Harbinger - Animagus One Shot

[Rozalina Antonina Nightshade]

Fall-Winter 2027

Rose hadn't been sitting idly as she waited for news from Asher on her father's mistress. She'd been scheming. After her very painful sobering up she'd formulated a plan, and also formed a realization that se needed more cards up her sleeves. She needed more ways to stay one step ahead of her family, but also discretion. New secrets, if you will. To ensure her success moving forward. It was that drive that drew her to the conclusion of researching Animagus... 

Transfiguration hadn't been her best subject growing up, but she'd never been a poor student at it. Animagi were far more complex than anything in Transfiguration she'd ever done before now. But she wasn't phased. Rose had proven long ago that she could do anything she set her mind to. Especially when her survival was at stake. She'd do anything it took to survive at the end of the day, and this magic would simply be another tool in her survival. Thus, she was undaunted. It did, of course, come with quite a few challenges though. 

To ensure absolute secrecy she'd gone into hiding of sorts during the handful of months it took to master the art. Ensuring that absolutely no one but those she deemed necessary to tell would know what she was doing. She took up temporary residence in one of the darkest and most desolate places on earth, though she'd never say where. Only that it was a place not for the weak willed. It was there she underwent three months of preparations and then waiting... 

Rose had been able to complete the steps successfully in a month and a half (or so), the rest of the 3 month stay though was left waiting... waiting for the storm. However long it took. Finally though, in the dead of night, the storm struck. A violent storm that even the most seasoned sailor would balk at. A ship killer, is what it would be called. She dug out the potion from the cave she'd hidden it, downed it and stepped out into the pouring rain, lightning flashing and lighting up the night sky like day. "Amato Animo Animato Animagus!" She couldn't even hear her own words over the booming thunder of each lightning strike. But the universe did, and that's all that matters. She felt her bones snapping and reshaping. Her body shifting and twisting into an unfamiliar shape. While many people might be able to at least guess what their animal form was from their patronus, Rose had no such guidance. Despite many attempts she'd never been able to cast a patronus. 

As dark feathers sprouted from her skin, her arms turning to wings and her feet into talons though... She didn't need to see herself to know what she'd become. Being a Nightshade had always made her an ill omen. It seemed the universe agreed.