Transfiguration is a subject taught at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. It teaches the art of changing of the form and appearance of an object. This type of magic is commonly referred to as "Transfiguration." There are limits to transfiguration, which are governed by Gamp's Law of Elemental Transfiguration. There are also many branches of Transfiguration, including Cross-Species Transfiguration and Human Transfiguration. Transfiguration is rearguard as "very hard work" and is "more scientific" than any other subject as in, you have to get it exactly right for the transfiguration to be successful.^[1]

Class information

Transfiguration is a required subject for all first year to fifth year students, with the option of a N.E.W.T. course in the sixth and seventh years. Minerva McGonagall was the Transfiguration Professor from 1956 until 1998, the year in which she became Headmistress of the school. Before her, Albus Dumbledore taught Transfiguration it is unknown who became the  Transfiguration professor after she become to Headmistress of Hogwarts. McGonagall believes Transfiguration to be more elegant and superior to other types of magic.

Like charms work, Transfiguration is achieved through concentration, precise wand movements, and the proper pronunciation of an incantation. However it is generally more difficult than Charms and requires great effort.

Students practise actual transfigurations during classes. Accidents sometimes result in partial transfigurations. Hermione is one of the best students in Transfiguration; therefore, she is a favourite of Professor McGonagall.

Curriculum

First Year

• The transformation formula, which is that the intended transformation is directly influenced by bodyweight (a), viciousness (v), wand power (w), concentration (c), and a fifth unknown variable (Z).^[2]
• Desk into Pig (witnessed, not learned)
• Match to needle
• Switching Spell
• Mice to Snuffboxes
• Avifors Spell
• Small creature to matchbox

Second Year

• Beetle Buttons

• Rabbit Slippers
• Badgering
• Bird into Goblet

Third Year

• Lecture on Animagi (with demonstration by Professor McGonagall)
• Teapot to Tortoise
• Hedgehog to Pincushion
• Lapifors Spell
• Draconifors Spell

Fourth Year

• Guinea Fowl to Guinea Pig
• Cross-Species Switches

Fifth Year

• Dinner Plate to Mushroom
• Doubling Charm
• Inanimatus Conjurus Spell
• Owl to Opera Glasses
• Vanishing Spell

Sixth Year

• Either this year or next they transfigure themselves to acquire extra powers.
• Human transfigurations (such as Crinus Muto)
• Bird-Conjuring Charm

Known Professors

• Albus Dumbledore (?-1956)
• Minerva McGonagall (also an Animagus) (1956-1998)
• unidentified (1998-?)

Textbooks

• A Beginner's Guide to Transfiguration, by Emeric Switch, (first year & second year)
• Intermediate Transfiguration (third year, fourth year & fifth year)
• A Guide to Advanced Transfiguration (sixth year & seventh year)

Grades

Pass

• Outstanding [O]
• Exceeds Expectations [E]
• Acceptable [A]

Fail

• Poor [P]
• Dreadful [D]
• Troll [T]

Known O.W.L.s

• Albus Dumbledore
• Barty Crouch Jr.
• Bill Weasley
• Cedric Diggory
• Dean Thomas
• Draco Malfoy
• Harry Potter
• Hermione Granger
• Katie Bell
• Minerva McGonagall
• Neville Longbottom (did not qualify for N.E.W.T. level)
• Parvati Patil
• Lavender Brown
• Percy Weasley
• Ron Weasley
• Seamus Finnigan

Branches of Transfiguration

• Animagus
• Cross-Species Transfiguration (also known as Trans-Species Transfiguration)
• Conjuration
• Human Transfiguration
• Transfiguration
• Untransfiguration

Behind the scenes

• In LEGO Harry Potter: Years 1-4, one of the spells is a Transfiguration spell that turns victims into a toad or a rat.
• Both Albus Dumbledore and Minerva McGonagall served as Transfiguration Professor before becoming Headmaster.

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) (Mentioned only)(Class list)
• Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets
• Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets (film)
• Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban
• Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire
• Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix
• Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix (video game) (Mentioned only)
• Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince
• LEGO Harry Potter: Years 1-4
• LEGO Harry Potter: Years 5-7
• Harry Potter Trading Card Game (Mentioned only)
• Pottermore (Mentioned only)

Transfiguration (class)
Professors: Albus Dumbledore · Minerva McGonagall
Textbooks: A Beginner's Guide to Transfiguration · Intermediate Transfiguration · A Guide to Advanced Transfiguration
Known practitioners: Emeric Switch · Circe · Falco Aesalon · Mirabella Plunkett · Thaddeus Thurkell ·
Transfiguration spells studied at Hogwarts: Chair to cat · Match to needle · Snail to Teapot · Teacup to Rat · Switching Spell · Transforming Spell · Avifors Spell · Mice to Snuffboxes · Beetle Buttons · Rabbit Slippers · Vera Verto · Teapot to tortoise · Draconifors Spell · Lapifors Spell · Vanishing Spell · Owl to opera glasses · Guinea fowl to guinea pig · Hedgehog to pincushion · Small Child to Rat · Meddling Man to Monkey · Crinus Muto
Branches of Transfiguration: Transformation · Vanishment · Conjuration · Untransfiguration

Wizarding Education
Schools: Academy of Broom Flying · Beauxbatons Academy of Magic · Brazilian wizarding school · Charm School · Durmstrang Institute · Euro-Glyph School of Extraordinary Languages · Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry · Mahoutokoro School of Magic · Merge School of Under-Water Spellage · Salem Witches' Institute · Wizarding Academy of Dramatic Arts
Examinations: First year exams · Second year exams · Third year exams · Fourth year exams · Ordinary Wizarding Level · Nastily Exhausting Wizarding Test
Core classes: Astronomy · Charms · Defence Against the Dark Arts · Herbology · History of Magic · Potions · Transfiguration
Elective classes: Alchemy · Arithmancy · Care of Magical Creatures · Divination · Muggle Studies · Study of Ancient Runes
Extra-curricular classes: Apparition · Advanced Arithmancy Studies · Ancient Studies · Art · Flying · Frog Choir · Ghoul Studies · Hogwarts orchestra · Magical Theory · Muggle Art · Muggle Music · Music · Xylomancy

References

1. ↑ J.K. Rowling at the Royal Albert Hall, 26 June 2003
2. ↑ Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone (film)