final year at Hogwarts. Negotiating the trip back to school wouldn’t be an issue after this. Strangely enough, the thought made him feel wistful, rather than relieved.

It didn’t take him too long to find an unclaimed compartment, and he loaded his school trunk and broomstick in the luggage rack, making sure that the embossed brass “L.B.” on the front of the trunk was clearly visible. Ludwig wasn’t a bully, but he had somewhat of an intimidating reputation, and he hoped that his initials would deter anyone from moving or nicking his possessions — and if anyone tried, honestly, everything valuable he owned boasted anti-theft jinxes. With his belongings taken care of and with time to kill before the train’s departure, Ludwig dusted off his robes and headed back outside to look for his friends.

Ludwig’s summer had been almost unfairly busy. He’d been hoping to invite Feliciano or Alfred over to spend some time at his family’s house, but his own family had kept him far too occupied. Most days, he’d received lessons and duties regarding the family business from his father, and every day save for Sundays he’d had some kind of Quidditch practice with Gilbert. In all honesty, Ludwig hadn’t minded either: Quidditch had always been fun, and mastering his family’s line of work was probably his most serious responsibility. But both pursuits had rendered the summer lonely, and while Ludwig got along well enough with his brother and parents, his extended family had always been distant (in typically blunt fashion, his father had explained that this was due to his curse). He’d kept in good touch by owl post with his friends, but Ludwig relished the chance to see them in person again.

Outside, the crowd had gotten thicker; students and their families packed the platform to wish each other well and say their goodbyes. Frowning, Ludwig tried to pick out faces he knew. Here and there he found his classmates from other houses, or underclassmen he recognized (they seemed to get tinier every year...) As he scanned the platform, a flash of movement and a loud shout seized his attention but before he could even react someone barreled smack into him. Normally, Ludwig might have been mad, but the tight hug he received right after the crash clued him into his assailant's identity, and his face lit up with a half-smile, his sleepiness entirely forgotten.

"Feli!" He returned the hug immediately, albeit with less bone-crushing strength than he was currently receiving. "It's good to see you again, I missed you!" Out of all of the people he knew, Ludwig had been looking forward to seeing Feli the most. He had other close friends, but Feli was the only friend that Ludwig felt truly calm and unworried around. Over the years, all of the fronts, all of the barriers that he'd put up as a result of his heritage and his life had crumbled one by one before the cheerful Italian student. Feli knew almost everything about Ludwig and had never once judged him for any of it, and in return Ludwig had become Feli's stalwart protector and confidant. There was no one in the world — not even in his own family — that Ludwig trusted more.

"How was Italy? Oh, your tan came back," he joked. The weather at Hogwarts tended towards cloudy on the best days, and by the end of the year Feli always looked a little paler... although that could also have been the work of their strenuous final exams.

Feli snuggled into the embrace, his sensitive nose picking up the familiar scent that was currently enveloping him. Ludwig had not always been so open with physical contact, in fact Feli sustained more than a couple bruises when he had surprised the German. (Ludwig had some very finely tuned reflexes and Feli was surprisingly easy to flip.) But luckily, as time went on, Ludwig grew more accustomed to Feliciano’s attempts and Feli, in turn, had learned how to better plan his surprise hugs.

Finally, Feli pulled back and looked up at the blonde. It hardly seemed possible, but Ludwig had appeared to have grown over the few months they’d spent apart. Even on his tip toes, Feli couldn’t reach Lud’s new height, and it appeared he’d even filled out to match that new height. Feli knew his friend was always so busy during their breaks and yet he still found time to work out and put on even more muscles than Feli remembered. But to his dismay, Feli also noted the new rings that circled Lud’s crystalline colored eyes. He hadn’t been sleeping, even during the break, which was designed for rest and relaxation. He was definitely going to have to scold the German about that later.

Ludwig had also been noticing some changes the summer had brought to Feli. The joke about his tan was certainly true, Feli had spent every moment he could out in the sun-drenched streets of his home city. While he loved his time at Hogwarts, he missed the warmth that seemed to infuse the Mediterranean air so that even the storms didn’t feel as miserable as the rains that plagued England. But despite the cold and the rain, Feli still couldn’t help but feel like that castle was more of a home than Italy ever did. And he knew that it was in no small part due to the blonde standing in front of him.

Feli finally released Ludwig, albeit a bit reluctantly. “Luddi’s gotten even bigger… I haven’t been slouching later, you’ll see. I learned some new moves over the summer, no bludger’s ever catching me off guard again!” Feliciano loved Quidditch, but he had no illusions as to his capability in it. He was a passable chaser and last year, Lud had spend a good number of games keeping an eye out for him and wasn’t able to preform to his full potential. That wasn’t going to happen this year.

With an insistent tug, Feli lead Ludwig back to the Italian’s forgotten luggage. “I hope you had a good summer. Did you get any rest? How was Gil? He didn’t get in more trouble did he? I feel like Durmstrang would be scarier with their punishments than Hogwarts—“ He stopped realizing that he was likely overwhelming his friend with too many questions. They would have plenty of time to catch up properly. He took a deep breath and settled back, smiling brightly.

“Oh, Luddi… I really missed you.”

- - - - - - - -

Tagged: Ludwig Beilschmidt
Word count: 497

When the hug at long last broke, Feli stepped back and gave him a very particular look and Ludwig couldn't shake the feeling that he was somehow getting sized up. His friend had a seemingly endless catalogue of strange little habits, and despite his best efforts, Ludwig had never managed to get used to all of them. The talking with the hands, that hadn't been too hard, while the surprise hugs, on the other hand, had forced Ludwig to retrain a few of his reflexes. But this, this all-consuming gaze, made Ludwig feel edgy, as though Feli had trained a spotlight onto him. Even though he wore a happy expression, Feli's searching felt uncomfortably like that of a nurse, checking him for illness or injury. Surely he didn't look that awful -- he'd even managed to get some extra sleep over the summer!

But if Feli had any concerns on his mind, he didn't voice them; instead, he mentioned Ludwig's height, which drew a faint blush to his cheeks.

"I had to get my robes adjusted," he admitted, torn between embarrassment and flattery. Feli clearly hadn't lost his sharp artist's eyes over the long summer holidays. It was a small relief when his friend changed the topic seamlessly to Quidditch instead.

"Oh, great!" Ludwig nodded, enthusiastic, "I'll have to get the pitch booked right away, so we can practice. And don't worry about the Bludgers too much - those are my job anyways." He punctuated that with a half-smile, "Honestly, you and I might be the only ones who trained over the summer anyways. Don't worry too much." That seemed a bit rich, especially coming from him, but honestly, if his assumptions were true, he and Feli would have a head start on the rest of the team.

Weaving his way through the throngs as Feli led him by the sleeve, Ludwig already felt his mind shifting back onto different focuses. No longer would he have to worry too much about his parents or his relatives or keeping his room clean on his own. Sure, the academic pressure had returned with a vengeance, but on the bright side, his friends would be nearby. That more than made up for the additional anxieties Hogwarts brought.

"I got some rest," he chatted, automatically bending over to grab the handles of Feli's trunk. "The countryside is always so peaceful and quiet, so there are fewer distractions. And Gil is doing well." At the mention of trouble, Ludwig had to roll his eyes. He understood the reasons behind Gilbert's misbehavior, but at some point he wondered if it had stopped being a careful act of spite and had shifted to just pure entertainment. Despite the school's reputation for harsh punishments, Gilbert did seem to enjoy himself at Durmstrang.

"He... did get in some trouble," Ludwig admitted. "But it didn't seem to bother him too much, so I went easy on him about it." Gilbert was Ludwig's anchor in their family, and even if Ludwig worried constantly about him, he tried not to be overbearing. It wasn't like Feli was wrong about the punishments Durmstrang levied against disruptive students, either; Ludwig had a hunch Gilbert wasn't telling him the half of it. At least after this school year, that would no longer need to be on his mind... unless Gilbert decided to turn to a life of crime, or some other terrible or dangerous career.

As usual, Feli's cheerfulness pulled Ludwig out of the maze of his thoughts. He paused in carrying the trunk to flash the other a small smile.

"I missed you too. Letters are nice, but it's so much better to meet someone in person, I think." His hands being occupied, Ludwig nodded towards the train, "Here, follow me, I already got a compartment saved, so you won't have to fight for a seat."

Tagged: Feliciano Vargas