I Solemnly Swear That I Am Up to No Good: An idea

[alt_terry]

I've been thinking...

The Headmistress had me shelve a lot of her advanced Transfiguration books at her place in London. I guess since she isn't teaching any more, she thought she might as well get the books in her collection out of the way if there's also a copy in the library. Anyway, it was my first chance to see some of those really advanced textbooks up close. Master always kept the most advanced Transfiguration textbooks that he uses locked up so I couldn't ever look at them.

She has a whole load of books on the Animagus transformation. Which makes sense, of course, since she's an Animagus herself. It was while I was paging through one of those books that I discovered something I'd never realised before.

You can actually learn to become an Animagus.

Did you know that? I guess I really never thought about it, but I just supposed it was sort of like being a metamorphmagus, an ability that you're born with. And if you're not born with it, you're out of luck.

But if I could actually learn to become an Animagus....

I could escape, couldn't I? And if Master ever got custody of me again, he couldn't keep me. I mean, if I could figure out how to turn into the right sort of animal. Not something big and noticeable like, um, a tiger or anything, but something that's ordinary, that people wouldn't maybe notice. Something that could outrun him, or maybe even fly away! And I could get away and hide, and he'd never ever be able to find me!

Most of the Headmistress's more advanced books about it are in Latin, I'm afraid, but I'm hoping there's something here at Hogwarts I can use, either in her collection or maybe in the library. Would it be in the Restricted Section? I hope not. I mean, she does send me to get books from the Restricted Section pretty often, but Madam Pince would know.

Anyway, what do you think?

Comments

[alt_gredforge]

We're all for it, Professor. There isn't anything about the transformation in our Transfiguration textbook for this year. But we'll try to pinch Percy's textbook and see if it's mentioned in the 7th year text.

And you've been an animal, actually. Remember? Maybe that will make learning the transformation easier.

[alt_lee]

Hey I think it's brilliant too.

If you manage to pull it off you'd better be dead sure not get caught doing it though. Animaguses are suppposed to register with the Ministry. No idea what they'd do to a muggleborn animagus but I bet it wouldn't be good.

[alt_terry]

If you could check the 7th year textbook, I'd appreciate it.

Wow, I hadn't even thought of that! I hope you're right, but I don't have very clear memories of that week.

Except for one thing...I was happy. Isn't that odd? I was really happy being a dog. Well, being your dog. I got enough food to eat, and a warm place to sleep beside the fire without worrying that Master was going to be creeping up on me in my cupboard in the middle of the night and seizing me out of a sound sleep and--well, never mind. And people laughed at me because I was so ugly, yeah, but they treated me nice and petted me and...

Wow, it feels really weird to say it. But that week was just about the first time I ever got treated kindly.

I really liked it.

[alt_pansy]

That's the saddest thing I think I've ever

Maybe Fred and George are right. Maybe it would be easier for you because you've already lived it.

[alt_terry]

Hope so.