Welcome to Gaia! ::

[color=#151B54][size=18][b][u]On The Board:[/u][/b][/size][/color]

[align=center][size=18][b]Basics of Transfiguration[/b][/size]

[size=15][u]What is Transfiguration?[/u][/size]
[list]Transfiguration is, at it's most basic, transforming one object into another. This is usually accomplished by magical means. However, it is not simply changing something's appearance into something else's, it is actually changing the very item into the its intended target. This very act changes its structure even down to the molecular level, so that when you transfigure a bird into a cup, you are taking that bird and turning it into a cup on an atomic level.[/list]

[size=15][u]What kinds of Transfiguration are there?[/u][/size]
[list]There are actually four different branches of Transfiguration: Transformation, Vanishment, Conjuration, and Untransfiguration. All four of these branches of transfiguration you work with if you wish to master this branch of magic, but you may not see all four during your course of study at Hogwarts.[/list]

[size=15][u]What is Transformation?[/u][/size]
[list]Transformation is at its core turning one object into another. This is the most basic form of transfiguration. There are three different subcategories of transformation known as Human Transfiguration, Switching, and Trans-Species. Human transfiguration however is the most difficult form of Transformation.[/list]

[size=15][u]What is Vanishment?[/u][/size]
[list]Vanishment is the act of taking an object and willing it out of existence. The Vanished item will simply cease to be, and instead you will have nothing. As such, this is the most difficult form of transfiguration you will probably encounter on your OWLs.[/list]

[size=15][u]What is Conjuration?[/u][/size]
[list]Conjuration is the act of bringing things into existence. This is much harder to do than simply willing something to appear. This area of Transfiguration you will learn about in your NEWT-level class should you get that far.[/list]

[size=15][u]What is Untransfiguration?[/u][/size]
[list]Untransfiguration is the act of reversing a transfiguration. The branch is considered both Transfiguration as well as a counter-spell. This branch is generally the very first one encountered when you are learning the subject of Transfiguration[/list]
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[align=justify][size=11]Rick leaned against the desk as he waited for students to file in. He vaguely wondered sometimes if he ever looked as small as the first years in this class, but dismissed this idea and instead decided to focus instead on the class at hand. When the students all filed into the classroom, he checked the time and closed the door with a flick of his wand before turning to address the first years. [b][color=#151B54]"Hello, and welcome to Transfiguration. I'm your professor Richard Drage. For those of you wondering if there is going to be some form of spellcasting right off the bat in this class, that would be a yes, and a no. Yes, because you will be casting spells in this lesson, and no, since there will only be one spell you will learn today. However, this spell is probably the most important one you will learn in your entire study of the subject, so that would be why it is the very first one you learn about today."[/color][/b]

He turned to the board and gestured to it, already well aware of the brief overview written upon it. [b][color=#151B54]"Transfiguration, by its very nature, is one of the most, if not [i]the[/i] most, difficult disciplines of magic there is. We are taking an object and changing it fundamentally at the molecular level. This in itself makes the practice at once dangerous as well as complex, however is probably one of the very rewarding branches of magic there is in my opinion. After all, you can look at something you've transfigured and know that you've managed to succeed or fail, and by itself is a very rewarding feeling."[/color][/b] He then turned back to the board and wrote something underneath his notes and pointed it out for people to see.

[quote="Professor Drage"][center][img]http://images.wikia.com/harrypotter/images/math/4/f/e/4feeb76dcc9d4cad32d7818e9cce4237.png[/img][/center][/quote]

[b][color=#151B54]"This, by the way, is one of the reasons why transfiguration is so difficult. Yes, it is a mathematical equation, one that is applied every time you try and cast a transfiguration spell. Can anyone enlighten me as to why that is?"[/color][/b] He crossed his arms and waited, taking a deep breath and hoping he hadn't confused the heck out of the first years yet. It would be his luck, wouldn't it? To be the first professor in Hogwarts history to basically make a mess of his first lesson and the students learned nothing? He hoped not.[/size][/align]

[align=justify][size=11]This is the text code you use to respond to the students in class. [b][color=#151B54]"This is when Rick is talking."[/color][/b]

He decided to write out the variables completely on the board, to better illustrate his point. [b][color=#151B54]"When you are doing any spell in transfiguration, whether it be transfiguring a needle into a matchstick or, one of the most advanced forms of transfiguration to date, becoming an animagus, you have to keep this formula in mind. You have the incantation itself and how you say it, Z, times your wandpower W multiplied by your concentration C, over the viciousness or your will V and your bodyweight A to get the desired result, T. All of these factors need to be present to successfully transfigure something, and you have to find the correct balance to accomplish this. Every transfiguration is going to require a mixture of these factors in just the right amount to accomplish your intended target. Any of these off in any way will result in the spell failing, and the object or creature you're casting it upon being stuck halfway between the two forms."[/color][/b] He pointed to the board to look over the class, waiting for them to copy down the notes he just provided.

[b][color=#151B54]"Thankfully there is a spell to reverse said transfigurations when they happen to be stuck. This is the spell that you are going to be working on today. This spell can reverse most simple transfiguration mistakes, and is extremely useful for beginner witches and wizards. This spell is called Reparifarge."[/color][/b] He quickly wrote out all of the information necessary on the board and then turned to the rest of the class.[/size][/align]

[quote="Professor Drage"][align=center][size=15][u]Reparifarge[/u][/size]
[i](re-par-ee-far-je)[/i]
t= Fixes Transfiguration mistakes
a= caster must be heavier than the object
v= intent must be at least medium-mild
w= any wand power
c= moderate
Z= well-spoken, as clear as possible[/align] [/quote]

[align=justify][size=11][b][color=#151B54]"Now, I am going to pass out items that have been transfigured halfway for you to work on. Don't worry about any of the creatures left in the state they are currently in, since I can turn them back into what they were originally. What I want you to do is try and untransfigure these items for practice. I will be walking around the classroom to observe your progress and give assistance where needed. When I get to you, please state your name and house, so that way I can start connecting faces with names."[/color][/b] Rick then proceeded to walk toward the cupboard to retrieve a box. He then started passing around items that the students could work on for their first spell attempts.[/size][/align]

[color=#151B54][size=18][b][u]On The Board:[/u][/b][/size][/color]

[align=center][size=18][b]Welcome Back![/b][/size]

[size=15][u]Match to Needle[/u]
[i]Acusignis[/i][/size]
[list]The word is derived from Latin, acus meaning "needle", and ignus meaning "torch". It is the incantation used in Match to Needle exercises, and is pronounced aku-sig-nis.

Looking back at our categories in Chapter 1, this spell falls under the Transformation Transfiguration branch. It is used to transform a match into a needle. This is one of the most basic Transfiguration spells and is commonly practiced in all beginner Transfiguration classes.

The spell itself does not cast any light or noise, but strictly transforms a match pointed at with the caster's wand into a needle.

The level of this Transfiguration is basic.

t= Transformation of a match into a needle
a= caster must be heavier than the match
v= intent must be at least mild
w= any wand power
c= fair
Z= well-spoken, as clear as possible [/list]

[size=15][u]Reparifarge[/u][/size]
[list]This spell is the basic spell for Untransfiguration. It should be used to help undo mistakes during transfiguration as well as to revert an object that has been transfigured back into its original form. The incantation for this spell is Reparifarge, or for easier pronunciation, "re-par-ee-far-je."[/list]

[size=15][u]Please Remember![/u][/size]
[list]As these spells always require the use of the formula for transfiguration, it shall be listed here. Please keep in mind the correct amounts for each part of the equation.
[img]http://images.wikia.com/harrypotter/images/math/4/f/e/4feeb76dcc9d4cad32d7818e9cce4237.png[/img][/list]
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[align=justify][size=11]Rick leaned against the desk as he waited for students to file in. He wasn't that worried about this lesson, not by a long shot. This lesson was certainly one of those that needed to be covered anyway. It was the most basic spell in Transfiguration, after all. Closing the door with a flick of his wand, he looked at the class with a wry expression. [b][color=#151B54]"Hello, and glad to see all of you today. I hope you practised Reparifarge enough last lesson, because we get to have fun with transfiguring items today. Don't worry, we won't be doing animal transfiguration until later in the year. Instead, we are going to be working on the most basic spell of them all, Acusignis."[/color][/b]

He tapped the board, and then walked over to his desk where he took a match from behind his ear and held it up for everyone to see. [b][color=#151B54]"Acusignis is the spell that turns a match like this, into a needle like this."[/color][/b] took his wand out and tapped the match. [b][color=#151B54]"Acusignis."[/color][/b] Instantly it transformed into a silver needle, perfectly straight and pointy. He held it up for everyone to see, and then handed it off for people to pass around. [b][color=#151B54]"Go ahead and pass that around. As you can see, the match was easily transformed into a needle with this spell, and while it may not seem like much, it is devilishly tricky to do the first time around. I had to cast the spell myself three times before my match even started looking vaguely like a needle, and it wasn't until later I was able to transfigure a match into a needle properly. This spell is perfect however for working on your concentration, your will, and your ability to focus on the spell itself to successfully transfigure."[/color][/b]

Getting up from the desk, he grabbed a small box from the desk and started passing out matches. [b][color=#151B54]"Now, I want to see you work on the spell itself. Remember, work on pronunciation and focus. Don't worry about the equation regarding Transfiguration right yet. It's easier if you don't think about it and instead work on will, the way you say the spell, and focus. Those three themselves actually do more for transfiguring anything than the other variables. Concentration, will, and pronunciation are the three variables you control, so work on those the most. I'll be walking around and checking people's progress on the spell, and if you need help, just raise your hand and I can come around."[/color][/b] He then walked back to the front of the classroom and started watching the students work as he leaned against his desk, getting up every now and then to look over his students' progress.[/size][/align]

[color=#151B54][size=18][b][u]On The Board:[/u][/b][/size][/color]

[align=center][size=18][b]Welcome Back![/b][/size]

[size=15][u]Teapot to Tortoise[/u]
[i]Sciphustestudo[/i][/size]
[list]This spell is a more complex version of the spells we have been working on, and involves transfiguring vertebrates into items.

The word is derived from Latin, scaphium meaning "pot, bowl, drinking vessel," and testudo meaning "tortoise." It is the incantation used for Teapot to Tortoise, and is pronounced sci-fus-tes-tu-doh.

Looking back to the categories we have worked with, this spell falls under the Transformation Transfiguration branch. It is used to transform a teapot into a tortoise. This is an easy and simple Transfiguration spell, quite commonly used to practice at the start of intermediate Transfiguration classes. It is especially pertinent to know the components of a tortoise while executing this spell.

The spell itself does not emit any sound or light, it strictly transforms a teapot into a tortoise when pointed at with the casters wand.

The level of this Transfiguration is somewhat basic.

t= Transformation of a teapot into a tortoise
a= caster must be heavier than the teapot
v= at least medium-mild
w= any wand power
c= fair
Z= perfectly spoken, completely clear [/list]

[size=15][u]Reparifarge[/u][/size]
[list]This spell is the basic spell for Untransfiguration. It should be used to help undo mistakes during transfiguration as well as to revert an object that has been transfigured back into its original form. The incantation for this spell is Reparifarge, or for easier pronunciation, "re-par-ee-far-je."[/list]

[size=15][u]Please Remember![/u][/size]
[list]As these spells always require the use of the formula for transfiguration, it shall be listed here. Please keep in mind the correct amounts for each part of the equation.
[img]http://images.wikia.com/harrypotter/images/math/4/f/e/4feeb76dcc9d4cad32d7818e9cce4237.png[/img][/list]
[/align]

[align=justify][size=11]Rick was sitting on his desk, a tank of tortoises near him and waiting for the class to get into the classroom before starting the lesson. The class was steadily improving, and Rick was glad to see it. He had been afraid that his tenure as a professor was going to be a complete wash, and he didn't want that. However, he knew that at least he was certain that the students were going to be proficient in Transfiguration by the end of school. At least that was his hope. He wouldn't see them after this year in classes, so he figured he might as well make the most of the last year they had to get them ready for the next teacher they had.

He waited until the last of the students were in the classroom before he waved his wand and closed the doors behind them. He then looked around the classroom, deciding to get started. [b][color=#151B54]"Welcome back everyone. This year marks the third year that you have been in this class, which means you should have a firm grasp on the basics of Transfiguration by now. If you don't, feel free to drop by my office during free periods and I can help you out with any questions you may have, or help you out on any areas you are weak in. I do hope that your time in class has been good, so without further ado, we're going to start up on the topic of more advanced transfiguration and the potential you have in this class should you wish to push yourself for it."[/color][/b]

He concentrated for a moment, closing his eyes as he envisioned his animagus form. Instantly, there was a slight pop and in his place, a red-tailed hawk was perched on the desk instead. Rick took a moment to stretch out his wings before he took off from the desk, circling the room once before settled on the edge of the tank. Resuming his normal form, he grinned at the class, thoroughly enjoying the feeling of flying, even if he didn't have any good thermals to ride when he was in the open sky. [b][color=#151B54]"Now, for those of you that are unused to that form of magic, that was called Animagus, a highly-advanced and difficult to master form of transfiguration. For those that want to research it further, you may ask the Animagus professor or ask even me about the subject, but it's an example of some of the things that you will be learning from this year on out. Before, you were working on simple transfiguration, however now you are getting into the more advanced forms of transfiguration. This year is your introduction into such materials, so I advise you to be studious and work hard on your spellwork to master the subject."[/color][/b]

Looking back, he gestured to the board. [b][color=#151B54]"For the first lesson of the year, we will be discussing the spell Sciphustestudo, or Tortoise to Teapot. This spell is complicated because of the fact that we are not only working with vertebrates, but also with the fact that a tortoise has one thing most other vertebrates don't have. That is its shell."[/color][/b] He calmly reached down into the tank and pulled a tortoise out to demonstrate what he meant. [b][color=#151B54]"The shell for this animal means that there is an extra bit of work on your concentration to incorporate it into the finished teapot. For those of you that can figure out how to do this easily, then you won't have any problems later. However, this is practice time, so I want to see everyone finish up with any notes from the board and come up and take a tortoise each. Practice the spell, and then untransfigure it again to try again. I will be walking around the room and observing, so if you have any questions or need assistance, then don't hesitate to ask."[/color][/b] [/size][/align]

[color=#151B54][size=18][b][u]On The Board:[/u][/b][/size][/color]

[align=center][size=18][b]Review![/b][/size]

[size=15][u]Beetle Buttons[/u][/size]
[list]This spell is one of the basic spells learned in second year. Again, it helps to work your ability to transfigure objects from creatures. The incantation for this spell is Mutobuprestis, or for easier pronunciation, "mute-o-boo-press-tis."[/list]

[size=15][u]Avifors[/u][/size]
[list]This spell is one that can gauge your skill in transfiguration, as while it transfigures objects into birds, the objects in question tend to be the same colour as the item that is transfigured. More experienced practitioners of Transfiguration are able to control the color and pattern of the birds transfigured. The incantation for this spell is Avifors, or for easier pronunciation, "AVI-forz."[/list]

[size=15][u]Vera Verto[/u][/size]
[list]This spell is used to turn an animal into a water goblet, and is one of the moderately difficult spells from your second year. This spell is one of those where it doesn't matter what kind of creature is being transfigured, the outcome and incantation is always the same. The incantation for this spell is Vera Verto, or for easier pronunciation, "vair-uh-VAIR-toh."[/list]

[size=15][u]Rabbit Slippers[/u][/size]
[list]This spell, unlike most of the other spells you have learned thus far, require a specific number of items to be transfigured. In this case, it transforms two rabbits into slippers. The incantation for this spell is Lepusfors, or for easier pronunciation, "lep-us-forz."[/list]

[size=15][u]Please Remember![/u][/size]
[list]As these spells always require the use of the formula for transfiguration, it shall be listed here. Please keep in mind the correct amounts for each part of the equation.
[img]http://images.wikia.com/harrypotter/images/math/4/f/e/4feeb76dcc9d4cad32d7818e9cce4237.png[/img][/list]
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