Magical Ability Description

[* JAQI]

Genetic Abilities

• Seers
  
  These people are gifted with the ability to glimpse into the future through visions, or predict it through prophecy. They are also very good with other aspects of divination; dream interpreting, reading oracle bones, crystal gazing, et cetera. While true Seers are exceedingly rare, partial Seers are much more common. Partial Seers are the equivalent of Professor Trelawney, with very few prophecies or true visions.
  
  
• Metamorphmagus
  
  People with this ability can change any aspect of their physical appearance at will. However, they are unable to transfigure completely into an animal, but may give themselves characteristics of animals (such as tails, beaks, claws, et cetera). If they transfigure their body type, their weight will not be altered, so they are advised to take on appearance of someone of their weight. This ability can be difficult to control, but it becomes dramatically easier with age. Still, if not properly maintained, things such as hair and eye colour change without any thought with emotions. The ability loses potency during bouts of emotional turmoil.
  
  
• Parseltongue
  
  People with this ability are referred to as "Parselmouths" and have the ability to speak with any type of serpent from a common garter snake to a basilisk. This trait has often been associated with many a dark wizard including both Salazar Slytherin and Lord Voldemort. Parselmouths are often shunned in society for this very reason, although discrimination has lessened with the noted Harry Potter. Exceedingly rare, it is a recessive gene, with family history of Parselmouths on both the maternal and paternal lines needed for the gene to appear.

Learned Abilities

• Animagus
  
  This ability allows the person to shift from their human state to an animal form without the use of a wand. Their animal form will have unique markings, such as if the person wears glasses, their animal form will have spectacle-like markings around the eyes. The animal will often reflect the personality of the Animagus; a wise person might take form of an owl or a cat, a flamboyant person a peacock. The point of being an Animagus is to blend in, so they are seldom magical creatures. It is very difficult and dangerous to become an Animagus, so they are very few in numbers.
  
  
• Legilimency
  
  A practicer of Legilimency is called a Legilimens, and are able to use magic to break into the minds of others and read emotions and memories with little effort once well practiced. As the mind is considered a sacred place, the practice of this form of magic is often frowned upon, and is seldom taught in schools any longer. There can be disastrous consequences to mental health of the victim and practicer if incorrectly performed, so there are very few true Legilimens.
  
  
• Occlumency
  
  A practicer of Occlumency is called an Occlumens, and use the opposite magic from Legilimency to protect their minds. Basic Occlumency is now taught in Defense Against the Dark Arts classes, true Occlumens are few and far between. As in the case of Legilimency, there can be terrible consequences if incorrectly performed, so only the best of wizards and witches are coached to become absolute Occlumens.

Elemental Abilities

• Water (does not include ice or snow)
  
• Fire
  
• Air
  
• Earth (includes dirt and plants, but not rocks)
  
• Ice (includes snow)
  
• Electricity
  
• Rock
  
• Light (but not electricity)
  
• Darkness
  
• Metal