Porcupine to Pin Cushion

Porcupine to Pin Cushion
Incantation	Hystrifors (HISS-tree-fors)
Type	Transfiguration
Hand movement
Effect	Transforms a porcupine into a pincushion

"You must form a trusting relationship with your porcupine. It is easier to practise Transfiguration on a willing target."

— Professor McGonagall on the subject matter

Porcupine to Pin Cushion (Hystrifors) was a Transforming spell that transformed a porcupine into a pincushion.

History

During the 1985–1986 school year at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, Professor Minerva McGonagall taught the spell to second-year students in her Transfiguration class.

Etymology

From Latin "hystrix", meaning "porcupine", with the -fors suffix attached.

Behind the scenes

• The incantation is a misnomer, as it is indicative of a porcupine, but the spell transforms things into pincushions, and not into porcupines. For example, Lapifors turns the target into a rabbit and Avifors the target into a bird. This might be a mistake from Harry Potter: Hogwarts Mystery developers, where the spell appears.
• This may be related to the hedgehog to pincushion spell, especially given that it works on any mammal with spines.
  • Despite the hedgehog to pincushion spell being taught to fourth-years in the 1994–1995 school year curriculum, the porcupine version is taught to second-years in the 1985–1986 school year curriculum.
• In Harry Potter: Hogwarts Mystery, while the lesson was listed as "Porcupine to Pin Cushion" ("Pin" and "Cushion" written separately) in the game's class directory and the header of the specific lesson; during the lesson itself, the descriptions about "pincushion" were all written as one word:
  • "Porcupine to Pincushion Demonstration"
  • "Memorise Pincushion Shape"
  • "Cast Porcupine to Pincushion"

Appearances

• Harry Potter: Hogwarts Mystery (First appearance)

See also

• Hedgehog to Pin Cushion