- I enter the Transfiguration classrooom, Mcgonagall waiting, for a morning Animagus session. I see McGonagall looking unhappy and she says, "Before we begin this session I must ask you about the truth of such rumors. Obviously using Dark Magic to enter the Slytherin common room and torturing 10 students and casting the dark magic is wild speculation, But there is always a kernel of truth. So tell, were you really in the Slytherin common room?"
- I decide to tell the truth and say, "Yeah, I slipped in, following some first years." - I decide to skirt the truth a little before Professor McGonagall asks about the other things and say, "As for Walnut, she had a friend's wand. We were slinging spells, someone else joined in to help. I think all the spells that hit her is what put her in the hospital wing."
- McGonagall cracks as smile and says, "I always have been telling Severus to make sure his first years are more careful about entering the common room. He won't like to hear they were too distracted and let you in. Now, you have already received punishment, so lets move on to the lesson."
- Mcgonagall flicks her wand to Ministry instruction manuals, to the middle of a book with some diagrams of how an animagus changes, "Now, you have been able to shift your bone density with a wand with near perfection, unfortunately when it comes to changing your bones without wand use... You have splinched yourself a few times."
- McGonagall takes a breather while I look at the Ministry manual and then says, "Watch me transform into a cat. It is a perfect exercise in will, controlling your body, using your innate magics to force the transformation. In the brief time you transform, you need to focus completely on the transformation process. Keep your mind clear of everything else." - Mcgonagall shifts into a cat, waits 10 seconds, and shifts back and says, "As you know from Apparation, there are the 3 D's which even I tire of hearing. But two of them apply to becoming an Animagus; Determination and Deliberation. Unfortunately there is not a letter adequate to briefly describe holding the image in your mind of what you are transfiguring yourself into. However, once you are able to successfully transfigure yourself, it does become easier as you shift each time. Now, concentrate Mr. De'Wolf. Despite all the trouble you get into, you should be able to manage that."
- I take a deep breath and focus on the type of bird that comes most easily to mind, picturing the feathers, the beak, the claws, and trying to remember even the shape and density of its bones, and slow changes start to appear on myself; hairs turn to feathers, feathers sprout out of my face, my arms begin to rotate and my hands begin to mesh into one. I do shrink a little, before the transformation process stops, and I look like an ugly little cross between a small human and an owl, having mostly human legs, but a small torso and bird like features everywhere else. -
- Mcgonagall sighs but smiles, "Better Mr. De'Wolf. That is better progress than I have seen. Now remember to focus back on your human self, or this will hurt, as you have well experienced." - Mcgonagall waves her wand and I am quickly restored to my human self, looking a little tired and slightly in pain.
- McGonagall studies me for a moment and says, "I think we can try a couple more times before we can call it quits." - I only nod, and for the net half hour, we focus on me transforming myself, with McGonagall giving slight instructions and corrections to how I transform and my ability to concentrate. I do make slightly more progress, before I am allowed to leave and a class of second year slytherins enters the classroom, goggling me and whispering about who knows what I could be up to. -
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