OOP: Neville's Wand

[mtwelovett]

No: HPFGUIDX 62348


> --- night_minstrel7 <night_minstrel at h...>
> wrote:
... It seems
> > strange that 
> > someone would be encouraged or allowed to use
> > another person's wand. 
>

Kirsten Gilson <byujava at y...> wrote:
>  
> You mean, like Ron?  I think it's very common for
> wands to be recycled.  Although the wizard makes the
> wand, I think there are definitley similarities
> between family members that would make this not too
> much of an issue.  Besides, we have many examples of
> people using other people's wands and being able to do
> proper magic.  
> 
> I found it interesting that someone earlier said that
> they were mad at Neville's grandma for making him use
> his dad's wand.  First, do we know how much money the
> Longbottom's have?  Maybe they weren't much better off
> than the Weasley's.  I don't remember them ever
> mentioning if they had money or not.  Second, perhaps
> his grandmother thought it would be a great honor for
> Neville to use his father's wand, since his father was
> obviously a great wizard (maybe she even though it
> would help him be a better wizard).  And finally, does
> that mean that we should be upset with the Weasley's
> for making Ron use an old wand before?
> 
 now Me (mtwelovett): 

If someone has a perfectly good wand, that has chosen them, what would
make them get another one if the first was still functional? It is
understandable that since Neville's dad can no longer use his that it
could be "passed down" to Neville, but Ron's was a hand-me-down from
Percy or Bill I think it was. And Olivander in SS says something to
the effect of I remember when your parents were in here buying their
"First Wands" (and it seem to have been mentioned a few other places
as well.) So it doesn't seem to be an altogether uncommon thing. 
Obviously Neville will have to get another one since his is now
broken, as Ron had to do after CoS, but it dosen't seem to me that a
wand is like a fashion statement, and you just get a new one for no
real reason...do they get weaker as they age? I could see maybe if you
developed special skills you might become better suited for another
kind of wand. (Like if your initial powers going into Hogwarts leaned
towards Charms, so your wand reflected that, but you were really
strong in Transfiguration, a need would arise for a better
transforming wand)  any thoughts? 

I was thinking along the "honor" lines for Neville to use his dad's
wand, and maybe that does have a bit to do with Neville's
confidence... not living up to his parents, not living up to the wand,
or being scared to death of what happened to them... or some
combination of the three. I too think that Neville has a lot of
powerful potential.


Mtwelovett