~Snake

-Found everywhere except Antartica
-Come in many colors and sizes
-range from 4"-30' in length
-2700 known species
-carnivorous
-some poisonous bite, others constrict
-can swallow prey bigger than their heads
-forked tongues also used for smell
-hard scales
-ectotherm: self regulate body temps, body temp is dependent on outside sources
-often associated with Dark arts
-notorious snake lovers: Voldemort, Salazar Slytherin
-Parselmouths have an easier time with this spell

~Smoke

-composed of gas, solid, and liquid particles (usually carbon dioxide, liquid water, and ash)
-seems to be lifelike as it moves through the air
-considered inanimate

~The Transformation

-Block:
Spell: Snake to Smoke
Incantation: Colubra Suffitus (koh-LOO-brah SUFF-i-tus)
Wand Movement: Sideways flick towards snake head
Concentration: Medium-Low, visualize snake disintegrating into gas and spreading out
Willpower: Medium
-Possible backfires: only half of the snake transforms, leaving other half behind (most common); turning snake into stonelike material; creating small explosion
-Smoke particles can dissipate soon after transformation, so untransfigure ASAP
-Larger species of snake are more difficult
-Some magical species cannot be affected, like the basilisk

~Something to Think About

-smoke to dagger has a connection to conjuration
-snake to smoke connects to vanishment

~Origins

-invented in 1921 by a transfigurist with a daughter who is scared of snakes
-wanted to avoid snakes without vanishing or killing them
-daughter trapped the smoke in a glass box for her dad to untransfigure later
-currently used a lot by those with ophidiophobia (a fear of snakes)
-also used in dueling (with the snake conjuring and smoke to dagger spells)
-can be used as self defense with aggressive snakes

~Assignments

-Quiz (mandatory)