InsaneJournal

Animagus Training Session #1
Who: The Headmistress and Sam Capper, Seamus Finnigan, Michael Corner, Lucy Elkins, Millicent Bulstrode, Nikolas Vaisey, Ernie Macmillan, and Audrey Wadcock
What: Animagus Training #1
Where: Headmistress' Office
When: One hour before curfew.
Rating/Warning: Low, Plotty. This can be a complete narrative, but if your character has questions, feel free to have them ask IC. Or if students want to talk to one another, etc., after the meeting, you can thread here.


Minerva had called the students to her office, and now she waited patiently at her desk as they arrived. The Headmistress' office had been rearranged for this meeting, as it would be once the real training began. There were two long tables, as might be used in classrooms, each with four chairs. When everyone had arrived - she was pleased to see that no one was late, though she had expected it as the students had seemed eager for this first session, Minerva stood.

"Thank you all, again, for becoming a part. I'm sure, looking around this room, you are quite surprised at the other faces you see here." As she spoke the next words, her eyes lingered for a long moment on each of the students assembled. "Each of you, I assure you, has been chosen for a particular reason." After a pause to let that statement have the gravity she had meant for it, Minerva went on.

"The course we are about to take is highly illegal. If you are not aware, pay close attention. Every Animagus is required to register with the Ministry of Magic at the Improper Use of Magic Office. This registration includes revealing one's animal form and one's distinguishing markings, and is available to anyone who would ask for it. This was established to secure that Animagi not abuse their abilities, and in the past, I have been a proponent of thise registry, but Death Eaters control the Ministry now. There is no way to know what they would expect, or allow, from those who undertake the transformation now. The penalty for violating this law is a sentence in Azkaban prison, or, things being what they are, I suspect far worse. Particuarly were they to discover that it was I who taught you. I am no friend of the Ministry."

"It is also exceptionally difficult," Minerva went on after a moment. "So difficult, in fact, that in the whole of the last century there have been only a total of seven registered Animagi. The complexity of the magic involved and the dangers inherent in the process make it a daunting task for anyone, at any level of comfort with their abilites. For you, it will be double difficult, and, I fear, far more dangerous. If hearing this is too daunting, please tell me before you leave tonight." As oathe as she was to obliviate students, particuarly students who were so promising, it would be best all around if they decided the risk of this training was too much.

When she had allowed the students a moment to process this, Minerva began with an explanation of several of the secrets of the transformation which made it so excessively difficult. The class would be working at a very quick pace, as she expected them to master their first transformations by the end of term. She held forth on the skill, aptitude, and above all the dedication that it would take from each of them, and explained that the transformation required not only wandless casting, which was obvious, but silent casting as well, which was a skill that most adult wizards rarely mastered, and hardly ever as focused and controlled as a Animagus had to be.

After nearly an hour, Minerva would up the lesson with a description of how the animal you trasformed in came to chose you, the way that a wand did. Looking around the room, she thought she might be able to guess at what form some of these students would take - the traits of your personality were a direct reflection of your inner animal, after all, it explained why the Patronus form and Animagus form were often so similar, if not the same, and the meeting ended with Minerva asking each of the students what their Patronus form was, if they could master it. For those who couldn't, she would require a few extra sessions, learning to cast one.

"Provided none of you have something to talk to me about privately after we have finished here," Minerva finally said, nearly at time for curfew, "then the last thing I can say to you is that looking around this room, these are the people who you should be cultivating friendships with. No one else in this castle can know what we are doing. If you tell anyone, you will be immediately removed from the training. Moreso, though, than our privacy, is the benefit you will each get from being able to speak to those people who would understand just how difficult things are. Cultivate friendships, learn to trust one another, and this will be far less painful than it might be."

At that, she cleared her throat, an looked around the room. "Next meeting, we shall begin. Now, before we dismiss, are there any questions?"