This kind of question has plagued me for a while. But using Canon Harry's personality and traits as a base, what form do you guys think he would take?

To be perfectly honest with you all, I've always thought Harry would make a good wolf Animagus.

Wolf Animal Symbolism: Facing the End of One's Cycle with Dignity and Courage, Death and Rebirth, Spirit Teaching, Instinct Linked with Intelligence, Social and Family Values, Outwitting Enemies, Steadfastness, Skill in Protection of Self and Family, Taking Advantage of Change, Intuition, Learning, the Shadow, Guardinaship, Ritual, Loyalty, Spirit, a Pathfinder, Psychic Energy, Inner Divinity, Teaching, Careful Study, Cunning, Escaping Hunters, Ability to Pass by Dangers Invisibly, An Astral Wolf Could Lead You to a Spiritual Teacher, Strong Protection, Spiritual Guidance in Dreams and Meditations, the Teacher, Success, Perseverance, Stability, Thought.

Now I don't know about you guys, but alot of those traits apply to Harry. to me, the majority of them do.

 

Dude, there's an entire thread dedicated to questions that don't deserve their own. I'd suggest checking it out next time a question like this strikes you.

To me, Harry is clearly a griffon/chimera/black phoenix hybrid. It's the only beast powerful enough to contain his enormous magical core.

 

Harry's animagus form is obviously Thunderbird.

 

I think it's an owl.

EDIT: No, wait. It's bat. It's as blind as Harry without glasses and it enjoyes flying just as much as Harry .

 

Harry's Animagus form is Cthulhu.

 

I suspect that if Rowling ever went with Harry becoming an Animagus, he'd clearly be a Stag like his dad.

 

Whichever one he wants, I guess.
I never really liked the whole "inner animal" thing.

 

So, Pettigrew wanted to be a rat?

 

The Animagus transformation is really advanced Transfiguration IIRC, he probably just wasn't capable of anything larger or more complex.

 

The most common, most plausible one is that he'd become an owl, especially if he learned the Animagus transformation after Hedwig's death. If it was during 5-6 year, possibly a dog, wolf or something of the like. When he first learned of his father being a stag... mmm, maybe, but for some reason (read: fanon) I like to think of everyone's inner animal being entirely different, though obviously influenced by that person's character.

Others:

Lion
Griffin
Hippogriff
Snakes (particularly in relation to Voldemort)
Birds

Personally, one I'd like to see Ron and Harry attempt the animagus transformation during Deathly Hallows, and Harry's success (becoming a RAVEN) is the reason that Ron flips shit and leaves. Goes without saying that he'd use it to his advantage over the length of the fic (escaping quickly, hiding, no one but Hermione and Ron realizing that Harry can even do the transformation... etc)

 

Unless there's a recon on this on Pottermore, I think the only canon support for the "inner spirit animal" nonsense is a throwaway comment made during an interview about the Animagus not having control over the form, as it's the one that's "best suited" to someone.

Anyone know of any more conclusive canon support for this concept or is it all just a fanon invention?

 

I read a hilarious scene (in a humor fic) where everybody takes that animagus reveal potion before they decide wether they lean to change or not. Fred and George are twin lepards, Rons a tiger, Hermione an owl, everybody has something cool and Harry's - a sheep. "Yea guys, I was totally a lion. But, I'm not going to learn it, I'm busy enough as it is and it is really difficult ...". Or the timetravel fic where Harry's animagus form is a rhinozeros.

Imo, stag sounds good, maybe a wolf or an owl, though those are predators and I don't see Harry as one.

 

I think the evidence sort of points to it being a deliberate choice; James and Sirius becoming animals large enough to handle a werewolf, Rita's form being ideal for snooping around etc.
In the end it's just self-transfiguration, there's nothing really mystical about it.

 

I remember Hermione making a comment about McGonagall having a lot of different forms or imply that it was that way and you had to register yourself at ministry or something. Can't remember where exactly, it's Taure's expertise.

 

If this were so, why would James choose to transfigure himself into food?

 

That part doesn't make any sense, but I still prefer the choice/self Transfiguration theory to the get-stoned-and-peer-into-your-subconscious one.
I think people confuse the Patronus-which takes the form of the animal to which you have the most affinity- with the Animagus transformation, which I think is just Transfiguration.
The Patronus involves a bit of mysticism, the Animagus transformation does not.

 

Lemming...
Perceptions of the character of an animal seemed to be a major contributing factor.

Lemmings jump off cliffs (perception) Harry walks to his certain death

 

Do you have a canon source for this? JKR explicitly stated that an Animagus has no control over his or her form.

 

No source, and I wasn't aware JKR had said anything about the matter.
Still don't like it though, it just feels wrong.
Changing things from one form to another is regarded as normal in H.P canon, human Transfiguration is really advanced but feasible and the wand movement for Transfiguration were said to be minimal or nonexistent. Why can't the Animagus transformation just be really difficult self Transfiguration rather than mystical, true inner form mumbo jumbo.

 

I don't see Harry as a stag. In theory it was James' pride and nobility that were shown in the stag. Harry really isn't that prideful.

I like the idea of him being a rhino. Stubborn and quick to anger (and hunted almost to extinction). Works well.

Lion/Tiger/Panther/Griffon only really applies to fanon Harry.
Owl, really? An animal that's supposed to embody wisdom? Same applies to raven.
I'll admit phoenix has a certain appeal (how many times has Harry died and come back?) but it's kinda game-breaking.
If we're gonna go with a bird then a peregrin falcon might work. Also 'quick to anger' and has the added thing of being well known for diving at the ground very fast.


I'd also like to point out that (and to be honest I have no idea how canon this is) a patronus is a representation of something that makes you feel safe/happy. For Harry this is his father's animagus form, it is the feeling of safety he has missed throughout his life. For Hermione it is an otter, the surety that actually she isn't as boring as the bullies say. For Ron it is a terrier, the feeling that despite his failings his loyalty and determination will see him through.

Animagus is different, instead being a creature that shares features with the witch/wizard.

EDIT:

It doesn't have to be true inner form mumbo jumbo. I've always disliked just how much mysticism there is in fanon animagus work. McGonagall doesn't trike me as the kind of person to spend years working on spiritualist crap.

So dump the idea of 'meditating' to 'find your form' or some potion that 'shows you your form'. Instead you just try changing into animals, almost blindly. The issue is that to complete the transformation you must be able to envisage the animal in its entirety. You have to be able to understand the mental state of the animal. This would mean that while the witch/wizard isn't exactly locked to a specific transformation they would find it exceptionally difficult to become something opposed to their own personlity.

Additionally, because they have to work pretty much blind, it explains why so few people bother. You have no indication that it's going to ever work, you have no idea if you're on the right track. McGonagall did it because she's really really in to transfiguration. The Maruaders did it because they were too stubborn to give up on helping their friend.

Rita did it because... I have no idea. Perhaps she's just really ambitious and refused to give up; she needed the edge as she's a pretty lacklustre reporter without it.