Overview

The Animagus spell is a Transfiguration spell that is used during the act of a witch or wizard becoming an Animagus.

Effect

If the spell is successful, the effect is that the witch or wizard who casted it, is granted with the ability to turn into an Animagus. They can turn into an animal at will and afterward, back into their human form.

History

The ability to become an Animagus is said to be one of the most dangerous and also regulated transfiguration spells in the history of magic. Unlike abilities that are inherited, like Metamorphmagi, the Animagus spell needs to be learned and it requires a whole lotta patience and courage. The first Animagus in history was called Falco Aesalon, an ancient Greek wizard. He could transform into a falcon. An Animagus cannot choose their animal form, though. Their form is dictated by their personality and traits, similar to a Patronus spell. There are historians that said that Native American wizard tribes actually had many Animagi. Rumours of so-called skinwalkers are often attributed by the wizarding world to Animagi protecting their tribes, though muggle stories often twisted these into darker things. While often associated with the dark arts, rumour has it that a famous sorceress, an enemy of Merlin actually, could transform into a bird, making her also an early practitioner of that spell. Becoming an Animagus is actually an arduous ritual, that can last months! One mistake can make you a permanent half-human, half-animal mutant. To start, the witch or wizard must keep a single mandrake leaf in their mouth for an entire month, lasting from full moon to full moon. It cannot be swallowed or removed. At the full moon then, the leaf is spat into a phial combined with the following:

1 of the witch or wizard’s own hair
Dew taken from a place that has been untouched by sunligh or human feet for 7 days
The chrysalis of a Death’s-head Hawk Moth

Then the potion must be hidden in a dark and quiet place. Every day at sunrise and sundown, the witch or wizard must point their wand at their heart and chant the incantation. The witch or wizard must wait for an electrical storm next. Once the storm begins, they have to drink the potion and repeat the incantation. If successful, the witch or wizard will feel a second heartbeat, the animal’s heartbeat, and transform. Due to the potential for abuse, the Ministry of Magic has established regulations to track all Animagi. The public record includes the witch or wizard’s name, their animal form, and any markings that stand out. Failure to register is a serious crime! Punishable by ending up in Azkaban. Because the process is so difficult and the penalty for secrecy is so high, there were only seven registered Animagi for all of the 20th century.

Credits/References