Transfiguration (subject)

This article is for **the Hogwarts subject**. You may be looking for **the branch of magic**.

## Transfiguration (subject)

### Professor

* Albus Dumbledore
* Minerva McGonagall

### Taught at

Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry

### Textbooks

* A Beginner's Guide to Transfiguration
* Intermediate Transfiguration

## Book information

### First appearance

*Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone*

### Last appearance

*Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince*

**Transfiguration** is a subject taught at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry throughout the *Harry Potter book series*. Every student has to study it in the first year until at least the fifth year. It is an elective for the N.E.W.T.s. Transfiguration is a branch of magic to study the art of changing the form or appearance of an object or person. The subject is complex and dangerous.

## About

Transfiguration is taught to every student in the first year until at least the fifth year when they take the Ordinary Wizarding Level. If they achieve a high grade, they have the option of continuing the subject for their N.E.W.T.s. Transfiguration is a hard and complex subject to learn but many thought it was elegant and superior to other kinds of magic.

First year students start off small and undertake easy objectives, including turning a match into a needle. Students can use their wands during their lessons and perform actual transfigurations. They also do the occasional written work. Transfiguration is achieved through precise wand movement and pronunciation of a spell and concentration was key.

## History

At least two teachers were known to have taught the subject. Albus Dumbledore taught it until around 1970, while Minerva McGonagall taught it from 1956 to 1998. Professor McGonagall was known for being strict but fair and expected the best from every student. When she was teaching the subject, she accepted N.E.W.T. students who had achieved at least an "Exceeds Expectations" in their O.W.L. exam because she thought those with lower grades would struggle to cope with the coursework.

## Curriculum

### First year

* Match to needle
* Switching Spells

### Second year

* Beetle into a button
* Rabbit into a slipper

### Examinations

* Third year: tasks including turning a teapot into a tortoise

## Books

 A Beginner's Guide to Transfiguration (First - second-year)
* Intermediate Transfiguration (third-year)

## Known teachers

Albus Dumbledore
 (? - c. 1970)Minerva McGonagall
 (1956 - 1998)
## Known O.W.L.s

* Albus Dumbledore
* Minerva McGonagall
* Harry Potter
* Ron Weasley
* Hermione Granger

## Notes and sources

1. ↑ *Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone*, Chapter 5
2. ↑ *Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban*, Chapter 4
3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 3.4 *Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone*, Chapter 8
4. ↑ 4.0 4.1 *Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince*, Chapter 9
5. ↑ 5.0 5.1 *Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone*, Chapter 7
6. ↑ *Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets*, Chapter 7
7. ↑ *Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix*, Chapter 15
8. ↑ *The Tales of Beedle the Bard*: Introduction
9. ↑ *Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone*, Chapter 9
10. ↑ *Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets*, Chapter 6
11. ↑ *Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets*, Chapter 16
12. ↑ *Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban*, Chapter 6
13. ↑ *Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban*, Chapter 16