Chapter 7
Animagi lesson
Armed with a note from Professor McGonnagal, Harry, Hermione, and Ron made their way down to the Transfigurations classroom, arriving precisely ten minutes of eight o'clock.
There, they all smiled, finding Professor McGonnagal already there, sleeping in her tabby cat form upon her desk.
"Professor?" Harry called quietly, gently scratching the grey cat under her chin. The cat purred contentedly and loudly. "Professor, it's time for our lesson...you have to wake up," Harry repeated, chuckling a bit as he continued to scratch the cat behind her ears.
The bespectacled-marked tabby yawned, opened one of her eyes, and then smiled. Harry backed away, allowing her to get to her feet, and stretch in feline fashion, arching her back. The small cat then jumped, turning into her human form before she could touch the ground.
"I apologize, you three," Professor McGonnagal told them all. "I'm afraid I've not gotten nearly enough sleep of late."
"That's all right, Professor," Harry told her.
"Very well then. Let´s begin, shall we?" McGonnagal said briskly. She nodded to the three, and they quickly took to the three high-backed wooden chairs position across her desk from her. "To become an animagi, you must have control...of your mind, your body, and your feelings. Here," McGonnagal informed them, picking up three small pamphlets. "These booklet contain a number of tasks for you to practice and hone your control. When each of you have finished each of the three exercises, kindly begin them over again. I wil inform you when you may stop. Now, at the risk of sounding like that toad, Umbridge, there will be no need to..."
"Talk," the three of them finished, smiling at her.
"Yes," McGonnagal said primly, yet they couldn't help but notice the barest hint of a smile on her face.
Harry cracked open his booklet, and began the first of his lessons. The first task was to tone out everything in his mind, all thought, all sound, all sensations but the beating of his own heart. The second task was an exercise to relax his body. That one was oddly fun for some reason, and relaxed him. The third exercise was the weirdest one, a sort of meditation to smooth all emotion.
It wasn't long before he was back on the first task again. Harry closed his eyes, and allowed his mind to drift. He was rudely brought out of his trance moments later, when he felt someone shaking him firmly.
"Hmm? What?" Harry asked muzzily, and opened his eyes.
Professor McGonnagal had a hand on each of his shoulders, and looked him firmly in the eyes. "I nearly had to scream into your ear to bring you back, Mr. Potter," she observed with grudging respect.
"Oh!" Harry said. "Was I supposed to? I mean, I didn't hear a thing."
"Nicely done. Very well then...you may practice those exercises each and every night at your convenience. Now, let´s do continue," McGonnagal then said. She opened a drawer in her desk, and withdrew a heavy blue leather bound book. "This book, my fledgling animagi, describes the personalities of each and every form an animagi may assume," McGonnagal informed them all. "With this book, you may find the animal your particular personality may describe the best. But, have care, as most wizards and witches cannot objectively observe the aspects of their own personalities. So, that being said, Mr. Weasley, you will ascertain Ms. Grangers animagi form. Ms. Granger, you will then find Mr. Potter's appropriate form, and finally Mr. Potter, you shall do so for Mr. Weasley. Mr. Weasley? Please begin, if you would be so kind..."
Ron licked his lips, and took the heavy book from Professor McGonnagal. He opened the book and began to read. Once he got to a certain page, he began to softly laugh.
"What?" Hermione asked, just a trifle bit grumpily.
"You two are going to love this! Listen," Ron said. "The Ferret: Loves to be in charge of others, full of self-pride and arrogance. Prone to offering insult, treating apparent inferiors with scorn and derision. Vain and domineering. Sound like anyone we know?"
"Malfoy," both Harry and Hermione exclaimed at once.
"Yes, quite," Professor McGonnagal intoned with a nod, "Mr. Malfoy would most like become a ferret. Now, back to the matter at hand, Mr. Weasley, if you please."
Ron went back to reading, but after a while he crowed, "Found yours, 'Mione!" he informed both her and Harry. Hermione looked over, curious as to what he'd found. Ron cleare his throat, and read aloud: "The Panther: Loyalty and trust are paramount to the panther. Wisdom and intelligence in equal measure, always working to the benefit of all." Hermione actually blushed scarlet a moment.
"Wow. Thanks," she said quietly, and kissed Ron on the cheek, smiling.
McGonnagal arched an surprised eyebrow at that exchange.
"They're together, Professor," Harry murmured to her.
"Really? You don't say?" McGonnagal said.
Her cheeks still a bit rosy, Hermione then took up searching the book. "Ah! I've found Harry's!" Hermione declared.
"Well, do read on, Ms. Granger," McGonnagal commanded.
Hermione nodded automatically, and read the passage aloud, "The Lion: Loyalty, balanced with Justice, are the Lion's primary traits. Stalwart, trustworthy, and true to their cause, a Lion's friends are friends forever."
Harry blushed a bit at that. He could see why Professor McGonnagal had said others had to find your personality...as what Hermione had just read hardly seemed correct to Harry himself. Ron and Hermione, on the other hand, were nodding as if that described Harry perfectly.
Now, it was up to Harry to look for what animal best suited Ron´s personality. He wasn't too long in the finding, though. "Found it!" he declared.
"Very well, Mr. Potter. Don't keep us all in suspense," Professor McGonnagal urged him.
"Here we go, then. The Fox: Playful, lazy, yet fun to be around. Always looking for the easiest way to accomplish something, not necessarily the right way. Yet for all that, foxes are among the most steadfast of friends, willing to risk all without being asked."
"Erm," Ron said, not quite sure how to take the description that had just been read. "Um, that's good...right?" "Yes, Mr. Weasley," Professor McGonnagal offered. "A fox is a commendable animagi form."
Ron heaved a contented sigh at that. "Thank goodness," he murmured, which caused Hermione to grin.
"There you have it then," McGonnagal told them all. "Mr. Potter's Animagus form is a lion, Ms. Granger's a panther, while Mr. Weasley's is a fox. Now, your assignment for next lesson," she began, only stopping as all three groaned quietly. "Kindly let me remind you that I did say from the outset that this would not be an easy task, did I not? So, no more of that, or I shall dismiss the lot of you."
"No, Professor!" the three exclaimed, alarmed.
"Yes, then, as I was saying then," McGonnagal said, continuing. "You assignment is to read up on each of your animagi forms. Come to understand them and how they behave. I expect each of you to become intimately familiar with your animal forms."
"Yes, Professor," they said, agreeing.
"Yes, then I will see you three tomorrow. Same place and same time," McGonnagal told them, looking over her spectacles.
"We'll be there, Professor," Harry, Ron and Hermione replied and then headed out of the classroom and off to their beds.
Animagi lesson
Armed with a note from Professor McGonnagal, Harry, Hermione, and Ron made their way down to the Transfigurations classroom, arriving precisely ten minutes of eight o'clock.
There, they all smiled, finding Professor McGonnagal already there, sleeping in her tabby cat form upon her desk.
"Professor?" Harry called quietly, gently scratching the grey cat under her chin. The cat purred contentedly and loudly. "Professor, it's time for our lesson...you have to wake up," Harry repeated, chuckling a bit as he continued to scratch the cat behind her ears.
The bespectacled-marked tabby yawned, opened one of her eyes, and then smiled. Harry backed away, allowing her to get to her feet, and stretch in feline fashion, arching her back. The small cat then jumped, turning into her human form before she could touch the ground.
"I apologize, you three," Professor McGonnagal told them all. "I'm afraid I've not gotten nearly enough sleep of late."
"That's all right, Professor," Harry told her.
"Very well then. Let´s begin, shall we?" McGonnagal said briskly. She nodded to the three, and they quickly took to the three high-backed wooden chairs position across her desk from her. "To become an animagi, you must have control...of your mind, your body, and your feelings. Here," McGonnagal informed them, picking up three small pamphlets. "These booklet contain a number of tasks for you to practice and hone your control. When each of you have finished each of the three exercises, kindly begin them over again. I wil inform you when you may stop. Now, at the risk of sounding like that toad, Umbridge, there will be no need to..."
"Talk," the three of them finished, smiling at her.
"Yes," McGonnagal said primly, yet they couldn't help but notice the barest hint of a smile on her face.
Harry cracked open his booklet, and began the first of his lessons. The first task was to tone out everything in his mind, all thought, all sound, all sensations but the beating of his own heart. The second task was an exercise to relax his body. That one was oddly fun for some reason, and relaxed him. The third exercise was the weirdest one, a sort of meditation to smooth all emotion.
It wasn't long before he was back on the first task again. Harry closed his eyes, and allowed his mind to drift. He was rudely brought out of his trance moments later, when he felt someone shaking him firmly.
"Hmm? What?" Harry asked muzzily, and opened his eyes.
Professor McGonnagal had a hand on each of his shoulders, and looked him firmly in the eyes. "I nearly had to scream into your ear to bring you back, Mr. Potter," she observed with grudging respect.
"Oh!" Harry said. "Was I supposed to? I mean, I didn't hear a thing."
"Nicely done. Very well then...you may practice those exercises each and every night at your convenience. Now, let´s do continue," McGonnagal then said. She opened a drawer in her desk, and withdrew a heavy blue leather bound book. "This book, my fledgling animagi, describes the personalities of each and every form an animagi may assume," McGonnagal informed them all. "With this book, you may find the animal your particular personality may describe the best. But, have care, as most wizards and witches cannot objectively observe the aspects of their own personalities. So, that being said, Mr. Weasley, you will ascertain Ms. Grangers animagi form. Ms. Granger, you will then find Mr. Potter's appropriate form, and finally Mr. Potter, you shall do so for Mr. Weasley. Mr. Weasley? Please begin, if you would be so kind..."
Ron licked his lips, and took the heavy book from Professor McGonnagal. He opened the book and began to read. Once he got to a certain page, he began to softly laugh.
"What?" Hermione asked, just a trifle bit grumpily.
"You two are going to love this! Listen," Ron said. "The Ferret: Loves to be in charge of others, full of self-pride and arrogance. Prone to offering insult, treating apparent inferiors with scorn and derision. Vain and domineering. Sound like anyone we know?"
"Malfoy," both Harry and Hermione exclaimed at once.
"Yes, quite," Professor McGonnagal intoned with a nod, "Mr. Malfoy would most like become a ferret. Now, back to the matter at hand, Mr. Weasley, if you please."
Ron went back to reading, but after a while he crowed, "Found yours, 'Mione!" he informed both her and Harry. Hermione looked over, curious as to what he'd found. Ron cleare his throat, and read aloud: "The Panther: Loyalty and trust are paramount to the panther. Wisdom and intelligence in equal measure, always working to the benefit of all." Hermione actually blushed scarlet a moment.
"Wow. Thanks," she said quietly, and kissed Ron on the cheek, smiling.
McGonnagal arched an surprised eyebrow at that exchange.
"They're together, Professor," Harry murmured to her.
"Really? You don't say?" McGonnagal said.
Her cheeks still a bit rosy, Hermione then took up searching the book. "Ah! I've found Harry's!" Hermione declared.
"Well, do read on, Ms. Granger," McGonnagal commanded.
Hermione nodded automatically, and read the passage aloud, "The Lion: Loyalty, balanced with Justice, are the Lion's primary traits. Stalwart, trustworthy, and true to their cause, a Lion's friends are friends forever."
Harry blushed a bit at that. He could see why Professor McGonnagal had said others had to find your personality...as what Hermione had just read hardly seemed correct to Harry himself. Ron and Hermione, on the other hand, were nodding as if that described Harry perfectly.
Now, it was up to Harry to look for what animal best suited Ron´s personality. He wasn't too long in the finding, though. "Found it!" he declared.
"Very well, Mr. Potter. Don't keep us all in suspense," Professor McGonnagal urged him.
"Here we go, then. The Fox: Playful, lazy, yet fun to be around. Always looking for the easiest way to accomplish something, not necessarily the right way. Yet for all that, foxes are among the most steadfast of friends, willing to risk all without being asked."
"Erm," Ron said, not quite sure how to take the description that had just been read. "Um, that's good...right?" "Yes, Mr. Weasley," Professor McGonnagal offered. "A fox is a commendable animagi form."
Ron heaved a contented sigh at that. "Thank goodness," he murmured, which caused Hermione to grin.
"There you have it then," McGonnagal told them all. "Mr. Potter's Animagus form is a lion, Ms. Granger's a panther, while Mr. Weasley's is a fox. Now, your assignment for next lesson," she began, only stopping as all three groaned quietly. "Kindly let me remind you that I did say from the outset that this would not be an easy task, did I not? So, no more of that, or I shall dismiss the lot of you."
"No, Professor!" the three exclaimed, alarmed.
"Yes, then, as I was saying then," McGonnagal said, continuing. "You assignment is to read up on each of your animagi forms. Come to understand them and how they behave. I expect each of you to become intimately familiar with your animal forms."
"Yes, Professor," they said, agreeing.
"Yes, then I will see you three tomorrow. Same place and same time," McGonnagal told them, looking over her spectacles.
"We'll be there, Professor," Harry, Ron and Hermione replied and then headed out of the classroom and off to their beds.