CHAPTER 3

Later that evening, after dinner, Harry, Ron, Hermione, and Ginny gathered in the forest clearing section of the multi-compartment trunk Harry had found in his family's vault.

James and Sirius joined them and passed around four vials of a strange, swirling potion while James explained the procedure. "Becoming an animagus usually takes months of meditations and practice. But this potion streamlines the process."

"I've never heard of this potion," Hermione said, raising a suspicious eyebrow at the two Marauders. "How did you two come across it?"

"We… invented it," Sirius admitted. "It's not exactly on the up and up."

Ron looked puzzled as well and looked at the vial of potion in his hand. "So what exactly is in here, anyway?"

James could tell that the teenagers were wary about consuming the potions and replied, "This potion induces lucid dreaming. You'll lose consciousness and then if you have the ability to become an animagus, you'll meet your animal self."

"What have we got to lose?" Harry said, opening his vial and gulping the potion down before sitting down on the soft grass.

Once the others did the same, they all sat down as well and in a few moments, all four teenagers were lying, asleep, on the ground.


When Harry opened his eyes, he was startled by the fact that he was alone. Getting quickly to his feet, he looked around, confused when he realized that he was not in the forest compartment of his trunk. He felt even more alarmed by the fact that he didn't have his wand.

In the sky, the moon was full and the light it gave off illuminated a path through the trees.

Harry didn't know why he felt so scared all of a sudden, but he plucked up his courage and started walking down the path, watching and listening for any sign of a threat.

It was several minutes before Harry finally found himself standing in a small clearing next to a pond. On the other side was a magnificent stag, drinking.

When Harry took a few more steps towards the pond, the stag looked up, flicking an ear in interest before walking across the pond towards him, not even disturbing the surface of the water as it did so.

"Don't be afraid, Harry," the stag said, its voice warm and comforting.

"I'm not afraid," Harry lied even as he felt his heart pounding in his chest.

The stag's eyes practically twinkled in amusement and he shook his head. "You can't lie to yourself, Harry. You fear more than the unknown, or fear itself. You also fear being happy. You believe that the return of your parents and godfather are a cruel joke and that eventually they will be torn away from you again and you will be alone once more."

Harry felt his mouth go dry. How could this stag know that about him? But he couldn't deny that the animal spoke the truth. "I-I haven't had that much good in my life," he explained.

But again the stag shook his head, giving Harry another comforting look. "You have more good yet to experience, Harry. You have so many, wonderful things to enjoy. You will still know hardship… but when it ends, you will know more joy than you have ever felt in your life."

Harry felt compelled to reach out a hand towards the stag as it took another step towards him. He took another step forward, as did the stag, until Harry's hand touched the fur on its neck. Feeling a rush of energy and comfort flooding into him, he was blinded by a flash of light.

Harry shut his eyes tight, not sure what was happening or even how to stop it. But just as he felt the fear rising up in him again, he heard the stag's voice one last time.

"Harry… Do not be afraid…"

"I'm not afraid," Harry said, opening his eyes as he felt the transformation take place. When it was over, he looked at the other stag and said again, "I am not afraid anymore."


The only thing that Ron Weasley could think about when he woke up, finding everyone else missing, was what had been in that potion? He couldn't remember ever falling asleep that quickly in his life!

Standing up, he was about to check for his wand but remembered that he was in a dream. If he needed his wand, odds were good he would have it with him and when he realized he didn't, Ron figured that he was probably safe.

"Such a clever boy to figure that out so quickly," a voice said from… somewhere. The voice was gentle and kind, yet with a mischievous tone.

"Where are you?" Ron asked, looking around for who had spoken to him. "What are you?"

"Oh, that would be too easy," the voice spoke again, coming from somewhere to Ron's left, near a path. "Come find me…"

Ron started down the path which seemed straight enough at first, but after a minute or two, it split into a spiderweb of identical paths…

"Come find me…"

"Find me, Ron…"

"I'm here, Ron…"

"I'm waiting for you…"

The voices echoed across the woods, seeming to be coming from every direction. Looking at each path carefully, Ron noticed that every other path was bathed in moonlight. Thinking of the giant chess board in the dungeon his first year, Ron looked at the path straight ahead. It was dark, so he looked at the path to the left before looking at the one just to the right of the center.

Closing his eyes, Ron tried to put focus on the echoing voices still floating around and giving him false direction. One voice seemed louder and clearer than the others and—eyes still closed—he walked in that direction.

Immediately, the echoing ceased and Ron opened his eyes, surprised to see that he was right back where he started. Only, this time, he wasn't alone.

A fox sat patiently in the middle of the clearing and was completely unafraid when Ron approached. "I knew you would find me. Your friend, Hermione, has great intelligence, but books and plans will only take you so far. You have learned to see the moves ahead, and are able to anticipate what happens next."

Ron felt like this was the only chance he would get to find out what lay in the future and looking at the fox, he knelt down on one knee and looked the animal in the eye. "What's going on…with Voldemort and the Death Eaters… Can we really win?"

The fox smiled as he came closer, watching Ron put out a hand to pet him. "Trust your heart, Ron. Trust in cleverness and resourcefulness… Above all, trust in those you love. When you are lost, let their wisdom guide you."

As Ron stroked the fox's fur, he felt himself change—hands and feet became paws and his fur was a magnificent shade of red tinged with brown with his paws and the tips of his ears were black. "Thank you," Ron said, nodding as he looked at his new form.

The fox smiled again and silently ran off into the trees, Ron running after him.


Hermione hadn't know what to expect after taking the animagus potion, and that scared her. It was one of the reasons she loved studying. She liked knowing the what, why, how, and what happens next of transfiguration, potions, herbology, and even ordinary muggle science.

She didn't like surprises and she didn't like being in situations that she couldn't predict or control.

Looking around the forest clearing, she spotted a path cutting through the trees and started towards it when a voice spoke from above Hermione's head, concealed by the dense foliage.

"Choose your path carefully," the voice said, sounding oddly similar to Professor Minerva McGonagall. "You seek strength as well as knowledge. But here you may follow only one course."

Hermione looked at the two paths now before her and felt torn between two outcomes she wanted desperately… and at the same time, she feared making the wrong decision. Hoping for some sort of guidance, she asked, "What if the path I choose is the wrong one?"

"Life is not like a test you can study for," the voice replied, kindly. "Here, you will find a side of yourself that you have long desired to embrace. There is no wrong answer. I can not tell you what choice to make. That decision must be yours alone."

Hermione continued to stare at the two paths, trying to come to a conclusion, but fear of the unknown was keeping her from picking one. How could she solve this riddle if she didn't know what the rules were?

The voice had said that the choice was between strength and intelligence. Hermione had plenty of both, didn't she? Making up her mind, Hermione strode forward, down the path to the left, unsure of what she would find once she reached the end.

After several minutes, she came to a forest clearing and was surprised to find a beautiful lioness sitting by a fallen tree waiting for her. Perched on one of the branches, a long-eared owl looked at her, it's brown eyes ever so slightly sorrowful.

The lioness stood, padding across the forest floor silent as a shadow, and went up to Hermione. "The hardest thing to learn is knowing when to fight and when to step back and let others join the fray instead."

Hermione looked from one animal to the other, again feeling torn. "There's so much that I've read, so much that I've learned…" Looking at the owl, she said, "But you can give me the wisdom to understand things I can't find in a book." Turning to the lioness, she went on. "You would help me fight for and protect those I love, wouldn't you?"

The lioness nodded once in agreement. "Yes, I would. But still, you must choose."

Hermione didn't know what would become of her decision, but she knew it was one she needed to make. Harry needed her in his fight against Voldemort and the dark forces he led. Harry needed her strength and intelligence to see him through. "I choose you both," Hermione said, clearly, and without any hesitation.

At first, neither animal moved. But after a long moment—during which Hermione feared she was about to be attacked—both animals rushed her at once and Hermione felt the lioness take her over with the owl second in command.

When it was over, Hermione looked at her reflection in the pond nearby, smiling as she saw the owl's eyes looking back at her, a pattern of feathers across her tan colored fur, and when she flexed her paws, her claws more resembled the talons of an owl.

Looking up at the starry sky, Hermione let out a roar as a warning to anyone who wished her harm.


It wasn't that she was afraid of being alone, Ginny thought when she woke up in the forest clearing. She wasn't afraid for herself, but rather for the others. Was this what was supposed to happen?

Remembering what Harry's father had said about 'finding your animal self', Ginny got to her feet and explored the clearing, pulling back a fallen tree branch and discovering a path through the woods.

Walking down the path, Ginny wondered what sort of animal she would find. Something safe and ordinary, no doubt, she figured, thinking of the possibilities. Becoming a cat like Professor McGonagall would be nice, or course. Or maybe she would be a hawk or some other bird of prey.

"Why do you assume you are destined for ordinary things?" a disembodied voice spoke from somewhere up ahead.

Ginny stopped in her tracks, unsure of what to say in response. "I'm not anything special," she admitted, finally. "I'm not like Harry, Hermione, or Ron. Why should I be destined to do anything extraordinary?"

But the voice didn't sound convinced as it spoke again. "Then why are you here? If you did not have the seeds of greatness within you, you would not be here. You possess great abilities and now you must harness them."

"But I don't have any special talents," Ginny protested. "I'm not great at chess or planning like Ron. I'm not book smart like Hermione. I've never fought dark magic like Harry has. I'm just… Ginny Weasley."

Coming to the end of the path, Ginny stopped again when she saw a beautiful phoenix sitting atop a tree stump, watching her with curiousity. The bird's red and gold plumage seemed to light up the darkness and when it let out a few notes, Ginny felt her spirit lift.

"It is a heavy burden—the task of elevating others," the phoenix explained as Ginny drew nearer. "But that is the future that awaits you. Those around you will face hard times and harder challenges. You must remind them of all they fight for…" Seeing Ginny's trepidation, the bird went on. "You do not have make this choice. If you walk away, you would not have to give up your destiny."

At first, Ginny thought that—if she chose the phoenix as her animagus form—she would be letting go of any normality she'd had before. But, in truth, normal had left her world the day she'd met Harry Potter. She was meant to help him fight Voldemort and his forces. And in order to do that, she needed to become more than she already was.

Walking right up to the phoenix, Ginny reached out a hand towards the bird, flinching only slightly when it burst into flames, engulfing the forest clearing with it. Closing her eyes against the brightness of the fire, Ginny heard the phoenix speak to her one last time before the transformation took her over.

"A phoenix's tears can only heal physical ailments. Your love and kindness can heal those in mental and emotional pain. This is the gift you and your family have already given to Harry Potter. You are special, Ginny. A princess among princes…."


James and Sirius took turns looking at their watches and checking to make sure the four teenagers were okay.

Both men remembered spending hours and hours trying to clear their minds, focusing on finding their animal selves. Finally, they'd asked their Herbology professor if there were any plants that could help induce a state of lucid dreaming. NOT a hallucinatory state, they had stressed, when the teacher had looked at them, glaringly. But rather a state of dreaming that they, themselves, could control. After a week of tinkering with various amounts of Mexican dream herbs, Valerian root, and peppermint, James had finally found the correct proportions of each ingredient and he, Sirius, and Peter Pettigrew had taken doses of their new potions and had spoken with their animal selves.

Looking back on how Pettigrew had betrayed them, both James and Sirius wondered how the traitor's conversation with his rat self had gone.

Back when they were students, Sirius had wanted to add African dream root to the potion mix so that he, James, and Pettigrew could have one shared dream, but James believed that each person should have their encounter privately.

Hearing a slight groan from Ron as he woke up, James and Sirius went over to him, looking eager. "Did it work?" Sirius asked.

Ron nodded, looking at the others who were starting to wake up as well.

One by one, the teenagers were able to transform, although changing back took a while. Ginny was shaken by the fact that her transformation both into and out of her animagus form took place in a burst of flame. "I need to try and work on that," she said, finally as she sat back down on the grass, exhausted.

"Well, given that, in more than 2000 years there have been 4 magical animagi," James said, comfortingly. "…you can probably expect the change to be different than most other people."

"I have a question," Ron said as they all climbed out of the trunk around dawn the next morning. Looking at his friends and sister, he asked, "What are we going to call ourselves?"