Avifors

• Incantation: Avifors
• Pronunciation: AH-vi-fors
• Wand Movement: Unknown
• Light: Unknown
• Effect: A Transfiguration spell that transforms an object or creature into a bird or a flock of birds.
• Type: Transfiguration

The Avifors spell does not appear within the narrative of the seven original Harry Potter novels. Its existence and use are established exclusively in supplementary materials, most notably the Harry Potter video games. In the context of the video games, the spell is used by Harry Potter and other students. Its primary function is for puzzle-solving, where inanimate objects like statues or chests are transfigured into birds to activate mechanisms or reveal hidden paths. It can also be used offensively against smaller magical creatures, transforming them into a harmless flock of birds or bats that subsequently fly away. (video game)

Within the continuity of the video games, Avifors is typically taught during Transfiguration class at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, often under the tutelage of Professor Minerva McGonagall. (video game) No specific counter-spell for Avifors is known. The effects are often temporary, or the transfigured birds simply depart, making a direct reversal unnecessary in most situations.

The incantation “Avifors” is a compound of Latin words, which is common for spells in the Wizarding World.

• Avis: The Latin word for “bird.”
• Fors: This suffix is likely derived from the Latin word forma, meaning “form” or “shape.”

The combined meaning can be interpreted as “to take bird form,” which perfectly describes the spell's outcome.

Avifors is a spell created specifically for the Harry Potter video games and is not considered part of the book canon established by J.K. Rowling. It was designed to add a useful and visually distinct Transfiguration spell to the player's arsenal, facilitating unique puzzle and combat mechanics. The spell is a memorable feature in several early game titles, including:

• Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets (PC and Game Boy Advance versions) (video game)
• Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban (PC and Game Boy Advance versions) (video game)