Welcome to your first year in Transfiguration! In simple terms, transfiguration is turning one thing into another thing. Transfiguration spells can be used to alter the appearance of anything, living or inanimate, as well as bringing inanimate objects to life!

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Option #1: Key Elements of Transfiguration, Transfiguration Formula

Transfiguration is the art of turning one object into another in its most simplest form. Charms can also be seen as such with certain spells and transformations. An example of this is the Color Changing Charm that changes the color and physical appearance of the object that is being focused on. Like Charms, this class requires concentration, specific wand motions, and proper pronunciation. It is much more difficult than Charms, however. It requires much more effort and is an elegant form.

 

There are a number of factors a wizard must take into account when carrying out Transfiguration spells. The intended transformation (t) is directly influenced by body weight (a), viciousness (v), wand power (w), concentration (c) and a fifth unknown variable (Z), as described by the following mathematical formula:

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The levels of each variable are as follows:

t= end result. Most Transfiguration spell difficulties range from basic, somewhat basic, intermediate, somewhat difficult, difficult, expert

a= caster must be heavier than the object being transformed

v= mild, medium-mild, medium, medium-strong, strong, extreme

w= any, medium, strong

c= fair, moderate, complete

Z= well-spoken, perfectly-spoken - and - as clear as possible, completely clear

 

Now that the formula has been discussed, let us now focus on something else that can assist with Transfiguration. The three key concepts of transfiguration: concentration, wand movements, and proper pronunciation. Concentration, specific wand motions, and proper pronunciation are key concepts of transfiguration. Why? Say you are multitasking and you need to concentrate on one thing while doing something in the background. What would happen if you were disturbed? The effect of being disturbed would be that you would start doing something else while also working on the other, if that were possible. An example of this is that you are typing a message to a fellow classmate. However, someone comes in and starts talking to you. Therefore, you begin typing what the other person is saying before you realize it! However, there are some students who can only concentrate on one objective, which is perfectly fine. 

 

Wand motions are quite easy to understand. These motions need to be firm and decisive movements as you attempting to transfigure an object from one thing to another. Just as Emeric Switch stated above, you do not want to be wiggling or twirling your wand. If you do, your transfiguration will be unsuccessful. It may not be a total failure, but the transfiguration may not be exactly what you wanted. 

 

Proper pronunciation is equally important.

 

Homework: 

Task 1: You must answer all parts below to receive full credit for this task:

a). What are the factors that contribute to the transfiguration formula?

b). What are the three key things to remember when attempting transfiguration?

c). Do a little research on your own regarding proper pronunciation. Why is it important? (150 words minimum)

 

Choose either Task 2a or Task 2b to complete:

Task 2a: Practice the key concepts and tell how it went with the spell, Vera Verto. The wand movement is three taps on an animal in front of you. For this, I will provide some field mice. After you have tried it once, I want you to write down your observations on how the concepts assisted you and possibly the formula itself. Also, did you succeed? If not, what could you have happened to make it unsuccessful? If so, how did you achieve it? (200 words minimum)

 

Task 2b: Let’s get creative! Draw or create an image/comic/presentation of you performing the Vera Verto on a field mouse that is provided to you. If it does not work out, say so in your submission and tell me what happened along with what you thought you could have done differently. If it was a success, then provide examples of what you did and how you would work the spell on a different type of animal.

 

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Option #2: Dangers of Transfiguration, Reparifarge Spell

As we have discussed both the transfiguration formula as well as the key concepts, let us move forward with the consequences of doing a transfiguration incorrectly. With each factor that contributes to the transfiguration formula and the concepts, it may be easy to make a mistake. There is a simple untransfiguration spell that can assist with fixing these mistakes: Reparifarge. Some mistakes are easy to fix while others require specialists. 

 

We will work on turning a match into a needle. This is quite simple, but there are no spells for this. Remember those concepts? Apply that to this. Picture the match in front of you turning into a needle. Turning a match into a needle is a simple transformation type of transfiguration. You will need all of your focus in turning the match in front of you into a needle that is sharp enough to assist with sewing or anything you need to do with one. 

 

Now, each of you will come up and watch this match become a needle. *Each of you come forward and watch as Professor Chel takes her wand and changes the match into a perfectly pointy needle. Professor Chel passes around the needle to each student before taking it back and putting it on the desk.* 

 

Homework:

Task 1: You must answer all parts below to receive full credit for this task:

a). Please describe the transformation as you saw it. You can draw it out as an illustration or write a paragraph of the transformation. (50 words minimum or picture)

b). What are some dangers that you know of or could happen if the transfiguration goes wrong? (100 words minimum)

 

Choose either Task 2a or Task 2b to complete:

Task 2a: You must answer all parts below to receive full credit for this task: 

a). Could you transform other items into a needle? What would be some items that you would use instead of a match? Please describe to me why you would choose that item to transfigure into a needle in a paragraph. (200 words minimum)

b). What kind of consequences could you face if the transfiguration went wrong? (200 words minimum)

 

Task 2b: Create a story or an image of any of the consequences that were mentioned in the lesson or even one that was not mentioned OR a successful transfiguration of the match to the needle. How would you resolve the issue if you went the route of identifying the consequences? You can create your own object to transfigure or use the needle from the lesson.

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Option #3: Transfiguration - Limitations

Just like with everything else, there are limitations on what you can and cannot do with transfiguration. If you glanced at the first option for this year, you would see that there is a formula that has five factors that involve it. One of those factors was wand power as well as concentration and body weight. If you were attempting to perform a Transfiguration spell would often find it easier to transfigure one thing into something else, provided that the state it was originally was is something in common to what it would be converted into. The overall mass and size of the object or entity to be transfigured into something else must also be considered. An example of this would be if you were to transfigure a dragon or something larger, it would be harder and take more concentration than you would know until you have learned more. Furthermore, Transformation is limited by the fact that the dead cannot be revived via magic and hence one cannot "transfigure" the dead back to life, no matter how recently the death occurred.

 

We will discuss this more in Second and Third Year, but there are the Four Types of Transfiguration (Transformation, Untransfiguration, Vanishment, and Conjuration). Conjuration is limited by another set of laws called Gamp’s Law of Elemental Transfiguration. Mostly due to the fact that one cannot conjure food; however, pre-existing food can be charmed in certain ways — such as by summoning & multiplication — and transfigured by the other branches. Also, nothing lasts forever, so the conjuration would eventually disappear like anything else conjured.

 

While there are a variety of limits placed on Conjuration, the branch referred to as Vanishment seems to be completely unrestricted (this also appears true of Untransfiguration).

 

Homework:

Task 1: You must answer all parts below to receive full credit for this task:

a). Why would someone performing a transfiguration spell find it easier to transfigure one thing into something else as long as it was in the same state as the original item? (50 words minimum)

b). Provide some examples as to what would be easy to transfigure versus something (other than a dragon) that would be harder to transfigure. (100 words minimum)

 

Choose either Task 2a or Task 2b to complete:

Task 2a: You must answer all parts below to receive full credit for this task: 

a). Are there limitations to the transfiguration type Transformation? If so, what is one example and why is it listed as a limitation? (100 words minimum)

b). What would happen if an object is transfigured into multiple animals? More along the lines of the mental and intelligence aspects. (100 word minimum)

 

Task 2b: You receive a call from a friend asking them for assistance for transforming items in their dorm. You are not sure what they mean, but this is a first year, so you contact an OWL student who knows what they are talking about. When the OWL student and yourself reach your friend, your friend starts shooting off suggestions before the OWL student stops your friend from going forward. Write out the conversation regarding limitations that is occurring right now between your friend and the OWL student. (200 words minimum)

 

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Option #4: Theory of Gamp’s Law of Elemental Transfiguration and Four Types of Transfiguration

We will be looking at Gamp’s Laws of Elemental Transfiguration, but just the background! This is a law of wizarding physics that states what magic has the power to destroy or create. We know that there are Five Exceptions to the law: Love, Life, Food, Money, and Knowledge. These are the five things that can absolutely not be created. There is some gray area with some exceptions. Such as with food, it appears that various people in the series conjured food out of nowhere. This cannot be done. However, food can be summoned from another place if the one who casts the spell or transfiguration knows where the food is being kept.

 

Life is another gray area. It appears that life can be created through the use of Avis and Orchideous spells. However, life cannot be given to someone that is dead. Life would be hard to create out of nothing. It also would not be possible to bring someone back from the dead. You would be messing with a bunch of components that are very tricky and hard to handle. There is an alchemist saying that I have heard ‘Humankind cannot gain anything without first giving something in return. To obtain, something of equal value must be lost.’ Money is the same way. If one does not have it available, it cannot be created out of thin air. That would be illegal. 

 

There are four types of Transfiguration: Transformation, Untransfiguration, Vanishment, and Conjuration. Transformation has two sub-branches under it: Human Transfiguration and Switching. A transformation refers to any type of transfiguration that alters the form of an object physically. Transformation is also limited by the fact that the dead cannot be revived via magic and hence one cannot "transfigure" the dead back to life, no matter how recently the death occurred. Human transfiguration a form of transformation in which one transfigures human body parts or an entire human being into another form. This branch is more difficult than any other and is only taught at N.E.W.T.-level. Switching is a sub-type of Transformation in the sense that it a physical feature from one of the two targets is switched with that of another. 

 

Untransfiguration is the art of reversing a previous transfiguration. Reparifarge is a general spell used to counter the effects of a Transformation spell that was poorly performed and only partially transfigured the object in question. Vanishment is the art of causing things to Vanish; to make things go into non-being. Vanishment is moderately difficult — learned in fifth year — and is considered one of the hardest transfigurations to be tested on in one's O.W.L. Evanesco is the spell to vanish an object. Conjuration is the art of conjuring things and hence is the opposite of Vanishment. It is harder than its counterpart.

 

Homework:

Task 1: You must answer all parts below to receive full credit for this task: 

a). What are the five exceptions to Gamp’s Law? 

b). Do you think there should be other exceptions to Gamp’s Law? If so, tell me what they are in a small paragraph (150 words minimum)

 

Task 2: You must answer all parts below to receive full credit for this task: 

a). What are you four types of Transfiguration?

b). What is the difference between the two sub-branches of Transformation, Human Transfiguration and Switching? (150 words minimum)