"Incomplete Transfigurations are difficult to put right, but you must attempt to do so. Leaving the head of a rabbit on a footstool is irresponsible and dangerous. Say 'Reparifarge!' and the object or creature should return to its natural state." —Emeric Switch, A Beginner's Guide to Transfiguration

 

This year we will be discussing animal and human transfigurations. This would also include cross-species transfiguration, animagus, and metamorphmagus. Examples of this include mice to snuffleboxes, beetles to buttons, guinea fowls to guinea pigs, and a few more. You could even transfigure your familiar if they allowed you to.

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Option #1: Transfiguring Familiars

A familiar is an animal companion to a witch or wizard. Your familiar would never be referred to as “my owl”, “my cat”, or “my platypus”. Your familiar has its own name and personality. Your familiar aids you in many magical aspects. It will volunteer itself for spellwork, it will let you Transfigure it, and it will do pretty much any task that you ask it to. My familiar is Rika, the owl you see on my shoulder. Midnight, the cat below me, is also one of my familiars. Most people only have one, though Merlin is known to have had three, Greymalkin the cat, Paddock the hedgehog, and Harpier the owl. Some notable familiars from recent times are Fawkes, Hedwig, Crookshanks, Trevor, Pigwidgeon, and Nagini.

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Now onto why you have your familiar with you today… We are going to transfigure them! That’s right; we are going to do some Transfiguration with them. I’ll be standing by to fix any problems that might occur when you try to transfigure them. The incantation is Vera Verto with three taps on the animal you want to transfigure. 

Now here is the key thing to remember when you want to transfigure or do any kind of magic with your familiar: they will let you perform magic on them.  However, it is in your best interest to ask permission first. This shows that you respect your familiar and that you don’t take them for granted. Your familiar will give you some indication on whether or not you are permitted. A playful nibble, a purr, something like that. Rika, my owl, will give a small hoot and nip the corner of my ear lightly before hopping onto the desk waiting. Midnight, the little demon cat that he is, will rub against me looking for pets before he sits still enough, and that is his approval from him to me to perform magic on him. However, his claws can be scary sometimes…

 

That reminds me. I need to clip them soon or you will have a scratched up Professor soon. Though more than likely they will allow you to perform magic on them as that is one of the whole purposes behind a familiar.

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This is similar to the mice to snuffleboxes and beetles to buttons. However, instead of those, I want you to try it on your familiar. Remember, you do know the untransfiguration spell: Reparifarge. 

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Homework:
Task 1: Do a little research on why familiars are good for witches and wizards to perform magic on them. Is there a reason why familiars are used instead of other animals that are in shops and in the wild? (200 words minimum)

 

Task 2: Ask your familiar permission to transfigure it, and then change your familiar into an object of your choosing. Include the indication it gave you that means it allows you to perform with it. (200 words minimum)
 

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Option #2: Human Transfiguration

How would you be able to tell the difference between a metamorphmagus and animagus? Human Transfiguration is a sub-branch of Transfiguration and a form of transformation in which one transfigures human body parts or an entire human being into another form. This type of transfiguration is more difficult than the cross-species type of transfiguration. 

 

Human transfiguration is like the metamorphmagi, where they change the appearance of oneself. It has been stated many times that human Transfiguration can go badly wrong when performed poorly. The user has the risk of getting stuck in his or her transfigured state.

 

Homework:

Task 1: Do some research on human transfiguration. It must be at least 200 words, however, you can write more than that if you find more information for you to expand on. In your research include examples of witches and wizards that have used human transfiguration successfully. Note what they did and how (if your research explains it) the human transfiguration went. (Research can be bullet points)

 

Task 2: Take your research from Task 1 and apply it to this example. You stumbled upon a cat that looks distressed as it wanders back and forth looking for something. You think something is amiss with the cat, and you believe it could be an animagus who just recently figured out how to fully transform or another student playing with transfiguration spells. How do you determine if the "cat" is a cat, an animagus, or a student who played with the wrong spells? (200 words minimum)

 

Option #3: Animagus vs Metamorphagus

An Animagi is someone who can turn themselves into an animal at will. A wand is not needed to become your animal form. The form you take is reminiscent of your inner-animal. It's much like a Patronus. In fact most Animagi's form is the same as their Patronus. Training is very long and difficult, and should really be done in the presence of someone who can help you. Animagi can only take on the form of one specific animal. This animal form is not chosen by the wizard, but determined by their personality and inner traits. Each Animagus has a distinct marking that allows them to be recognized by others.

 

The process of becoming an animagus, as stated earlier, is very long and difficult. Part of the process by which one becomes an Animagus is holding the leaf of a mandrake in their mouth for an entire month (without taking it out!), using the leaf for the creation of a potion, reciting an incantation (Amato Animo Animato Animagus) on a daily basis, and drinking the Animagus potion during a lightning storm. However, just like every other transfiguration, becoming an animagus can backfire if done incorrectly and not with someone who would know what they were doing. 

 

A Metamorphmagus is a witch or wizard with the rare ability to change their physical appearance at will, rather than requiring Polyjuice Potion or a spell like the rest of the wizarding population. Unlike Animagi, Metamorphmagi can take a wide variety of forms, changing sex and age, potentially looking like anyone at all, or even just changing a part of their appearance, such as the color of their hair or shape of their noses. The other difference between an animagus and a metamorphmagus is that a metamorphmagus is born with the ability. So far, the only magical people seen to have this ability are Tonks and her son Teddy Lupin. 

 

Also unlike animagus, there may or may not be any special training to hone the skill. The witch or wizard who has the ability may have the ability when they are younger before they go to Hogwarts. Therefore, to master the ability, it would be based on trial and error. It is also not known if those with the ability must register with the Ministry of Magic as animagus do once they have achieved their forms. Although unlike Animagi, Metamorphmagi do not possess any distinct markings that come with their transformation, so it would be far more difficult to keep track of them for any signs of abuse of one’s ability.

 

Homework:

Task 1: Research the animagus process and list out the steps. Why would someone want to follow something that could be a long and difficult process? What would happen if you mess up with the leaf step? (150 words minimum)

 

Task 2: What are some of the characteristics that some can use to tell that one is an animagus versus a regular animal? Use some examples or even create your own. What are some that are found on the mH site of those that are animagi? (200 words minimum)

 

Option #4: Cross-Species Transfiguration

This year we will be discussing a type of switching spell that changes certain aspects of different species. Remember that the switching spell is a type of Transforming Transfiguration! We will be discussing Cross-Species Switches or Trans-Species Transformation. Cross-Species switches is a type of transfiguration that is caused when transforming spells are modified in certain ways. The Trans-Species Transformation is a sub-branch of transformation magic in which one organism is transformed into something entirely different. You may recall the mouse to snufflebox and beetles to buttons. These examples are similar to what we are discussing now. The examples of the mice and beetles are to turn animate objects, or animals, into inanimate objects. In this lesson, we will be focusing on turning animals into other animals, cross-species!

 

Now, I need your full attention as this topic is one of the most difficult sub-branches of transfiguration because of what you are doing. In fact, the most difficult sub-branch is the human transfiguration. But! That is for another lesson! Back to cross-species… because the Cross-Species Switches and the Trans-Species Transformations sound similar, then the transforming spells can and must be adapted to perform these types of transfigurations. It is also noted that it is easier to perform this type of transfiguration if the names of what you are transfiguring have similar names. Examples include: guinea fowl to guinea pigs and beetles to buttons.

 

Homework:

Task 1: Describe the difference between Trans-Species and Cross-Species Transfiguration. You must include at least two examples that were not discussed in the lesson. (200 words minimum) 

 

Task 2: Take either a beetle or porcupine from the front of the room and transform it into either a button (beetle) or a pincushion (porcupine). Describe how your attempt went and whether you were successful or not. (200 words minimum)