The Malfoys and Me

35. The Road to Animagi

"This is it," you say, holding the final step to the animagus process in your hand; a blood-red potion you've been brewing in the Room of Requirement for exactly a week. "All we have to do is drink this, and we'll find out which animal we'll be able to turn into!"

"So let me get this straight," Scorpius says, holding his uncorked potion as well. "We'll drink this, feel a sudden, fiery pain, and then see the animal we can now turn into in our minds?"

"Yep," you say, a bit apprehensively, "and then we'll only have to say, Amato Animo Animato Animagus to turn into that animal."

"Cool," he says, and laughs nervously. You look up at him and see his pale face is some shade of green, and you imagine yours is as well. Fiery pain is not exactly anyone's idea of a fun time, you think, looking down distastefully at the potion in your hands. Well, we've come this far... "Bottoms up?" you look up at Scorpius and see him grinning nervously at you as if in question.

"Bottoms up." You confirm, returning his smile. You take a deep breath. I hope this isn't awful, you think, and down the potion in one gulp. For a moment, nothing happens, and you're both relieved and worried. What happened? You think, your brows furrowing in concern and confusion.

"Did it... not work?" Scorpius asks, looking over at you. "What— Gahhhhhh!" Scorpius doubles over in pain, clutching the wall of the Room of Requirement (which grows a hand-hold obligingly).

"Score?" you ask anxiously. "Are you O— Ahgh!" you yell, dropping to the floor which is now covered in pillows to break your fall. You close your eyes and clutch your head, your fingers digging into your skull. Unfortunately, 'fiery' was a very good description of the pain you're currently in; your eyes feel like they might burst into flame at any moment, and you can feel a painful second heartbeat starting in your chest. You roll over on your side, reaching for something, anything to give you comfort. You hear Scorpius groan next to you, and reach out for him. Your hand finds his, and you feel him clutch it, obviously as eager for comfort as you are.

You and Scorpius sit there for a minute or two, letting out the occasional whimper. You curse yourself again and again for thinking up this crazy idea. Stupid, stupid! You think to yourself as another wave of hot pain hits you right at the base of your skull. This was all your idea! Now we're probably going to die, and— your train of thought is cut short as Scorpius lets go of your hand and you hear him give an amazed gasp.

"S-scorpius," you manage to choke out, "what's going—" and then your head whips back onto the padded floor and you let out a gasp of your own. In your mind's eye, you can actually see your pain and double heartbeat leaving the rest of your body and being condensed into a swirling silver mist in the forefront of your mind. Out of the mist steps a large, regal-looking animal it takes you a moment to place. The animal is obviously feline, with a thin body and silver-black fur with white-silver flecks on its back. Its ears are large and tasselled, just like its tail which looks like a lion's tail. Your eyes widen as you look into the animal's [your eye colour] eyes.

It's a kneazle! You realise, thinking back to your mum describing the one she'd had as a child.  You remember that they can sense if someone is lying or hiding something, and wonder if you'll get those powers as well. The kneazle in your mind nods slowly to you, and walks right out of your mind, taking the pain and irregular heartbeat with it.

You open your eyes, lying on the ground and panting for a few moments, but you feel invigorated instead of tired like you expected. A slight smile touches your lips as you look at the ceiling metres above you. At least I can turn into a magical creature, and not just a normal one. After a second, you think, I wonder what Scorpius can turn into? You look to your left where he was just a few minutes ago, but he isn't there!