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(Still unclear about dittany, but it's mentioned in the text.)
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The '''core''' of a [[wand]] is a [[magic]]al substance placed within inside the length of wood. They are usually bits extracted from some sort of Magical Being or Creature. The materials used for wand cores can vary widely, though certain wand-makers may prefer to use certain materials; for example, [[Garrick Ollivander]] discovered and pioneered the use of [[phoenix feather]]s, [[dragon heartstring]]s, and [[unicorn hair|unicorn tail hairs]], wheras his [[Gervaise Ollivander|father]] used lesser substances such as [[Kelpie]] hair and [[Kneazle]] whisker.<ref name="morecores">[http://lady-slytherin-forever.tumblr.com/post/8977640199/wand-cores-off-of-pottermore Wand cores off of Pottermore]</ref>
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The '''core''' of a [[wand]] is a [[magic]]al substance placed within the length of wood. They are usually bits of hair/feather extracted from some sort of Magical Being or Creature. The materials used for wand cores can vary widely, though certain wand-makers may prefer to use certain materials; for example, [[Garrick Ollivander]] discovered and pioneered the use of [[phoenix feather]]s, [[dragon heartstring]]s, and [[unicorn hair|unicorn tail hairs]], whereas his [[Gervaise Ollivander|father]] used lesser substances such as [[Kelpie]] hair and [[Kneazle]] whisker.<ref name="morecores">[http://lady-slytherin-forever.tumblr.com/post/8977640199/wand-cores-off-of-pottermore Wand cores off of Pottermore]</ref>
  +
  +
The wand always chooses the [[wizard]] or [[witch]] and not the other way around. This is a question that many who study wands called [[wandlore]] cannot understand or explain. It would seem that wands have in some sense of the word—a mind of their own. The Wand will never surrender itself to another easily either - something many in wandlore understand to some extent.
   
 
==Known core materials==
  
==Known core materials==
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{|width="75%" border="1" class="wikitable"
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{| class="wikitable" border="1" width="75%"
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|-bgcolor="#cccccc"
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|- bgcolor="#cccccc"
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!width="25%" align="center"|Core Material
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! align="center" width="25%" |Core
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!width="50%" align="center"|Known Wands Using that Core
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! align="center" width="50%" |Wands These Cores are Used in:
 
|-
  
|-
−
|[[Dragon heartstring]]
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|[[Dragon]] [[Dragon heartstring|heartstring]]
 
|
  
|
 
*[[Hermione Granger]]'s [[Hermione Granger's wand|wand]]
  
*[[Hermione Granger]]'s [[Hermione Granger's wand|wand]]
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*[[Garrick Ollivander]] 's [[Garrick Ollivander's wand|wand]]
  
*[[Garrick Ollivander]] 's [[Garrick Ollivander's wand|wand]]
 
*[[Peter Pettigrew]]'s [[Peter Pettigrew's wand|wand]]
  
*[[Peter Pettigrew]]'s [[Peter Pettigrew's wand|wand]]
  +
  +
* [[Dolores Umbridge]]'s [[Dolores Umbridge's wand|wand]]
 
|-
  
|-
−
|[[Phoenix feather]]
 +
|[[Phoenix]] [[Phoenix feather|feather]]
 
|
  
|
 
*[[Harry Potter]]'s [[Harry Potter's wand|wand]]
  
*[[Harry Potter]]'s [[Harry Potter's wand|wand]]
 
*[[Tom Riddle|Lord Voldemort]]'s [[Tom Riddle's wand|wand]]
  
*[[Tom Riddle|Lord Voldemort]]'s [[Tom Riddle's wand|wand]]
 
*[[Silvanus Kettleburn]]'s [[Silvanus Kettleburn's wand|wand]]
  
*[[Silvanus Kettleburn]]'s [[Silvanus Kettleburn's wand|wand]]
  +
*[[Celestina Warbeck]]'s [[Celestina Warbeck's wand|wand]]
 
|-
  
|-
−
|[[Unicorn hair|Unicorn tail hair]]
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|[[Unicorn]] [[Unicorn hair|tail hair]]
 
|
  
|
 
*[[Mary Cattermole]]'s [[Mary Cattermole's wand|wand]]
  
*[[Mary Cattermole]]'s [[Mary Cattermole's wand|wand]]
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*[[Draco Malfoy]]'s [[Draco Malfoy's wand|wand]]
  
*[[Draco Malfoy]]'s [[Draco Malfoy's wand|wand]]
 
*[[Quirinus Quirrell]]'s [[Quirinus Quirrell's wand|wand]]
  
*[[Quirinus Quirrell]]'s [[Quirinus Quirrell's wand|wand]]
  +
*[[Sybill Trelawney]]'s [[Sybill Trelawney's wand|wand]]
 
*[[Charles Weasley|Charlie Weasley]]'s [[Ronald Weasley's first wand|first wand]]
  
*[[Charles Weasley|Charlie Weasley]]'s [[Ronald Weasley's first wand|first wand]]
 
*[[Ronald Weasley|Ron Weasley]]'s [[Ronald Weasley's wands|wands]]
  
*[[Ronald Weasley|Ron Weasley]]'s [[Ronald Weasley's wands|wands]]
 
|-
  
|-
−
|[[Veela hair]]
 +
|[[Veela]] [[Veela hair|hair]]
 
|
  
|
 
*[[Fleur Delacour]]'s [[Fleur Delacour's wand|wand]]
  
*[[Fleur Delacour]]'s [[Fleur Delacour's wand|wand]]
 
|-
  
|-
−
|[[Thestral tail hair]]
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|[[Thestral]] [[Thestral tail hair|tail hair]]
 
|
  
|
 
*The [[Elder Wand]]
  
*The [[Elder Wand]]
 
|-
  
|-
−
|[[Troll whisker]]
 +
|[[Troll]] [[Troll whisker|whisker]]
 
|
  
|
 
*[[Cadogan]]'s [[Cadogan's wand|wand]]
  
*[[Cadogan]]'s [[Cadogan's wand|wand]]
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|
  
|
 
* [[Snakewood and coral wand]]
  
* [[Snakewood and coral wand]]
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|-
  +
|[[Dittany]] Stalk
  +
|
  +
|-
  +
|[[Thunderbird]] [[Thunderbird tail feather|tail feather]]
  +
<ref name=":0">"[https://www.pottermore.com/collection-episodic/history-of-magic-in-north-america-en History of Magic in North America: 1920s Wizarding America]" on [[Pottermore]]</ref>
  +
|
  +
|-
  +
|[[Wampus cat]] [[Wampus cat hair|hair]]
  +
<ref name=":0" />
  +
|
  +
|-
  +
|[[White River Monster]] [[White River Monster spine|spine]]
  +
<ref name=":0" />
  +
|
  +
|-
  +
|[[Rougarou]] [[Rougarou hair|hair]]
  +
<ref name=":0" />
  +
|
  +
* [[Seraphina Picquery]]'s [[Seraphina Picquery's wand|wand]]<ref name=":0" />
 
|}
  
|}
   
 
==Characteristics of wand core materials==
  
==Characteristics of wand core materials==
−
{|width="75%" border="1" class="wikitable"
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{| class="wikitable" border="1" width="75%"
−
|-bgcolor="#cccccc"
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|- bgcolor="#cccccc"
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!width="15%" align="center"|Core Material
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! align="center" width="15%" |Core Material
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!width="30%" align="center"|Known Wand-maker to use it
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! align="center" width="30%" |Known Wand-maker to use it
−
!width="30%" align="center"|Known Characteristics
 +
! align="center" width="30%" |Known Characteristics
 
|-
  
|-
 
|Dragon heartstring
  
|Dragon heartstring
 
|
  
|
 
*Garrick Ollivander, Gregorovitch
  
*Garrick Ollivander, Gregorovitch
−
|Powerful, easy to learn spells
 +
|Powerful, easy to learn spells though can easily be committed to another owner
 
|-
  
|-
 
|Phoenix feather
  
|Phoenix feather
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|Veela hair
  
|Veela hair
 
|
  
|
−
*None
  
 
|Temperamental
  
|Temperamental
 
|-
  
|-
 
|Kneazle whisker
  
|Kneazle whisker
 
|
  
|
−
*None
  
 
|Not very powerful
  
|Not very powerful
 
|-
  
|-
 
|Dittany stalk
  
|Dittany stalk
 
|
  
|
  +
|
−
*None
  
−
|None
  
 
|-
  
|-
 
|Kelpie mane
  
|Kelpie mane
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*Antioch Peverell
  
*Antioch Peverell
 
|Not easily seen
  
|Not easily seen
  +
|-
  +
|Coral
  +
|
  +
|
  +
|-
  +
|Thunderbird tail feather<ref name=":0" />
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|
  +
* [[Shikoba Wolfe]]
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|Extremely powerful, difficult to master, particularly prized by Transfigurers
  +
|-
  +
|Wampus cat hair<ref name=":0" />
  +
|
  +
* [[Johannes Jonker]]
  +
|
  +
|-
  +
|White River Monster spine<ref name=":0" />
  +
|
  +
* [[Thiago Quintana]]
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|Produces spells of force and elegance
  +
|-
  +
|Rougarou hair<ref name=":0" />
  +
|
  +
* [[Violetta Beauvais]]
  +
|Rumoured to have an affinity for Dark magic, although suitable for use by non-Dark wizards and witches as well
 
|}
  
|}
   
 
===Notes===
  
===Notes===
−
The core type is known to influence the "personality" of the wand produced with it. For example, the wand-maker [[Garrick Ollivander]] will not use [[Veela hair]] for cores because he believes they make for "temperamental" wands. Thestral hair wands are also an interesting to note in that it cannot simply be "mastered" by [[Subtle laws of wands|winning]] them; Thestral tail hair is a powerful and tricky substance that can only be mastered by a witch or wizard capable of facing death (this was hence part of the reason why [[Tom Riddle|Voldemort]] had such trouble with it).<ref>[http://www.jkrowling.com/textonly/en/extrastuff_view.cfm?id=25 Thestral tail hair information]</ref>
 +
The core type is known to influence the "personality" of the wand produced with it. For example, the wand-maker [[Garrick Ollivander]] will not use [[Veela hair]] for cores because he believes they make for "temperamental" wands. Thestral hair wands are also an interesting core, in that it cannot simply be "mastered" by [[Subtle laws of wands|winning]] them; Thestral tail hair is a powerful and tricky substance that can only be mastered by a witch or wizard capable of facing death (this was hence part of the reason why [[Tom Riddle|Voldemort]] had such trouble with it during the deathly Hallows).<ref>[http://www.jkrowling.com/textonly/en/extrastuff_view.cfm?id=25 Thestral tail hair information]</ref>
   
 
Another interesting feature of wands and their cores is that if two wands have cores from the same source — such as the wands of [[Harry Potter]] and [[Tom Riddle|Lord Voldemort]], which both had cores comprised of a feather from [[Fawkes]], [[Albus Dumbledore]]'s [[phoenix]]<ref>''[[Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone]]''</ref> — they are said to be ''brothers''. This can induce ''[[Priori Incantatem]]'' if the wands come into conflict with one another, such as casting different spells towards each other at roughly the same time.<ref>''[[Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire]]''</ref>
  
Another interesting feature of wands and their cores is that if two wands have cores from the same source — such as the wands of [[Harry Potter]] and [[Tom Riddle|Lord Voldemort]], which both had cores comprised of a feather from [[Fawkes]], [[Albus Dumbledore]]'s [[phoenix]]<ref>''[[Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone]]''</ref> — they are said to be ''brothers''. This can induce ''[[Priori Incantatem]]'' if the wands come into conflict with one another, such as casting different spells towards each other at roughly the same time.<ref>''[[Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire]]''</ref>
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==Price==
  
==Price==
  +
All wands cost seven galleons, regardless of core or wood<ref name="PM2">''[[Pottermore]]'' (Wand selection ceremony)</ref>. [[Unicorn tail hair]], however, is worth ten galleons a hair<ref name="PM">''[[Pottermore]]'' ([http://www.pottermore.com/en/diagon-alley/apothecary/unicorn-tail-hair/2 Apothecary: Unicorn Tail Hair])</ref>, as confirmed by [[Horace Slughorn]] in [[1996]]. The reason for the drop in price when the hair is used in a wand is unknown, but the hair might be cut slightly to fit into the wand, thus decreasing its value.
−
It is worth noting that Harry's [[phoenix feather]] wand cost 7 galleons. [[Horace Slughorn]], however stated that [[Unicorn hair|unicorn tail hair]] was worth 10 galleons a hair. It is possible that wands made with unicorn hairs are more expensive than those made with phoenix feathers. Of course, it is equally possible that in the five years between the time Harry's wand was purchased and the night Slughorn made the comment that the market for wand material had fluctuated greatly (Most likely due to the capture of Ollivander by the [[Death Eaters]], in no small part). It's also possible that wands are subsidized by the Ministry of Magic for students, and that the actual cost of Harry's wand was greater than the 7 galleons he paid. It is also possible that Ollivander collects wand cores himself, as he was nearly gored by the unicorn that gave the core of Cedric Diggory's wand. Furthermore, it may be possible that more than one wand core can be made from a single unicorn tail hair cut into shorter pieces, as horse tail hairs are often many times longer than most wands.
  
−  
−
Another possibility is that Professor Slughorn simply exaggerated the value of the unicorn hair in a moment of drunken exhuberance. His statement ("To ten galleons a hair!") could have referred to the price he hoped to receive, rather than an actual market value.
  
   
 
==Behind the scenes==
  
==Behind the scenes==
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{{object-stub}}
  
{{object-stub}}
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[[ru:Сердцевина для палочек]]
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[[Category:Wands| ]]
  
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[[Category:Wandlore]]
  
 
[[Category:Wand cores]]
  
[[Category:Wand cores]]

Revision as of 00:48, 6 April 2016

Dumbledore fix "Well, I think we should put it back in order for them, don't you?"

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The core of a wand is a magical substance placed within the length of wood. They are usually bits of hair/feather extracted from some sort of Magical Being or Creature. The materials used for wand cores can vary widely, though certain wand-makers may prefer to use certain materials; for example, Garrick Ollivander discovered and pioneered the use of phoenix feathers, dragon heartstrings, and unicorn tail hairs, whereas his father used lesser substances such as Kelpie hair and Kneazle whisker.[1]

The wand always chooses the wizard or witch and not the other way around. This is a question that many who study wands called wandlore cannot understand or explain. It would seem that wands have in some sense of the word—a mind of their own. The Wand will never surrender itself to another easily either - something many in wandlore understand to some extent.

Known core materials

Core Wands These Cores are Used in:
Dragon heartstring
Phoenix feather
Unicorn tail hair
Veela hair
Thestral tail hair
Troll whisker
Coral
Dittany Stalk
Thunderbird tail feather

[2]

Wampus cat hair

[2]

White River Monster spine

[2]

Rougarou hair

[2]

Characteristics of wand core materials

Core Material Known Wand-maker to use it Known Characteristics
Dragon heartstring
  • Garrick Ollivander, Gregorovitch
 Powerful, easy to learn spells though can easily be committed to another owner
Phoenix feather
  • Garrick Ollivander
 Learns most varied magic, hard to be chosen
Unicorn tail hair
  • Garrick Ollivander
 Consistent magic, bonds strongly to first user
Veela hair Temperamental
Kneazle whisker Not very powerful
Dittany stalk
Kelpie mane
  • Gervaise Ollivander
 Easily obtainable, frequently used in the past
Thestral tail hair
  • Antioch Peverell
 Not easily seen
Coral
Thunderbird tail feather[2] Extremely powerful, difficult to master, particularly prized by Transfigurers
Wampus cat hair[2]
White River Monster spine[2] Produces spells of force and elegance
Rougarou hair[2] Rumoured to have an affinity for Dark magic, although suitable for use by non-Dark wizards and witches as well

Notes

The core type is known to influence the "personality" of the wand produced with it. For example, the wand-maker Garrick Ollivander will not use Veela hair for cores because he believes they make for "temperamental" wands. Thestral hair wands are also an interesting core, in that it cannot simply be "mastered" by winning them; Thestral tail hair is a powerful and tricky substance that can only be mastered by a witch or wizard capable of facing death (this was hence part of the reason why Voldemort had such trouble with it during the deathly Hallows).[3]

Another interesting feature of wands and their cores is that if two wands have cores from the same source — such as the wands of Harry Potter and Lord Voldemort, which both had cores comprised of a feather from Fawkes, Albus Dumbledore's phoenix[4] — they are said to be brothers. This can induce Priori Incantatem if the wands come into conflict with one another, such as casting different spells towards each other at roughly the same time.[5]

Prior to 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. Such substances may have included Veela hair, Kneazle whiskers, Dittany stalks, or Kelpie manes.[6]

Price

All wands cost seven galleons, regardless of core or wood[7]. Unicorn tail hair, however, is worth ten galleons a hair[8], as confirmed by Horace Slughorn in 1996. The reason for the drop in price when the hair is used in a wand is unknown, but the hair might be cut slightly to fit into the wand, thus decreasing its value.

Behind the scenes

  • The Enchanted Feather Company is a company that presumably sells wand cores to wandmakers.
  • It is thought by some that Thestral hair makes for a unique personality; completely dispassionate about its allegiance and showing no emotion towards the wizard, tying in with the many changes of hands that the Elder Wand (the only known Thestral hair wand in existence) has been through. It is also a wand that has been the instrument of death many times over, which some also believe is connected to its Thestral hair core (possibly inspiring murder in the heart of its beholder(s), since Thestrals have a strong connection to death, as does the origin of the wand itself). However, the many changes of allegiance that the Elder wand has had as well as its history of winning through murder may be simply a reflection on the nature of power itself, and the means people are willing to sink to in order to attain it.
  • It should be noted that, concerning the wands of the Trio (Harry, Ron and Hermione), each wand has one of the three different cores used by Ollivander: Harry's wand has a phoenix feather, Ron's wands (both his first and second) have a unicorn hair and Hermione's wands (both hers and Bellatrix's) have a dragon heartstring.

Appearances

See Also

Notes and references

  1. ↑ Wand cores off of Pottermore
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 2.4 2.5 2.6 2.7 2.8 "History of Magic in North America: 1920s Wizarding America" on Pottermore
  3. ↑ Thestral tail hair information
  4. ↑ Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone
  5. ↑ Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire
  6. ↑ "Mr Ollivander" on Pottermore
  7. ↑ Pottermore (Wand selection ceremony)
  8. ↑ Pottermore (Apothecary: Unicorn Tail Hair)
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