The Dreamer's Curse

The Birth of a Plan

[Chapter 19]

When Dumbledore meant ‘prepare for war’ he was quite serious. I spent my evenings up in the Secret Peak aiming hexes at transfigured pillows, hoping they’d work on real people when the time would come to use it.

Too much has happened since Christmas—that Rita Skeeter woman had wrote a nasty article about Hagrid being a ‘dangerous’ half-giant, Harry had gotten through the Second Task just fine (he had had to save Ron from a bunch of mermaids deep in the Black Lake), Skeeter wrote a lie about Hermione playing Harry like a wench—and then another one about Harry being insane—and Sirius was staying in an old inn some ways past Hogsmeade, worried sick after Harry.

It was nearing the end of March, and I had so far mastered a number of new defensive curses and blasting curses, but I was more interested in human transfiguration.

“If anything happens,” Professor Dumbledore warned me, “Anything at all, you must readily transfigure yourself, do you understand?”

Of course, agreeing to his request was more out of politeness than sureness. Human transfiguration was a tricky thing, and even after countless trips to the library, it was a hard feat to manage. After countless hours of failed attempts, I was beginning to wonder whether it was even possible.

“Alright, Jane, focus,” I said to psych myself up. The Advanced Transfiguration book I’d nicked from the library’s restricted section lay open beside me.

…

The Animagi Principle: The Mastery of Transfiguration and Thought

Thought to be written by Katheus of Yves

If you are reading this, you must obviously want to become an Animagus. For that, you are either an extremely talented wizard (or witch) lest a fool. I sincerely hope you are the former, for the latter is much harder to instruct. I am to instruct you on the initial training stage, after which you’ll be able to change your form as you please.

In case you have not yet learned it, an Animagus is a witch or wizard who has the learned ability to transform into an animal. What kind of animal he or she should turn into is dictated by one’s personality and inner traits, much like one’s Patronus. Theoretically, an Animagus’ form may change if drastic alterations to his or her personality are made. (This is, however, still debatable since no known Animagus has undergone such a change.) One’s form may be determined by a Patronus Charm. Despite rumours of a Revealing Potion, there’s no such thing.

An Animagus in animal form is not restrained by the lifespan limit of the creature they otherwise transform into. One can remain in Animagus form for their whole lifetime, although I can’t imagine who would elect to do so. It is neither, I suppose, a surprise that an Animagus retains his or her mind whilst in animal form. Feelings are a whole different matter, however, and it seems that feelings are most often diluted in animal form. This is an advantage, I suppose, since Animagi are able to communicate with animals—at a primitive level, mind you. Imagine falling in love with a rat in animal form! That would be something indeed!

Of course, each wizard or witch who thus elects to transform will bear distinct markings on his or her animal form that serve to identify him or her. I, for one have a pleasant looking strip of gold fur ‘round my paw, for I never leave home without my bangle.

Some things to keep in mind whilst undergoing initial training: one cannot simply opt for which animal he or she so desires to become—these things are a mysterious kind of magic dealing with the soul itself—neither can one predict what distinct markings may appear on one’s skin.