- "Transfiguration is some of the most complex and dangerous magic you will learn at Hogwarts. Anyone messing around in my class will leave and not come back. You have been warned."
- — Professor McGonagall introducing Transfiguration to her new students[src]
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.
Class information
- "I do not accept students into NEWT classes unless they have achieved 'Exceeds Expectations' or higher at Ordinary Wizarding Level."
- — Professor McGonagall on the increased difficulty in NEWT.[src]
Albus Dumbledore, former Transfiguration Professor
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
Minerva McGonagall, Former Professor of Transfiguration.
Transfiguration.
It is unknown who became the Transfiguration professor after McGonagall became 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
The alphabet taught in first year classes.
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).[1]
- Desk into Pig (witnessed, not learned)
- Match to needle
- Switching Spell
- Mice to Snuffboxes
- Avifors Spell
- Small creature to matchbox
Second Year
Complex notes taken in Transfiguration class
Third Year
- Lecture on Animagi (with demonstration by Professor McGonagall)
- Teapot to Tortoise
- Hedgehog to Pincushion
- Lapifors Spell
- Draconifors Spell
Fourth Year
Fifth Year
- Dinner Plate to Mushroom
- Doubling Charm
- Inanimatus Conjurus Spell
- Owl to Opera Glasses
- Vanishing Spell
Sixth Year
- "These are easier than Conjuring Spells, which you would not usually attempt until NEWT level [...] "
- — Professor McGonagall[src]
- Either this year or next they transfigure themselves to acquire extra powers.
- Human transfigurations (such as Multicorfors)
- Bird-Conjuring Charm
Known Professors
- Albus Dumbledore (?-1956)
- Minerva McGonagall (also an Animagus) (1956-1998)
- unidentified (1998-?)
Textbooks
A Beginner's Guide to Transfiguration
- 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
Vera Verto in action.
- 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)
| Wizarding education | |||
|---|---|---|---|
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 |
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| The eleven schools | |||
| Beauxbatons · Castelobruxo · Durmstrang · Hogwarts · Ilvermorny · Koldovstoretz · Mahoutokoro · Uagadou | |||
| Specialised schools | |||
Academy of Broom Flying · Charm School · Euro-Glyph School of Extraordinary Languages · Merge School of Under-Water Spellage · The Naaszcademy of Magizoology · Wizarding Academy of Dramatic Arts · Young Wizards Daycare Center
References |
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