TRANSFIGURATION
Transfiguration is magic which (mainly) changes one object into another. However, conjuring (creating something from nothingness) and vanishing (making something into nothingness) also fall under Transfiguration. Transfiguration is a major branch of magic, and is taught at Hogwarts. Like other branches, or possibly moreso, Transfiguration has many rules to follow. It is complex and difficult, and therefore I will describe it as best as possible in this topic.
First thing to remember, there are no spells for Transfiguration, or most of it anyway. It seems like mainly all Transfiguration is nonverbal, except for vanishing really. The films used fera-verto for transfiguraing inanimate objects but the films are NOT considered canon. It is possible to change inanimate objects into animate ones and vice versa. Some Transfiguration spells alter a part of something, such as changing a person's ears from normal into rabbit ears, or teeth into gum. These are called switching spells. At Hogwarts, Transfiguration is taught by Professor McGonagall. Fifty years ago, Albus Dumbledore was the Transfiguration teacher at Hogwarts.
There are many rules to Transfiguration. Gamps Law of Elemental Transfiguration had five exceptions to what you can't conjure or create from changing another object. These are:
1. Food. (canon.) Water is conjurable (sp?) but that is difficult to do and there is some doubt about whether the water which is conjured is actually drinkable.
2. Life. (kind of canon) With spells like Avis, you can create birds.. and etc. But these animals don't ACTUALLY live. They will vanish, not die, after some time because they actually are not living. Similarly, you cannot conjure life to revive a dead person, as Rowling states in the books repeatedly.
3. Anything of major value. Like gold, diamonds and stuff like that.
4. Information and Knowledge
5. Lastly, you cannot create things you have never seen or don't know how to make. For example, how could you conjure a bicycle if you have no idea how to make it? You could conjure something that looks like one, but it wouldn't work, cause you did not conjure it correctly. Likewise, you cannot conjure a book you want if you have never seen what is written inside it. You cannot conjure an arm, or an ear for someone as you do not know how it would work.
Things that are too large to change or conjure is not one of Gamp's law of Elemental Transfiguration, but is one of the basic rules of magic. You cannot use spells beyond your potential.
There has been speculation about money (the currency: galleons, sickles knuts) being one, and most wizards to a certain extent cannot create money. However, you could conjure something to look like a galleon, even though it wouldn't actually be a galleon, and like most Transfiguration, would transform back soon, or vanish. For this reason, wizards usually check the money, as the ministry creates its money so that its difficult, or almost impossible to copy. Since you do not know how a galleon is made, you cannot create it. However creating something like gold would fool most people. On the other hand, if wizards could create money, why would the weasleys be poor? Well it would be extremely difficult to create a perfect replica of a galleon or a sickle, almost impossible perhaps. Only the most talented of wizards and witches could do it, who would probably not need to conjure money anyways.
Alchemists are one exception to this rule. They can change some object into gold to get infinite wealth though this is very hard. (the sorcerors stone.)
Most things of incredible value, brooms.. wands, cannot be conjured.
Transifiguration does not last forever, especially in basic levels. When you transfigure something, it will last as much as your magic potential, but not forever.
This is just a few rules of Transfiguration. For all of it, check the next post. Below are the list of 'spells.'
BASIC TRANSFIGURATION
Minor Inanimate Transfiguration
Incantation: None.
Description: Transfigures an inanimate object to something else (inanimate.)
Further Information: Since this is basic, you have to understand the limits well. Remember how students in Year one were making a match into a needle? This isn't much stronger. A few basic rules:
You can't transfigure a spell
You can't transfigure a magically enchanted object
You can't transfigure something large to something small (or vice versa) Keep it roughly the same size
You can't transfigure something larger than a large textbook.
Of course, all rules of Gamps laws of elemental transfiguration apply here.
Restrictions: None.
Vanishing Charm
Incantation: Evanesko
Description: A spell that vanishes an object
Boundaries: It's important to remember that vanishing doesn't mean make invisible. Vanishing roughly means transporting an object, so when you vanish something, becomes nothingness.
The largest thing you can vanish is a large book at this level.
Restrictions: None
NEWT Level Curses
These can only be used by NEWT students
Minor Conjuring Spell
Incantation: None
Description: Conjures something out of thin air.
Boundaries: Very small objects only. All rules of Gampls law apply
Restrictions: NEWT students(Tier 6) and above
NEWT level Transfiguration
Incantation: None
Description: Transfigure something (animate or inanimate) into something different (animate or inanimate)
Boundaries: A few basic rules:
You can't transfigure a spell
You can't transfigure a magically enchanted object
You can't transfigure something larger than a chair. For living: a plant or a lizard at max. Invertibrates are easier to transfigure apparently.
Of course, all rules of Gamps laws of elemental
Restrictions: NEWT students(Tier 6) and above
Tier 5 spells
Conjuring Spell Level 2
Incantation: None
Description: Conjures something out of thin air. Though you can create living things, these are not real and will vanish soon.
Boundaries: Small objects. All rules of Gampls law apply
Restrictions: Tier 5 and above
Tier 4 spells
Graduate level Transfiguration
Incantation: None
Description: Transfigure something (animate or inanimate) into something different (animate or inanimate)
Boundaries: A few basic rules:
You can't transfigure a spell
You can't transfigure a magically enchanted object
You can't transfigure something larger than a tree. For living: a plant or a lizard at max. Invertibrates are easier to transfigure apparently.
Of course, all rules of Gamps laws of elemental tr. apply
Restrictions: Tier 4 and above
Tier 3 spells
Cross Species Spells
Incantation: None
Description: Transfigure the caster, or someone else into another species (a dog, a cat, a lion, a unicorn). These are VERY difficult to do. and last very little time, unlike an animagus (5 minutes at max). it also makes the caster very unstable and uncomfortable, unlike an animagus.
Boundaries: Very small objects only. All rules of Gampls law apply
Restrictions: Tier 3 and above
Advanced level Transfiguration
Incantation: None
Description: Transfigure something (animate or inanimate) into something different (animate or inanimate)
Boundaries: A few basic rules:
You can't transfigure a spell
You can't transfigure a magically enchanted object
You can't transfigure something larger than a tree. For living: a large animal (like a pig) at max. Invertibrates are easier to transfigure apparently.
Of course, all rules of Gamps laws of elemental tr. apply
Restrictions: Tier 4 and above
Vanishing Charm Level 2
Incantation: Evanesko
Description: A spell that vanishes an object
Boundaries: It's important to remember that vanishing doesn't mean make invisible. Vanishing roughly means transporting an object, so when you vanish something, becomes nothingness.
Restrictions: None
Conjuring Spell Level 3
Incantation: None
Description: Conjures something out of thin air. Though you can create living things, these are not real and will vanish soon.
Boundaries: Large objects. All rules of Gampls law apply
Restrictions: Tier 5 and above
TBC
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