Chapter 158: Special Animagus
On the evening Cyril sent his reply, Ethan received a short note from Albus Dumbledore.
"Cyril wrote to me saying you're going home for the weekend." A cup of black tea appeared on the table.
"Yes, I have a special matter to attend to."
"Very well. I've already replied to him. It's no trouble." Dumbledore did not press for details. After all, that was Ethan's private business.
"I asked you here today not just about this matter, but also to give you the notes I promised." The old man took a thick notebook from the table and handed it to him.
"As for the Animagus transformation you asked about, I've included some notes on that as well."
Using the catalog Dumbledore had compiled while reorganizing his notes, Ethan quickly flipped to the Animagus chapter and scanned through it.
Just as Dumbledore had said, the Animagus chapter merely outlined the steps and requirements. It lacked the personal insights found in the other sections he had browsed.
Dumbledore's unique Patronus was an open secret. Ethan decided to be equally direct. "Professor, is the reason you're not an Animagus because your Patronus takes the form of a Phoenix?"
"How do you know I am not an Animagus?" the old man asked, stroking his beard with a smile.
"So you're an Animagus? A Phoenix? That means even if a Patronus is a magical creature, you can still become an Animagus, right?"
Ethan was delighted. He had assumed that because Dumbledore's Patronus was a Phoenix, he couldn't become an Animagus.
Still, he had wanted to attempt it himself. After all, his own Patronus was a two-headed dragon, a creature that didn't exist in the natural world.
So while dealing with the Basilisk situation, he had asked Dumbledore to explain why it was supposedly impossible to become a magical creature Animagus. He wanted to understand the underlying reasons, do his own research, and find a viable approach.
However, Dumbledore's answer came as an unexpected surprise.
Over the thousand-year history of the Shafiq family, several members had mastered the Animagus transformation. As a result, he had already learned the steps and requirements from the family notes.
But among the ancestors who had mastered the Animagus transformation, every single one had an ordinary creature as a Patronus. None of those with dragon Patronuses had ever dared to disregard the warnings that transforming into a magical beast could have unpredictable consequences.
Without a successful precedent to follow, Ethan had held off on attempting it for a long time. But now, things were different. A successful example was standing right in front of him.
Dumbledore studied Ethan's expression, smiled, and nodded. "Of course it's possible. The warnings about Animagus transformations merely caution that unpredictable consequences could arise. They don't make it impossible."
"However, compared to ordinary creatures, transforming into a magical beast is far more challenging. It requires a few extra steps and is much harder to control."
"What form does your Patronus take?" the old man asked suddenly.
"A dragon." Ethan didn't hesitate.
*That doesn't count as lying. A two-headed dragon is still a dragon, isn't it?* Just being a little economical with the truth, he rationalized silently.
"A dragon. That's actually fairly common among magical creature Patronuses."
"But, Ethan, I'm very glad you can cast the Patronus Charm."
Ethan understood why Dumbledore was so pleased. The old man constantly worried that Ethan would become a Dark Wizard, corrupted by the knowledge Voldemort had taught him. He had mentioned it more than once.
And the Patronus Charm was, essentially, the simplest and most intuitive way to detect whether a wizard was a Dark Wizard.
"I won't become a Dark Wizard." Ethan shrugged. Given his family's talent, no matter how much Dark Magic he learned, he wouldn't have to worry about his mind being corrupted.
"That's good. Now, about the Animagus process."
"Becoming an Animagus is an advanced form of Transfiguration, so few wizards actually succeed."
"Of course, even those who do succeed often keep it to themselves for one reason or another."
"Naturally, the Ministry of Magic requires all Animagi to register. Since the twentieth century, only seven have done so. One of them is your Professor McGonagall."
The old man smiled with childlike mischief. "So, I'm actually an illegal Animagus as well. If caught using this ability, I might be thrown into Azkaban."
"Aren't you afraid I'll turn you in?" Ethan joked.
The old man laughed. "I'm not afraid. As long as I'm not caught transforming, no one will know I'm an Animagus. After all, to ordinary people, a magical creature Animagus is simply too incredible."
"Besides, are you going to report me?" The old man winked at him.
"Of course not." Ethan laughed as well. Even if he succeeded, he wouldn't go register. They would both be unregistered, so who would report whom?
"Compared to ordinary creatures, being a magical creature Animagus has another major drawback.
"Magical creatures are too conspicuous and ill-suited for hiding. So even though I became an Animagus, I've never used it."
Ethan also felt this was a shame. After all, the greatest advantage of being an Animagus was blending in perfectly with common creatures, making it convenient to gather information or escape.
Just look at Rita turning into a beetle, Peter turning into a rat, and Sirius turning into a black dog. All three of them.
One used this ability to become a top newspaper reporter, another hid out with a wizarding family for over ten years, and the last became the first prisoner ever to escape from Azkaban.
But if that beetle were a dragon, could it still gather intelligence? It would have scared everyone off long ago.
"Do you still want to learn?"
"I want to learn." However, despite the many drawbacks, Ethan had made up his mind to become an Animagus. He wanted to know if his Animagus form would be the same as his Patronus.
Dumbledore said, "Very well. Then I'll tell you why transforming into a magical creature is more difficult."
"You've done well in your Care of Magical Creatures class, so you should know that although we're all classified as magical creatures, the way magic works for magical creatures and wizards is fundamentally different."
The old man took another piece of paper from his desk and spread it out before him. "As wizards, although our bloodlines grant us some innate magic, we rely primarily on learning to cast spells."
"Magical creatures are different. Their species and bloodline determine their abilities. Throughout their lives, they can only use a fixed set of magical abilities."
"Furthermore, the magical reserves of magical creatures far exceed those of wizards. In truth, we can't even compare ourselves to magical plants."
The paper Dumbledore set before him depicted a wizard, a phoenix, and a mandrake.
"Take me, for example. In my human form, I can cast magic at will. However, once I transform into a phoenix, my magical abilities become limited."
"I'm not like Minerva, who can still cast certain spells using silent, wandless magic even in her animal form. Instead, I'm restricted to innate phoenix abilities, much like Fawkes."
"Such as Apparition, healing tears, or immunity to a Basilisk's direct gaze."
"Rebirth? Since that's a phoenix's most important ability, once you complete the Animagus transformation, can you also be reborn from the ashes?" Ethan glanced at Fawkes. The bird, normally perched behind the door, was currently in the form of a small bird.
"A pity. If I sustain injuries in Phoenix form, I can indeed heal through Nirvana. But Nirvana cannot restore damage I suffered in human form." Dumbledore clearly regretted this limitation as well.
"That makes sense. Otherwise, after suffering the Horcrux curse, you could have simply used Nirvana. There would have been no need for Snape to treat you." Ethan lowered his head, thinking about how the old man had been cursed by the Resurrection Stone ring because he'd been too hasty.
"I've written the ordinary Animagus transformation steps very clearly in my notes. Read through them first, and I'll explain what modifications are needed for a magical creature transformation."
"Mm." Ethan read through it carefully, wanting to ensure Dumbledore's version didn't differ from his own family's ancestral steps.
Fortunately, all the steps were the same. His family's ancestral version just included more personal experience notes.
The first step was to keep a Mandrake leaf in one's mouth for a full month, from one full moon to the next. The leaf could neither be swallowed nor removed, or else the process had to start all over again.
Before his second school year started, he had purchased over fifty dried leaves in Diagon Alley, planning to attempt this step during the holidays.
However, the leaf rarely stayed in his mouth for more than an hour. He usually swallowed it or spat it out for one reason or another.
Although Mandrakes had significant medicinal value, those properties were exclusive to the root. The leaves were used exclusively for Animagus transformations, meaning there was almost no demand for them.
As a result, starting the previous semester, he had begun harvesting Mandrake leaves during Herbology class.
Aside from worrying that his stock of fifty leaves might not be enough, he also wanted to avoid using leaves that had been sitting in storage for Merlin knows how long.
After another round of practice over the Christmas holidays, he could now keep a leaf in his mouth for an entire day. He had finally gotten the hang of it. With the full moon arriving tomorrow, he was fully prepared.
Once the first step was completed, he could proceed to the second.
Under the full moon, he had to remove the leaf from his mouth and place it into a small crystal phial with saliva to steep in pure moonlight.
Simultaneously, he had to add a strand of his own hair and a silver teaspoon of dew to a crystal phial bathed in moonlight.
The dew had specific requirements, too. It had to come from a place untouched by sunlight or human hands for seven days.
Finally, he had to add a Death's-head Hawk-moth chrysalis. Then he had to place the mixture in a quiet, dark place and wait for the next lightning storm.
However, if it was cloudy that night, he would have to start over from step one.
Ethan had already collected the dew. Worried that winter would bring no dew, he had enlisted Hagrid's help to gather some from the Forbidden Forest after the start of last semester.
It was currently stored in his dormitory.
Ethan had also prepared the Death's-head Hawk-moth well in advance. He had gathered several and selected the best-looking one.
As for the cloud cover problem, Ethan had already devised a solution.
He had checked the calendar earlier. The full moons for the next two months fell on weekends.
So if it was cloudy at Hogwarts, he could ask Cyril or Dumbledore to take him somewhere with moonlight to complete step two.
*If I can complete step one within the next two months, this won't be an issue.*
Next, wait for a storm to arrive. Every sunrise and sunset, point the wand tip at your heart and silently recite the incantation Amato Animo Animato Animagus.
The purpose of this step is to prepare the body in advance for the second heartbeat that will manifest during the final transformation. An ancestor also mentioned that this accustoms the body to the second heart appearing within it. Either way, this step must be completed.
For the last step, retrieve the small buried phial the moment lightning splits the sky. Point the wand tip at your heart, recite the incantation, and drink the blood-red potion inside.
Of course, this only works if the first three steps are successful. If any step fails, the unearthed phial will still contain only the original ingredients, with no potion having formed at all.
If all the above steps are completed, you will formally enter the transformation stage.
"According to the family records, this step is accompanied by intense pain. You will simultaneously feel two heartbeats in your chest. However, as long as you fearlessly confront the creature you will transform into as it appears in your mind, you can complete the Animagus transformation."
"Afterward, returning to your human form is also quite simple. Just visualize your own appearance clearly, and you will change back. With practice, you will be able to freely switch between human and animal forms."
Ethan finished reading Dumbledore's notes, compared them to the steps recorded in his family's memories, and looked up.
"Finished reading? Good. I'll explain the steps that differ." Dumbledore took out another piece of paper and placed it in front of Ethan.
"First, step two.
"When brewing the potion, in addition to the hair added in the standard steps, you must also add a drop of your blood. You'll also need to add a piece of a magical creature that corresponds to your Patronus.
"For example, I added a feather from Fawkes. As for you, you can choose a scale, a horn, a tooth, or something similar depending on your Patronus form. Any of those will work." Dumbledore marked the key points on the paper with red ink.
"I understand." Ethan nodded, though he was complaining inwardly. *I have a two-headed dragon Patronus. Where am I supposed to find a corresponding magical creature? How about I try using a part from any kind of dragon first? Any dragon should work, right?*
"Steps three and four are the same. But when you drink the potion, you must pay close attention. The process of transforming into a magical creature is more dangerous."
The old man looked somewhat afraid. "Before performing my Animagus transformation, I asked Minerva and the other legal authorities. They told me about the pain and illusions that occur during the transformation process.
"But when I actually went through the transformation, I found the difference between the two was quite significant.
"First, the pain. When transforming into an ordinary creature, the pain varies depending on the size difference between you and the animal you become.
"Transforming into a creature smaller than yourself feels like having your bones and muscles compressed. When you grow larger, it's a stretching pain."
Dumbledore's face twisted slightly. Clearly, the painful memory was getting to him.
"And when you transform into a magical creature, on top of that pain, you must also endure magic colliding inside your body."
Seeing the old man's face crease with concern, Ethan began to worry. "Is the magical collision really that painful? Does the magic actually clash during the transformation? And on top of the pain from changing size, how excruciating must that be!"
"You need to be mentally prepared. A dragon is much larger than a phoenix. You'll be stretched into a dragon four or five meters long. The pain will be significant.
"And you'll have to endure the magical collision on top of that."
Dumbledore reached across the table and patted Ethan's shoulder consolingly. This only made him more anxious.
"Let's go back to the illusion." Ethan didn't want to think about it anymore, afraid he'd lose his nerve.
"The illusion isn't painful. It's just different from the others."
They say that during the transformation, images of many animals flash through your mind before finally settling on one specific form.
"However, during my transformation, perhaps because I added Fawkes's feather, the only image in my mind was a phoenix. There was no other choice."
"That's fine." Ethan breathed a sigh of relief.
"Changing back into human form is also a bit difficult. You'll need to try a few more times."
"That's not a problem. It just takes a few more tries."
"But I still have a few questions."
"Ask."
"First, can a storm be simulated using the Meteorological Charm?"
Dumbledore shook his head. "No. There is a specific reason the potion for the Animagus transformation requires exposure to stormy weather."
Seasonal storms generally occur in spring or summer, when all of nature is full of vitality. Therefore, the storm used in the transformation process symbolizes rebirth.
Ethan thought for a moment and decided it made sense. In the magical world, such symbolism was a common principle, likely originating from ancient ritual magic.
Just as the ingredients used to brew Polyjuice Potion, such as snakeskin and knotgrass, held specific symbolic meanings.
"Second question..."
Ethan asked several more questions, and Dumbledore answered them one by one, helping him understand the necessary precautions for each step.
This forced Ethan to be extra careful. After all, he might face greater risks than Dumbledore.
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