A.C.H. (Animagi Control Help)

"Yes it was. Please continue." She noted that he seemed gifted in the art of transfiguration.

He pointed his wand at the orange, and did the same.
Finally, he transfigured the pomegranate into a stone and back to it's original form.
"Was that okay?"

Eglantine nodded. "Yes, I think that was most helpful. Shall we try some more difficult mental exercises or would you prefer more transfiguring objects?"

"Tranfiguring objects!" Darien said without hesitation.
Transfiguration was probably the only thing he enjoyed.

She smiled. His enthusiasm was contagious and hard to ignore. "Very well." She accioed the box she had brought with her and began to lay out various objects including a loudly squawking bird, which she silenced with a wandless spell.

"The goblet into a chipmunk and the toy mouse into frog."

Darien grinned at the squawking bird.
"Okay."
Transfiguration was the one subject he'd not failed at Durmstrang, mostly because he found it fun.
He narrowed his eyes and changed the goblet into a chipmunk, then the toy mouse into a frog. As he watched the frog, the chipmunk clamboured onto his arm.
He glanced down and froze. "There's a chipmunk on my arm..."

Eglantine reached out and grabbed the creature, holding it careful by its neck between two fingers.

"Now the bird into a wolf pup. Try not to let this one attack you." she smiled, petting the chipmunk. It actually looked rather tasty...

A wolf...
Darien pushed the thought from his mind, and pointed his wand at the bird.
It changed into a wolf pup and gazed up at him with blue, shining eyes, moving forwards slightly.
Darien froze as the little wolf howled.
The sound...hurt. He winced. "What's wrong with it?"

"Nothing, its just frightened." Eglantine transfigured the chipmunk back into a goblet and picked up the wolf pup, who calmed immediately. Her mind had a strange way of fearing dogs and yet having no problem with wolves... "See." she held it out to Darien.

Darien almost backed away, but changed his mind.
What was he scared of? It was a pup!
He held the pup, which grabbed his robe sleeve between his teeth and pulled. Darien sniggered, and before he knew what he was doing, licked the pup on the top of the head.
"Urgh!" He made a disgusted face and used magic to clean his tongue. "What the-"

Eglantine cleared her throat to make sure he kept his statement unfinished.
"Now let us try something a bit more complex." She held out a piece of unpolished granite. "Transfigure it into a quartz crystal."

The transfiguration was complex, but she had already decided he could do it. He was skilled.

Darien thought back to his previous transfiguration lessons.
Granite to Quartz...
He focused on the granite until it filled his mind, every brain cell concentrated on the rock. He pointed his wand and tried to change it to quartz.
About two thirds of the rock began to transform, becoming quartz. Darien glared angrily at the remaining third.
Oh deja vu. He thought to himself.
Taking a deep breath in, he tried again. About half the remaining granite changed to clear quartz.
He wanted to give up...but then he might not be able to do any more transfiguration...He bit his lip slightly and pointed his wand at the remaining granite, willing it to change.

Eglantine clasped her hands, delighted by the marvelous job.

"I've never seen a student accomplish that task before, Mr. Vaight." She exclaimed. "Congratulations."

Darien raised an eyebrow. "Isn't it in the curriculum or something?"

Eglantine shook her head. "Not this level... but then again, I could be mistaken. Would you mind if I kept it as quartz crystal?"

"Nope." Darien replied.
But he still didn't know what this had to do with his wolf problem...

Eglantine usually would have been slightly upset at the young man's casual language, but this time completely ignored it.

"There is a process that could give you complete control with limited side effects."

Darien raised an eyebrow.
"...What?"

Eglantine sighed. "If I were to enter your thoughts, briefly, I could instruct your mind to set up wards to contain the wolf. It done properly, you would have full control."

Darien flinched slightly, but forced himself not to throw the idea away without thought. He wasn't in control enough, he might need these wards, at least temporarily.
"And what side effects would these have?" Darien asked warily.

"Well, three mainly, but none of them are certain. First of all it may not work, which means nothing would change...secondly if it does work, you may have a few scattered thoughts from me in your mind, and thirdly, it may increase your control to the extent that you could even partially transfigure..."

"What...like body parts?" Darien raised an eyebrow. "I can do that with my voice box etc. sometimes."
The argument continued in his head.
Biased against: not wanting anyone in his head...it was one of few places he could escape to.
For: Non-awful side effects and no more losing control.

But could he succeed on his own? He didn't seem to have really got anywhere...He was undecided and bit his lip slightly. He didn't much like the idea of stray thoughts in his mind...But then, if he could be in control...
"Would it drain any energy from me?"

Eglantine shook her head. "No, it would not."

Darien pondered for a moment.
"And you wouldn't see my memories?"

"I will not see your memories. Just a few thoughts." The questions meant that he was considering it. Perhaps she should get permission from Kiara for the procedure, she thought. But then again, Kiara was doubtless busy with preparations for the Triwizard Tournament...