"A phoenix is not regarded as an adult until it survives its first rebirth, and there are indications in that feather that it never went through one, which means it was not truly an adult. Thunderbirds have something similar. Newly hatched chicks must survive within a violent thunderstorm, and that allows them to later be reborn through storms as well. In my opinion, that hybrid likely had its own severe and deadly trial it needed to overcome in order to gain eternity too. It may have left that feather behind because it knew it would fail whatever that trial was," Newt said seriously.
Did it actually fail, though? What if the condition for its rebirth simply had not happened yet? Julian wondered, though he kept that thought to himself. It was not an impossible theory. Phoenixes had to be reborn through fire, and thunderbirds through storms, so it stood to reason that a celestial bird might require something even more extreme. Logic suggested something like a firestorm, but magic obeyed strange rules when it came to matters like that, so there was really no way to know for sure.
"Aside from its age, I learned that the creature appeared to possess the elemental affinities of both its parents, which likely gave it astonishing mastery over fire, water, and air, along with transfiguration. From what Dumbledore has told me, that talent for transfiguration passed to you as well, along with a few other traits, most notably your eyes," Newt said honestly, and Julian nodded in confirmation.
"The last thing I discovered about the creature, however, is something that should concern you greatly as someone bound so closely to the feather. It seems the creature was capable of storing part of its spirit inside the feather, and if your will is not strong enough, it may attempt to possess you," Newt warned before taking his leave and leaving Julian alone with his thoughts.
...
Julian was not actually worried by that final warning. That fragment of spirit had already been perfectly integrated into his own soul, and possessing yourself was not exactly possible without time travel or multiverse nonsense getting involved. On the subject of that perfect integration, he had also begun developing a few faint avian traits during this delightful period of bodily transformation. His nails, for example, had become darker and harder than before. His eyes had changed as well, now carrying the piercing intensity eagles were so famous for.
There had also been a subtle alteration to the structure of his face. It was not dramatic, but his features had grown sharper and more defined. The elven portion of his transformation was clearly dominant, so he still looked human overall. Interestingly, his ears had only developed the slightest point, so small it was barely noticeable. That was essentially the full extent of his outward changes, and all that remained was for his internal organs and structures to be replaced. As it turned out, the process took nearly a full month to finish.
Many of the professors argued that his exam scores should be adjusted upward if he performed poorly due to missing so much studying, but to the surprise of everyone except McGonagall, Snape, and Flitwick, he not only passed every exam, he excelled in all of them, including Herbology. To be fair, though, the Herbology exams were written rather than practical, so his dreadful affinity with plants never came into play. Thankfully, deep practical mastery was not all that important for the exams, since subjects like charms, potions, and transfiguration only required a specific demonstration. Harry had his encounter with Voldemort in the forest just like in the book, and he had been distracted ever since.
Julian was honestly impressed that his friend had managed to get through the exams at all with how badly his attention had been thrown off. The weather had also started getting warmer as summer approached rapidly, and the wizarding world as a whole had become numb to Grindelwald's monthly sacrifices. Many people were still deeply worried about what he needed them for, but the headlines themselves no longer sparked panic the way they once had because he had done nothing else the entire time he had been free. That did not mean the magical community had stopped searching for him and his followers, however. A small army was still combing the globe looking for them.
...
On the final day of exams, which ended with History of Magic, Julian deliberately made sure to keep himself out of sight afterward.
Harry is going to make his move against Voldemort tonight, and while they clash, I'll use that opportunity to remove the soul shard in the Room of Requirement. Much as I would like to take part in the test with them, my role is just as important, Julian thought seriously as he navigated the corridors and hidden passages with practiced ease on his way to the workshop.