~Introduction

-There are 4 branches of transfiguration
-defined in 1651 by unknown German transfigurist, though several wizards have claimed credit that year including Fritz Holtz
-Branches are transformation, vanishment, conjuration, and untransfiguration.
-Each has its own sub-branches and will be studied in-depth at certain times.
-1st 4 years will teach transformation, 5th year will study vanishment, 6th year will teach conjuration, and 7th year will look at untransfiguration.

~Transformation

-Transformation is the most common form and what most people think of when they hear of transfiguration.
-Alters form and/or appearance of things
-Contains some of the darkest transfiguration knowledge, which we will not go over in class
-3 sub-branches: trans-species transformation, switching, and human transfiguration
-Some consider general transformation as a 4th branch, which then breaks down further into inanimate to inanimate, inanimate to animate, animate to inanimate, and animate to animate transformations.
-Switching spells are spells that either switch the physical location of two items or one essential detail of an object.
-A trans-species transformation is a transformation that to some degree changes the species of the target
-Human transfiguration is very dangerous and complex
-Animagi: Humans who can turn into an animal at will while keeping their human consciousness. Learned/voluntary skill, very difficult. Part of the process involves holding a Mandrake leaf under the tongue for a month.
-Only able to turn into 1 animal, with an identifying marking on it
-Required to register with Ministry
-Metamorphagi: humans who can change their appearance at will. Not learned; believed to be genetic. Can change any appearance: from eye color to gender and age. (Ex: Nymphadora Tonks) Don't require wand/potion
-Werewolves: Have no choice in transformations; forced to painfully change every full moon. Doesn't keep sane/human mind. Very dangerous.
-Can use Wolfsbane Potion to allow werewolf to keep their human mind during transformation, to reduce danger to others

~Vanishment

-Allows objects to disappear from world, though there are many theories as to where object goes(most popular: object is disassembled and particles scattered across world)
-Objects cannot truly cease to exist(matter cannot be created or destroyed)
-the more complex the object, the harder it is to vanish
-technically only 1 spell to make things vanish

~Conjuration

-More complicated than vanishment
-Objects formed by pulling particles out of the air to create them
-requires transfigurist to take into account all details; very difficult
-As general rule, the thing you want to conjure must already exist somewhere in the world

~Untransfiguration

-A series of spells allowing you to undo previous transfigurations
-Mostly applies to transformations as vanishments can't be undone and conjured items naturally disappear after awhile
-Advanced

~Assignments:
-Mandatory short answer quiz