Hands clasped behind his back, Mathys took his time strolling around the groups as they became acquainted with their phoenixes. "Very good," he applauded through soft gaze only. "If we are all so lucky, your efforts today may earn us ze privilege of hearing ze Phoenix's Exalt. As I trust you have read, the song of a phoenix is magical in itself. Zey can have a deep emotional impact and are able to provide support and comfort... increase ze courage of ze good and strike fear into the hearts of ze evil. The Phoenix Lament is one such soung zat can touch ze soul and is sung when a phoenix is in great emotional distress...very so oftain zis is when zey lose a master in death. Ze Phoenix's Exalt, howevair, is a different mattair. Not a song born from emotional instability and distress...but when a phoenix feels calm and safe. At peace with zeir surroundings and pampaired."

It was meant to be a bit of additional motivation to perform their tasks and to perform them well, but Mathys was quite doubtful that they would be hearing that song today. The very presence of humans could be unsettling to any creature, teenagers and their unpredictability among the more threatening of auras.

His attention then briefly turned back to Monsieur Whitlock, who had a bit more color to his face now. "Zere is no need to apologize," he assured the boy (who was now in very capable hands among his group). "Zese zings can happen when introduced to a new element of magic." He offered the young Hufflepuff a wink before moving back to the, now, empty cage and pulling another set of supplies out - this time in the form of black lacquered bowls filled with a golden liquid and ornate golden vanity brushes.

"I will now be coming around to deliver bowls of beeswax and vanity brushes to each group. Just as we have learned to harness beeswax's anti-inflammatory and antibacterial properties zat combat chapped skeen and bacterial infections ...ze same zoughts can be applied to ze feathers of a phoenix. Speceeficahlly zeir tail feathers. Ze beeswax will form a protective casing zat will seal een moisture and help zem maintain zeir lustair for a beet longair. You are to dip ze vanity brush into ze bowl, which has been charmed to heat ze beeswax to a temperature zat it will maintain its liquid form, and brush a thin layair upon zeir tail feathers. Zere should be enough for each of you to manage one feathair each, but be careful not to tug on zeir tail feathers. Zey will not take kindly to zat. Zere is a little undair half an hour left in zis lesson so stay on task."

And with that he began making his way around the circle, handing out the bowls and brushes as he went.

OOC: We are entering the final 24 hours of the lesson and main activity. Please not that you do not necessarily have to complete ALL tasks presented in the list to receive full participation points have fun and interact with each other! A little bout of clarification that you CAN and do have free range to RP for the phoenixes but be mindful that they are well-behaved birds and not particularly aggressive (and none should be going up in flames today).

Tasks so far:

1. Create a group (5-6 people is preferred)
   Groups thus far; (?) beside RPers who have not since grouping task began:
   • Firehart, Hey Ju, hjhm, siriusblackliveson, Yaya
   • Cassirin, BanaBatGirl, littledhampir, TakemetotheBurrow
   • Anna Banana, Bazinga, DaniDiNardo(?), Fearlessleader19, Felixir
   • Daydreamer11, MadMadamMalfoy, Weasley174
   • ArianaBlack, hermionesclone, love-for-HP, Tegz
2. accept the box of gold leaf from Professor de Nostredame (anyone in a group may do this)
3. RP a phoenix landing on the bale of hay or crate the group is clustered around (anyone in the group may establish this).
4. Feed a sheet of gold leaf to the phoenix using the tweezers provided in the box (up to you whether or not the phoenix accepts the offering)
5. accept a wooden bowl of warm beeswax and brush from Professor de Nostredame (any one in the group may do this)
6. take the brush and paint a thin layer of beeswax on the tail feathers of the phoenix

Class will wrap up and be dismissed in approximately 24 hours from the time of this post