Overview

A Metamorphmagus is a witch or wizard who has the ability to change their appearance at will, without the need for a wand, spell, or potion.

Extended Description

Metamorphmagy is a very rare ability, and one that the witch or wizard must be born with. There is no way to train to become a Metamorphmagus.

Nymphadora Tonks, who we first meet in Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix, is a Metamorphmagus. She tells Harry that the ability helped her greatly in the Concealment and Disguise in her Auror training. Throughout the fifth book, she changes her hair color and style very frequently, although her favorite hair style is short, spiky, and bright pink. She also changes the shape of her nose between bites at dinner, to entertain her fellow diners.

Analysis

Throughout much of Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince, we see that Tonks is not using her Metamorphmagus ability at all. Harry believes that she is mourning someone, and her sorrow is either preventing her from changing her appearance, or else is simply leaving her uninspired to do so. We never find out if the actual ability to change her appearance has been lost. We do find out that the loss is temporary, however.

Questions

1. Sirius Black is related to Tonks – she is his distant niece. Could he also have some Metamorphmagus ability? Could that have helped him when he went through the spells necessary for him to become an Animagus?

Greater Picture