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Chapter Text

Wood: 

This makes up the majority of your wand, in most cases, so it is important to match it to a personality trait as the wand essentially works as an extension of the person. There are many facets to a person's personality so there may be multiple woods that they are drawn to. It is possible to make a wand using multiple woods via inlay but this can be tricky, especially with shorter wands and is usually reserved for ceremonial wands or staves (see section on wand length). 

It is also possible that wands can stop working for a person over time or after a major life event as people's personalities can change, sometimes drastically and what worked for us as a child will not necessarily work for us as an adult. This is why it is always best to get a person to close their eyes when choosing because what they think is important may not be what their magic thinks is important. 

Of course different types of trees can have multiple properties and you can often see seemingly diverse people having similar wands, or the reverse. It is always best not to make assumptions when going into wands as you will almost always be surprised. 

Types of Wood:

Acacia: A tree native to Africa and considered sacred. It represents protection and has been said to ward off evil spirits, dispel fears and build courage and, as such, I have seen some truly remarkable patronuses produced with these wands although it is also good for protecting people against psychic attacks.

Acacia symbolises the continuity of life, representing rebirth and new beginnings which is why I have found it is rarely chosen as a first wand but frequently as a replacement if someone's old wand stopped working for them. They are powerful but prefer the subtlety of wisdom over the brashness of youth. 

Alder: The Alder tree is very robust and the oily, water resistant nature of its wood has led many to wrongly believe that the wood itself is unyielding and so become surprised when they find it paired with more amiable people. What these people don't realise, however, is that in ancient times the branches of the alder tree were used to make whistles as the soft inner of the young stems could easily be pushed out. It is this malleableness that the older wood never forgets and it is why it prefers a partner that reminds them of this. 

Almond: Highly revered in Greece as a symbol of love and hope and it was traditionally given as a gift at weddings. Almond wands are often chosen by very happy-go-lucky individuals.

One of the myths about the origin of the Almond tree is that it came from the blood of Agdistis, the hermaphrodite, who was tricked into castrating herself and the tree grew up from where the blood landed on the ground. It is this that that I believe has led to it also often getting with trailblazers and those who are naturally different. 

Apple: There are those who believe that Apple wands do not pair with Dark Magic but this is a misnomer brought on by a misunderstanding of the nature of spells. Apples have long been associated with healing and, contrary to popular belief, healing magic is actually an offshoot of Dark magic since curing an illness requires destroying the thing that caused the illness in the first place. As such apple wands have no problem with certain aspects of Dark Magic but actually perform curses far better than they do hexes. 

Apples have also long been associated with wisdom and it is not uncommon to find those who are multilingual fit these wands. 

Ash: Some claim that Ash loses its power and skill if passed on to another but this is ridiculous in the extreme. They mistake Ash for being stubborn when it is merely picky. 

Ash is one of the Fairy trio and a sacred tree in Celtic and Norse mythology (the Norse tree of life, Yggdrasil, was supposedly Ash). Ash wands are powerful and can produce very potent spells from across the board but, knowing this, it will only work for those who understand its strength and not anyone who would wield it lightly. This is why Ash appears to not work when passed for everyone who picks it up. It requires someone who is sensible and steadfast, sometimes called stubborn, who is able to approach things rationally and will not be easily swayed; they may be courageous but they are never brash. 

Aspen: Aspen wands are very beautiful and are often requested for their resemblance to ivory. The wands themselves are lightweight and springy which is why they do well with an abundance of different charms and are highly favoured by duelists. Aspens were traditionally considered to be great protectors and were used to make shields to protect from both mental and physical attacks. This nature continues in their spell work and they produce great shield spells which is also why they are favoured by duelists. 

The flexible nature of this wood makes it incredibly adaptable and usable by almost anyone. 

Bamboo: Another wood that is very flexible and strong and is often said to be the Eastern counterpart to Aspen. It is also said to bring good fortune to those who wield it and, in Eastern cultures, bamboo wands are sought after almost as much as cherry ones. 

Baobab: Sometimes called the Upside-down Tree, the Baobab is the African tree of life and is said to give emotional strength, the will to survive and spiritual sustenance. My father used to believe that it was the giving of these things that was the reason why so many newcomers to the magical world paired well with these wands. They also make good transitionary wands for those who have experienced massive trauma. 

The Baobab tree is considered to be the gateway to the afterlife and so, like yew, works very well with curses and healing magic. 

Beech: Beech is known as the mother of the woods and has a generous spirit offering both protection and sustenance in the form of its nuts. Beech is one of those woods which only responds to like minded people, shunning those who are narrow-minded or intolerant and seeking those who are caring and accepting of others. 

Beech is also known to be lucky as well as powerful which is why they are sought after and some people try to acquire them through more dubious means when they haven't managed to match, only to find the wand refusing to produce even the slightest spark. 

Birch: Sometimes called the lady of the wood Birch is known for her gentle grace making her excellent for producing charms and delicate spells and often falters with more robust work. That's not to be said that Birch users should be underestimated. Birch is very resourceful and resilient, growing in places where other trees would perish and birch wands have been known to produce some of the most powerful spells when their backs are against the wall.

Birch trees never grow alone, always in groves and a Birch wielder is often at the centre of a vast friendship group and always ready to support others and help them grow. Some of the best teachers known to my father were Birch users. Birch is also seen as a symbol of rebirth, as it is the first tree to grown after a forest, and, like the African Baobab, makes a good starter or transition wand but, since it doesn't always last, is often eschewed for a more long lasting wood, sometimes to the owners detriment. 

Blackthorn: Blackthorn has been associated with witchcraft from time immemorial for good reason as the wood has always produced some of the more forceful spells which is why it is often favoured by law enforcement but disregarded by duelists as it rarely works for more delicate Spellwork. The Blackthorn is associated with the Crone but its powerful nature means that it doesn't necessarily work well with divination work, the same reason why they don't work well for healing, requiring a lot of control from the wielder to rein in the power. 

Blackthorn works as well with protection spells as curses. Blackthorn that grows near its sister, Hawthorn, is usually particularly potent. 

Black Walnut: Said to only really work with those who are self aware and is said to lose power drastically if the user practices self deceit. I have not seen this myself and I'm not sure where this idea comes from as there is no indication of this in lore. It doesn't help that the tree is not native to British soil but, in native American tradition, the Black Walnut was always a sign of prosperity as it only grew in limestone soil which was some of the most fertile. The nuts were also natural defenders against parasites and funguses so wands of this wood are naturally good at banishing but their main difference between Black Walnut and European Walnut seems to be the colour. 

Cedar:There are three main varieties of Cedar but the most well known in Britain originates from Lebanon. Cedar has long been associated with wisdom, with its wide, parallel branches looking like floors that people need to reach in order to gain greater insight. It is this idea that has led some to believe that wielders have 'great perspicacity and perception' and while this is sometimes the case it only covers one aspect of Cedar's personality. 

Cedar is also associated with incorruptibility, protection and strength and it is these characteristics that lead many to say never to attack or try to harm the loved one of Cedar wixen as they will use everything to defend those they care about. Some of the best teachers known to my father had Cedar wands. 

Cherry: The Cherry is another tree associated with wisdom and rebirth and there is a myth that the phoenixes earned their ability to be born again by sleeping on a bed of Cherry Blossoms. 

Cherry wands are highly prized in Eastern cultures for their power and their association with good fortune but many forget that Cherry trees also grow quite happily in Britain and have long been considered a magical tree by Muggles so it is unsurprising to find that the wands of this wood pack a powerful punch. This is the reason why it is said that only wixen with good self-control should try this wand. 

Chestnut: Despite having been around since at least the Roman era, Chestnut (either sweet or horse) has not managed to make a name for itself in any way. It is an average wood, performing any task given to it but adding nothing of its own which is why it can be used by anyone. In my opinion this is not a particularly useful wand wood and I rarely recommend it. 

Cypress: The Cypress is a symbol of the afterlife and holds a similar place in the Mediterranean and the Middle East as the Yew does in more Northern climes. The tall, narrow shape was seen as a fast track to the afterlife which was why it was often chosen by warriors in the past, people who knew their lives would likely be short and bloody and who wanted a fast track to good fortune on the other side. It is this sort of true bravery, of being able to face one's fears, that these wands appreciate and will be a good companion for.

Cypress is also associated with self-sacrifice. In Greek Mythology the God Apollo fell in love with a young boy called Cyparissus who accidentally killed a deer that he had tamed to be his companion. The young boy, in his grief, begged for death and Apollo turned him into a tree. 

Like the Yew, Cypress is associated with both death and life and performs healing spells and curses to great success. 

Dogwood: Dogwood is a fairly small tree but its wood is some of the hardest around and I have found that these wands are often wielded by people who are very steadfast in their beliefs, for better or worse. It is this stubborn nature that leads to Dogwood wands being unable to work non-verbally. 

Oil from the flowers has often been used to guard information from prying eyes and it is not uncommon to find these wands in the hands of people who have a lot of secrets. This has led to the idea that these wands are paired with people of a 'quirky' nature but I find that they are usually that way because they have something to hide. 

I say flowers but the "flowers" of the Dogwood are not technically flowers at all and are called bracts, the "petals" being different sorts of leaves. It is this which leads to these wands being excellent when dealing with illusion spells or spells that alter our perception of things. 

Ebony: One very interesting fact about Ebony is that it is so dense that it is, in fact, the only wood that sinks in water. It is its robust nature that lends itself to good offensive and defensive spells and this is often the excuse given by those who choose when they are merely after it for its appearance. There are those who like to claim that the owner of an Ebony wand is non-conformist but, in reality, they are merely feeding into the hype. 

Never bother using an Ebony wand for delicate spellwork, you will only be disappointed. If wands and their users are tools then the Ebony is the equivalent of a hammer, although their users will never admit it. 

Elder: Elder was a very rare wand wood but this is most likely because the tree was considered highly sacred, especially among the fairy realm, and it was illegal in many parts to cut even a twig. This meant that anyone who wanted to use some had to rely on some falling naturally although this rarely happens. Despite the softer nature of the wood, Elder is very adept at regrowing from deadwood or sprouting roots from any part. This is thought to be due to the highly magical nature of this wood which allows it to create some of the most powerful spells you will see. Elder wood is also highly flexible which allows the wand to be lent to all manner of spells but the kick produced by these wands will take some control on the part of the wielder to reign in or else they may find it backfiring. 

There was a belief for some time that Elder wands brought misfortune but this is almost certainly due to muggle Christian influences who associated anything to do with the Old Religion as evil and saw the Elder tree as an omen of misfortune. Unfortunately for wandmakers they also refused to cut the trees, believing it to bring bad luck, so it is only in modern times that we have been able to have a large supply of this great wood. 

Elm: Elm has long been associated with death, either from its appearance beside burial mounds or its use in making longbows in Wales, but it's great stature, one if the tallest in the wood, has also lead to its association with nobility, as the trees were often used as landmarks when people needed to make some sort of announcement. 

Purebloods have long believed that Elm wands refuse to work for Muggleborn and this idea possibly comes from the old saying 'Elm hateth man, and waiteth', a saying that is likely from the fact that Elm trees have a habit of dropping boughs even on a calm day. 

Elm wood is pliant which makes it unsuitable for construction despite its size so it is usually readily available which is handy as the wood is both robust and flexible making an excellent all round wand. 

Fir: The tall, straight nature of the Fir has caused it to be associated with truth and honesty and it doesn't do well in the hands of those who like to try to bend the rules to suit their needs. Its ability to grow in some of the harshest environments have led to it being associated with strength. 

Fir is a softwood giving it great flexibility which is why it has a good reputation with charms but it is also quite good when it comes to divination spells as well. 

Furze: Also known as Gourse, is an evergreen shrub whose small leaves become sharp needles over time. It is often used as protection in nature and the Gaelic goddess of winter Cailleach is said to throw her staff under a gorse bush when spring comes. It is unsurprising that Furze wands are good for protection spells but they also produce wonderfully zippy offensive spells thanks to the high oil content in the wood making it quite combustible and a firm favourite among hot heads. Thankfully most people don't mind being paired with it as Furze is also said to bring good fortune and there is a rumour that gold can be found in its branches. 

Hawthorn: The second of the Fairy trio, Hawthorn is one of those rare trees that maintained a good reputation in the Old Religion as well as in Christianity, likely because the arrival of its blossoms always heralded the arrival of spring and the phrase 'going a-maying' referred to the act of going out to collect the blossoms to decorate the homes, usually some time in the month of May which is likely why Hawthorn is also known as the May Tree. That's not to say that it was without any ill omens surrounding it but nowhere near as bad as some others. 

My father wrote that Hawthorns make a strange contradictory wand, as full of paradoxes as the tree that gave birth to it; who's leaves and blossoms heal, and yet whose cut branches smell of death. This seemed strange to him at the time but I have since learned that healing spells are actually based in Dark Magic (see classification of magic) meaning the nature of the wands make more sense.

As with the other fairy trees, Hawthorn is powerful and takes some talent to master but in the right hands it will be a powerful workmate. 

Hawthorns have an association with beauty and love and many parents are glad if their young child matches with a wand as it is believed that they will grow up to be handsome and lucky in love, although that doesn't always prove true. 

Hazel: The phrase 'gaining nuts of wisdom' is said to derive from hazelnuts and they have long been associated with prophetic powers and divination, including practices such as dowsing and it is said that a Hazel wand will emit puffs of silver smoke if you walk over a hidden spring. 

Holly: One of the great protectors, Holly was lucky enough to maintain a good image post Christianity with the church deciding that its name derived from 'holy' thus giving it the reputation for warding off witches despite it being the King of the Forest in winter. 

The ability for Holly to master the Oak has brought the idea that this wand is good for tempering those who are quick to anger. It is also this place in the cycle that has led to Holly being considered a questing wand, like the Green Knight from the legends of King Arthur. This idea may also come from the fact that Holly has been seen as a protector and users have frequently been fierce protectors of people and are often found in the hands of leaders and teachers who use their understanding of their own dark sides to help guide others. 

Hornbeam: Hornbeam is another low magic wand but it is the hardest wood in the British Isles. Some people like to think that it is the wand of visionaries but, in my experience, it tends to favour people who are cogs in the machine, like the wood of the tree it comes from, that was used for all sorts of construction, from gears and wheels to house timbers and floors. It is very difficult to work with, however, as its nickname "ironwood" suggests. 

Ivy: Ivy has long been associated with binding and cleansing and performs these spells readily but its porous nature makes it somewhat difficult to make sturdy wands out of, especially when it comes to holding certain cores. Using Ivy as a secondary wood, however, can be an excellent way of adding these properties to other woods. 

Larch: In the most Northern tribes Larch takes the place of Ash as their world tree and it is used for protection and to induce visions which is why it's good for divination. 

Larch is the only deciduous conifer, who's needles turn bright bronze-yellow in autumn before they fall. It is this sort of hidden talent that Larch wands look for in a workmate and their owner can often be surprised when they pair up. 

Laurel: Laurel is associated with victory and nobility and these wands do not like being idle, with only those with great aspirations pairing with them. 

Linden: Also known as Lime trees and is often associated with fairness and justice, frequently being found around meeting places and cultural centres justice and sacrifices have often been made beneath them. Some people think this means they are good with Divination but, in my experience, this isn't necessarily so, although those who have the gift have often sought it out, especially the Silver Lime variety that produced some very beautiful wands. Personally I agree with the wandmaker Arturo Cephalopos that Gerbold Ollivander was the one behind this rumour as there is nothing in folklore, or what I have seen, to give Linden trees this association. 

Mistletoe: A very powerful wood, Mistletoe was frequently overlooked for its lack of viable wand length wood. With the advent of multiple wood wands, however, Mistletoe was frequently used as an addition to wands to give them an added kick. 

Maple: Seen as a symbol of strength and endurance and, contrary to what some people believe, it has no issue 'staying at home', a reputation it earned by being both exotic and frequently chosen by high achievers, or so I imagine. That doesn't mean that Maple users must travel but Maple does like to be active as lack of use can cause these wands to become sluggish. 

Mulberry: The tree of renewal, Mulberry is said to cleanse and rejuvenate and works very well with healers. The Mulberry doesn't bud until all risk of frost has gone which is why it is often found in the hands of those who are patient, another trait common among healers. 

Mulberry is also associated with wisdom with links to Athena/Minerva and it was also said to be used to create the first bow in China after the Emperor Huangdi was chased into a Mulberry tree by a tiger and needed to come up with a way to kill it. 

Oak: Long associated with wisdom, strength and nobility and why it is one of the Kings of the Forest. The strength doesn't necessarily come from a big bang, however, but more from endurance, with the oak wand being the great workhorse of woods, happily producing spell after spell and never faltering. That's not to say that Oak spells won't pack a punch, it is one of the fairy trio after all, but the Oak is definitely the quieter of the heavy hitters, happy to sit in the background until it is needed, and I've often seen Oak users as mediators as opposed to aggressors. I always feel like I have found someone truly noble when they choose an Oak. 

Olive: An almost universal sign of peace and friendship, Olive wands are known to favour peacemakers. That's not to say that their users fear a challenge and will often be found stepping up when it is required. 

The Olive is associated with Athena/Minerva meaning leading it to be associated with wisdom and, with the fruit trees generous nature, it is often found that those who pair with Olive are never in want of a friend. 

Palm: A symbol of the righteous, Palms are upright, generous and flexible, bending when needed but never breaking. I am always happy to come across someone who pairs with a Palm wand as you can be sure they can be trusted, especially in difficult situations where they rarely lose their heads. 

Pear: Like many of the fruit bearing trees, Pear belongs to those who are generous and giving of spirit. They are frequently associated with women, especially thanks to the natural golden tones of this wood but this is by no means a definitive, although I have known some men scoff to be matched with it. 

The golden colour does also lend to the idea that Pear wands give prosperity and luck and I have rarely met a Pear user who has been unhappy. 

Peepul: Also known as the Sacred Fig or Bo tree and is considered to be one of the most sacred trees in the world. It is associated with enlightenment and mental clarity and is rarely chosen by those who are confused or unsure. It is also said to help protect its users from enchantments and illusions as well as helping to open people's third eye, known as the tree of awakening. 

Pine: Throughout the world Pine is seen as a sign of fertility and immortality thanks to its evergreen nature and it was often used as a way to chase away the gloom of winter, as seen with modern Christmas trees. It is this that often sees them paired with very bright and forthright personalities. 

Pine is a soft wood with a high sap content, especially if harvested near or on the full moon. This can make it very difficult to work with, requiring the maker to have a very light touch or risk completely ruining your work. The nature of the wood makes it very versatile, however, and if paired with a creative personality it can create some truly wonderful spells, never caring about trying something new. Pine's sensitive nature also lends itself well to non-verbal spells. 

Pomegranate: I always find Pomegranate to be an interesting wood as, despite being a fruit tree it is intrinsically linked to death, having been the fruit said to be used by Hades to force Persephone to return to the Underworld, although the amount of force required varies in different versions of the legend. Consequently this wand has been known to create some particularly deadly spells, when users have had need. 

As well as the usual idea of generosity, as all fruit trees have, Pomegranate is also associated with ambition and, with the deadly nature of these wands, can lead to an especially potent combination in its user. 

Poplar: Poplars, despite the sound of their names, are actually very independent sorts and are very adept at looking after themselves. They have also been associated with heroic acts, with Heracles wearing a crown of Poplar after defeating King Cacus. 

One of Poplars greatest strengths is in divination and many great seers have used these wands in the past. 

Red Oak: People hear the word 'red' and assume 'fiery' but the name just refers to the colour the leaves turn in the Autumn. It is rarely seen in Europe but is widespread in North America. Like most hardwoods it is robust but Red Oak is also very porous allowing for it to be more reactive than most hardwood wands. This nature leads means it likes to be paired with those who are quick witted and adaptable. 

Redwood: A symbol of wellness, safety, longevity, wisdom and communication. It is said that those who sit under a Redwood will hear the whispers of the ages and these wands are often found in the hands of great scholars. 

Rowan: The Lady of the Mountain, the best quality Rowan trees are usually found at some altitude, although they can also be found in lowlands but they have usually been purposely planted here. Rowan has long had magical associations, with its berries having a pentagram on the bottom, which has helped lead to it being linked to protection. Rowan also has strong links to the psychic realm and mental abilities and I have often found those who pair strongly with Rowan are good at Occlumency and Legilimency. 

A relative of Hawthorn, Blackthorn and Cherry, Rowan wands users are not to be trifled with and they can be as powerful offensively as they are defensively. Surprisingly Rowan is also associated with dragons and serpents with folklore saying that dragons once guarded the sacred trees. 

Spindle: The Spindle tree is seen as lucky, its latin name essentially breaking down to mean 'good name'. It's hard, dense wood was used to make spindles, hence the name, and is consequently associated with creativity and inspiration and some of the most profound advancements in our society come from Spindle wand users. That's not to say that all Spindle users are lauded and many have been previously described as irritating. As this tree is also associated with Euonyme, the mother of Furies, it's not all that surprising. It has also been used for making gunpowder and charcoal in the past so don't be surprised if a Spindle wand is as likely to produce a burst of flame instead of a burst of inspiration. 

Spruce: Spruce is a softwood and takes a delicate touch to work which is why a number of wandmakers eschew it, to their detriment. Its flexibility, however, allows it to produce some brilliant spells when well matched. 

Known as the tree of Birth the Spruce was associated with Artemis, the Greek goddess of the moon and hunt so it is not surprising that one of the strongest qualities of people who are paired with it is resilience. There are those that say that these ones only pair well with bold casters but I find that is not necessarily true and the wood often sees something in users that even they don't themselves. If it is paired with a more timid person, however, you can almost guarantee that that person will soon come into their own, often getting forged in fire and coming out stronger for it. In a pinch, always follow the Spruce, it is why they are sometimes said to have foresight as they almost always end up on the right path. 

Sycamore: Called a 'Questing wand' by some, it is thought, by my family at least, that Sycamore's tendency to stay away from so-called homebodies is because it wants to do what its great ancestors did and travel the world. Sycamore, though often seen in abundance, is not actually a native species and was believed to have been brought to our shores by the Knights Templar and was used to surround sacred places. 

It is a powerful wood with a pale honey colour making it quite sought after by some, especially as it can produce some excellent spells but it is a wand always looking for something new so woe betide the user who puts it to the same mundane task each day as they may find their fingers scorched when the wand spontaneously combusts. 

Vine: A tree of joy, exhilaration and wrath, the Vine month in the Celtic tree calendar falls over Mabon, the Autumn equinox, a festival of thanksgiving and learning. It is these traits that have often led to Vine wands being paired with avid scholars, or at least avid readers, and gaining a reputation for indicating extremely smart people, although I have sometimes found that owners are merely booksmart and not worldly-wise. 

Walnut: Believed to be the food eaten by gods when they walked on earth, specifically the Roman god Jupiter, thus the latin name for this tree, Juglans regia . Jupiter was the god of the sky and thunder and also the head of the Roman pantheon so I have no idea where some people get the idea that these wands pair well with intelligent people, or how a wandmaker is supposed to test for that in the first place. Personally I find these wands pair best with those who are self important and self serving, although I obviously never tell the wixen that chooses it that and, if asked, go with the intelligence idea. 

Willow: A frequently overlooked wood, Willow actually has a lot of mythological connections. There is also a connection between the word wicker (woven willow) and Wicce, to bend (the origin of the word for witchcraft). Willow has been used by numerous poets and artisans, like Orpheus, who apparently gained his gift by touching Willow and these wands are strongly linked to eloquence and inspiration as well as prophecy, with Willow having links to the Celtic goddesses Cailleach and the Morrighan. 

The latin genus of Willow, Sallix , is the precursor of the Old French 'saille' meaning to rush out suddenly, and I have often found Willow users to be quite impetuous and prone to acting without thinking. 

Wisteria: A beautiful flowering shrub that is actually part of the pea family, Wisteria has long held connections to the idea of patience and a quest of knowledge with its climbing vines and the fact that it can live to be 100 years old, with only mature stems bearing flowers. The beauty of Wisteria as a wand wood is that the different varieties hold slightly different meanings and I always make sure I have some of each version to make sure the right match is found. 

White - healing, youth and purity

Mauve - passion, intellect and wit

Pink - playfulness and joy

Lavender - refinement, delicateness and grace

Sky Blue - inspiration, growth and ambition

Yew: Long held as a symbol of everlasting life, Yew trees are especially long lived and, as an evergreen, it has a lot of associations with rebirth. This is probably the source of a rumour that says that if a wizard is buried with a Yew wand, a tree will grow up from it. This is likely also backed up by the fact that Yews are often planted around graveyards but the idea is utter rubbish. 

In Ireland it is one of the five sacred trees brought from the Otherworld and is said to have brought 'lasting plenty' to the land which is why there were harsh penalties for felling one. It is a sign of the power of a Yew wand and those who use them can never be considered weak and are often fearsome duelists. 

Yew is associated with death as much as life and some of the most skilled healers I have known have worked wonders with Yew wands. This idea seems quite foreign to some but that is usually because they don't understand the proper classification of magic (see appendix) which tells you that healing actually has its roots in necromancy, destroying disease causing bacteria or regrowing flesh from nothing.

Non-Wood Wands:

There are a number of non-wood substances that can be used to make wands, both magical and non-magical. I don't normally recommend using these, especially the magical ones, as they come from animals meaning that they actually conduct magic better than wood. While this may sound like a benefit it often makes them very quick casters, too quick for most wixen to handle, and that can lead to a lot of misfiring. While rigid, these wands are also incredibly porous and only solid core should be used with them or you risk them leaking. 

Magical non-wood wands also have the same issues as magical wood wands which I will cover in the plant cores section. There are exceptions, of course, and I have found Jackalope Antlers can make adequate wands if a person has no affinity for wood. I have come across a number of hunters for whom this is the case. 

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Wand Cores:

The core of a wand is immensely important as this is what will draw out the magic from the user. It is important to get the right fit as it has been known for a core to work backwards, corrupting a person's magic and altering it to suit the core this can cause stunted magical development, especially in younger children. There are some cores that are unlikely to do this: Phoenix Feather and Unicorn hair thanks to their incorruptible nature and Dragon Heartstring thanks to the general nature of its magic. These can make good substances for wands for children who are just finding their feet but they do limit growth in adult wixen and can make specialization difficult. 

A handy way to prevent magical corruption is to use multiple cores but, should a person use a wand that is designed for them in the first place, then the risk is negligible. It is usually only seen in adults in cases where a wixen has repeatedly cast with a wand that is not their own and has come from outside the family. There have been cases, however, of people trying to purposely corrupt a person's magic, especially with their children, in both light and dark leaning families, and as a wand maker this is something you should be aware of. 

That being said there are a vast number of magical cores, many of which perform differently to how people suspect, so it should be easy enough to dodge this, admittedly rare phenomenon, should you ever happen to come across it. 

There are some cores that are good at cleansing the system, if you find someone you suspect of magical corruption, and it's a good idea to have them use a transitionary wand for a while, before picking the one that is right for them. 

The power of a core should also be noted when producing a wand. Many a wand maker has grabbed straight for the stronger cores only to find that they have overpowered their soft wood wands, or that what they believed to be a moderate core, producing barely a spark when paired with a hard wood wand. Of course there are exceptions but just because a wixen has chosen a certain wood and core, that does not mean that those two things will produce a good, or even workable wand and it may be necessary to get them to choose again, or to make some minor alterations to the makeup of things. Thankfully there are a number of varieties of things that can either be used as a substitute or as a buffer. 

Animal Cores:

Acromantula Egg: These can't be traded but they can be harvested yourself if you are brave enough to attempt it as Acromantula' s can get very territorial but one hatch can keep you well supplied. Like Acromantula Web, this makes a core that is good for enchantments and binding spells and has the benefit over Web for not being illegal, although Acromantula Web is a lot easier to come by. 

Acromantula Venom: Very difficult to come by as it needs to be harvested from a living creature or a fresh corpse, as the venom sacs dry up quickly, whereas other parts of the Acromantula may be harvested without actually coming into contact with the beast, the webs in particular. That said the venom of these creatures is particularly good for those who want to specialise in enchantments or illusion magic and a number of Obliviators have been known to have these wands, outside of the UK of course. 

Acromantula Web: Not to be used by anyone in Britain as it has been illegal to use this substance to make wands since 1782. Other countries are more flexible, however, and exceptions can be made on diplomatic grounds. The reason for this law was that it was discovered that Acromantula Web wands are able to produce a particularly powerful Imperius charm. This led to them being labeled as 'dark' wands but anyone who knows about the true classification of magic will realise that the Imperius actually falls under enchantment, one of the areas these wands work well in, as well as binding spells.

Augrey Feather: Also known as an Irish Phoenix, Augreys were long considered dark creatures as their cries were said to foretell death. This was a complete myth of course and their magic is actually good for divination, as their cries, in fact, foretell of rain. These cores are also quite good at Abjuration magic, especially spells involved with repelling magic. 

Ashwinder Eggs: Born of an unchecked fire, Ashwinders are powerful creatures of almost pure magic. It should be unsurprising then that their eggs make wonderful evocation wands. Potions experts will be equally unsurprised to learn that they are also good at enchantments, as the eggs are a key ingredient in love potions. 

Basilisk: These creatures are incredibly rare, both because of their dangerous nature and the long standing restrictions on them although parts are sometimes available on the Black Market, although the quality is often dubious. 

Skin - tough and spell resistant. Wonderful for Abjuration/defensive magic

Bones - good at transmutation/transfiguration, presumably because the creature is formed from hatching a chicken egg under a toad. The eyes are said to be even better at these spells thanks to their petrification ability but these are beyond rare. 

Venom - one of the most powerful necromancy cores available. This substance should only be handled by experts. 

Bicorn Horn: These are commonly available but not particularly powerful ingredients, although they can be handy to have as a base for other parts as a way of conserving ingredients or keeping prices down. They are good at illusion magic and are one of the ingredients in polyjuice potion. 

Billywig Stinger: This core is found more frequently in Australasia, the native habitat of these creatures. The sting from these creatures produces a feeling of giddiness followed by levitation which is why these wands are often found in the hands of light hearted pranksters. They can be temperamental cores which tends to suit those owners fine as they rarely care for the accuracy of their spells. 

Boomslang Venom: Can be used crystallised or in a liquid form. Its venomous nature adds a decent punch to offensive spells as well as necromancy and the liquid form can also benefit transmutation spells but it is very dangerous to handle on that form and many wand makers feel that the slight benefit is worth the risk, preferring to keep to the safe, crystallised form and adding a secondary core to boost transmutation properties. 

Bowtruckles: These are the guardians of magical forests and it is considered poor taste for their parts to be used by wand makers since we rely so strongly on their help maintaining magical grade wood. That's not to say that there are those who use them, especially as their parts are available to buy for potions, and you do also sometimes get Bowtruckles donating their bodies, in the same way some people donate their body to science. While not particularly magically powerful, when a Bowtruckle is used as a core it makes for a very good dueling wand, being capable of switching quickly between offensive and defensive spells. 

Bundimun Dust: These fungus-like creatures can be ground down after they are killed to make moderately powerful wands, good for necromancy spells, especially anything that is slow acting or that builds over time. 

Centaur Tail Hair: These cores make wonderfully powerful divination cores but are rare to get as most Centaurs are reluctant to let wand makers groom them and it is never worth the risk of trying to find any that have molted as you can never be sure what you are getting. It is advised that, if you can get a stock, to get as many as you can and keep them well preserved as Centaurs can quickly change their minds about these things and it can be years before you get another chance. 

Chimera Scale Fragments: Extremely powerful but currently one of the rarest ingredients on the market thanks to the fact that the last recorded slaying of a Chimera occurred 2000 years ago. Admittedly these cores are also very difficult to master and can be more than a little dangerous to handle but even a small fragment can give a massive boost to other, more stable cores, especially in transmutation spells. 

Crushed Chizpuffle: These near microscopic pests make poor quality cores although they are quite adept at invocation, thanks to the fact that they essentially feed on energy, and are a good, stable ingredient to add as a boost to other cores. 

Chupacabra Spine: A rare but powerful transmutation core with good necromancy tendencies. Particularly good at bloodletting spells. 

Clabbert Pustules: A stable, low-level magical core that is good at divination spells. Some users who have managed to gain a good affinity with their wands have claimed that their wands would actually glow red slightly when danger was near. 

Cocoon Spider Web: A moderate core in plentiful supply if you are fine with taking the risk of collecting this substance. It is a wonderful Abjuration core and also creates powerful paralysing spells. 

Crup Hair: A mid level core that can work as a good base for other cores. Crup Fur is particularly good at summoning and conjunction spells and has a good secondary in divination. Like Unicorn Hair, Crup Fur can form a very strong bond with its first user and frequently refuses to work and can even die if another person tries to use it. 

Dragon Heartstring: These can be a little tricky to come across but a good relationship with a dragon sanctuary can help take a lot of the danger out of their acquisition and one heart can produce a fair number of heartstrings if properly harvested. 

They are a good all round core producing powerful spells with no overt preference which makes it a good choice for starter wands as you don't risk your wixen being led. It can be a bit temperamental, however, and is rarely happy being handled by those with weaker natural magic

Demiguise Hair: Long considered to not have enough magical capability to form a proper core, the advent of blended cores have allowed this substance to become popular, adding a good transmutation boost to other things. On its own, however, Demiguise Hair can produce almost no other spells, with the possible exception of divination spells, although usually only in those who have already activated their third eye. 

Diricawl Beak: Like Demiguise Hair, Diricawl Beak is very weak on its own and was rarely used as a wand core, especially in Europe. It is very popular in East Asia however, especially as a Conjugation/Summoning boost to other cores. 

Doxy Wings: These cores are often described as unmanageable and mean-spirited and I tend to give those who pair with this core a wide berth. They are a very strong necromancy core, however, and some wand makers sometimes replace rarer ingredients like Basilisk venom with this, although often to the detriment of the wand that can often refuse to respond to the user or even start firing on its own. 

Dugbog Teeth: These marshland creatures strongly resemble pieces of deadwood and create moderate cores that have a good knack for illusion spells. Their favourite food is Mandrakes and Dugbog teeth can gain a nice necromancy boost if they come from a creature who has recently eaten a lot of these. 

Erkling Ears: These produce strong necromancy cores but it is best not to give them to someone who has a family as they have been known to emit noises to draw the children in to use them and are responsible for nearly all cases of magical corruption in children. Anyone who has an Erkling Ears wand is advised to destroy it or store it away carefully if they do start a family. 

Erumpent Hide: Although it is an Erumpet's horn and tail that are known to be highly explosive, the hide can also be temperamental and does not like high doses of magic which can cause it to ignite. They are sometimes used as a base core with some other gentle additional cores but most people, including me, eschew them, feeling they aren't worth the risk to the maker or user. 

Fairy Wings: These are a relatively weak core but produce some zippy spells, especially when teamed with springier wands, preferring enchantments and illusions. They have a very light touch and tend to falter when forced to perform any heavy spells. They are also very particular about what cores they are teamed with so they are rarely used despite Fairies being quite common. 

Fire Crab Jewel: The crushed jewel from these shells can produce very potent offensive spells. They had a tendency to be a little explosive, especially if they aren't used very often, and anyone who pairs with this should be advised to regularly discharge their wands to prevent magical build up which can cause the wands to explode. 

Firedrake Claw: Despite the name, these cores aren't actually good at offensive spells and are actually much better at illusion magic although they are also quite good at enchantments as well. 

Flesh-Eating Slug Slime: A very weak core on its own, this substance was entirely overlooked for a long time until blended cores became available where it was used to give a necromancer boost to other substances. Caution: do not pair this with a soft wood wand as it will eat right through it. Personally I would avoid all but the strongest woods to be safe. 

Flying Seahorse Wing: A somewhat rare core, these produced good, moderate spells, especially in conjuring/summoning as well as invocation, likely from their ability to suddenly take to the air. The magic produced by these cores is very light and quick, especially when paired with a lighter wand and are often favoured by duelists who like quick casting.

Fwooper Feather: Seen as an ill omen I have known many a wixen put this core back for fear that they will be slowly driven insane by it. This appears to be a complete myth, or at least I am not aware of any actual cases, but these cores have the curious inability to cast any spells to do with being quiet. To ease the mind of wixen who pick them I would advise teaming this with another core, especially one associated with health. 

Glumbumble Stinger: These little stingers are often overlooked by wandmakers but I have found they make quite excellent cores, especially handy as they can be found in abundance and only pose a relatively low threat to collect.

A moderate core, these little stingers excel at enchantments/charms and are also fairly good at transmutations. Offensive spells have also been known to have an added spark from these cores and I quite frequently add these to the mix when creating a blended core. 

Graphorn Horn: Moderately powerful cores, the golden horns of these creatures are able to produce strong offensive and defensive spells although they are often slow to switch between the two so are not necessarily recommended for those who duel competitively. 

Griffin Feather: A more powerful and easier to tame core than its cousin, the Hippogryph, Griffin Feathers are considerably more rare than Hippogryph ones and it is sometimes possible to make a straight switch if money is an issue. Griffin cores are great at transmutations and handle offensive and summoning spells as well. 

Grindylow Horn: These fierce creatures make relatively weak cores although they can readily be used to add a necromancy twist to other cores and they will certainly add bite to any offensive spells fired from these wands. 

Hidebehind Hair: More sought after than their cousin, the Demiguise, these produce a powerful core that can create truly wonderful illusion spells although their offensive spells pack a punch as well, especially with the ghoul side of their heritage helping their necromancy side. 

Hinkypunk Smoke: These creatures can be remarkably difficult to capture which is why many wandmakers ignore them which I always think is a shame. They produce good, moderately powerful, all round cores, with their main weakness coming from Abjuration spells. When teamed with a wood like Chestnut I find they create a wand that almost anyone can use, although the creature's 'dark' affiliation does put some people off. 

Hippogryph Feather: A relatively strong core, especially regarding transmutation and summoning spells, this wand core is quite readily available thanks to people breeding these wonderful creatures. Wands made of Hippogryph Feathers have a strange quirk, however, in that they demand constant respect from their user and, if they don't feel as if they are getting it, their magic can quickly begin to backfire on them. 

Hodag Horn: These critters may not seem it but their horns produce some very nice Abjuration magic, especially when it comes to protecting one's mind, but they are quite weak in a number of other areas and I wouldn't recommend using this as a pure core. 

Hoo-Hoo Feather: The Japanese firebird, sometimes called the poor man's phoenix, has often been used as a substitute for actual phoenix feathers by less scrupulous wandmakers. The Hoo-Hoo has the same affinity for magic as the phoenix, although it is somewhat easier to tame, but the lack of regenerative properties in these creatures does make them pale in comparison to their more well known counterparts, especially in the realm of necromancy. 

Horned Serpent Horn: These produce very powerful cores though are often turned down as 'dark' thanks to their affinity with parselmouths, whom they can form a very strong bond with and actually warn of nearby danger by emitting a low sound. These cores are excellent all rounders but particularly powerful in illusion, conjuration, divination and Abjuration; strangely for a snake based core necromancy is actually its weakest spells, although those are still far from weak. 

Imp Claw: Like the Australian Billywig Stinger, these cores are excellent for light hearted pranks and can cast a mean shoelace tying jinx although they will often fail at the more deadly curses. Many teenagers have had fun with these wands but I tend to find that people grow out of them fairly quickly, although that is not always the case. 

Jackalope Antler: A fairly basic core that, similarly to Unicorn Hair in Britain, is often used in training or teenagers wands as it has seemingly no preference of its own allowing the person to develop naturally. The low level nature of this substance makes it one of the few magical, non-wood substances that I would recommend using for a wand. 

Jarvey Fang: A moderate core, these wands always seem to bond well with people who are bi or multilingual. They perform enchantments quite nicely and have some sharp offensive spells. They can be a little quirky, however, and have been known to produce random outbursts at inopportune times. 

Jobberknoll Feather: One of the best illusion cores I have found, Jobberknoll Feathers also have a lovely bonus of adding a 'bang' to any offensive spells that you use. 

Kappa Scale: This moderate necromancy core is quite highly favoured in East Asia where it is much more readily available. It is almost as powerful as Doxy Wings and more reliable so I can understand why, especially as, if you are skilled, they are more easy to come by than most snake venom. 

Kelpie Hair: These create powerful cores which are easy to come by in Britain and are excellent for transmutation. They were some of the first cores in wands, when early Britons discovered how to add items to their wooden wands. They are difficult to use, however, as they dry out quickly, even with preservation spells on them, especially if they have been sitting in storage for a while, and become completely useless when they do. As such many wandmakers pass them over in favour of cores that are more stable. 

Knarl Spine: Another relatively basic, lower power core that makes for excellent basic wands or as 'packing' material for stronger cores as a way of diluting them a bit. This can be very necessary if the user wants the springiness of a softer wood for their wand. 

Kneazle Whiskers: A bit of a tricky core to use, mostly because they can be very fussy about who they work with and, just because a wixen has picked this core, doesn't mean that it will work for them. Kneazle Whiskers, when they work, create moderate cores that are good at offensive and defensive spells, with a knack of warning their user if there is danger nearby. I've known a few professional duelists with these wandw who swear by them, although there are just as many detractors for this core. 

Leprechaun Gold (Molten): A tricky substance to use as  you have to melt it and freeze it before it disappears. If you can manage that you can create a powerful transmutation and illusion wand although these cores do not take to any form of necromancy and, if a user attempts to use it for that, they will disappear. 

Lethifold Leather: A very rare but very powerful core. It will likely surprise no one that this substance is excellent for necromancy spells but it is also great for Abjuration and Illusion spells. Unfortunately it is almost impossible to come by, not only due to the rarity of these creatures but also the difficulty in subduing them for long enough to cut some of their cloak. There have been no known Lethifold killings so the best you can ever hope for is a few scraps. 

Leucrotta Antler: A good, stable illusion core, I find this can make an excellent base for other wands and has the ability to keep some other, more mischievous cores in check. Be warned, however, as these wands will never produce an adequate scouring charm and have even been known to make areas dirtier when people have tried. 

Manticore Claw: This can be an excellent substitute for Chimera for, while rare, there have been far more Manticore slayings in the past than there have Chimera. These make for a very powerful all around core but are especially good at Abjuration, transmutation, enchantment and necromancy. They are also good at invocation and are excellent at offensive spells, although the strong nature of these cores means that they don't switch between schools of magic very quickly. 

Merfolk: While Merfolk are technically classed as Beasts, they are generally considered Beings and, as such, cannot be hunted for parts so any scales or hair, that do make very good cores, have to be gifted making them immensely rare. This nature of being given means that these wands can be a little picky, not liking to be used selfishly and outright refusing to work if they have been taken. While both make good overall cores, Merfolk scales are particularly good at transmutation and the hair gains a boost in divination. 

Niffler Hair: These wands make truly wonderful divination cores but are unfortunately quite chaotic with any other form of magic and have been known to cast entirely the wrong spell. They don't blend well with most other cores either, with a tendency to do entirely their own thing, but they can be quite well subjugated by Leucrotta Antler creating wands capable of some truly wonderful spells. 

Nundu Whisker: The idea that it takes 100 wixen to take down this beast is a great exaggeration in my experience, although full grown wild Nundu have been known to be harder to take down than a dragon and will require a vast number of wixen, especially if those who undertake this task aren't properly trained. This makes these cores very rare although they are often highly sought after for the power they can give, especially to offensive spells in both necromancy and invocation. 

Occamy Feather: While this creature has a serpent-like appearance it is not technically a snake and so doesn't respond to parselmouths the way other serpent cores do. It creates a powerful core that is particularly good at offensive spells, liked by duelists who claim that it is often so quick they are able to fire off a spell before their opponent has managed to erect a shield. 

Phoenix Feather: A bit of a rare commodity although if you are lucky enough to know someone with access to a phoenix then you will have a ready supply, especially when they molt just before a burning. 

They are powerful cores capable of a great range of magic although they can be a little difficult to master. If you can master them, however, they are excellent workmates and have even been known to act independently of their user in times of need. 

Pixie Wings: These creatures were often overlooked due to their very chaotic nature that even the advent of blended cores couldn't control. I have found, however, that Leucrotta are very good at controlling these wayward cores, likely because pixies are a major food source of theirs, and together produce wonderfully wands with the Pixie wings adding a conjuration boost to the Leucrotta's strong illusion magic. 

Porlock Hooves: The ground hooves of these creatures are often discounted by many wand as they are often seen as very lacklustre cores but I have found that they can be very good cores for those who need a workhorse as opposed to something flashy, those who need to perform repetitive, mundane tasks, especially office workers and housewifes who find these wands are happy to perform these tasks consistently where some other wands may become bored and start to play up. 

Quilin Scales: Highly renowned in the Far East, anyone who pairs with these scales is deemed to be a great seer and any prophecies they give are always given immense respect. Unsurprising to learn, then that these wands are some of the most powerful divination wands you will find. Like Unicorn hair they detest any form of necromancy and will often disintegrate if used for such. 

Re'em Blood: This rare core has the unique ability to actually help strengthen a person's magical core and hospitals in America and Asia use wands with this core to help patients suffering from magical exhaustion to recover. They used to use the pure blood which does have a quicker effect but that is obviously only a limited use; wands use less and are obviously reusable. 

Rougarou Hair: Shunned by many for its association with 'dark' magic, it is certainly true that these wands, like many dangerous and deadly creatures, are good for necromancy spells but, since these also include healing spells, many wandmakers have had to cover up the fact that they use this substance, especially in southern states in America where this is the most readily available core of this kind. 

Runespoor Fang: Wandmakers of the past have complained that this was a temperamental core and would never perform the way it was supposed to but my father, who was previously friends with a parselmouth, discovered that it was because the fangs from different heads had different abilities and the problem of getting them from suppliers was that they frequently didn't know which ones each were and the wandmaker didn't necessarily know until the wand was produced. 

The left head, the planner, was good at Abjuration; the middle head, the dreamer, was good at divination and the right head, the critic, was good at invocation. They were all good at necromancy as well and combined created a truly powerful wand, especially in the hands of a parselmouth, but it is advised that you only use fangs you harvest yourself so you can be sure which is which. 

Snallygaster Feather: These wands, while good at most necromancy spells, are actually terrible at any sort of offensive spells, especially invocation, but are truly powerful Abjuration cores which is why they are wrongly proclaimed as 'light' and highly sought after by American Aurors. 

Swooping Evil Wing: If ever there was a core that could claim to 'do it all' then Swooping Evil was the one although the name puts a great many people off. If you can get past that, and the fact that these creatures eat human brains, then they make a fantastic core, although they can sometimes overpower soft wood wands. 

Thestral Tail Hair: There are many rumours about these cores although every wandmaker agrees that they are difficult to master although they do make truly powerful cores, capable of all sorts of magic. In my opinion the person who can command this wand best is someone who has stared death in the face and come out the other side. 

Thinderbird Feather: Another wand that is often favoured by American Aurors, although typically those who are more inclined to fight than protect. These wands are excellent at transmutation and also good at invocation but they are difficult to master. When they bonded themselves to a master however they were excellent allies, able to sense danger and even cast spells on their own. 

Troll Whiskers: I mention these only because they have been used in the past but they make very poor quality cores that are difficult to work with and produce little magic. They were used originally because people thought they would be strong (since trolls are strong) but wandmakers quickly learned the error of that. Personally I am all for producing low power wands for everyday use but there are other cores that can be used for that purpose that aren't so difficult to come by. 

Unicorn Hair: Produces consistent magic with few fluctuations or blockages. The pure nature of the creatures they come from means that these wands do poorly with any necromancy which also includes healing. They are not particularly powerful cores and they have a habit of attaching to their first user making it difficult to pass on through family members and have even been known to 'die' if they dislike how they are used. They can make good training wands for teenagers, however, thanks to their incorruptibility and the limits on their strength, and they are also quite readily available, especially if you know someone who has a herd on their land as a quick bit of grooming can net you quite a few. 

Vampire Fang: Like Merfolk, Vampires cannot be hunted for parts meaning that they are very rare, as rare as Chimera scales these days and likely only found in heirloom wands. They are usually highly praised, as another do-all wand and are often highly protected by families who own them. 

Veela Hair: Highly temperamental and considered very volatile by a lot of wandmakers, they are very particular about who wields them, generally only responding to those who have Veela blood in their veins. Some people think that they also respond to intelligent people but, in my experience, it tends to be more those who are open minded and tolerant. If you can get these wands to work people find they give a great boost to magic, especially divination and enchantment. 

Wampus Cat Hair: A popular core choice in America, for their fast casting capabilities. They are good with offensive spells but are particularly good at charms and divination. It is only a shame that they are tricky to come by. 

Werewolves: Numerous parts of a werewolf can be used to make a core but they must be collected on a full moon. Different parts have different strengths but, like Runespoor fangs, can combine to create a truly impressive wand. They can be difficult to subjugate, needing an alpha to bring them to heel. When this happens they are ridiculously loyal and have been known to attack anyone who takes them by force. All cores are good for quick offensive spells but different parts have other specialities. 

Whiskers - good for divination

Hair - good for Abjuration 

Saliva - good for transmutation 

Nails - good for necromancy 

White River Monster Spine:For a while these were some of the most well known and versatile cores, happily casting all forms of magic with some force. The problem is that Thiago Quintana was the only person who knew how to lure these creatures to a place where their spines can be harvested. As such they have fallen out of use but not from wish and they are quickly becoming highly valued heirloom wands, in the way of Vampire, Basilisk and Chimera wands. 

Chapter Text

Wand Cores - Plants:

Magical plants are rarely used as wand cores mostly because they aren't deemed to have enough magical power to work. This may seem strange to some, especially considering potions, I should point out that a potion uses significantly more of the ingredients than is used in a wand core. That being said I should point out that the very earliest wands didn't actually have cores so having a powerful core in a wand isn't essential, although it can make for much easier casting. Some people claim this has made wixen a little lazy over the years, relying on their wand to draw out their power instead of pulling it out themselves. This has been used to explain the lack of wandless ability in some magical societies. With this in mind there are some groups who think that using weaker core wands, especially plant cores, can be a way of building that ability by teaching people a skill they wouldn't otherwise have. 

Plant cores do have some other benefits, however, as the gentler nature of their core makes them perfect for more delicate woods such as Ivy or Vine. With blended cores they can also be used to add an extra effect to cores and can often be used with animal cores that don't 'play well' with others. There is some debate as to whether this phenomenon is due to the delicacy of the magic, or the fact that the animal core doesn't register it as a threat but, either way, these parts can be handy to have as options. Never mix a plant core with Flesh-Eating Slug Slime as it will completely disintegrate it. You should also be wary of mixing some of the highly toxic plants with certain animal cores as it can kill them. 

As for using magical plants for wands, the low level of magic in them has led to some people creating them but, personally, I always advise against it. While there is less magic in plants than animal parts, plants tend to be very specific in the magic they use and a magical plant wand can outright refuse to perform anything other than those spells. Remember that, while a core only uses a very small amount of a substance, sometimes as little as a single hair or scale, the wand uses a lot more, especially if it is a long wand, causing the magical wand to sometimes completely overwhelm the core. These wands are also a lot more difficult to control, the sheer quantity drawing up a lot of the casters power and the magical nature actually making them poor conductors, meaning that only those wixen with fantastic control will be able to competently produce magic from them. 

Not all magical plants produce stems that are robust enough for wands so I will indicate those that do. 

Plant Cores :

Aconite: One of the few mundane plants with enough power to produce a core. These cores specialise in transmutation and can also produce a powerful rennervate spell. 

Alihotsy: A decent enchantment core, the rictusempra produced by these cores is almost impossible to counter. 

Baneberry: Their toxic nature means that these cores are good at necromancy but they also have the added benefit of being good at divination. The wood of the Baneberry bush can be used for wands that are good at healing as well as repelling charms, although a quirk of these wands is that they cannot repel toads. 

Belladonna: Also known as Deadly Nightshade, Belladonna is a fairly powerful necromancy caster, as well as being great at enchantments, but they can also be good at divination, especially in those who have already awakened their third eye. There are a couple of similar plants that have been used by Muggle "witches" to produce hallucinations believed to be divination including Henbane. 

Bouncing Bulbs: These are very tricky to handle but are powerful with conjunction/summoning magic. 

Devil's Snare: Another magical plant that can be used for making wands as well as cores. It actually produces a fairly powerful core capable of all schools of magic except divination and invocation. There is a quirk with this core that it will never produce any light, even lumus, and if teamed with another core, your wand will burst into flames if you try to produce a combustion spell. 

Dragon's Blood Tree:The wood of this tree is very magically weak and so it is one of the few I would advise to use as a wand as it only really produces a weak necromancy bonus. One of the ways around this, however, is to use the sap from this tree instead. This can be tricky, as liquid cores always are, so the other way around this is to use the sap to dye your wand, creating a blood red colour, adding enough to produce an effect while keeping an adequate magical conductor. 

Flame Lily: This beautiful plant is wonderful at invocation magic and can be a good addition to blends. It is also good at necromancy, due to its highly toxic nature, but you do have to be wary, not only with what it is mixed with but also how its handled as and contact with your skin will cause severe irritation. 

Gillyweed: A fairly powerful transmutation core, this also produces a very good bubble head charm. 

Gurdyroot: One of the few abjuration cores in plants, this one is particularly favoured by Healers and Aurors for its ability to produce some excellent counter curses. 

Henbane: Has the same properties as deadly nightshade (see Belladonna ). 

Living Stone: Another one of the few plant based illusion cores. It is magically weak enough to blend with almost anything so it is good to add a nice twist to other cores if they are lacking in that area. 

Mandrake: Powerful necromancy cores, these plants also produce potent enchantments. Mandrake wands are utilised by quidditch commentators and sound engineers in theatres and concert halls as a single sonorous spell can easily reach thousands of people. It has been theorised that a pure Mandrake wand would create a sonorous that could burst eardrums but no one has wanted to risk testing this yet. 

Mimbleous Mimbletonia: A very weak necromancy and transmutation core. The Stink Sap can be extracted and used as a stronger necromancy core but you not only have to deal with a liquid core but the use of Stink Sap also removes the transmutation ability and, to be honest, there are far better necromancy cores, even if you want to avoid anything that is a poison and so thought to be 'dark' by some. 

Rainbow Eucalyptus: One of the few woods that I would use to make a whole wand, this plant has a good illusion ability. My biggest annoyance with this wood is that the beautiful multicoloured grain is lost due to the size of wands. I have often wished to make a staff out of this wood but have yet to come across a wixen with enough control to handle it. 

Shame Plant: Scientific name Mimosa pudica this is one of the few plants that have a strong transmutation effect. Not strong enough to be used on its own but it happily works alongside almost any other core. 

Shrivel Figs: These fairly potent cores are great for transmutation and divination spells as well as producing adequate charms. They could be used for necromancy but had issues with curses so they are seen as good additions to children's wands. 

Snargaluff: One of the few capable of good abjuration, although that seems to be the only benefit of this core. 

Sneezewort: A weak enchantment core, the benefit of this is the fact that it is readily available so is good for using to practice blending cores. 

Spiky Bush: Another one of the rare abjuration cores and are also good at invocation although, like Devil's Snare, these are also very sensitive to fire spells and can sometimes spontaneously combust. These can also be used for wands and can be useful for people who feel the need to be defended as these wands have been known to fire out spells on their own when the user feels threatened. 

Thaumatagoria: This is considered to be the Phoenix Feather of plants, not only because of the range of magic this core is capable of but also for the rarity of this substance. This can theoretically also be used to make wands without too many limitations, although they would likely require a lot of skill to control. No one has ever made wands of this tree, to my knowledge at least, based on the sheer rarity of this material. 

Valerian: A very useful core to have on hand once you have mastered core blending as it is readily available and can be mixed with almost any other core, giving a boost to necromancy, enchantment and invocation. 

Venemous Tentacula: Good for abjuration and necromancy, these plants have the one benefit of being able to control Doxy Wing and Chizpurfle cores. This plant can theoretically be used to create a wand but they have a tendency to split when a severing charm is cast.

Wiggentree: One of the few woods I would actually advise to make a wand because these wands have the unusual ability of emitting a low sound that keeps magical creatures away. Obviously this won't benefit some people, like potioneers who collect their own ingredients, but anyone who struggles with Defence Against the Dark Arts would truly benefit. This ability is lost if this material is only a core as the effect is too greatly reduced. 

Wormwood: This core makes a decent core that is good for necromancy, enchantment and transmutation, but it can also do some minor divination work. Some people do advise using pure Wormwood cores as a way of helping to open up your third eye but others claim that it only causes hallucinations. 

Staining Your Wand :

One of the benefits of creating custom wands is that you can add a more personal touch to them by using a stain on the wood. I would generally advise against using anything magical as, like with the core, it will draw out a person's magic and on a larger scale thanks to the surface area of the wand in relation to the core. Thankfully there are a number of mundane stains that can be used to colour the wood without affecting the rest of the magic. 

I should warn against using paint as the magic in the wand will prevent it from sticking. Stains are perfect however and some wixen like this process, especially potioneers who often find their wands staining from their brewing and even the darker woods can become discolored. Other people like to colour their wands to reference their school house or even their favourite quidditch team. I have listed a few options below that work quite well. You should be aware that different woods take the dyes in different ways so it is best to have an array of samples to show prospective clients to make sure they aren't disappointed. Stains can be layered for greater effect. 

Brown : Brown dyes can be brilliant at bringing out the grain in wood or for making darker wands, especially handy if your client wants a darker wand but only pairs with a lighter wood. Good dyes for this include Coffee, and Cocoa or Black Tea for a lighter brown. 

Dark Grey/Black : Again these dyes work well for people darkening or ebonising wood. Black Walnut husks, that have been dried, make a good dye, or Iron acetate (especially if you treat the wood with tea first, or the result can be more reddish). 

Red : The sap of the Dragon Blood tree can create a nice dye. Beetroot can be used as a more purplish red. Other easy red dyes can be produced from Elderberries and Hibiscus flowers. If you want more of a pink then Red Wine works well, as does Rose Petals and Cherries. 

Yellow : One of the easiest yellow dyes to make can be produced from soaking the skins of brown onions although the result can vary depending on the wood. Spices can also be used to make nice yellow colours, Saffron creating more of a bright yellow colour on wood and Turmeric creating more of a golden yellow. 

Blue : Black Mulberries can make a good deep dye, as does the fruit of the Oregon Grape/Mahonia shrub. Woad can create a brighter blue and Cornflowers can create a nice light one. If you want more of a turquoise a good option is Copper Acetate which can be produced by soaking Knuts or Muggle pennies in strong vinegar. 

Green : Spinach or Nettles can be used to make a strong green dye, as can the skin of Red Onions, strange as it may sound.

Another interesting item to use to dye is Red cabbage which produces a reddish-purple colour. You can add baking soda to the dye to turn it more of a blue or lemon juice to turn it pink. The upside of this process is that the colours are all in the same pallet so you know they work well together. 

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Crystals:

While people usually consider wooden or plant based wands it is actually possible to create a wand purely out of crystal. These wands are very powerful as crystals magnify magical power. The problem is that because there is no wood or core these wands are very difficult to use as they require the wielder to draw out and fully direct their magic themselves, something that is more difficult when the magic has been amplified and almost impossible for most casters as they are too used to relying on the wood and cores that usually make up wands to do that. 

That's not to say that crystals can't be used at all with the easiest way being to add crystals to the outside of the wand, helping to increase the wielder's magic without making it uncontrollable and without losing the wood and core that wizards usually rely on. The trick is to find the right crystal to correspond to the wielder's magic, which can be discerned by looking at their personality, or risk nullifying not only the effect but possibly their magic entirely. For this reason crystals are necessarily a good choice for everyone especially as some crystals are hard to come by and can, consequently, massively increase the price of a wand. 

It should also be noted that people's personalities can change over time, or if they experience an acute trauma, and, in such cases, it is possible for the crystal to no longer correspond with a person's magic. People who have crystals on their wand should always be warned of this possibility before purchasing. 

While this section refers to 'crystals' it should also be noted that some metals can also allow for magical amplification. 

Crystal Correspondence:

Amazonite - these people are inquisitive, always investigating the unknown and interested in a wide range of subjects. They are good communicators and intellectuals. 

Amber - these people are always on the go. They are intelligent and aware but also find it difficult to sit still and relax. They have a tendency to work too hard and worry too much. 

Amethyst - these people are levelheaded, generous and fair. If their spiritual interests have been repressed there may be an excessive use of alcohol and narcotics. 

Aquamarine - these people are friendly, supportive and talkative, full of stories and ideas. The person might also be connected to the sea and seafaring in some way. 

Aventurine - these people are optimistic, bright and emotionally balanced with clear insight. They may be practitioners of meditation that uses visual imagery. 

Azurite - this person is a healer, possibly as a profession but also possibly just in how they interact with others. This person can always lift a situation to the highest possible level. They are mysterious and enigmatic. 

Black Tourmaline - these people are down-to-earth, practical and at home wherever they are. These people may thrive in and seek out unusual or dangerous situations. 

Bloodstone - this stone represents a strong and courageous individual. They are emotional but are able to balance passion with calmness and understanding. 

Blue Lace Agate - these people can be a little vague. They are spiritually oriented, likely dreamers and good communicators. 

Carnelian - a warm, friendly, caring and sympathetic person who has experienced much in their life. This person is also creative, nurturing, sensual and sensitive. 

Celestite - these people tend to be in a world of their own: dreamy and contemplative, perhaps a little distant and completely removed from everyday preoccupations. 

Citrine - these people are happy, confident and have a sunny disposition. They have a practical side but also enjoy exploring the subtleties of the mind and spirit. 

Clear Quartz - works with bright, organised and orderly individuals who have a calm, clear mind and a positive emotional outlook. 

Copper - these people are mediators and are able to make positive suggestions in any situation. Creative, practical and flexible; these people appear to be all things to all people. 

Emerald - these people are open, clear-sighted and loving. There is a quiet, strong energy, a conviction of the rightness of things and an optimism borne of confidence and stability rather than wishful thinking. 

Flint - practical and inventive, these people may appear unresponsive and rigid. With the right stimulus, however, these people will help out wherever possible. 

Fluorite - represents a designer or an inventor. They may appear to be ahead of their time, offering innovative suggestions about things. 

Garnet - these people are busy, obsessive and usually impatient. Often described as a live wire, this person will cause a stir wherever they go; sometimes in a good way, sometimes in a bad way, but certainly never subtle. 

Hematite - these people are solid and dependable. They sometimes come across as boring but tend to have a strengthening and stabilising effect on those around them. If they have spiritual experiences they will keep them secret. 

Jade - these people are routed in family and traditions. They have a stability in these people that comes from a sense of continuity. 

Labradorite - these people frequently appear dull when you first meet them but, when you get to know them, you realise they have actually led an extremely exciting life. 

Lapis Lazuli - these people are serious deep thinkers, perhaps teachers but likely of an advanced level. They may be involved with the law. 

Malachite - a positive Malachite person has a healing and soothing character and will always help to ease another's pain and will offer support in times of emotional turmoil. A negative Malachite personality is resentful, controlling and difficult to trust. 

Milky Quartz - these people are usually very vague and unfocused, as such this stone frequently corresponds with teenagers although, when it does, it often doesn't last into adulthood and I usually don't recommend actually using this stone when it does. Adults who correspond with this stone are usually well meaning but ineffectual in life. 

Moldavite - this person is strong and unconventional and they may have atypical or unpopular views. Big ideas and the desire to push limits of experience are also characteristics. 

Moonstone - this usually indicates someone with strong feminine energies although it doesn't necessarily have to correspond with a woman. 

Moss Agate - these people are free spirits. They are at ease with nature and are able to make do with whatever resources are available. This person is a poet or a dreamer and can't stand to be pinned down or restricted by outside constraints. 

Obsidian - these people are emotionally volatile and secretive and are good at uncovering hidden objects and information. 

Pearl/Abalone - often outwardly beautiful but inwardly confused. These people have a great deal of emotional energy but can become unstable if they don't have a balancing factor. 

Peacock Ore - these people tend to be mature and widely experienced. They are enthusiastic with an underlying confidence in life. 

Pyrite - these people are usually difficult to get to know. They may be a braggart or simply a dreamer. Shattering their illusion may cause a quick and fiery response. 

Red Jasper - these people are down to earth and straight forward though rarely easy to define. They are good at making useful things and rarely interested in vague dreams or flights of the imagination. 

Rhodonite - there are two quite distinct personalities that this stone can represent: either someone who is very grounded, passionate and down-to-earth or someone who lacks assuredness and self-confidence. 

Rose Quartz - these people are empathetic, sympathetic and supportive of other people's lives and, as such, you will often find this stone corresponding with healers, or people who become healers in later life. These people are also usually very capable of expressing their emotions and are often very forthright, without hidden agendas or manipulations. Rose quartz wielders are invariably trustworthy. 

Rubellite in Lepidolite - this usually represents someone who is trapped in the past in some way or who can't forget a specific event although this can be a positive event although it is often a traumatic one. This stone can also correspond to someone who is interested in history or the passage of time and has often been linked to people who work in the Department of Mysteries at the British Ministry of Magic. 

Ruby - these people are warm, open, friendly and confident. They are natural leaders who show responsibility for others. They are honest and trustworthy. 

Rutilated Quartz - these people have many irons in the fire and are always busy with various ideas and projects. This stone suits numerous people: from poets and inventors to healers and group coordinators and facilitators. 

Sapphire - this is a very observant person who would rather watch than take part. This person also works with spiritual and psychic energies as a matter of course, not for the glamour of it. 

Selenite - These people usually appear attractive and friendly but are actually unreliable and unstable. 

Smoky Quartz - these people have a strong, quiet energy as well as a deep, creative energy. These people often choose to lead quiet lives. 

Sodalite - these people have strong links to communication technology. Their primary interest usually lies in the exchange of information. They are also usually emotionally restrained and self-possessed. 

Sugilite - a sensitive person with a lively imagination but this person likely finds it difficult to socialise with others on an everyday basis. 

Tiger's Eye - a warm, social and practical person who has a good sense of humour. These people need to always be around others to feel comfortable and don't do well in isolation. 

Topaz - these people are very self-assured and can come across as either supportive or annoying depending on how it is displayed. A natural leader or a manipulative schemer, this person will always find a way into top positions. 

Turquoise - self-contained and assured, these personalities are skilled in the physical world but also have a firm foundation in the spirit world. They are likely a teacher, healer or guide. 

Other Wand Additions:

Runic carvings, unlike regular carvings, can add extra powers to wands and I suggest consulting a runic table before adding these. Runes can be very complicated however and I would generally advise against adding them unless you have a very good understanding of them and even then to keep things as simple as you can if you must include them. Merging runes can sometimes backfire as you can miss hidden symbols in there that can cancel your initial work or even reverse it. Always draw out a symbol before carving and trace out different sections to compare to a runic table before actually carving to help prevent that. 

Some people request specific carvings on their wands that aren't related to runes, or for them to be placed inside objects. This doesn't affect the wand in any way although they can be a good way to gain extra funding. 

Some metals can be used to decorate wands but makers should be careful that these don't adversely interact with users' magic. 

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Appendix - Schools of Magic:

It should be noted that while the British Ministry if Magic, and the International Confederation of Wizards (courtesy of Albus Dumbledore, currently the head of that organisation at the time of writing this guide) spells are categorised into transfigurations, charms, jinxes, hexes, curses, counter-spells and healing spells. These boundaries, however, are "flexible" and poorly defined causing a lot of overlap of spells or for spells to be very poorly defined leading to many classifications to make little to no sense. 

This is not the original classification of magic, rather one that was created by people who were strongly against anything associated with 'dark' magic and mostly made up to cover the fact that most healing magic actually falls under necromancy in the original system. This may seem strange to people who have been brought up on this new system (I use the term in the loosest possible way) but it does actually make logical sense when you realise that spells to alleviate illness is actually destroying the bug that is causing the illness (the bug being a living thing) and spells that heal wounds or fix bones are creating living flesh from nothing, something that is very much necromancy. 

This idea was antithetical to people who had made it their mission to 'fight dark magic' thus the need to create a new system. Unfortunately they didn't use any actual logic when creating their system which is why there is a lot of overlap with spells and a lot of designations appearing very arbitrary with Dumbledore himself even saying that "boundaries are flexible" (which is a bit of an understatement). Of course there will always be some overlap in any magical system but, personally, I prefer to use the old one as laid out below. 

System of Magic:

Abjuration: Protective spells and spells which cancel or interfere with other spells, magical effects or supernatural abilities. 

Transmutation: What can be considered as the modern idea of transfiguration but specifically refers to changing things. This school refers to altering the properties of the target such as its size, as well as its actual state eg. changing water into wine. 

Conjuration/Summoning: This school focuses on instantaneous transportation, conjuring manifestations of creatures, energy or objects and object creation (creating something out of nothing). Some healing spells do fall into this category. 

Divination: This school of magic is all about acquiring or revealing information and covers a lot more than simple fortune telling including things like detecting and revealing spells. Occlumency would fall into this school. 

Enchantment/Charms: This school focuses on affecting the minds of others including influencing or controlling their behaviour. Imperious is a well known enchantment but this also covers other compulsions as well as things like the cheering charm. 

Evocation: This covers anything that creates matter or energy, calling it up from nothing. Incendio is a well known evocation, as well as the spark producing spells. It frequently covers what are considered 'attack' spells. 

Illusion: This covers anything involved with changing the appearance of something. It could be as simple as a colour changing spell but also covers disillusioning. 

Necromancy: This covers anything involving death, undeath and the manipulation of life energy which is why a lot of healing spells fall under this category, as well as the likes of Avada Kedavra.