BASICS COMMON WANDWOOD EXOTIC WANDWOOD COMMON CORES EXOTIC CORES
BASICS
LENGTH


Between 7 and 15 inches. Length is mostly a matter of preference, although you will rarely see a 7-inch wand bond to someone who will grow to a large stature. The length of a wand does often follow with how the wizard or witch will grow.


FLEXIBILITY


The flexibility of a wand is generally a measurement of its willingness to work for its chosen Witch or Wizard. A witch with a whippy wand might learn spells faster than a wizard with a rigid wand, but the wizard with a rigid wand will have more spell strength once he finally masters it. Rigid and inflexible wands are the hardest to master, but dependent on their core and wood, can be the most powerful. There is also an element of material inherent- it is rare to find a whippy mahogany wand or a stiff reed wand.

The scale, from speed to strength:

Whippy < easiest to learn and cast, least powerful
Swishy < slightly harder to learn and cast, just slightly more powerful
Flexible < rare, harder to learn and cast, average power to under average power
Springy < the most common, easy to learn and cast, average power
Sturdy < slightly less common, harder to learn and cast, slightly more power
Inflexible < rare, hard to learn and cast, powerful but not too powerful
Rigid < hardest to learn and cast, most powerful

Delicate < a special case. It takes special care to learn spells with this wand, but it is rarely extremely powerful. They tend to choose witches and wizards with somewhat frail personalities, and once a spell is learned, although it is not as strong, it is extremely reliable.

Feisty < neither stiff nor flexible, but has a mind of it's own often adding more to spells then the owner wants in amounts of power used


TYPE OF WOOD


Every single wand is unique and will depend for its character on the particular tree and magical creature from which it derives its materials. Moreover, each wand, from the moment it finds its ideal owner, will begin to learn from and teach its human partner. Therefore, the following must be seen as general notes on each of the wood types I like to work with best, and ought not to be taken to describe any individual wand.

Only a minority of trees can produce wand quality wood (just as a minority of humans can produce magic). It takes years of experience to tell which ones have the gift, although the job is made easier if Bowtruckles are found nesting in the leaves, as they never inhabit mundane trees. The following notes on various wand woods should be regarded very much as a starting point, for this is the study of a lifetime, and I continue to learn with every wand I make and match.


BLENDED CORES AND DUAL WOODS


All Wands must contain a minimum of one Wood and one Core. However they can have a dual-core or a blended core in their wand. Although, it is ill advised to have more than two cores as that can cause fatal backfires.
While its not possible to blend the wood of the Wand, you may have a Wand Handle of one wood and a Body Wood of another. Normally in these cases, the Handle represents the Heart of the Witch or Wizard. The Body of the wand generally represents the Witch or Wizards outward appearance.
COMMON WANDWOOD
ACACIA

A very unusual wand wood, which I have found creates tricky wands that often refuse to produce magic for any but their owner, and also withhold their best effects from all but those most gifted. This sensitivity renders them difficult to place, and I keep only a small stock for those witches or wizards of sufficient subtlety, for acacia is not suited to what is commonly known as 'bangs-and-smells' magic. When well-matched, an acacia wand matches any for power, though it is often underrated due to the peculiarity of its temperament.


ALDER

Alder is extremely rare, as many wandmakers will refuse to take wood from an alder. The 'bleeding', turning from white to red, is considered to be inauspicious. The few wands made of alder are often those with strongly opposing cores (such as doxy wings and phoenix feather), as the wood imposes balance. Alder is an unyielding wood, yet I have discovered that its ideal owner is not stubborn or obstinate, but often helpful, considerate and most likeable. Whereas most wand woods seek similarity in the characters of those they will best serve, alder is unusual in that it seems to desire a nature that is, if not precisely opposite to its own, then certainly of a markedly different type. When an alder wand is happily placed, it becomes a magnificent, loyal helpmate. Of all wand types, alder is best suited to non-verbal spell work, whence comes its reputation for being suitable only for the most advanced witches and wizards.


APPLE

Applewood wands are not made in great numbers. They are powerful and best suited to an owner of high aims and ideals, as this wood mixes poorly with Dark magic. It is said that the possessor of an apple wand will be well-loved and long-lived, and I have often noticed that customers of great personal charm find their perfect match in an applewood wand. An unusual ability to converse with other magical beings in their native tongues is often found among apple wand owners, who include the celebrated author of Merpeople: A Comprehensive Guide to Their Language and Customs, Dylan Marwood. Apple is a gentle, outdoorsy wood that would find favor with a student skilled in Herbology or Care of Magical Creatures. It tends to get overwhelmed easily, and is thus rarely used with powerful cores (multiple dragon heartstrings or phoenix feathers, for example).


ASH

Ash is slightly associated with the Dark Arts, as the ash tree is said to 'strangle' the plants around it. It does excel at Dark magic, but is also good for Transfiguration. They also tend to bond to good Diviners.The ash wand cleaves to its one true master and ought not to be passed on or gifted from the original owner, because it will lose power and skill. This tendency is extreme if the core is of unicorn. Old superstitions regarding wands rarely bear close examination, but I find that the old rhyme regarding rowan, chestnut, ash and hazel wands (rowan gossips, chestnut drones, ash is stubborn, hazel moans) contains a small nugget of truth. Those witches and wizards best suited to ash wands are not, in my experience, lightly swayed from their beliefs or purposes. However, the brash or over-confident witch or wizard, who often insists on trying wands of this prestigious wood, will be disappointed by its effects. The ideal owner may be stubborn, and will certainly be courageous, but never crass or arrogant.


ASPEN

Wand-quality aspen wood is white and fine-grained, and highly prized by all wand-makers for its stylish resemblance to ivory and its usually outstanding charmwork. The proper owner of the aspen wand is often an accomplished duellist, or destined to be so, for the aspen wand is one of those particularly suited to martial magic. An infamous and secretive eighteenth-century duelling club, which called itself The Silver Spears, was reputed to admit only those who owned aspen wands. In my experience, aspen wand owners are generally strong-minded and determined, more likely than most to be attracted by quests and new orders; this is a wand for revolutionaries. Those with aspen wands tend to be defiant and talkative. This wand boosts power in Charms, but detracts from Healing magic.


BEECH

Beech is a strong, neutral wood that has no particular strengths or weaknesses, with the exception of one small quirk- it tends to function less effectively underwater. The true match for a beech wand will be, if young, wise beyond his or her years, and if full-grown, rich in understanding and experience. Beech wands perform very weakly for the narrow-minded and intolerant. Such wizards and witches, having obtained a beech wand without having been suitably matched (yet coveting this most desirable, richly hued and highly prized wand wood), have often presented themselves at the homes of learned wandmakers such as myself, demanding to know the reason for their handsome wand's lack of power. When properly matched, the beech wand is capable of a subtlety and artistry rarely seen in any other wood, hence its lustrous reputation.


BIRCH

Although it has a reputation for weakness, in actuality birch is one of the finest Light wandwoods in existence. It is associated with both driving out evil spirits (and thus will produce a strong Patronus) and with healing magic.


BLACKTHORN

Blackthorn, which is a very unusual wand wood, has the reputation, in my view well-merited, of being best suited to a warrior. This does not necessarily mean that its owner practises the Dark Arts (although it is undeniable that those who do so will enjoy the blackthorn wand's prodigious power); one finds blackthorn wands among the Aurors as well as among the denizens of Azkaban. It is a curious feature of the blackthorn bush, which sports wicked thorns, that it produces its sweetest berries after the hardest frosts, and the wands made from this wood appear to need to pass through danger or hardship with their owners to become truly bonded. Given this condition, the blackthorn wand will become as loyal and faithful a servant as one could wish.


BLACK IRONWOOD

African import, remarkable in that it will sink rather than float in water. Although its strength might imply a powerful wandwood, it is rarely used, even in African wandcraft- its weight, particularly in longer wands, impedes spellcasting, and it is next-to-useless underwater.


BLACK WALNUT

Less common than the standard walnut wand, that of black walnut seeks a master of good instincts and powerful insight. Black walnut is a very handsome wood, but not the easiest to master. It has one pronounced quirk, which is that it is abnormally attuned to inner conflict, and loses power dramatically if its possessor practises any form of self-deception. If the witch or wizard is unable or unwilling to be honest with themselves or others, the wand often fails to perform adequately and must be matched with a new owner if it is to regain its former prowess. Paired with a sincere, self-aware owner, however, it becomes one of the most loyal and impressive wands of all, with a particular flair in all kinds of charmwork. A beautiful dark wood, this wand is more decorative than Dark, and is actually a strong Light wood- black walnuts produce a chemical that kills poisonous plants of the Nightshade family.


BLUE SPRUCE

Like spruce, a strong wood that excels in everything except the Dark Arts. However, a witch or wizard with a strong personality can coax more out of a blue spruce wand than a spruce one.


CEDAR

Whenever I meet one who carries a cedar wand, I find strength of character and unusual loyalty. My father, Gervaise Ollivander, used always to say, 'you will never fool the cedar carrier,' and I agree: the cedar wand finds its perfect home where there is perspicacity and perception. I would go further than my father, however, in saying that I have never yet met the owner of a cedar wand whom I would care to cross, especially if harm is done to those of whom they are fond. The witch or wizard who is well-matched with cedar carries the potential to be a frightening adversary, which often comes as a shock to those who have thoughtlessly challenged them. Cedar is a rather docile wandwood with particular skill in protective spells. Cedar wand wielders often become potent Occlumens.


CHERRY

This very rare wand wood creates a wand of strange power, most highly prized by the wizarding students of the school of Mahoutokoro in Japan, where those who own cherry wands have special prestige. The Western wand-purchaser should dispel from their minds any notion that the pink blossom of the living tree makes for a frivolous or merely ornamental wand, for cherry wood often makes a wand that possesses truly lethal power, whatever the core, but if teamed with dragon heartstring, the wand ought never to be teamed with a wizard without exceptional self-control and strength of mind. A "happy", willing wandwood, which will give consistent results at all magic save the Dark Arts. Cherry with phoenix feather is a particularly agreeable combination for a Light wizard without particularly prodigious magical talents.


CHESTNUT

This is a most curious, multi-faceted wood, which varies greatly in its character depending on the wand core, and takes a great deal of colour from the personality that possesses it. The wand of chestnut is attracted to witches and wizards who are skilled tamers of magical beasts, those who possess great gifts in Herbology, and those who are natural fliers. However, when paired with dragon heartstring, it may find its best match among those who are overfond of luxury and material things, and less scrupulous than they should be about how they are obtained. Conversely, three successive heads of the Wizengamot have possessed chestnut and unicorn wands, for this combination shows a predilection for those concerned with all manner of justice. Chestnut is quite good at Transfiguration, although it tends to sputter at Charms and DADA.


CYPRESS

Cypresses have long been associated with the Greek god of the underworld, Hades. This wand has subtle power, and is good at Transfiguration and Dark Arts. Cypress wands are associated with nobility. The great medieval wandmaker, Geraint Ollivander, wrote that he was always honoured to match a cypress wand, for he knew he was meeting a witch or wizard who would die a heroic death. Fortunately, in these less blood-thirsty times, the possessors of cypress wands are rarely called upon to lay down their lives, though doubtless many of them would do so if required. Wands of cypress find their soul mates among the brave, the bold and the self-sacrificing: those who are unafraid to confront the shadows in their own and others' natures.


DOGWOOD

Dogwood is one of my own personal favourites, and I have found that matching a dogwood wand with its ideal owner is always entertaining. Dogwood wands are quirky and mischievous; they have playful natures and insist upon partners who can provide them with scope for excitement and fun. It would be quite wrong, however, to deduce from this that dogwood wands are not capable of serious magic when called upon to do so; they have been known to perform outstanding spells under difficult conditions, and when paired with a suitably clever and ingenious witch or wizard, can produce dazzling enchantments. An interesting foible of many dogwood wands is that they refuse to perform non-verbal spells and they are often rather noisy. Dogwood is extremely hard and strong, and the wands made from it will have this resilience. It was once used for making daggers, and hence has a slight violent streak.


EBONY

Ebony is the most famous of the Dark woods, although not the most powerful. However, for visual impact and power, it is amongst the best. This jet-black wand wood has an impressive appearance and reputation, being highly suited to all manner of combative magic, and to Transfiguration. Ebony is happiest in the hand of those with the courage to be themselves. Frequently non-conformist, highly individual or comfortable with the status of outsider, ebony wand owners have been found both among the ranks of the Order of the Phoenix and among the Death Eaters. In my experience the ebony wand's perfect match is one who will hold fast to his or her beliefs, no matter what the external pressure, and will not be swayed lightly from their purpose.


ELDER*

The rarest wand wood of all, and reputed to be deeply unlucky, the elder wand is trickier to master than any other. It contains powerful magic, but scorns to remain with any owner who is not the superior of his or her company; it takes a remarkable wizard to keep the elder wand for any length of time. The old superstition, 'wand of elder, never prosper,' has its basis in this fear of the wand, but in fact, the superstition is baseless, and those foolish wandmakers who refuse to work with elder do so more because they doubt they will be able to sell their products than from fear of working with this wood. The truth is that only a highly unusual person will find their perfect match in elder, and on the rare occasion when such a pairing occurs, I take it as certain that the witch or wizard in question is marked out for a special destiny. An additional fact that I have unearthed during my long years of study is that the owners of elder wands almost always feel a powerful affinity with those chosen by rowan. although it is rumored that the most powerful wand in existence was made of elder, it is not a particularly common wandwood, if only because when elder wands backfire, they often kills the wandmaker or wielder.


EUCALYPTUS

Eucalyptus trees grow quickly, so these wands channel that liveliness to be both willing and powerful. However, they are rather rare, and are most commonly Australian imports.


ELM

The unfounded belief that only pure-bloods can produce magic from elm wands was undoubtedly started by some elm wand owner seeking to prove his own blood credentials, for I have known perfect matches of elm wands who are No-Maj-borns. The truth is that elm wands prefer owners with presence, magical dexterity and a certain native dignity. Of all wand woods, elm, in my experience, produces the fewest accidents, the least foolish errors, and the most elegant charms and spells; these are sophisticated wands, capable of highly advanced magic in the right hands (which, again, makes it highly desirable to those who espouse the pure-blood philosophy).


ENGLISH OAK

A wand for good times and bad, this is a friend as loyal as the wizard who deserves it. Wands of English oak demand partners of strength, courage and fidelity. Less well-known is the propensity for owners of English oak wands to have powerful intuition, and, often, an affinity with the magic of the natural world, with the creatures and plants that are necessary to wizardkind for both magic and pleasure. The oak tree is called King of the Forest from the winter solstice up until the summer solstice, and its wood should only be collected during that time (holly becomes King as the days begin to shorten again, and so holly should only be gathered as the year wanes. This divide is believed to be the origin of the old superstition, "when his wand's oak and hers is holly, then to marry would be folly," a superstition that I have found baseless). It is said that Merlin's wand was of English oak (though his grave has never been found, so this cannot be proven).


FIR

Fir is not a common wandwood because of its undesirable physical properties, but is occasionally seen in outdoorsy wands. My august grandfather, Gerbold Octavius Ollivander, always called wands of this wood 'the survivor's wand,' because he had sold it to three wizards who subsequently passed through mortal peril unscathed. There is no doubt that this wood, coming as it does from the most resilient of trees, produces wands that demand staying power and strength of purpose in their true owners, and that they are poor tools in the hands of the changeable and indecisive. Fir wands are particularly suited to Transfiguration, and favour owners of focused, strong-minded and, occasionally, intimidating demeanour.


GINKGO

This is a highly unusual wandwood, and is rarely seen in the West. For over a millenium, it competed with plum as the most popular Chinese wandwood, however, as gingko trees ceased to be a wild species, the wood began losing favor. The commonly held perception that wild woods lead to stronger wands means that modern ginkgo wands are fairly rare. This is not to say that ginkgo is not a useful wandwood: it has great staying power, and is good for calming temperamental cores.


HAWTHORN

There is a unique ritual associated with the harvesting of hawthorn for wandwood- they are only cut in symbolic prunings at Beltane. It is an excellent DADA wand, as it symbolizes protection. The wandmaker Gregorovitch wrote that hawthorn 'makes a strange, contradictory wand, as full of paradoxes as the tree that gave it birth, whose leaves and blossoms heal, and yet whose cut branches smell of death.' While I disagree with many of Gregorovitch's conclusions, we concur about hawthorn wands, which are complex and intriguing in their natures, just like the owners who best suit them. Hawthorn wands may be particularly suited to healing magic, but they are also adept at curses, and I have generally observed that the hawthorn wand seems most at home with a conflicted nature, or with a witch or wizard passing through a period of turmoil. Hawthorn is not easy to master, however, and I would only ever consider placing a hawthorn wand in the hands of a witch or wizard of proven talent, or the consequences might be dangerous. Hawthorn wands have a notable peculiarity: their spells can, when badly handled, backfire.


HAZEL

A sensitive wand, hazel often reflects its owner's emotional state, and works best for a master who understands and can manage their own feelings. Others should be very careful handling a hazel wand if its owner has recently lost their temper, or suffered a serious disappointment, because the wand will absorb such energy and discharge it unpredictably. The positive aspect of a hazel wand more than makes up for such minor discomforts, however, for it is capable of outstanding magic in the hands of the skillful, and is so devoted to its owner that it often 'wilts' (which is to say, it expels all its magic and refuses to perform, often necessitating the extraction of the core and its insertion into another casing, if the wand is still required) at the end of its master's life (if the core is unicorn hair, however, there is no hope; the wand will almost certainly have 'died'). Hazel wands also have the unique ability to detect water underground, and will emit silvery, tear-shaped puffs of smoke if passing over concealed springs and wells. Hazel is quiet and versatile, giving subtle boosts to Charms and Transfiguration. It is another wand that denotes skill in Divination.


HEMLOCK

Hemlock is a 'quick' wandwood and allows for fast reactions, and makes an excellent potion stirrer besides.


HOLLY

The archetypal Light wandwood, Holly is renowned for its ability to repel dark spirits and demons. It may reduce your power in hexes, but the boost you get to DADA may just balance it out. Holly is one of the rarer kinds of wand woods; traditionally considered protective, it works most happily for those who may need help overcoming a tendency to anger and impetuosity. At the same time, holly wands often choose owners who are engaged in some dangerous and often spiritual quest. Holly is one of those woods that varies most dramatically in performance depending on the wand core, and it is a notoriously difficult wood to team with phoenix feather, as the wood's volatility conflicts strangely with the phoenix's detachment. In the unusual event of such a pairing finding its ideal match, however, nothing and nobody should stand in their way.


HORNBEAM

My own wand is made of hornbeam, and so it is with all due modesty that I state that hornbeam selects for its life mate the talented witch or wizard with a single, pure passion, which some might call obsession (though I prefer the term 'vision'), which will almost always be realised. Hornbeam wands adapt more quickly than almost any other to their owner's style of magic, and will become so personalised, so quickly, that other people will find them extremely difficult to use even for the most simple of spells. Hornbeam wands likewise absorb their owner's code of honour, whatever that might be, and will refuse to perform acts - whether for good or ill - that do not tally with their master's principles. A particularly fine-tuned and sentient wand. Hornbeam, or ironwood, is considered to be the most stubborn of wandwoods. Those who have the necessary will to master it will be rewarded with an extremely powerful wand.


IVY

An uncommon wandwood due to the difficulty of harvesting thick enough pieces, it is often worth the trouble, as it is deceptively strong.


KAYA

A lovely yellow wandwood of Japanese origin, it is extremely rare in British wandmaking. However, those bonded to Kaya wands will find their abilities in logical arts, such as Potions, Astronomy, Ancient Runes, and Arithmancy, boosted.


LARCH

Strong, durable and warm in colour, larch has long been valued as an attractive and powerful wand wood. Its reputation for instilling courage and confidence in the user has ensured that demand has always outstripped supply. This much sought-after wand is, however, hard to please in the matter of ideal owners, and trickier to handle than many imagine. I find that it always creates wands of hidden talents and unexpected effects, which likewise describes the master who deserves it. It is often the case that the witch or wizard who belongs to the larch wand may never realise the full extent of their considerable talents until paired with it, but that they will then make an exceptional match.


LAUREL

It is said that a laurel wand cannot perform a dishonourable act, although in the quest for glory (a not uncommon goal for those best suited to these wands), I have known laurel wands perform powerful and sometimes lethal magic. Laurel wands are sometimes called fickle, but this is unfair. The laurel wand seems unable to tolerate laziness in a possessor, and it is in such conditions that it is most easily and willingly won away. Otherwise, it will cleave happily to its first match forever, and indeed has the unusual and engaging attribute of issuing a spontaneous lightning strike if another witch or wizard attempts to steal it.


LINDEN

Linden, or lime, has not been widely used in British wandmaking. However, German wizards have long favored it for its association with Freya, and most powerful German DADA wands are made of linden.


MADRONA

A beautiful evergreen from the Pacific Northwest region of North America, it is rare in British wandmaking. However, its distinctive peeling bark denotes its magical powers of change- hence, a powerful wood for Transfiguration.


MAHOGANY

Mahogany is a good all-around wood, not particularly powerful in any one situation, but a good solid overall wood.


MAPLE

I have often found that those chosen by maple wands are by nature travellers and explorers; they are not stay-at-home wands, and prefer ambition in their witch or wizard, otherwise their magic grows heavy and lacklustre. Fresh challenges and regular changes of scene cause this wand to literally shine, burnishing itself as it grows, with its partner, in ability and status. This is a beautiful and desirable wood, and wand quality maple has been among the most costly for centuries. Possession of a maple wand has long been a mark of status, because of its reputation as the wand of high achievers.


OAK

Oak is a strong, reliable wandwood that helps with DADA and Transfiguration. However, its sturdiness means that it may take longer to learn new spells.


PEAR

This golden-toned wood produces wands of splendid magical powers, which give of their best in the hands of the warm-hearted, the generous and the wise. Possessors of pear wands are, in my experience, usually popular and well-respected. I do not know of a single instance where a pear wand has been discovered in the possession of a Dark witch or wizard. Pear wands are among the most resilient, and I have often observed that they may still present a remarkable appearance of newness, even after many years of hard use.


PINE

The straight-grained pine wand always chooses an independent, individual master who may be perceived as a loner, intriguing and perhaps mysterious. Pine wands enjoy being used creatively, and unlike some others, will adapt unprotestingly to new methods and spells. Many wandmakers insist that pine wands are able to detect, and perform best for, owners who are destined for long lives, and I can confirm this in as much as I have never personally known the master of a pine wand to die young. The pine wand is one of those that is most sensitive to non-verbal magic. A quiet wood, not powerful, not weak. It is a softwood, and thus has a bit more yield, making it more inclined to a quick-learning but less powerful wand. It is, however, excellent for Divination.


PLUM

Plum wood is not common in English wandmaking, however, it is a traditional Chinese wandwood that has gained favor in Central Europe. It seems to be much like applewood, if slightly more inclined to Charms.


POPLAR

"If you seek integrity, search first among the poplars," was a great maxim of my grandfather, Gerbold Ollivander, and my own experience of poplar wands and their owners tallies exactly with his. Here is a wand to rely upon, of consistency, strength and uniform power, always happiest when working with a witch or wizard of clear moral vision. There is a tired old joke among lesser wandmakers that no poplar wand has ever chosen a politician, but here they show their lamentable ignorance: two of the Ministry's most accomplished Ministers for Magic, Eldritch Diggory and Evangeline Orpington, were the possessors of fine, Ollivander-made poplar wands.


RED OAK

You will often hear the ignorant say that red oak is an infallible sign of its owner's hot temper. In fact, the true match for a red oak wand is possessed of unusually fast reactions, making it a perfect duelling wand. Less common than English oak, I have found that its ideal master is light of touch, quick-witted and adaptable, often the creator of distinctive, trademark spells, and a good man or woman to have beside one in a fight. Red oak wands are, in my opinion, among the most handsome.


REDWOOD

This wood excels at all wand-based magic, but it rarely bonds to witches and wizards who do well in the non-wand-based arts. Don't expect this one to make a good potion stirrer! Wand-quality redwood is in short supply, yet constant demand, due to its reputation for bringing good fortune to its owner. As is usually the case with wandlore, the general populace have the truth back to front: redwood wands are not themselves lucky, but are strongly attracted to witches and wizards who already possess the admirable ability to fall on their feet, to make the right choice, to snatch advantage from catastrophe. The combination of such a witch or wizard with a redwood wand is always intriguing, and I generally expect to hear of exciting exploits when I send this special pairing out from my workshop.


REED

Reed is always delicate, and a difficult wand to work with. However, its wisdom and intelligence make it sought-after by some. It is almost solely a Ravenclaw wandwood.


ROSEWOOD

Rosewood is graceful and will complement phoenix feathers, unicorn hair, veela hair, and fairy wings nicely. However, other cores end up at odds with the wood.


ROWAN

Rowan gives a definite boost to Charms and Transfiguration, but is one of the most willing and reliable all-around wandwoods. It was commonly used for a bow-making wood, and carries this significance into being a good duelling wood. Rowan wood has always been much-favoured for wands, because it is reputed to be more protective than any other, and in my experience renders all manner of defensive charms especially strong and difficult to break. It is commonly stated that no Dark witch or wizard ever owned a rowan wand, and I cannot recall a single instance where one of my own rowan wands has gone on to do evil in the world. Rowan is most happily placed with the clear-headed and the pure-hearted, but this reputation for virtue ought not to fool anyone - these wands are the equal of any, often the better, and frequently out-perform others in duels.


SEQUOIA

Another American wood, this is not commonly used in British wandmaking. However, the great age of the trees gives them plenty of time to absorb ambient magic, and hence this wood is ideal for those both strong-willed and in touch with nature.


SILVER LIME

This unusual and highly attractive wand wood was greatly in vogue in the nineteenth century. Demand outstripped supply, and unscrupulous wandmakers dyed substandard woods in an effort to fool purchasers into believing that they had purchased silver lime. The reasons for these wands' desirability lay not only in their unusually handsome appearance, but also because they had a reputation for performing best for Seers and those skilled in Legilimency, mysterious arts both, which consequently gave the possessor of a silver lime wand considerable status. When demand was at its height, wandmaker Arturo Cephalopos claimed that the association between silver lime and clairvoyance was 'a falsehood circulated by merchants like Gerbold Ollivander (my own grandfather), who have overstocked their workshops with silver lime and hope to shift their surplus.' But Cephalopos was a slipshod wandmaker and an ignoramus, and nobody, Seer or not, was surprised when he went out of business.


SPRUCE

Unskilled wandmakers call spruce a difficult wood, but in doing so they reveal their own ineptitude. It is quite true that it requires particular deftness to work with spruce, which produces wands that are ill-matched with cautious or nervous natures, and become positively dangerous in fumbling fingers. The spruce wand requires a firm hand, because it often appears to have its own ideas about what magic it ought to be called upon to produce. However, when a spruce wand meets its match - which, in my experience, is a bold spell-caster with a good sense of humour - it becomes a superb helper, intensely loyal to their owners and capable of producing particularly flamboyant and dramatic effects. Spruce is a good, reliable, standard wandwood. You can't go wrong with it.


SYCAMORE

A relatively new wandwood, many of sycamore's properties are as yet unknown. However, it excels at divining, and would help with Divination, Arithmancy, and Ancient Runes. The sycamore makes a questing wand, eager for new experience and losing brilliance if engaged in mundane activities. It is a quirk of these handsome wands that they may combust if allowed to become 'bored,' and many witches and wizards, settling down into middle age, are disconcerted to find their trusty wand bursting into flame in their hand as they ask it, one more time, to fetch their slippers. As may be deduced, the sycamore's ideal owner is curious, vital and adventurous, and when paired with such an owner, it demonstrates a capacity to learn and adapt that earns it a rightful place among the world's most highly-prized wand woods.


VINE

Vinewood is flexible, which one might think would denote a yielding wood. However, it tends to be extremely erratic, and it is a strong wizard or witch who overcomes the insecurities the wood holds to become successful with it. The druids considered anything with a woody stem as a tree, and vine makes wands of such a special nature that I have been happy to continue their ancient tradition. Vine wands are among the less common types, and I have been intrigued to notice that their owners are nearly always those witches or wizards who seek a greater purpose, who have a vision beyond the ordinary and who frequently astound those who think they know them best. Vine wands seem strongly attracted by personalities with hidden depths, and I have found them more sensitive than any other when it comes to instantly detecting a prospective match. Reliable sources claim that these wands can emit magical effects upon the mere entrance into their room of a suitable owner, and I have twice observed the phenomenon in my own shop.


WALNUT

Highly intelligent witches and wizards ought to be offered a walnut wand for trial first, because in nine cases out of ten, the two will find in each other their ideal mate. Walnut wands are often found in the hands of magical innovators and inventors; this is a handsome wood possessed of unusual versatility and adaptability. A note of caution, however: while some woods are difficult to dominate, and may resist the performance of spells that are foreign to their natures, the walnut wand will, once subjugated, perform any task its owner desires, provided that the user is of sufficient brilliance. This makes for a truly lethal weapon in the hands of a witch or wizard of no conscience, for the wand and the wizard may feed from each other in a particularly unhealthy manner. A beautiful, strong, and versatile wood. Unlike black walnut, it has no slant towards Light or Dark.


WHITE PINE

White pine is a unique wandwood, as it radiates serenity. It cannot be exhausted too much or it will strain and become quite fragile, but it is otherwise docile and easy to work with.


WILLOW

Willow is known as "the tree of enchantment", and is hence quite favored for Charms. It also enhances healing magic, and is overall a willing, feminine wandwood. Willow is an uncommon wand wood with healing power, and I have noted that the ideal owner for a willow wand often has some (usually unwarranted) insecurity, however well they may try and hide it. While many confident customers insist on trying a willow wand (attracted by their handsome appearance and well-founded reputation for enabling advanced, non-verbal magic) my willow wands have consistently selected those of greatest potential, rather than those who feel they have little to learn. It has always been a proverb in my family that he who has furthest to travel will go fastest with willow.


YEW

Yew is a powerful wandwood. Due to its poisonous sap, it has Dark leanings, and is particularly good at Transfiguration. Yew wands are among the rarer kinds, and their ideal matches are likewise unusual, and occasionally notorious. The wand of yew is reputed to endow its possessor with the power of life and death, which might, of course, be said of all wands; and yet yew retains a particularly dark and fearsome reputation in the spheres of duelling and all curses. However, it is untrue to say (as those unlearned in wandlore often do) that those who use yew wands are more likely to be attracted to the Dark Arts than another. The witch or wizard best suited to a yew wand might equally prove a fierce protector of others. Wands hewn from these most long-lived trees have been found in the possession of heroes quite as often as of villains. Where wizards have been buried with wands of yew, the wand generally sprouts into a tree guarding the dead owner's grave. What is certain, in my experience, is that the yew wand never chooses either a mediocre or a timid owner.


*] Obviously we will not allow people to recreate the elderwand, so no Thestral hair core if you pick this wandwood!

EXOTIC WANDWOOD African Ebony

African Ebony - Just like its regular Ebony counterpart African Ebony wands are very well suited to all manner of combative magic, and even to Charms if necessary. Ebony is happiest in the hand of those with the courage to be themselves. African Ebony wand owners have been found both among the ranks of the Order of the Phoenix and among the Death Eaters. In my experience the ebony wand's perfect match is one who will hold fast to his or her beliefs, no matter what the external pressure, and will not be swayed lightly from their purpose. The African Ebony wand wood is lighter than its Ebony counterpart and shines red in the light.


Bloodwood

Bloodwood - Bloodwood is a very tropical red wood that is very good for quick reaction, making it a perfect duelling wand. The bloodwood is an excellent stirrer for potions as well. This wand wood is best known for allying itself to dark wizards who perform the dark arts as well as vampires. Bloodwood wands are known for having a dark side and will often change ownership due to the current owner not being dark enough.


Human Bone/Femur

Because it generally takes ending the life of a human sacrifice to acquire such a wand casingtherefore wands made with these can't be used by another witch or wizard or be passed down to someone else. The outcome tends to be a little dark and these sorts of wands are rare. This wand is good for things such as the dark arts, voodoo, and necromancy. It's powerful and reactive and tends to leave a harsh bite when its wielder's emotions can be harnessed and used against a specified target. It bonds to a strong mind and the abilities of the wand depend on the emotional capabilities of its user. The stronger the aura, the harsher the spell. This is a wand type that won't do well for healing magic or tickling charms. Users beware, you may just end up grating off your target's flesh in a light hearted attempt to cheer them up from a saddened stupor. This wand-'wood' has to be combined with an actual wood to work.


Lacewood

Lacewood wands are associated with nobility. This wand often find itself in the hands of those who are born into nobility. Those who own lacewood wands are not known to put others first and often choose themselves over everything. I do not often find lacewood wands with courageous and brave Gryffindors but soft spoken Ravenclaws who would rather learn than use spells. Lacewood is not a good wand for spell casting or duelling as it is a very temperament wand.


Lignum Vitae

The trees are indigenous to the Caribbean and the northern coast of South America and have been an important export crop to Europe since the beginning of the 16th century. The wood was once very important for applications requiring a material with its extraordinary combination of strength, toughness, and density. It is also the national tree of the Bahamas and the Jamaican national flower.


Olive

Often the Olive wand will find the talented witch or wizard with a single, pure passion. Olive wands adapt quicker than many others to their owner's style of magic, and will become so personalized, so quickly, that other people will find them extremely difficult to use even for the most simple of spells. Olive wands are known to do only what their owner would do and will refuse to perform acts - whether for good or ill - that do not tally with their master's principles. Olive wands are often found in witches and wizards who know what they would like to do before they even enter a Wizarding school.


Pink Ivory

This pink-toned wood produces wands of splendid magical powers, which give of their best in the hands of the warm-hearted, the generous and the soft-spoken. Possessors of pink ivory wands are, in my experience, usually very shy but well-respected. I do not know of a single instance where a pink ivory wand has been discovered in the possession of a Dark witch or wizard. Pink ivory wands are among the most resilient, and I have often observed that they may still present a remarkable appearance of newness, even after many years of hard use. These wands are often looked over because of their sweet appearance but they can make for very strong spell making.


Purpleheart

Purepleheart is one of the uncommon exotic woods with healing properties. Purpleheart is one exotic wood that should be introduced to a very bright wizard who excels in academics. Purpleheart is a hard wood to control and will often backfire on those who are not strong enough to wield it. Intelligence is key with purpleheart as it is not a very susceptible wand wood and does not take lightly to those who do not know how to use it to its potential. Purepleheart is a purple-brown wood that compliments itself with various shades.


Snakewood (Schlangenholz)

Often used in musical instruments, this wand brings those traits into its magic. It is refined and detailed, with an appearance to match. Like the wood, its users are extremely resilient, no matter how they may look. It often excels in defense and healing, but has the flexibility for most any kind of magic.


Tulip Wood

The tulip wood makes for an adventurous wand, eager for new experience and losing brilliance if engaged in mundane activities. It is a quirk of these handsome wands that they may combust if allowed to become 'bored,' and many witches and wizards, settling down into middle age, are disconcerted to find their trusty wand bursting into flame in their hand as they ask it, one more time, to fetch their slippers. As may be deduced, the tulip's ideal owner is curious, vital and adventurous, and when paired with such an owner, it demonstrates a capacity to learn and adapt that earns it a rightful place among the world's most highly-prized wand woods. This wand is much like that of the sycamore wand wood however it finds itself mostly in the American countries. Not many of these wand woods are found to be owned by those outside of the Americas. The tulip wand is an especially popular wand with young females and males


Zebrawood

Zebrawood wands are among the exotic kind and they are very rare. Zebrawood is reputed to choose wizards who are strong at heart. They do not work well for the weak of heart or mind. Those who have this wand are often those who will do anything to protect those around them even at the cost of themselves. Zebrawood also has strong protective powers and will often be stronger in protective spells and defensive spells than offensive ones. Zebrawood is tan with streaks of darker brown.


COMMON CORES Dragon Heartstring(s)

As a rule, dragon heartstrings produce wands with the most power, and which are capable of the most flamboyant spells. Dragon wands tend to learn more quickly than other types. While they can change allegiance if won from their original master, they always bond strongly with the current owner. Dragon heartstring is a powerful wand with a lot of magical "heft". It is not the core you want for subtlety, but for sheer power it is definitely the best. Although it is the most common core among Dark Wizards, Dark Wizards are most certainly not their most common users. Dragon heartstrings are by far the most common wand core amongst Slytherins, but their power often bonds to Gryffindors and Ravenclaws as well. However, they tend to overwhelm the archetypal Hufflepuff personality.

The dragon wand tends to be easiest to turn to the Dark Arts, though it will not incline that way of its own accord. It is also the most prone of the three cores to accidents, being somewhat temperamental.


Phoenix Tail Feather(s)

This is the rarest core type. Phoenix feathers are capable of the greatest range of magic, though they may take longer than either unicorn or dragon cores to reveal this. They show the most initiative, sometimes acting of their own accord, a quality that many witches and wizards dislike. Phoenix tail feather is a popular wand core due to its versatility and power. Its main strength lies in Defense Against the Dark Arts, although its adaptability can wrench it to hexes and jinxes if need be. As with the dragon heartstring core, the phoenix core is common amongst Light Wizards, but its users are not necessarily Light Wizards. This core may specifically impede Dark spells, so it is not common amongst Slytherins. However, it is by far the most common Gryffindor wand core, and is not unusual amongst Ravenclaws and Hufflepuffs.

Phoenix feather wands are always the pickiest when it comes to potential owners, for the creature from which they are taken is one of the most independent and detached in the world. These wands are the hardest to tame and to personalise, and their allegiance is usually hard won.


Unicorn Hair(s)

Unicorn hair generally produces the most consistent magic, and is least subject to fluctuations and blockages. Wands with unicorn cores are generally the most difficult to turn to the Dark Arts. They are the most faithful of all wands, and usually remain strongly attached to their first owner, irrespective of whether he or she was an accomplished witch or wizard. Unicorn hair is a more subtle wand, but it is quite compatible with Charms and Transfiguration. It is also hands-down the best core for healing, as it picks up some of the healing capabilities of unicorn blood. Unicorn hair has a reputation of picking gentler or more cerebral users, so it is common amongst Hufflepuffs and Ravenclaws. More laid-back Gryffindors and subtler Slytherins may find themselves with a Unicorn hair wand.

Minor disadvantages of unicorn hair are that they do not make the most powerful wands (although the wand wood may compensate) and that they are prone to melancholy if seriously mishandled, meaning that the hair may 'die' and need replacing.


EXOTIC CORES Acromantula web

If you're thinking about having a wand made with Acromantula web, you're probably a fan of having your wand confiscated by the authorities. Using a wand with this core has been illegal in Britain since 1782, after it was discovered that the wielder of an Acromantula web wand has particular ability with Dark magics, especially the Imperius curse. There are certain diplomatic exceptions, as it is a traditional core for Asian wands, but even those are temporary, and many wizard diplomats on long-term assignments find themselves compelled to procure replacement wands for their stay.


Augurey Tail Feather

Augureys, or Irish phoenixes, were once associated with powerful Dark wands, as their cries were thought to signify an upcoming death. However, they were in reality never a strong Dark core, and were more accurately a powerful core for Divinations. Misunderstood students may find themselves bonded to an augurey wand, although these wands are altogether quite rare.


Basilisk Skin

Basilisk wands are incredibly rare, as the beasts are rare to begin with and hard to kill. Due to the rarity, they often are passed down from generation to generation, so basilisk-core wands are either the heirloom of Slytherin-type Pureblood families or reforged wands from family cores. The occasional new basilisk wand will almost always bond to a Parselmouth or budding Dark Wizard. Very little good comes out of wielders of basilisk wands.


Billywig Stinger(s)

Billywig stingers are not common in Britain, but are occasionally imported from Australia, the native habitat of the Billywig. Billywig wands bond almost exclusively to light-hearted pranksters, and are extremely capricious- at one moment it will produce the strongest Cheering Charm in the school, but another time it will object to being used as a potion stirrer and siphon up hours of work without so much as a by-your-leave. When they do bond to a witch or wizard, they tend to be of Hufflepuff or Gryffindor.


Boomslang Venom

Boomslang venom, whether crystallized or in a rarer liquid core, provides a small boost to jinxes and hexes thanks to its venomous qualities. However, when a wandmaker undertakes the dangerous task of working with the raw venom, it is generally with the aim of creating a powerful Transfiguration wand. Whether or not the advantages outweigh the risks is not generally agreed upon in wandmaking circles.


Chimera Scale Fragment

Although chimera scales are magically powerful, they are extremely rare in modern wandcraft. This is not out of any concern for safety, as they are generally considered no more stubborn than hippogriff feathers, and are more stable than Erumpent hide. The fact of the matter is that there are more recorded basilisk slayings in the past fifty years than there are chimera slayings in all of recorded history. This one slaying occurred in Greece over two millennia ago, so what scales were harvested at that time have been degraded, broken, and dispersed. Today, they are only found as parts of heirloom cores, and even then, all such cores are a more common core (often dragon heartstring) with a tiny fragment of scale embedded. Chimera wands are most common in Greece and the Balkans, although as they were circulated through the Mediterranean and former Roman Empire they are found throughout Europe. These wands are prized for their raw power, although they are difficult to control. THE MAX AMOUNT OF CHIMERA SCALE FRAGMENT IS A 1/4th OF A SCALE.


Coral (Koralle)

A surprisingly complex core, coral has the adaptability of water. It is sensitive, yet durable, good for protection with reliable levels of magical energy. Just as it has its own sort of beauty, it pairs well with those that appreciate themselves, or even could use a bit more confidence. Those with coral cores have their perseverance rewarded with happiness, contentment, and stability.


Demiguise Hair

Demiguise hairs were long considered to not have enough oomph to make a proper wand, but with the advent of multiple cores they have gained favor for their strength in Transfiguration and the subtle arts. When combined with a stronger wand core they make potent wands, however, on their own they can be rather one-dimensional and difficult to use for anything but Transfiguration. They have found favor in students of all Houses, although they may be slightly rarer among the open Hufflepuffs.


Doxy Wing(s)

Doxy wings, like the creatures they come from, can be unmanageable and mean-spirited. They are second only to basilisk wands in their abilities with the Dark Arts, and as such these rare wands are most often found in the hands of stubborn Slytherins without the familial connection to obtain a basilisk core.


Erumpent Hide

There is a very good reason this is an exotic- Erumpent hide wands are extremely dangerous, and don't take well to high levels of magic or sharp impacts. They may add a 'punch' to spells when combined with a gentler core, but most wandmakers refuse to work with it completely due to the danger it poses to maker and wielder.


Fairy Wing(s)

This core makes for a light, airy wand, and is the absolute best for Charms. They also signify a connection to the mystic, so these wands, despite their relative rarity, are used by nearly half of known witches and wizards with the Sight. Despite their astounding strength in Charms, they are merely average in Defense Against the Dark Arts and Transfiguration, and will often fail at hexes altogether. As such, they're not commonly found in Slytherin House, but are common in Hufflepuff. Ravenclaws and Gryffindors may be drawn to this core, although they tend to react better to blends of fairy wings and unicorn hair.


Fwooper Feather

Fwooper feather wands are said to be a mark of ill omen for the wizards they bond to, as, like the birds they come from, they are rumored to slowly drive their wielder mad. Despite their poor reputation, they do well with Charms and Care of Magical Creatures. However, they have a near-inability to cast Quietus. They are commonly combined with another feather core, such as the phoenix for health or the hippogriff for stability.


Hippogriff Feather

Hippogriffs are noble animals with a reputation for not taking a slight. These wands require constant respect, and if the wielder does not give it, they can watch its formerly stable and versatile magic backfire on it. It is not the strongest core, but it is one of the most adaptable. These wands are most common amongst Gryffindors, but they are rare overall.


Kelpie Hair(s)

Kelpie hairs are incredibly temperamental cores, explaining their rarity. They were once common in Celtic wandmaking, however, the import of demiguise hairs has resulted in them falling out of favor. They have similar qualities to demiguise hair, and are powerful Transfiguration cores when they don't backfire spectacularly.


Veela Hair(s)

Veela wands are temperamental like the creatures they come from, and are considered too volatile for a decent wand core in many circles. However, some wizards, particularly those with Veela blood, enjoy the boost it gives to outdoorsy magics, divinations, and Charms. The veela's inherent intelligence makes finding these wands among the non-Veela blooded most common in Ravenclaw.


Thestral Tail Hair

Thestral wands generally produce strong magic but only when the wielder understands themselves. If the wielder does not know themselves or loses themselves than their spells will suffer. When the wielder knows themselves than this wand can create very strong spells. The thestral wands work very well for Charms, Defense Against the Dark Arts, and Transfiguration. The Thestral wands are very temperamental and rare to find with Wizards and Witches of today. The most common thestral hair wands are found with Ravenclaws and very rarely with Hufflepuffs.


Vampire Fang

Vampire fang wands like the Chimera Fragment wands are very rare and mostly heirloom wands. A vampire fang core is mostly handed down from previous owners of such wands. Vampire fangs are a very versatile wand core and can be either Dark or Light. The vampire fang has no certain divinity and will choose what it's owner chooses as it is a very loyal bond. This core works well with Charms, and Divinations. Often this wand is exceptional for potion stirring.


Werewolf

There are several different cores that can come from a werewolf which include whiskers, hair, saliva, and nails. All of these from a werewolf have their own virtues however they all make for an exceptional wand. Werewolf cores ally themselves with made werewolves and born werewolves very well. However they do often ally themselves with a strong owner, one who has courage, bravery, and loyalty. This wand is an extremely loyal wand and will cause many difficulties for anyone who tries to take the wand from their owner. It will often backfire on someone who has stolen or won the wand, it does not cooperate well with others. Overall the werewolf cores all do well with divinations and outdoorsy elements.

Whiskers do well with Transfiguration.
Hair does well with Charms.
Saliva does well with Potions.
Nails do well with Hexes, Jinx's and Curses.


Mermaid

There are two specific mermaid cores that are used in current day wand making but are heirloom cores again. The scales and hair from a mermaid are very strong magical conductors and often only given from family member to family member. It is very rare that I see this core in the modern times as it isn't often mermaid families create new wands. This core is again very loyal to his wielder and very difficult to wield if taken or won. Though this wand can be very temperamental as it only likes to be held by wielders who are very knowledgeable but not greedy. If the wielder is neither than it is more likely that this wand will not be allied with them. If a wand is allied with a wielder who is neither than it will take time before the wand is strong but when it becomes close to its wielder than it will be very loyal, as well as strong. Overall the mermaid cores do well with outdoorsy elements and care of magical creatures.

Scales do well with Transfiguration.
Hair does well with astronomy and potions.


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