[ he might not know Hermione personally, but he can recognize it as an impression and laughs a little for himself, before pausing to think. ]
It's not easy, you know. Took Sirius and I nearly three years to master it. Of course we were doing it in secret since it's not technically allowed... [ James shrugs, not that Harry can see it. ] But I don't see why not.
Brilliant. I've always wanted to give it a go. I'm not great with books, but I'm a quick study if I can get my hands on something and actually, I guess, work through it by doing?
[Harry wonders if it's true that an animagus can only ever learn to shift into the form of their patronus and, if that's so, will he always have the same patronus he did as a child? That might be a touch awkward to explain.]
If it had to do with books, we never would have got it. No, hands-on is much more helpful if you pick up things like that. Might be interesting to see what you end up as, though. Animagi always interested me that way - how good were you at Transfiguration? Better yet, does McGonagall still teach that class?
[ So yes, Harry spoilers but your dad had a favorite teacher and a favorite subject and everything. Turns out he really does love playing with magic, just would rather it had less to do with reading most times. ]
She does and I did solidly well-enough in her class, but she said that was more to do with a lack of studying and 'applying' myself than anything else.
[Which isn't entirely wrong, but to be fair, Harry did have other things to worry about beyond his O.W.L.S. and N.E.W.T.S.
He's about to say something and James might notice a noise of surprise. Of course he can do a patronus; with the threat of Dementors having been so pervasive, it's pretty much bog standard for any student to learn as soon as they can.]
Course you did! She's a brilliant witch. Talented and beautiful beyond her years.
[ Someone has a favorite professor, but don't tell Dumbledore.
If he notices the noise of surprise, he doesn't say anything about it. When James was in school, the threat was much less physical than Dementors on your doorstep. ]
That'll make it easier, for sure. Just knowing what to work toward. They say it's got more to do with your 'inner spirit', but I needed something a little more concrete when I was working on mine.
She really is. She taught me everything I know, honestly. Probably the only reason I got to be an Animagus at all.
[ WOW RUDE and yeah because James' typist is definitely serious and not at all meta in the brackets. Not at all. ]
No one really knows for sure - it's not explained very well in any of the textbooks we did find, but mine was the same and so was Sirius and Peter's. They say it's common, but that doesn't necessarily mean it's for sure.
[ The stalling makes James curious, but he doesn't press it, thinking back to when he learned to cast his own patronus. ]
I suppose that could make a difference, but they say that a patronus is tied to your spirit animal. Usually takes the shape of it, what with you trying to protect your soul and all. I have heard of patronuses changing, more often than I've heard of an animagus changing its animal, so there's no telling. Not until we can get you to do it, at least.
[Harry hasn't cast a patronus since Voldemort's death and he wonders if the removal of the horcrux changed him and he's not sure what he'd prefer the answer to be.]
I guess we'll find out. So long as I'm not a ferret, I think I'll survive.
At the time, it was really funny. Another student was being awful and our professor turned him into a ferret, but we found out later that the professor was actually someone under polyjuice and it was a bit weird after that.
[It was funny at the time, but when he thought about it later and how he'd have reacted if someone did that to one of his friends, a bit of the lustre was gone. And yet, still, ferrets.]
The professor was someone under polyjuice? It sounds like the entire school has gone complete bonkers.
[ But James is laughing anyway because that? That sounds like a prank he might have pulled in his earlier years. Doesn't really hold the same light these days, but a laugh is a laugh. ]
Yes, well, it's not a proper school year unless one of the professors tries to kill a few students.
[Harry almost laughs as he says it and doesn't see anything all that unusual. If it was like that when he was at school, surely it was like that for everyone else?]
Like anything to do with the Hallows, it's another messy story.
[With both the Elder Wand and the Resurrection Stone lost or hidden, Harry thought it wise to do the same with the third of the Deathly Hallows. The cloak seems to be the most harmless, but he still doesn't trust it as he once did.]
![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
no subject
It's not easy, you know. Took Sirius and I nearly three years to master it. Of course we were doing it in secret since it's not technically allowed... [ James shrugs, not that Harry can see it. ] But I don't see why not.
no subject
[Harry wonders if it's true that an animagus can only ever learn to shift into the form of their patronus and, if that's so, will he always have the same patronus he did as a child? That might be a touch awkward to explain.]
no subject
[ So yes, Harry spoilers but your dad had a favorite teacher and a favorite subject and everything. Turns out he really does love playing with magic, just would rather it had less to do with reading most times. ]
Have you conjured a patronus before?
no subject
[Which isn't entirely wrong, but to be fair, Harry did have other things to worry about beyond his O.W.L.S. and N.E.W.T.S.
He's about to say something and James might notice a noise of surprise. Of course he can do a patronus; with the threat of Dementors having been so pervasive, it's pretty much bog standard for any student to learn as soon as they can.]
Yes, I got it a few years ago.
no subject
[ Someone has a favorite professor, but don't tell Dumbledore.
If he notices the noise of surprise, he doesn't say anything about it. When James was in school, the threat was much less physical than Dementors on your doorstep. ]
That'll make it easier, for sure. Just knowing what to work toward. They say it's got more to do with your 'inner spirit', but I needed something a little more concrete when I was working on mine.
no subject
[Don't worry. Harry won't tell Dumbledore anything. Ever. Because he's dead and Harry's typist is flippant in narration.]
So, it is your patronus that you turn into? That's for sure?
no subject
[ WOW RUDE and yeah because James' typist is definitely serious and not at all meta in the brackets. Not at all. ]
No one really knows for sure - it's not explained very well in any of the textbooks we did find, but mine was the same and so was Sirius and Peter's. They say it's common, but that doesn't necessarily mean it's for sure.
Why, not a fan of your patronus?
no subject
[He stalls again and tries to think through what he wants to say before he speaks. This is important to him and he doesn't want to get it wrong.]
Before I cast my patronus, I was sort of told what shape it would be and while I like it, I wonder if that made a difference.
no subject
I suppose that could make a difference, but they say that a patronus is tied to your spirit animal. Usually takes the shape of it, what with you trying to protect your soul and all. I have heard of patronuses changing, more often than I've heard of an animagus changing its animal, so there's no telling. Not until we can get you to do it, at least.
no subject
I guess we'll find out. So long as I'm not a ferret, I think I'll survive.
no subject
no subject
Sorry, sorry, it's a long, strange story, but I can see your point.
no subject
no subject
[It was funny at the time, but when he thought about it later and how he'd have reacted if someone did that to one of his friends, a bit of the lustre was gone. And yet, still, ferrets.]
no subject
[ But James is laughing anyway because that? That sounds like a prank he might have pulled in his earlier years. Doesn't really hold the same light these days, but a laugh is a laugh. ]
morbid humour powers are a GO.
[Harry almost laughs as he says it and doesn't see anything all that unusual. If it was like that when he was at school, surely it was like that for everyone else?]
dude, your life needs to calm down
[ The difference is that James is joking. Doesn't really understand that Harry isn't, entirely. ]
no subject
[James probably can't hear the shrug, but it's there nonetheless.]
...you know, I do sometimes wonder how they figured out who to hire.
no subject
[ he might say it a little carelessly, seeing as he doesn't actually know much about Harry's life. Everything Remus told him stopped at his death. ]
They get some characters through those doors, don't they?
no subject
[Harry wonders just how much Sirius and Remus know about him and how much they've told James.]
Even if I wasn't really doing schoolwork, I kept busy.
no subject
Partially why James had contacted him in the first place. ]
There's plenty to keep busy with around that castle. Which, mate, reminds me - how'd you know about the Invisibility Cloak?
[ It's an honest enough answer, but James is just curious how the cloak changes hands. If Harry puts it to good use. ]
no subject
[Should he get into what the cloak actually is?]
It's gone now, but that's probably for the best. Did you know it was one of the Deathly Hallows?
no subject
It is quite helpful, that.
[ A pause, and then: ]
Gone? Gone how? And no, I had no idea. Found it in the attic when I was a boy and mum just told me it was a family heirloom of some kind.
no subject
[With both the Elder Wand and the Resurrection Stone lost or hidden, Harry thought it wise to do the same with the third of the Deathly Hallows. The cloak seems to be the most harmless, but he still doesn't trust it as he once did.]
no subject
(no subject)
(no subject)