A Journey of Self-Discovery (Nigel)

[Martin Bishop]

This thread follows A Ravenclaw's Ambitions

Sometime in mid-October, Martin returned to Prof. Dextera's office on a Thursday evening. He wasn't dressed in his Hogwarts robes, but instead a pair of pajamas and slippers. This was beyond unusual for him, as he rarely appeared under-dressed, but he had a purpose in mind.

"Hello sir, are you free?", he inquired. It was one of the days Prof. Dextera had said he'd be most available, but he could be in the middle of grading or something else for all Martin knew, and he didn't want to impose.

After being invited in, he took a seat, setting two notebooks in his lap. The one on top was clearly the scrapbook Dextera had loaned him. "I've been pouring over your animagus notes for the past month...I can't thank you enough, because I've found the material you compiled to be very insightful and thorough. I did come up with a few questions, but I managed to answer them by re-reading your notes and going through what few materials I could find on the subject in the library. Of the different known methods for discovering one's own animagus form, the one that I find most intriguing is the guided meditation method, and I was wondering if you could coach me through that? I brewed one of the recommended potions for inducing a relaxed state to make the experience more likely to succeed." He then retrieved a small vial from a pocket and held it up. "I understand this might take several attempts, and I might have to try a different method."

[Nigel Dextera]

Homework was a stress-inducing thing, not just for students but for teachers too.

Nigel massaged his temples before picking up his quill again. The essay before him was… a catastrophe. The first sentence was already fraught with errors, and as he was about to correct them, he realised what a Herculean task it would be, possibly even bordering on Sisyphean. It would take more than some handwritten comments to correct the student’s fundamental misunderstanding of the subject.

Deciding that an extra lesson was in order, he checked his calendar for any suitable time slots, just as a sudden but welcome interruption alerted him to the presence of a student outside his office. “Come in,” he said, thankful that he now had a valid reason to put aside the stack of essays for the time being. He’d tackle his work again later tonight after he renewed his focus with a mug of strong tea.

The student turned out to be Martin Bishop, an aspiring Animagi and Occlumens under his tutelage, and as such one of the students who had his explicit permission to drop by at his office as and when they needed any help. “Good to see you again, Mr Bishop,” he greeted the student, noting the boy’s uncharacteristic and unusual attire with a curious raise of an eyebrow. “What brings you here today?” he asked, even though he could already guess the reason why; the question was more of an invitation for Martin to speak his mind.

As Martin spoke, Nigel listened and nodded. “It’s heartening to hear that you managed to deduce the answers yourself,” he replied, giving credit where it was due. “Well done, and keep up the good work. Nevertheless, should you feel unsure about anything, feel free to approach me.”

“And now, on the topic of the guided meditation… this is where things get a little complicated.” This was the first major roadblock that most of his students faced, and for good reason. “Despite being one of the most precise branches of magic, certain aspects of Transfiguration, such as Animagus Transfiguration, are much more… nebulous in certain ways. Nonetheless, as with all other types of Transfiguration, you must hold in your mind a clear image of the intended result before you attempt to transform into your Animagus form.”

He paused briefly, giving Martin some time to digest what he had said before continuing. “Likewise for the process of gleaning insights into what your Animagus form might be: you must hold on to something in your mind as you search for answers within yourself. The obvious question is, of course, how one would know what that something is when you don’t even know what it is that you seek.” And once more he paused, letting Martin take a stab at solving the conundrum.

[Martin Bishop]

Martin paused to consider the problem, and he tried to reconcile what Prof. Dextera was saying and how he envisioned this playing out.

"My idea was to first take the meditation potion, which would help me to clear my mind of any spurious thoughts, and hopefully, also any preconceived notions of what my animagus form might be. Then, with you carefully guiding my meditation, I could possibly tap into my inner self and, with luck, experience a sort of vision of what my animagus form would see, hear, and feel. If I could work out what muscle movements felt most natural for moving, that would help me to distinguish between being an avian, terrestrial, or aquatic animal. If I could work out what environment I was in, that could give clues as to my form's natural habitat. I'm not sure if this would work, but my idea boils down to playing 'twenty questions'. Does that make sense?"

[Nigel Dextera]

The process of becoming an Animagus was essentially a personal journey into one’s psyche, and as such Nigel had always liked to tailor his guidance to suit each student’s needs and preferences. Thus was the reason why he had posed his question to Martin, whose thought process became apparent as he articulated his ideas.

The professor nodded as he listened, acknowledging Martin’s words. A hint of a smile played on his lips, subtle encouragement for the student to continue. Martin’s proposed approach of using meditation was a logical one and a good choice: Nigel often recommended it to prospective Animagi who didn’t know how best to proceed. After all, it was a well-established and versatile method that most people were familiar with, one that was employed by many who sought a glimpse of the unknown, be it prophecies of the future or subconscious thoughts swirling in the depths of one’s mind.

But the devil was in the details, and Nigel wouldn’t recommend proceeding with any meditation unless he was sufficiently assured that Martin had at least a good idea of what he intended to achieve through meditation.

“A very well thought out plan,” Nigel replied, satisfied with what he had heard. “I should brief you on what to expect, and how I can help you delve into your subconscious mind.” With a flick of his wand he dimmed the lights in the room slightly as he continued. “I will be guiding you along mostly with simple instructions to help you clear your mind and attune your senses inwards. My preference is to avoid asking questions, for words can carry certain connotations that influence the way we think and feel. Remember: your goal is to find out who you truly are, independent of biases and preconceptions.”

“Apart from the meditation potion you’ve brewed, there’s something else which I hope would prove helpful to you as well.” Rising from his seat, Nigel pointed his wand at the only unoccupied chair in his office and muttered a string of incantations, a series of simple spells weaved together into a complex amalgamation. Several thin silvery streams of light emanated from his wand towards the chair, which levitated slightly as he repositioned it to the middle of his office.

As the last of the utterances left his lips, the weathered but inviting chair had transformed into a comfortable and plush recliner. But it wasn’t just a simple transfiguration: the immediate vicinity of the chair-turned-recliner seemed a touch darker than its surroundings, a hint of the suite of enchantments that Nigel had carefully chosen for his intended purpose. “I’ve had some success using ‘reduced environmental stimulation therapy’ to help students meditate better,” Nigel revealed. “There’d be fewer unwanted external stimuli to distract you, and ideally that would allow you to better focus on looking within yourself.”

With that, he indicated the recliner with a subtle nod. “Since you’re already suitably attired, if you feel up to it, we can proceed.”