#wand core

[bamf-prongsminiprongs]

Ok, I need help deciding what I want James's wand core to be. I was between Dragon Heartstring or even a pheonix feather. Heartstring because it's suited for stronger spells, and James was powerful. But also the phoenix featger because it's protective and defensive, doesn't like dark magic and good at most things. All things like James, hates dark magic, good at most things, defensive. And we've seen Harry with his wand, obviously.

[cursedonyx]

Wand Woods and Cores

In planning my fic, I did a lot of research into HP and HL lore to try and make it as accurate as possible. In doing so, I had a wonderful time trying to picture what wands our emerald trio had, and came up with the following. Included below are the woods, cores and lengths of their wands, as well as notes from Ollivander on what each wood symbolises, and I highlighted the parts that I thought most relevant to our trio. I also threw in some floriography for the woods, which I personally think match our trio marvellously.

Dracaena – 10 ½ inches

Blackthorn wood

"Blackthorn, which is a very unusual wand wood, has the reputation, in my view well-merited, of being best suited to a warrior. This does not necessarily mean that its owner practises the Dark Arts (although it is undeniable that those who do so will enjoy the blackthorn wand’s prodigious power); one finds blackthorn wands among the Aurors as well as among the denizens of Azkaban. It is a curious feature of the blackthorn bush, which sports wicked thorns, that it produces its sweetest berries after the hardest frosts, and the wands made from this wood appear to need to pass through danger or hardship with their owners to become truly bonded. Given this condition, the blackthorn wand will become as loyal and faithful a servant as one could wish."

Symbolism - Transition, Sudden Change, Death

Core - Phoenix Feather

This is the rarest core type. Phoenix feathers are capable of the greatest range of magic, though they may take longer than either unicorn or dragon cores to reveal this. They show the most initiative, sometimes acting of their own accord, a quality that many witches and wizards dislike.

Phoenix feather wands are always the pickiest when it comes to potential owners, for the creature from which they are taken is one of the most independent and detached in the world. These wands are the hardest to tame and to personalise, and their allegiance is usually hard won.

Ominis – 11 ¾ inches

Cedar

"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. I would go further than my father, however, in saying that I have never yet met the owner of a cedar wand whom I would care to cross, especially if harm is done to those of whom they are fond. The witch or wizard who is well-matched with cedar carries the potential to be a frightening adversary, which often comes as a shock to those who have thoughtlessly challenged them."

Symbolism - I live but for thee, Think of Me, Prosperity, Longevity

Core - Unicorn Hair

Unicorn hair generally produces the most consistent magic, and is least subject to fluctuations and blockages. Wands with unicorn cores are generally the most difficult to turn to the Dark Arts. They are the most faithful of all wands, and usually remain strongly attached to their first owner, irrespective of whether he or she was an accomplished witch or wizard.

Minor disadvantages of unicorn hair are that they do not make the most powerful wands (although the wand wood may compensate) and that they are prone to melancholy if seriously mishandled, meaning that the hair may ‘die’ and need replacing.

Sebastian – 12 ¼ inches

Aspen

"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. The proper owner of the aspen wand is often an accomplished duellist, or destined to be so, for the aspen wand is one of those particularly suited to martial magic. In my experience, aspen wand owners are generally strong-minded and determined, more likely than most to be attracted by quests and new orders; this is a wand for revolutionaries."

Symbolism - Excess of sensibility, fear, Lamentation

Core - Dragon Heartstring

As a rule, dragon heartstrings produce wands with the most power, and which are capable of the most flamboyant spells. Dragon wands tend to learn more quickly than other types. While they can change allegiance if won from their original master, they always bond strongly with the current owner.

The dragon wand tends to be easiest to turn to the Dark Arts, though it will not incline that way of its own accord. It is also the most prone of the three cores to accidents, being somewhat temperamental.

Masterlist

Wandlore

[janushawkins]

Wand Core: Displacer Beast Tentacle (fanon)

Coming from a creature so rare and well hidden that even most if the magical world considers them mere myths, Displacer Beast tentacle wands are quite rare, but nonetheless fairly powerful and quite loyal.

Wands with this core are of somewhat above average power with decent range, and perform exceptionally in magic to do with misdirection , illusions and the senses.

Like Displacer beasts, these wands can throw their appearance--making it look like they are somewhere nearby rather than their actual location rather as a sort of "visual ventriloquism"--usually to deter thievery.

These wands choose owners who are intelligent and independent, and believe whole heartedly that the thrill is in the chase more than the capture. Not fond of direct conflict they have a knack for trickery and misdirection and use it in almost every area of their life, whether to win a game or sport, get a leg up in life or for something as meaningless as cutting in line. Though this often helps them win at things, they may also damn themselves and lose by drawing a contest or game out to "play with their food," whether to toy with their opponents out of some childish sadism or because they just don't want to be done playing.

"Wait, so... was Gary Gygax a wizard?" - January Hawkins, Resident NERD, Ilvermorny School of Witchcraft and Wizardry.

Image from Forgotten Realms wiki

Information on displacer beasts in d&d lore here https://forgottenrealms.fandom.com/wiki/Displacer_beast

Displacer Beasts in HP Lore

This is a d&d monster. They're basically huge six-legged cat monsters with tentacles that can throw their appearance. In d&d lore they were bred as hunting beasts by the unseelie court, but were so intelligent and vicious that they escaped and went to live in the feywild. Obviously the Harry Potter books never mention the unseelie court or feywild, but @themonsterblogofmonsters harry potter fan lore (much of which I consider part of my head canon) includes their own fae courts, one of which (the unseelie one) may have bred creatures like wampus cats, nundu and cat sith to make these monsters, which have since escaped and now roam the wilderness around fae gates, killing unsuspecting travellers for food or fun.

[amritkaurpoetry]

The fact that Draco is so sad about his wand and says his new ones "doesn't quiet get" him is so ahh once you realise his core was unicorn tail hair which doesn't do curses and dark magic well 🥺

[lifeisastorybook]

Wand and hand were rejoicing at their reunion...

[shinycopperpenny]

Hogwarts Mystery Wand Choices:

Acacia, unicorn tail core, 12 inches, pliable:

Ollivander: “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. This sensitivity renders them difficult to place, and I keep only a small stock for those witches or wizards of sufficient subtlety, for acacia is not suited to what is commonly known as ‘bangs-and-smells’ magic. When well-matched, an acacia wand matches any for power, though it is often underrated due to the peculiarity of its temperament.” (Pottermore, Wand Woods)

Ollivander: “Unicorn hair generally produces the most consistent magic, and is least subject to fluctuations and blockages. Wands with unicorn cores are generally the most difficult to turn to the Dark Arts. They are the most faithful of all wands, and usually remain strongly attached to their first owner, irrespective of whether he or she was an accomplished witch or wizard.

“Minor disadvantages of unicorn hair are that they do not make the most powerful wands (although the wand wood may compensate) and that they are prone to melancholy if seriously mishandled, meaning that the hair may ‘die’ and need replacing.” (Pottermore, Wand Cores)

Blackthorn, unicorn tail core, 11-and-three-quarter inches, (does the game mention the yield?):

Ollivander: “Blackthorn, which is a very unusual wand wood, has the reputation, in my view well-merited, of being best suited to a warrior. This does not necessarily mean that its owner practises the Dark Arts (although it is undeniable that those who do so will enjoy the blackthorn wand’s prodigious power); one finds blackthorn wands among the Aurors as well as among the denizens of Azkaban. It is a curious feature of the blackthorn bush, which sports wicked thorns, that it produces its sweetest berries after the hardest frosts, and the wands made from this wood appear to need to pass through danger or hardship with their owners to become truly bonded. Given this condition, the blackthorn wand will become as loyal and faithful a servant as one could wish.” (Pottermore, Wand Woods)

(Unicorn tail hair: see above)

Hornbeam, dragon heartstring core, 11 inches, inflexible:

Ollivander: “My own wand is made of hornbeam, and so it is with all due modesty that I state that 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. Hornbeam wands adapt more quickly than almost any other to their owner’s style of magic, and will become so personalised, so quickly, that other people will find them extremely difficult to use even for the most simple of spells. Hornbeam wands likewise absorb their owner’s code of honour, whatever that might be, and will refuse to perform acts – whether for good or ill – that do not tally with their master’s principles. A particularly fine-tuned and sentient wand.” (Pottermore, Wand Woods)

Ollivander: “As a rule, dragon heartstrings produce wands with the most power, and which are capable of the most flamboyant spells. Dragon wands tend to learn more quickly than other types. While they can change allegiance if won from their original master, they always bond strongly with the current owner.The dragon wand tends to be easiest to turn to the Dark Arts, though it will not incline that way of its own accord. It is also the most prone of the three cores to accidents, being somewhat temperamental.” (Pottermore, Wand Cores)

[0reo-speedwagon]

So I was thinking about wand cores with @capitalqwerty this evening and we wondered how they got their dragon heartstrings. I mean, phoenixes and unicorns can just give their hair/feathers without a problem, but for a heartstring, the dragon would have to be dead. 

So how do they get these dragon bodies? Do they raise them on farms to be slaughtered later? Do they poach dragons? Do they gather heartstrings from corpses they find? All these are plausible theories, but regardless of their methods:

Imagine vegan wizards protesting wand cores

[janushawkins]

Wand core: Fairy Wing (Canon)

A decently powerful but fickle core, fairy wing cores make for a light and airy wand that is not exceptionally rare but are still not the most popular.

    Wands with this core do quite well with charms, transfiguration and divination, but are only average in defense against the dark arts. There is sometimes a talent for the ethereal. They are also quite poor for hexes and curses. Fairy wing cores have been used as a dual core with a unicorn hair to great effect.

    Fairy wing cores hate iron, as touching it may damage the wand. If something made of iron gets too close to the wand, it may become irate, burning hot or freezing cold, shaking violently, or even firing off random spells without the owner's command.

    Wands with this core  prefer owners who have some connection to the mystic; as such they most often choose individuals who possess the Sight. These people are wise souls, but can seem quite dim and flakey as their heads are so often high up in the clouds. They’re social skills are lacking, and they are often quite terribly organized, their minds always somewhere far away. Those who get to know these wixes find that they can have extraordinary insights, and a wonderful sense of humor. They enjoy their solitude, where they can focus both inward and outward and exercise and experiment with their gift. If allowed to flourish, they may one day become very wise and respected seers.

"You always walk away from a conversation with owners of fairy wing wands a little confused. Sometimes because they're speaking nonsense, sometimes because they seem to possess all the secrets of the universe" -January Hawkins, Resident Wandmaker, Ilvermorny School of Witchcraft and Wizardry

Image from Harry Potter wiki