Changes: Human Transfiguration

Revision as of 09:15, 14 September 2012

"If only we'd done human Transfiguration already! But I don't think we start that until sixth year, and it can go badly wrong if you don't know what you're doing ..."

— Hermione Granger to Harry Potter on human Transfiguration^[src]

Human Transfiguration is a sub- branch of Transfiguration in which one Transfigures human body parts or an entire human being into another form. As it is more difficult than other forms of Transfiguration, including Cross-Species Transfiguration, it is a N.E.W.T. level spell, taught only to sixth-years and above.

Human Transfiguration can be used to essentially replicate the natural abilities of Metamorphmagi, allowing the practitioner or the subject to take on an entirely different form, or make various individual changes to their appearance, such as growing or changing the colour of one's hair^[1] or taking on individual animal body parts. However, while human Transfiguration can presumably be performed by any wizard who's skilled enough, on themselves as well as on others, a Metamorphmagus is born with the ability to make such changes to their own bodies with little to no effort, and without the use of a wand^[2].

Although it is possible to transfigure humans into inanimate objects^[3], it is unknown how someone who had himself transfigured into an object would be able to untransfigure without the intervention of another witch or wizard.

Known instances of human Transfiguration

Prior to 1991

During the Quidditch World Cup of 1473, all 700 fouls were committed, including one of the players Transfiguring one of the Chasers on the opposite team into a polecat.
During the 1600s, Thaddeus Thurkell had seven sons, all of whom were Squibs. Thurkell was so angry he Transfigured them all into hedgehogs.
During the 1800s, it is possible that Mirabella Plunkett Transfigured herself into a haddock in order to live with her merman lover, although it may be possible that she was an Animagus.
Circe, a witch who lived in ancient times, was famous for turning sailors into pigs.
According to legend, after Quintius MacBoon, head of the MacBoon clan, killed the head of a the rival McClivert clan, Dugald McClivert, in a drunken duel, the MacBoons were attacked by the McCliverts and the entire family was Transfigured into Quintapeds.
D.J. Prod stated that he was able to turn his wife into a yak after he took a Kwikspell course.

1991 to 1998

In 1991, Rubeus Hagrid attempted to Transfigure Dudley Dursley into a pig, but only succeeded in giving him a pig's tail.
In 1992, a Hogwarts student accidentally changed his classmate into a badger.
In 1994, Fred and George Weasley invented the Canary Cream, a prank item which, when eaten, automatically Transfigures the eater into a large canary, which they used on Neville Longbottom.
Gwenog Jones, captain of the Holyhead Harpies, was particularly skilled at Transfiguring anyone who disagreed with her into wood lice.
In 1994, Barty Crouch Jr. Transfigured Draco Malfoy into a ferret, and in 1995, Transfigured his father into a bone.
While competing in the second task of the Triwizard Tournament in 1995, Viktor Krum attempted to Transfigure himself fully or partially into a shark; ultimately, only his head was Transfigured, the shark's teeth were misplaced^[3].
According to Nymphadora Tonks, her Metamorphmagus abilities gave her an advantage in the Disguise and Concealment portion of Auror training, as Aurors have to Transfigure and Untransfigure themselves on a regular basis^[1].
In 1996, Horace Slughorn Transfigured himself into an over-stuffed armchair in order to avoid detection from Albus Dumbledore and Harry Potter.
During a Transfiguration lesson in 1996, Ron Weasley accidentally Transfigured a moustache on his face. In the same lesson, Harry Potter Transfigured his eyebrow bright yellow.
Hermione Granger used human Transfiguration to disguise Ron Weasley as "Dragomir Despard" before breaking in to the Lestrange Vault at Gringotts Wizarding Bank^[4].
During the Battle of Hogwarts in 1997, Percy Weasley shot a Transfiguration-based jinx at Pius Thicknesse, Transfiguring him into some sort of sea urchin.

Known practitioners

Appearances

Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone
Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone (film)
Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone (video game) (Appears on a Famous Wizard Card)
Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets (video game) (Appears on a Famous Wizard Card)
Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban (video game) (Appears on a Famous Wizard Card)
Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire
Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire (film)
Harry Potter and the Order of the Pheonix
Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince
Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince (film)
Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows
LEGO Harry Potter: Characters of the Magical World (Partial transfiguration)
LEGO Harry Potter: Years 5-7

Notes and references

↑ ^1.0 ^1.1 Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince
↑ Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix
↑ ^3.0 ^3.1 Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire
↑ Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows
↑ http://www.accio-quote.org/articles/2007/1217-pottercast-anelli.html Neville had a brief stint as an Auror

Transfiguration (class)

Branches of Transfiguration	Transformation · Vanishment · Conjuration · Untransfiguration
Notable practitioners	Circe · Emeric Switch · Falco Aesalon · Mirabella Plunkett · Thaddeus Thurkell
Professors	Albus Dumbledore · Minerva McGonagall · Charles Rookwood · Matilda Weasley
Textbooks	A Beginner's Guide to Transfiguration · Intermediate Transfiguration · A Guide to Advanced Transfiguration
Transfiguration spells taught at Hogwarts
Colour Change Charm (Colovaria) · Change of hair colour and style (Crinus Muto) · Hardening Charm (Duro) · Mending Charm (Reparo) · Partial Vanishment · Reparifarge · Softening Charm (Spongify) · Switching Spell · Vanishing Spell (Evanesco)
Conjuring Spells	Bird-Conjuring Charm (Avis) · Inanimatus Conjurus Spell · Bouquet Spell (Orchideous) · Snake Summons Spell (Serpensortia)
Transforming Spells	Animal to water goblet (Vera Verto) · Armadillo to Pillow · Bowling Ball to Balloon · Beetle into Button · Cauldron to badger · Cat to cauldron (Felifors) · Cauldron Cakes to Cabbages · Chair to cat · Cross-Species Switches · Desk Into Pig · Fairy Cakes to Fairies · Feather Duster to Ferret · Ferret to Feather Duster · Gobstone to butterfly · Goldfinch to Golden Snitch · Flobberworm to Fritter · Gnomes to Lawn Gnomes · Guinea fowl to guinea pig · Gobstone to Skunk · Hedgehog to pincushion · King to Rook · Lovebird to Love Note · Match to needle · Meddling Man to Monkey · Mice to Snuffboxes · Owl to Opera Glasses (Strigiforma) · Pawn to Queen · Porcupine to Pin Cushion (Hystrifors) · Puffskein to Paperweight · Rubbish to Raccoon Dog · Small Child to Rat · Small object to dragon (Draconifors) · Snail to Teapot · Target to bird (Avifors) · Target to matchbox (Flintifors) · Target to rabbit (Lapifors) · Teacup into Gerbil · Teacup to Rat · Teapot to Tortoise · Thimble to Thestral · Toad to Toadstool · Tortoise to Trumpet · White rabbits to slippers

[HBP-1] 1.0 ^1.1 Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince

[OOTP-2] Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix

[GOF-3] 3.0 ^3.1 Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire

[DH-4] Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows

[5] ttp://www.accio-quote.org/articles/2007/1217-pottercast-anelli.html Neville had a brief stint as an Auror

[1]

[2]

[3]

[4]

[5]

@@ Line 32: / Line 32: @@
 *In [[1994]], [[Bartemius Crouch Jr.|Barty Crouch Jr.]] Transfigured [[Draco Malfoy]] into a [[ferret]], and in [[1995]], Transfigured his [[Bartemius Crouch Sr.|father]] into a bone.
 *While competing in the second task of the Triwizard Tournament in [[1995]], [[Viktor Krum]] attempted to Transfigure himself fully or partially into a shark; ultimately, only his head was Transfigured, the shark's teeth were misplaced<ref name=GOF>{{GOF}}</ref>.
-*According to [[Nymphadora Tonks]], her Metamorphmagus abilities gave her an advantage in the Disguise and Concealment of portion [[Auror]] training, as Aurors have to Transfigure and [[Untransfiguration|Untransfigure]] themselves on a regular basis<ref name="HBP" />.
+*According to [[Nymphadora Tonks]], her Metamorphmagus abilities gave her an advantage in the Disguise and Concealment portion of[[Auror| Auror]] training, as Aurors have to Transfigure and [[Untransfiguration|Untransfigure]] themselves on a regular basis<ref name="HBP" />.
 *In [[1996]], [[Horace Slughorn]] Transfigured himself into an over-stuffed armchair in order to avoid detection from [[Albus Dumbledore]] and [[Harry Potter]].
-*During Transfiguration lesson in 1996, [[Ronald Weasley|Ron Weasley]] accidentally Transfigured a moustache on his face. In the same lesson, [[Harry Potter]] Transfigured his eyebrow bright yellow.
+*During a Transfiguration lesson in 1996, [[Ronald Weasley|Ron Weasley]] accidentally Transfigured a moustache on his face. In the same lesson, [[Harry Potter]] Transfigured his eyebrow bright yellow.
 *[[Hermione Granger]] used human Transfiguration to disguise Ron Weasley as "Dragomir Despard" before [[Break-in of Gringotts Wizarding Bank (1998)|breaking in]] to the [[Lestrange Vault]] at [[Gringotts Wizarding Bank]]<ref name=DH>{{DH}}</ref>.
 *During the [[Battle of Hogwarts]] in [[1997]], [[Percy Weasley]] shot a Transfiguration-based jinx at [[Pius Thicknesse]], Transfiguring him into some sort of sea urchin.