Transfiguration (class)

"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

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 at the increased difficulty in NEWT.

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 Transfiguration professor after McGonagall became Headmistress of Hogwarts. McGonagall believes Transfiguration to be more elegant and superior to other types of magic. Like Charm 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 Transfiguration classes. Accidents sometimes result in partial transfigurations. Hermione is one of the best students in Transfiguration; therefore, she is a favourite of Professor McGonagall.

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).
 * Desk Into Pig
 * Match to needle
 * Switching Spell
 * Mice to Snuffboxes

Second Year

 * Beetle Buttons
 * Rabbit Slippers
 * Badgering

Third Year

 * Lecture on Animagi (with demonstration by Professor McGonagall)
 * Teapot to tortoise
 * Hedgehog to pincushion

Fourth Year

 * Guinea fowl to guinea pig
 * Cross-Species Switches

Fifth Year

 * Dinner plate to mushroom
 * Geminio
 * 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 Multicorfors)
 * Bird-Conjuring Charm

Known Professors

 * Albus Dumbledore
 * Minerva McGonagall (also an Animagus)

Textbooks

 * A Beginner's Guide to Transfiguration, by Emeric Switch, used by First years.
 * A Guide to Advanced Transfiguration
 * Intermediate Transfiguration

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
 * Percy Weasley
 * Ron Weasley
 * Seamus Finnigan

Branches of Transfiguration

 * Animagus
 * Cross-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)
 * 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)
 * Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince
 * LEGO Harry Potter: Years 1-4
 * LEGO Harry Potter: Years 5-7
 * Harry Potter Trading Card Game
 * Pottermore