Sirius sank into a chair bewildered while staring at his godson after Harry had dropped his bombshell. "What do you mean you saw two animals?" he finally asked. "You only get one."
"I know, that's what's got me so confused" Harry replied. "First I was this panther stalking through the forest. Next thing I know my vision blacks out. Then it comes back to me, only this time I'm an owl flying through the sky. That's not normal, is it?"
"No, it's definitely not normal," Sirius replied shortly as he paced around the small classroom, absentmindedly avoiding the few desks scattered about. "Are you certain you made the potion correctly? I mean absolutely positive? Is it even remotely possible that you made a mistake?"
"The potion was perfect, I'm sure of it," Harry responded, frustrated. "It was the right color, texture, thickness, everything. I'm sure I did it right. It couldn't have been the potion."
"This just doesn't make any sense," Sirius commented. "James and I read every book in the Hogwarts library about animagi, restricted section and all, and not once was there a mention of even the possibility of seeing more than one animal during the vision."
"What do you think it means?" Harry asked tentatively.
Sirius slumped his shoulders as he responded, "I just don't know."
"Maybe I get to choose which one I want to be" Harry suggested.
"Or maybe…" Sirius paused as he thought over the implications, "maybe you can be both."
Sirius' suggestion left Harry dumbfounded. He had never even considered the possibility seriously. It had entered his mind briefly at first, but he had quickly dashed the thought away figuring his godfather would do the same. It was unheard of for someone to have more than one animagus form; most didn't even have a single form. Then again, it was also unheard of for someone to see a vision of more than one animal.
Harry finally let himself consider the possibility that his godfather could be right. It brought a smile to his face. He couldn't wait to be either animal, but the thought that he could be both animals was an overwhelming one. He'd be able to fly without the aid of a broom. He'd be able to stalk through the Forbidden Forest back at Hogwarts without fear. He would be predator and not prey.
"Maybe you're right," Harry finally said. "It felt natural being in both the owl and the panther. And I made care to note the feel of the magic within the body while I was there so that I could replicate it here. Maybe I really can do both."
"Well it can't hurt to try, at least," Sirius replied with a grin.
Harry smiled back at his godfather. "So can we start then? Is there anything else I need to know?" Harry asked quickly.
"Anxious, are we?" Sirius teased. "Given your knowledge of wandless magic I suppose I don't have much to add. If this works like your other wandless magic and you already know how to manipulate your magic the right way, I imagine you're already 90 of the way there. All you've got to do is start doing the changes. It's best to start by changing one limb at a time back and forth. Once you're able to change each part of your body individually back and forth, then you can try for the full transformation."
Not wasting any time, Harry shut his eyes and shifted his focus inward. As he had done so many times now, Harry called forth his magic until he could feel it flowing freely. He concentrated the magic into his left arm and willed it to take the form he had felt in the panther during his vision. Once it felt right, Harry focused on the black furred paw he had seen stalking through the forest. With the picture held in his mind's eye, Harry willed his left arm to become the paw.
It was a weird feeling. Harry felt his arm changing, muscles and bones reforming as fur sprouted out covering the appendage. He could no longer wiggle his fingers; instead he could extend and retract sharp claws from his paw. He opened his eyes to find that he had been successful. It felt weird being human but having an animal paw. But he shook off the feeling, smiling at his success. Harry glanced over to his godfather to see his reaction.
Sirius grinned as he shook his head at his godson. "I don't know whether to be proud or angry. It took me months and months of practice before I finally got that far, your father too, though he beat me there by a couple weeks. And here you are 30 seconds after you started with your arm transfigured. When I first brought up this training I thought maybe you'd finish by Christmas if we were lucky. The way things are looking now, you'll be done within a few days."
"Well all that wandless magic practice really helped," Harry replied wryly. "All I had to do was tap into my magic like usual, shape it into the form I felt in the vision, then will my arm into the paw and here I am," Harry waved his paw at his godfather.
"When you put it like that it sounds easy," Sirius responded sarcastically, "except for the fact that I've never been able to just feel magic or call it forth so readily like you. I'm starting to wonder if even Dumbledore has as much control and awareness of magic as you, Harry."
"Don't be ridiculous. I'm nowhere near his skill. I saw him dueling Voldemort. He was incredible; they both were. I couldn't hold a candle to either of them," Harry finished despondently.
"Yet," Sirius retorted. "You're young Harry. But I've never seen anybody pick things up the way you have here. If you continue at this pace, by the end of the year you'll be holding your own in a duel with Dumbledore. Mark my words."
Harry just smiled at his godfather's enthusiasm. He was greatly emboldened by the praise, but he didn't let it go to his head. He didn't think it possible to become so powerful so quickly, but for the first time in a long time he felt hope blossoming inside himself. Sirius believed in him, and for now that was enough.
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