Magic wand guide

"The wand seeks out the wizard, Mr Potter. How is not always clear."

Mr Ollivander on Harry Potter's choice of wand.

In the story of Harry Potter, the wand chooses the wizard. It doesn't matter whether you went to Garrick Ollivander, Mykew Gregorovitch, Violetta Beauvais, Johannes Jonker or Jimmy Kiddell. If they had picked out an unsuitable wand for you, a lamp would have broken or drawers would have flown, as was the case with Harry several times.

But here it's a bit easier. You don't have to visit a shop hidden from muggles and you have a free choice of wand. However, to help you with the huge selection, I will help you find the perfect wand with my wand guide. And I'll also introduce you to the different types in detail.

Wand lore: Finding the right wand

Every day, owls flutter in and ask me for the right wand. Unfortunately, there is no right answer and I don't currently have all the Harry Potter wands in my repertoire, but there are some clues that I can help you with.

The two most important characteristics are your height and your character. If you're not quite sure about your character, just ask friends and family for their help. The wizarding world has something for everyone and discovering your own wand is the most fun together.

An example: If you have a fairly outgoing character and are tall, then you would be more likely to wield a longer wand. Smaller and shy people often have a shorter wand. The wand is therefore a mirror of the wizard and also determines the suspension.

Determined and self-confident wizards usually carry an unyielding wand, for example Bellatrix Lestrange. Easily influenced wizards with fragile characters tend to carry flexible wands, e.g. Draco Malfoy.

Luna Lovegood, on the other hand, was chosen to carry a wand at the beginning of her wizarding career, but it was stolen in December 1997 when she was kidnapped by Death Eaters and held captive with Ollivander. She helped him get through the ordeal and as thanks he made Luna a new wand in the shape of a tulip.

The character of the magic wand

Not only the wizard, but also the magic wand has its own character. This is created by the choice of the type of wood and the magical core. Although Harry's and Voldemort's wands each have a feather from the same phoenix, which is also known as a twin core, they use different types of wood.

Lord Voldemort's wand is made of yew, which symbolises death. This is because the seeds, needles and vapours of yew are poisonous and lead to death. Harry's, on the other hand, is made of holly, which is said to drive away evil spirits.

Although the aforementioned twin core is very rare, it hides another problem, as they behave very differently when they meet. They do not always follow the orders of their wizards, but enter into a magical bond with each other of their own accord. In doing so, they create a kind of light cage to separate their owners from strangers.

The wands then show each other what their last spells were. This reverse sequence of reproduced memories only breaks when one of the owners disconnects the wand tips.

Twin cores are very rare, but show how important the magical core is to the character of the wand. Unicorn hair is perfect for learning spells easily, but is considered rather mediocre. Phoenix feathers take a while to get used to their owner and have a mind of their own - just like a phoenix ;) Dragon heart fibres are suitable for very strong spells, but are temperamental and can cause accidents.

The rightful owner of a staff

It's a tricky business! If you defeat another wizard in a duel, the wand may change allegiance. A simple disarming spell can be enough for this to happen, even simple violence by snatching the wand from his hand can be enough. But you don't automatically lose your wand with every attack. It is even more complicated with twin cores. Here, as described above, the Priori Incantatem can occur and both owners reveal their last spells to each other.

Ollivander Edition vs Character Edition vs Blister Edition

What's the difference between the Ollivander, Character and Blister editions? None. The wands are completely identical, but the packaging is very different.

The Ollivander Edition is by far the prettiest way to store the wand. The box is modelled on the films and offers the best decorative effect for your own magician's shop. It is sturdily made and lined with velvet. One small disadvantage, however, is that they do not have a standardised length. Dumbledore's wand is longer than Snape's, so the packaging is also different sizes.

The Character Edition is usually €5 cheaper because it lacks the Ollivander design, but it is still sturdy and beautifully designed. The name printed at the top makes it easy to see whose box it is and the length is standardised. All boxes are the same length and are more suitable for one or other Harry Potter set.

The Blister Edition is more for the pragmatists for whom the box and all the bells and whistles are far too much. It contains the identical wand, but with practical packaging that is usually thrown away after unpacking. There is one small disadvantage, however, as many of the blister wands are only available in local Elbenwald stores.

One of the official wall mounts may be suitable for blister edition buyers in particular, but also for everyone else. They are available for either four or ten wands and have an extra bar for the name badges from the character edition.