In robes of shadow, crowned with crimson,
He cleaves the clouds on wings of white.
Last night, awakened from a marshland dream,
One piercing cry echoed through the colored sky.
A massive, adult red-crowned crane shot high above Hogwarts, then dove in a streak of white lightning, vanishing into the trees at the edge of the Forbidden Forest.
Douglas shifted back into human form, quietly hiding behind a tree, eyes fixed on the Hufflepuff student who'd drawn him here.
The student seemed to notice something white flash down into the forest ahead. He hesitated, then veered off in another direction.
Douglas sighed, slipping silently through the shadows to follow.
This—he reflected—was exactly why he disliked using his Animagus form at school. He was far too conspicuous: a giant bird, and not even one native to Britain. It was the sort of thing people remembered.
But some things were simply beyond his control.
Becoming an Animagus had cost him dearly. Nearly three years of effort, frustration, and near-disaster.
Even the first step, he'd had to attempt seven times.
(Keep a mandrake leaf in your mouth for a full month—from one full moon to the next. You must never swallow or spit it out. If it leaves your mouth for even a moment, you start over.)
For a Hufflepuff—especially one with a sweet tooth and a love of snacks—it was torture.
He'd failed the second step four times.
(On the second full moon, place the saliva-soaked leaf into a clear vial and bathe it in pure moonlight. If the night is cloudy, you must start again with a new leaf.)
Finally, on his seventh try, he succeeded. Seven—truly a magical number in the wizarding world.
Once you survived the first two steps, the rest was mostly patience and care.
If he hadn't known Animagi could stay sane in Azkaban, untouched by Dementors, he might have given up long ago.
(After all, Bill gave up after three failures—he said turning into an animal didn't sound all that fun. Charlie abandoned the idea as soon as he learned you couldn't become a dragon.)
Back in those dark days, Douglas had always prepared for the worst: if Voldemort returned, and Muggle-borns had their wands snapped, he wanted a way to survive Azkaban—to wait, and not go mad.
At Hogwarts, he'd often daydreamed about blending magic and Eastern cultivation. He imagined broomsticks turned into flying swords, Potions lessons replaced by alchemy, talismans to ward off ghosts, and—at graduation—himself in Taoist robes, immortal and unearthly, soaring away on a crane, leaving the purebloods gaping in envy...
Perhaps that was why his Animagus form became a crane—ethereal, otherworldly.
But it wasn't quite what he'd pictured. He'd always dreamed of riding the crane, not becoming the one being ridden.
Ever since Bill had jokingly asked to try "crane-riding flight," Douglas had never dared transform in front of him again.
Only Bill and Charlie knew his secret—well, and a few creatures in the Forbidden Forest, but they didn't count as people.
Lost in thought, Douglas snapped back to reality as the Hufflepuff student slipped into the forest, not far from his hiding place.
He watched closely. What was the boy up to?
The student crept nervously into the forest's edge, body trembling so hard that even from the shadows, Douglas could see it. The boy muttered to himself, voice shaking.
When he reached a patch of moonlight, his shaking grew even worse, as if he expected a monster to leap out at any moment.
Douglas rubbed his nose. With nerves like that, you still dare sneak into the Forbidden Forest?
He watched as the student, hands shaking, tried three times before finally managing to cast Lumos. Then he produced a silver dinner knife, eyed his distance from the forest edge, and began carving something into a nearby tree—always poised to bolt at the slightest sound.
Was he passing a secret message?
Douglas waited in silence.
When the boy finally finished, he dashed out of the forest, nearly in tears.
Douglas scanned the area, cast a Hominem Revelio—no one else nearby.
He approached the tree, lit his wand, and read:
"Partridge Quincy is NOT a coward!"
Douglas's mouth twitched.
All that suspense—for this?
He pulled out the Marauder's Map and saw the boy was still a ways from the castle. He decided to catch up and ask for an explanation—
But then, out of the corner of his eye, he noticed something odd:
George Weasley, Fred Weasley, Argus Filch, Mrs. Norris, and Peeves—all clustered together at his office door.
He quickened his pace and soon caught up with the student—Partridge Quincy.
Knowing he was a Hufflepuff, Douglas didn't scold or deduct points right away. Instead, he helped the boy up—he'd fallen right onto his backside in fright.
It took a few minutes of gentle reassurance before the boy calmed down enough to explain.
"Professor... they all look down on me... but I really am scared... the Astronomy Tower is so high, every time I climb it I'm sure I'll fall... I've never flown higher than ten feet in Flying class...
I'm scared of the dark, too...
And I've got no talent for magic—I'm always behind everyone else...
At first, a Slytherin tried to bet with me, but I said no...
My classmates told me not to worry, that Hufflepuff doesn't care what others think.
But... but Zacharias Smith called me a coward, said I'd shamed Hufflepuff's honor.
He said he couldn't hold his head up in front of the other Houses...
So... for Hufflepuff's honor..."
Douglas looked into the boy's earnest eyes and decided to trust him.
Of course, a little Legilimency helped—he hadn't probed memories, but the spell made it easy to tell truth from lies. He doubted the boy knew Occlumency, let alone better than he did.
As for Zacharias Smith, a second-year, Douglas remembered him well—and not fondly. He'd always wondered how the Sorting Hat put Smith in Hufflepuff. Zero stars, would not recommend.
In the end, Douglas had to break the news gently:
"Mr. Quincy, I'm glad you care so much about Hufflepuff's honor. But unfortunately, I can't award you any points for this.
Because you broke curfew and entered the Forbidden Forest, by the rules, I should take fifty points from Hufflepuff.
But as a fellow Hufflepuff, I'm genuinely moved by your courage.
So—Hufflepuff loses twenty points, and Professor Sprout will let you know your detention assignment."
He walked the boy back to the castle. At the entrance, Douglas paused.
"Mr. Quincy—don't do things like this to prove your courage.
Sometimes, the bravest thing you can do is resist meaningless impulses.
And your classmates are right—Hufflepuff really doesn't care what others think.
There's more than one way to honor your House...
Keep your chin up."
With that, Douglas hurried off toward his office. Who knew what chaos was brewing with those four names overlapping on the map...
P.S.: The following is a description of the Animagus transformation process. Feel free to skip if uninterested.
(For reference only—DO NOT ATTEMPT! Extremely dangerous!)
An Animagus is a witch or wizard who can transform into a specific animal at will. In animal form, they retain their human intellect, sense of self, and memory—even if they remain transformed for years, their human lifespan is unaffected.
Unregistered Animagi, if discovered, may be sent to Azkaban. You have been warned.
A single mistake in the Animagus process can have catastrophic consequences. Impatience with the long and intricate transformation may lead to disaster—such as becoming stuck as a half-human, half-beast. No known remedy exists.
To become an Animagus, one must possess both Transfiguration and Potions talent.
If you follow these steps and suffer any misfortune, the author takes no responsibility.
(Once more: for reference only! DO NOT ATTEMPT!)
Keep a mandrake leaf in your mouth for an entire month, from one full moon to the next. Do not remove, swallow, or spit out the leaf for any reason. If the leaf leaves your mouth, start over.On the second full moon, place the saliva-soaked leaf in a crystal phial and bathe it in pure moonlight. If the night is cloudy, begin again with a new leaf.Add to the phial: a hair from your own head, a silver teaspoon of dew collected from a place untouched by sunlight or human hands for seven days, and the chrysalis of a Death's-head Hawkmoth. Leave this mixture in a quiet, dark place—never peek—until the next electrical storm.While you wait, at sunrise and sunset each day, touch your wand tip to your heart and recite: "Amato Animo Animato Animagus."The wait for a storm may last weeks, months, or years. The phial must remain undisturbed and away from sunlight, or disaster will follow. Resist the urge to check the potion. If you repeat the incantation faithfully, one day you'll feel a second heartbeat when your wand touches your chest. Don't change a thing—keep to the schedule, never miss a day. When lightning flashes in the sky, go at once to your phial. If you've done everything right, you'll find a mouthful of blood-red potion inside.Go immediately to a safe, spacious place. Touch your wand to your heart, say "Amato Animo Animato Animagus," and drink the potion.If all goes well, you'll feel searing pain and a wild, double heartbeat. You'll see the shape of the animal you're about to become. Don't panic—you can't turn back now.The first transformation is always uncomfortable and frightening. Clothes and accessories will meld into your body, becoming fur, scales, or claws. Don't resist or panic, or you might be overwhelmed by animal instincts and do something foolish.Once transformed, you should feel at home in your new body. Immediately pick up your wand and hide it somewhere safe for your return to human form.To change back, focus as clearly as possible on your human self. Don't panic if it doesn't work at first—practice makes perfect. Skilled Animagi can eventually transform without a wand.
Final warning: If you lack talent in Transfiguration and Potions, DO NOT ATTEMPT. This is dangerous magic!
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