The Wonders of Animagus Transformation

The night slipped quietly away, and Ezio returned to his dormitory and slept soundly.

The next morning, he woke while everyone else was still deep in their dreams. After enjoying a hearty breakfast in the kitchens, he began his morning practice. Since he needed to meet Professor McGonagall that afternoon, he changed his usual morning magic training to Transfiguration practice. After receiving Professor McGonagall's guidance, he had now picked up a few tricks for casting Transfiguration spells.

He still needed to keep practicing Transfiguration on inanimate objects. At the moment, he couldn't reliably manage advanced Transfiguration, like turning a piece of paper into a stick and then snapping it in half. Otherwise, he wouldn't have had to turn the soil into a soft mound last night; he could have turned it into a pile of straw instead.

Softening the soil was a form of object shaping. Changes that didn't alter the substance of the transformed object could last indefinitely. The statues made by wizards were sculpted this way. This simple alteration of an object's structure could be maintained without magic remaining in it. The price Ezio paid for it, however, was spending half an hour scrubbing himself after returning to the dormitory. The ground where the Troll had slept was highly polluted soil, and the foul stench had soaked right into it.

As for Transfiguration on living creatures, Ezio had also started to get the hang of it. He could now turn small objects into living creatures of roughly the same size, such as turning a button into a beetle. To him, this was already visible, rapid progress.

This kind of basic Transfiguration on living creatures was part of the third-year curriculum, and Ezio had only been at Hogwarts for a week.

Time flew by as he practiced with complete focus. After having lunch in the Great Hall and taking a short break, it was almost time for his appointment with Professor McGonagall. Ten minutes early, Ezio knocked on her office door.

"Come in."

Professor McGonagall's voice came from inside.

"Come this way." When she saw Ezio enter, Professor McGonagall stood up as well. "Your upper-year students had a lot of questions piling up over the holidays, so they arrived early. We'll go in through here. The practice room is this way."

She led Ezio to a wooden door on the left side of her office. When she opened it, a large room of around two or three hundred square meters came into view. It was filled with all kinds of practice materials, including many living creatures: goats, rabbits, toads, mice, and various beetles kept in glass cases. They were all used for Transfiguration practice, and students used them in class, too.

"Professor McGonagall, if I'm not mistaken, this is a first-year student?"

A boy in Ravenclaw robes spoke up in surprise.

"He's the pride of Slytherin. So what if he's a first-year?" The speaker was someone Ezio knew, Slytherin Prefect Labas Foley. "It would be strange if he weren't here, Daniel."

"All right." Daniel shrugged. Like Labas, he was a prefect. "I just regret that he didn't end up in Ravenclaw."

"Because Slytherin is the best house," Labas said proudly.

Professor McGonagall's Transfiguration Club didn't have many members. There were only seven in total, Ezio included. Transfiguration was the most complicated subject at Hogwarts, and very few students had the talent to earn Professor McGonagall's notice. Of the seven members, three were from Slytherin: the male and female prefects, and Ezio. Of the remaining four, two were from Ravenclaw, with one each from Gryffindor and Hufflepuff.

"Normally, I wouldn't invite anyone below third year to join my club. But Mr. Auditore has already completed the first- and second-year Transfiguration curriculum. You've started learning Transfiguration on living creatures, haven't you?"

Professor McGonagall glanced at Ezio. When he nodded, she smiled with satisfaction.

"Third year and fifth year are the two major turning points in Transfiguration. Transfiguration on living creatures is the first major hurdle, and only about sixty percent of students can keep up with the curriculum. Two years later, the number of students able to join my advanced class and study advanced Transfiguration drops to less than one in five. Transfiguration is a subject that puts a great deal of weight on a wizard's talent and ability to learn."

"Hard work is essential, but control over magic is even more important."

Professor McGonagall spoke calmly, stating a truth that was both practical and harsh.

Now that he had actually begun studying Transfiguration at Hogwarts, Ezio could more or less understand how Harry's father and his friends had all learned to become Animagi. Even Peter Pettigrew, whom Ezio had once looked down on the most, had some ability beneath his timid and cowardly nature. After all, a wizard capable of blowing up an entire street with a single spell would be an absolute elite in the magical world of England. Many Ministry of Magic employees, on the other hand, forgot how to use even basic defensive charms after a few years on the job.

And Harry's father's year at Hogwarts had been filled with brilliant talents. They had truly shone.

"I'll remember that, Professor." Ezio nodded slightly. Even without Professor McGonagall's reminder, he had always been very disciplined.

"Then let me introduce you to the others. You should already know these two: Mr. Labas Foley and Miss Josephine Shafiq."

"These two are Mr. Daniel Cogborre and Mr. Mark Williams, both from Ravenclaw."

The two boys nodded slightly to Ezio. Ravenclaw students weren't on bad terms with Slytherin, but the little eagles only accepted a handful of Slytherin snakes. They looked down completely on the stupid ones.

"This is Percy Weasley, the new Gryffindor Prefect."

The red-haired Percy carried himself with a touch of arrogance. Because of the rivalry between their houses, he didn't show any particular warmth.

"And finally, this is Mr. Cedric Diggory, who joined the club this year just like you. He's the best student in his year, so the two of you should discuss your studies with each other."

Cedric was undeniably handsome, but unlike Ezio, he always wore a warm, elegant smile. He was the gentlemanly, kind-hearted sort of handsome, utterly different from Ezio in style.

When Professor McGonagall introduced him that way, Cedric smiled a little awkwardly, then stepped forward and held out his hand. Ezio shook it.

"I've heard your name many times. It's a pleasure to meet you, Ezio."

"Likewise, Cedric."

Ezio nodded to him. He wasn't particularly invested in making friends, but he wouldn't turn away the goodwill of someone talented.

"Now, I'll assign each of you your study tasks. Cedric and Ezio, wait a moment. I'd like you to practice the prerequisite for Transfiguration on living creatures: Transfiguration that animates objects. For example, try to make a teapot run quickly and steadily."

Professor McGonagall pointed to a long table nearby, where the objects they would use for practice had been set out.

Ezio and Cedric nodded, then walked over to the table.

Animating objects was different from Transfiguration on living creatures. This kind of Transfiguration only gave part of an inanimate object movable limbs. For example, a teapot might grow two or more legs, but it wouldn't be completely transformed into an animal.

According to the scale of Transfiguration difficulty, the levels from easiest to hardest were: shaping inanimate objects, transforming one inanimate object into another, animating inanimate objects, transforming inanimate objects into living creatures, transforming one living creature into another, and Human Transfiguration.

The larger the target and the more complex the object, the harder the Transfiguration.

"Did you really manage this far just by teaching yourself?"

After watching Ezio easily give a teapot eight spider-like legs and make it run back and forth across the table, Cedric asked curiously, his surprise plain on his face.

"I couldn't do this before I came to Hogwarts. Professor McGonagall taught me a few tricks, and they helped a lot."

"So, all that in just a week?" Cedric's surprise didn't fade. He praised him sincerely. "That's incredibly fast."

"Actually, there's a trick to it."

Ezio waved his wand and turned the teapot back to normal. "When I first started practicing, I tried turning it into this first—"

The base of the teapot suddenly turned into four wheels, and it shot off with a whoosh, racing a long way across the table. On its return, the wheels turned into tank treads, making its structure even more complicated.

"Turning it into this kind of mechanical structure is much easier than making it grow legs. If you increase the difficulty bit by bit, starting from the easiest, your practice becomes much more efficient. If you grit your teeth and try to make the teapot grow two legs and run right from the start..."

Ezio turned the teapot into one with two legs, which wobbled as it ran forward.

"Then I imagine I'd still be stuck trying to keep it balanced so it didn't fall over."

"That's a very useful idea to learn from."

Professor McGonagall, having finished assigning tasks, came up behind them. "Mr. Auditore has given me something to think about, too. Taking things step by step is more helpful for learning and practicing Transfiguration. I seem to have fallen into the same trap myself: expecting you to get it right all at once."

"Cars are almost unheard of in the wizarding world. I grew up in the Muggle world, so I had a bit of an advantage in that respect."

Ezio bowed slightly. He didn't think it was a major discovery. It could make Transfiguration practice a little easier and speed up learning, but without the talent Transfiguration required, it wouldn't be much help. It was a small trick that could make things better, not one that could change their nature.

"I only made the teapot move ahead of time so I could train myself to get a feel for how it moved. It's basically a shortcut. Whether I use wheels or treads, I'm still transforming one inanimate object into another. I haven't animated an inanimate object at all."

"But there's no denying it's a clever approach. Getting a feel for movement is also one of the harder things to master during practice."

"All right, now I need to give you a more comprehensive test to assess your current level of Transfiguration. I'll set your future study tasks according to each of your individual stages. Club meetings are mainly for reviewing your progress and addressing any problems you encounter while studying and practicing. I'll answer all of your questions here."

The club meeting lasted longer than a lesson. During the three hours from three to six in the afternoon, Ezio learned a great deal. His theoretical knowledge and basic practice were a little behind Cedric's. That was only natural: Cedric had spent two more years studying at Hogwarts than Ezio, and he was talented in his own right.

With only the final ten minutes remaining, Ezio went to speak with Professor McGonagall alone. He wanted to learn in advance about some advanced Transfiguration magic he hoped to master in the future, even though he couldn't study it yet.

"Professor McGonagall, may I ask you a few things about becoming an Animagus? I know I'm not ready to learn this magic yet, but I want to understand it better. It's a skill I very much hope to master someday."

"A healthy curiosity is a good thing. I also hope that one day you'll succeed in learning Animagus Transformation."

Professor McGonagall spoke encouragingly. Every student who made it into her club had the talent to master Animagus Transformation.

"I have three questions."

Ezio had come prepared.

"I'd like to know whether an Animagus's transformed form is directly connected to the wizard's original body."

"I read about a case in a book. A wizard who had transformed into a wolf was attacked by a Werewolf in the wild. Werewolf infection has always been considered a form of curse magic, and the most direct way to spread it is through a bite. But after the wizard bitten by the Werewolf returned to his original form, he wasn't infected with the Werewolf curse. Why was that? Was it because the transformed body existed independently?"

"That question involves the principles behind the Werewolf curse and how it works." Professor McGonagall pondered for a moment, then answered, "Werewolves have been cursed to transform into a half-man, half-wolf form at the full moon. But the principle behind that transformation is actually similar to Animagus Transformation. You could say that Werewolves are themselves trapped in an incomplete form of Animagus Transformation. This was an accident caused by wizards exploring Human Transfiguration in ancient times."

"So the Werewolf curse doesn't work on a wizard who has mastered Animagus Transformation and is currently transformed, but that's only one of the reasons."

"The independence of the transformed form that you mentioned is another factor that affects whether the curse takes hold."

"Animagus Transformation is a semi-permanent transformation. As long as the wizard is alive, they can remain transformed indefinitely, right up until death. The wizard's original body affects the form of their Animagus. For example, if a wizard is injured in their original form, their transformed form will show the corresponding injury, especially in the case of serious injuries like a missing limb."

"But if you're injured while transformed into your Animagus form, almost all those injuries will be completely healed when you return to your original body. That's because while transformed, we can control how our forms reshape themselves—in other words, we can heal our own wounds. That's what makes Animagus Transformation so remarkable."

"When we transform into another creature, the resulting form can be considered a completely new body. One thing has been confirmed: an Animagus can become assimilated into the creature they transform into. In other words, suppose you turn into a cat and remain in that form for a long time—ten years, or even several decades. Your way of thinking, and even your thoughts, will gradually become more like a cat's. One day, you'll completely turn into a cat, body and mind."

"But very few people do that. Only two people have ever suffered this kind of mishap, and both were wizards from Uagadou. They stayed transformed for more than thirty years. If someone hadn't happened to discover them, we might never have learned this secret. Even after they were forcibly turned back, they had already lost their human thoughts. They believed themselves to be beasts."

Ezio quickly jotted everything down in his notebook, then asked his second question. "As far as I know, an Animagus's form is unpredictable. Before transforming, a wizard doesn't know what creature they'll become. Is there a way for a wizard to turn into the creature they want?"

"That question starts with a false assumption, Ezio."

Professor McGonagall replied seriously, "Before transforming, a wizard can sense, to some extent, what sort of creature they're going to become. This is usually based on the creature they're drawn to, or the form they feel they need. Transfiguration is magic, too, and it's influenced by a wizard's mind. And I can tell you with certainty that an Animagus can choose their form deliberately."

"Five years ago, there was still no definitive answer to this question. Then, five years ago, wizards from Uagadou found a method. By adding hair or blood from the creature you wish to become to the potion used in the Animagus Transformation ritual, you can determine your own form. But one thing is certain: magical creatures still can't be included among the possible forms. Every wizard who has tried has met with disaster."

"Why is that?" Ezio asked curiously.

"Because of magic," Professor McGonagall said solemnly. "After a wizard uses Animagus Transformation, all of their magic is used to maintain their transformed form. That means the transformed creature has no magic at all. But magical creatures need magic to survive. Without it, their bodies suffer irreversible collapse, leading directly to death. Their very existence is a gift of magic. They depend on magic far more than wizards do. There are no Squibs among magical creatures."

Professor McGonagall was especially serious as she spoke about this, delivering the entire explanation as a warning. She didn't want a student she valued to die because of something like this.

"Last question." Ezio nodded seriously to show he'd remembered the taboo. "I'd like to know: since humans are living creatures too, could an Animagus take on a human form?"

"Turn into a... Muggle?"

Professor McGonagall asked, confused. She couldn't understand what Ezio was getting at.

But the question had stumped Professor McGonagall, too. She had never imagined anyone would ask something so absurd. It went beyond merely having an unusual way of thinking.

"I really can't give you a definite answer to that question right now, Ezio."

Professor McGonagall shook her head, but after a moment, she spoke again:

"If you're interested in this question, I can introduce you to a wizard who specializes in Animagus Transformation. He's used magic to hide his name, so owls can't deliver letters to him. You can visit him during the holidays. He lives in seclusion on Moon Mountain, the mountain where Uagadou School of Magic is located.

"When it comes to Animagus Transformation, Uagadou's wizards have researched it far more extensively than wizards elsewhere. Their school includes Animagus Transformation in its advanced Transfiguration curriculum, and at least five out of every ten Uagadou wizards have mastered it. This is related to their enthusiasm for wandless magic, which is very effective at training a wizard's control over magic."

"Visit him in person?"

Ezio's eyes lit up. He was very interested in visiting other magic schools. After all, Hogwarts had given him three Milestones to unlock on his map. If other magic schools offered the same thing, he could expand his deck quite a bit. Unlocking Milestones gave him some seriously overpowered abilities. For example, Ares War Cry, which he'd obtained by reaching a million kills, let Ezio ignore the threat of the Killing Curse for thirty seconds.