Animagus
From Hpwiki
An Animagus is a witch or wizard who can turn into a specific animal at will. A person wishing to become an animagus can not choose which animal they change into.
In the Harry Potter series we have met or heard of the following Animagi:
- Sirius Black (black dog)
- Minerva McGonagall (tabby cat)
- Peter Pettigrew (rat)
- James Potter (stag)
- Rita Skeeter (beetle)
Other known Animagi who have not been introduced in the books themselves include:
- Falco Aesalon (falcon)
- Cliodna or Cliodne (bird)
- Morgan le Fey or Morgana (bird)
By law, all Animagi are required to register the animal they can transfigure themselves into, and the distinguishing characteristics of the animal with The Ministry of Magic. Sirius Black, Peter Pettigrew, James Potter, and Rita Skeeter have all forgone this registry. This makes Professor McGonagall the only known (registered) Animagus in quite a long time. Indeed, according to Hermione Granger's research, there have been only seven registered Animagi in the past century.
The reason for the Marauders deciding to become Animagi lies in part with their friend Remus Lupin's lycanthrophy, as they wanted to keep him company during the full moon, and they succeeded in doing so in their fifth year at Hogwarts.
It should also be noted that, though Peter Pettigrew needed a wand to transform, Sirius Black was able to do so without one, and there is a strong suggestion that Professor McGonagall can transfigure herself without the aid of a wand, as well.
Animagus transformations fall into the category of Transfiguration.
Many of those people with the special gift of Animagus, once transformed into their animal self, still hold a certain kind of resemblance to their human form. For example, Professor McGonagall as a tabby cat still has spectacle markings around her eyes, much like the glasses the human wears, as does Rita Skeeter's beetle form still hold the spectacle markings around her antennae.
