Wands are a quasi-sentient (meaning they are as animate as an inanimate object can be, due to the magical load bestowed upon them) magical instrument, that is used for channeling the wizard/witch's magical powers, resulting in an increased, centralised effect. Though spells can be practised without the aid of wands, or incantations, these magical instruments are your best bet. Wandless magic can also take nearly a lifetime to master, and uses a lot of mental energy.

All wands start off as a tree. Not any old tree, though. You cannot buy wand-trees at a Muggle plant shop, or find them in the woods next to Hogwarts (although apparently there are wand-trees there, but that is unlikely). The wand-trees are full of Bowtruckles, and are usually very old.

NEVER cut down a wand-tree, as they are very rare, and important. The wand you have in your pocket or upon the table in front of you would never have existed if an old wandmaker lopped down the tree. Instead, he cautiously cut off a branch.

The magical properties in the wood itself is not strong enough to channel magic, so a core is added (I shall explain a lot more about cores and wand-woods in the next two chapters, in case you are wondering). This core usually comes from a magical creature, such as a dragon (dragon heartstring). Cores cannot come from other animals (i.e.. a dog), as the magical energy is not powerful enough. Now I know what you are thinking. "BUT THESE ANIMALS ARE NOT MAGICAL AT ALL!"

The truth is, everything is magical. But the power of the magic, for example, is much stronger in a dragon than in a blue-tongue lizard (where I live these are native).