Animagi: can they chose what they will become?/How did Rita Skeeters become an Animaga?

[finwitch]

No: HPFGUIDX 35534

--- In HPforGrownups at y..., "hockeychu" <CorGlacier7 at a...> wrote:
> --- In HPforGrownups at y..., "Yoris" <msn.tsf at h...> wrote:
> 
> > Further more this brings me to the question: How did Rita Skeeter 
> became an
> > Animaga?
> >  I mean it took 3 of the most brilliant students hogwarts ever 
had 
> (Remus,
> > James and Sirius)
> 
> Never is it said they were the most brilliant students Hogwarts has 
> ever produced.  Please do *not* succumb to overblowing things.  
It's 
> said they *were* intelligent, which is quite a genral 
> description...half a class could be "intelligent".  That is all.

Aside for James Potter to be the Head Boy. (Did they need sneaking to 
get into restricted section or did the Head Boy have the right 
himself without any tricks?)
 
> <working together for 3 years to become animagi...
> 
> My take on this is that Animagism is exceptionally powerful stuff.  
I 
> don't think you'd find ANYONE who could do it their second year.  I 
> think most of the three years before it was done was spent finding 
> access to the books necessary and more especially...gaining the 
> necessary magical power and training!  A fully trained wizard would 
> probably take a good sight less than 3 years to accomplish the 
feat, 
> having the power necessary.

Yes - and getting the books with no trouble at all. She could have 
learned it by herself or had a friend ready to turn her back.