Vera Verto

"Could I have your attention please? Right, now, today, we will be transforming animals into water goblets."

- Professor McGonagall introduces the Vera Verto lesson to her second years

Vera Verto is the incantation of a spell used to transform an animal into a water goblet. Professor Minerva McGonagall taught this charm to her second year students, in lesson seven, as noted on her blackboard.

Casting
This spell is moderately difficult to perform, and disastrous if done wrong. Side-effects include the goblet being furry or having a tail. Wand movement and posture are both very important for this charm, as Professor McGonagall noted when teaching her class in September of 1992.

To perform the spell, one must tap the targeted animal three times sharply with their wand, and then point their wand directly at the animal, incanting, "Vera Verto".

Effects


Once performed, a jet of nearly indiscernible, crystal-clear mist, almost like a spray, will shoot from the caster's wand, engulfing the animal and quickly morphing it into a goblet with a quiet whooshing noise.

If performed incorrectly, a spasm of greenish light will shoot from the wand with a crackling, whining noise and the target will be transfigured improperly. It may still be furry, or might possess a tail (or a combination of the two).

Practitioners

 * Minerva McGonagall
 * Harry Potter
 * Ronald Weasley

Etymology
"Vera Verto" is a Latin phrase meaning "truly exchange". This fits rather well with its effects.

Behind the scenes

 * Despite the subtitles saying that the incantation is "Vera Verto", there is a possibility that the subtitles are wrong and that the incantation is "Fera Verto". This makes particular sense when one considers "fera" means "wild" or "wild animal".
 * In the fifth game, during the O.W.L.s, one of the tests is to transform an animal into a water goblet; it is more than likely this was meant to be "Vera Verto".

Appearances

 * Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets (film)
 * Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix (video game)