Physical Description

Magdalena has an arsenal of pleasant features which are  perpetually arranged to appear a little daunting. High cheeks are offset with a soft, feminine jaw and full, cleanly shaped eyebrows. Her eyes are large and blue, and, at times, a little smiley. But her friendlier gazes aren’t meant for the masses, and so, if nothing else, any tranquility or humor her eyes convey can be dangerously misleading. More often, they are narrowed with mistrust or clear with determination. Her kittenish stare is very much a trait tailored to the winter.

Often stern-faced or pouty, with knitted brows and a nose made for looking down at others, Magda nevertheless does have a warm smile, with straight teeth and bunched cheeks which betray that she does have a heart. Somewhere.

She stands around 5'5 or 5'6. She is slim and long-limbed, with subtle muscle and shapely thighs from ballet and horseback-riding. She  is confident in how she carries herself, and also arrogant enough to believe that her blue blood can’t possibly fail her in adulthood. Magda dresses in clean lines, lots of neutrals and dark colors, and a lot of red. She sometimes wears splashes of pattern (nothing garish) or statement pieces in bolder hues (like deep red). She stands comfortably between “girlish” and “mature young woman.”

Personality Description

No, she is not smiling for you.

Ignoring You Softly is the face most of the Durmstrang underlings receive in casual corridor greeting. This expression is synonymous with but not limited to the following intentions or interpretations: Go Away, Ignoring You Doubly, I Don’t Know Your Name,  I Know Your Name and You Wish I Didn’t.

It’s pure luck, really, that what comes so naturally to Magda happens to work swimmingly with Durmstrang’s demand for discipline. She is engaging, but not foolish. A certain... wintriness... that seems inherent (and which certainly exists in her daily interactions with many of her peers) garners nods of approval from those above her. (And if the warm and fuzzy tradition of nepotism helps win the favor of professors, Magda knows better than to acknowledge as much. Except she does, when the timing is ever-so-right.)

Magdalena is ruthless. Poised and ever aware of the social demands of her world, she will nevertheless do what she has to do get what she wants. Hers is a calculated brand of asserting her power-- not quite so outwardly aggressive or catty as some of her peers, but she’s certainly not going to walk away from a duel or bow out graciously. She knows what is expected of her, and she executes it well... but that doesn’t mean her hands are clean, they’re simply gloved. Making a spectacle of one’s marathon to the top is not an option, but neither is letting someone else win.  Patience is a virtue with which she is still coming to terms (being a girl of seventeen), but it is also a weapon. Magdalena does not forget the grudges she holds. She’s rarely glimpsed without her wand, and woe to those who underestimate her love for using it.

With an almost innate desire to be the best and put others in their place, Magdalena makes wintry stares and harsh remarks look somehow graceful. It is not a weak or shy grace, but a brand of obviously-feminine poise and confidence that seems to win as much approval as her hypothermic stares and cold shoulders; it smooths but it does not soften her character.

Magda can be notably charming, but, for, all her patience, she does not like to waste time with false niceties unless they’re particularly beneficial. When and where and with whom to be engaging is the question. She is old enough and clever enough to pick and choose, to understand that the way she treats fellow students can’t possibly extend to adults; even at eleven, her precocious spirit was tailored to this sort of interaction. Superiors are superiors, and if she wants to be where they are one day, she had better be as gracious as possible. And she is. But there are plenty of people, adults and adolescents alike, who strike Magdalena as frightfully stupid and ill-spoken. Magdalena is not above talking about them. If any bitter rumors find their way back to Magda, well, she does know a thing or two about saving face.

While she’ll accept restrictions with her head held high, she’s not so quick to accept defeat or give up something simply so someone else can have it. What academic persistence or nepotism won’t win her, a slyer, more morally blurred side will. Predatory behavior is not unknown to Magdalena. She can be a dangerous young witch.

Magda has a sharp tongue and is more likely to be a domineering counterpart than a part of a democracy. She is not loquacious in an obnoxious or affected manner, but she isn’t shy with words, either. An elitist, she understands that Durmstrang's strata are dependent upon a political game. Insofar as the social standing of Durmstrang students is concerned, Magdalena aims for the top, nothing less.

Magdalena does have redeeming qualities; her friends and family see a side of her that is more candid, more playful, and at points, even poignantly girlish in its aspirations. She has a warm side, but it isn’t shared with the masses. She’s a great listener, both in lecture and in the company of people she admires. She could listen to her grandfather talk for hours and never bore; similarly, she is prone to absorbing things people don’t necessarily want her to hear. Sensitive information is a frightfully useful brand of knowledge, however shaky.

History


A Danish witch and a German wizard, Magdalena’s parents met as children and grew particularly fond of one another in their later school years. Magda’s father Kurt, son of Durmstrang’s current Headmaster (and then professor) Auberon Eisenberg, worked in Oslo, Norway for several months before relocating to his future wife’s hometown in Denmark. The pair married in their early twenties and enjoyed a few years of living together in a small flat, working long hours in their respective disciplines, and generally being young adults before they decided to start a family.

Magdalena was born in Copenhagen during a relative time of peace. She proved from an early age to be every bit her parents’ child. Precocious and bit bossy, her earliest memories include bouncing around in her father’s office chair, digging through his drawers, and trying to nab his wand when he wasn’t looking. As she grew, such curious endeavors became more artful; peaking into books which didn’t belong to her, hiking into the snow with a pair of omnioculars, and listening with charmed devices to conversations which did not include her (but which may well have mentioned her were lovely ways to spend winter afternoons.

Growing up in a mobile city that encouraged sport, Magdalena participated in ballet and horseback-riding from a young age. Frequent trips to area surrounding the school, where several of her family members live, meant that Magda got to spend a decent amount of time away from   the urban lights and paved streets; in the northern mountains, regular doses of “alone time” and reflection gave the girl a chance to get a grasp on her patience. (Even so, once in a while, she simply can’t help a rash decision. It’s really not Magda’s fault people are so stupid.)  Adapting nicely to the demands of life at Durmstrang, she joined the dueling team in school as another source of activity.

In school, Magda rose swiftly through the ranks with similarly cutthroat children. If she sought or earned favoritism from her grandfather, most people were careful enough not to mention this to her face. She made friends of a similar caliber, but she made as many if not more acquaintances who are less ambitious, very agreeable people.

Her primary concentration, Spellworks, has proved a heavy courseload, but Magdalena enjoys her lessons, and rejoices at any chance to prove herself a talented (nearly-adult) witch. Magdalena pushes herself hard, constantly raising the bar on her own limitations. She takes classes outside her study, too, arming herself with various subjects which will no doubt prove useful. If anything is a particular struggle (and certainly there are hurtles), Magdalena does her best to get through it looking ever the effortless (but still invested) student. She becomes annoyed with herself (and with people around her) when she can't seem to get the hang of a specific spell or theory, but this only sparks an obsession to get it right, to master it with her wand and her mind. She spends a good deal of time in the library, or hitting targets in practice rooms, or tackling obstacle courses designed to test her wand work and wherewithal.

Magda knew from the moment of the announcement (and perhaps the hints dropped before) that she would be going to England for the Tetrawizard Tournament. No self-respecting member of her family would pass up such an opportunity, and, besides, who better to show the little Hogwarts girls the real makings of a witch? As one of the chosen lot, Magdalena is excited for the upcoming events, and has been speaking English almost exclusively around her family in preparation.



How Do You Fit Into Your House?
Magdalena is ambitious, quick and graceful with her wand, and somewhat dominate amongst her peers. She was born and raised to achieve lofty goals, her parents encouraging her precociousness. Magdalena also understands the politics of the strata; her grandfather's role as Headmaster plays no small part in her want for success, and if Magda is looked upon favorably for reasons other than her character, she never complains of this.

Sum up your character in one paragraph.
Magdalena has a strong love for spellwork, like her mother, whose enigma and nimble witchery were passed on to the girl. She is clever and ruthless, the sort of person who will not settle. She is undeniably an elitist, and much admires Durmstrang's inner workings.

Career Change

Character Name: Magdalena Eisenberg
Character Biography: Bio
Previous Job/Position: Student
Position Applying For: Curse Breaker in Training

Why have you chosen to change careers?:

Magdalena craves adventure with a good bit of danger, but she also wants to build a successful and prestigious career. She is drawn to a role of curse breaker for both its mind challenges and its heavy spellwork. It is also a role that has an independent, outlaw edge, and plenty of travel. Magda feels it perfectly blends defensive and offensive magic, discovery, and the pushing of one’s limits.

It is her is her ambition to eventually work independently, and not necessarily with any one wizarding institution  or government. This may include helping friends or high bidders with unsavory tasks, particularly those with ties to her alma mater.

Josephine St. Just is the perfect mentor, with a personality and independent nature that suit Magda and her career goals.

Elaborate on your expertise in this new field:

Magdalena’s chosen discipline of spellworks (wand magic) is a vital asset to a curse breaker, who may be dealing with heavily layered or even dark magic, curses and obstacles that require a quick succession of powerful counter-spells. At Durmstrang, she has studied not only defensive magic, but a decent amount of offensive and dark magic, too. She is thus well-informed and well-equipped in terms of practical experience, to cast counter-curses and continue to expand her repertoire.

Magda has also studied mind magic, Occlumency in particular, under the guidance of her spellsworks and defense professors. This is a useful tool when encountering curses, particularly those which aim to alter states of mind or lead people astray. It is also an ideal fit for the everyday dangers and mistrustful characters a curse breaker encounters. Magda plans to continue her studies in this branch.

Describe your new job and how you go about doing it:

Magdalena will be training with Josephine St. Just, traveling regularly and assisting the witch as they encounter and combat curses. Before and between trips, she will train primarily at Gringotts, acquainting herself with their system and learning more about Goblin magic. She will be based in Wizarding London.

Special Ability - Occlumency and Legilimency

Character Name: Magdalena Eisenberg
Age: 19
Character Biography: Biography
Do any of your other Characters have Special Abilities?: No

Special Ability: Occlumency and Legilimency

What level is this ability at?: Intermediate

At what age did your character gain this ability?:

Occlumency - Began to study it midway through school, began to control it around 16/17.
Legilimency - Beginning to gain the ability at 19.

How did they learn or hone this ability?:

Magdalena began to study Occlumency at Durmstrang, where students are encouraged to pursue specific branches of magic. She mastered it in her later years of school, and put it to good use in her final year. She is now using it as she trains to be a Cursebreaker. Since she has mastered it and is advancing in her Occlumency capabilities, she has begun to study Legilimency in her own time, with one-on-one training with more practiced Legilimens.

Describe how the Special Ability influences their life.  What do they use it for?:

Magda has used these abilities primarily in an academic or private setting, until recently, where she is beginning to use Occlumency in her career. At Durmstrang, she was often assigned to a Legilimens by professors, and taught to defend against a fellow classmate. For private tutoring sessions, she defended against one of her professors or a trained adult. Other times, she practiced against members of the lesser strata, who either volunteered… or didn’t. Most classmates who used Legilimens on Magda against her will were met with combative defensive mind magic and wand magic. Her first professional outings as an Occlumens were on Cursebreaking trips with Josephine St. Just, where she used the branch as a kind of shield.

Her Legilimency, thus far, is still largely in the theoretical stages, supported with lots of reading and research, but she has practiced it one-on-one with peers to varying results (mostly gritted teeth and having to save herself with Occlumency, to her dissatisfaction).

Write a description of what happens when your character is exhibiting this Special Ability:

Magdalena is able to successfully block others from picking up on certain thoughts, emotions, or memories. This is sometimes accompanied by a purposeful or unwitting physical attack on the other party. Occlumency can be mentally and physically draining, but Magda has for the most part learned to keep up her energy and stop most Legilimens from getting into the most shielded parts of her mind.

Her Legilimency, in its fledging state, is usually not particularly effective on others, and may cause only minor annoyances thus far. Once or twice she has managed to catch someone off guard. When met with another Legilimens, she most often resorts to Occlumency to make up for her lack of practice in Legilimency.