Question: **Is Polyjuice Potion a *chemical* transformation or a form of Transfiguration?** I'm not a science genius and I genuinely can't decide if this is a chemical transformation or Transfiguration, or a combination of both. Yes, yes, I know it's a *potion*, which is chemical, but I've always thought the Polyjuice Potion has elements of Transfiguration magic to it as well. So I'm asking you fine people, **which one is it?**

For reference, see chapter 12 of *Chamber of Secrets* - *The Polyjuice Potion*.

Answer: 
According to [the answer to this question](https://scifi.stackexchange.com/questions/11846/can-a-muggle-become-a-potions-maker), there will be a magical component, so Polyjuice potions won't be solely a chemical transformation. It makes sense that the magical component comes from transfiguration, then.
Transfiguration is the ability to change into another creature at will. This is not the same as being a werewolf because a werewolf is a monthly change and this is not something that everyone chooses due to the chance that they were bitten or otherwise. Transfiguration is something that is learned by the witch or wizard and they are able to do so whenever they choose and for however long they want (ex: Peter Pettigrew) and they also have to register their animal that they change into to the ministry of magic (Order of the Phoenix). Transfiguration does not give someone the ability to change into another person.

The polyjuice potion allows the drinker to take the form of another person for a limited amount of time. And this can only be done after the potion has been brewed for a month. The limitations for polyjuice potion is that the person cannot take the form of an animal (Ex: Hermione in the Chamber of Secrets)and they have to constantly be drinking the potion to maintain the other person's form. Making Polyjuice potion a chemically and magically induced temporary change, whereas transfiguration is a magically induced biological change that has no time limit.