by Simon

The wand is probably the most important piece of equipment for a wizard and Mr Ollivander explains to Harry, in The Philosopher's Stone, how the wizard and wand are matched. "It's really the wand that chooses the wizard."

Mr Ollivander then continues on to explain about the wands he produces. "Every Ollivander wand has a core of a powerful magical substance, Mr Potter. We have unicorn hairs, phoenix tail feathers and the heartstrings of dragons. No two Ollivanders wands are the same, just as no two unicorns, dragons or phoenixes are quite the same. And of course you will never get such good results with another wizard's wand."

Harry's Wand

For Harry, the selecting of a suitable wand is a protracted experience. "Tricky customer, eh? Not to worry, we'll find the perfect match here somewhere - I wonder, now - yes, why not - unusual combination - holly and phoenix feather, eleven inches, nice and supple."

This wand is the brother of the one belonging to Lord Voldemort; they both contain tail feathers from the same phoenix - Fawkes.

Other Wands

Below there is listed the wands of some of the other characters in the series.

Voldemort: 13 1/2 inches, yew, phoenix tail feather

Hagrid: 16 inches, oak - rather bendy

Lily: 10 1/4 inches, willow - swishy. "Nice wand for charm work."

James: 11 inches, mahogany - pliable. "... powerful and excellent for transfiguration."

Ron: Uses Charlie's old wand in PS and CoS.  14, willow, unicorn tail hair

Fleur: 9 1/2 inches, rosewood - inflexible, veela hair - from grandmother

Cedric: 12 1/4 inches, ash - pleasantly springy, unicorn tail hair

Victor: 10 1/4 inches - quite thick, hornbeam, dragon heartstring, Gregorovitch creation

Is There a Link Between the Material a Wand is Made of and its Owner?

Ollivander tells us that the wand chooses the wizard (see quote in introduction) but does the wand material give us any hint as to the character of its owner? Below are listed four different types of wood and an example of a person with that type of wand.

Yew - Voldemort's Wand: Yew is a tree of immortality and is often to be found in graveyards. It is associated with strength, resilience and magical powers. In superstition, yew is luck to touch but unlucky to bring into the home due to its leaves and seeds being poisonous.

Holly - Harry's Wand: Holly is a midwinter emblem of hope and joy. It is connected with the rebirth of the sacrificed God. In Christianity it is associated with John the Baptist and with Christ's passion (death on the cross) because of its thorn like leaves and bright red berries.

Oak - Hagrid's Wand: Might, endurance, longevity and nobility are associated with the oak tree. It was sacred to the thunder gods of many European countries and in Druidic rites it served as an axiel symbol and natural temple, associated with male potency and wisdom.

Willow - Lily's Wand: For the Jews the willow is a tree of lamentation, but in the east it is a symbol of the springtime of sexual love, feminine grace, resilience, immortality and the sweet sorrow of parting. In Buddhism it is a symbol of meekness and compassion.

Is There a Link Between Wand and Owner?

In GoF we see Harry recognise his wand when Amos Diggory holds it up. Does he recognise it by sight? Or is there a link between wand and owner that means Harry is instantly able to work out it is his wand?

Similarly, in PoA, Lupin is able to return three wands to their respective owners. Is this a case of him having seen the three teenagers enough to know which wand is which? Or is it a case of him being able to sense which wand belongs with which person?

Who is Allowed a Wand?

The Code of Wand Use states: No non-human creature is permitted to carry or use a wand.

Also we learn that students of Hogwarts may not do any magic during the holidays, while they are away from the teaching environment of the school. This suggests, that under the UK wizarding law, only trained human adults may have wands with a special exemption made for students of the school so they can learn the proper use of magic.

Do Wizards Need a Wand to do Magic and do They Carry Their Wands at all Times?

In PS we see Ron and Hermione taking their wands to a Quidditch game in which Severus Snape is officiating. This draws a couple of comments, from other students, which suggest that the students do not carry their wands with them unless they are going to do some magic.

When Harry discovers he is a wizard, in PS, Hagrid asks him if he had made anything strange happen - suggesting that this is normal for magical children. If a wizard can do magic without a wand, why do they then use one?

How Long Does a Wand Last For?

In PS, Ollivander says to Harry that he remembers Lily buying 'her first wand'. This seems to suggest that during their lifetime a wizard owns more than one wand. Does this mean that the wands wear out? Is it that some occupations need certain type of wands?

Charlie Weasley gives his old wand to Ron, suggesting that he must have got a new one. Does this mean the old one was near the end of its useful life?

Is Hagrid's Wand Concealed in his Umbrella?

"Harry noticed Hagrid's flowery pink umbrella leaning against the back wall of the cabin. Harry had had reason to believe before now that this umbrella was not all it looked; in fact, he had the strong impression that Hagrid's old school wand was concealed inside it."

The members of this group are quite happy to accept that Hagrid has a wand, or some part of one, contained in his umbrella.

Has Hagrid's Wand Been Broken in Two?

"I suppose they snapped it in half when you got expelled?"

"I've still got the pieces."

This is where the opinions of the group diverge. Much has been debated as to whether the above quotes are the truth or just a lie.

In support of the wand have been snapped in half:

• Hagrid twice says that the wand has been snapped in half.
• It is suggested that it is a *they* who snapped the wand. How likely is it that they, probably the school governors or a Ministry of Magic department, would not have done so?
• Hagrid has had 50 years to get used to using his wand. Maybe in this time he has learnt how to perform the few spells he uses, even though the wand is broken.
• Ron's broken wand is not a perfect match for him. So he is unlikely to be able to perform magic perfectly with it when it is in perfect condition, let alone when it is broke.

Against the wand having been snapped in half:

• When Ron's wand is broken, in CoS, it becomes unstable and he is unable to perform even the simplest spell, without something going horribly wrong.
• Wand making seems to be a precise art (indicated since there are few wand makers), so how many people could repair a snapped wand?
• Why, if a wand can be repaired, is it not destroyed or rendered useless?
• Hagrid avoids looking at Ollivander as he says his wand is broken. Is this a sign of a guilty conscience?
• There is no indication that he gets a new wand after he is cleared in CoS.

Other possibilities:

• It was broken but has since been repaired.
• The magical core was to be found towards one end of the wand and so it remained intact when the wand was snapped.
• Either the umbrella contains a new wand or it is itself a magical device.

The Wands of Wormtail and Lord Voldemort

When Lord Voldemort failed to kill Harry, in the attack which left Harry's parents dead, he was left as some sort of spirit without a body to inhabit. When he returns, in GoF, he has his old wand back. This leaves the question: What happened to his wand in those 13 years? It was obviously not destroyed as it turns up when Harry and Lord Voldemort duel in GoF. Did Wormtail take it when he saw his master had been defeated? Has Wormtail got his own wand? Can an animagus, especially one that becomes a rat, carry a wand? Did the wand disappear into nothingness with Voldemort?

These issues are also tied in with whether animagi need wands to transform and what happens to their wands when they have transformed.

Priori Incantatem (The Reverse Wand Effect)

"They will not work properly against each other. If, however, the owners of the wands force the wands to do battle ... a very rare effect will take place. One of the wands will force the other to regurgitate spells it has performed - in reverse."

Much discussion has taken place about this effect, mostly with regards to the specific incident of Harry's and Voldemort's wands battling and Voldemort's spells coming out of his wand. It would seem that spells are not all represented by ghostly versions of themselves; Cruciatus Curse spells, for example, come out as screams.

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