The study of Transfiguration involves learning the ability to alter objects or creatures via magic. In order to do so, one must practise and execute the Transfiguration spells necessary to change the molecular structure of that which they wish to Transform. It is, to put it lightly, one of the most complex and dangerous subjects to undertake; students will find that there can be many risks involved in the rearrangement of molecules and it is advised that this magic never be attempted at any more than a basic level by an unsupervised amateur, lest they err and lack the ability to fix their mistake. There is an exact science to Transfiguration which, if not followed, can produce undesirable results.

The Four Branches

Transfiguration can be as simple as turning a matchstick into a needle or it can be as sinister as turning a person into stone. There are four particular branches of Transfiguration so far, which will be covered properly in later chapters. Briefly summarising, however, the four branches are as follows:

Transformation:That which causes an alteration in the intended target is known as Transformation. It is used for a wide range of Transfigurative spells and covers a vast range of skill levels from beginner to expert spell casting. Transformation is further divided into three groups. Firstly, Human Transfiguration, which is for Transfigurative spells directed at humans. Secondly, Switching, which involves the division of physical features between two subjects so that both may assume certain physical traits of the other. It is theorised that the Platypus (Ornithorhynchus anatinus, native to Australia) was created and bred through Switching aquatic mammals with ducks by a wizard who liked to experiment. Last of all, there is Trans-species Transformations, which allows the Transformation of organisms into species other than their own, either entirely or partially.

Vanishment:As evident from its name, Vanishment involves causing things to vanish into non-being. It is more advanced magic than Transformation and as such is not to be attempted early in one’s studies.

Conjuration:The opposing magic to Vanishment, Conjuration enables a witch or wizard to bring an object into being, making it appear. This is generally not taught until after success with Vanishment has been achieved by a student.

Untransfiguration:This branch covers Transfiguration reversal – a sort of counter-spell, if you will. Generally not taught until later years, it is a vital ability to those who have decided on a career path involving Transfiguration.

Limits

Naturally, there are limits when it comes to any branch of magic and Transfiguration is no different. Transformation magic, for instance, generally requires two people for Human Transfiguration. This is because when one Transforms one’s self into an animal, one also assumes the intelligence of that particular animal – in this case, the Transformed human will need assistance in order to be returned to their original state, lest they be eternally stuck in that form. (It is not the case that Animagi, whom will be discussed in more detail later, lose their human intelligence when Transformed, and do not need help to revert back to their original state.)

Concerning Animagi (an Animagus is a human who has trained themselves to Transform into a singular animal using Human Transformation), there are a number of restrictions in terms of the magic involved and the legality of the magic. While an Animagus is in training, they are monitored by the Ministry of Magic and must register themselves so that they do not abuse their powers or risk harming others. It is illegal to become an Animagus without being registered, and offenders usually face prosecution. Also, an Animagus can only become one specific animal, whereas using traditional Human Transformation magic allows the user to Transform themselves into a variety of different creatures if executed properly.

When using Transfiguration on animals, one should remember that you cannot create physical features to add to an animal that do not exist as part of the universe already. Creating entirely original animals is impossible; all one can do is fuse together elements of existing animals or objects to create something that looks original to the untrained eye.

When it comes to Conjuration, all spells must abide by both the Ministry of Magic regulations on what is allowed to be conjured and by Gamp’s Law of Elemental Transfiguration. The first, and most notable, of the five Principle Exceptions of Gamp’s Law of Elemental Transfiguration is that it is impossible for food to be Conjured out of nothing. It is also important to note that no Conjuration is permanent.

Lastly, one would do well to remember that no magic, including Transfiguration, offers the ability to resurrect the dead.

A Brief History of Transfiguration

The origins of Transfiguration are just as dark and perilous as the magic itself can be. While not as old as some ancient practises such as Potions, Herbology and the Study of Ancient Runes, Transfiguration is a practise steeped in important history for all magical folk. Unlike many of the other practises, Transfigurative magic was found to occur spontaneously in nature before it was even discovered as a form of magic which could be taught. The primary example of this is the werewolf; to this day, the origin of the werewolf is a complete mystery and has been for many thousands of years. The process of becoming a werewolf involves specific molecular rearrangement and thus is classified as a form of unintentional Transfiguration.

There were those who were jealous of Lycan powers and sought to replicate it for themselves. Such attempts brought about the first known cases of Animagi. It is unlikely that wizards or witches knew the exact molecular process that enabled them to change into animals, as the age of enlightenment was yet to be experienced.  However, through steady training regiments and greatly determined focus, a small handful of people were able to achieve Transformation into an animal. The first proven example is Falco Aesalon, a wizard who lived in the times of Ancient Greece and could Transform into a falcon at will. This was the first recognised use of intentional Transfiguration, however it was a great number of centuries before such magic was developed into the modern subject of Transfiguration that is taught today. This is possibly due to the fact that ancient wizards did not usually execute their magic through the use of wands, which may have restricted the progression of Transfiguration because it is enhanced by the more precise control of magic that wands offer their owners.

Transfiguration was most prominent during the fifteenth century, initially as a means of disguise. For those who are well read on their magical or Muggle history, this was the period where witch trials, which had been present ever since Muggles became vaguely aware of witchcraft and wizardry, were performed en masse in Europe. The Vatican encouraged those who performed witchcraft to be persecuted, and over the years, witchcraft was made illegal according to Muggle law. Between the fifteenth and eighteenth centuries, a handful of magical brethren and thousands of innocent Muggles were subjected to torture and often death at the hands of civilians and authorities alike. These victims were mainly women. The deaths were justified in the eyes of the Muggles, who took to heart the Biblical phrase “thou shalt not suffer a witch to live” (Exodus 22:18).

The most usual methods of death for those put on trial were by burning at the stake or by drowning in the nearest body of water. Muggles were under the impression that those with magical blood would be immune to fire and would also not be able to drown. Of course, some able witches were able to take Potions or perform Charms so that the fire left them unharmed, but the drowning was a different matter altogether; short of having Gillyweed or using the Bubble Head Charm (which was very conspicuous and would often result in an assault from terrified Muggles), there were not many methods at that time to avoid drowning. (Of course, we can use Transfiguration today using human Transformation to give ourselves the properties of aquatic creatures, should we choose.) Sadly, any witch or wizard caught without their wand or magical inventory was, inevitably, helpless to protect themselves.

Hence, Transfiguration emerged as a new branch of magic. It was used on a small scale to enable a witch or wizard to give themselves subtle gills (which could last for a length of time if the person in question was stripped of their wand) in order to survive drowning. More commonly, it was used to disguise a person’s features by giving them entirely new ones. The accused, given warning, could hide out using a new persona until suspicion against them was dropped or until they could relocate. Many witches would use early Transformation magic in order to disguise themselves as men, who were far less often targets of witch trials. They would even sometimes pretend to be their own husbands to explain that their “wife” had suddenly gone missing without a trace. Transfiguration was a very effective manner of remaining free from persecution, and as such, it was added to the curriculums of many magical educational institutions, such as the ancient Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry.

Through their use of magic – Transfigurative magic in particular – witches were able to protect themselves by hiding out and were rarely caught. The number of witches condemned by Muggles decreased exponentially as knowledge spread. It is because of this that the majority of the victims of witch hunts were mistakenly accused Muggles who would then be subjected to a horrendous death. This is not something that the magical community supported and there was deep regret for the unjust deaths, felt by those with pro-Muggle leanings. During this time, many magical communities utilised their Transfigurative magic, along with certain Charms, to protect as many Muggles as they could.

It is due to the necessity for disguise and confidentiality during these times that the International Statute of Wizarding Secrecy was established in 1692, during the peak of the witch trials. Transfigurative magic was highly useful in this new policy as it was the easiest manner in which one might alter one’s appearance.

It is only after the end of the witch hunt periods that Transfiguration was free to develop more as a subject and the magic was extended to include Vanishment and Conjuration, though Untransfiguration had been performed to some degree by those seeking to undo their initial disguises. It had mostly been used for practical purposes; however, some had previously misused the original intent of the magic, such as Thaddeus Thurkel (1632-1692) who famously transfigured his seven Squib sons into hedgehogs as punishment for their lack of magic. Nowadays, this sort of magic use against non-magical folk is outlawed.

Until the aforementioned peak period in Transfiguration, it had never before involved anything other than complete Transformation using animal properties. It is not ultimately known who pioneered the art of Transfiguration beyond its initial origin in Animagi, due to the manner in which it spread from town to town. Attempts to trace it back to a specific location have never been successful.

Some famed scholars have noted that the honing of the subject came at a time when molecular properties were primarily being experimented with as part of Alchemy, which leads them to theorise that it was Nicholas Flamel who was one of the founding fathers of Transfiguration. This is given that the initial appearances of the magic coincided roughly with the creation of the much sought after Philosopher’s Stone, which was a masterful use of Alchemy never since repeated in the wizarding world; to date, the Stone has only been achieved by Flamel. As the stone itself is evidence of the great skill with molecular rearrangement that Nicholas Flamel possessed, it is believed by many that he took to developing Transfiguration beyond its primal beginnings after crafting the stone, in order to keep himself from becoming complacent and idle. When asked about his involvement with the subject, Flamel’s famous reclusiveness in later life led him to dismiss the questions, in favour of having a “nice, strong cup of tea with the wife.”

Transfiguration in its modern form is very much about creativity. Once a student has a proper understanding of Transfiguration’s principles, it is up to them to decide what to do with it. Whether you wish to turn a flower into a fish or vice versa, there is great flexibility (limited only by the law) as to what this magic can be used for.

Transfiguration and Other Subjects

Regarding its relation to other subjects, Transfiguration differs from Herbology in that Herbology is limited by what plants are currently in existence, whereas it is possible to create new spells in the study of Transfiguration, if one has great expertise.

Concerning Potions, Transfiguration is far less of a practical exercise, though equally as scientific. Whereas Potions work requires the student to sit, sometimes for hours, concocting a mix of ingredients with their own hands, Transfiguration merely requires complete mental focus and a clear understanding of concepts. The brain must be steadier than the hand, so to speak.

There has long been a strong connection between Transfiguration and Charms, as both practises are complementary to each other; the key difference is that Transfiguration focuses on altering what something IS, whilst Charms work focuses on altering what something can DO.

The relationship to other subjects besides the aforementioned, however, is very minimal, as Transfiguration distances itself from purely theoretical subjects such as the History of Magic or the studying of Ancient Runes, and also from overly subjective practises such as Divination.

Transfiguration has been briefly introduced to you, the student, and it is up to you now to see how adept you can become in this field. Whether you wish to turn someone into a newt (and of course, change them back afterwards), give a pig a pair of wings, or you’re running low on goblets and decide your unwanted infestation of mice would be perfect for spares, Transfiguration will offer you the ability to do all of this and more, if you are both dedicated and proficient enough.