It was also important to note that werewolves were fundamentally different from Animagi, despite the spell to force each species to take human form likely being the same. Lycanthropy was a condition caused by a blood infection transmitted through being bitten by another werewolf, whereas the Animagus transformation was a skill that could learned, and while a werewolf could only transform into a wolf-like beast, an Animagus could transform into one of any creature in the animal kingdom. Additionally, werewolves could not keep their minds while they were transformed (unless they took the Wolfsbane Potion), nor could they control themselves when they transformed, while Animagi could easily do both. Furthermore, an Animagus could transform between human and beast forms whenever they wanted, whereas werewolves would only and always transform during the full moon. We don't know whether the wealth of unregistered Animagi we encounter in the series is just a strange coincidence, or if it's a regular occurence in the wizarding world; if it's the latter, the number of Animagi is surely higher than the believed one in a thousand. --RP It is important to understand that, in J.K. Rowling’s world, witches and wizards do not get to choose the form their Animagus takes. Their animal counterpart is determined based on their personality and inner traits. It is very fitting that Professor McGonagall is a clever feline, and Rita Skeeter a pesky beetle. Similarly, the Patronus form of a witch or wizard can also be determined by one’s characteristics, which is why for McGonagall, the two are the same: a cat. The transformation has a long and challenging process. It takes you over thirty days to perform the magic and possibly get results. The Animagi Quiz puts you through the same practice to see how strong-willed you are. Analyze your physical features. Rita Skeeter, who is a reporter, became an Animagus perhaps so that she would be able to spy on people to get good stories for the papers she writes for, notably the Daily Prophet and Witch Weekly. Note that the witch or wizard performing the spell does not have control over the specific type of animal he will become; the form that the wizard's animal form takes will depend on his personality at the time he performs the spell. The fact that Rita became a beetle, so very close to the proverbial "fly on the wall", could only be providential – she could not have selected for it.

If we could choose our Animagus, you can rest assured we’d all be lions, adorable puppies, or magnificent eagles. But realistically, an Animagus is closely linked to your personality. For example, the brave and rebellious James Potter is famously a stag, whereas the conniving journalist Rita Skeeter is a beetle. Your Animagus and Patronus animal can be the same

Dog

The 2579th edition of Transfiguration Today contained a guide to identifying unregistered Animagi. [24]

Generally, wizards prefer to have their clothes Transfigure with them, to escape the embarrassment of reappearing naked’. The first step for becoming an Animagus was that the witch or wizard in question had to keep a single Mandrake leaf in their mouth for an entire month (from full moon to full moon). If the leaf was removed or swallowed, the witch or wizard would have to start over again.At Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, the theory of Animagus transfiguration was taught about in third year. When Minerva McGonagall, an Animagus herself, was the teacher, it also included a practical demonstration. Talented and determined students could acquire the skill during their school years if they wished to. Minerva had become an Animagus by the age of seventeen, being taught by Professor Dumbledore, who made a note within The Tales of Beedle the Bard to explain for her that, while Animagi were usually people who sought to avoid punishment when they broke the law, she merely became one to further her studies in Transfiguration. [8]