Year 1:

(keep in mind, this is a summary, however, it is extremely useful to read the entire explanation provided by your teacher. It takes a lot of effort to prepare lessons, make sure it isn't for nothing. Pay attention in class, and once you've finished reading the full lesson, you can return to this to study)

Week 2:

• [Transfiguration (is a)] Newer branch however always existed and apparent through examples such as Lycanthropy.
• Between 9,300 - 9,400 BC, inhabitants of Atlantis began to distrust all those around them; muggle and wizard alike. The Ruling Council called the greatest witches and wizards together and decided upon vanishing the entire island. Linked magic through series of complicated charms cast together the still existing vanishing charm. Now, even those who enter the area, are vanished as well. It is now known as the Bermuda Triangle.
• First Animagus: Falco Aesalon (greek). Was successfully able to transform into a bird of prey (Falcon named after him) while remaining in control of his human mind.
• Up to the 1500's (16th Century), it [Transfiguration] WAS seen as NATURAL magic uncontrolled EXCEPT by the most powerful of witches and wizards.
• Many muggles were wrongly convicted of witchcraft. Methods of execution were drowning them by tying a heavy stone around their ankle and dropping them in a lake and burning at the stake. This in order to test the theory that magical folk could withstand fire and water.
• Methods of Wizards to survive:
• Transfiguring their features
• Gillyweed, Gill charm or Bubblehead charm for the drownings
• Flame-Freezing charm or potion preventing burns
• After trials many magic folk moved to "New Land" later known as the USA. People began vanishing, believed to be the victims of a rampant, experimental, backfired vanishing spell by an accomplished transfigurer that traveled with the colony.
• Four Branches of TNF:
• Transformation: Alteration
• Human transfiguration: (will be studied later)
• (Target) Switching: When an object is transfigured into another existing object (see W4 for more extensive explanations) "When both objects are involved, a metaphorical tunnel is created linking the two targets to an extent where even the very essence of the original states follows them".
• Target Transformation: When one object is temporarily transfigured into another, while keeping the essence of it's original form so it may turn back again.
• Trans-species transformations: --- (no info)
• Untransformation (aka. Counter-transformation): Returning an object to it's original state
• Natural Untransformation: A transfigured object will hold on to it's original essence, after a while, the essence will come to overpower the magic and the object will return to it's original state or form.
• Intentional Untransformation:  A spell can be cast to amplify the essence and thereby returning the object to it's original state or form.
• Vanishing: From being to non-being
• Non-being is a state that can only be achieved by vanishing and is much easier to achieve than it's opposite: conjuring.
• When an item is forced into "non-being", it does not simply "disappear" but the particles are separated. Therefore, the object does not cease to exist, but is spread out through the surrounding area in particles too small for the eye to see.
• Conjuring: From non-being to being
• Will not be studied till 5th year for the reason that it is the most difficult branch of Transfiguration. "Like vanishing, it also ties into the true statement that matter cannot be created or destroyed. Because of this, conjuring requires a large amount of energy to combine existing matter into an object which creates "essence." It is highly difficult and not a branch that should be attempted until you near your OWLs."