Post by Prof. Dante N. Kingston III on May 31, 2009 11:50:53 GMT -6
XXXX
A swan sized bird with red and gold plumage, a golden beak, and golden talons, black eyes, and a tail as long as a peacock.. The XXXX rating is given to the creature not to indicate ferocity, but the many rare and many futile attempts wizards have made at domesticating it. Phoenixes are known for nesting on mountain peaks. They are gentle herbivores and are not known for fighting.
Phoenixes are very difficult to domesticate, as Newt Scamander says in his book; "the phoenix gains a XXXX rating not because it is aggressive, but because very few wizards have ever succeeded in domesticating it". There are two known domesticated Phoenixes, one Albus Dumbledore's pet Phoenix Fawkes, and the other Sparky the team mascot for the New Zealand Quidditch team the Moutohora Macaws.
The most startling of the Phoenixes abilities is its ability to regenerate itself. It periodically bursts into flames when its body becomes old, and rises from the ashes as a new-born chick. This gives these birds a great life-span, as well as the ability to take the full force of a Killing Curse and still be reborn.
As Phoenixes approach their burning day, they resemble a half-plucked turkey and their eyes become dull and their feathers start to fall out and it begins to make gagging noises. Then the bird suddenly bursts into flames only to rise from the ashes shortly after. In a number of days, they grow back to full size.
The Phoenix can also disappear and re-appear at will in burst of flames, and boasts magical tears and song. The tears have potent healing capabilities. For instance, Phoenix tears are the only known antidote of basilisk venom. The tears are also able to bring a person back even from the brink of death, while the phoenix song will increase the courage of the good and strike fear into the hearts of the evil.
Phoenixes are capable of lifting a great weight with their tails, such as being able to effortlessly fly up a distance with four people holding on to its tail. They can also leave messages by bursting into flame to re-appear elsewhere and leaving behind a single golden tail-feather. Phoenixes are immune to the gaze of a Basilisk.
Phoenix feathers are a powerful magical substance, and as such are an accepted wand core. Fawkes gave two feathers, both of which ended up in the wands of Harry Potter and Lord Voldemort, which is said to be the reason why they locked in Priori Incantatem when the two Wizards attempted to engage in a magical battle in the Little Hangleton graveyard. Phoenix feathers are sometimes used as writing quills.
The Phoenix is also known as a mystical/mythical creature in other parts of world. In China, people knew them as Suzaku. In Asian history, a Phoenix is similar to a peacock, with a similair long, and beautiful tail.
Besides representing its element of Fire, sometimes a Phoenix can also represent Death, and the "element" of Wind.
