They are discreetly assigned students.

Can they be discreetly assigned a large room to teach in? It will be more efficient to teach all the students at once.

Yep!

OK, twenty elves who are presumably willing to take an oath not to share any of what Malak is about to teach them unless they later give permission, nor to demonstrate outside of an emergency situation where the skills are necessary to save lives. And once they have done that, Malak starts to teach them. This is how magic works, this is the experience of how you draw on your magical energy (Yes, we're calling it "magical energy" for now, it's unwieldy but they don't want to use something that sounds more like an actual word for it until a standard has been established), this is what it feels like to shape a spell. Here are words and gestures to help with a very minor spell, it just gives things a very light push, practice those until you're saying them right, then combine that with drawing on some energy and see how it goes. Oh, good job, that was very fast, you're a natural. You can't get it? Osanwë me everything you're doing as you do it, ah, I see, the problem is right here, you want to do it more like this...

Malak likes teaching.

They are attentive and hardworking.

Hardworking is good, because Malak is pushing them pretty hard. They're training these people for war, so everyone gets to learn Destruction. (They learn about Balrogs one day, and "long distance Destruction" and "Cold spells" get bumped up the priority list) Protection is useful, too, so even though it's not Malak's area of expertise they get trained in the basics of that and once Malak thinks they are up to the level where they can start developing spells some of them are encouraged to focus there. Alteration is wonderful, and elves have a natural talent there, but probably not everyone should bother picking it up because specialization is important. Here's how you make superficial changes to your body. Here's how you change shape entirely, animals are good to mimic.. Here's how you mix and match traits of different creatures, be very careful with this. (Here are some horror stories to drive the point home. This is the story of a mage who grew wings and tried to fly with them, but the wings gave out and he fell. This is the story of a mage who heard that story, thought "Oh, I know how to avoid that pitfall", gave himself stronger wings, and broke his own spine.)  There are twenty schools of magic and twenty students - Everyone picks up Protection and Destruction and one more. (Two go for Alteration and four for Enhancement, at Malak's suggestion. Mind, Death, Summoning, and Fate magic are not on the intro curriculum.)

Three weeks later and if this were a typical batch of human apprentices, Malak thinks half of them would have cracked under the pressure, but these are elves handpicked for this and they are doing fine. Keep practicing to improve your energy limits, keep studying spells - here is a copy of everything Nargothrond developed before Talrod came to Eithel Sirion, see if you can build on that at all. If something unexpected happens and I don't make it back within a year you have permission to share all this then. Good skill.

They take a day off, then go to say their goodbyes to everyone who's not their student.

Celegorm? You still around? I'm leaving soon, going to check on the Falls and on Nargothrond, maybe try to open relations with Doriath or the dwarves. You and Huan are welcome to come with, if you want, otherwise I wanted to say goodbye before I left.

We're going back where we're needed. Have fun.

Riding an ice floe down the river, it's a fast trip. Geography makes Doriath the first stop, which... It will either be a productive trip or a short one. They disembark on the Doriath side of the Sirion.

"I assume I am being watched. I would like to speak to his Grace Elu Thingol, for I believe that I can help him achieve some of his ends."

And after a minute - "go ahead and speak."

"The first and foremost goal we have in common is saving Lúthien's life. We should probably start there."

Silence.

"Beren is rather thoroughly committed to his word and to doing right by her and at some point soon he is going to go to Angband in an attempt to fulfill his word. And because she is extremely, hopelessly in love with him she is going to follow and they are both going to die. And I can't stop this but His Grace can."

"It has been attempted."

"He can bless their marriage and release Beren from his oath."

"He cannot."

"He cannot?"

"How could he bless something that is objectively a horrible idea which will bring only misery?"

"Because they are going to marry regardless, and his blessing now would prevent a great deal more misery by keeping his only daughter out of Angband. Surely that is worth more than pride."

"He cannot give his blessing to a bad idea. It's not a matter of pride, it's - that's not what a blessing is."

"Did he intend to give it if Beren somehow miraculously acquired a silmaril? Can he at least release Beren from that ridiculous task?"

"That would prove Beren worthy of her after all."

"And nothing less would suffice? He cannot possibly be worthy unless he personally breaks into Angband and steals a jewel from right under Morgoth's nose? His commitment to this task in the face of impossible odds is not enough? His deeds fighting against the Enemy in Dorthonion? These and his ability to win it are not enough for him to be worthy of her love?"

"They are not."

"Is there any deed he can attempt which would satisfy His Grace and not risk Lúthien's capture?"