Reducio

Logan surely thought this should have been harder than it was. For the past month, full moon to full moon, she had kept the disgusting Mandrake leaf in her mouth. Everything she had eaten or drank tasted like the weird plant but it had not been too awful and she surprisingly did not have too hard of a time getting it done. In that time she had done a few other things, like collecting dew that had been untouched by sunlight or human feet for seven days. She had gotten some rather strange looks, going out in the middle of the night to collect dew from someplace that would have remained untouched. She had thought around the trees would have been a good enough place, but light could filter in through the leaves and she was never completely sure if that had happened or not. She had finally found a spot that stayed without sunlight and this spot just happened to be very lucky as well. Just off to the side from where Logan had collected the dew, was the chrysalis that she was going to search for after this. Surely, something had to go wrong in the next part since the Hufflepuff had succeeded in making the required potion after adding the leaf, dew, and chrysalis into a moonstruck phial along with one of her own hairs. Was drinking something that contained her own hair really worth it.

She was right though, the next part was the harder part apparently because the phial sat under her bed for a while. What even was an electrical storm really, did there have to be lightning or only thunder? No matter how frustrated she got with the weather, she kept reminding herself that it was not something she had control over, the Hufflepuff continued to follow the exact instructions she was given. Every dawn and dusk and held her wand to her heart and repeated "Amato Amino Animato Animagus." It was getting rather repetitive having to do it every night, but the girl had been doing it long enough that it was now a part of her nightly routine.

Finally it was time, at least she hoped it was because her mentor was ready to help her with the end of the process. She had grabbed her wand, pulled the potion from under her bed, and headed out of her room to a secluded section to complete the process under the watchful eye of her mentor. If this did not work, she was going to cry and give up completely. She had way too much luck going into this and knew that if things went wrong now it was going to take her even longer to do the process again. With a crack of thunder, Logan knew it was time. Standing steady she held her wand in one hand and the potion in the other. "Amato Amino Animato Animagus" she recited one last time before downing the potion. She had to make sure she did not think about what she was drinking because otherwise she would have gotten sick.

The first thing Logan noticed as the process happened was that she had gotten taller, much taller, the next was that her vision was definitely different. Looking down at was once her human feet, she immediately noticed the hooves and squealed. Her mind still not connecting that she was not in her human body anymore, she jumped back. In the process she tripped over her own four feet and stumbled around like a newborn foal. Oh this was definitely going to be interesting. The girl had always been close to horses, and now she was going to be able to talk to and see how life was like as one of her horses. This was definitely going to be a new learning experience.

WC: 640/500

Ministry of Magic File:
1. Wizard Name: Logan Baird
2. Animal: English Thoroughbred
3. Description: Standing at 16 hands (163cm) and weighing about 1000lbs, Logan's animagi form is a slim English Thoroughbred. Her coat is a shiny standard bay color with white half-stocking markings on her front legs and left back leg as well as a white pastern marking on her right back leg. She also has "badger" face markings. Her mane and tail are a dark brown color.
4. Distinctive Marking: Logan's mane and tail are not the usual black that occurs in bay horses, instead her mane and tail are a dark brown that match her hair color. Even in low lighting, others can tell that her mane and tail are brown instead of black.

Reducio

Build Your Animagus Form
Size:
Huge: (2 Points)
Skills:
Bite (1 Point)
Stats: (7 points-35 stats)
Stamina | 11
Wisdom | 6
Strength | 9
Accuracy | 4
Evasion | 5
Total Points Used: 10
Explanation:
Bite: The bite of a horse is capable of removing a human finger if the horse really wanted to, having a bite force of about 500psi.

STATUS: Pending, Monica sept. 13
You missed adding your own hair to the potion.

STATUS: APPROVED, Monica sept. 15

School year: Fifth
Link to Ency: YOOO HOOO

Roleplay: 1,476 words (Permission from Magdalena + small bit written by them (147 words))

Reducio

Jack knew he struggled with the time and patience required of a young wizard to complete the animagus ritual, and he worried that it would reveal the weaker aspects of his character. Despite everything, the boy did possess an iron will and stubbornness in spades. It did not matter what stood in his way, and Jack Warren would bullheadedly charge through any and all adversity that sat in front of him—so the fact that several years ago, when he had childishly decided to be an animal, he was determined to become a creature.

It is considered a fact among the Hufflepuff community that Animagi could only transform into mundane animals. However, Jack was convinced he possessed a unique ability as a young man. He had set his sights on transforming into a mighty dragon or even a raging dinosaur. Realistic expectations be damned!

After years of daydreaming, the year finally came. With age came a modicum of reason, though deep down in Jack's beating heart. He still kept that hope of spewing fire from his powerful maw.

Sitting quietly in the bright and much too cheery common room, Jack glared at a single crumpled sheet of parchment in his hand. This solitary piece of paper had sat listlessly in the boy's pocket for months, just waiting for the moment to arrive. The steps and requirements were not insurmountable, but Mr. Warren could hardly grasp where to start. However, a wise former nun turned nanny once said: 'Let's start at the very beginning, a very good place to start.' And the first on the list was likely to be the most annoying.

Mandrake leaf - month in mouth. Full moon to full moon.
The parchment read. The urge to roll his eyes at the idea of trying to eat or talk with a bitter-ass leaf in his mouth was substantial. He could convince the Hogwarts house elves to whip him up some liquid diet for a month. However, he was still determining if the house elves liked him that much, considering the messes he had created during his tenure at the school, most of which involved fire. Jack was convinced that they were throwing darts at a photo of his head.

Jack had a history of embarking on numerous ill-advised quests into the Herbology greenhouses beyond curfew. However, the urgency and significance of procuring the Mandrake leaf seemed to outweigh any previous misadventures. Thankfully, Jack had decided to slip by the greenhouses during a free period between classes, so there was the negated pressure of having to sneak around after dark. The boy slipped quietly like a shadow and hastily plucked a leaf from a Mandrake plant, immediately putting it into his mouth. Jack, as per usual, didn't think through his actions; he just inadvertently started a timer to complete the rest of the ritual. T-minus one month.

Honestly, Jack didn't work well with time limits. He was always more of a dead man's switch type of fellow. Of course, this would be a surprise to literally nobody. The Hufflepuff was one of the few people who genuinely wore his heart on his sleeve, and there was a sense of pride in that trait for Mr. Warren.

The excitement of becoming an Animagus outweighed his dislike of the tedious nature of this ritual, and dull was the name of the game for this event. Searching and scouring the Hogwarts grounds was a hardly appealing concept. However, instead of using the very limited brainpower the boy held, the genius revelation of asking for help magically popped into his brain! He could ask the old lady! Good ol' Mags would most definitely have an answer for his predicament of finding these items!

With little sense of societal norms, the excited boy forgo the knocking and instead goes for the bull-headed approach, blasting headlong through Magdalena's office doors and demanding help! Even though the Head of the House most likely disapproved of Jack's methods, she still deemed him worthy enough of her assistance.

"A chrysalis of a death's-head hawkmoth? Well, that's not exactly an easy task. You'll need to find a specific plant or host, hmm... one from the nightshade family or perhaps a jasmine. Look under the old leaves until you find one. If you don't find one at first, keep trying. The Lord only knows it may take you at least a few days to examine the plants. What's that look? No one said it would be easy, Mr. Warren and that's hardly as difficult as finding untouched dew. You need to find one that isn't burnt away by the sun or stepped on by human feet, by no means easy. I suggest looking through the Forbidden Forest, the darker parts of such... With appropriate supervision, of course. I am not giving you permission to sneak off school grounds, Mr. Warren, I am well aware of your reputation." Magdalena's words were helpful but by no means the desired outcome Jack had expected. Sadly, Magdalena did not plan to provide him with his selected items directly, and Jack was quick enough on the uptake not to react like a petulant child amid a temper tantrum. Alas, Jack now had enough information to complete this ritual. It was likely that he could complete it against all odds.

Jack only had a month to finish this hellspawn of a scavenger hunt, but he was more ready than ever. He had all the vials and tubes he needed; all that was left was to collect. To add even more to his luck, Jack had seen his best friend George undertake the same ritual. George's plan seemed easy enough and fairly bulletproof. Quickly enough, Jack procured his dew one early morning before storing it underneath his mattress for a week. The thought of exploring the forbidden forest did seem rather tempting. However, getting permission to go down there would be time-consuming, and getting caught would only end up with Jack in detention. The forest was for another day when he wasn't on a time crunch. As for the Death's Head Moth chrysalis, he did precisely what Mag's had suggested. He was looking under the old petals of plants of the nightshade family. Days had passed with zero results, yet his stubborn resilience had paid off. He stalked one leaf at a time—a boy on the hunt. Hours of searching later would finally lead to success. The chrysalis was disgusting, but Jack finally had all he needed.

Jack had barely passed astronomy, but he didn't need that knowledge! He had a George! The boy undergoing the same process as Jack was better than any alarm clock. On the night of a bright full moon, the boy finally spat the bitter Mandrake leaf along with the silvered teaspoon of dew, chrysalis, and the single plucked hair from his head into the vial in the full bright of the moon. Hardly a tasty-looking concoction, but to be fair, Jack was sure he had eaten worse.

The most challenging task for Jack was waking up early enough for sunrise to repeat the incantation required for every day for that period. Eventually, the night had come. An electrical storm as bright as any day came rushing through the lands, and as fast as any bolt of lightning, Jack stormed out of bed and into the deepest recesses of the trunk at the end of his bed. Withdrawing with the potion, Jack Warren dashed outside in only his sleeping pants. Dressing be damned! Under the shuttering of the storm's wrath in the courtyard of Hogwarts, the boy drew his wand to his heart before screaming the magic words. "Amato Amino Animato Animagus!" Excitement fueled the power behind the strength of his words. With those words, Jack pulled the cork free with his teeth from the glass before chugging down his masterfully crafted potion!

Nothing happened momentarily, and worry quickly grew in the boy's stomach. Jack didn't know if he could live as a human-animal hybrid. His worries about failure flooded away from his mind as he found himself looking off into the distance. The heavy clomping of quickly approaching hoofs, and from the shadow of the night charged a large Elk with majestic antlers sprouting from the noggin of the beast. Warren could feel his heart forming into the rumbling beat of a drum as it thundered in his chest. Steeling himself, the boy spread his stance before preparing to be gored by a large bull. Suddenly, the boy was gone with a flash of lightning, and in his place was a majestic Elk. Its antlers raised to the sky, and the creature bellowed out it. The noise that escaped from its mouth could only be described as a human death cry combined with the screeching of a trumpet. Not a dinosaur, but Jack could vibe with an elk.

Ministry of Magic File

1. Wizard Name: Jack "The Best" Warren
2. Animal: Roosevelt Elk (Cervus canadensis roosevelti)
3. Description:

Jack's Roosevelt Elk Animagus stands at nearly six foot tall, and eight feet in length from tail to snout. The Large antlers sprout from the top of his skull adding another two or so feet of height to his already intimating stature. The Elk's pelt is dark brown and gray, unlike the Roosevelt elks normally light brown and tan fur. Finally around Nine hundred pounds in weight.
4. Distinct Markings: The pelt of the Elk is dark browns, blacks, and grays compared to the normal light brown, and tan. Along with the odd coloration, a large scar cuts across the muzzle of the Elk, mirroring the same scar that Jack has across his own face.

Building Animagus Form

1. Size: Huge (2)
2. Skills: Claws (1) (Flavored as Antlers)
3. (7 points = 35 stat points)
Stamina: 7
Wisdom: 0
Strength: 10
Accuracy: 5
Evasion: 13

4. Total Points used: 10
5. Explanation: Jack as a Roosevelt Elk is quick as well as strong. The beast, despite its size, it nimble and quick. Historically the Roosevelt Elk can run up to 40 miles per hour. The Roosevelt Elk is also very strong in addition to its speed. This fits well with jack considering his high Strength and Evasion skills. No only in physicality does Jack match, but Roosevelt Elk are known to be highly aggressive and territorial much like the boy wonder himself.

STATUS: Approved, Opeila 26/09

School Year: 5th
Link to your encyclopedia thread

Roleplay: Permission given by @Argento Perceval-Phelan to lightly godmod him helping Rose

Reducio

It hadn't been long after the Winter Break that Rose delved into researching about Animagi. Wonderful, powerful witches and wizards who could change into an animal at will. Everything about animals and creatures had always been fascinating to Rose, but this was on another level. This was transforming herself into an animal.

Of course, she had known about it before, but thought it an impossible process. Something that only experienced adults could undertake. But over the past few months, she started hearing whispers in the halls about other students taking on the process of becoming Animagi.

And, now, she had some motivation to do it- her brother. It was still strange to think about, since it was such a recent development, but her brother was now a werewolf. Sometimes she had to repeat it to herself to remind herself that it was true. She knew during the school year, he would spend full moons in the Shrieking Shack with the other werewolf students at Hogwarts. But, during the summer... and if the full moon happened to land on one of the breaks when they were at home, like it did this past break...

Rose couldn't even bear to think of him being alone.

And, technically, if he had the Wolfsbane potion, he was harmless. But still, after thinking and researching (almost obsessively) the first couple of weeks back at school, Rose had decided that this would be the best way to keep him company.

And, plus, it was really, really cool.

So, this was it.

Rose stood, the potion in her hand, and let out a deep breath. She looked to Professor Perceval-Phelan, the Transfiguration Professor, who she honestly could not have done all this without, and gave a nervous smile before looking back at the potion.

Weeks and weeks of hard work had led up to this very moment. Rose had approached the professor, knowing full well she couldn't have done any of this without the help of a teacher, and she decided since it was his area of expertise, it would be a good idea to ask him. Much to Rose's relief, he had accepted. She had already made a mental note to buy him some chocolate or a scarf or something to show her appreciation for all his help.

While acquiring the Mandrake leaf was the easiest, since she was able to take one from the greenhouses with permission, the task that went with the Mandrake leaf itself was difficult. To keep something in your mouth for a month is a daunting task, requiring immense amounts of dedication, and part of Rose's hesitation for completing the process in the first place. Eating was the hardest. While talking wasn't that much of a problem, since it was kind of like holding gum in her mouth, Rose hated the process of eating. Usually, she would enjoy eating at Hogwarts- the food was exceptionally good. But no more were the lunchtimes of shoveling food in her face if she had to get to her next class quickly or needed to study in the library. She had to carefully plan her mealtimes, so that she had enough time to carefully chew the food in order to not swallow the Mandrake leaf with it.

The Mandrake leaf needed to stay in her mouth for a month, from January's full moon to February's full moon, so Rose reasoned that gave her a month to find the other things she needed- one of her own hairs was easy, so she figured she could just add that last.

Next was the dew. That was fairly easy, too. Early one morning, Rose went out on the grounds with a cloth and rubbed it on the grass. She squeezed the dew on the cloth in a small bottle, and then gave it to Professor Perceval-Phelan to hold onto. She only needed a teaspoon, but she had plenty in the little bottle. She bought a silver teaspoon, too, so that she could use it when it came time to mix all the ingredients.

The most challenging part was the moth. Deaths head hawk moths were nocturnal from what small research she had done on them, and as the students were forbidden to be out of their beds, much less outside scouring the grounds for moths. Thus, she had to search in trees and on the edges of the forest for any sleeping moths. But she had no luck.

Surprisingly and ironically, it was her cat that found the final ingredient. Chaska often caught things on the grounds in her free time- usually leaves or bugs or rarely very small rodents, which were all varying levels of alive. She often brought them to Rose, as if to show of her excellent hunting skills. The redhead tried to release it if it was still alive, and had to find a way to dispose of it if it wasn't. Rose realized that she probably encouraged this, since she found her cat's pride so comical, and regularly praised Chaska for this to make her feel good about herself.

One day, while Rose was doing her homework, Chaska spat out a moth at her feet. Her initial reaction was to laugh, seeing Chaska puff up her chest. But then, as she picked up the moth with a tissue, its appearance was strikingly familiar.

It was a death's head hawk moth. The exact one she needed for her potion.

She stored it with the dew, which was now long since untouched by the sun and human feet, and then it was a waiting game. One week later, the lunar cycle for the mandrake leaf was complete. Thankfully, it was a clear night on the night that the lunar cycle ended, and she stood in view of the moon, spitting her leaf out into a phial. It was such a relief to have it out of her mouth, even though she had mostly gotten used to it. Rose closed the phial carefully, knowing that breakfast the next morning was going to be absolutely liberating. She let the moon shine on it for a moment longer, just to make sure, and then gave it to Professor Perceval-Phelan to hold onto.

The next few days, Rose was committed to repeating the incantation at dawn and dusk. Dawn was easy, since she was a morning person anyway, and since it was winter, the sun took a little longer than in the summer to come up. She would wake up and, before getting ready, stand in front of her window, waiting the few minutes for dawn to come. And she was sure to catch the sunset each night, too. Each time the sun rose or set, she would place her hand over her heart. "Amato Amino Animato Animagus," she said, time after time. She could smell the rain in the air. It got heavier with each day, the clouds gathering. She brewed the potion, adding to the leaf the chrysalis, a teaspoon of dew from the silver teaspoon, and a strand of her own hair, carefully overlooked by the professor. She was excited, and nervous, for the day to come that she could finally drink it and complete her mission.

What would it feel like, to be an animal? What kind of animal would she even be? Did she go wrong at some point, causing the entire potion to be messed up?

But this was it.

The very moment she had been waiting for, for over a month. Lightning cracked outside, a roll of thunder following. It was days like these that Rose would sit in the library and read, listening to the rain. But she hadn't been able to focus all day, because she knew that she was becoming an Animagus today.

Tightening her grip on the potion in her hand, Rose said the incantation one last time, saying, "Amato Amino Animato Animagus," and put the flask to her lips and drank it.

At first, when she put the flask down, nothing really seemed to happen.

Then, the world changed in a flash. She was... on the floor, bracing herself with all four legs. The sudden drop to the floor had a dizzying effect. She found her balance.

She was a cat.

Rose sat on her haunches, examining her white paws at the end of her red and black legs. She drew a paw over her dainty ears and against her whiskers. She turned in a circle, seeing her long, fluffy tail trailing behind her. She looked back up at Professor Perceval-Phelan, the happiness and pride evident in her features, despite her different form.

It was the most surreal experience- Rose, even standing on her hind feet, was at most a fourth her own height. The colors in the room also seemed... muted. Everything seemed to be in a cooler filter. Rose hadn't even thought about that- all kinds of animals saw colors in different ways, so of course she wouldn't be able to see the colors a cat couldn't- red, especially.

Rose hadn't really thought of an animal that she wanted to be before transforming, so the surprise of being a cat was a pleasant one, anyway. (Though a dragon would have been really cool.) She supposed it made sense- her quiet and observant demeanor was similar to that of a cat's, and she had always harbored a soft spot for them in her heart- she even owned a cat herself, and would sometimes, unbeknownst to her mother, give out some food to any strays in her neighborhood.

She transformed back into a human (which was also jarring, but she assumed that as she continued to transform back and forth, she would get used to it), and thanked Professor Perceval-Phelan profusely for his help in overseeing her process, and then bade him goodbye.

The reality that she was an Animagus made it hard not to skip down the halls as she left.

Word Count: 1655

Ministry of Magic File:

1. Wizard Name: Rose Moon
2. Animal: American Domestic cat (felis catus)
3. Description:

In her feline form, Rose has long fur in a calico pattern, with reddish and black splotches throughout most of her body, and a white underbelly and paws. She is slightly smaller for her breed, around 27 inches (68.6cm) from her nose to the tip of her tail (her tail makes up around 11 inches (27.9cm) of this length) and 9 inches (22.9cm) in height. She weighs around 8 pounds (3.6 kilos).
4. Distinctive Marking: One of Rose's most striking features in her human form are her bright green eyes. This is reflected in her cat form. Also, the ginger patches in her calico coat are the same shade as her hair in her human form.

Building Form

Size: small (1pt)
Skills: claws (1pt)
Skills: bite (1pt)
Stats: (7 points / 35 stat points)
Stamina: 7
Wisdom: 10
Strength: 3
Accuracy: 5
Evasion: 10
Total points: 10

Explanation: Since cats are fairly small animals, her strength is low. However, her evasion and wisdom are both high because of her observant and calculated nature, and cats' quick reflexes. Stamina and accuracy are both somewhere in the middle. Cats defend themselves and attack with their claws and their fangs, so these were added, too. I didn't think her claws would be big enough for claws 2, so I stuck with just claws.

STATUS: Approved, Zach Zaphiere, February 6

School Year: 5th Year
Link to Your Encyclopedia Thread: Boop!
Roleplay:

Reducio

Permission Received from Caradoc Browne for Mentorship

It took Dori a long time into their 5th year of Hogwarts to decide to go forward with the animgus process. One of the most annoying reasons was George Henry and his ability to turn into a Raven. It made part of Dori jealous, though they would never admit it to the boy. It just seemed like such a cool ability. Especially being a muggle-born, the idea of turning into an animal was what kids dreamed of. So after talking to their parents as well, and talking their boyfriend's (Elsi) ear off about it for months they finally decided to go through the process. Which started with talking to their Head of House, Caradoc Browne.

He was someone that Dori had always trusted, but still it was nerve wracking. What if he didn't think that they were ready? But after a too-long speech, he agreed to be their mentor in this process.

The first step was acquiring all of the materials. The mandrake leaf was easy, slipping one into their pocket of their robes during an Herbology class. They had also written home and asked if there was any way their parents could acquire a death's-head hawkmoth chrysalis from some muggle site, and what do you know somehow Etsy had them listed. So their parents packed one up and sent it over to them. The dew had come closer to the end of the month-long mandrake leaf holding situation. Which, was so deeply uncomfortable that they had to just keep reminding themselves about what was in store. Seven days before the next full moon since they had put the leaf in their mouth they went out in the early morning and collected enough dew to reach a teaspoon and slid it into the vial, storing it in a dark place in their room where the sunlight couldn't find it.

At the second full moon, Dorion went out into the courtyard after dinner. Finding a beautifully lit spot of moonlight, which was a nice excursion anyway. They added the leaf, a piece of their hair which was slightly hard to acquire with a shaved head but they grew it out during the month just to have a piece to add, the teaspoon of dew, and the chrysalis before heading back inside. The potion was added to an empty box and slid under their bed until an electrical storm arrived.

With the assistance of some roommates, every dawn and sunset they repeated that incantation. Amato Amino Animato Animagus with the tip of their wand over their heart. It took- 4 months before an electrical storm arrived. It wasn't until early February until an electrical storm finally arrived. Thank the Goddess, because Dori was tired of doing that chant. There were far too many close calls of missing the incantation and having to start over. As soon as they saw it happening they grabbed the box with the vial, put the vial in their pocket and ran out into the Courtyard to find a place with no other students around. Luckily- other students weren't too keen on being out in the storm so it was easier than expected.

They held the vial in their hands and recited "Amato Amino Animato Animagus." They uncorked the vial and swigged the potion down, trying not to think about the taste too much before waiting.

It only took a few seconds before suddenly they were much closer to the ground than they were before, and looking down at their body they realized they had four paws, a golden tail, and a whole lot of spunk of a golden retriever. The vial was quickly snatched up by Dori's new dog mouth as they ran back in to the Hufflepuff Common Room to scratch at Professor Browne's door and show him their new form.

Word Count || 626 words

Ministry of Magic File:
1. Wizard Name: Dorion Rowena Anderson
2. Animal: Light Golden Retriever
3. Description: Dorion is of the lightest shade of golden retriever, matching their light blonde hair. They have big brown eyes and a dark nose. Their fur is long and silky with the classic floppy golden ears. They do look fully- like a dog.

4. Distinctive Marking: Dori's back right leg has a bald patch where there is a circled scar from first year when they were stung by a mosp at the blossom ball. The lips of the dog that are also usually black are a light pink, matching their own natural shade and giving it a slightly uncanny valley feel but immediately setting them apart from other dogs.

Animagus Form:
Size: Small (1)
Skills: Bite (1), Claws (1)
Stats:
Stamina: 10 (2)
Wisdom: 10 (2)
Strength: 5 (1)
Accuracy: 5 (1)
Evasion: 5 (1)

Points Spent: 10
Explanation: Golden Retrievers are an incredibly wise and athletic breed, being used historically to well- retrieve birds and game for hunters.

Status: Approved, Dusana, 18 February

School Year: 5th year
Link to your encyclopedia thread: HERE

Roleplay

Reducio

The time was finally fast approaching. Months of preparation and countless incantation repetitions would lead to this final test of resolve. It had almost begun to seem like she would never reach this point; like the storm would remain far off on some unseen horizon, intangible but ever present. But there was no denying the crack of light that woke her from her restless slumber, sending the entirety of the Wampus Wing into high contrast of white on black. Nor could one turn a deaf ear to the thunderous rumbling across the hills. An electrical storm had been predicted, and the approaching Spring season had delivered.

Heart hammering against her chest—was that the second rhythm underlying it?—Evelynn threw off her covers and launched herself from the confines of her four-poster. Nerves or excitement aside, she didn't stop to interpret the tightness in her throat as hands dove into her trunk. Barely even wincing as the edge of the lid scraped carelessly across bandaged fingers, she pulled a small box from the dark recesses of her belongings. Inside, the vial of ingredients she had painstakingly prepared in the months previously.

For most, or so she would have assumed at least, it was likely the death's-head hawkmoth chrysalis or the dew that had caused the most trouble. The former had been easily obtainable online during the summer holidays. The latter had simply been collected from the field on her property before the sun had risen, then kept in a cool dark place to leave nothing to chance before its time would come to being added to the phial. No, for Evelynn, it was the Mandrake leaf that had given her the greatest difficulty. One month was all that was theoretically needed to prepare that ingredient. It had taken her four.

The first mistake had been simple user error. She couldn't remember exactly what had happened, whether it had been a day too soon in pulling out the leaf, or if she had accidentally spat it out in her sleep, but it had to be discarded. The second, idiot Marshal had naively fished it from her mouth but days before the full moon, ruining what would have been a perfectly marinated specimen. The third and fourth attempts had both concluded with overcast and rainy nights when the time had come to bottle the leaf. By the fifth, Evelynn half expected to taste mandrake on her tongue for the rest of her days and had gotten so used to having the leaf tucked away into her cheek.

She'd almost forgotten to harvest it when the proper night had finally come. But harvest it she did, slipping the saliva-coated leaf into a glass phial by the light of the moon before adding a single auburn strand of hair plucked right then from her own head, the silver teaspoon of dew that had been absent from sunlight and the touch of human feet for seven days and then some, and finally the Death's-head hawkmoth chrysalis. Stoppered, it had been carefully stowed in a small box within her trunk ever since, not once concerned that she had in some way obfuscated her chances and prepared the concoction erroneously.

With the box clutched tight against her breast, her form silhouetted in the window with every flash of light, trepidation crept through her now. For the life of her, she couldn't quite will her feet to take her from the dorm. What if she had muddled her chances? What if the transformation resulted in some grotesque abomination? What if she let fear into her heart and lost control? Or worse still, what if nothing happened at all, despite all steps taken and executed correctly?

As though able to sense her hesitation, a low hoot sounded from the mound of ruffling feathers on the stand beside her. Evelynn cast an affectionate glance Janus' way. Pale as a ghost in the light of the storm, the barn owl shuffled closer to her. The soft touch of feathers as she ran her fingers through them afforded her a small measure of comfort, but not quite as much as she might have liked. "I need you to do something," she whispered, and making a snap decision, turned to the nightstand by her bed. Half a moment later, a hastily scribbled note had been tied to Janus' outstretched leg and the window cracked just wide enough for him to shuffle through. And like that, the spirit had taken wing, headed for Gryffindor's sister tower and an equally pale target.

Evelynn stood by the window until the barn owl was out of sight before retreating. Although not initially planning to bother changing into anything notable, she changed her mind. It wasn't everyday that one met their faunal alter-ego, and something about the effort of investment and the ritualistic nature of the preparation and that which was yet to come guided her to seek a certain level of formality. Plus, the extra minutes allowed her a moment to steady her racing heart.

By the time she emerged from her dormitory, she had slipped into a floor-length dress that had been enchanted to reflect the skies. Billowing clouds drifted dynamically around her figure as she swept through the halls. Every now and again, the portraits and stonework along the corridors would be cast into stark relief by the light of lightning as it streaked across her corset and skirts. The clicking of heels echoing upon the floors offered a sense of finality, each step counting down to the moment of enlightenment. In one hand, she held the box that contained the phial; in her other, her gleaming black polished wand.

"Aberto." At the command of the spell, the doors of the Small Hall arced inwards to reveal the turbulent darkness beyond the castle's entrance. Pausing just within, Evelynn cast her gaze skywards, irises mirroring the gray above. Despite the wind that whipped at the fabric around her feet, only a few whisps of auburn hair danced in its pull. The rest had been carefully nestled into an elegant knot at the back of her neck, held in place by another enchanted device, a comb of vanity she'd acquired for one ball or another. The form of an avian overhead caught her attention, and she followed its path for some time before losing it beyond the walls of the courtyard. With one final steadying breath, she pushed off, the clicks of her heels once more heralding her approach.

The professor was already there, waiting for her at the previously agreed upon location on the grounds. Waves lapped against stone and sand, the usually mirrored lake as restless as she felt. Over the horizon, the sky was just starting to show signs of waking, the sun not yet arisen. No words needed to be exchanged as Evelynn spared a glance towards the supervising staff, receiving little more than a nod to proceed. The Gryffindor nodded, in turn. Less to her watcher, and more to herself, to assure herself that she could move forward. To remind herself that everything had been for this moment. To eliminate the option to squander this opportunity.

There was no turning back now.

Grip tightening on her wand, she moved ahead a few paces into a clear area and squatted, gingerly placing the box upon the ground. She hesitated, fingers on the verge of plying upon the lid. One breath. Another. Lips pulled in over her teeth and pressed together, creases etching lightly on her brow. She had to resist the urge to glance back over her shoulder for reassurance, instead boring her sights into the box as though trying to visualize the contents within. Of course, she would see nothing until she finally bid the vessel open, and when she did, she breathed a sigh of relief. By the flash of a well-timed arc of lightning, the liquid in the phial was clear and unmistakable. Crimson. And just enough for a mouthful.

With a touch more confidence than she'd had on rousing, Evelynn stood, the phial poised between two fingers. Wand tip moved to heart, then, in a fluid and practiced motion. "Amato animo animato animagus." Clear and leveled, she spoke the incantation just as she had every morning and every nightfall every day since the completion of the immature potion. She thought she had grown accustomed to the odd sensation in the chest after such an incantation, the feeling of a second rhythm, not unlike palpitations, but different.

This time, however, the double beating of the heart was stronger than ever, almost enough to provoke a fit of coughing. It was all she could do just to swig the potion and force it down, willfully denying herself from sputtering. She couldn't quite deny the cry of pain, however, as what felt like a fiery wave ripped through her at the exact moment that a roar of bared teeth and swiping claws filled her head. For all the months of preparation and years of theory... she wasn't ready. She likely couldn't ever have been ready.

Fear swept through the wake of fire, and in the moments of transformation and beyond, her conscious mind blurred. She wouldn't remember how clothing melded and shifted into a layer of thick auburn fur. She wouldn't recall how hands had hit the rain sodden grass, but how they weren't hands at all, but paws. She wouldn't realize that the snarls and swipes hadn't merely been images of the mind, but actions directed towards any who drew too near. Nor would she register the spike of adrenaline as feline haunches launched her swiftly away from the spot of ritualistic completion towards the nearest tree, claws eating into bark as her new form carried her into the sanctity of its canopy. There, she would remain until the sun had peaked over the highlands and her human mind had regained control.

After a period of reorientation, it would still be some time before Evelynn would accept the form that had chosen her. Always having been one to seek the skies on broom when seeking escape, she had believed deeply that it would be some form of winged creature with whom her soul would most resonate. Or perhaps that had simply been her hope. Something that would afford her the freedom at a whim to take flight, not beholden to the limitations of an enchanted broom. It would have allowed her to shed the bonds of muggle travel, to gain altitude for improved surveillance. The convenience would be second only to apparition, really.

Instead, she remained land-locked—four feet to the earth—faced with a disappointment reminiscent of her first year when the sorting hat had not seen to place her in Ravenclaw, but instead the house of the lion. It was an apt fit, despite any objections she might have. Solitary and with strength of heart and spirit, the mountain lion depicts many of the qualities that she had honed over the years: perceptive, slow to engage, elusive, fiercely protective and dignified. It really shouldn't have come as a surprise to her.

After damage to her first wand had necessitated replacement, it was a Wampus core that had chosen her. In tribal folklore, the cougar is often used to portray roles of leaders, guardians and healers. Particularly after the loss of Ivy and the experiences she has accrued during her enrollment at Hogwarts, Evelynn has been pursuing knowledge that would afford her the ability to better protect those in her care, to fight off death and shelter her juniors from unnecessary pain and trauma. Native to the lands from which she heralds, the North American Cougar embodies all of this and more, and offers her physical strength and skill to make up where she might otherwise be lacking.

Word Count: 1,964

M I N I S T R Y‏‏‎ ‎ ‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎ ‏‏‎ ‎O F‏‏‎ ‎ ‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎ ‏‏‎ ‎M A G I C‏‏‎ ‎ ‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎ ‏‏‎ ‎F I L E

Reducio

Wizard Name: Evelynn Olivia Decipio
Animal Form: Puma concolor couguar
Description: The North American Cougar (P. concolor couguar) is a large wildcat native to North America. While they generally sport tawny-beige fur, Miss Decipio's animagus form has light auburn fur with sandy-grey underbelly, chest and facial markings. Black-brown fur marks her ears, face and tail. At 53 kg and 2.24 m from nose to tail tip in length, she measures slightly above average for a female specimen of this subspecies. Although puma eyes commonly range from brown to golden, her animagus mirrors the grey irises of her natural human form.
Distinctive Markings: auburn pelt and grey irises, black spot beneath left eye, lichtenberg scar from right shoulder to mid right forelimb

Animagus Form
Size: Medium
Skills: Claws 2, Bite
Statistics: Stamina 5, Wisdom 0, Strength 12, Accuracy 9, Evasion 9
Points Spent: 10 points
Explanation: Able to run at speeds of 40-50 mph, vault as high as 18 feet, and with a bite psi of 725 psi, there is no doubting that cougars are incredibly fast and powerful creatures, especially given their relatively unimposing size. Their claws allow them to climb trees and rend flesh with ease. That said, they are not the most durable, known for sprinting short distances and quick bursts of power rather than feats of endurance and stamina.

Status: Pending, Dusana, 17 March
We do not allow inline code in trunks. Please edit the code so it does not have it. You also already have an image in your trunk. You may only have one and will need to choose which one.

Edit: Owl sent requesting clarification regarding inlinecode and image. Most animagus trunk contain a second image specifically to visualize their animagus form; and inlinecode regulation isn't mentioned in the Standardized Trunk Format Rules. As written, I have followed the rules, so just hoping to double check on if there's been an update to the rules that I missed.

Edit 2: Please do not include the image when updating the trunk. Inlinecode bbcode use has been removed. Hopefully that should bring it up to standardization.

Status: Pending, 19 March, Dusana
There is now typewriter font in the coding. Special font including typewriter is not allowed. It must be the standard site font.

Eve edit, March 19: Typewriter font and most formatting removed.

Status: Approved, Dusana, 24 March