Animagi vs transfigeration (was Re: Do Animagi choose their forms?

[msl at fc.net]

No: HPFGUIDX 11153

--- In HPforGrownups at y..., Amanda Lewanski <editor at t...> wrote:
> msl at f... wrote:
> 
> > Here's a question; what happens when a really complicated person
> > becomes an animagus?  Might they turn into a magical hybrid beast
> > such as a hippogriff?
> 
> Well, what happens when a really complicated person wears the 
> Sorting Hat? It takes the hat a bit of time to decide, but 
> eventually one aspect of personality decides it.

Well, there are a lot more animals in the world than Hogwarts houses, 
too, so maybe an animagus has more flexibity of possibility and/or 
choice.

> Also I'm assuming the forms one can be, as animagus, are limited to 
> beasts that have a fairly normal animal lifestyle and span--i.e., 
> not created, not spread by "creation" like
> vampirism, but by reproduction, etc. Therefore, whether one could 
> be a magical animal or not may depend on the animal in question.

I wonder what role personal consciousness plays.  If Animagi can't 
necessarily choose which animal they become, are they at least 
restricted in choice to animals of which they are aware; or perhaps 
to those animals of which they are intimately aware?

Mightn't an Australian wizard find himself turned into a koala or 
wombat, say?

marvin