Theory of Transubstantial Transfiguration
It is the nature of matter to have form. The form might be that of a pig or of a rabbit or of a hat. If the cohesiveness of one form is disturbed by someone's intention, it will then attempt to take another form, another shape. The appearance of the other form or the other shape depends in great part upon the will, or intent, of the witch or wizard who disturbed the original organization of the form. It also depends upon the will, or intent, of that which was transformed.
A pencil doesn't appear to care much whether it is a pin or a pencil. A rabbit doesn't seem to have much of a choice if a witch or wizard has a desire for a fluffy slipper. The odds, then, of the original witch or wizard attaining their desired goal of what something is changed into, with a pencil or a rabbit, are very good, as long as they can keep their intention steady while the process is in flux.
Difficulties arise when the intent of the wizard or witch who is altering the form of someone or something, is countered by the intent of that which is being altered. The person who has the most steady will, the greatest control of their intention, the strongest presence, will be the person who gives the most definition to the final shape.
How does this happen? How does the shape actually change? Again, it is the wish of all matter to have a shape. If the outward appearance is deliberately disturbed and undone, and a clear and cohesive thought is directing it to a new appearance, the matter will simply take that new shape. If the thought is not clear and cohesive, if there are contradictory intents at work, then the final shape will most likely be a combination of the two intentions at work.
The Theory of Anthony Adalphus Jones
Published in 1675
Any object can be changed into another object. The only reason they don't randomly change is because the light shining on them forces them to stay in a specific shape. If you take away the light source, anything can appear. Monsters that appear under the beds of children, only appear in the darkness for this reason. The vivid imagination of children is blamed for creating those monsters and this might actually be correct. The dust bunnies under the beds, the thrown away candy wrappers, the discarded socks - all of those innocent objects might have a new appearance as a monster.
There needs to be something present, in order for it to turn into something else. Monsters never appear out of thin air during daylight hours. Neither does anything else. The sunshine, or light, holding that thing in its form needs to be present, and as soon as darkness falls, then shape changing occurs.
This begs the question, why does everything stay in its current shape when it is dark? It's because that is the shape that the object is used to. It takes a certain amount of energy in order for transfiguration to be possible. Since sunlight, or light from torches, provides energy, then that very energy needed to change the shape is gone when perhaps the shapes might change. The thoughts of children, having plenty of energy, is sufficient to aid that dust bunny into turning into the monster-under-the-bed.
The Theory of John Phillip Peverell
Published in 1548
There is actually no such thing as Transfiguration. One object cannot change into another object. It is foolish to believe that any such thing is possible.
What actually happens is this. There is a huge reservoir of 'things' that take the place of other 'things' that are allegedly transfigured, or about to be transfigured. The witch or the wizard who has the intention of transfiguring something into something else does a sort of 'mental twist' and actually causes the original object to disapparate into the storage area, or reservoir. In that same mental twist, they summon forth that which they think they are turning the original object into.
This reservoir also contains all items that have disappeared without explanation. These could be items that went missing during apparition, accidents of the magical sort (such as when washing clothes and where did the missing sock of a pair go to) and witch and wizard children 'hiding' something when their parents come to see what they are laughing at.
The reason that the 'skill' of transfiguration took so long to develop and then to work well is that the reservoir of things was so small at first. But over the centuries it slowly built up until one can find almost anything in there.
The Theory of Alistair Devon Carley
Objects do not change into other objects. This is a ridiculous notion that must be dropped at once.
What actually happens is this:
The spirits of air are always listening to us. They are capable of assuming any and all forms, but they don't have the imagination to say what to change into. We, wizards and witches, have this imagination, however most air spirits do not listen to our thoughts. Therefore we need to say the incantations aloud, and with great promptitude, they will vanish the object that we think we are transfigurating, and replace it with themselves, in whatever form we said we wanted.
When we are first learning the so-called Art of Transfiguration, great emphasis is placed upon us pronouncing the words correctly and having some sort of clear mental picture of what we want. The necessity of proper pronunciation is essential since we need to obtain the attention of the spirits of air. Then, the more precise the words, and the clearer the picture in our mind, the more clearly they can assume the shape or form that we are trying to conjure.
Air spirits are quite capable of changing their form back to that of air spirits (by dropping the solidity of the form they assumed). Most transfigurations might seem permanent to us though, because their sense of time is quite different from ours. What they might consider a moment later might, by our sense of time, actually be two decades or three centuries later.
The Theory of Margaret Glynnis Anastasia Llewellyn
published in 1720
Objects change shape, that is an obvious fact. You can watch the blossom of the apple tree develop into a fruit, first unripe and then ripe. Then you can watch the fruit fall onto the ground, rot and return to the soil from which it came. But what most people do not realize is that that apple still has the more subtle shape, or form, of an apple. Until that subtle shape, of a more fine vibration, dissolves, that apple will return again and again.
What happens in transfiguration is this:
The dense shape of the object being transfigured actually disappears. Another shape, per the instruction or wish of the wizard or witch performing the spell, takes its place. Then this new shape acquires a more dense form.
How can this be? Simple. The finer, more subtle, shapes and forms are all around us. They do not have the same rules of location and behavior as the more dense shapes. One can be mingling with another and still be unique unto itself. It is only when a more dense form outlines the subtle form that there is conflict of area. One dense shape cannot be where another dense shape is.
The Theory of Kendra Kathleen Kettering
published in 1907
At this point in time, Transfiguration has been well researched and experimented upon by numerous past witches and wizards. My theory is built upon theirs as well as my own experiences with Transfiguration.
It is all a matter of illusion. You see what you want to see, and you touch what you wish to touch. Transfiguration is an illusion which you cast upon an object or yourself, allowing it to look, taste, feel, and sound like another. The world is like a painting, born from the imagination of the painter. When you are the painter, you can alter the mental and physical images of objects as perceived by others.
What happens is this: With the wave of your wand, your mental image is projected upon the minds of everyone around you, rather than the object itself. Therefore others are put under the illusion of you transfiguring a matchstick into a needle. But why then, I hear you ask, can we not use the 'needle' as a matchstick? Of course, the definition of an illusion is a distortion of the senses. When you can no longer see or touch the matchstick, it cannot be used as one.
Partial transfiguration is another topic relatively untouched. It comes with the danger, rather than difficulty, to imagine half formed objects. Animagus transformation is a key point in my argument. The reason why it has become incredibly rare for anyone to become an Animagus is due to becoming distracted while trying to picture yourself as an animal.
Conclusion:
It can be observed that not all theories concur with each other; in fact some directly contradict what another has said. While this may have led to wizard duels in the past, we are, hopefully, closer to being able to resolve such differences of opinion in a more peaceful and practical way.
Edited by Mione - 11 years ago
