In this image:
Charms is the more useful subject
Don’t listen to what Augusta Longbottom has to say, Charms is in no way the soft option. We think it happens to be the most valuable subject taught at Hogwarts – much more useful than Transfiguration anyway.
Firstly, Charms are spells that you use throughout your everyday life. Need a bit of extra light? Use Lumos. Did something mortifying and want to make sure nobody remembers? Oh look, there’s the Memory Charm. You’re being swarmed by a bunch of Dementors and want to hang on to your soul? Good job the Patronus Charm exists. Whatever situation you find yourself in, there’s always a Charm to help you.
Transfiguration doesn’t do that. Yeah, it might look cool to turn a desk into a pig or small objects into birds, but we’d hardly call that useful. Plus, magic that requires Transfiguration isn’t as easy to get to grips with as Charms. Look at the process of becoming an Animagus, it’s hideously long and overly complex and can result in utter disaster. We would not want to be stuck as some half-human, half-animal hybrid for the rest of our days – no thank you. For something to be truly useful it has to be accessible, and Transfiguration just isn’t it.
But let’s also look beyond the everyday. You know what spell ultimately defeated Voldemort? A Charm. That’s right, it wasn’t some fancy Transfiguration, a Hex or a Potion, it was a humble Charm. In the very final battle, Harry Potter used Expelliarmus, to defeat Voldemort.
In fact, the Disarming Charm was Harry’s signature spell. It got him out of plenty of scrapes – from escaping the clutches of a giant spider in the third task, to disarming Snape at the Shrieking Shack. He even made sure all members of Dumbledore’s Army could use it – that’s how important it was. Just about more important than turning a mouse into a snuffbox that’s for sure.
To us, it’s a no-brainer. Charms is a much more useful subject than Transfiguration. Whilst the latter might lend itself to some fun party tricks, it’s just doesn’t help you on a day-to-day basis, Charms does. It’s also the subject that most students can get to grips with (even Neville Longbottom took it N.E.W.T. level). But the deciding factor? If Charms is good enough for defeating one of the Darkest wizards of all time, then its good enough for us.
In this image:
Transfiguration is the more useful subject
Party tricks?! Put some respect on to the good name Minerva McGonagall. There is no way the no-nonsense Deputy Head of Hogwarts would waste her time on a subject considered kitsch – Transfiguration is the real deal. And far more nuanced than turning rats into water goblets.
This branch of magic wasn’t just about transformation – it was also about conjuring, vanishing and combining. This class may not have as many famous spells as Charms does, like The Patronus Charm or Lumos and Nox, but there are so many famous uses of Transfiguration across the Harry Potter stories that you probably haven’t even realised.
To become an Animagus, one of the most complex and significant spells in the wizarding world, for example, you must master it through the art of Transfiguration. (Hence McGonagall’s adept skill of being able to turn into a cat whenever she likes.) The power of Animagi was a vital practice for several witches and wizards– even Harry’s own father swore by it, in order to comfort his friend Remus Lupin during his werewolf transformations.
Fellow Animagus and Marauder Sirius Black was able to hide behind his Snuffles persona while on the run from Azkaban. And going back to Professor McGonagall – without her prowess (purr-ess?) at metamorphosing into her feline form, she wouldn’t have been able to efficiently watch over Harry and the Dursleys at the start of the stories.
You can also conjure things from thin air using Transfiguration – where do you think Ron and Harry got their endless sandwiches from when they were late for the start-of-term feast in Chamber of Secrets? And as many of you reading this well know, sandwiches are probably the most important thing of all time.
Alright, fine. If you need further persuasion – think of Hermione conjuring up flames to keep the trio warm during their Horcrux hunt. Think of the silver rope McGonagall created to detain the Carrows. And what about Vanishing Spells? The idea of forcing something into non-being is an incredible phenomenon. And it’s actually an early magical activity we see Harry accidentally use – vanishing the glass at London Zoo to free the Boa Constrictor. Just think, without Transfiguration, you would never have had “Thankssss amigo”!
Yes, Charms might have its valuable uses but let’s make one thing clear. While it was a Charm that Harry used in the final battle against Voldemort, it was Voldemort’s rebounding Curse that killed him rather than the Charm itself.
Transfiguration is the bones of magical proficiency. Conjuring from thin air – or indeed vanishing it – or being able to literally change something (or someone) into something entirely different? Bread and butter magic. This is the best class to nail at Hogwarts, hands down. And if it’s good enough for McGonagall, it’s good enough for us.
Fancy getting stuck into another wizarding debate?
Why not see whether Ron or Harry should have been Hermione's end game.
Decide whether you think Sirius Black was an excellent role model or reckless rogue.
Or see whether Quirrell or Lockhart was the better Defence Against the Dark Arts teacher.