Is Harry a Metamorphmagus?

[finwitch]

No: HPFGUIDX 116621


> Finwitch:  
> 
> >How did he 'jump' onto the school roof? Harry's description sounds
> more like flying than apparition...? <snip>
> 
> Kim:
> 
> IMO that kind of jumping, if it's not a form of apparating, seems 
to 
> point, as you say, to a natural ability to fly.  But Harry being a 
> natural at flying on a broom is far dfferent from flying without a 
> broom.  There hasn't been an example in the books of anyone flying 
> without the aid of either a broom or a flying animal, has there?  
> Which is kind of odd, considering it's the wizarding world.  Just 
one 
> of those things maybe that JKR doesn't want in her version of a 
> magical world, like not letting people come back from the dead; 
maybe 
> she also doesn't want them to be able to just flap their arms and 
> take off... 

Finwitch:

There's no known spell for wiz. to fly unaided. (one of those school-
books...) Still, to consider:

1)Harry's very small and light.
2)he was wearing clothes too big for him.

Flapping extracloth may well have worked like a bit like in that 
squirrel who can slide or "fly" from tree to tree. (Wind caught 
Harry) It's also possible that Harry transfigured his bones hollow - 
the kind that birds have.
 
But to get up? well, there is that Leviosa spell... Still, if he did 
that to his bones, turning into a bird is not far.


> Kim:
> 
> >Except for this, wouldn't Harry know he could turn into a Phoenix 
by 
> now?

Finwitch:

How would he know? He didn't realise he talked to snakes in their own 
language until Ron told him... he, on his own, does not know whether 
it's English or parseltongue he speaks... He may even speak 
Phoenixian? and Mermish, without knowing it. He ALWAYS greets Fawkes, 
and even seems to understand the bird...  of course, Dumbledore can 
do that, too. And how did Harry manage to talk to the Merpeople and 
be understood, unless he has innate ability for Mermish? (Apparently 
Dumbledore speaks it - did he learn or is it innate?)

Harry's got lots of talent (says Sorting hat), and he's apparently 
been able to use transfiguration wandlessly as a kid (not so odd 
there, I think Fred did that, too).

Kim:
  Harry's definitely like a Phoenix though, in that someone (he 
> who must not be named) has tried to kill him and he didn't die.  
Poly-
> animagus is a really interesting idea too -- no reason why that 
> couldn't apply to a talented wizard, though I guess that would be 
> breaking the natural rules when it comes to animagus ability -- 
i.e. 
> that your animagus is the animal reflection of your inner self -- 
so 
> one would assume you could only be one animal.  But hey, what if 
> you've got multiple "inner selves"...? ;-)  Plus I could see 
someone 
> as old and wise (and talented) as Dumbledore being a Poly-animagus.

Finwitch:

Well, I consider any-animal being different technique! A bit like 
that partial transfiguration Krum used. After all, if Harry could 
self-transfigure rather than use animagi - it doesn't involve that 
much "inner self".

Trouble is, of course, that turning back requires ability to do human-
transfiguration without using a wand (because using paws/wings won't 
help you there) and incantation (because most animals can't pronounce 
the sounds). Or, that you have a friend to do it for you.

Of course, with multiple inner selves, one can have more than one 
animal - but I'd say that would be limited to 3.

Anyway, a *strong* Metamorhmagus could, ultimately, take on forms of 
animals. It's only a matter of degree, I think.

Maybe, as they'll get to human-transfiguration, it'll come up, a 
talent Harry never realised he had. He takes this growing hair of his 
as something *natural* and not at least bit odd. "It just grew that 
way". Harry believes his hair won't change, and if someone tries to 
force it to, it corrects itself, because that's just the way his hair 
is. Because of that conviction, Harry's vain, Muggle efforts, do 
nothing. (Imagine, to practice i.e. changing hair-colour/hair-cut - 
in pairs or otherwise. NOTHING happens to Harry. NOW... what if, in 
GoF, when Malfoy had his wand out etc. he tried to turn Harry's hair 
red or something, it hit, but it didn't work!)

Finwitch