Wandlore For Beginners
An in-depth description of many wandwoods and cores, and what to expect from them.
Last Updated
05/31/21
Chapters
11
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51,589
Wandwoods L-R
Chapter 3
Larch wands are valued as attractive and powerful. These strong and durable wands have a reputation for giving courage and confidence to owners, and yet the wand (like many) is hard to please, and many underestimate how tricky they are to handle. Wands of larchwood always have hidden talents and unexpected effects, according to Ollivander. The master who deserves it is very much the same, not realizing how talented they are until they are paired with it. When paired, they make an exceptional match.
Laurel wands, according to tradition and legend, will not produce a spell to do something dishonorable. But in a quest for glory, not uncommon for those best suited for a laurel wand, they can perform powerful (and sometimes lethal) magic. While called fickle, laurel wands in actuality will not tolerate laziness in a master. If any master of a laurel wand becomes lazy, he or she will find that their wand can easily be swayed to take allegiance with another. However, if the master is not lazy (and remains so), their wand will be quite happy in its position. These wands are known to create a random strike of lightning if another tries to steal it when it is happy with the current master.
Linden wands are not widely used in wandmaking in Britain. But in Germany, its association with the goddess Freya has made it quite favorable. A wand made of linden will have great abilities with the Defense Against the Dark Arts. The pale wood is often decorated with marks that are dark in color, though the designs vary greatly.
Madrona wands are also rare in British wandmaking, due to Madrona trees mostly growing in North America (the Northwest region of it). The bark of this beautiful evergreen has a distinctive peeling, which indicates that it would be an excellent wand for magical powers of change. In other words, this wand is superb and powerful for Transfiguration.
Maple wands are generally a bit more magical than their oaken counterparts. They are fairly adaptable, though they are quite sturdy. They despise a a life without ambition, thus choosing travellers and explorers for masters. If they become 'stay-at-home wands,' their magic will not be as good. New challenges and places to 'see' will make a maple wand shine (literally, these wands polish themselves when the aforementioned conditions are met) with its master in both ability and status. Maple wood good enough to make wands with is rather costly, mostly due to its beauty. A witch or wizard who possesses a maple wand has generally had a high status, since the wand has a reputation of selecting high achievers.
Oak wands are quite loyal, much like a friend to the wizard it selects (conveniently, so is the wizard matched with it). But its 'ideal' match is not only friendly, they need to be strong (not necessarily physically) and have courage and faithfulness. Owners of oak wands generally have excellent intuition, marking them as being good with Divination, and of the magic of the natural world, marking them as being good with Herbology, though this is not generally not very well-known in the Wizarding world. The wands are sturdy and reliable that help with the Defense Against the Dark Arts and Transfiguration, but the sturdiness implies that it will take longer to learn spells. In some cultures, oak trees are called King of the Forest from the winter solstice until the summer solstice, when holly takes over. And so, wandwood from oak trees should only be collected during this time.
Pear wands are golden in color, and possess superb magical powers.They give their best to warm-hearted, generous, and wise individuals. Pear wands are normally found in the hands of popular and well-respected witches or wizards, and are never found with those who practice the Dark Arts. These wands are some of the most resilient, and have an ability to appear new, even after being used for many years.
Pine wands are very quick to learn, meaning that they are less powerful. This does not mean that they are weak, though! They are quiet, but excellent for the art of Divination. These wands will always choose a master who is seen as being a loner, intriguing, and maybe mysterious. The 'ideal' master is also independent and individual, as pine wands enjoy being used in creative ways. Unlike many wands, those of pine will willingly adapt to new methods or spells. It is said that pine wands select and best perform for those who will live long lives. These wands are some of the most sensitive to non-verbal magic.
Plum wands are a traditional wood in China that is not very common in English wands, though in Central Europe it has begun to gain favor. Plum wands are remarkably similar to wands made from applewood, though they are a little more inclined to the art of Charms.
Poplar wands are made from a light wood, though some Dark Wizards prefer them for their resemblance to human bone. These wands are very reliable as they perform consistently and with strength and uniform power. These wands prefer witches or wizards that possess a clear moral visions. Lesser wandmakers jokingly claim that a wand of poplar has never chosen a politician, but they show ignorance in this way, as two of Britain's most accomplished Ministers for Magic had poplar wands.
Redwood wands hardly ever bond to a witch or wizard who do well with magic that is not wand-based. Any magic to require a wand, and a redwood wand will excel at it. These wands have a reputation for bringing luck and good fortune to its owner, and yet this is not true. The witches and wizards bonded with redwood wands generally have an ability to fall on their feet (metaphorically), who can make the best choice for themselves, and who can find the good in a catastrophe.
Reed wands are delicate and difficult to work with. But, they are quite wise and intelligent. The vast majority of the time (nearly 100 percent of the time, actually), the wand will choose a Ravenclaw. Ollivander does not make wands out of reed, though they can be bought in Hogsmeade. Reed wands are generally suited for bold and eloquent speakers, and are like very protective friends. When paired with a dragon heartstring core, the owner of a reed wand would have admirable loyalty.
Rosewood wands are very graceful. The best cores for this kind of wand are phoenix tail feather, unicorn tail hair, the hair from the head of a Veela, or the wings of a fairy. Any and other cores end up at odds with the wood, which could make for an unbalanced that could prove to be dangerous.
Rowan wands are very willing and reliable, and are just about the best defensive wands to be found as they can produce very powerful and difficult to break Defensive Charms (they give a boost to the arts of Charms and Transfiguration). They have a large reputation for being protective, which made them quite prized, and never has a rowan wand been the match for a Dark witch or wizard. It is perhaps for this reason that rowanwood became associated with wizards who are pure at heart. This is not to say that rowan wands cannot be used for offensive purposes. Rowan was once used to make bows with, and carries this into being good with duelling. Ollivander has noted that wands of rowan can match or even outperform others in duels. Those who own rowan wands are generally compatible with those who own elder wands (please note that by own, it is implied that the person in question was chosen by the wand).
