Right.. Phoenix feathers. Tibi racked his brain; scrunching up his face in thought. He was pretty sure he'd read something about phoenix feathers.

Hesitantly raising a hand, he attempted to answer the professor's question. "I.. I believe that phoenix feathers are supposed to be good for combat and defense."

Tibi wasn't exactly sure why that was the case, but it was a start, right?

"Protect them against evil?" Evelyn mumbled to herself, repeating what the person said, and then chuckled quietly. "Funny considering Voldemort was evil..." After her little laugh, she looked up at the tops of the trees, squinting her eyes against the sun.

Copernicus raised his hand. Many of his initial thoughts had been spoken already, so now he was just going to guess. "Professors, since phoenixes are noted for the healing property of their tears, are wands with phoenix cores especially handy for healing spells?"

Anna sat there, absorbing all the info she could. pheonix=good, apparently. Wait! A hairy potter. What kind of person was that? Maybe a bigfoot like guy! Wow! Europe is so different.

Celandine raised her hand thoughtfully, "Professor, aside from healing, the Phoenix has the power of renewal. Rather than life and death, it represents eternal life and new growth from old. So phoenix feathers are really good for charms that are meant to last a long time, particularly protection and renewal spells, wards and permanent charms. I think it would be helpful with encouraging growth maybe where magic is applied to plants and creatures too."

source: my brain and this

Emily looked around, `well i know that, well at least my mum said, that my wand core is unicorn hair because i`m unique. And she says hers is veela because she is alluring, but she never mentioned pheonix feather to me. Pheonixes are brave aren`t they? They also have healing powers in their tears so judging by the characteristics of the animal itself i would say it is to help you to be brave and be able to protect yourself from harm" Emily said.

There was too much going on in this class. He couldn't think fast enough to respond before his classmates. He still wasn't over the fact that BunButt and Professor Morgan were teaching TOGETHER. His least favorite and his favorite together for one class. Plus Mariel was there and he'd wanted to talk to her but not in class. He just stood there and listened to all the commotion.

Fantastic! They were on a roll now. Iliana looked over at Jake to make sure that he was getting this all down.

"Wonderful guys," she said, glancing at all who had answered. "What we know about the phoenix plays a large part in what we know about their feathers as a magical core."

Firstly, the phoenix is a beautiful, magical bird. Covering their bodies are crimson-colored feathers that glow faintly in darkness. Their claws and beak are a glimmering gold, which incidentally matches their long, golden tail feathers." she said. The more she rattled on about the Phoenix, the more she wanted to teach a class devoted just to them. Another time maybe.

Pulling a single feather from her robes, the Professor handed it to a nearby student. "As you can see, the phoenix tail feather is hot to the touch." Leaning forward, she said, "Please pass it around. I want everyone to see it up close. Thanks."

"The phoenix feather represents the renewal of life. It stands for immortality, resurrection and indeed healing, as Copernicus and Celandine have pointed out." She winked at them both before reiterating what was said.

"Class, remember that a phoenix feather core would be an excellent choice for one who wishes to cast protection spells or lasting charms. When this feather is your core, your wand has a much higher potential for defensive spells." She would have to figure out the other Ravenclaw's name that mentioned 'combat and defense' so that she could credit him properly. For now, she gave him a warm smile instead.

"Are there any questions so far?"

Alexandra smiled and looked at her wand thoughtfully. Protective Spells and lasting charms, huh? Well, that would definitely help her become an Auror! She took the phoenix feather when it was passed to her and was amazed at the warmth it emmited. They really were beautiful feathers. She looked at Professor Morgan and shook her head when she asked if there were any questions.

Copernicus raised his hand. "Professor, if the phoenix feather emits heat even when loose, are any special spells or salves used to keep the feather core from damaging the wand. Or does the nature of wand wood prevent it from burning?"

Nikki sat there, having been practically invisible the whole time. She hadn't answered any of the questions so far. Why? Because she had been wondering why they were learning about wands, when those two professors standing in the front taught Care of Magical Creatures and Herbology. Well they were talking about the cores which involved animals and Nikki guessed that the wood could go under Herbology, but still, it was confusing.

When Professor Morgan asked if anyone had a question, Nikki remained silent, not sure what to ask. She understood wands pretty well. In her opinion the only thing she needed to know about the wand was, you misuse it, you lose it.....forever!

Emily held the feather and found it was indeed hot to the touch, after stufying it with large blue eys she passed it on to the student beside her, "So if the core has all that to do with the wand what does the wood and lenth have to do with the powers?" emily asked looking at her 12.5 inch yew wood unicorn hair core wand in her hands.

Carter held the phoenix feather for a few second before passing it on. So, this is what is in my wand. he thought to himself. He listened intently to the lesson eager to learn.

"If the Phoenix feather is strong with protection spells or lasting charms, is it true for all other cores, that each one has its favorable realm of magic?" Patroclus asked hoping, it made sense.

Nikki couldn't keep up with the rest of the class. She knew a bit about Phoenixes, and how they were healers and protective and the like. But she was confused as to how this fitted in with both Herbology (which she had never really liked as her mother was totally over the top about the stupid subject) and Care of Magical creatures.

So the three elements of a wand were the core (the creature), the wood (obviously), and the length...Why the length?? What was special about it? Did it act as some kind of reciptor, or conductor between the two? Did it meld the properties of the two together? It confused Nikki, and annoyed her that she didn't know the answer.

She looked at her own wand, and wondered whether the length affected everyone's wand differently. Did the length have different properties, just like the core and wood? Was the length related to them, the owner, somehow? Her wand, 9 and 3/4 Yew wand with Unicorn hair core, was flexy, and she knew that had nothing to do with the length. So what was the answer???

Nikki picked up the feather, and marvelled at the softness of it. The heat radiating from it was calm, and soothing, and Nikki felt herself smiling as she passed it along. She wondered idly where she could get herself a phoenix...

Evelyn, having no questions, bent down and plucked a piece of grass off the ground, and twirled it in her finger, distracting herself. She was half tempted to use her wand, but not just for anything. Her hand, itching to move it in the correct path, and her mind screaming to say the incantations, a frown forming on her lips. Sticking her wand on the bench next to her, she picked up another blade of grass, then compared the two, before someone past her the phoenix feather.
It was warm, like the professor said it was. She let it sit in her hand for a moment or so, letting the heat seep through her skin, before passing it to the next student.

OMG. Cam eyed the single phoenix feather as if it were chocolate itself, standing up a bit and waaaanting it to be passed to him already. EEEEE! EEE!11 Well whatever, this would be as close as he could get to touching a phoenix in a whiiiileeeeeeeee but he looked back up at the two professors and then to the students that were holding the feather.

And yes YESSS it was HIIISSSS turn. Cam touched it. He smelled it. He tried to hear if it made any noises. He really wanted to see what it tasted like but... eh. Pretty warm as well. It took him about a minute until he passed it on when he raaaaiiiiissedddd his hand higgghh.

"Dooooo the wand cores ever run out? Like... do wands have expiration daaates or suuumthin'?" Did they? Did THEY? Wandlore was so... kableh bleh complicated. He started twirling his wand with the other hand.

Weeeee funfunfun.

Chris took the pheonix feather as it was passed form student to student. He smiled brightly as he felt the warmth of it and studied its amazing color. He then passed it on to the next person, waiting for the lesson to continue.

Anya stared at Cam as he asked his question. That was a good point, did they get expiration dates. One unicorn hair or dragon heartstring could only last so long.....right? She twirled her long hair with her wand while she waited for the Professor to answer.

Abby raises her hand. "The length of the wand"

K took the pheonix feather and held it she was in love with it in her hands the feather was so warm. She didn't have any questions but she did want to learn more.

"Good question, Cope," she said. "Since wand wood is magical, it has it's own protection. Heat from the feather or even the venom from the Basilisk Fang will not harm it."
"Well yes actually. That is something we will be going today in class," she said.
Professor Morgan shook her head. "No Cameron, they don't run out," she said. They were magical too, after all. "But wands CAN be broken. So handle them with care."


"Okay class, I'm going to hand the class over to Professor Bunbury for just a moment. When I return, I'll have something very special to share with you." With that said, Professor Morgan, smiled at Anastasia and headed off towards the Sanctuary.

Anya drifted off, her pink lips pursed, staring dreamily across the room. When she snapped back, Professor Morgan had gone for a moment, and Professor Bunbury was taking over. She felt a sinking feeling, she didn't think this Professor like her very much.

Chris sat up very quickly. Professor Morgan was going to get something special for them? That definately peeked his interest. She always had wonderful things in her lessons. He then heard that Professor Bunburry was going to take charge of the lesson for a bit, Chris liked that too. They were both some of his favorite teachers. He sat up straight ready to listen.

Though, it was CLEARLY obvious that Bunbury was hosting a class, it was just as CLEARLY obvious that Constantine just did not care. Not even if she was talking about dogs. 'Cause, it was Bunbury. She didn't like him, she mildly amused him (and kinda did not like her back).

But yes, back to the not caring...

SO, in order to show his ability to NOT care about Bunbury and the fact that she was trying to talk about something that was of little or no importance to him, he decided to go for a walk past the class. In his arms, he had a few more small, cut up pieces of pumpkin.

Smiling, he tossed a couple realllly small pieces into some bushes and then he threw an piece (that was a touch larger) in Bunbury's direction.

"Oops," he smirked, "Guess my aim's a little off today..."