The night after the Charms examination, Edmund slept without dreaming. It was a deep, dreamless sleep, the kind that came only after complete exhaustion. When he woke, the green light of the lake was already filtering through the windows of the Slytherin common room. His friends were still asleep. He dressed quietly, ate a piece of toast from the plate that had appeared on the table, and walked to the Great Hall.
Today was Transfiguration.
He had always found Transfiguration challenging. It required precision, understanding, a deep knowledge of the object being changed. But he had studied. He had practiced. He was ready.
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The Great Hall was already filling with students when he arrived. He found his seat—number 147—and set down his quill, his ink bottle, his wand. The examiners filed in, their robes formal, their expressions unreadable. The lead examiner, a wizard with a grey beard and sharp blue eyes, rose from his desk.
"Nastily Exhausting Wizarding Tests," he said. "Subject: Transfiguration. Theory paper. You have two hours. Begin."
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The parchment was warm as Edmund touched it. He read the first question, then the second, then the third. They were brutal—harder than the Charms paper—but he had prepared.
*Question 1: Discuss the ethical implications of human transfiguration, including the legal framework governing its practice and the potential for irreversible damage.*
Edmund wrote about the dangers of self-transfiguration, about the witches and wizards who had been permanently altered by mistakes, about the laws that required human transfiguration to be performed only under the supervision of a qualified master. He cited the case of *Wainwright v. Ministry of Magic* (1842), in which a wizard who had transfigured his own hand into a claw was denied compensation because he had not obtained proper authorization. He discussed the difference between partial and full human transfiguration, noting that partial changes were less regulated but equally dangerous.
*Question 2: Explain the difference between cross-species switches and same-species transformations, with examples of each.*
He described the transformation of a guinea fowl into a guinea pig—a cross-species switch—versus the transformation of a hedgehog into a pincushion—a same-species transformation that changed form but not essential nature. He discussed the conservation of mass, the need for a living subject in cross-species switches, and the ethical considerations of creating life from inanimate matter. He cited the research of Emeric Switch, who had spent decades studying the boundary between the living and the non-living.
*Question 3: A wizard wishes to transfigure a desk into a pig. Discuss the challenges involved, including the conservation of mass, the need for a living subject, and the ethical considerations of creating life from inanimate matter.*
Edmund wrote about the limitations of Transfiguration, about the fact that inanimate objects could not truly become living creatures—only imitate them. He described the concept of "transient animation," where the object appeared alive but lacked a soul. He discussed the legal classification of such creations as property, not beings, and the moral questions that raised.
*Question 4: Describe the process of conjuration, including the sources of conjured matter and the limitations of the art.*
He wrote about the principle of *ex nihilo*—creation from nothing—and the counter-principle that conjured objects were not permanent. He discussed the energy required to maintain conjured matter, the tendency of conjured objects to revert to their original state, and the dangers of conjuring living creatures without proper training. He cited the research of Mirabella Plunkett, who had conjured a swarm of butterflies that later turned into a cloud of ash.
*Question 5: A witch has been cursed to transform into a wolf every full moon. Discuss the potential for using Transfiguration to reverse or mitigate the curse, including the limitations of magical healing.*
This was the hardest question. Edmund wrote about the nature of lycanthropy, about the fact that it was a curse, not a disease, and that Transfiguration could not cure it. He discussed the possibility of using a partial transformation to suppress the wolf form, but noted that such attempts were dangerous and often fatal. He concluded that the only safe course was to use the Wolfsbane Potion in conjunction with containment charms.
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The two hours passed. Edmund wrote until his hand cramped, filling every page, leaving nothing blank. When the proctor called "Time," he set down his quill and stretched his fingers. His wrist ached. His head pounded. But he had answered every question.
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The practical examination for Transfiguration was in the afternoon. Edmund ate a quick lunch, his stomach tight, his mind already racing. His friends sat with him, offering quiet words of encouragement.
"You've got this," Cassius said. "You turned a match into a needle in first year. This is just more of the same."
Arthur nodded. "Wainwright said you were the best he'd taught in decades."
Horace handed him another vial of peppermint tonic. Edmund drank it.
Astrid touched his hand. "Focus," she said. "You know this."
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The practical examination was held in a large chamber on the second floor, its walls lined with mirrors and its floor covered with targets. A panel of three examiners sat at a table near the door—two wizards and one witch, all strangers, all expressionless. Edmund stood in the center of the room, his wand in his hand.
"Mr. Prince," the lead examiner said, consulting his notes. "You will perform the following transfigurations. You have one minute for each. Begin."
**Transfiguration One: *Lignum ad Aurum* – Wood to Gold**
A wooden block sat on a pedestal. Edmund was to transfigure it into a solid gold cube of equal mass. This was a high-level material transfiguration, requiring precise control of atomic structure.
He raised his wand. *Lignum ad Aurum.* The wood shimmered, its grain fading, its color shifting from brown to yellow to brilliant gold. The cube gleamed. Edmund tapped it with his wand to test its density. It was solid.
The examiner picked it up, weighed it, and set it down. "Acceptable."
**Transfiguration Two: *Corpus Mutatio* – Partial Human Transfiguration**
This was dangerous. Edmund was to transfigure his left hand into a claw—not a lion's claw, but something of his own design. He had practiced this in the Room of Requirement, had turned his hand into a fin, a branch, a serpent's head.
He focused. His left hand shimmered. The fingers lengthened, the nails became talons, the skin turned grey and scaly. He held it up for the examiners to see. It was a dragon's claw—small, but perfectly formed.
He reversed the transformation. The hand returned to normal.
The examiner made a note. "Proceed."
**Transfiguration Three: *Animalis Complexus* – Multi-Form Conjuration**
Edmund was to conjure three different animals from a single wand movement. This required the ability to hold multiple forms in his mind simultaneously.
He raised his wand. *Animalis Complexus.* A bird, a fish, and a snake appeared in the air—a sparrow, a trout, and an adder. They swam and flew and slithered in a circle, then vanished.
The examiners exchanged glances. One of them nodded.
**Transfiguration Four: *Verres Ad Personam* – Pig to Pincushion**
A piglet stood in a cage. Edmund was to transfigure it into a pincushion and then back. This was a classic N.E.W.T. transfiguration, testing the ability to change living tissue into inanimate matter and reverse it.
*Verres Ad Personam.* The piglet shimmered, its form compressing, its fur becoming cloth, its snout becoming a cushion. A pincushion sat in the cage, pins sticking out of its surface.
Edmund waited. The examiner nodded. He reversed the spell. The piglet reappeared, unharmed.
**Transfiguration Five: *Elementum Transmutatio* – Elemental Transmutation**
This was the hardest. A glass of water sat on the table. Edmund was to transfigure it into wine—not by chemistry, but by changing the elemental composition. This was alchemical transfiguration, usually reserved for N.E.W.T. level in Alchemy, but the Transfiguration exam sometimes included it.
He raised his wand. *Elementum Transmutatio.* The water shimmered, its color shifting from clear to red, its scent changing from fresh to fruity. He dipped a finger in the liquid and tasted it. Wine.
The examiner nodded. "Impressive."
**Transfiguration Six: *Ex Animae Forma* – Soul Transfiguration**
The final challenge. A conjured rat sat in a cage. Edmund was to transfigure it into a teacup and then back, but with the additional requirement of preserving the creature's soul. This was the highest level of Transfiguration—changing form without changing essence.
Edmund closed his eyes. He thought about the first gate, about the mirrors, about the agony of becoming nothing. He had learned that true Transfiguration required not force, but understanding. He had to become the rat, feel its fear, its confusion, its trust.
He opened his eyes. *Ex Animae Forma.* The rat shimmered, its form compressing, its fur becoming porcelain, its tail becoming a handle. A teacup sat in the cage.
Edmund waited. The examiner leaned forward. "Reverse it."
*Ex Animae Forma.* The teacup shimmered, expanded, became the rat again. The creature blinked, shook itself, and squeaked.
The examiners were silent. The lead examiner made a note.
"That will do, Mr. Prince," he said. "You may go."
Edmund bowed and walked out of the room. His heart was pounding. His hands were steady. He had done everything he could.
---
He walked back to the common room, the afternoon sun warm on his face. His friends were waiting.
"How did it go?" Cassius asked.
"I don't know," Edmund said. "We'll find out."
"You probably got Outstanding," Arthur said.
"Probably not."
"Probably yes."
Edmund sat down beside them, and for a moment, he let himself rest. Tomorrow was Potions. He would need his strength.
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