[HPforGrownups] Re: What *Really* is the Purpose (or nature) of Transfiguration?

[Hana]

No: HPFGUIDX 39717

James said:

>>Animagi switch into animals, but they never really stop being wizards do they (they keep their human minds it would seem).  
<snip>  
>>The fact that Peter (the rat) stayed alive for an extended lifetime for a rat(would he have lived his normal lifespan, would he return form being a rat the same age as he became one, would he have some average of the two ages?) this seems to suggest that you remain, essentially, the same but change outer appearance\form.

I agree with this -- if wizards actually ended up with the mind of whatever they changed into, then they'd never change back because they'd only be animals and no longer wizards.  Without the human intelligence there is no magic (unless someone can have a magical being or creature form like a unicorn, but so far no one seems to do that)

James said:

>>This would mean that a leaf transfigured into food would remain a 
leaf, so not nourish you....

This makes sense too, though if the thing really becomes whatever it's changed into wouldn't it still be nourishing?   

One thought I had is that most of the transfigurations seem to be from a living thing to a non-living thing or vice versa (IIRC).  There was the match to the needle, but most involve life.  If creating new robes meant transfiguring living animals into clothing, would people really do it?  I'm sure some would but I doubt the Weasleys would since they seem the type to care about that sort of thing.  What about transfiguring mice into steak dinners?  If they still had a soul. . . creepy thought.

The theory that transfiguration is actually one of the more difficult forms of magic may be one of the most reasonable ones.  Most of the things the students transfigure seem to be fairly small (I can't remember how big the dog is though).  It could be that the larger or more complicated transformations are a lot harder to do the same way that complicated potions are difficult -- few have the skill or patience to become really good at anything more than small scale things. It's possible that rings or something could be created, but clothing is too complex.  Also, if transfiguration was easy then people would simply turn rocks into gold and be done with it.  The philosopher's stone was able to turn things into gold IIRC but it was created by one of the best alchemists so I doubt just anyone could do it. 


Actually, I just had a thought (pure speculation happening here) -- some of the other disciplines (potions and herbology) are based on logical or scientific processes to some extent to get the proper result.  What if Transfiguration is the same?  If people have to understand (to some degree anyway) the interactions between items on more of a molecular level?  Matches to pins can be done because they're a similar shape and young minds can make the intuitive jump to switch them but more difficult things need a more scientific approach.  Things like rock to gold might simply be too complex for most minds to comprehend (like seriously advanced maths and sciences).

Another option is -- what if things have to be of like size?  match=needle, hedgehog=pincusion etc. To make a bolt of fabric to make clothing from, or even something robe sized might simply be too hard or irritating to find.  What would you use for your yards/metres of fabric -- sod?  Something robe sized like what?  A  sheep?  Cow?  That would be odd (and annoying to the farmers with the missing livestock ;))

Oh, and since it's obvious that an animagus needs to keep his/her intelligence when transforming so that they can change back, can the same be said for people transfigured by others like Draco-Ferret?  An interesting thought there.


I don't know if I agree with the idea of a time limit though.  The chess set in PS/SS was transfigured and I doubt that McGonagall crept past everyone elses traps to retransfigure the chess set numerous times a day.  (I wonder what it ~used~ to be before it was a huge game of wizard's chess?)

Well, I think I've babbled on long enough -- hope some of this makes sense.

---
--Hana (who should really stop thinking out loud when posting)



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