The Incredibly Complicated Steps of Becoming an Animagus
"Yes, Professor McGonagall!"
After some thought, Wizet began by describing the most obvious features.
"First, Animagus spellcasting is characterized by the fact that it does not require spells or wands. Second, it is free to do as one pleases, and the entire Transfiguration process is very flexible."
"However, I think these characteristics are similar to Wandless Magic and Nonverbal Spellcasting; they all require frequent practice to achieve such effects."
"Excellent!" Professor McGonagall nodded in approval. "Anything else?"
"There's also some information I've found," Wizet continued. "Animagus retains a special mark in their animal form, which the Ministry of Magic registers..."
"Mastering Animagus is inherently fraught with danger and uncertainty; in addition to regular practice, a bit of luck is also needed to complete the entire process..."
Professor McGonagall nodded repeatedly, a slight smile playing on her lips, revealing a satisfied expression.
Wizet took it to heart and searched for many things related to Animagus.
Piecing together relevant information from fragmented knowledge in books is no easy task.
In addition to these compiled materials, Wizet also had some new insights, stemming from the conjecture that Professor McGonagall, after transforming into Tabby Cat, would tease the ball of yarn.
"Professor McGonagall, if one becomes Animagus, will some animal instincts emerge?"
"Of course!" Professor McGonagall nodded. "It's a strange state, and you need to overcome this instinct. You can't... try not to act on your instincts."
"Animal instinct...that's quite an amazing perspective!" Wizet habitually began to make connections. "Thinking about magic from an animal's perspective...wouldn't that offer a different perspective?"
"If I could become Magical creature, like Fire Dragon... what would be the difference between the Fire Dragon's breath and the Fire-Making Spell cast by a wizard..."
Professor McGonagall's eyelids twitched; she was still amazed by Wizet's divergent thinking.
However, in the matter of gaining control of the Animagus, she wanted to make Wizet realize just how dangerous it was to have such thoughts.
She tapped the table lightly and looked at Wizet seriously, saying, "Wizet, I must reiterate, the risks involved in completing Animagus are considerable."
Professor McGonagall waved her wand and summoned a somewhat old parchment scroll.
The parchment was slowly unfurled on the table, revealing an incredibly detailed hand-drawn illustration of a small, thin monster with a massive bull's head.
"This is a wizard from Ancient Greece. You may know his name through some Muggle stories— the Minotaur."
"He lives on the Crete and is an Animagus. In a magical experiment, he wanted to further transform himself and make himself more powerful."
"The Minotaur set his sights on the Riem Cattle, but unfortunately the magical experiment failed. He could no longer turn back into his original form and could only remain in this half-man, half-bull state until the end of his life."
Based on the hand-drawn illustrations before him and the descriptions in the materials he had consulted, Wizet came to a conclusion.
"Professor McGonagall, can I understand it this way: the Animagus's ability to Transfiguration is limited to ordinary animals?"
"That's right! This is very important!" Professor McGonagall nodded emphatically.
"Even if you are very familiar with Animagus, if you want to Transfiguration further and change yourself into Magical creature, it will bring unpredictable consequences."
"Not only the Minotaur, but also Sphinx Sphinx, now defined as Magical creature, is rumored to have been transformed from a group of Ancient Egypt sorcerers."
"These wizards wanted to acquire the magical talents of Cat Leopard in order to try to Transfiguration into Cat Leopard. Unfortunately, their magical Transfiguration failed, and they were forced to continue to reproduce in a half-human, half-lion form."
Her expression was very serious. "You have a great talent for Transfiguration; but you must be extremely careful when dealing with Transfiguration, especially Animagus!"
"Wizards can study various Magical creature and thus develop magic similar to their talents, but there will always be some differences between the two."
"Wizards have difficulty discerning the true nature of Magical creature, so these differences are magnified infinitely by the Animagus, leading to irreversible consequences."
Have we seen through the root of the problem?
Wizet's mind raced as he recalled his experience at noon.
Through the Ancient Magic: Soul-Controlling Spell and the Magic Eye, he was able to see into the Pixies's Magic Circuit. I wonder if this could be considered... a glimpse into the essence of Magical creature?
Now is not the time to think about these things; laying a solid foundation is the key.
Wizet began her formal studies at the Animagus under Professor McGonagall.
Mastering Animagus involves a long wait, various uncertainties, and tedious procedures.
The first step is to hold Mandrake leaf in your mouth. The wizard needs to start from the first full moon and continue until the next full moon, for a full month.
It is important to note that the wizard cannot swallow or spit out the leaf; otherwise, this step will need to be repeated at the start of the next full moon.
During the time it takes for the second full moon to arrive, the wizard will also need to prepare various auxiliary materials, including a sufficiently clear bottle, a teaspoon of dew, and a Death's-head Hawkmoth Chrysalis.
This teaspoon of dew requires special care; it can only be collected from dew that has not been exposed to sunlight or any living creatures within the past seven days.
Once these preparations are complete, if the second full moon is cloudy or rainy, then the first step needs to be restarted.
If everything goes well, we can proceed to the second step.
The wizard would take out a bottle, shine it in the moonlight, and stuff it with Mandrake leaves, pure dew, Death's-head Hawkmoth Chrysalis, and his own hair.
After completing this step, bury the bottle to ensure it is not disturbed in any way.
Once the bottle is dug out, or exposed to the light due to some unforeseen event, then it needs to be started all over again.
The third step is a long wait, during which you need to take out your wand and point it at your heart while chanting the spell, "Amado, Animo, Animado, Animagus," at sunrise and sunset.
You may experience abnormal heartbeats during the journey, whether they are strong or weak; these are all normal phenomena.
Most importantly, the wizard must control his curiosity. The bottle containing hair will have a strong attraction, constantly tempting the wizard to look inside.
This waiting process is extremely long, and choosing a suitable burial location is crucial.
When the storm arrives and the first lightning flashes in the sky, the wizard must immediately go to the location where the bottle was buried to proceed to the fourth step—digging the bottle out.
If all the steps go smoothly, all the materials in the bottle will disappear, leaving only a blood-like liquid, just the right amount to be swallowed in one gulp...