Wand

Wand
Object information
Manufacturer	Antioch Peverell (possibly) Ollivander family Mykew Gregorovitch Jimmy Kiddell Arturo Cephalopos Violetta Beauvais Johannes Jonker Thiago Quintana Shikoba Wolfe James Steward Various other wandmakers around the world
Usage	Channelling magic
Owners	Most school-age and older witches and wizards who had not had their wand broken or made unusable for any given reason.

"A wand is the object through which a witch or wizard channels his or her magic. It is made from wood and has a magical substance at its core. Wands made by Ollivander have cores of phoenix feather, unicorn hair or dragon heartstring, and are of varying woods, lengths, and flexibilities."

— Description of a wand

A wand was a quasi-sentient magical instrument through which a witch or wizard channelled their magical powers to centralise the effects for more complex results. Most spells were cast with the aid of wands, but spells could be cast without the use of wands. Although wandless magic was more common in other countries, such as some in Africa, European wizards were generally used to using the tool and found wandless magic more difficult, requiring much more concentration and skill to perform these spells.

Some magical creatures such as house-elves and goblins were known to perform magic similar to that used by wizards and, in fact, were forbidden to carry wands. This had been a point of contention between wizards and goblins for centuries.

Wands were manufactured and sold by wandmakers, the most famous of these in Great Britain being Garrick Ollivander, and in Eastern Europe, Mykew Gregorovitch. Each wand consisted of a specific type of wood that surrounded a core of magical substance. Although the wand cores might came from the same creature, or the wood might came from the same tree, no two existing wands were exactly alike. The study of the history and the magical properties of wands was called wandlore. Wands were often buried along or burned when their owner died.

History

Wands were developed in Europe at an unknown point, though it was known that it was in the B.C. era. The Ollivander family started manufacturing wands in 382 B.C. Over time, they earned a worldwide reputation. In the 13th century, the Elder Wand, which would become known as the most powerful wand in existence, was created.

Isolt Sayre and James Steward, the first wand makers in North America

The first witch who was a wandmaker in North America was Irish witch Isolt Sayre, who came to North America and started making wands for her adoptive sons and the students of her school Ilvermorny with her husband James Steward. With the passage of Rappaport's Law, no child was allowed a wand until they arrived at Ilvermorny, and they had to leave them there during the holidays until they reached the age of seventeen. By the 1920s, the use of wands had become common in North America although every witch and wizard, including tourists, needed a Wand permit.

At an unknown point in history, wands were introduced to Asia. Cherry wand masters received special prestige at Mahoutokoro school in Japan.

In the 20th century, wands were introduced to Africa, where they were less commonly used compared to other parts of the world.

Ollivanders in Diagon Alley had changed the way that wands were created. Before Garrick Ollivander's practice of using only the three "Supreme Cores", it was common for witches and wizards to present a wandmaker with a magical substance to which they had a particular attachment for use as a wand core. After Garrick watched his father, Gervaise Ollivander, struggle with substandard wand cores (Kneazle whiskers, Dittany stalks, and kelpie manes), he decided to devote his time to studying the properties of wand cores so that he could utilise only the finest.

There was at least one known business that specialised in tuning wands to improve their performance. Repair services were also available.

Magic and wands

Wand properties

"Wands are only as powerful as the wizards who use them..."

— Hermione Granger explaining wand properties to Harry Potter

Wands were referred to as "quasi-sentient" because their being imbued with a great deal of magic made them as animate as an inanimate object could be. Although they could not think or communicate like a human, they could perform certain actions through their own will. This ability may have been how they chose their wizard or witch and also explains Harry's wand autonomously acting against Voldemort.

Every single wand was unique and its character would depend on the particular tree and magical creature which its materials were derived from. Moreover, each wand, from the moment it found its ideal owner, would begin to learn from and teach its human partner.

Magic with a wand was usually performed with an incantation, but more experienced wizards could cast nonverbal spells, which concealed the spell until cast and could thereby prevent an opponent from adequately protecting themself in time.

A wand functioning underwater

In addition, wands seemed to possess the capability to function underwater, although the appearance of spells might change, as was demonstrated when Harry Potter attempted to use a Revulsion Jinx to free himself from the grip of several Grindylows. Harry noted that instead of "sending sparks at the Grindylows", it "pelted them with what seemed to be a jet of boiling water".

Interestingly, Ominis Gaunt seemed to use his wand as a means to navigate his surroundings despite his blindness. He could be seen walking around the Castle with his wand held in the air, with it occasionally blinking a red light at the tip.

Notably, some witches and wizards were able to sense their own wand if it was close by, even if they themselves were not holding it.

Wands had an unfortunate tendency of rebelling and backfiring when handled by Muggles.

Reverse Spell

A famous instance of the Reverse Spell effect occurred during Harry Potter's and Lord Voldemort's duel in Little Hangleton

A record of all the spells a wand had used could be checked using the Reverse Spell (Prior Incantato). This was a prime reason why criminals who wished to act discreetly would not use their own wands to perform illegal spells, fearing this record would betray them; instead, they could borrow someone else's wand to act with impunity, letting the other owner take the fall. The record seemed to be rather intricate, as Peter Pettigrew took Voldemort's wand in fear it might reveal his treason, suggesting the wand had such records (such as branding the Dark Mark onto Pettigrew himself).

Priori Incantatem

A famous instance of the Reverse Spell effect occurred during Harry Potter's and Lord Voldemort's duel in Little Hangleton

If two wands had twin cores — meaning that their cores came from the same magical creature, two feathers from the same Phoenix for example - then those wands were referred to as "brothers", and they could not be forced to duel against one another. Should two such wands ever come in the way of one another, a rare connection was formed called Priori Incantatem. When the connection was formed, the wands battled to merge a golden orb into the other's shaft; the one that succeeded to force the orb into the other was the winning wand. The losing wand would then produce "echoes" of the most recent spells it had been used to perform in reverse order. Because of its rarity, most wizards never learned that such a connection was possible - this was the first law of Priori Incantatem.

Lucius Malfoy's wand, cracking due to the power of Harry's wand

After two brother wands connected through means of Priori Incantatem, both wands came to know one another and might react towards each other without the consent of their owners, or the winning wand only reacted towards the losing wand - this was the second law of Priori Incantatem. Also, under special conditions, it was possible for one wand to recognise its "brother's" master, even when its "brother's" master used different wand. For example, during the Battle of the Seven Potters, Harry's wand recognised Voldemort and spurted "golden flames" at him, even though Voldemort was using Lucius Malfoy's wand at the time. Furthermore, Lucius's wand was destroyed as result.

Alternatively, if two wands with the same core were used alongside each other, their combined magical power would increase significantly to the benefit of their owners. When Chadwick and Webster Boot used their wands, which both had cores from the same Horned Serpent, as a team, it increased their power tenfold.

Wandlore

"The wand chooses the wizard... it's not always clear why."

— Ollivander discussing wandlore with Harry Potter

Wandlore was a specific class of magic that referred to the history and magical properties of wands. Mr Ollivander claimed that it was a "complex and mysterious branch of magic" and even the most skilled did not fully comprehend it.

The idea that a wand chose the wizard and could switch allegiance was a part of wandlore.

The trio's wands are aligned with the calendar

The Celtic Tree Calendar had assigned trees to different parts of the year and it sometimes played a part in wandlore. This calendar showed each month and the wood that went with it. Some wands and their owners aligned with the calendar such as: Harry Potter, Hermione Granger, Ron Weasley (his first wand), and Draco Malfoy. Their wands were made of the wood that was linked to their date of birth. Harry was born between 8 July–4 August, and his wand wood was holly; Hermione was born between 2 September–29 September, and her wand wood was vine; Ron was born between 18 February–17 March, and his first wand was made of ash; Draco was born between 13 May–9 June, and his wand wood was hawthorn.

Subtle laws of wands

"The wand chooses the wizard. That much has always been clear to those of us who have studied wandlore... If you are any wizard at all you will be able to channel your magic through almost any instrument. The best results, however, must always come where there is the strongest affinity between wizard and wand. These connections are complex. An initial attraction, and then a mutual quest for experience, the wand learning from the wizard, the wizard from the wand."

— Mr Ollivander

Wands possessed a force of magic that itself had its own boundaries where none could go beyond. This was similar to Newton's laws of motion and other forces, and were known as the subtle laws of wands.

Allegiance

"Harry looked down at the hawthorn wand that had once belonged to Draco Malfoy. He had been surprised, but pleased, to discover that it worked for him at least as well as Hermione's had done."

— Harry Potter won the allegiance of Draco Malfoy's wand

The first and most prominent rule that governed wandlore was that the wand chose the wizard whom it would work for, not the other way around. Though wands were unthinking objects, they had the ability to judge the person who held them and determine if that wizard was a compatible match and had a sense of loyalty towards their rightful owners. A wand choosing to work for a wizard was said to have given them its allegiance.

The second rule stated that the connections made between wizard and wand were complex, and that they would grow with experience over time, the wand learning from the wizard, and the wizard from the wand.

Third, a wizard might channel his energy with any wand, whether his own or a different wand entirely. However, the best results came where there was a great likeness between a wizard and a wand. When a wand had chosen its holder (e.g. when the holder had truly mastered that wand), they could be assured the best results with it.

This bond between wizard and wand seemed to go both ways; if the bond was severed and the wand's loyalty changed to a new master, then a witch or wizard would have been better served to acquire a new wand rather than continue using it, because it would no longer perform at its peak for them. However, witches and wizards rarely wanted to part with their wands; during the Meeting at Malfoy Manor in 1997, Voldemort asked to borrow a wand from one of his followers, but none of them volunteered, as if he had asked them to give up one of their arms. Not even his most fanatical follower, Bellatrix Lestrange, offered her wand to him.

Notably, when Voldemort tried to kill Harry Potter with the Elder Wand, as well as when he tried to torture Harry with the Cruciatus Curse, his attempts failed and Harry went completely unharmed. This was because through a series of previous events, Harry had become master of the Elder Wand, and in the hands of another wizard, it could not be used to inflict harm on its rightful master to whom it was loyal. It is unknown if this rule applied to all wands or if the Elder Wand was a unique case.

Change of allegiance

"I overpowered Draco weeks ago. I took this wand from him... Does the wand in your hand know its last master was Disarmed? Because if it does... I am the true master of the Elder Wand."

— Harry Potter describing how he won both of Draco Malfoy's wands

Harry Potter disarms Draco Malfoy and wins his wand

Since wands had a sense of loyalty, they did not perform at their best for anyone other than their rightful master, but that also meant their loyalty could change from one master to another, so another way one could procure a wand was by "winning" it from its master. To win a wand, one must overpower and hence defeat its current master in some way. When a wand's master was disarmed, stunned, or killed, the wand might accept the old master's attacker as its new master. This was especially likely to happen with dragon heartstring wands.

It was always possible to simply steal or borrow another witch or wizard's wand, and the results would be fair, but its allegiance, and by extension its full power, would only bend towards the new master when it was actually won. The allegiance of a wand that had not been won might have been noticeable to its holder, as Hermione Granger was uncomfortable using Bellatrix Lestrange's wand.

However, it should be noted that wands usually stayed loyal to their original owners. Most wands were attached to their masters and would not easily discontinue their allegiance, if at all. For example, even if a wizard was disarmed or lost a fight while carrying his wand, the wand would have developed an affinity with its original owner so that it would not be given up easily. Therefore, simply disarming a wizard might not be enough to win over a wand's allegiance. Furthermore, wands forcibly taken in circumstances of purely competitive or friendly nature, such as in practice duels, would not be won, as the perceived levity of the situation would prevent the wand from abandoning its defeated master. Additionally, wands stolen without attacking the previous master would not change allegiance.

Even when won, wands would often still retain some fealty to the original owner, as they bonded most strongly with their original owners. The only exception to this rule was the Elder Wand, which was "completely unsentimental" and would only be loyal to strength. In other words, when won, it switched its allegiance entirely. Additionally, the Elder Wand would transfer its allegiance even if its defeated master was not in possession of it at the time of their defeat. No other wand was known to share this trait. The Elder Wand's alliegence could be won as simply as by forcibly taking it from its current master's hand, as Harry Potter did with Draco Malfoy, although it was more frequentely obtained by murder.

Notably, if a wands loyalty changed from one wizard to another while the first wizard had a spell already in effect, the spell would not be undone when the wands loyalty changed. During the Battle of the Astronomy Tower, Albus Dumbledore used the Full Body-Bind Curse to immobilize Harry Potter, and even after Draco Malfoy disarmed Dumbledore and his wands loyalty changed to him, Harry remained immobilized. However, the wand in question was the Elder Wand, so it's unknown if special rules applied.

Wandcraft

Harry Potter trying a wand that conflicts with his personality

Wands chose the wizard or witch in a way that was neither random, nor serendipitous. There was much ancient mythology and botanical knowledge regarding the powers and natures of wood and other natural elements.

Through wandlore, a future wandmaker could learn the ancient secrets of creating a wand, each one having four components: wood, core, length, and flexibility. However, no single aspect of wand composition should be considered in isolation of all the others, nor should the owner's life experience and style of magic, all of which would combine to make the wand in question totally unique. The type of wood, the core, the length, and the flexibility of the wand may either counterbalance or enhance the attributes of each other.

In almost all documented cases, the wand chose the wizard who matched its character because the wizard might have difficulty or be unable to perform magic if his or her wand's character conflicted, or the magic might be sub-par to magic performed with a matching wand.

Wand woods

A Bowtruckle.

Just as a minority of humans could produce magic, only a minority of trees could produce wood that was "wand quality". It took years of experience for a wandmaker to be able to tell which ones had the gift, although a good way to tell the difference was to search for Bowtruckles nesting in the leaves, as they never inhabited mundane trees.

Different types of wood had their own "personalities" and thus wands were likely to choose a wizard with a matching personality. Every single wand was unique and its character would depend on the particular tree and magical creature from which its materials were derived. Ollivander believed that wand wood had almost human powers of perception and preferences.

Some wand woods were better suited for certain branches of magic. Fir wands were particularly good for transfiguration, yew wands were especially fearsome in the fields of duelling and curses, and alder wands worked better than any other wand wood with nonverbal spells. On the other hand, some woods were poorly suited for certain branches of magic. Acacia wands had a subtle nature and were not suited for "bangs-and-smells magic", and apple wood mixed poorly with the Dark Arts. Additionally, some woods reacted to certain wand cores in unique ways, altering the wands character and/or magical potential.

Wand-making was the study of a lifetime, and wandmakers could continue to learn with every wand they made and matched. Moreover, each wand, from the moment it found its ideal owner, would begin to learn from and teach its human partner. Therefore, the following notes on various known wand woods should be regarded as general notes to use as a starting point, and ought not to be taken to describe any individual wand.

Wood	Genus; binomial name	Garrick Ollivander's notes
Acacia	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."
Alder	Alnus	"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. Alder wood is well suited for making flutes and pipes, and for building bridges. Alder people are adventurous travellers and confident decision makers who trust their inner voices. Alder people should work hard to maintain a balance between work and play."
Apple	Malus domestica	"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."
Ash	Fraxinus	"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. Tools, magical and ordinary, made from Ash are especially productive as Ash trees are known to attract energy. Ash people are kind and generous with a gift for seeing what is beautiful in the world and in others. Ash people should be careful that their romantic hearts do not lead them into danger."
Aspen	Populus	"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."
Beech	Fagus	"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."
Blackthorn	Prunus spinosa	"Blackthorn, which is a very unusual wand wood, has the reputation, in my view well-merited, of being best suited to a warrior."
Black Walnut	Juglans nigra	"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."
Cedar	Cedrus	"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."
Cherry	Prunus	"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."
Chestnut	Castanea	"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."
Cypress	Cupressaceae	"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."
Dogwood	Cornus	"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."
Ebony	Diospyros	"This jet-black wand wood has an impressive appearance and reputation, being highly suited to all manner of combative magic, and to Transfiguration."
English oak	Quercus robur	"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."
Elder	Sambucus	"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."
Elm	Ulmus	"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 Muggle-borns."
Fir	Abies	"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 did from the most resilient of trees, produced wands that demanded staying power and strength of purpose in their true owners, and that they were poor tools in the hands of the changeable and indecisive. Fir wands were particularly suited to Transfiguration, and favoured owners of focused, strong-minded and, occasionally, intimidating demeanour."
Hawthorn	Crataegus	"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.'"
Hazel	Corylus	"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."
Holly	Ilex	"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. Wood from Holly trees has magical healing properties and is thought to repel evil. Holly people make good leaders and thoughtful, loving and effective counsellors. Holly people should use their understanding of the dark, hidden side of humanity to guide others in their time of need."
Hornbeam	Carpinus	"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."
Larch	Larix	"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."
Laurel	Laurus	"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."
Maple	Acer	"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."
Pear	Pyrus	"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."
Pine	Pinus	"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."
Poplar	Populus	"'If you seek integrity, search first among the poplars'. 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."
Red oak	Quercus rubra	"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."
Redwood	Sequoioideae	"Wand-quality redwood is in short supply, yet constant demand, due to its reputation for bringing good fortune to its owner."
Reed	Poales	"Reed wands are best suited to those who are bold and are eloquent speakers, and prove to be very protective friends."
Rosewood	Dalbergia nigra
Rowan	Sorbus	"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."
Silver lime	Tilia tomentosa	"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."
Spruce	Picea	"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."
Snakewood	Brosimum guianense
Sugar Maple	Acer saccharum
Sycamore	Acer pseudoplatanus	"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'."
Tamarack	Larix laricina
Vine	Vitis	"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."
Walnut	Juglans regia	"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."
Willow	Salix	"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."
Yew	Taxus	"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."

Note: The wand woods Mahogany, Rosewood, Snakewood, Sugar Maple, and Tamarack possessed unknown properties and magical affinities.

Wand cores

The core of a wand was a magical substance placed within the length of wood, usually extracted from a magical creature. These magical cores enhanced the wand's magic or gave the wand wood magical abilities. Without it, a wand would have just been a piece of wood, even if it came from a wand quality tree, effectively making it a fake wand. The only cores able to produce magic were from a magical species.

There were many different possible materials that could be used as wand cores, including Veela hair, Thestral tail hair, Troll whiskers, and Basilisk horns, among other materials. Different wand cores had different magical properties. The hair of a Unicorn was not very strong, but it was stable and reliable, whereas dragon heartstring was very strong and flamboyant, but more prone to accidents. Additionally, wand cores were known to reflect the nature of the source they came from; since a phoenix was one of the most detached and independent creatures in the world, a phoenix feather wand was incredibly picky when choosing a potential wielder, and unicorn hair wands were incredibly difficult to turn to the Dark Arts due to unicorns' purity. Mr Ollivander opted to only use phoenix feathers, unicorn hairs, and dragon heartstrings, which he believed might be the best and most powerful of magical cores. He was likely correct about these three supreme cores as Ollivander's wands had been praised by many witches and wizards from around the world.

Interestingly, certain wand woods reacted with certain cores in unique ways, affecting the wand's personality and/or magical abilities. Holly and phoenix feather were a difficult combination due to their opposite natures, but when such a wand found its perfect match, nothing and nobody should stand in their way. A cherry wand with dragon heartstring was ill-advised to be paired with a wizard who lacked exceptional self-control and strength of mind. A wand of ash was wholly loyal to its one true original master and would lose power and skill if passed to someone else, especially if it had a unicorn hair core.

The core type was also known to influence the temperament of the wand produced with it. For example, the wand-maker Garrick Ollivander would not use Veela hair for cores because he believed they made for "temperamental" wands. Thestral tail hair was also an interesting core — the wand couldn't simply be mastered by winning them. It could only be mastered by a witch or wizard who was able to face death, which was why Voldemort struggled to master the Elder Wand.

Just as with the different types of wood, all of the wands attributes, as well as the characteristics and experiences of the owner, might have counterbalanced or outweighed each other. Therefore, the following notes could only be taken as a general starting point.

Known substances used as wand cores were:

Core	Notes
Unicorn hair	Unicorn hair wands were not very powerful, but they were the least prone to accidents and the least likely to change loyalties. They were also the most difficult to turn to the dark arts. They were prone to wilting if mishandled.
Dragon heartstring	Dragon heartstring wands produced the most powerful and flamboyant magic and they learned spells faster and easier, however they were somewhat temperamental and more prone to accidents. They were the most likely to change loyalty, but would always bond strongly with its current owner. It was also the easiest to turn to the dark arts, though it would not turn on its own.
Phoenix feather	This was the rarest core type. Phoenix feather wands were capable of the greatest range of magic, though they may have taken longer to reveal this. They showed the most initiative, sometimes acting of their own accord, a quality that many witches and wizards disliked. They were the most picky about potential owners, their allegiance was usually hard won and they were the most difficult to tame and personalise, a reflection of the independent and detached nature of the bird itself.
Veela hair	Wandmaker Garrick Ollivander mentioned that he did not use Veela hair because it made for "temperamental" wands.
Thestral tail hair	Thestral tail hair was regarded as an unstable, if not the most difficult, substance to use in wand-making. It was potent, but a tricky core to master; only a witch or wizard who was capable of accepting death could do so.
Troll whisker	Troll whiskers were considered an inferior substance to Garrick Ollivander's three Supreme Cores.
Kelpie hair	Its properties as a wand core are unknown. It was easily obtained and frequently used in the past, but noted to be a substandard and inferior substance to use as a core.
Thunderbird tail feather	The tail feather of the Thunderbird made for a wand that was extremely powerful, though difficult to master. They were able to sense danger and were known to cast curses on their own pre-emptively when supernatural dangers were near. They were also particularly good for Transfiguration. It was used by the American wandmaker Shikoba Wolfe.
Dittany stalk	An old fashioned and inferior wand core. Its properties as a wand core are unknown, but the plant itself was a powerful restorative that could make fresh skin grow over a wound.
Wampus cat hair	Its properties as a wand core are unknown. The hair of the Wampus cat was used as a wand core by the American wandmaker Johannes Jonker. Jonker experimented with many other cores before settling on the hair of this creature as his preferred kind. The core was also used by Isolt Sayre and James Steward when they begun making their own wands in the 17th century.
White River Monster spine	This wand core was used by Thiago Quintana. White River Monster spines produce spells of force and elegance.
Rougarou hair	The hair of the rougarou was used as a wand core by the American wandmaker Violetta Beauvais. Rougarou hair was rumoured to have an affinity for Dark magic, like vampires to blood.
Kneazle whiskers	This is a rarely used wand core and is most likely considered a substandard core type compared to the three Supreme cores.
Horned Serpent horn	This wand core was used by Ilvermorny founder Isolt Sayre. Horned Serpent horn wands were exceptionally powerful. They were sensitive to Parseltongue and vibrated when it was being spoken. They could also warn their owners of danger by emitting a low musical tone.
Snallygaster heartstring	The core was used by Isolt Sayre and James Steward when they began making their own wands in the 17th century. Its properties as a wand core are unknown.
Jackalope antler	The core was used by Isolt Sayre and James Steward when they began making their own wands in the 17th century. Its properties as a wand core are unknown.
Basilisk horn	Only one wand is known to have used this core. It was used by Salazar Slytherin for a wand of his own making. Its properties as a wand core are unknown, but it presumably had a strong affinity for the Dark arts.
Coral	Its properties as a wand core are unknown.
Curupira hair	Curupira hair wands were unstable. They were known to choose as their owners individuals who were talented, but also unpredictable.
African mermaid hair	African mermaid hair wands possessed a certain magical property, if anyone other than the rightful owner attempted to pick it up, it would shock them.
Fairy wing	Its properties as a wand core are unknown.

Wand length

Three Death Eaters' wands of different magical properties

All wands had their individual lengths, usually between 9 and 14 inches. However shorter wands (8 inches and under) and longer wands (15 inches and greater) did exist, though they were exceptionally rare. In the latter case, a physical peculiarity may have demanded the excessive wand length. Alternatively, many small witches and wizards are chosen by longer wands.

Longer wands tended to suit those with big personalities, of a more spacious and dramatic style of magic. Neater wands favoured elegant and refined spell-casting. Particularly short wands would choose wizards whose character lacked something. This was exemplified by the extreme length of Hagrid's wand, being attributable to his excitable, outgoing, and energetic personality, while Umbridge, who had an "unusually short" and stubby wand, was known for her extreme bigotry and lacked empathy and was very cruel, yet stuck to politics and never sought power greater than what the law could grant her.

There might also be some correlation between a person's size and the lengths of their wands. Rubeus Hagrid, who was half-giant, owned one of the longest known wand; it was sixteen inches long and made of oak. The shortest known wand once belonged to Dolores Umbridge, who was described as being squat and toad-like. Many wandmakers simply matched the wand length to the size of the witch or wizard who would use it, however, according to Garrick Ollivander, matching a wand to a wizard solely by height was a crude measure and failed to take into account many other important considerations.

Flexibility

Usually, wands were only described in terms of the source tree, its core, and its length. However, occasionally, the firmness of the wand wood had also been described. The rigidity or flexibility of a wand characterised the willingness to change and adapt of the wand-and-wizard pair.

For example, the wand of Harry Potter was described as "nice and supple", the wand of Bellatrix Lestrange was "unyielding", the wand of Draco Malfoy was "reasonably springy", and the wand of Rubeus Hagrid was "rather bendy".

Damage

Ron Weasley with his broken wand

If a wand had suffered an immense degree of damage, either from an enemy spell or by a physical strike, it could not be fixed by any means most wandmakers knew of. Spellotape, among other methods, could have been used to put the pieces back together, but its magical capabilities would have still been damaged beyond repair. The wand would subsequently start to malfunction, resulting in spells going wrong or backfiring on the wizard. There was also a chance the wand might break again while performing magic

Notably, any student expelled from Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry prior to graduation, then their wand would have been broken and they would be prohibited from using magic anymore. Although, successfully completing the O.W.L. exams was taken a sign that the student in question was trustworthy enough to be a law-abiding citizen who could learn from their mistakes. Thus, any such students who were expelled would be permitted to keep their wands and continue to practise magic

Lockhart using a broken wand to cast a Memory Charm, which backfired onto himself

The only thing known to be capable of fixing a broken wand was the Elder Wand, the most powerful wand in the entire world. This was seen when Harry Potter's wand was broken from a reflected Blasting Curse and Hermione Granger was unable to repair it; Harry, however, fixed it with the aid of the Elder Wand. Although, this ability might be lost if the current master died undefeated, because most of the wand's power would disappear with them.

Wilting

"Wilting" of a wand, also known as the wand "dying", was an occurrence in which the wand expelled all magic, inhibiting its further magical use. It usually happened following some kind of stress in the relationship between the wand and its owner. Unicorn hair wands in particular were especially prone to melancholy if mishandled.

This phenomenon most often occurred with hazel wands, which often bonded so strongly with their true masters that after their owners' death, those wands lost all magic in this way. Sycamore wands would wilt if allowed to become "bored" by continuous use of monotonous magic, such as fetching a pair of slippers. In this case, wilting was accompanied by the wand bursting into flame of its own volition. It was also possible that wands might "die of shame" by not conforming to the use their master was giving them.

In the unique case of Salazar Slytherin's wand, it was commanded to wilt by Gormlaith Gaunt to prevent it from being used against her. She was able to do this due to the unique composition of the wand, and her gift of Parseltongue.

This phenomenon was curable by replacing the wand core, unless the core was originally of unicorn hair, in which case there was no hope and the wand would have actually "died" as opposed to simply wilted.

Acquiring a wand

Harry Potter acquiring his wand at Ollivanders

Normally, a witch or wizard's first wand would be a newly created one that has never had an owner before, or "virgin" wand, obtained through purchase from an established wandmaker, such as Ollivanders. They would usually have to test a number of potential virgin wands before they found the one that would give its allegiance to (or "choose") them. The precise reasons for which particular wands chose which particular wizards was not entirely clear, but certain wands seemed to have a natural affinity for certain wizards or witches.

In some families, a wands might be inherited, either out of sentimentality or because of a tight financial situation, such as Neville Longbottom using his father's wand and Ron Weasley using his brother Charlie's old wand. While it was questionable as to whether or not wands could truly be fully mastered via this method of attainment, it is known that wands obtained in this way (e.g. ones with a familial connection) worked a little better than wands chosen at random and so this might indeed be the next best way to obtain a wand if initial selection was impossible. However, both Neville and Ron were more successful at using magic with store-bought wands that had actually chosen them.

Most witches and wizards got their first wand when they were eleven — just before starting their magical education. Most English wizards and witches bought their wands at Ollivanders in Diagon Alley, where they would try out multiple wands until they found the one that suited them, or rather, the wand found the wizard that suited it. When trying out different wands, a wand that was not suited to its wielder would usually not do anything at all. However, a warm feeling was an indication of having chosen the right wand, and the wand sometimes emitted a few sparks or did some similar, small sign of magic.

In the United States of America, upon purchasing a wand, the buyer was given a Wand Registration Number, which was required for applications for wand permits. MACUSA had a Central Wand Archive.

Rights of usage

"The right to carry a wand has long been contested between wizards and goblins."

— Griphook a goblin over the right to carry a wand

The right to carry a wand at all times was established by the International Confederation of Wizards in 1692, when Muggle persecution was at its height and the wizards were planning their retreat into hiding.

In accordance to Clause Three in the Code of Wand Use, non-human beings, such as goblins and house-elves, were prohibited from owning or using wands. For goblins in particular, this prohibition had been a point of contention with the wizarding community and caused some outbreaks of violence. No known formal prohibition existed against Muggles possessing a wand; they would be unable to use them anyway since Muggles didn't possess magic, but a Muggle's possession of a wand could be considered a breach of the International Statute of Wizarding Secrecy.

Any underage wizards or witches who were expelled from school were forbidden from practising magic any further, and their wands had been confiscated and destroyed. Rubeus Hagrid's wand suffered such a fate, though it was somewhat repaired and kept inside his umbrella, and he was allowed to use that much. However, if the student in question was expelled after taking the Ordinary Wizarding Level, they were deemed to be full-fledged wizards and might retain their wands. Newton Scamander retained his wand when he was expelled.

Gellert Grindelwald was expelled from Durmstrang, but he managed to maintain his wand (or procure another one), suggesting the wand confiscation may have only applied to Hogwarts students. Of course, any criminals arrested and imprisoned lost their wands as well: Barty Crouch Jnr claimed that he was not allowed a wand since Azkaban; though their wands seemed not destroyed but simply stored away because Bellatrix Lestrange managed to retrieve her old wand after escaping prison.

Rappaport's Law, contained information regarding the right to use a wand

Years ago, due to Rappaport's Law, no underaged North American witch or wizard was allowed a wand until they arrived at Ilvermorny School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Moreover, wands had to be left at Ilvermorny during vacations and only upon attaining seventeen years of age was the witch or wizard legally allowed to carry a wand outside school. This law was to ensure that the International Statute of Secrecy was upheld. MACUSA did not want a repeat of Dorcus Twelvetrees's breach of the statute. However, this law had since been repealed (in 1965).

During the last year of the Second Wizarding War, the British Ministry of Magic was overthrown by the Death Eaters, and new laws were put into effect. Muggle-born witches and wizards were regarded as having "stolen" their magic from "real" witches and wizards, and their wands (which were also considered stolen) were confiscated. Those who were not imprisoned were usually left destitute.

Makers

Garrick Ollivander

The wand was originally a European invention, and although many makers of wands existed, Ollivander was the best known and most experienced in Britain. The wandmaking establishment had been making wands since 382 BC and was in Diagon Alley, London. Mr Ollivander went missing in the summer of 1996 until discovered by Harry, Ron and Hermione and rescued by the house-elf Dobby in 1998; he had been kidnapped by Death Eaters on Voldemort's orders. Ollivander thereafter told Harry about the Elder Wand and how a wand passed ownership. More British wandmakers existed, for example, Jimmy Kiddell, but their wands were stated to be not as good as Ollivander's.

Mykew Gregorovitch

Another notable wand maker was Mykew Gregorovitch, who had once obtained and studied the Elder Wand. Gregorovitch's reputation rivalled that of Ollivander's with some, like Viktor Krum, considering his wands the best in the world. Krum's statement also suggests this view was more common outside of Britain. By 1997 he had retired as a wand maker, with Krum purchasing one of his last wands. In 1997, Voldemort tracked him down, as part of his quest to find and obtain Elder Wand. However, by that time, the wand had long since it had left Gregorovitch's possession, having been stolen by a blond-haired young man that the wand maker had never identified. Once Voldemort finished questioning Gregorovitch, he murdered him as he was of no more use to the dark wizard.

Historical wandmakers in North America included Isolt Sayre, Violetta Beauvais, Johannes Jonker, Thiago Quintana, and Shikoba Wolfe, each of whom specialised in a single type of wand core.

A wand being manufactured

After magical education, a person seeking to become a wandmaker must become the apprentice of a skilled wandmaker. From there, they might undergo the study of wandlore. There is also a possibility that there were gatherings where wandlore lessons were taught. Even so, it is clear that wandlore must be understood clearly in order to become a skilled wandmaker.

According to legend, Death created the Elder Wand, the most powerful wand in existence, from the branch of an elder tree. Albus Dumbledore, however, believed that Antioch Peverell was more the likely creator.

Known wands

Owner	Wood	Length	Core	Flexibility	Notes
Albus Dumbledore	Elder	15"	Thestral tail hair	Unknown	The Elder Wand, one of the Deathly Hallows. Also known as the Deathstick and the Wand of Destiny.
Altheda (fictional character)	Unknown				She had a wand that was stolen by an evil sorcerer in The Fountain of Fair Fortune from The Tales of Beedle the Bard.
Antioch Peverell	Unknown				Antioch's first wand which he used to make a bridge before meeting Death.
Bellatrix Lestrange	Walnut	12¾"	Dragon heartstring	Unyielding	This wand was described as "unyielding;" passed into the possession of Hermione Granger after the Skirmish at Malfoy Manor in 1998.
Sir Cadogan	Blackthorn (according to legend)	9" (according to legend)	Troll whisker (according to legend)	Combustible (according to legend)	This wand was broken during Sir Cadogan's encounter with the Wyvern of Wye. However, Cadogan still tried to combat the beast even with a broken wand, which led to his victory when the wand pierced the Wyvern's tongue and ignited its stomach fumes.
Cedric Diggory	Ash	12¼"	Unicorn hair	Pleasantly springy	This wand was "pleasantly springy"; hair from particularly fine male unicorn (seventeen hands high), which nearly gored Mr Ollivander with its horn after he plucked its tail hair.
Celestina Warbeck	Larch	10½"	Phoenix feather	Flexible	Celestina Warbeck's wand was mentioned in the lyrics of the title track of her best-selling album, You Stole My Cauldron but You Can't Have my Heart.
Dolores Umbridge	Birch	8"	Dragon heartstring	Unknown	This wand is described as "unusually short;" broken by a centaur's hoof in June 1996 in the Forbidden Forest.
Draco Malfoy	Hawthorn	10"	Unicorn hair	Reasonably springy	This wand passed into the possession of Harry Potter after the Skirmish at Malfoy Manor in 1998 until Harry came into possession of the Elder Wand and mended his first wand.
Fleur Delacour	Rosewood	9½"	Veela hair	Inflexible	In this wand the core is a hair from Fleur's grandmother, who was a Veela.
Garrick Ollivander	Hornbeam	12¾"	Dragon heartstring	Slightly bendy
Gilderoy Lockhart	Cherry	9"			The wand was described as expensive.
Harry Potter (wand #1)	Holly	11"	Phoenix feather	Nice and supple	"Brother" to Voldemort's wand — the core tail feathers are both from Fawkes; broken in December 1997 while fleeing from Godric's Hollow; repaired with the Elder Wand in May 1998.
Harry Potter (wand #2)	Blackthorn	10"	Unknown	Unknown	This wand was taken from a Snatcher by Ron Weasley in 1997, and used by Harry until 1998, when he took Draco Malfoy's wand.
Hermione Granger	Vine	10¾"	Dragon heartstring		This wand was confiscated when the trio was captured by Snatchers in 1998.
Horace Slughorn	Cedar	10¼"		Fairly flexible
James Potter James Potter's wand	Mahogany	11"	Unknown	Pliable	This wand was "excellent for transfiguration."
Lily Evans	Willow	10¼"		Swishy	This wand was "nice for Charm work."
Lucius Malfoy	Elm	18"	Dragon heartstring	Unknown	This wand was kept in a snake-headed walking stick that Lucius carried; "borrowed" by Lord Voldemort and destroyed by Harry Potter's wand during the Battle of the Seven Potters in 1997.
Mary Cattermole	Cherry	8¾"	Unicorn hair	Unknown	This wand was confiscated by the Muggle-Born Registration Commission in 1997.
Merlin	Believed to have been English oak.	Unknown
Merope Gaunt	Unknown				Used to produce a spell which caused a pot she dropped to crack in two.
Minerva McGonagall	Fir	9½"	Dragon heartstring	Stiff	This wand was most likely purchased from Ollivanders when she was eleven almost twelve.
Neville Longbottom	Cherry	Unknown	Unicorn hair	Unknown	This wand may have been one of the last wands Mr Ollivander sold before he disappeared in 1996.
Peter Pettigrew	Chestnut	9¼"	Dragon heartstring	Brittle	This wand was owned by Pettigrew only since Ollivander had been kidnapped of 1996; passed into the possession of Ron Weasley after the Skirmish at Malfoy Manor in 1998.
Olympe Maxime	Unknown				Used during the Triwizard Tournament to display scores for the participants of the first task. Also used to cast Conjunctivitis Curses on Giants that had restrained Rubeus Hagrid.
Quirinus Quirrell	Alder	9"	Unicorn hair	Bendy
Remus Lupin	Cypress	10¼"		Pliable	Cypress wands are said to be well-matched to wizards who are self-sacrificing and willing to die a heroic death. Lupin spent the majority of his life alone to save others from having to deal with the consequences of his affliction, and died defending Hogwarts castle in the Battle of Hogwarts.
Ron Weasley (wand #1)	Ash	12"		Unknown	Ron's brother Charlie's old wand; severely damaged in September 1992 after a run-in with the Whomping Willow.
Ron Weasley (wand #2)	Willow	14"			Purchased with his father's winnings from a Daily Prophet draw. Taken from him by Snatchers and replaced with Peter Pettigrew's wand.
Ron Weasley (wand #3)	Chestnut	9¼"	Dragon heartstring	Brittle	This was Peter Pettigrew's wand. During the Skirmish at Malfoy Manor, Ron took this wand from Pettigrew and used from then on, as his own wand was taken by Snatchers.
Rubeus Hagrid	Oak	16"	Unknown	Rather bendy	This wand was snapped in half when Hagrid was expelled from Hogwarts during his third year — the pieces are certainly hidden in Hagrid's pink umbrella.
Silvanus Kettleburn	Chestnut	11½"	Phoenix feather	Whippy
Tom Riddle	Yew	13½"		Unknown	This wand is "brother" to Harry Potter's wand — the core tail feathers are both from Fawkes.
Viktor Krum	Hornbeam	10¼"	Dragon heartstring	Quite rigid	This wand is thicker than usual, and made by Gregorovitch.
Ginny Weasley	Yew	Unknown			A yew wand was suited for a person who was a fierce protector of others. Protectiveness is an espect of Ginny's personality. She has frequently defended Harry Potter against others.
Sybill Trelawney	Hazel	9½"	Unicorn hair	Very flexible	This wand bore a resemblance to Sirius Black's wand, though there were slight differences. They both had a square-like handle and had magical runes depicted on the wand, but Trelawney's wand had a darker colour and had a swirly shape from the handle to the tip.
Dylan Marwood	Applewood	Unknown
The Silver Spears	Aspen				The Silver Spears was a notorious and secretive duelling club in the 18th century that allegedly only allowed wizards and witches who possessed wands made from aspen wood to join.
Eldritch Diggory	Poplar	Unknown		Fine	The existence of this wand and its owners was cited as evidence against a myth that poplar wands never chose politicians.
Evangeline Orpington
Wands produced by Garrick Ollivander	Beechwood	9"	Dragon heartstring	Nice and flexible	These wands were tried out by Harry Potter in 1991.
	Maple	7"	Phoenix feather	Quite whippy
	Ebony	8½"	Unicorn hair	Springy
	Apple	9"	Dragon heartstring	Rigid	A wand tried out by Jacob's younger sibling in 1984.
Jacob	Maple	10"	Dragon heartstring	Fine	Snapped in half when Jacob was expelled from Hogwarts.
Jacob's sibling (wand #1)	Maple	14"	Unicorn hair	Reasonably springy	One of these four wands was bought by Jacob's younger sibling in 1984.
	Acacia	12"	Unicorn hair	Pliable
	Hornbeam	11"	Dragon heartstring	Inflexible
	Blackthorn	11¼"	Unicorn hair	Slightly springy and flexible
Jacob's sibling (wand #2)	Ebony	11¼"	Dragon heartstring		One of these three wands was bought by Jacob's younger sibling in 1989 after their wand was destroyed by Patricia Rakepick.
	Redwood	11"	Unicorn hair
	Laurel	12"	Phoenix feather
Chadwick Boot	Prickly Ash	Unknown	Horned Serpent horn	Unknown	This wand was made by Isolt Sayre and James Steward; said to be "a wand of exceptional power."
Webster Boot	Unknown				This wand was made by Isolt Sayre and James Steward.

Mad-Eye Moody's wand

Severus Snape's wand

Sirius Black's wand

Narcissa Malfoy's wand

Bellatrix Lestrange's second wand

Lucius Malfoy's second wand

Katie Bell's wand

Nigel Wolpert's wand

Luna Lovegood's first wand

Luna Lovegood's second wand

Bill Weasley's wand

Lavender Brown's wand

Percy Weasley's wand

Nymphadora Tonks's wand

Pomona Sprout's wand

Filius Flitwick's wand

Vincent Crabbe's wand

Gregory Goyle's wand

Fred Weasley's wand

George Weasley's wand

Madam Pomfrey's wand

Corban Yaxley's wand

Pius Thicknesse's wand

Xenophilius Lovegood's wand

Scabior's wand

Arthur Weasley's Wand

Molly Weasley's wand

Rufus Scrimgeour's wand

Parvati Patil's wand

Oliver Wood's wand

Mundungus Fletcher's wand

Dean Thomas's first wand

Seamus Finnigan's wand

Mykew Gregorovitch's first wand

Gellert Grindelwald's wand

Cho Chang's wand

Fenrir Greyback's wand

Kingsley Shacklebolt's wand

An unknown Death Eater's wand

Alecto Carrow's wand

Amycus Carrow's Wand

Newton Scamander's wand

An unknown Death Eater's wand

Percival Graves' wand

Seraphina Picquery's wand

Porpentina Goldstein's wand

Queenie Goldstein's wand

Chadwick Boot's wand

Behind the scenes

Wands drawn on the covers of the American version of the books by Mary GrandPré are shown as extremely long and thin

A LEGO wand

• In the films, the wands are shown a couple of inches longer than they are shown in the books. The films seem to include more gestures when using a wand, not just waving it and pointing it. The different styles were shown properly in the film version of the Battle of the Department of Mysteries. It may be explained that gestures and wand movements translate to incantations, even without words. This may allow one to speak the incantation without having to perform a specific gesture or wand movement.
• It is theorised that the wand's length is proportional to the wizard's height: the longer the wand, the taller the wizard, and the shorter the wand, the shorter the wizard. Although this pattern is generally supported (eg, Dolores Umbridge's short wand, Rubeus Hagrid's long wand) this may not always be the case. For example, Draco Malfoy, despite being tall, had a relatively short wand. However, J.K. Rowling stated that wands are generally shorter when witches or wizards are lacking in personality, rather than size.
• J. K. Rowling used a Celtic calendar to assign certain types of woods to Ron Weasley, Hermione Granger, and Harry Potter based on their birthdates.
• Wands are Warwick Davis' favourite prop on the series.

A variety of wands from Pottermore

• In the first and second films, wands look quite plain. The appearance of wands drastically change in the film adaptation of Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban, in which the wands are given distinctive shapes and carvings, reflecting the owner's personality.
• Devon Murray, who plays Seamus Finnigan in the Harry Potter films, has the record for breaking the most prop wands. He broke eighty of them. Dan Radcliffe himself broke and damaged almost as many due to his habit of drumming with them.
• J.K. Rowling has said that Muggles cannot use a magic wand, yet residual power stored in a wand may discharge at odd moments, having potentially disastrous effects for a non-wizard. One example of this happening was when, in 1790, Muggle Bartholomew Barebone stole Dorcus Twelvetrees's wand and showed it to many reporters. The wand was said to have "a kick like a mule" when waved. Another example of such behaviour occurred when a Muggle by the name of James Stewart attempted to wave a wand, causing it to "rebel" and send him flying into a tree, knocking him out. This result was described as what "invariably happens when a No-Maj waves a wand".
• Although Harry's wand is known to be made of holly (an almost white wood), his prop wand is significantly darker, suggesting a different wood. However, other wands appear to be varnished or coloured, so this isn't necessarily a break in continuity. Wood is a matte material so most if not all wands in the films have some kind of colour treatment.
• Wands have been used a total of 763 times in the books, according toPottermore.
• Jacob's sibling's wands are determined by the answer the player gives to the questions Ollivander poses to the character during their wand selection. During the game's beta release, a fourth response existed in the first year ("I wanted answers") that would give the Maple wand, but is no longer available to players. An error exists during the selection of the character's second wand where Ollivander will mention that the player received the Hornbeam wand as their first, regardless of their choice.
• Cherry wood wands being sought after in Japan, and their masters receiving special prestige, is likely a reference to the symbolism put on cherry blossoms 桜 (sakura) and their great popularity in Japanese culture. Sakura is also the national flower of Japan.

Appearances

• Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone (First appearance)
• Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone (film)
• Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone (video game)
• Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets
• Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets (film)
• Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets (video game)
• Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban
• Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban (film)
• Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban (video game)
• Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire
• Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire (film)
• Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire (video game)
• Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix
• Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix (film)
• Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix (video game)
• Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince
• Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince (film)
• Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince (video game)
• Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows
• Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 1
• Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 1 (video game)
• Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2
• Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2 (video game)
• Harry Potter and the Cursed Child
• Harry Potter and the Cursed Child (play)
• Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them: The Original Screenplay
• Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them (film)
• Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald - The Original Screenplay
• Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald
• Fantastic Beasts: The Secrets of Dumbledore - The Complete Screenplay
• Fantastic Beasts: The Secrets of Dumbledore
• Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them
• Quidditch Through the Ages
• The Tales of Beedle the Bard
• J. K. Rowling's official site
• Pottermore
• Wizarding World
• Harry Potter: The Character Vault
• Harry Potter: The Creature Vault (Mentioned only)
• Harry Potter Official Site
• Harry Potter: The Wand Collection
• Harry Potter: A Pop-Up Book
• The Making of Harry Potter
• The Wizarding World of Harry Potter
• Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Motorbike Escape
• Harry Potter Trading Card Game
• LEGO Harry Potter
• LEGO Harry Potter: Building the Magical World
• LEGO Harry Potter
• LEGO Harry Potter: Years 1-4
• LEGO Harry Potter: Years 5-7
• LEGO Dimensions
• LEGO Creator: Harry Potter
• Creator: Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets
• Harry Potter: Spells
• Harry Potter for Kinect
• Wonderbook: Book of Spells (Also simulates use of wand via PlayStation Move controller)
• Wonderbook: Book of Potions
• Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them VR Experience
• Fantastic Beasts: Cases from the Wizarding World
• Harry Potter: Hogwarts Mystery
• Harry Potter: Wizards Unite
• Harry Potter: Puzzles & Spells
• Harry Potter: Magic Awakened
• Hogwarts Legacy
• The Art and Making of Hogwarts Legacy
• Harry Potter: Quidditch Champions
• Harry Potter: Magic Caster Wand
• The Harry Potter Wizarding Almanac