He was late. An unbecoming trait to be certain and he would surely receive an earful from his headmistress when he finally made his way to the staff table. He was also certain that once he explained the situation that had resulted in his tardiness that she would be more forgiving. It had been as necessary as the entire altercation with the gargoyle had been unsettling.

But first.

Thick Hebridean Black dragonhide boots shuffling against the immaculate marble floor, Mathys de Nostredame's hand was clutched against his neck. It was nothing but a flesh wound, hardly bled at all but would still need tended to, and curious in its execution seeing how uncharacteristic it was for the gargoyles to be this ornery this time of term. They always held their positions with pride about the castle's exterior. Pulling his hand away to examine it, he clicked his tongue and muttered a few choice words in French before his dusted in crimson palm returned to covering the slash going right across his neck from base of his jaw to collarbone. His chest had been spared thanks to his golden King of the Serpent skin jacket.

His feet came to an unceremonious stop right behind one of their Hogwarts guests [Cassirin] who had just purposefully knocked her napkin to the ground. "A curtsy would hardly be ze wahrst of sings for you to learn. Could perhaps help polish your movements. Zey appear to be .......lacking a certain grace." Coiling his fingers coolly to his palm, the Head of House beckoned the fallen serviette to his hand and they straightened his fingers and turned his palm to the table so that it draped itself back into its proper position.

"Bienvenue à L'Académie de Magie Beauxbâtons."

He was now speaking to the table at large and tilted his head a bit into his hand, pulse calming, before continuing.

"I am Professor de Nostredame, ze head of house to ze house of Papillionlisse, whose table you currently occupy, and your Care of Magical Creatures professor for ze term. A remindair zat napkins belong on laps or ze table, do not scratch ze silverware, and mouths are closed while one chews." He would have tipped them off about the color changing doilies under their plates, but he was certain those had been collected at the conclusion of the feast the night before. It was important that their Hogwarts guests not be distracted by too much splendor their first night. His piercing icy blue eyes scrutinized the long table. "Our headmistress has already been seated. Ze rest of you should do ze same."